Deep in the forest was a large circle of tightly packed trees. A crystalline dome encircled the area within. It was imperceptible from afar unless one was remotely familiar with the area. It helped that a large portion of the upper dome had shattered, leaving an opening that reflected light from certain angles. This was what tipped off Sariel of their proximity to Veil’s laboratory. Crossing the threshold of the camp was nerve wracking. Not only for Sariel but also for the rest of the party.
Splatters of dried blood were riddled across stone and glass alike. The few buildings looked like a giant had torn through them. Tools and records alike were shattered and scattered throughout the area. Few which remained intact were left in the remains of the previous residents. Crimson soaked lab coats and robes made the loss of life more acceptable. There was not a sympathetic bone in anyone’s body for the torturers who imprisoned Sariel. She had vague ideas of what caused some of the damage but most seemed relatively fresh by her standards.
“My best estimate is that something happened nearly two decades ago,” Vofric said, crouched next to a nearby skeleton. He pressed his thumb against a hardened smear of rust then examined it. “Based on the angles of the fallen corpses, I assume the attacker came from within the central structure.”
Most buildings in the clearing were small; best described as living quarters. The central one, however, was the main lab. The party didn’t bother searching for a door to get inside. Most walls were broken enough to walk through. Tables filled with scientific tools and magical catalysts were devastated. Reports were torn to shreds without regard for what could be learned from them. As per usual, Aisha immediately looked for something out of place. Anything that could provide some clue towards why this horrendous research was conducted would be appreciated.
Sariel tried to help but couldn’t hide her shaken nerves. Without a word, she approached Avant and kept a hand on the beast’s back. He’d proven capable of calming the others in the most dire situations. There was no shame in admitting she needed his assistance. The owlbear stayed close to Sariel’s leg while she carefully roamed through the large building. None of it was recognizable, mainly because the dragon had been kept in one of two rooms. The “infirmary” was where she was bound while being poked and prodded. Spells were cast upon her that tore apart her scales. Her muscles were carved without so much as anesthetics.
Unconsciously, the elf tightly gripped the ends of her cloak. She wrapped it tightly around herself and took a deep breath to calm down. Knowingly, she moved to a hatch hidden under rubble at the side of the main entrance hall. Unhooking it revealed a ladder which she descended. Avant forced his large body through the hole, cracking the wooden pieces with his weight. Upon landing near Sariel he let out a weepy coo. Long deceased creatures remained in magical bindings chained to impenetrable cages. Blood, guts, and every internal piece of the creatures had rotted into the stone floor. Each step from the duo squelched as they took a moment of silence for each prisoner.
Meanwhile, Vofric focused on deducing what exactly caused the extinction of Veil’s compatriots. Not due to sympathy but rather protection. There was the possibility of the assailant being alive, close, or even in Shusyoun. Decrepit corpses in the laboratory were clearly the first who were attacked. Their blood was sprayed violently throughout the structure. Bones charred black from unknown elements fought to stay intact. Tracing a finger across one revealed they were surprisingly sturdy. It didn’t sit well with Vofric. Something about it was familiar but he couldn’t put his finger on it. That was until he turned back towards Aisha.
The records room was damaged beyond reason. Whatever happened during the attack scared the researchers enough to destroy their own records. Lifeless ivory skeletons laid amongst tattered papers and irreparable stone slabs. Aisha still dug through piles of broken bookshelves in hopes of finding something. In the clutches of a single soot covered skeleton was a leatherbound book. From afar it seemed to be completely intact. One check of her surroundings made Aisha feel safe enough to retrieve the book.
“Aisha, no!” Vofric yelled but it was too late. As the Hero stepped away, the black skeleton rose from the ground. Bones clattered around the facility as other remains regained life. Tar bubbled in their chest cavity like a makeshift heart. Some retrieved weapons while others began to conjure spells. One was hindered momentarily by an arrow from Sariel as she and Avant returned from the dungeon.
