Shadow and Memory

Part 2

He had been right, though he did not take the time to say as much. They emerged into another sunken ruin, quite similar to the one they had originally escaped. Piles of half broken towers in archaic styling leaned against each other, chunks of ancient stone buildings laid about. Some were blasted to ruins while others were remarkably intact for their age. Whatever great calamity had put them here was lost to history.

But where the previous one had been silent and dead, this one was a teeming hive of activity. More of the pale, twisted figures were emerging from broken buildings or coming out of other side tunnels, clad in tattered rags or in stranger materials which seemed almost insectoid in likely origin.

Even in the heat of the moment some calm part of Wulfric's mind was wondering where they had all come from, what as of yet unknown breed of humanity had come to call these ruins home? Were they spun from whole cloth by some twisted god which lived down beneath the earth. Or were they the degenerated descendants of unfortunate souls that had wandered down too deep and become changed by their new home.

These thoughts really only passed through his mind in barely registered flashes. What was far more concerning were the number of jagged blades and sharp spears that these creatures seemed to be wielding. He growled, posture hunched forward and ready for action, though again he remained keenly aware of the young woman he had to keep safe. A good a shot as she was with a bow, she was no warrior, and he feared she might yet go to pieces in a pitched battle.

Then, through it all, through the strange hissing voices of the deep folk, the musty smell of damp soil that had never known sunlight, the hammering of his own heart, something came to him. His ears lay back against his head, and he looked up, a look of surprising calm stealing over his face, and then a smile.

"What is it?" Carol asked, trembling slightly.

"Fresh air." Wulfric said softly, looking up. "I was right, there is a surface entrance here. We just have to climb up to it.

She nodded, clinging firmly onto their one hope. "Right. Should be easy enough." She still trembled, but the hands upon the recurve bow were as steady as could be expected.

He grinned to her. "That's the spirit." And in that moment his grin became that of a monster, of long fangs and a sleek muzzle.

Wulfric reared as the great beast again, his axe changing as quickly and smoothly as his own body into the great two hander once more. He plunged the haft spike into the dirt and rock wall behind them. It sank deep into the compacted earth, piercing it easily. The haft in place, Wulfric yanked hard, pulling without any fear of breaking his weapon. His great muscles strained, and the earth yielded, a great clod of soil and rock ripping sideways.

Wulfric looked back into the tunnel, seeing a group of the deep folk halting in their tracks and turning back as the destabilized tunnel began to cave in, though not all were fast enough and let out keening shrieks as they were buried.

Their backs protected, Wulfric turned to Carol. "We are going to make a break for it, I will jump in among them and clear a path, but you must move under your own strength for now. Help me where you can, but keep moving above all else. I can handle myself."

She nodded, mustering her courage. "Where to?"

Wulfric briefly surveyed the area, noting how the locals were mustering and preparing, though they hesitated now. Even though these creatures were far different from the humanity that occupied the surface world, they were still stunned to see a creature like him appear before them and tear one of their tunnels down. "There, move along the edge of the cavern, let me keep their focus on me. You see that ramp there? Our exit will be up high, start climbing and keep climbing."