The Darkest Dungeon

Chapter one

Yuya stood on the promontory next to his house, observing the scenery around him. It was an autumn day, and the valley around Bazira was covered in trees with colorful canopies. Somehow, what he was seeing reminded him of home, of Autumn in the center of Seria, of the surroundings of his family's castle. Suddently, Melancholy took over him but a familiar voice from behind interrupted his thoughts.
"Good morning, sleepyhead."
"Ahh, Nelli, for the gods' sake don't scare me like that!" Yuya exclaimed.
"Hahahaha", Nelli began to laugh, "don't tell me you were concentrating? What were you thinking about? By the way, have you had breakfast?" she said as she fixed her ponytail. Her blonde hair shone under the light of dawn.
"Nothing in particular, and no, I haven't had breakfast, I was planning to grab something on the way to the Guild, or have breakfast at the bar". Yuya answered.
Ummm... Nelli looked at him, with a certain degree of disappointment, "And I was expecting to have breakfast ready for when I woke up... anyway... she smiled mockingly, now that you mention the Guild, we have to go, when I woke up I heard a carrier pigeon pecking at the shutter, it brought a message from Clarence. It says for all of us to report to the Guild as soon as we can, the "Boss" wants to talk to us about an important mission."
"Sounds important", said Yuya while he rose from the ground. "Ok, let's go!, Would it be okay if we picked up something at a store on the way? I think that since I didn't have breakfast ready, the best way to make it up to you is with one of those honey cakes you like so much".
Nelli's eyes began to shine, "Yummy honey cakes? for breakfast?, Mr. Kadearu are you allright?", said Nelli jokingly. Both smiled to each other, and after they took all the necessary equipment, they went ouside . It was early morning but there was already a lot of people in the street, and the shops were beginning to open.
After they had bought the cakes, they began to walk towards Banias's adventurers guild when they heard a familiar voice.
"Damn it, I'm never going back to that place, and they call that a breakfast, the wine? Terrible, four olives, and the bread? That was a piece of wood, you couldn't bite it, what a rip-off!". It was Flavius grumbling like many other times. But this time it seemed that he was quite angry.
"Flavius!", exclaimed Yuya.
The intrepid adventurer Blatian raised his head, suddenly his anger seemed to diminish a little.
"Oh it's you, good morning," he said to them.
What happened to you? I don't think there's anyone on this street who hasn't heard you.
"I'm not going back, I'm not going back there, you see I went to take some materials to the potions shop, and well, I decided to have breakfast on the way, and I went into that... joint at the end of the street, and I almost came out hungrier now than when I went in, what a nice day to start the week" complained Flavius.
"Don't let Crysanthos hear you," Yuya exclaimed, "I think the owner fought with him during the conquest and its very fond of him, you know how some veterans are"
"If I meet the owner again, not even the old man will be able to stop me from sending him to the underworld," Flavius said angrily. "Anyway, have you received the message?" he asked.
Yes, Yuya said, we were heading to the Adventurer's Guild right now.
I'll go with you, Crysanthos and Eäviël should already be there, they live closest to the Guild. The carrier pigeons would have delivered the message before then. The Blatian said.
After a while they reached the Adventurer's guild. With its sturdy stone walls and the banners with the Guild's crest hunging from each side of the main door. Upon entering, they saw Crysanthos and Eäviël sitting on a stone bench waiting for them. Crysanthos nodded when he saw them and stood up, while Eäviël's face broke into a big smile when she saw them enter through the door. She had only joined the group a year ago, but her cheerful personality and her great knowledge of magic had earned her the affection and trust of the group. The veteran Oronai made a sign to the elf girl to get up.
"You're finally here, you bunch of sleepyheads. The boss was already starting to get impatient. I told him you were running some errands before coming, I told him you were buying potions or something, I think he bought it. Anyway, let's go up, let's not make him wait any longer." Crysanthos exclaimed.
So, the adventurers headed towards the large staircase made of ash wood. Clarence, the tiefling in charge of the library and the guild reception greeted them at the foot of the stairs.
"It seems important guys, the boss received a letter and immediately asked me to call you." She said to the adventurers".

