Ember Wind: Starlight City

Gathering Stones

Tangurple nodded to Falcher, "I think it's time we go back and find Storm."
   
"What about Creoft?" Falcher seemed unusually curious about Creoft's life span.
   
"He'll manage. It's Creoft, he doesn't die easy; even if you try. Now come on. We need to get to this darkstone before Storm does."
   
Together, they made their way to the transit shrines and warped their way back to Randstad in Ashua and hiked into the caves. They emerged on the other side feeling a bit worn out from the travelling but they still had a task to do. Tangurple stepped out into the jungle taking in a deep breath of the air. "I think this heat is actually refreshing."
   
"It's definitely better than frostbite but I strongly despise this jungle. Too many ambush places."
   
Tangurple laughed and bumped shoulders. "But that's the fun in it. Besides, no one's gonna ambush us."
   
"Congratulations, you just jinxed us."
   
"Oh hush." Tangurple then promptly knocked on a jungle tree. "We're covered. Quite literally too."
   
"So guild master, where are we going?"
   
"We are going to the Khunait city. The Aldail queen said it was in the northwest. We will follow the jungle up and around. If you look at the map," Tangurple pulled out the map that the game provided and pointed to a hand drawn line of triangles. "The northern mountains provide a break in the wall of objects."
   
"Then what?"
   
"Then we make a sharp left and follow the terrain line all the way to the city."
  
"If there is a city there, why isn't it marked?"
   
"I was thinking about that myself and I have a theory. It's either underground or it's on floating islands. Neither would surprise me."
   
"If my map reading skills are still good, that mountain looks like an old volcano."
   
"It does and if that's the case then that makes perfect sense."
   
"What does?"
   
"I've done some fantasy racial research over the years. I tried to make my own DnD game a while back. Dark elves are often recognized as cave dwellers. The like dark warm areas and many huge games have them living near volcanoes."
   
"Do you think the volcano is dead then?"
   
"It can't be, not if Richer stuck to common lore. The entrance won't be the volcano itself but rather, near it. Maybe an old lava vent or some ground level cave. Could be the bottom of a ravine."
   
"But if you look here, the map doesn't show any ravines."
   
"Which reduces possible areas. The queen's word too also gives us a direction." Tangurple pointed to several things on the map which he believed to be possible locations for an entrance to a subterranean city. "That leaves us these five areas"
   
"That's a lot of ground to cover for just the two of us."
   
"Probably, but with our luck, we'll either find it in two hours or we'll fall into it."
   
"Won't be the first."
   
"Never is." Tangurple then folded up the map and lead the way. The two of them traveled across the jungle with no trouble. They came to the foot of the volcano where the jungle and tall grass field broke down into a pile of ash and basalt. Falcher studied the slope of the volcano quickly realizing how unlikely it was that the entrance was directly pinned to the volcano. He turned to Tangurple who was busy staring at the map trying to verify their location. "Not here. That volcano's walls are too steep for us to climb naturally. No path up from here either."
   
Tangurple shrugged his shoulders, "next spot then."
   
It was just as Tangurple predicted, two hours and twenty seven minutes of searching the five possible entrance areas. Falcher saw a distant glow of light just beyond the knee high grass. He raced Tangurple to it and there it was, a trap door left wide open. They fell into it and ventured down the hallway.
   
They came to the T shaped intersection where they were suddenly attacked by a ragdoll. Tangurple was at Falcher's left and they were distracted with the right hallway. A cloaked body came flying at them, unannounced. It collided with Tangurple and knocked him face first into the mud. Falcher equipped his rapiers in response and pointed them at the cloaked body. Tangurple lifted his head groaning. "The hell was that?"
   
The green cloaked body stood up and spoke a few spells which flashed around them. Green leaves miraculously appeared and a slight wind blew the hood back exposing the wood elf's face. Falcher cocked his head to the side. "Gelmen?"
   
"Si." Gelmen replied. "When you get here?"
   
"Just now actually." Falcher leaned over and pulled Tangurple to his feet. "Where is everyone else?"
   
Gelmen pointed to the hallway behind him. "We split. Tilamo that way." he pointed to the left hallway where a scream echoed. "Tilamo found big beast."
   
Hearing that was not something either of them wanted to hear. Tangurple nodded, "then let's rescue Tilamo."
   
The three of them ran down the left hallway and quickly discovered the beast. Gelmen hastily started running his mouth, dribbling healing spells. Tangurple rushed in and threw himself at it, giving it a new person to focus on. Falcher used Tangurple as a launch pad and wreaked havoc to the creature's upper body. Tilamo recovered and returned to the fight however he didn't even acknowledge them much less even realize that they were there.
   
