Chapter 217 - Dungeon Marsh

It was deceptively far to the mountain pass. From above, it seemed a day or two away at most. From where he was now in the valley, the mountain didn’t appear any closer no matter how much they walked. There were so many mountains, all packed in together, their peaks like the edge of a serrated blade.

He preferred his time in the forest. At least there, he didn’t feel so exposed. They moved cautiously now, surrounded by never-ending rocky hills and grassy slopes, no telling what might be over the next rise. For the most part, they were left undisturbed, but the occasional overzealous beast came too closer. It was nothing they couldn’t handle—strange insects blown up far beyond their usual size. Hump kept a Burning Wisp ready for just the moment, racing Celaine for the killing blow. Simple.

The riders Celaine had spotted, on the other hand, were a mystery. Surrounded by hills and mountains on all sides, there was no telling who might be watching—that lefty Hump to peer up at the cliffs nervously, jumping at every shadow. It only took one stray arrow for everything to be over. Didn’t help that their speed had slowed. Through the forest, moving on foot had been necessary. Out here where the terrain was more even, Rehk and Tokdaar were beginning to slow them down. Time was not on their side.

“You keep looking around like that and you’ll break your neck,” Celaine said.

“A little caution never got anyone killed.”

“Maybe not, but you look ridiculous.”

Hump frowned at that. “Like I care. Better that then an arrow through the back.”

“Sure. Like you’d spot it coming.”

“You sleep on a thornbush or something?” Hump asked.

Ahead of them, Rehk let out something between a huff and a grunt that told Hump she was bored of their squabble already. She and Tok led the way along the winding hills, navigating a path that avoided the worst of the rocky slopes.

“No, I’m trying to help,” Celaine said. “A hunter’s actions require purpose. What you’re doing looks tacky.”

“This is a strange way to go about helping.” It dawned on him what she meant. “Are you worried I’ll embarrass you in front of your people?”

She snorted. “There’s no avoiding that. Not your fault, but my welcome will certainly be far from friendly. If we can get you to at least look the part, things might go a little better.”

“I’m no Hunter of Owalyn,” Hump said.

“You will be—in a way you already are. My people will not like that. They will not like that I did not return with Vamir, nor that Nishari has already hatched, nor that she comes with you attached at the hip.”

“Right…”

He ran a hand over Nishari’s back as she slept in his lap. Once more Hump found himself dreading his arrival in Drakalyn, though there was also some excitement. He didn’t particularly care what some backwater village in the Fallen Lands thought of him. He was, however, interested in seeing where it was Celaine came from, and the Great Tree of Owalyn. And Celaine was right, if he could avoid looking like a fool from the start, he’d do better there.

They followed grassy routes upward, few trees growing at such heights. At times, the route dipped, and they passed through small tree groves that touched on the bases of sheer, grey mountains, peaked with snow. Sometimes the entire hills were thick with shrubbery, suddenly broken at the end by a rocky mass where nothing grew.

“Teach me then,” Hump said. “I’d like to know more about your home anyway, and your customs.”

She glanced at him from atop Thistle. “First lesson, stop looking around all frantic. It doesn’t just look silly, it’s a warning to anyone following us that we know they’re out there. Don’t let your anxiety dictate your actions.”

“Noted. What will happen to you anyway? Will there be some sort of trial?”

“No, but I will be questioned. I’ll need to explain why I stayed with you. The elders are wise, they would have seen through Vamir’s goal to buy time for the egg to hatch.”

“I take it they won’t buy you staying because of my rugged good looks?”

“You’re more aggravating than a thorn bush.” She glowered at him. “Siding with outsiders is not something that’s taken lightly. Everyone has their role to play, and mine was to join the hunters. I’m a Chosen of Owalyn—one of her dragon blooded. It’s my duty to provide for and protect my people. But after Starfall died and my sister lost herself, I didn’t see the point. I enjoyed my time out in the world. I enjoyed travelling, and meeting new people, trying new foods.”

“You won’t tell them that, will you?”

“Mother, no.”

Hump laughed. “What will you tell them then?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Oh come on. Maybe I can help.”

She sighed. “I intend to tell them I stayed because I saw a Dragon Keeper in you.”

“What will happen if they don’t?”

“That is not for them to decide. That is for Owalyn, and the trials.”

“Ah of course. And what if I fail them? Owalyn won’t smite me, right?”

She frowned, her face full of uncertainty. “You won’t fail.”

“That’s hardly an answer.”

“Those that fail the Dragon Keeper Trials lose their right to claim an egg. You already have a hatchling, so I do not know. They won’t kill you.”