Chapter 2: Great Perils in the fringes of the woods

Yuya knocked on the door and a hoarse voice answered: Come in!. The adventurers enter the room and saw Archelaos, the director of Banias' adventurers guild who was sat on his marble table.
"Good, you're all here", said Archelaos raising his eyes from the scroll he was reading intently. The man was one of the original Oronai settlers, like Crysanthos but was slightly younger than him, with long hair already turning gray very similar to the hairstyle of some noble elves, but his dress was clearly Oronai with a red short tunic,tall leather riding boots and a cape tied to his right shoulder with a fibula. His body was robust, a sign that he had once been a great warrior, his right arm showed some scars, the result of some wound caused by a spear during some battle.
He slightly throw the scroll in front of the adventurers and, as he was getting up from the chair he began pointing at the seals that the scroll had attached to it. "What you are seeing is an scroll carrying the seals of three monarchs, the kings of Drusentia and Dubris and... the personal seal of the Emperor of Blati", Archelaos exclaimed with a serious face. "No way!!", exclaimed Flavius with wide open eyes, the Rigas?. "Yes Flavius, the Rigas of Blati himself, he, as well as the other rulers sent this letter to our King who in turn sent it to me. I'm very proud to say that the fame of this guild and your successful previous missions have caught the attention of even the most powerful of men, so great is the reputation of this guild as well as you lads that the Emperor wants to entrust this mission to you alone".
"B...but the Emperor already has the support of Blati's own adventurers guild, Yuya said, I've seen them, they're quite capable of dealing with any danger that might trouble his realm and..."
"Not this one it seems", Archelaos interrupted Yuya, "the letter says that many brave adventurers have already perished trying to achieved the goal of this mission, but he thinks that, since you already seem to have the favour of the gods, you could succeed where others failed.
"What is this mission about then?", asked Crysanthos "Well... you see... in this letter it says..., Archelaos picked up the letter from the table and began to read, " Since a year ago, some villages of the Kallian Plains have suffered deadly raids from Orcs and goblins who seem to have scaped from an open dungeon. Usually these monsters would be quite weak and some adventurers or even army regiments could be able to deal with it, but this monsters seem to be more powerful and deadly than the common ones, the origin of their power is unknown but it is enough to have the authorities and even the rulers of the area quite worried. Among the "victims" of these raids was the famous monastery of St Titinius of White fields. There the monsters not only killed most of the monks but they also stole precious objects and relics that the authorities, both secular and religious, want back. Among these objects are a hand of St Titinius as well as a 600 years old manuscript done by St. Brigetin himself. It not only contains religious texts but it is also believe to have written in it magical spells revealed by the Prophet that, if fallen into evil hands could pose a serious threat to all Blatian realms and who knows how many more regions. "
"Oh, he continued, there is also a little note here that says that one adventurer group that managed to survive but refused to go back created a map, they believed that one of the open dungeons that the Orcs and Goblins use to emerge to the surface is located near the city of Venta of the Legions near the Pidi..." "Forest..., said Flavius while interrupting Archelaos" his face turned pale as he said it
What's wrong? Do you that place Flavius? asked Nelli
"The Doomed Forest, only evil spirits, phantoms and brigands dare to call that place home. This place has been punished by the gods since ancient times, since a battle during the first Ikarian civil war".
It was quite strange for his friends to see them afraid like that, usually Flavius was brave, the only time he appear as frightened as that was in the presence of the goddess Zerah in that dungeon.
"So, if I've understood well, said Nelli, the mission consist in going to Blatian lands, crossing a doomed forest and not dying trying, going to a dungeon, kill a bunch of monsters and.... recover those relics?
"And destroying the source of the monsters power", added Archelaos
"Rrrrriiiight, soooo... well, I'm not gonna lie, considering all the missions we've been through, it sounds like... that bad, but It might be quite dangerous, considering the ammount of adventurers that have died trying it.
"Indeed, said Yuya seriously placing his hand on his chin with a thoughtful gesture, it sounds risky, but to be honest, Archelaos, we have no choice but to accept right?, I assume the prestige of the guild is at stake and if we refuse no more money would be comming from the King and the reputation of the guild across all Teria would be severely damaged".
"You're quite right, said Archelaos with an ironic smile, sorry if I sound cruel, but we've no choice, YOU have no choice but to accept. Since the siege of Banias and despite royal patronage, the gold promised by the King to repare the building hasn't arrived yet, not while there are rumours of an invasion from the North. The Emperor has promised quite a substantial reward to the guild in terms of money, and for you, well... very powerful magical items to add for your kits".
The adventurers look at each other, they knew they had no choice, and despite how risky the mission might be, together they have endured and seen more things that the average adventurer. And... they were not going to say no to some magical items given to them by one of the two more powerful and wealthiest people in Yeia.
"So, what is the plan? when do we live and where do we go?, said Eöviël who, until then had remained silent.
Oh yes, Archelaos sat on his chair again, you are expected to take a ship in the north, in Corvia, in about a week
" A week?!!, exclaimed Nelli, but that means we've to leave...
"In two days... Archelaos completed the sentence, then you'll cross the Sea and arrive in Pyliene, in Lower Oronai and from then you'll travel to Drusentia by land so...God's willing you'll be there in around a month, they are already waiting for you there, talk with the King of Drusentia and from then, as the letter says you should travel to Venta of the Legions. So my friends, you've two days to pack everything you need and to say farewell to your loved ones, your friends, neighbours, whoever you want. I trust you with this mission, look...., he leaned over the table, I've known you for a couple of years now and nedless to say I appreciate you all, you're an special team, you are the best of the best, of Banias' adventurers guild, and to be honest, I don't like the fact that because of the reasons we talked about I can refuse to accept this mission, but what I DO KNOW, is that if there is a team of adventurers that can do this, well... those are you. " The director's words struck a chord with the adventurers, who smiled upon hearing Archelaos' words. The old, grey-haired Oronai had always shown them some appreciation since their first missions, but he had never said it directly. "Don't worry boss, we've helped a goddess, so I'm sure we can deal with this!, exclaimed Yuya while while patting a still shocked Flavius on the back, right Flavius?". "Gods have mercy on me..." murmured the Blatian while he was being dragged out the room by his companions.
"Yuya!, exclaimed Archelaos while the young seris adventurer was closing the door of his office, "remember, the reputation of the Guild depends on this mission". Yuya nodded at him and Archelaos face draw a smile and then, the seris boy closed the door a new adventure was about to begin.
Now, we can be talking for ages about their travel across the Thyssalis Sea, but to be honest, nothing remarkable happened during it, so we'll advance a bit further to the point when the adventurers reached Drusentia.

by Tyrdal

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