The Darklands ch. 1

It was morning, mid-summer, and hot. A smooth, grey stoned structure housed a mysterious bard. The house was small with a thick wooden roof. The south side was bathed in sunlight, while the north side was shrouded in shadows cast by the trees of the Dark Woods.  Inside, the smell of nature wafted throughout, and the sun shone through small windows. The light awoke the bard. He dressed himself in a light brown tunic and pants. He ate a light breakfast of apples, and bread he roasted the night before. He peered out his window to make certain the weather. No clouds; he decided this day would be fine for travelling. The bard sheathed his longsword and retrieved his satchel. He filled the bag with a handkerchief of medicinal herbs, some food, flint and tinder, a broken dagger, his coin purse, and throwing dice. He didn’t have much gold, but he always had faith in his dice. He attached a bedroll and water jug to the satchel. He garbed himself with his oversized, green travelling robe. He was ready for an adventure! With his satchel slung over his shoulder, he exited his home and went forth to the Dark Woods.
The Bard’s house rested beside a tiny pond. Several fish he adopted from the nearby lake filled the greenish pool. He stopped at the water’s edge and dipped his hard, rough face into the cool, slimy water. He pulled his head out and wiped his face on the sleeve of his robe. After batting his eyelashes and relieving them of the final water droplets, he gazed at his reflection in the pond for a moment. He thrust the hood over his head and continued on. The sun-baked grass was high and picky. It frustrated him as he walked to the tree line. He swatted it with his hand as he hiked through. Just as he entered the wooden fortress of the Woods, he took a deep breath and a last glimpse of the sun before it was blotted out by the thick canopy.
         He was heading north to Naguaug, a small town on the other side of the woods, to seek a blacksmith. The woods were cool and noisy. Birds and insects symphonized his journey through the forest. Bars of light where the sun poked through the leaves beamed like lasers and offered sanctuary to dozens of gnats. The Dark Woods sprawled across several hundred acres and up the side of Mount Cronox. He needed to venture through the forest and around the west side of the mountain to reach Naguaug. This quest would take about four days.
After a few hours passed, he came across a tall, thin being sitting cross legged on a large boulder. Though the light was dim, he noticed long, narrow ears jutting from either side of its head and knew it was an elf; its light green skin darker in the shadows. The elf was dressed in a tight brown vest and grey pants. He remembered elves were more magically inclined than humans and dwarves. The bard eyed a long, wooden bow lying on its lap. Upon these details, he rested his hand on the hilt of his sword and approached the elf. As he drew nearer he realized the elf was male and his eyes were closed. The bard snapped a twig with his foot as he stepped and the elf’s ears twitched. A wide smile spread across his handsome face and he called out, “Hello!” The bard heard the kindness in his voice and understood his calmness. He removed his hand from his sword and walked closer to the elven archer.
“Hello, elf, might I ask your name?” The elf opened his eyes and leaped off the rock, bow in hand. He outstretched his other hand and said,
“Serion is my name, human. Might I ask yours?”
“I am Jackben. I’m in need of a blacksmith in Naguaug,” he answered as he shook his hand. Serion looked at Jackben and lifted his bow.
“I am hunting, but I too, am heading to Naguaug. Shall we travel together?” said Serion.  Jackben thought about it. He enjoyed travelling solitary, but had a good feeling about Serion.  He smiled.
“We shall.”
Just then, Serion eyed a rabbit next to a fallen tree. He raised his bow and drew an arrow from his quiver. He fired and struck the rabbit through its body. He retrieved the animal and placed it into his travel bag. He laughed and said, “Aha Dinner!” The new friends joined each other’s sides and continued their journey to Naguaug.
As night fell, the pair sought a clearing to build a fire. They gathered dry sticks and branches and Jackben used his flint to strike a suitable fire for the night. Serion constructed a spit to roast his kill. He skinned the rabbit with a silver dagger and placed it above the fire to cook. They sat close to the fire. Although it was summer, the Dark Woods were very chilly that night.
“Serion, that’s a lovely dagger,” said Jackben.
“My father gave it to me; it’s very useful. I bring it with me on all my travels,” said Serion. Jackben pulled out his broken dagger and showed it to Serion.
“I found this blade on a journey through these Woods not too long ago. I wish to get it repaired by a blacksmith, so I too, have a useful dagger,” said Jackben.  “I forgot to ask you why you were travelling to Naguaug.”
“My father is ill. He is stricken with disease and needs medicine. I heard rumors of a very skilled alchemist living in Naguaug,” said Serion. His voice was quiet.
“I wish you and your father luck.”
“Thank you, sir.”
The rabbit was plump and juicy. Serion shared it with Jackben, and Jackben shared some Hearty Beans from his satchel. They ate and conversed until they grew tired. They unfurled their bedrolls and slept close to the fire.
By morning, the fire had burned out. Serion woke first to the sound of birds chirping. He nudged Jackben awake. “It is morning friend,” he said. Jackben produced more Hearty Beans and bread from his bag and offered it to Serion for breakfast. The pair packed their things up and marched on through the shadowy forest.