“What did you do?” she asked while moving to her allies. At least a dozen skeletons had resurrected around the lab and moved to encircle the party.
“I just grabbed a book!” Aisha said. “It was dumb. I realize I should’ve considered zombies with who we’re dealing with!”
Though she recognized the book was a problem, it was the only chance at learning what happened here. She stowed it in her pack, tossed it aside, and unsheathed Valefor in two swift motions. There was little to fear from the undead based on the team’s growth. That was everyone’s assumption until Aisha swung her blade. The bones felt like powerful stone that couldn’t be affected by only steel.
“Aim for the heart!” Vofric commanded.
An arrow whistled through the air on a crash course with one of the farther skeletons. It made no movement to dodge or block. A more accurate description may be to say it made no natural movement. It's very bones morphed into tendrils that deftly knocked away the arrow. Avant successfully tackled the legs out from beneath a nearby monster. Once it was prone he moved to bite its heart out and was met with a powerful bludgeon. The force from the tendril knocked the near fully grown beast across the room.
Speed was a necessity to pierce the enemies’ hearts. Aisha quickly electrified her blade and rushed towards her opponent. She could handle at least thirty swings before needing a break. It would be more than enough for these creatures. An imperceptible attack launched at the skeleton’s heart. The tendrils began to muster but had no opportunity to react before Aisha found her mark. Valefor pierced through the black tar. It felt tough to push through; unlike anything the Hero had encountered before. Though it was late, a tendril slammed into Aisha’s back. Luckily she knew what to expect and bolstered herself. She winced from the pain but pushed her blade through the heart. It fizzled before the skeleton crumpled to the floor. The Hero had just turned around before her attention went back to the felled enemy. There was no opportunity to breathe before the bones rattled back to life. Tar bubbled faster than before as the monster rose to its feet.
Aisha swore under her breath. “I need time to think. Focus on the bones and push them back. Don’t worry about the hearts!”
While Sariel and Avant could only hinder the skeletons, Vofric was a different case. His warhammer glowed like a beacon. Golden light ripped through the bones, shattering them with ease. The heart was nothing but collateral damage. It was incapable of recovering after holy magic overwhelmingly destroyed it. Vofric’s powerful strike garnered the attention of the remaining monsters. They lumbered towards him, lessening the pressure on the others. An unfortunate yet obvious side effect of a large weapon was slow movements. Vofric was disarmed as he decimated another skeleton. Five skeletons fell over each other trying to reach him. The light naturally emanating from him triggered the tendrils which lashed out against the paladin.
He held strong and capitalized on his small stature. Strikes pounded against him as he dove through a monster’s legs. A controlled roll landed him next to the warhammer. The skeletons pushed against each other to separate their entangled bones. It was an easy strike but the dwarf hesitated. The sight of his allies under attack gave him pause. He drew the light hammer from his belt and stared at it intently. The warhammer he relied on was made of stone and metal. It was a great weapon but in no way a conduit. The light hammer, on the other hand, had runes engraved in the hilt. Magic stones were melded into the shaft directly beneath the head.
The light near Vofric’s chest never dissipated but it was different from the soft yellow glow that surrounded his light hammer. It was barely visible yet demanded the attention of others. Quick finger movements shifted the warhammer grip directly below the large slab used for attacks. Raised to the sky was Vofric’s left arm with the glowing light hammer. A mighty swing slammed the hammers together and sent a wave of light through the lab. The interwoven skeletons were forced apart. They shuddered at the glowing paladin stomping towards them. One attacked in a panic but was blocked by the light hammer before being crushed by the warhammer. Using its weight and momentum Vofric lifted off the ground. A swipe of the light hammer cracked multiple skeleton bones and left them open for more attacks.
Undead creatures were not known for their personalities but these ones seemed confident due to their overwhelming numbers. They had yet to notice the glowing bodies of Aisha, Sariel, and Avant. Every one of their attacks was infused with holy energy. Spells were given new properties. Even Sariel’s creations glowed with new power. Arrows were capable of breaking through bones and piercing hearts. Avant’s heavy strikes ripped apart the weak connections between the monsters’ limbs. They clattered to the floor and couldn’t reconnect before the beast stomped out their hearts.
