Chapter 21: Through The Dark

The Guides, the oldest of Angels.

Sehara, who wrote the runes of the First Oathsworn, and Lumin, who guided the First Reaper through the land of the dead. Despite being the ones who interact with our world the most, their pasts are shrouded behind even more mystery than the Reapers. They appear one day, envoys of dead gods who “save us” in a time of need. That’s it. That’s all that we know. That’s all that was written.

• “Where Are The Gods?” A Heretical Text found in the Archmage’s Sanctum

Shar flies back to us every once in a while, leading the way around fallen pillars and other hazards.

“I’m starting to wish I was a fire witch.” Eyla’s eyes move to something in the darkness, only for it to be a fallen rock.

I give her a comforting smile, trying to ignore my own fear of the oppressive dark. I answer quietly, “Fire can be dangerous in the deep. I’m happy to have ice.”

She gives me a half-smile, then we both focus on sudden movement as Shar swoops into the light.

The group stops as I hold out my arm for her to land on.

“We’re close to the door.” Shar says, her voice low. “But everyone needs to be quiet and follow me exactly.”

“Did you see something?” I ask.

She nods her beak then jumps to the floor and turns into a cat. “Bats.”

I share a look of confusion with Eyla. Then my mind catches up.

Of course they aren’t regular bats, not in a place like this.

I motion for everyone to come closer then speak in a low voice, looking at Grildor first. “Take your plate off. We need to be as silent as possible. They’re still asleep, right?” It should still be daylight outside.

Shar nods.

Grildor doesn’t hesitate to follow my instructions. We stand there for a tense minute as Libby helps him remove his plate armor as silently as possible and put it in his backpack.

My gaze moves to the edge of the light, illuminating cracked stone and a singular fallen pillar.

Tanya draws my gaze as she steps up next to me slowly, “Bats?”

I nod, looking at Shar to confirm my thought as I speak in a low tone “Bloodsuckers bigger than I am. It explains why we haven’t seen anything else living down here. They’re all too common in large spaces like this, but I’ve only seen them in person once before. Eyla, do you have any walls or shields if we need to cut them off?”

“I have a wall, but it only works in one direction.”

“I ‘ave something.” Grildor says as Libby undoes the ties on his vambrace. “Case it gets bad.”

I need to have a defense specialist more often. It feels like nothing so far has pushed this man.

The last piece is taken off his arm, and wrapped with cloth before being placed in his backpack.

I look around the group, making sure we’re ready. Everyone looks back at me, waiting for my signal.

I look down at Shar, and motion for her to lead the way, then dim my light.

The group moves closer together as we follow the faint silhouette of Shar.

I keep my eyes on the ceiling as we walk, and despite being unable to see all the way up, I can see faint forms hanging onto the sides of the pillars that reach up there.

They’re as big as I remember them, but thankfully, they don’t seem to be bothered by the very low light or the slight shuffling of our shoes.

Still, as I watch, one of them shifts.

Keve follows my gaze, his eyes narrowing on the creatures. His night vision is better than mine, and I wonder what he sees up there.

The crunching of something underfoot echoes loudly into the silence, and our group freezes.

They don’t respond, so we continue deeper.

A door appears out of the darkness, tall and heavy, it waits for us.

Grildor steps up to the door and attempts to open it.

It doesn’t move.

I tap his shoulder, and he moves aside as I study it. My mana detector goes off, vibrating on my belt.

I pull out my blue powder and blow it onto the thing, revealing several runes. It’s a similar lock to what I’ve seen before, so I don’t feel the need to write it down in my notebook… not that I would here.

I step up to the faintly glowing runes, and Deactivate Runes.

My hand moves on its own as I draw more glowing runes into the door.

Then the worst possible thing happens.

It starts with a slow rumble, a shaking of the floor that pauses my work. It grows, making the pillars shake as something large moves below us.

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Cracks echo out, and a pillar falls to the floor in a cacophony of noise that destroys the silence of the room.

The rumble stops.

Thousands of red eyes open in the darkness. Then screeches follow it.

I put my light to full brightness, then Deactivate Runes again. I focus on the work, fixing the mistake the rumbling had caused.

Behind me, a rush of mana echoes out as the floor is covered in ice, Keve’s swords light on fire, and a large glowing shield blocks the oncoming horde.

I rush my hand, going as fast as I can on my runework.

Bodies fall to the floor behind me and ice shatters, but nothing reaches me as I finish.

The runes flair, then deactivate.

I put my shoulder into the door, then grunt with effort as I shove the door open.

“It’s open! Come in!” I yell.

I turn around, taking in the battlefield with a glance.

A rain of ice daggers hit the thousands of bats as a magical field of interconnected shields blocks them from rushing our group.