A darkened wall of water parts as a hand emerges, followed by the body of Tyrvaan. Other dark shadows loom through the water and the rest of the party stumbles out into the near pitch-black cave. Several take exaggerated breaths as they suck in the damp stale air of the underwater cavern and gaze across the broken pools and misshapen rocks, lit with the light of Charles’ floating orbs. A few stare back in wonder at the wall of water that holds the oasis back and wonder at the ancient enchantments’ workings.
“Let’s take a quick break. Catch our breath,” Tyrvaan growls and the others nod in agreement.
“Yeah, don’t feel too good after that fight,” Zylnan coughs, moving to the wall and sliding down the stone to rest. Others wring water from their clothes and bed down for a short rest while Zips hops onto a nearby broken stalagmite and stares out into the dark cave, like an alert bird.
“What happened?” Talkoris mutters, grit and thinly veiled anger in his voice. Misxibis turns to find him facing Ravin, Sephina close behind.
“I… I don’t know,” Ravin says defensively, “I was running and… it just smashed!”
“Now Ignin is out there, alone. Never mind us down here! Missing one of our best fighters.”
“I know! I know!” Ravin takes a step back. “But, he’ll be fine.”
“I know he’ll be fine,” Talkoris snaps, “but what about us? There is a lot between us and Ezeheli!” Talkoris grits his teeth and turns away, taking a deep breath. Zylnan takes a step towards the three.
“I just wanted to say. We really appreciate Ignin doing what he did, and getting us the time we needed.” Ravin slips back against the wall and slides away, determined not to attract more of Talkoris’ ire.
“Thank you. He’s a great warrior and he’ll be fine. It’s us I’m worried about. It’s just strange to face this without him. He hasn’t left my side for years now, but I have you this time, and you’ve proven yourself time and time again to be…” He pauses and takes another breath, stopping himself from finishing the sentence and grips Zylnan’s shoulder with his armoured gauntlet in a friendly manner.
“Do you know what we can expect?” Zylnan asks.
“The Crystal Path is what lies before us,” Sephina cuts in. “In the ancient libraries of Sab’Dubar we found mention that to enter the temple we must pass the guardian. It is the only way to enter and all that wished to worship here had to pass his trials. And beyond that Ezeheli and his minions, and whatever new power he has gained. It is a perilous task.”
“Sand wraiths?”
“I expect so. Maybe, something worse,” she adds.
“Let’s rest quickly then,” Zylnan breathes. “ Then we can get after them.” He turns from Talkoris and moves back to the rest of the party who are resting against the cold stone walls of the wet slick cave, kept company by the continual echoing drips of the cavern.
“Time to go,” Ballen groans, pushing himself from the wall after a short time. Misxibis sighs as she retrieves her lute and stands.
“Zips, you see something vhile ve rest?” she looks up and frantically about. “Vere Zips?” she shouts. The others peer around into the shadow, placing hands on weapons as they gaze warily into the darkness.
“I found something! Some giant purple crystals! Here, I’ll show you,” Zips’ voice squeaks excitedly into Misxibis’ ear and she relaxes in relief.
“She vound something, follow me,” Misxibis says and strides purposefully off into the darkness. Charles’ orbs of light shoot out as the group trudges into the dark cave.
Zips comes into view a few seconds before the crystals. As the orbs near they begin to glow with a white light, blinding in the darkness of the cave. The huge elongated crystals, grown into the shape of a mighty gate, were easily half a dozen metres tall. Twenty metres in front of it rests an altar, cut from one identical crystal, with smaller ones sprouting from the stone floor around it.
“They’re Amethysts Missy!” Zips shouts excitedly as she turns to the approaching party.
“This is it! This is what I saw!” Charles mutters in awe. Zips walks on and through the empty opening, turning to the others when nothing happens.
“Vas vorth a try,” Misxibis mentions as Zips shrugs. Tyrvaan says a prayer, clutching the amulet of Tyr around his neck.