In the time the others took out a couple monsters, Aisha wiped out the rest. With nothing hindering her it was only a matter of how fast she could attack. Once she noticed the holy glow surrounding her, she rushed towards the nearest skeleton. There was no need to wait for it to fall before she engaged two more. They moved at normal speed; far too slow to combat the lightning fast Hero. Valefor cut one down while a blade of lightning from Aisha’s free hand smited the other. The remaining skeletons were handily dispatched.
“Vofric, what was that?” Aisha asked excitedly as the glow faded.
Sariel snorted. “Quite a powerful trick to keep hidden.”
“I have not hidden it. During the Dawncaster incident I used the ability to empower the individuals in Ramshorn,” Vofric explained. “While it is powerful, it only has use against obvious forces of evil. Zombies, skeletons, and demons are the most common foes I have felled.”
“It’ll definitely help against the demon king,” Aisha said.
“Agreed but what of his army? I highly doubt he will not raise another before our journey is complete.”
“We’ll cut them down.”
Vofric shook his head. “I believe you’re missing my point. There are only four of us. Five if we count Kargon. Wasting your energy against the demon king’s forces puts you at a disadvantage during an important battle.”
“We are lacking in numbers.” Sariel nodded.
“That is one option. The other is that I refine the shockwave in such a way that it single handedly wipes out droves of enemies.”
“There’s time to train,” Aisha said confidently.
Vofric sighed. “The demon king’s hordes will be endless. My attack, and its range, are finite.”
It was as if the Hero hadn’t considered anything beyond her final opponent. Obviously Elmud and Veil would need to be dealt with. But the idea of more enemies slipped her mind. Of course he had droves of weak monsters to do his bidding. That was why Kharim needed innumerable allies. It was the reason he led armies to fight alongside his party. Something dawned on the Hero as she berated herself. A furrowed brow was raised towards Vofric.
“You haven’t been training that ability. At least, not as an attack. Just to strengthen people.”
“Correct,” Vofric answered.
“You have some idea where we can find an army.”
“A hunch, yes. Thanks to Sariel, in fact.”
Sariel quizzically turned to the dwarf. “If I have had any role in a scheme, I am unaware.”
“Not directly. Edthecridaldyrth mentioned a group that has worked with him for centuries; Barbatos. I had also heard of them during my previous adventures. They have many numbers and focus on hunting the forces of evil. Based on the changes happening in the world, I am hoping we can rely on them.”
Aisha hummed. The logic was sound and with a pre-existing group at their side the party wouldn’t need to find more people. “But that involves reaching out to them.”
“And rumor has it they have a station in Shusyoun,” Vofric said with a smile. “Granted, it is a gamble and if you wish me to refocus my effort, I will—”
“It’s a good plan.”
Sariel scoffed. “There are risks but they are outweighed by the potential reward.”
Avant seemed uninterested with the conversation and nudged Aisha’s leg. His eyes were piercing through the half-elf’s pack which laid on the floor. She’d nearly forgotten about the journal and fished it out.
“Shusyoun is still a ways away. We’ll look for Barbatos when the time comes. For now let’s figure out what happened here.”
“That is if such information is within that tome,” Sariel said.
Aisha took a knee while reading the journal. It was to facilitate Vofric to read over her shoulder. Sariel stood over them and easily studied the entries even with her distance from the page. Owlbears lacked the ability to understand written language but Avant stayed close and listened intently as their leader read aloud.
According to the notes, Veil and his subordinates' experiments focused on mutations and the effect they had on hosts. Some individuals were weakened to provide a myriad of abilities to others. Sariel could only imagine what happened to those forced to shoulder the power of a dragon. The most recent experiments started forty years ago and were cut short.
