Underground dungeon craw.., p.13
Underground (Dungeon Crawler Adventures), page 13
Lord Michael and Vika Tor stood just far enough away that the light from their torch illuminated the struggles of the giant as they watched. Very soon, the giant could no longer be seen through the throng of creatures covering it. And still, more creatures poured forth. Those that were unable to reach the giant due to their densely packed brethren covering the creature moved along all surfaces of the passage.
“That’s not going to hold them for long,” observed Vika Tor.
Nodding, Lord Michael said, “Then let us make use of what time we have.” Already, creatures were moving their way, though not in a direct rush or anything like that. More like hounds that have picked up a trail but didn’t know which way it had gone. Moving from one side of the passage to another they steadily, if slowly, drew closer.
Leaving the grisly scene behind them, the two men moved to where Parr and Breya waited some ten feet further down the passage. “The killing of the giant will slow them,” stated Lord Michael.
Breya nodded. Parr peered back down the passageway where faint shadows could be seen moving along the periphery of the torch’s light. Ominous clacking set his skin acrawl.
“Parr.”
Turning toward the sound of her voice, he saw that she stood with Lord Michael where they had paused several feet further into the passage when they realized he wasn’t following them. Vika Tor was already continuing down the passage at a quick pace. “Let’s go,” she urged. Nodding, he came to her and the three of them hurried after the young swordsman.
The passage continued uninterrupted for a good hundred feet before opening onto another room. Barely thirty feet square, the room’s ceiling rose to a surprising height of forty feet, much higher than any room they had yet encountered.
As Vika Tor entered and the torchlight began filling the room, they saw opposite them a wide crack covering most of the wall and part of the ceiling. Water trickled through, cascading down the wall and across the floor where it vanished through another small fissure. The room was empty but for the water.
At first examination, it appeared the room was a dead end, the only egress being the passageway from which they had just departed. But then Parr noticed an opening in the wall to their right, some fifteen feet above the floor.
“A passage?” asked Breya.
“Whether it is or isn’t, it’s the only way to go,” answered Lord Michael. From the passageway behind them, the clacking of the creatures was drawing closer.
“How do we get up there?” asked Vika Tor. “It’s much too high even for me.”
Parr went to the wall beneath the opening and began searching for cracks to use as viable handholds to aid in climbing up. To his dismay, there were very few that could even be considered helpful, not enough for him to dare the climb.
“How about a human ladder?” suggested Breya.
“What?” asked Vika Tor.
“A human ladder,” Breya repeated. “My brothers and I used to stand on each others’ shoulders in order to reach Mrs. Barnsworth’s apple tree.”
Suddenly, the clacking of the creatures changed pitched. “They’re coming,” said Lord Michael.” Indeed, the clacking sound began to grow louder much quicker than it had.
“Vika Tor,” Breya said, “you are the strongest so you must be the foundation.”
“But…” he began.
“But nothing,” Parr said, “You take the bottom, I’ll go next and Breya, you’ll have to make it the rest of the way up to the opening.”
“But I can’t pull you up,” she objected.
Parr handed her the rope. “All you have to do is hold it steady and I’ll do the work.”
At the lower passageway entrance, Lord Michael now held the torch in one hand and had drawn his sword with the other. “Whatever you are going to do,” he said with great urgency tingeing his words, “do it fast.” Now standing just within the passage, he vowed silently to himself to hold the creatures at bay until the others had made it to safety.
Vika Tor moved into position and braced himself against the wall. As soon as he was in position, Parr nimbly climbed atop his shoulders.
“Take care child,” Lord Michael said from the passage. When he glanced back over his shoulder, he saw her hesitating next to Vika Tor with fear for him in her eyes. “Hurry!” he exclaimed and motioned for her to begin the ascent up the human ladder.
“Milord…”
“Go!” he shouted with every bit of authority at his command.
“If you make haste,” Vika Tor said to her, “we may yet be able to save him.”
“Yes,” added Parr from his perch atop the young swordsman’s shoulders, “move it!”
Realizing that every second could mean the difference in whether Lord Michael lived or died, she snaked her arm through the coil of rope, passed it over her head so it rested diagonally across her chest, then took hold of one of the straps to Vika Tor’s armor. Then placing her foot upon his slightly bent leg for support, she pulled herself up. Parr lent her a hand and with his aid, she quickly scaled the young swordsman. Pain flared from the wounds she suffered earlier, but not so much that it hindered her ability.
“Trellar Doon!”
Pausing only a brief moment in her climb, she turned toward the passageway below and saw a flash of steel as Lord Michael began engaging the creatures.
“Don’t stop,” Parr said.
Fear tugged at her, demanding that she give into it. But she hadn’t survived with her brothers as she had by allowing fear to rule her. So, strengthening her resolve, she moved quickly to Parr’s shoulders.
“Can you reach it?” asked Vika Tor.
Reaching as high as she could, the tips of her fingers fell an inch short. “I can’t!” she wailed. “Just another inch or two!”
Then she felt the ladder shudder and all of a sudden, was raised upward another three inches.