They were making their way around the west side of Mount Cronox when Serion spotted a cave resting on the side of the mountain. “Jackben, look! I don’t remember a cave being there last time I came through here,” Serion said, pointing to the cave.
“Me neither. I wonder what’s in it. Perhaps we can explore it. At the very least we could find an animal for lunch,” said Jackben.
“Grand idea! Walking through this forest was growing tiresome for me.” They stood at the entrance to the dark cave.
“Do you have a lantern in your pack?” asked Jackben.
Serion presented his lantern to Jackben. “I have a lantern, but no fuel.”
“Can you cast a spell to give us light?”
“I can try.” Serion focused and lifted his hand. He produced a tiny orb of light from his palm that shone brightly enough to light their way.
Jackben was human and not a spellcaster. His mana and spellcasting abilities were nearly nonexistent, but the potential was there, as with every being. Spells are cast by using mana. Mana is the magical force in every being. The amount of mana and how it is used is different in everyone. Skilled mages can draw mana from the world around them and produce spells of staggering magnitude. Mana is depleted by casting many or powerful spells and can leave the person exhausted. It can be regenerated through rest, food, and medicine.
They entered the cave. It was wide and tall, constructed of cold, brown rock. The walls towards the front were coated in a fine moss. It smelled musty and was silent. As they ventured further into the mountain, the cave became a sort of tunnel and grew colder. Their breath became visible. Serion was shivering and his teeth chattered as he spoke. “I don’t like this, why is it so cold?” said Serion.
“I am not sure. It seems too cold for any animals to reside in here. Let’s keep going and see what we uncover,” replied Jackben.
“Alright. I hope we don’t get lost in this tunnel, who knows where it goes?” No sooner then he spoke; Serion and Jackben came to a fork in the tunnel.
“Which way do we go, Serion?” asked Jackben with a quizzical look on his face. Serion scratched his head.
“Perhaps we could split up. I’ll go one way, you go the other.”
“You have the only source of light. We have to stick together. I have some dice in my pack. Let’s roll one to decide which path to take.” Jackben withdrew a six sided die from his satchel. “Odds: left, evens: right.” He rolled the die along the cave floor. It turned up four.
Serion looked at the die. “Right it is. Let’s go!” he said.
They took the right path. The tiny ball of light illuminated their journey through the cold and dark tunnel. They heard a strange noise emanate from unseen depths of the tunnel. Jackben grabbed for his longsword. It made a delightful shink as he drew it from the scabbard. At the same time, Serion raised his bow and drew an arrow from his quiver. The ball of light left his hand and floated along beside them. They moved forward slowly, anticipating danger. A few seconds passed and Jackben let out a sigh of relief, but suddenly, a small ice demon leapt from the shadows. It was short and fat and had a shield of icy scales covering its back. The ice shards ran down its arms and legs, leaving its fleshy abdomen exposed. It was blue and black in color. Serion and Jackben moved closer, readying their weapons. The demon growled loudly. The pair stopped in their tracks. The demon let out a loud shriek and lunged at them. Serion fired an arrow. The demon deflected the arrow with his icy arm and continued flying through the air, attempting to attack the adventurers. Jackben yelled fiercely and swung his sword with great might. He struck the ice demon and it fell to the ground. Jackben stopped and looked at the foe. He neared it and it jumped up and shrieked again. He panicked and stabbed it through its heart. The monster screamed loudly. Thick, blue blood poured out of the wound in its chest. It balled up and turned into a solid block of ice. The ice demon was frozen to the blade. Jackben swung the heavy, weighted sword and slammed the ice block against the cave wall with all his strength. It shattered and he sheathed his sword. “Good going, friend!” exclaimed Serion, “Let’s hope there aren’t any more of those little devils running about.” Serion picked up his failed arrow and replaced it in his quiver.
They continued their quest through the dark tunnel. The cave grew ever colder as they went on. Ice formed on the walls and large icicles hung from the ceiling. They travelled for several minutes before the ball of light revealed a large opening. The tunnel opened up to a large dome. The cavern had several large openings leading to other tunnels. The temperature was so cold, it was barely tolerable. The air hurt the lungs when inhaled. The ground was slick with ice and it was difficult to walk on. In the center of the dome a gigantic block of ice rested undisturbed. Serion and Jackben approached the solid mass. “What is this? It looks like it has been here for centuries,” said Serion. As they drew nearer, they heard a strong, high pitched humming. Confused, they looked about the cavern for its source. Suddenly, Jackben clawed at his satchel.
“It’s vibrating!” he exclaimed as he threw it to the ice-slick ground.
“What do you mean, friend?” asked Serion.
“I mean it’s moving! Look!” the bag began shaking violently. The pair looked at the bag and crouched down to open it. “What’s in it?!” cried Jackben.
“Maybe that demon put something inside it, or there’s an animal in it,” Serion suggested.