Only common monsters could be found during that time. This facilitated a higher survival rate. Rather than spread themselves thin on multiple creations, everything was put towards a single monstrosity. From the notes, it seemed to garner the researchers respect. Though not enough to give it a name. Bestial tendencies and rampages designated it as nothing more than rage incarnate. Few details of what creatures were fused remained. Magical traits from humanoids were used so the party assumed it was a monster with some relation to their kind. The necessity of such a creature seemed pointless until the mention of an Artifact. The being was meant to retrieve it from a cave hidden beneath this lab.
“I was unaware there was a hidden cavern here,” Sariel muttered.
“It is unlikely they would let the information slip to their prisoners,” Vofric said. “It is unfortunate but they were skilled researchers.”
“Indeed.” Sariel grunted. “What was hidden within?”
There were few details regarding the magical item. Only that it had been wielded by the abomination to seek revenge. Not only did it kill every remaining researcher, it eviscerated the living prisoners. Upon wiping out all remaining life in the labs the creature returned to the cave. Unfortunately, nothing explained why the researchers had returned as skeletons.
“To think there was an Artifact in this place,” Aisha said absentmindedly. “If the demon king is planning to collect them, he’ll return here at some point.”
“It is in our best interest to leave before he does so,” Vofric stated.
“I suggest we retrieve the Artifact prior to our departure.” Sariel added. The others turned to her with questioning eyes. “There is little to elaborate. The demon king will be hindered and we will be empowered. That is assuming this Artifact and creature still remain.”
Aisha placed the book on the floor and sat back. If an Artifact really had remained here, it would be retrieved by the demon king. She had no doubts he could overpower anything guarding it.
“We don’t know where to start.”
The growl from Avant was the only reply. Walls throughout the facility were damaged but the owlbear went to the most damaged. Only rubble remained where structural components once stood. Deliberate swipes cleared the area and revealed a heavily damaged hatch. There was little mystery about what was behind the decimated gateway. The party joined their bestial ally and stared down the dark tunnel.
Aisha was the first to step through. Her command confirmed agreement with Sariel’s idea.
“With me.”
Deep in the forest was a large circle of tightly packed trees. A crystalline dome encircled the area within. It was imperceptible from afar unless one was remotely familiar with the area. It helped that a large portion of the upper dome had shattered, leaving an opening that reflected light from certain angles. This was what tipped off Sariel of their proximity to Veil’s laboratory. Crossing the threshold of the camp was nerve wracking. Not only for Sariel but also for the rest of the party.
Splatters of dried blood were riddled across stone and glass alike. The few buildings looked like a giant had torn through them. Tools and records alike were shattered and scattered throughout the area. Few which remained intact were left in the remains of the previous residents. Crimson soaked lab coats and robes made the loss of life more acceptable. There was not a sympathetic bone in anyone’s body for the torturers who imprisoned Sariel. She had vague ideas of what caused some of the damage but most seemed relatively fresh by her standards.
“My best estimate is that something happened nearly two decades ago,” Vofric said, crouched next to a nearby skeleton. He pressed his thumb against a hardened smear of rust then examined it. “Based on the angles of the fallen corpses, I assume the attacker came from within the central structure.”
Most buildings in the clearing were small; best described as living quarters. The central one, however, was the main lab. The party didn’t bother searching for a door to get inside. Most walls were broken enough to walk through. Tables filled with scientific tools and magical catalysts were devastated. Reports were torn to shreds without regard for what could be learned from them. As per usual, Aisha immediately looked for something out of place. Anything that could provide some clue towards why this horrendous research was conducted would be appreciated.
Sariel tried to help but couldn’t hide her shaken nerves. Without a word, she approached Avant and kept a hand on the beast’s back. He’d proven capable of calming the others in the most dire situations. There was no shame in admitting she needed his assistance. The owlbear stayed close to Sariel’s leg while she carefully roamed through the large building. None of it was recognizable, mainly because the dragon had been kept in one of two rooms. The “infirmary” was where she was bound while being poked and prodded. Spells were cast upon her that tore apart her scales. Her muscles were carved without so much as anesthetics.
