Dragon Mage 3 Chapter 5: Shadowdeep (Patreon)

369 days until the Arkon Shield falls

The fork was located in a cavern large enough to fit our entire party. Standing in its center, I turned about in a slow circle, surveying the surroundings.

The cavern itself was formed of the same gray rock as the rest of the tunnels and was drab enough not to warrant further study. The two passages leading away from it, though, held my full attention.

Both were of a size and large enough that our party could walk down them in double file. Both were just as lightless, and one led left, the other right.

“So, which way do we go?” Tara asked, walking up to me.

I turned to her in surprise. “You’re asking me?” 

She grinned. “Aren’t you our foremost expert in dungeons and lairs?”

“That would be Lance,” I quipped.

Her smile broadened. “Experience trumps book learning every time, and like it or not, you’ve been through more of these things than anyone else in the party.” She paused. “So, what will it be? Left or right fork?”

I shrugged. “One path is as good as the other. We’ll have to make sure we mark our route, though. The biggest danger is getting lost.”

She shook her head. “No, the biggest danger are those beasts Arneson mentioned.”

I made a face. “You know what I meant.”

“I do,” she said, chuckling, but only a second later, her amusement faded.

Cocking my head to the side, I studied her anew. “Something is bothering you.”

“You mean besides the obvious?” she asked with a fleeting smile.

I waved aside her words. “Tell me. What is it?”

“We haven’t been attacked,” she said.

I stared at her. “And?” I asked when she didn’t go on.

“It’s been what, two hours since we entered the Abyss?” Tara asked, not answering directly.

“About that,” I agreed.

“Yet, it has always taken less than an hour for Arneson’s people to be attacked after entering the chasm. So, why haven’t we been attacked?”

“Maybe our party is too large for the beasts. Maybe they don’t want to—”

“I don’t buy that,” she interrupted. “Besides, we are in the lair itself now. Any fear its denizens feel for us should have been overcome by their instinct to protect their territory.”

“Alright, I’ll concede it’s strange we haven’t seen resistance from the lair yet. But that could just be because the other party is the one drawing their ire.”

“It could,” Tara agreed. “Or…”

“Or?” I prompted.

“There is one distinct difference between how Arneson’s people navigate the tunnels and how we are doing so now.”

I blinked. “There is?”

She nodded. “It’s light. Or the absence thereof.”

“Light,” I repeated, not understanding.

“We’re not using any torches, Jamie,” Tara said meaningfully.

“Of course, we’re not. There’s no need, what with—” I broke off, finally catching on. “You believe light attracts the beasts?”

“I won’t go that far,” she objected. “‘Believe’ is a strong word. But it’s a theory.” Her gaze darted to me. “A reasonable one?”

“Oh, definitely,” I murmured, thinking through the matter. 

Our party had no need for torches because, of course, I’d cast gift of sight on everyone. So, we were, in effect, traversing the tunnels in darkness. Then, there was the name of the lair: Shadowdeep. It suggested the inhabitants had an affinity for darkness or shadows. And finally, there was the fact that the mysterious beasts were seemingly averse to venturing out of the deep earth.

It was, therefore, no great stretch to imagine that the lair’s denizens might be afraid of, or hate, light in all its forms.

“I think you may be right,” I said finally.  “We should put your theory to the test.”

She smiled tightly. “Agreed. It’s time to ambush the ambushers.” She turned on her heel. “I’ll have the others break out the torches.”

“There’s no need for that,” I said, holding up my hand. “I have a better idea.”

She glanced over her shoulder at me. “Oh?”

“What better light source than…” Drawing out the elemental stone housing my familiar, I held it up for Tara to see. “Ash.”

✵ ✵ ✵

It took us only a few minutes to get ready. Both Arneson and Lance enthusiastically supported the idea of an ambush, Arneson because he was a man driven by the need to act, and Lance because, well, he thought it would be cool.

To begin with, Tara had everyone retreat into the tunnel we’d just exited. She’d also dispatched Lance to the rear in case our foes attacked from an unexpected direction.

I remained at the head of our small column, accompanied by Tara, Arneson, and Daryl—our party’s three strongest fighters. Only Tara had an enchanted blade, though. The other two would have to rely on mundane weapons only.

“We’re set,” Arneson reported from where he sat crouched down beside me. “Send your pet out.”

“One second,” I murmured. Drawing on my magic, I cast a series of spells in quick succession. First, using flared conduit, I wove an intricate web between myself and the rest of the party. If the worst befell and our ambush failed, the spell would at least give me a chance to save anyone grievously injured.

Next, seeing to my own defenses, I cast sanctum of fire and magma buckler. I held off manifesting guarding flames in case the brightly glowing dragonfire orbs the spells summoned resulted in a precipitous attack.

Lastly, lowering my staff to the ground, I cast wilting waze and sinking mud. “Whatever happens, don’t advance until my say so,” I cautioned Tara, Arneson, and Daryl.

The trio nodded in understanding, already familiar with the castings.

Looking at Tara, I waited for her go ahead.

“Begin,” she instructed.

“Here goes,” I murmured, willing Ash out.

The familiar responded instantly. Understanding what I desired of her, she sent her spirit streaming into the cavern ahead and in short order, manifested as an avian fire elemental. Light bathed the cavern and spilled out into the tunnels beyond, coloring everything in red-gold hues. Flapping her wings lazily, Ash floated in place.