Jackben was unusually scared. He stood up and took a few steps back. He looked at Serion and said, pointing to the bag: “You open it, I’ll stand guard.” He drew his longsword and readied himself. Serion agreed and opened the bag. As he opened it, the humming became louder and a bright, purple light exploded from within. He yelled.
“AH! It is blinding!” The light dimmed and allowed sight into the bag. “It’s your broken dagger! It’s glowing and shaking! I don’t know if it is safe to clutch it. Hand me your sword!” Jackben gave his sword to Serion. Serion poked at the dagger with the tip of the sword. The dagger’s vibrations travelled up the sword and startled Serion enough to drop it. He looked bravely at Jackben. “I’m going for it!” he reached for the dagger and grabbed the hilt. It stopped shaking and humming. The light it emitted pulsed rhythmically.
“How are you?” asked Jackben, picking up his sword and satchel.
“I’m fine. The dagger is not hurting me at all. Why do you think it’s doing this?”
“Maybe it has something to do with this cave or this block of ice. I had no idea it was a magical dagger.” The purple light became so bright, it illuminated the entire cavern. Jackben and Serion looked around the dome and saw their images reflected on the smooth glass. In the center, the ice block was fully revealed. They looked at the block and gasped. Frozen in the ice was a massive, purple dragon. The dagger began vibrating again. It spoke in a voice as mysterious and magical as it was.
“I am the key to this dragon’s freedom.” Jackben made a stabbing motion with his hand.
“I think you should stab the ice block with the dagger,” he said.
Serion thrust the magical, glowing dagger into the ice. The purple light from the blade quickly engulfed the ice block. The ice began to melt and the water drained out through the many tunnels. Cold icy water burned their ankles. The block completely melted and the dragon lay before them unconscious. The dragon awoke. Its eyes opened slowly. They were like emeralds smoothed into perfect orbs. They searched the area and fell upon Jackben and Serion. The dragon lifted his head large head. It was crowned with horns and spines. It brought itself to a comfortable stance – on all fours. It shook its head as if to awaken itself further. It arched its back and drew a deep breath. It fully extended its wings and threw its head into the air and bellowed a great roar. A stream of water burst from its mouth as it did this. The water solidified and formed a huge icicle that hung from the ceiling of the dome. The dragon fixed its attention back to the two adventurers. “I am Gorgatron, Lord of the Ice Dragons!” roared the dragon; it continued with a deep voice, “I was imprisoned in this cavern by Cronox, the King of the Salian Empire. I ask who stands before me.”
“I am Jackben and this is Serion. We are adventurers exploring this cavern and we freed you!” shouted Jackben.
“Upon freeing me you have joined the Covenant of the Ice Dragons. Together, we must defeat the Salian Empire and free these lands.” Jackben and Serion looked at each other and at the dagger resting in Serion’s hand.
“Gorgatron, I must apologize, the Salian Empire and their race have been extinct for centuries,” explained Serion.
Gorgatron laughed. He turned his right hand revealing a symbol scarred on his purple plan. The symbol was a pentagram with an ‘s’ in the center. “Cronox branded me with the symbol of the Salian Empire. As long as the Salian live, this symbol remains. As long as I live, I will fight to destroy the Salian Empire! There are many more dragons like me in this world, magically imprisoned in hidden locations. These locations reveal themselves under certain conditions – like this cavern was revealed when you neared it with that dagger in your possession. That magical dagger is one of the many artifacts belonging to the covenant of the ice dragons. Although it is broken it is very powerful. Its possessor is bound to it. You two used the dagger to free me. That dagger belongs to you now, as do I. Together we will fight the Salian. Together we will save the world!”
Serion looked surprised. He did not know the Salian Empire still existed. “The only remains of the Empire that we know of are ancient Salian technology that is found deep within the Darklands. People often venture into the Darklands seeking life or treasure. Rarely do people return from the harsh realm. The Darklands are the western most realm of the world,” said Serion, “Dragon! In what ways do the Salian threaten the safety of the world?”
“I am uncertain. Before I was frozen the Salian were constructing a portal to another dimension. What lies in that dimension is unknown, but they believed it held power that, if harnessed correctly, could grant immortality. Cronox wanted this power and immortality. His greed overshadowed kindness.” Jackben and Serion listened intently. “I know not of your Darklands. If you say this area is the source of Salian technology, then I believe that is where the Salian are.”
“Gorgatron, we are but simple country folk. How can we help you? Why must we help you?” asked Jackben.
“With that dagger, you are able to aid me in my quest. You have joined the covenant of the Ice Dragons. The covenant is dedicated to destroying the Salian and their wicked ways. If you choose to oppose the covenant, you will face the punishment of death. Ice Dragon legends speak of great heroes uniting the lands and destroying the Salian. I believe there is a reason why you two were chosen to find that dagger and to free me. It may not be apparent now, but your destiny of greatness will be revealed to all. The Salian are devoted to their king. They still live and are building the portal to an unknown world, if they have not already. It makes me nervous that you say it has been centuries. I fear time is running out. For now, we should travel to these Darklands and see what we can find.”




-To Be Continued-