Unconsciously, the elf tightly gripped the ends of her cloak. She wrapped it tightly around herself and took a deep breath to calm down. Knowingly, she moved to a hatch hidden under rubble at the side of the main entrance hall. Unhooking it revealed a ladder which she descended. Avant forced his large body through the hole, cracking the wooden pieces with his weight. Upon landing near Sariel he let out a weepy coo. Long deceased creatures remained in magical bindings chained to impenetrable cages. Blood, guts, and every internal piece of the creatures had rotted into the stone floor. Each step from the duo squelched as they took a moment of silence for each prisoner.
Meanwhile, Vofric focused on deducing what exactly caused the extinction of Veil’s compatriots. Not due to sympathy but rather protection. There was the possibility of the assailant being alive, close, or even in Shusyoun. Decrepit corpses in the laboratory were clearly the first who were attacked. Their blood was sprayed violently throughout the structure. Bones charred black from unknown elements fought to stay intact. Tracing a finger across one revealed they were surprisingly sturdy. It didn’t sit well with Vofric. Something about it was familiar but he couldn’t put his finger on it. That was until he turned back towards Aisha.
The records room was damaged beyond reason. Whatever happened during the attack scared the researchers enough to destroy their own records. Lifeless ivory skeletons laid amongst tattered papers and irreparable stone slabs. Aisha still dug through piles of broken bookshelves in hopes of finding something. In the clutches of a single soot covered skeleton was a leatherbound book. From afar it seemed to be completely intact. One check of her surroundings made Aisha feel safe enough to retrieve the book.
“Aisha, no!” Vofric yelled but it was too late. As the Hero stepped away, the black skeleton rose from the ground. Bones clattered around the facility as other remains regained life. Tar bubbled in their chest cavity like a makeshift heart. Some retrieved weapons while others began to conjure spells. One was hindered momentarily by an arrow from Sariel as she and Avant returned from the dungeon.
“What did you do?” she asked while moving to her allies. At least a dozen skeletons had resurrected around the lab and moved to encircle the party.
“I just grabbed a book!” Aisha said. “It was dumb. I realize I should’ve considered zombies with who we’re dealing with!”
Though she recognized the book was a problem, it was the only chance at learning what happened here. She stowed it in her pack, tossed it aside, and unsheathed Valefor in two swift motions. There was little to fear from the undead based on the team’s growth. That was everyone’s assumption until Aisha swung her blade. The bones felt like powerful stone that couldn’t be affected by only steel.
“Aim for the heart!” Vofric commanded.
An arrow whistled through the air on a crash course with one of the farther skeletons. It made no movement to dodge or block. A more accurate description may be to say it made no natural movement. It's very bones morphed into tendrils that deftly knocked away the arrow. Avant successfully tackled the legs out from beneath a nearby monster. Once it was prone he moved to bite its heart out and was met with a powerful bludgeon. The force from the tendril knocked the near fully grown beast across the room.
Speed was a necessity to pierce the enemies’ hearts. Aisha quickly electrified her blade and rushed towards her opponent. She could handle at least thirty swings before needing a break. It would be more than enough for these creatures. An imperceptible attack launched at the skeleton’s heart. The tendrils began to muster but had no opportunity to react before Aisha found her mark. Valefor pierced through the black tar. It felt tough to push through; unlike anything the Hero had encountered before. Though it was late, a tendril slammed into Aisha’s back. Luckily she knew what to expect and bolstered herself. She winced from the pain but pushed her blade through the heart. It fizzled before the skeleton crumpled to the floor. The Hero had just turned around before her attention went back to the felled enemy. There was no opportunity to breathe before the bones rattled back to life. Tar bubbled faster than before as the monster rose to its feet.
Aisha swore under her breath. “I need time to think. Focus on the bones and push them back. Don’t worry about the hearts!”