“It doesn’t appear to have much magic,” Zylnan says, looking around. He steps up and peers at the crystals, finding an empty crystal-shaped insert.
“Ve did not bring key, have to go all the vay back,” Misxibis mumbles. The others turn slowly and glare at her.
Ballen starts scooping crystals from the floor, carrying them to Zips who turns them over beneath her expert eyes and pushes them into the crystal keyhole. All slide out, being far too small to fit the slot.
“It’s about as thick as your arm, Dragon!” Zips chirps. “Can you put your arm in?” Tyrvaan looks at her for a moment and shakes his head ever so slowly.
“Zips, you can pick lock, so pick lock,” Misxibis adds. Zips looks back and forth between Misxibis and the huge empty keyhole, but not wanting to let her down, pulls out her tools and begins tapping at the crystal with the small metal implements.
“Maybe we can find a clue nearby? We saw those ancient columns on the way here.” Zylnan mutters and the others nod as Zips begins to scratch away at the crystal.
Charles and Zylnan return from the deep water of one of the pools, ringing the drops from their hair and clothes.
“Found something. Charles shouts as Zips begins to put away her tools. It said:
“A place for your heart,
A part of your soul,
To pay the toll,
And test your worth.”
“So, put something valuable in hole?” Misxibis asks, tilting her head at the thought. Tyrvaan sighs his eyes, pulls off his gauntlet and gently slides his hand into the hole. Everyone waits tersely as the sound of his scales scraping against crystal becomes audible. He turns and everyone holds their breath as he eyes them all suspiciously before pulling his arm out. Mixibis sighs and pushes him out the way, pushing her hand into the crystal and then rolls her eyes.
“Ve need crystal from altar to jam in hole! Only thing that fits,” everyone turns to the altar. “Grab crystal big strong lizardman.”
“Dragon,” Tyrvaan growls, stepping up to the crystal and pulling. His scaled hands and claws struggle to grasp its smooth surface and slide off as he tries to exert himself.
“Let me help,” Ballen says, moving up beside him and drives his halberd into its base. Their combined strength wrenches the crystal from the altar, but even before it hits the ground it shatters and the smaller remnants scatter, several of which bounce into the water.
“You pushed too hard!” Ballen says, turning to Tyrvaan.
“Nope,” Tyrvaan growled in return.
The water behind them bubbles and churns as three swirling water elementals blossom from the depths of the dark pools and rush the pair. Tyrvaan pulls his mace, raises it high and jumps forward, bringing it down with unbelievable force and drives it straight into the water as he loses his footing and slips wide of the elemental.
Missy sighs, pulls her crossbow and fires it into the centre of the nearby elemental. It sinks into the creature’s chest, then flows down its body into the pool below. Zips pulls her rapier and jumps into the water beside Tryvaan, splashing wildly as the water comes up to her chin and slashes at the elemental between them. Her rapier removes globs of water from its body that fall into the pool. It turns and slams its body into her. Zips falls back into the water and flounders as she struggles to catch her breath.
Another charges Zylnan and he raises a frozen shield before him. The monster collides with it and a huge chunk of its body freezes, falling to the ground and smashing. The water elemental shrinks as a large amount of water disappears from its body. Heri looses an arrow into the chest of the frozen elemental and black liquid flows from its body where pierced. Charles slides up next to Heri and summons flame in his hand, launching it at the nearby elemental. Its skin sizzles and evaporates as it collides with its shoulder and steam explodes around it.
Revin mimics Charles’ action as Talkoris and Sephina flank the last elemental, slashing wildly at the creature and dodging its return blows in kind. Tyrvaan strides towards the floundering Zips and crashes his mace into the water elemental’s form, splatting water all around as the body explodes and then re-coalesces beneath his mace. Zips takes a deep breath as she surfaces again and drives her rapier into the creature's back and out the front. The elemental continues on with little regard for the metal in its body and smashes against Tyrvaan’s upraised shield.