“Brilliant.”

“I don’t think they can argue you lack potential. You may not be one of Owalyn’s hunters, but you’ve advanced to the equivalent of fourth circle faster than anyone in my tribe. My people respect strength, and they respect character. You show them your best, and I believe they will come to respect you eventually.”

“You’re going to make me blush.”

Celaine grimaced. “And this is why I hate talking about you. It’s really a shame they’ll poke you like a pig when they realise the size of your ego.”

“Maybe we can avoid the topic of poking me with pointy things.”

“Stop worrying,” she said. “When Vamir left us, I thought him a fool for believing in you. You’ve more than proven yourself though, Hump. You’ll pass the trials.”

Hump smiled at that, but another thought occurred to him. “What will happen to you and Vamir if I fail?”

“We will be cast out and told never to return.” From the look on her face, Hump realised how bad that was. As nervous as she was to return, these were still her people. “Worse than that, I will have forsaken Owalyn’s blessing.”

Hump stared at her. “You’ll lose your blessing?”

“Maybe. That depends on how badly you screw up.”

***

Hump shuffled up to the edge of the cliff—bad idea. His stomach churned at the sight of the near-sheer drop into the valley. Far down below was a marshland, partially hidden in a thick green mist. A buzz of chirps and croaks and gods knew what else reached them. Twisted trees poked their crowns out of the top, leaves coloured like poison. The mist stirred as creature floated around within, their bodies glowing dimly with essence. On the far side of the valley was a shallow slope, where the mist was clearer. There, Hump could make out the many vine-like appendages coming off the trees.

“Pass there,” Rehk said, pointing to the left of the mountain ahead of them. “Reach tomorrow.”

“You didn’t mention we’d need to get through a dungeon first,” Hump said.

He could sense its corrupted essence clearly, like grease on his skin. It was reassuring that it did not call to him anymore. His soul was healed, and whatever part of him craved dungeon essence was beaten. Nisha climbed onto his head for a better look. Fear shot through their bond, and Hump pressed his hand against her side to reassure her. Even Tokdaar had the good sense to keep away from the ledge, clutching to his mother’s leg.

“You not ask,” Rehk said, hefting her shoulders. “Dungeon no matter. Many in mountains. Stay outside, be fine.”

“They’re all but unavoidable out here,” Celaine said. “It’s worse on the other side of the mountains.”

“We’re barely four days outside of Alveron.”

Celaine smirked. “This is nothing. Barely a taste of what the Dead Marshes have to offer. Luckily, those are to the east of us. The Charred Heights aren’t as dangerous.”

“The Dead Marshes…” Hump murmured. He was walking through lands he’d only heard tales of. He knew it was coming, but he couldn’t help but be awed by it.

“They’re not so bad,” Celaine said. “This far away from people, the dungeons don’t have the resources they need to grow much. So long as we move around the outskirts, there’s no significant danger.”

Rehk grunted her approval. “Fear not dungeon. Dead hunt through mountains here. Dead of Ironjaw Pack too.”

“Your pack members were turned into undead?” Hump asked.

“Some.” She nodded, not seeming bothered outside of the danger they now posed.

Great, Hump thought. There’s a bunch of undead gnolls roaming about to worry about too.

He imagined being dropped into that poisonous pit of suffering—lost in a world of mist, surrounded by monsters and unable to escape. Doomed to be dungeon food. He swallowed, and cautiously shuffled back from the ledge, leaning against his staff for balance. The dungeon essence suddenly felt thicker, washing over his senses and sending a wave of sickness through him. Before he’d solved his soul issues, it would have called to him to wield it. Now it just made him feel ill.

Celaine and Hump spent their time walking discussing Drakalyn and its customs. If Rehk’s estimates were accurate, they had two weeks until they would arrive. In that time, Hump wanted to learn as much as he could about Celaine’s people.

They followed the cliff’s edge, winding their way through patches of corrupted trees. The stench of rot and hum of creatures down below followed them, occasionally broken by a shriek or roar that echoed through the mountains, leaving Hump to wonder what lurked in the mists. At least this far from the dungeon core, the worst they had to worry about were insects and snakes.

“Let’s make camp here,” Hump said.

They’d come to a rocky height with a good view of the surrounding area. While there were still a couple of hours of daylight left, Hump didn’t want to risk scrambling to set up his runes in the dark. Not this close to a dungeon.

“It’s quite a view, isn’t it?” Celaine said grimly, standing close enough to the edge to make Hump nervous.