At the last few hit points, Tilamo took the credit for the kill. With a final strike to the face, the creature collapsed in defeat and eventually exploded into a thousand white pixels before vanishing. Tilamo panted heavily but held his scythe high up with a very proud grin smeared across his muddy face. "HA HA! Don't mess with the Wings of Freedom because then you get the hawk of mother fu-"
   
Tangurple interrupted his victorious self-gratification speech with a clearing of the throat. "AHEM."
   
Tilamo lowered his scythe and finally noticed the other two men. "Tang? Falcher? When and how did you get here?"
   
"Just now and the hard way involving detective work." Falcher replied sarcastically.
   
"I wasn't expecting you two to be back this quickly."
   
"Then we're making good time. So where's Storm and Mir?"
   
"They went down the right tunnel. We split up in hopes of finding the underground city."
   
"So it is underground then?"
   
"That's was Gelmen told me and Storm. Mir went ahead of us all and if we're lucky, she took the right path."
   
"This is gonna be awesome!" Tangurple perked up and acted all giddy. "I've never seen a game do an underground city before. Oh I so hope they have like hanging lights, bioluminescent plant life, and maybe we get like glow in the dark crabs."
   
Falcher chuckled and patted his head. "I wouldn't get my hopes too high now."
   
"I can dream Falcher."
   
Tilamo grabbed the loot bag the creature dropped and absorbed it into his inventory. "Crap, crap, more crap. Oh hey! Look at this!" he held an ugly looking bow, "it's crap!"
   
"It's a rank two boss, what'd you expect?" Falcher rolled his eyes.
   
"Not this, that's for sure."
   
"Gelmen thinks group should move," Gelmen spoke up pointing a shaky finger at a rematerializing silhouette.
   
"So that's how they respawn." Tangurple watched the silhouette take form.
   
Falcher looked over his shoulder at it. "Oh shit." he then smacked the back of Tangurple's head and with speed, the three of them ran away. Down the hall and into the main cavern they went. Emerging out onto the plateau, they were relieved to see Storm and Mirvelle on the other side. Tangurple waved and called out to them.
   
Storm and Mirvelle waved back. Storm pointed to the land bridge to their left. They regrouped on the city side of the plateau. Storm was surprised to see Falcher and Tangurple again so soon but she made sure to hide the emotion. "Welcome back. How's Cro?"
   
Falcher raised a disgruntled brow at the question. Tangurple replied like nothing was wrong. "He's on the run, to say the least." He smiled brightly and stood heroically. "You're looking at the new guild master of the Guardians of the Collapsed."
   
"New GM? I'm surprised at that one." Storm gave him a few quick golf claps.
   
"Where exactly are we?"
   
"Well, thanks to Mirvelle here, we're on the outskirts of the Khunait city. Unfortunately, she's gone and killed two guards without hesitation."
   
"Hey!" Mirvelle interjected. "I was being harassed."
   
"We just had this discussion, pre-programmed characters are not capable of harassment."
   
"You didn't know Judas then." Tangurple said.
   
"Don't care. The guards Mir killed will respawn soon and I have no idea if they'll remember the little skirmish. Let's get the stones and get out before we start a war."
   
"Alright, what's the plan then?"
   
"These dark elves have both stones presumably. If they're smart like us, they'll keep them stored in the heart of their city under lock and key with a dozen guards." Storm pulled out a regional map and looked at it. The city was mapped out entirely and it was rippled. A focal point which laid against the back wall of the cave and in rings, the rest of the city sprawled out from it. "I recommend splitting up and taking the five main roads to the center."
   
Tangurple then pointed out something that hadn't been previously known. "When I first arrived here about a week or two ago, I met a wood elf and she told me that outsiders are highly likely to be killed. I have my cloak to cover my emporian armor but the rest of you." He then pointed the Falcher, the biggest one in the group and the only gnoll. "Stand out like a sore thumb. These dark elves will kill anyone that's not them. The only one who is guaranteed safe is Mirvelle since she's one of them, racially."
   
"So we need disguises?"
   
"Just something to cover the exposed limbs."
   
Gelmen pulled out a heavy brown fur cape and wrapped it around himself. "This good?"
   
Tangurple nodded, "It'll do."
   
After a few minutes of swapping gear and trading coverings, they were hidden enough to pass through the city relatively unscathed, minus Falcher. The plan then became a prisoner transport. Mirvelle was to take Falcher up the center road to the palace as if he was a prisoner of war. Falcher disapproved of it but without drawing unwanted attention from the city guards, that was the only sure fire way.
   
Tangurple was given the left most road along the western edge of the city. He was isolated from the group in accordance to the plan. Even in the far flung corner of the spider web shaped city, it was still bustling with activity. His black and blue cloak didn't draw attention but a couple of heads did turn in curiosity. He kept a relaxed posture and pulled the hood over his face.
   
