ARC 5 - Oblivions Edge Part 2: Break of Dawn

Chapter 9

"Go back!" Koldar yelled at him, "tell Krewing we got this far." 

Dave nodded, then jogged back around the corner and out of sight.

Koldar sighed and looked over the ever-dwindling group. "Now what?"

"Simple," Elm said pointing to the ground were drag marks were once again trailing, "we find them." 

"Besides," Mrax hated to have to point out, "we gotta go further in to find a way back out."

The group reluctantly relinquished part of their armaments as the heat grew the deeper they trekked. 

Lava continued below them through most of the caverns, sometimes just a small crack in the ground allowed it to be seen below, other times it was directly off a ledge to either side of them.

Griddel alone didn't so much as remove a stitch of armor.

Sumav began sweating profusely and shaking as they carefully crept through the caverns.

"You alright?" Jerza asked him, taking off her leather headdress.

"I am. Just not used to the heat." Sumav assured her.

"Join the crowd." Breknaf grunted at him.

They slowed when they began to see shadows ahead and heard the goblins chattering amongst themselves. 

The noise of metal hitting rock repeatedly echoed through their caverns, with the faint whimper of something distinctly not goblin.

Kaet and Koldar peeked around the corner leading to the noises.

The sight before them made them both wince. 

The goblins had tossed Vell to one side of the cavern where he laid motionless. 

Next to him, chained to the wall, was a young woman, barely clothed. The left side of her face and her left arm had been crystallized.

The crystals had grown out of control, jutting out and making it painful for her to move.

Goblins moved to and fro, little sacks and pick-axes in their hands, mining the crystals off her.

As they watched, one of them poured a foul smelling orange liquid over her arm, and the crystals took off, growing another six inches instantly. 

The woman tried to cry out in pain, but all that came out was a whimper.

"Well?" Elm inquired from behind them.

"We found Vell, no sign of Gathen."

"Good, then let's-"

"But that's not all." Kaet interrupted her furry friends advance.

"There's a girl. She's, well," Kaet looked to Koldar as she searched for a way to say it.

"...being mined from the looks of it." Koldar finally explained. "Probably what they plan to do to Vell if given the chance."

"I'm ready." Jerza opened a pouch on her belt and pulled out what looked like white marbles.

"Smoke pellets." She told them.

"You may be good to fight, but he's not." Koldar pointed.

The group turned to find Sumav sitting cross legged, hands in his lap, his body turning a purplish hue.

Sweat was pouring off of him, more than the heat allowed for. When he looked up, his eyes were bloodshot.

"Were you hit by a dart?" Breknaf asked, warily touching a still gloved left hand to Sumavs forehead.