While Sariel and Avant could only hinder the skeletons, Vofric was a different case. His warhammer glowed like a beacon. Golden light ripped through the bones, shattering them with ease. The heart was nothing but collateral damage. It was incapable of recovering after holy magic overwhelmingly destroyed it. Vofric’s powerful strike garnered the attention of the remaining monsters. They lumbered towards him, lessening the pressure on the others. An unfortunate yet obvious side effect of a large weapon was slow movements. Vofric was disarmed as he decimated another skeleton. Five skeletons fell over each other trying to reach him. The light naturally emanating from him triggered the tendrils which lashed out against the paladin.
He held strong and capitalized on his small stature. Strikes pounded against him as he dove through a monster’s legs. A controlled roll landed him next to the warhammer. The skeletons pushed against each other to separate their entangled bones. It was an easy strike but the dwarf hesitated. The sight of his allies under attack gave him pause. He drew the light hammer from his belt and stared at it intently. The warhammer he relied on was made of stone and metal. It was a great weapon but in no way a conduit. The light hammer, on the other hand, had runes engraved in the hilt. Magic stones were melded into the shaft directly beneath the head.
The light near Vofric’s chest never dissipated but it was different from the soft yellow glow that surrounded his light hammer. It was barely visible yet demanded the attention of others. Quick finger movements shifted the warhammer grip directly below the large slab used for attacks. Raised to the sky was Vofric’s left arm with the glowing light hammer. A mighty swing slammed the hammers together and sent a wave of light through the lab. The interwoven skeletons were forced apart. They shuddered at the glowing paladin stomping towards them. One attacked in a panic but was blocked by the light hammer before being crushed by the warhammer. Using its weight and momentum Vofric lifted off the ground. A swipe of the light hammer cracked multiple skeleton bones and left them open for more attacks.
Undead creatures were not known for their personalities but these ones seemed confident due to their overwhelming numbers. They had yet to notice the glowing bodies of Aisha, Sariel, and Avant. Every one of their attacks was infused with holy energy. Spells were given new properties. Even Sariel’s creations glowed with new power. Arrows were capable of breaking through bones and piercing hearts. Avant’s heavy strikes ripped apart the weak connections between the monsters’ limbs. They clattered to the floor and couldn’t reconnect before the beast stomped out their hearts.
In the time the others took out a couple monsters, Aisha wiped out the rest. With nothing hindering her it was only a matter of how fast she could attack. Once she noticed the holy glow surrounding her, she rushed towards the nearest skeleton. There was no need to wait for it to fall before she engaged two more. They moved at normal speed; far too slow to combat the lightning fast Hero. Valefor cut one down while a blade of lightning from Aisha’s free hand smited the other. The remaining skeletons were handily dispatched.
“Vofric, what was that?” Aisha asked excitedly as the glow faded.
Sariel snorted. “Quite a powerful trick to keep hidden.”
“I have not hidden it. During the Dawncaster incident I used the ability to empower the individuals in Ramshorn,” Vofric explained. “While it is powerful, it only has use against obvious forces of evil. Zombies, skeletons, and demons are the most common foes I have felled.”
“It’ll definitely help against the demon king,” Aisha said.
“Agreed but what of his army? I highly doubt he will not raise another before our journey is complete.”
“We’ll cut them down.”
Vofric shook his head. “I believe you’re missing my point. There are only four of us. Five if we count Kargon. Wasting your energy against the demon king’s forces puts you at a disadvantage during an important battle.”
“We are lacking in numbers.” Sariel nodded.
“That is one option. The other is that I refine the shockwave in such a way that it single handedly wipes out droves of enemies.”
“There’s time to train,” Aisha said confidently.
Vofric sighed. “The demon king’s hordes will be endless. My attack, and its range, are finite.”
It was as if the Hero hadn’t considered anything beyond her final opponent. Obviously Elmud and Veil would need to be dealt with. But the idea of more enemies slipped her mind. Of course he had droves of weak monsters to do his bidding. That was why Kharim needed innumerable allies. It was the reason he led armies to fight alongside his party. Something dawned on the Hero as she berated herself. A furrowed brow was raised towards Vofric.