“Now?” the young swordsman asked, voice strained with the effort of having lifted, and continuing to maintain, the extended position.
“Yes,” she said. Gripping the edge with both hands, she held on and tried to lift herself up. When her effort failed to produce immediate results, Parr placed a hand beneath a foot and gave her a shove. The added boost propelled her close enough to where she could get a better grip and was able to pull herself onto the floor of what turned out to be another passageway extending into darkness.
“I made it,” she shouted to the others. Then as quickly as she could, she removed the rope from around her and dropped an end down to Parr. In the second it took the rope to reach the man below, she glanced down toward the mouth of the passage and Lord Michael. His sword was a blur as the aged baron struck out at creatures not only upon the passageway floor, but along the walls and ceiling. Once the rope was down and she had a secure hold upon it, she concentrated on the task at hand and yelled, “Now!”
The rope went taut and was almost yanked from her hands as Parr began to climb. It took only the span of two heartbeats before Parr’s head appeared. Another two saw him safely into the passageway.
“Get out of the way old man!” came Vika Tor’s voice from below.
Moving to the edge, Breya looked down and saw Lord Michael pulling back and Vika Tor taking his place. Unfortunately the brief lull during the swap allowed several of the creatures to scurry their way into the room. Three were upon the walls and another shot across the floor in pursuit of Lord Michael.
But the baron was not to be taken by surprise. As Vika Tor’s sword sped with great speed and slew one creature after another as he blocked the mass of creatures’ further advance, Lord Michael turned and sliced the creature across the mandible, practically severing the left part in two.
With the piece hanging by a splinter of a bone, the creature squealed and backed away. Though loath to leave the creature alive, he knew they had to reach the upper opening before Vika Tor was overrun. So turning back toward the rope now dangling from the pair holding it secure up above, he rushed forward.
“We’re ready milord,” Parr said as the baron drew near.
From their vantage point, they had a clear view of Vika Tor’s struggle. Though mighty in skill, the sheer number of creatures had pushed him back, far enough that he now stood just within the room. Any further and the creatures would have free reign from the passageway.
Lord Michael sheathed his sword and tossed the flaming brand of their sole remaining torch up to Parr who caught it and laid it down against the floor. Then with two pairs of arms holding the rope steady, Lord Michael began to climb.
“Backward,” Parr urged Breya once the rope went taut with the baron’s weight.
Understanding immediately what he planned, she pulled hard as they both began backing into the passage and pulled the rope with them. In short order, the baron’s head peeked over the top. Then while Parr held the rope steady, Breya rushed forward to aid him the last few feet.
She gasped when she saw the extent of his wounds. One ear had been ripped in twain with a corresponding four inch tear along the side of his face, blood dripped along one arm from another nasty looking gash, and he had the pallor of a ghost. His breathing was labored and as soon as he was up and securely into the passage, turned onto his back and closed his eyes.
“Milord!” she cried.
Opening his eyes, he gazed at the slip of a farm girl and gave her a reassuring smile. “I’m alright,” he assured with weary voice. “Get…get Vika Tor out of there.”
His words belied what she saw before her. But he was correct, they had to save Vika Tor.
“Come,” Parr said as he played the rope back out and down to the floor below. “Vika Tor!” he shouted to the swordsman. “Your turn!”
In the now faint light cast by the torch lying high above, Vika Tor fought. Creatures were coming at him from all directions, and despite his best efforts, were breaching his defenses. Twice he was forced to turn his attention from the mass before him toward one that had slipped through and begun engaging him from within the room. Each time he was thus distracted, more of the creatures scurried past.
Those upon the wall leapt. Those upon the floor shot forward to sink their mandibles into the waiting flesh of his legs. And time again, steel met them and they fought no more.
When he heard Parr’s shout from above, it was greeted with no small amount of relief. A quick glance over his shoulder revealed the rope waiting for him. In the course of said glance, motion upon the walls showed several of the creatures had broken off and were even now making for his three companions who remained unaware of the approaching danger.
With a quick burst of speed, the young swordsman slew three of the nearest creatures before tuning to make his dash for the rope. As he turned, motion caught from the corner of his eye prompted him to duck just as one launched itself from the wall and sailed through the air where his head had been but a moment before. Throwing caution to the wind, he sprinted the short distance across the room and leapt for the rope.
He caught it in his free hand. “Pull!” he shouted. Lashing out at the nearest of the forerunners upon the wall making for the opening, the tip of his sword severed one of its legs which caused it to lose its grip and fall.
Parr and Breya pulled with all their might and the young swordsman began to rise. Down below, a multitude of creatures poured into the room. Their clacking and occasional squealing created a cacophony of noise that drove fear into the hearts of their prey. None was more fearful at that very moment than the one hanging on the rope though he would never admit it. For below his feet a veritable carpet of mandibles reached up for him.
Breya pulled. It was all she could do though her shoulder shrieked in pain. The clacking from below caused fear to well like Old Faithful in full erupt. But a sidelong glance to the still form of Lord Michael not two feet away put steel in her grit and she corked the outflow of mind numbing emotion. She had better things to do this day than to simper and quail.
