Chapter 25 - Chapter 23: Theolonius Ageis Rea’s Son

As she heeds the warning, twin blades fly past her seamlessly through the still air. The sound continues before it reaches a wall well ahead of her. A small light comes into view as a small group of adventurers dust themselves off. An elven brute and a dwarven mercenary appear. She stops abruptly to avoid being seen. As the two lift their small lanterns, only darkness can be seen and an odd scribbling upon the fork in the pathway. "Did you hear sum'in?" Startled by the sudden silence, the two notice the patterns upon the floor. "Looks like some sort of ancient calligraphy. Could be some paintings?" "Or just random scramblings on an old floor. C'mon, let's keep movin'." The two hear a small group of footsteps in the distance. "Wait! Don't move! Did ya hear it?!" "Sure it wasn't yer knees?" The two laugh and continue walking. They do not see her standing against the charred walls as she watches them walk towards the clanking sounds. "Hold on. There were three paths?!" "Hey! Are we going this way or no?" The other adventurer points towards the dimly lit corridor. The one with the small militia. "Ok. Yes. This way." Unsure of his decision, the adventurer continues along the path. She wants to warn them of the inscriptions but has trouble speaking and don't want to alarm them further. The odd language, to her, tells of an impending doom if several steps are not done in succession. It denotes several ways to do it but also warns of too many wrong attempts. It confuses her a bit but definitely seems important to know. "I was thinking, old friend, when we get back to the village we could get some new armor." "Yeah, we've been outfitted with these old relics for far too long." The two chuckle. "Tell me about it! I swear if i were half YOUR age, I'd be back in Sellen with my—" Shinkkkkt! A curved blade spins and slices through the adventurer as the other ducks and cowers. His friend has been mowed down and the blade continues towards the shallow darkness. The sound reverberates effortlessly as if it made contact with nothing. Horrified, the younger adventurer picks up his lantern and heads back towards the split pathways. This time, though, a large foreboding chamber appears before him. When he touches the door, it is hot to the touch. A misstep, perhaps. Shaken by its appearance, the would be explorer realizes its mistake. "Those words! What did they mean?!" She listens on as the blade makes its way past her and continues onward. It clangs and ricochets off the curving halls as it boomerangs on the opposite side of the corridor. She braces herself and lies down flat on the ground as it whizzes by her once more. Aware that something has gone tragically wrong, she frantically taps the ground with a large pebble found nearby. The adventurer can hear the faint tapping and runs towards the exit. Flailing and crying about, the hallway descends towards an old chute that leads towards the crew of fallen men standing by for combat. Stumbling along the path is the frightened one, as he rolls towards the feet of the damned. Upon the thud, the pack of warriors band together in their defensive stance and prepare to attack."What the—no, no wait! Please! I'm F-" A sharp blow penetrates his torso as he feels the blade pierce the cheaply-made armor. "Gwarrk!" Blood finds its way through the still gaping mouth and freshly-made wound. He backs up a bit and attempts to unsheathe his small blade. His armor is met with more blows as he succumbs to his mounting injuries. This cave offers no help nor any mercy to those who find it. Only the wisest are encouraged to explore it. She knows that all too well but was unable to aid the foolish pair. As she nears another opening, the faint sounds of a oasis can be heard beyond a great barrier. The crest interacts with the magic as she draws near it. She stretches out her hand as the magic barrier fades away. She pushes the large stone door and can see the many patrons. Some stop and stare but notice no one walk through the opened barrier. She proceeds through the crowd and notices odd heat signatures amongst the crowd. These seem to have significant power over magical items and bearers of crests or fallen magic. In the distance to her right is an old sage with an interesting hat. The hat flips and spins as those who pass by interact with him. Many merchants with magical trinkets try to gain his attention but it lies elsewhere. His is aimed towards the closing door to his far left side. "A millennia greeting to you, old friend! Won't you gaze upon my wares?! Something for every occasion! You cannot go wrong! This one heat is a bit wonky but it's believed to make you 3300 years younger! Heard it has a bit of a kick but you look strong enough to manage!" The wizard gazes beyond his financial suitor and grasps his hat. "C'mon, Tre'I'el? We've no time to dawdle!" The hat spins and jumps into a small cloud of dust and squeezes into his worn leather satchel. "We've someone to greet. The time of Rea's son had come!" A new memory awaits...