Zylnan steps up beside Talkoris and drives his sword deep into the back of the second elemental. Blackness flows from his blade, permeating the entirety of the elemental and it disperses, falling to the ground and flowing back into the waters of the pool.
“I think ve should maybe not have pulled crystal from altar,” Misxibis announces, stepping up beside Sephina and plunges her dagger and part of her hand into the water elemental in front of her. The elemental swats back but Misxibis ducks and its arm slams into Sephina, knocking her back along the caverns’ smooth floor.
“Advantageous halberd attack!” Ballen sings, swiping it through the nearby elemental and knocking a huge chunk of water from its body as another of Heri’s arrows slams into the water elemental’s chest, followed closely by Charles' fire orb.
“Firebolt attack!” He shouts as the body dissolves upon the altar and slips back into the pool.
“Mace attack!” Tyrvaan growls, slapping his mace into the remaining elemental and expelling a huge amount of water from its body. A blast of force crashes into the pool beside the creature and Tyrvaan turns to find a nonchalant Zylnan leaning on the altar, sword resting on his shoulder, pretending that didn’t just happen.
Misxibis staggers into the water behind Sephina and sinks her dagger into the creature’s chest as Zips’ rapier erupts from its chest. The water elemental emits a low slurred moan and slams its body, once more, into Tyrvaan, crashing against his shield.
Ballen leaps from the altar and swipes with his halberd, slicing its head from its shoulders and the last elemental dissolves into the water of the pool.
“I think your friend is right,” Talkoris says, taking a deep breath. “I don’t think we should pull any more of those out.”
“Stupid dragon,” Zips mumbles. Tyrvaan makes eye contact with her and exhales violently. Small puffs of fire flare from his nostrils and Zips jumps, emitting a quiet “eek!”.
“Place for heart, part of soul… Ve put soul on altar, get key? I have nothing… put music on altar.” Misxibis says, climbing onto the altar. She clears her throat and begins to recite one of her first poems, faltering over her words and coughing as everyone stares at her incredulously. Zips claps along happily.
“It hard to bare soul in front of so many people, somebody else try something,” Misxibis mumbles, hopping down. Ballen walks towards the altar, pulls his shoe off and places it upon the crystal, sole down.
The army-issued boots he gained in basic training, marched in, sang songs with friends in, fought in and crossed the desert in, began to glow. A light blossomed from the altar beneath the boot and it sank into the crystal.
“No,” Ballen choked, clamping a hand over his mouth. The cavern descends into silence as all watch a large crystal embedded in the altar begin to glow with an amber light. Ballen lifts it and it easily comes loose in his arms. Everyone watches as he walks to the gate and places it into the slot. The light flows soundlessly from the key and fills the gate as the crystal key shatters, the minuscule shards of its remains falling to the ground.
“What do you think guys? Should I walk through?” Ballen asks.
“I guess, and if it still shine, ve follow. If not ve put our own boot on altar,” Misxibis answers.
“Wish me luck.”
“Good luck, elf man.” Ballen cautiously steps through the gate. The shadows against the stone wall move and envelope him and in a moment he’s gone with the colour in the gate. Misxibis follows him but finds it as null as it was before. She stamps her foot and returns to the altar, placing her lute reverently upon its surface, hoping against hope that it both works and doesn’t, worried her greatest belonging will vanish. The light beams from beneath it, as it vanishes, and a crystal fills with a purply blue light. Misxibis takes the key and follows after Ballen, vanishing into the gate.
Charles follows suit, placing some ancient book pages upon the altar. They vanish in a flurry of green light and a crystal appears.
Heri steps up beside him, fishes in his pocket and drops the tiny bent metal lattice with a simple string chain onto the altar, all that remained of her amulet from Titania. It burns with amber light, filling a nearby crystal. The pair go to the gate, insert their keys and enter.