“You haven’t been training that ability. At least, not as an attack. Just to strengthen people.”
“Correct,” Vofric answered.
“You have some idea where we can find an army.”
“A hunch, yes. Thanks to Sariel, in fact.”
Sariel quizzically turned to the dwarf. “If I have had any role in a scheme, I am unaware.”
“Not directly. Edthecridaldyrth mentioned a group that has worked with him for centuries; Barbatos. I had also heard of them during my previous adventures. They have many numbers and focus on hunting the forces of evil. Based on the changes happening in the world, I am hoping we can rely on them.”
Aisha hummed. The logic was sound and with a pre-existing group at their side the party wouldn’t need to find more people. “But that involves reaching out to them.”
“And rumor has it they have a station in Shusyoun,” Vofric said with a smile. “Granted, it is a gamble and if you wish me to refocus my effort, I will—”
“It’s a good plan.”
Sariel scoffed. “There are risks but they are outweighed by the potential reward.”
Avant seemed uninterested with the conversation and nudged Aisha’s leg. His eyes were piercing through the half-elf’s pack which laid on the floor. She’d nearly forgotten about the journal and fished it out.
“Shusyoun is still a ways away. We’ll look for Barbatos when the time comes. For now let’s figure out what happened here.”
“That is if such information is within that tome,” Sariel said.
Aisha took a knee while reading the journal. It was to facilitate Vofric to read over her shoulder. Sariel stood over them and easily studied the entries even with her distance from the page. Owlbears lacked the ability to understand written language but Avant stayed close and listened intently as their leader read aloud.
According to the notes, Veil and his subordinates' experiments focused on mutations and the effect they had on hosts. Some individuals were weakened to provide a myriad of abilities to others. Sariel could only imagine what happened to those forced to shoulder the power of a dragon. The most recent experiments started forty years ago and were cut short.
Only common monsters could be found during that time. This facilitated a higher survival rate. Rather than spread themselves thin on multiple creations, everything was put towards a single monstrosity. From the notes, it seemed to garner the researchers respect. Though not enough to give it a name. Bestial tendencies and rampages designated it as nothing more than rage incarnate. Few details of what creatures were fused remained. Magical traits from humanoids were used so the party assumed it was a monster with some relation to their kind. The necessity of such a creature seemed pointless until the mention of an Artifact. The being was meant to retrieve it from a cave hidden beneath this lab.
“I was unaware there was a hidden cavern here,” Sariel muttered.
“It is unlikely they would let the information slip to their prisoners,” Vofric said. “It is unfortunate but they were skilled researchers.”
“Indeed.” Sariel grunted. “What was hidden within?”
There were few details regarding the magical item. Only that it had been wielded by the abomination to seek revenge. Not only did it kill every remaining researcher, it eviscerated the living prisoners. Upon wiping out all remaining life in the labs the creature returned to the cave. Unfortunately, nothing explained why the researchers had returned as skeletons.
“To think there was an Artifact in this place,” Aisha said absentmindedly. “If the demon king is planning to collect them, he’ll return here at some point.”
“It is in our best interest to leave before he does so,” Vofric stated.
“I suggest we retrieve the Artifact prior to our departure.” Sariel added. The others turned to her with questioning eyes. “There is little to elaborate. The demon king will be hindered and we will be empowered. That is assuming this Artifact and creature still remain.”
Aisha placed the book on the floor and sat back. If an Artifact really had remained here, it would be retrieved by the demon king. She had no doubts he could overpower anything guarding it.
“We don’t know where to start.”
The growl from Avant was the only reply. Walls throughout the facility were damaged but the owlbear went to the most damaged. Only rubble remained where structural components once stood. Deliberate swipes cleared the area and revealed a heavily damaged hatch. There was little mystery about what was behind the decimated gateway. The party joined their bestial ally and stared down the dark tunnel.
Aisha was the first to step through. Her command confirmed agreement with Sariel’s idea.
“With me.”