“Now, we wait,” I said grimly.

“Now, we wait,” Tara agreed. 

✵ ✵ ✵

The seconds ticked by slowly. Gripping our weapons tensely, we waited. If Tara’s theory was correct, an attack would be forthcoming soon.

A minute passed. Then another.

“Perhaps we should—” Daryl began.

“Ssh,” Arneson hissed. 

Chastened, the other man fell silent. Another minute ticked by.

Behind us a soldier fidgeted. Then another. More minutes rolled by. Someone whispered. Another replied. Arneson shushed them both. 

Tara and I exchanged glances. Anxiety was giving way to boredom, and I knew it would not be long before the party broke out in full-out conversation. The men under Arneson’s command were not Sierra’s soldiers, and discipline was not as tight. I could see the same realization in Tara’s eyes. We’ll have to change things up, I thought, or risk spoiling our ambush altogether.

I opened my mouth to say just that, but before I could get the words out, matters were taken out of my hands.

Ash shrieked.

I froze. 

It was not a real shriek, of course. The fire elemental could not speak, but through our bond, I felt the sudden surge of emotions whiplashing through my familiar, and if she had voice, I knew Ash would be screaming.

She’d been hurt grievously. And the worst part, none of us had sensed the attack.

“Up,” I instructed, ordering the fire elemental to the roof of the cavern in the hopes that it would help her elude further attacks. At the same time, I furiously scanned the cavern, trying to spot whatever had assaulted Ash. 

But I spied nothing out of the ordinary. 

The cavern was empty as before. Bereft of anything noteworthy, even shadows. 

Tara’s head whipped around to stare into the cavern, her gaze drawn by Ash’s abrupt upward motion. “What—?”

“Ash is under attack,” I said, belatedly realizing I’d not informed the others that the ambush had been sprung. And much good it’s done us, I thought morosely.

“By what?” Arneson asked, sounding as confused as I was. He obviously didn’t spot anything amiss in the cavern either.

“I don’t know,” I replied tersely. “But whatever it is, it—”

I broke off as renewed pain surged through my bond with Ash. She’d been struck for a second time.

“It’s hit her again.”

“Dammit,” Tara growled. “I don’t see anything. Where is it, Jamie?”

I shook my head angrily, not knowing either.

“We should advance,” Arneson said.

“No,” Tara and I refuted in unison.

The village leader scowled. “Then what do you propose? That we sit here and do nothing while your familiar is shredded to bits by something none of us can see?”

“No, that’s not what I propose at all,” I growled. Could Arneson be right? Could whatever was attacking Ash be invisible? Opening my magesight, I studied the area anew.

But the world seen through the eyes of my magic appeared no different than it did in my real sight. Damn. Whatever technique our foe was using to conceal itself, it was able to defeat my magesight, too. That didn’t leave me with many options.

I rose to my feet.

“What are you doing?” Tara asked in alarm. 

“Improvising,” I replied tersely. Letting the sinking mud spell and wilting waze ward dissipate, I hobbled forward, my staff raised in front of me.

“No, Jamie,” Tara protested. “Come back!”

I ignored her. Ash was still taking damage, and I couldn’t sit around doing nothing. Besides, I didn’t intend on advancing far—just to the mouth of the cavern. Rushing forward at the best pace I could manage, I formed the spellform of flare in my mind. At the same time, I instructed Ash to cast guarding flames. 

That’s something I should have thought of having her do sooner, I berated myself. I’d not, however, expected us to be caught so flat-footed by our foes. But I knew better now and would be better prepared for the next time. 

If there is a next time.

Banishing the bleak thought, I hobbled on. Somewhat to my surprise, Tara did not attempt to stop me again, and I reached the cavern mouth unhindered. “To me, Ash,” I called the moment I was in position.

Responding instantly, the fire elemental began gliding in my direction. Anxiously, I watched her the entire way. There was still no sign of Ash’s attacker, but already she’d lost more than half her health. 

Midway to me, three golden orbs manifested around the fire elemental as Ash completed her spellcasting. I exhaled in relief. Now, at least, she would enjoy some measure of protection from—

One of the fist-sized balls of dragonfire vanished.

What? Had something quenched the flames? Was that even possible?

Your familiar’s guarding flames have blocked an attack.

A hostile entity has been revealed.

Relief sang through me at the Trials messages. Now, I knew what had happened. The dragonfire orb had blocked one of Ash’s attacker’s blows and, somehow, in the process, caused the creature to be exposed. My eyes drifting past the fire elemental, I fixed my gaze on the large form slowly blurring into focus behind her.

“Tara!” I called.

“I see it,” she yelled back. “Bringing up the archers now. Hold your position!”

I had no intention of advancing further, but I didn’t bother saying that. Instead, I avidly studied our newly revealed foe.

It was a cat. A sabretooth, or something very like it. Except this creature was jet back and either possessed exceptionally high stealth or magic. To find out which, I cast analyze on it.

The target is a level 103 shadowcat. It has no Magic, is gifted with Might and Resilience, and has no Craft. Additional information revealed by anatomy: this creature is barely damaged.

“Yikes,” I muttered. Our foe was a Seasoned rank creature—the first such creature I’d encountered that was not a creature champion. And that, dishearteningly, meant the other occupants of Shadowdeep were likely to be just as high-leveled.

What in hells sort of lair is this?