Zylnan fumbles through his clothes and pulls a small copper ring from one of his pockets, placing it upon the altar. The crystal alights with crimson flame and fills a crystal that Zylnan takes and inserts into the keyhole, before disappearing into the gate.
Zips takes out her juggling daggers and her dice set. Holding each in a different hand she looks back and forth between the two, then sighs. She places them on the floor, produces a coin from her sleeve and flips it, catching it from the air and peering at the outcome, before pocketing it, returning her daggers to her pocket and dropping her dice onto the altar. They glow an intense emerald colour and vanish. Zips takes the crystal and follows after the others.
Tyrvaan muses as Talkoris, Sephina and Ravin step up to the door. A red flash of light fills the room as Ravin places something upon the altar, but Tyrvaan pays little attention to the others as he considers his own items and their value. One by one they trail through the gate, leaving Tyrvaan alone in the cave. He sighs, peering around, feeling a moment of insecurity as all have left him deep beneath the waters of an oasis. One he has no way of escaping.
“Drowning in a desert,” he grumbles. “How embarrassing…” He glances at his sigil ring and shakes his head, then at his mace and sighs before pulling a gauntlet from his hand and placing it on the altar. It vanishes into a purpley-blue colour, and he turns to the gate, placing the crystal in the hole and disappearing, leaving the cavern in darkness once again.
One by one the group materialises in a semi-dark abyss, consumed by massive crystals that glow with various shades of dwindling coloured light. Huge building-sized chunks float through the darkness high above, some completely dark, while others glow warmly. Ballen wanders to the side of the wide white crystal path laid out before them and peers over the edge, seeing hundreds more, of all sizes spinning and colliding in the never-ending darkness below. Others join him there. Shrapnel blossoms out in the seemingly weightless environment, recounting collisions and impacts from years before. The sound of running sand fills the void, ever-present, as if the sands of time run on, hurrying towards an end.
“The crystal path,” Talkoris whispers in awe. All turn to the broken shattered path before them. The crystals that fill it are white on the surface but hold a darkness within, like a star about to run out of light and be extinguished forever. It trails, winding through the void and ends within a huge crystal structure far in the distance.
“Where are we?” Tyrvaan growls, “What is the crystal pathway?”
“It is a path made by the ancients. They made these to traverse great distances. To build a world outside a world, or to gain access to secret places. But during the cataclysm, many fell into darkness. And now to pass through it is not always safe, but there is no other way to get where we need to go.” Sephina whispers.
“And now no vay back,” Misxibis adds.
“And when you say, not always safe?” Tyrvaan grumbles gripping his mace.
“I do not know,” Sephina replies. “These were written about long ago, and many recounts of this were destroyed.”
“We have nowhere to go, but on,” Talkoris says, pointing along the cracked and crooked path before them. The others nod, holding their weapons close and cautiously begin to traverse the path. Zylnan taps each with his sword to test their efficacy and moves off, the rest close behind. Some sound hollow, others rattle or ring with clear tones and each step gives off vibrations of sound or light with each impact.
Time passes immeasurable as the party trails through the broken crystals. Most focus on their own footsteps and avoid the cracks and holes that lead to nothing below. Zips peers up as a giant crystal swings above, completely devoid of its own light and she feels something cold seize her heart as its shadow passes over her. She inhales, her breath frozen in her lungs, but as it swings past and the light returns the sensation vanishes, and she almost forgets.
“Be careful,” she whispers, catching her breath. Others turn to her, their brows furrowing in concern as her pale face and sunken eyes look back. Tyrvaan grips his holy symbol and begins to pray, stopping halfway through to look around in panic.
“I can’t feel him. Tyr’s gone from this place. I didn’t think they did it… those places hidden from gods and devils. Tyr save us.”
“We should get through here as quickly as possible,” Zips adds meekly and Tyrvaan nods in ascent, shuffling a little closer to the goblin and setting off again.
