Forty Five
Umbra and Marin, The Lava Fields
As Silvermane & the two heroes walked into the thankfully less fiery Cut-through pass. The canyon had been cut smoothly as if burned.
The walls either side relatively smooth. The mighty cliffside statues of the Chrome Hammer Dwarven kings of the past watched them blankly, their massive size towering over them.
Aside from a few rocky outcroppings and steam vents the road seemed relatively safe. As they entered further into the pass, they started to notice stone charms and totem poles strewn around.
Marin recognized the symbols, clearly well-educated by her mentor. "Those are ogre clan constructs. It appears to be a burial ground."
"It looks like someone trashed the place," Umbra added, turning over a loose stone with his boot.
"How could someone desecrate a grave site like this?" Marin wondered.
Umbra looked away, feigning disinterest.
However, he did notice one carving. "That's the symbol of the War Mauls, famously the strongest clan."
The War Mauls were known as powerful and honorable warriors.
"The Demon Lords wiped out all the clans in the lava fields, now even their burial grounds are desecrated. How sad." Marin, her kind heart could truly empathize with even the most violent creatures.
She straightened the toppled stone totems.
"We don't have time for this," Umbra protested.
Marin frowned. "A little courtesy goes a long way." As she finished her work, Umbra could feel a slight wind almost like a sigh of relief.
"We killed an ogre at the Kingsbridge. Why bother honoring them here?" Umbra was perplexed.
"These are the graves of women and children ogres," Marin explained.
Umbra heard a few stones dropping from a tall height nearby. "Quick, hide. I sense danger nearby."
They hid behind a large rocky totem as a rowdy group of goblin bandits passed by, wearing mismatched, rusted armor & a few of them clearly inebriated.
One of them boasting to his fellow bandits staggered up to one of the War Maul graves and started peeing on it.
Marin gasped, disgusted.
Umbra peered over the gravestone but the goblin saw him.
"Molten Cores! To arms, we have new prisoners!" the goblin proclaimed.
A few alerted trolls bolted around the corner, weapons held aloft. "For Lord Iblis!" they sped into the grave site with their goblin comrades.
Before the heroes could react, they were completely outnumbered and surrounded, a tight ring of spears pointed at them.
"Take them to the coliseum, it looks like master will have entertainment today," the largest troll grinned with grimy teeth.
Umbra raised his hands & groaned. Another damn detour. Will we ever get to Sunrise City?