He walked straight through the pockets of people that were on the road. Most ignored him fortunately. The western side of the city looked impoverished to some extent. The structures and houses there were old, partly broken or damaged in some way. The road was cracked but it was made mostly of naturally occurring stone, carved and pock marked by the denizen population. Names were carved into the road itself by dozens of people long before. The area was illuminated by the hanging plants. Bioluminescent fungi grew out of the artificial patches of dirt arranged in miniature gardens like decorative flowers.
   
Small Khunait children chased each other in circles simulating some sort of tag game around the very distracted parents who were caught up in conversation. Most of the laughter was coming from the young ones running around but a few of the conversations, nearly all of which were in the Khunait tongue.
   
He made his way up the street managing to bypass the general population without any major eyebrow raising. When the street merged with the large half rotary, he kept to the corner of a building, passively watching for signs of the others. He looked up at the palace that was at the head of the city. It was massive, beautifully dark and seemingly all natural. While much of its face was likely carved, the gaps in the structure appeared natural.
   
Dozens of dark elves wandered the rotary walking between the open air markets. For a supposedly evil people, they behaved normally. The strangest things were on market too. Bats hung from the cavern's high ceilings but also cooked versions dangled by their ankles on a grocery line. Pairs of them often traded food for other food, clothing for trinkets and the likes. The trinkets though, from where he was, looked to be relatively similar in design. They all resembled some shrouded woman with her hands clasped together like children in prayer.
   
Tangurple decided to take a better look at it. He merged in with the crowd and wandered by the shops. He found the one selling the odd trinkets. A closer look revealed something. The item looked something of an idol. There were two creatures at her sides. On her left hand was a sphere with craters on it, presumably a moon, and on her right was an amalgamation of three animals in one. At her feet however was what seemed to be human, groveling.
   
The store keeper coughed and spoke to him in the Khunait tongue. Tangurple didn't acknowledge him and walked away. "I wonder if that is Enderia..." he mumbled to himself.
   
He bumped into someone and knocked them over. He raised his hood enough to see her. "Sorry Mir."
   
Mirvelle stood back up and shrugged. "Have you seen the others?" she whispered.
   
"Not yet."
   
"Scheisse..."
   
"They should've emerged by now."
   
"Head up the stairs to the palace in a minute."
   
Tangurple nodded. Mirvelle looked around  and speed walked her way towards and up the palace steps. Tangurple followed a minute later. The doors to the palace were wide open and in he went. The palace interior was very different from its exterior. The walls were patterned with cutaways of snail shells and arches acted as a replacement for doors. Everything was some variation of bronze and copper. Even the lights were a dull yellow or orange.
   
As far as he could see, there were no guards here but Mirvelle also wasn't in sight. The main hallway where he was lead to another set of large shell patterned doors. Tangurple cautiously made his way down the hall and through the doors he pushed. The next room was big and very decorated. However, as he stuck his head in, spears appeared on either side of him. "Shit..."
   
From the throne room, she never heard the commotion. This woman was a young dark elf who'd secured the position of leadership. She was happily sprawled out in relaxation when one of her guards disturbed her. The guard was a big male who used the pike as a walking stick more so than an actual stabbing weapon. "Mistress," he said, kneeling before her.
   
The female in power rolled over to glance at him. "Why do you disturb my beauty sleep?"
   
"We found an Emporian trying to breach the throne room." the guard began. "We've captured him but he won't relinquish his weapons. He does request an audience with you."
   
"An Emporian? The Empire couldn't have recovered this quickly."
   
"He was alone."
   
"Alone? That's not right. Mobilize the city guard, have them search every street and everyone. If there are any others, I want them in chains."
   
"Understood. What about-"
   
There was a loud bang and some clashing of metal from beyond the doors. The throne room guards readied themselves for combat. The doors were pushed open by Tangurple. "You really need to teach your guys to not grope me."
   
That about set her off. The woman stood up. "Emporian... what are you doing out here?"
   
"I'm no Emporian. I just like their armor. I am what the others refer to as a scavenger except, even that title is an understatement." Tangurple entered the throne room with stride and arrogance in his step. "I am the one who's come to collect what is rightfully his and what should be mine. I'm going to assume you to be the queen of the banished elves?"
   
She gave him a scowl and grinded her teeth. "For a lone warrior, you make bold claims. I am the mistress, the political servant to the Goddess Enderia."
   
"That's a name that keeps coming back. Who is this Enderia?"
   
To his right, a purple portal opened up. It was spiraling with a fuzzy like ovalish outline. Another woman emerged and she was the personification of darkness. Her skin was crawling, moving like indecipherable shadows on a new moon night. Her eyes glowed purple briefly and the shadows withdrew to reveal a human female in unpleasantly revealing clothes.
   