Time passes.
Another crystal, the size of a small island floats high above, and shadow covers the path once more. A crystal beneath Zylnan cracks and shatters and his body slips through the path as Tyrvaan lurches forward and seizes him by his outstretched arms, standing firm against the added weight and slowly hoisting him back onto the path. A magic word dies on Misxibis’ lips and Zips and Ballen peer up at the crystal as they feel the darkness closing in around them.
Huge shadow behemoths with humanoid torsos and glowing red eyes crawl from beneath the darkened stones of the crystal path, coming up on either side, their formless bodies floating in the darkness. Someone screams.
Zips leaps back, scrambling across the crystals to put as much distance between her and the horrifying creature as possible and lets loose an arrow from her short bow. The arrow passes into the shadowy chest of the monstrosity and Misxibis charges, slashing with her knife. Small red sparks glow across its shadowy form as it turns to its attacker and swipes its massive formless claws at Misxibis who ducks deftly beneath the blow.
The other rears back its head and lets out a screech of glee as it swipes at the shocked Tyrvaan. Its claws pass through his shield, armour and scales without leaving a scratch, ripping at his very soul. The screaming sounds loudly in his head and he staggers back a step.
“My eternal soul is promised to another,” Tyrvaan spits through clenched teeth, though in the corner of his mind, a voice whispers ‘The gods have no power here’ and his eyes widen in fear. He swats wildly at the monster in a bid to drive it away but fails to connect. An arrow and ball of fire collide with the shade, driving it away and Tyrvaan takes heart that his companions are with him.
Ballen jumps towards the other shadow monster and slashes. Red light crackles around the halberd’s tip as it passes through its torso. Talkoris appears at his shoulder and swipes at the monster as several of Sephina’s daggers fly through its face, dispersing its features with red crackles of light, only for them to reform moments later.
Mixibis strikes again, her dagger passing through the air as Zips’ arrow flies past her shoulder off into the abyss. Light from above falls onto the creature as the giant crystal floats on. The monster before them screeches and all cover their ears as it dives down into the darkness below.
Everyone turns to the remaining shadow before Tyrvaan and a blast of force crashes into its body, sending red lightning rippling across its form. Tyrvaan nods to Zylnan and skirts the creature’s reach growling wildly as he swipes his mace at its back.
His blow passes through clear air and fails to connect. His momentum drives him on and one of the crystals below his feet cracks, sending him stumbling towards the edge. His armour-weighted form crashes into the last crystal before the abyss with a horrendous crack and he begins to slide. Tyrvaan grasps wildly at the smooth surface of the crystals, his exposed talons cutting deep into the hard material until he comes to a stop.
Ballen swipes at the monster in an attempt to drive the creature from Tyrvaan and several frantic attacks follow as arrows, firebolts and weapons fly towards and around the the shadow, keeping it from its prey.
Glimpses of light filter down and shine across the creature’s form as the huge crystal above passes entirely over the path. It screeches and all cower before it vanishes into the abyss below.
Talkoris holds his arm out to Tyrvaan and others crowd around to help lift him from the platform below. As he climbs free he nods to his rescuers and the party continues on without a word. The silence and darkness continue to press in, but as the huge structure grows before them they begin to feel relief.
Wide stairs rise up to a great crystal arch leading into the centre of the building. Each footstep upward emits a hollow ringing that pleases the ears but gnaws at the soul and several grit their teeth as they push on. There are no doors and as the adventurers pass below the massive arch and enter the chamber their eyes fall upon a huge crystal dragon lying across half of the room.
A collective intake of breath sounds in the high vaulted chamber and the creature’s eyes peel open. It raises its gigantic form and its long neck stretches towards the party. Its eyes glean like radiant suns, though something within appears dim.
“Do you speak dragon?” Misxibis whispers, stepping behind Tyrvaan. Zips follows suit as do several others.
“Absolutely,” he growls and bows before the creature.