“Do not like,” Rehk said.

“Shraach,” Tokdaar snapped, shaking his head, then babbling off more snaps and growls.

“Tok no like too,” she translated.

“Better we set up camp here then risk getting caught closer to the dungeon,” Hump said. “Most monsters are more active at night. I feel a lot safer up here.”

“I’m going to take a look around,” Celaine said. “Make sure there’s nothing lurking nearby.”

While Celaine was gone, Hump got to work on his runes. The stone was solid here, and it took him longer to work his magic. Tokdaar and Nishari watched in awe as he melted stone with the touch of his staff, though Hump was in no mood to entertain. Up until now, the Fallen Lands hadn’t felt so dangerous. They’d been attacked, but it was not a place that felt impossible to survive in. Now, setting up camp on the edge of a dungeon, the danger was all too clear. Even the vegetation reeked of corruption.

Settled, Hump and Celaine continued their training. He kept up with his usual wizarding practices—rotating through his shaping exercises, meditating on the River and Waves, incorporating his newly discovered Spirit Well into the practice. After that, he finished preparing Magma Pit. There was no more time for experiments. He wanted it ready for the moment they needed it.

Celaine’s mastery of her Wave of the Shadow Archer blessing had come a long way, but more impressive still was her use of internal essence techniques. She was always strong, being one with dragon blood, but now she had the addition of essence to enhance her. It was a combination Hump couldn’t help but be envious of.

As dark set in, they worked together with Nisha, training her to respond to verbal commands as well as ones through their bond. If not for the dungeon to their right, it would have almost been pleasant.

***

That night, sleep didn’t come easy. It felt like no time at all had passed when Celaine woke him.

“My shift already?” Hump asked groggily.

Celaine shook her head, holding a finger to her lips.

Hump snapped awake. He blinked back his tiredness, a mix of nerves, fear, and adrenaline making that easy. Slowly, he sat up and followed Celaine’s finger. The mist had risen most of the way up to them, and on the edge of it, Hump made out the shape of a giant green slug as it slowly slithered past. The creature was as large as a horse, a wide, rotten-red jaw gaped open where it’s stomach would be. A single eye was above it, wide open and black.

“There’s more creatures too,” she whispered. “The mist suddenly started rising, and them with it.”

Nearby, Prancer stamped his hoof, huffing anxiously. Rehk was already awake, a nervous Tok huddled up to her leg.

“What this?” she asked quietly.

“Don’t know yet,” Hump said.

He stood, rushing over to his runes and double checking the circle was still intact. So long as they held, their presence should be hidden, and any noise they made muffled. That didn’t make him any less nervous. He stared out into the mist as it crept closer. A strange fly almost as big as him buzzed passed, drooping from the weight of its bulging lower appendage.

Minute by minute, the mist crept closer. He felt it tugging on his soul, infused with some sort of magic.

“That mist is making me nervous,” Celaine whispered at his side.”

“I sense magic in there,” Hump said. It was like a lake of rotted power was before him, swelling as it rose the valley. He caught glimpses of essence within, like the bugs he’d seen during the day. “Some power of the dungeon, perhaps? You ever seen anything like it?”

Celaine shook her head.

They both held their breath as one of the slugs slithered straight toward them, single eye staring ahead. Hump could make out its porous skin, faintly illuminated by a green light from within. Its body was slick with slime, its teeth a disgusting yellow. Even from a few paces away, the stench of it made Hump want to gag.

He stepped back.

“Rehk, bring Tok and stay close to me,” Hump said. “There’s something strange about this mist.”

He got no answer, and turned to find the gnoll staring numbly, her eyes glazed over, head swaying side to side. Tokdaar wasn’t at her side. Hump searched for the small gnoll, eyes going wide as he couldn’t see him.

Celaine darted ahead before Hump could react, dashing out from his formation and into the mist, where he small a small silhouette staggering away. She grabbed him, dragging him back.

A long, croaking roar pierced the air, and one of the slugs charged after her. She tossed Tokdaar back within the circle, the gnoll landing with a cry and snapping him out from his stupor. A silver light pierced the mist, obliterating the slug’s body, leaving a puddle of green flesh on the ground just beyond the boundary of Hump’s veils.

Celaine dropped back in from above a moment later, as a chorus of shrieks filled the air, a swarm of monsters mobbing the fallen body.

“Rehk, are you awake?”

“Yes. Head fuzzy for moment.”

“Stay with the horses. We can’t let them gather here.”

Hump levelled his staff toward the crowd of beasts, red light gathering in the focus. “Fire Blast.”