"I'm guessing madame portal is Enderia?"
   
"You'd be correct, Catholic."
   
Tangurple raised a brow. "How do you know?"
   
"You think I wouldn't? I'm a goddess afterall, I know a great many things. I know of your fight with Judas and while I am pleased to see that arrogant pig slain, I'm dissatisfied with your presence." Enderia walked in a circle around him keeping a wide berth to avoid his attack range.
   
"I have no intent to kill you. I'm here for the stones."
   
The mistress sat down and laughed at him. Enderia however demanded silence with a simple raise of her hand. "You can't have the stones, hero. They are not yours to fight for and never have been."
   
"Is that what you honestly believe? You've seen me and probably watched me for a while. I admire your kinkiness but come on, you know I won't back down that easily."
   
"That's why I made my appearance. I have something different in mind for you and your friends."
   
Tangurple rested his hand on the hilt of his sword. "If I reject?"
   
"Then let the war begin."
   
"Ok, I reject."
   
Enderia rolled her eyes. "Why must you be so brain dead?"
   
"I find that it pisses your kind off in a way that I find entertaining. Besides, I just want my stones."
   
"You're entering a war in which you are not meant to have a role in."
   
"I always have a role, lass." Tangurple took a step forward and snapped his fingers. "I'm done with the lot of ya telling me what I can and cannot do. I will do whatever the hell I feel like doing when I feel like doing it. Right now, your little plan to win fake power is standing in the way of my freedom. No one is more pissed about losing freedom than an American. You decide if you want to fight me and my right to freedom."
   
"American? That's not something I'm familiar with, therefore your argument is invalid. Stand aside or face the wrath of the goddess of nightmares."
   
"I think I'll start an incision above your stomach and slowly dig around with a rusty spoon. I'm curious if there's any brains being digested."
   
Enderia rolled her eyes. "Runis dear, erase this scavenger for me. I have other matters to attend to."
   
"I'm not done with you Enderia. I won't be dismissed so easily and even you will learn to fear the threats of a ginger demon."
   
Enderia didn't acknowledge him. She opened another purple portal and vanished from sight. However, he did have someone else acknowledge him. Runis was the female that was on the throne. She was in her formal regalia which looked like nothing more than a one-piece bathing suit.
   
Tangurple sighed and shook his head in disappointment. "What does it take to get the attention of the folks who matter?"
   
Runis began her spell.
   
A ball of light magic flew past Tangurple's left ear and left it ringing. The ball hit Runis and blasted a hole in her chest. It was a one hit knockout. Tangurple was baffled and turned around out of curiosity.
   
Mirvelle pointed to Tilamo. "Sorry about the closeness of it, wanted better angle but that was the only spot I could guarantee a hit."
   
Storm patted Tilamo's shoulder. "Any luck finding the gems?"
   
"Sadly no but I can confirm who our world boss is going to be."
   
"Who?"
   
"Enderia, the goddess of nightmares."
   
"We get to fight a goddess now? That is going to be an interesting fight." Storm looked rather surprised about it.
   
Mirvelle had a wicked grin plastered to her face. "Is she bitchy? I like trashing bitches, it's the most amusing thing to do."
   
"She needs an attitude adjustment, yes."
   
"Where is this Enderia?" Falcher walked past Tangurple to take a peak in the throne room.
   
"She opened a portal and vanished. I don't know to where but she couldn't have gone far."
   
Storm looked back to where they came from. "I was really hoping to at least find one of the stones."
   
Falcher then called out. "Hey guys, take a look at this."
   
They all entered the throne room and walked up to the throne where Falcher was. On the back of the chair was two different colored rocks imbedded in it with an empty third slot. Storm pulled out a dagger and popped the two rocks. "Flacher, you're a genius."
   
"I was told to never let the three rocks sit alongside each other. I wonder what'll happen." Tangurple said.
   
Storm stuffed both rocks into her inventory. "I'll hold onto them in the meantime. The gold is the Aldail's gem, right Tang?"
   
Tangurple nodded in agreement.
   
"Then this black one must be the darkstone their queen mentioned. So where and what is the third?"
   
"I've actually seen it. It only just now dawned on me. The wood elves have it in their jungle. I believe one of their Elders has it attached to a staff."
   
"That's convenient."
   
"Unlike our escape." Tangurple watched as the only exit out was sealed shut. It took a minute for the realization to hit everyone else. "Well shit."
   
"You say that a lot, don't you?" Mirvelle asked him.
   
"I do, want me to change it to gobshite then?"
   
"You'll sound stupid. I'd rather you not ruin my opinion of you with a phrase like that."
   
"Duly noted. So how are we getting out?"