Iceblade Ascendant

15: GROLLS

At the bottom of the slope they were greeted by a narrow, stone archway, flanked by two braziers topped with softly pulsating, white glowstones. Jaewyn hefted her blade and strode through, the others following and readying their weapons. They emerged into a vast, circular chamber, its cracked, stone walls studded on either side with rocky ledges and tall, marble columns. The room was lit by the familiar white glowstones, but the ceiling was lost in darkness.

"So this is one of the ancient, Atlantyan dungeons," Zephyrle breathed, "I wonder what sort of treasures..."

"There's another plaque," Thalleron announced, kneeling by the lapis lazuli flagstone and brushing dust away from gold letters.

"I love how they force you to kneel to get the information you need," Jaewyn mused.

"The fortified entrance to the dungeon is guarded by savage grolls. If you wish to survive, you must defeat them. There are other obstacles in your path, those that require more than brute strength or skill at arms, for you will need intelligence and agility to outwit the puzzles that lie before you. You will see a caged lever - this is the key to exiting this level, but opening the cage itself is a mighty task that will require all your skill and cunning. Only when you lift the cage will you be able to penetrate the lower levels of the dungeon..."

"What was that about penetration?" Zephyrle grinned.

"Get your mind out of the gutter Zeph," Jaewyn shot back.

Exactly as written, a large, brass lever sat beneath a domed cage in the centre of the chamber, suspended on a massive, ornate chain.  Then came a gutteral snarl, and three, massive beasts emerged into the light. Jaewyn's eyes narrowed as she analysed the hideous creatures. If local legends were to be believed, the grolls were intelligent hyenas, tainted by the residue left from the demonic invasions of the Fourth Age. Looking at them now, Jaewyn knew there was something more to them than mere mutant animals. There was certainly a spark of intelligence in their eyes, seemingly revealing that they possessed a cruel, vicious cunning.

Everything about the grolls screamed the word brutal.

They stood at around three metres high, and were towering pillars of muscle. Their ape-like arms and backwards-jointed legs were covered in shaggy, yellow-brown fur with black patches. The legs ended in paws tipped with long, black talons while their fingered hands gripped a mixture of heavy weapons: a battleaxe, a jagged-edged sword, and a morning star, the metal ball on the end of its chain covered with sharp spikes. Their furred torsos and massive, broad shoulders were clad in a variety of iron and boiled leather armour plates adorned with large studs and sharpened spikes. Feathers, bones and other trophies hung from their belts.

But it was the grolls' heads that were their most fearsome aspect: that of monstrous hyenas. They had dirty, blunt muzzles with wolf-like fangs and lolling, red tongues. Their glowing, yellow eyes without pupils, leathery ears pierced with multiple bronze rings and thick, wild manes of hair that ran down their hunched backs only enhanced their terrifying and grisly appearance.

"Hey dung-heaps," Zephyrle called, pulling a throwing knife from her belt. "We've got business here. So if you'll just let us do that, we'll be on our way."

She was answered only by an angry bark and the grolls charged, weapons raised.

"Looks like its dinner time Jae." Zephyrle's knife spun end over end, slamming into the first groll's torso.

"Team, you know what to do," Jaewyn commanded, pointing Arnjo's shining blade and rushing forward to intercept the groll. Ignoring the knife protruding from its ribcage, the groll's sword leapt out, slashing downwards in a vicious arc. Jaewyn ducked and rolled beneath the swing, ending the manoeuvre in a crouch. Without hesitation, she brought up her own sword, slamming it point first into the groll's torso, beneath Zephyrle's knife. Golden light flared brightly from the blade. The beast roared in pain and anger, blood pumping down the sword and drenching Jaewyn's gauntlets in crimson. It was a killing blow, Jaewyn knew, but the beast refused to die. Grolls were meant to be tough. As she retracted her sword, the jagged sword of the groll swept over her head and she ducked involuntarily. The groll followed through with a punch from its left fist, smashing into Jaewyn and sending her clattering across the floor. She scrambled to her feet just as the groll, bleeding profusely, charged at her again, its yellow eyes flaring with undying hate.