The rope jerked continuously as they hauled the young swordsman closer to the top. Even before they saw Vika Tor, the flash of his steel said that even now, he fought to stave off the creature’s assault. Breya knew she was witnessing courage unmatched for surely had their positions been switched, terror would have taken her like a wolf takes an unattended babe in the woods.
First his head, then shoulders appeared over the edge. Sword flew in rapid motion to his right and left. Creatures, and at times parts of creatures, were seen falling away to the mass below.
When Vika Tor saw Lord Michael lying upon the passageway floor, he shouted, “Up old man! This is no time for an afternoon rest!”
“He’s unconscious,” Breya replied with quick defense. Moving forward while Parr held the rope, she gripped the back of the young swordsman’s breastplate and added her strength to his as he pulled himself onto the landing.
“Damn!” he cursed. No sooner had he reached the landing than the first creature appeared.
Breya saw it first and screamed.
Rolling onto his back, Vika Tor’s sword flew forward just as the creature launched itself at her. Catching it in mid flight, his blade cut deep into the creature’s side and knocked it off course to smack against the passageway wall where it hit with a crack then slid motionlessly to the floor.
“You two get the baron,” the young swordsman ordered. Rising to his feet, his sword began hewing at any creature so foolhardy as to attempt to enter the passageway. And as the seconds ticked away, the number grew.
Breya knelt next to the baron. “Milord?” she asked with no small amount of urgency. Vigorously shaking his shoulder, she cried his name. At that, his eyes fluttered open and looked upon her.
“Can you walk?” asked Parr.
The baron didn’t answer.
“Take his arm,” Parr told Breya. Together, one on either side of the baron, they hauled him to his feet. There was a slight effort made by the baron in rising, but by far the two helping him bore the brunt of it. Once he stood, Breya and Parr each took one of Lord Michael’s arms and slipped it around their shoulders.
Parr momentarily let go only to reappear a second later with torch in hand. “Let’s go.”
As the pair began assisting the semi-conscious Lord Michael down the passageway into areas unknown, Vika Tor followed. Now with much more freedom of movement his backward trod allowed, his blows fell with more precision and even had the odd moment of a breather while the creatures which followed behind the newly slain caught up.
After a short straight section, the passageway began winding in a serpentine manner, first curving to the right only to change course and begin curving back to the left. By the third such curve-back, Lord Michael’s breathing had again grown labored. What little strength his short rest had provided was waning rapidly.
Breya feared for the baron. But with a horde of creatures bent on ripping their flesh to pieces, there was little they could do for him. So with determination not to falter, she matched Parr step for step beneath Lord Michael’s weighty burden.
At the sixth curve-back, the passageway ahead began to brighten. A light of some sort glowed ahead. When they came through the seventh curve-back, the passageway straightened and they could see the light for what it was. Sunshine.
“It’s the way out!” cried Breya.
“Then move it!” shouted Vika Tor.
The imminent exposure to sunshine after having been so long denied the pleasure, not to mention escaping the confines of this horrendous place, gave each a much needed boost. Even Lord Michael seemed to understand what lay ahead and perked up.
Drawing closer, they began to notice bushes and a few small trees lining the area just past where the passageway came to an end. A bird’s cry sounded to give them even more strength to make it down the last stretch. Freedom!
The smell of greenery filled the air. The sound of birds seemed to call to them, urging them onward. When they reached the passageway’s end and passed through to the verdant expanse beyond, their elation quickly died.
They had not escaped the underground complex. Rather, what they had entered was yet another of the caverns to be found down there. Only this time, the upper reaches of the cavern had fallen away to expose the surface. A wide swath of the cavern roof was gone, in its place was an expanse of blue with a shining ball of yellow warmth directly overhead. Tall trees could be seen rising beyond the edge of the open swath while a dozen or more birds flitted in and out through the opening.
In the darkness of the passageway behind them, the creatures had slowed their progress. They had slowed to such an extent in fact, that Vika Tor was no longer under attack. He was quick to note that they had come to a halt not far from where the sunlight began. “They don’t like the sun,” he observed. Indeed, one or two intrepid creatures moved forward into the lighted area only to quickly scurry back into the sheltering darkness.
“Good,” breathed Breya.
“Judging by the sun’s position,” began Parr, “we may have a few hours before this cavern darkens with the coming of night. Time enough perhaps to find a way to yonder opening.”
Moving further into the cavern, they set Lord Michael against the bole of a sapling barely large enough to hold up under his weight. Parr snuffed out the torch as it was no longer needed and to Breya he said, “Stay with him while I have a look around.” When Vika Tor made to go with him, he said, “You better take what rest you can for it is possible we won’t be able to find a way to escape this place before the sun goes down and the creatures come.”
Vika Tor didn’t like the thought of idling away the time while another pushed on into possible danger, but he was tired, more fatigued than ever he could recall while serving Duke Yellist. Giving in to what he knew to be the right course of action, he nodded and found a comfortable position against another of the saplings. He made sure to sit in such a way that his field of vision encompassed the passageway opening and the mass of creatures waiting within. Should the creatures push forward unexpectedly, he didn’t want to be caught unaware.
