Baleful Wings (Dragon's Dogma Fanfiction)

Chapter 33 : Apotropiasm

Arya looked around the dark, rocky caverns before her. There were lanterns about the walls, and crates full of rotting, seemingly stolen produce. Slowly proceeding through the hollows of the underground hideout, she was careful to peek around every corner. She stopped for a moment to imagine how Edward and the Black Cloaks felt about her sudden disappearance. She left rather quickly, not bothering to celebrate their victory. The Goblin King was not only on the run, but also greatly injured. She knew that if she let this opportunity pass, she would not soon get another.
Walking steadily, Arya cloaked herself in her black cape, now dusty and ragged. She noticed herself gaining speed, her steps increasing along with her impatience.
Again, she felt a sudden surge of awareness. "The smell of Goblin," she remembered pawns say, now sensing it. Around this next corner; Gold, lots of it. Wood. Wooden chests, iron weaponry, and -shhhk!- A stealthy and deadly forcing of a blade into the back of a hobgoblin's neck. It only gurgled for a few seconds before it died, leaving a trail of blood running a river through the mounds of gold coins.
Arya stopped, noticing sprouts of Devilwort. A thin, gracious bit, riddled with yellow flower-like buddings. "Oh.. Oh, this is so rare, maybe.. Maybe just a trifle."

She knelt over, almost depressed at having to take the leafy herbs. She admired the Devilwort, such a delicate plant with quite the misnomer.
"All you need is some cloudwine."
*gasp*
Arya jumped at the sudden masculine voice.
There was a bare-chested man wearing but an open leather vest and khaki lower garments. He was also knelt down, staring equally intently at the plant. He looked over at Arya, his hazel eyes widening. "What? It makes for quite the curative."
Arya scooted to the side quickly, brandishing her sword at the ponytailed man.
He scratched his sandy grey hair, and stood up. "Ah, straight to the point, are we? I'm Bandit Tsung. The treasure in these caverns is mine."
Arya scrambled to her feet, "Wait, you're.."
"Aye, that's right. Legendary king of the bandits, in the flesh."
"That aspiring bandit that attacked fort Aernst?! I'll bet you regret that now, because it's obvious that you lost." She laughed blissfully.
Tsung coughed suddenly, almost choking, "Aspiring bandit!? W-wait how did you know about..?" He quickly straightened up, "Never mind that. Aren't you a hero, or some aught? You didn't hear it from me, but the goblins are planning to sack the Shadow Fort. They've already dug their way under the gates, I've heard."
Arya yawned, "Wow, what a halfwit. Firstly, my name is Arya. Secondly, that attack is over and done with already. I'm here on other business."
"So you are here for my treasure!"
"No. I'm here for the Goblin King."
Tsung paused, then folded his arms, "Oh. An Adventurer, even worse. Tell ya what Arya, I'll help you kill the Goblin King if you agree to leave the treasure alone."
"I don't need the help of an unarmed banditling," Arya stated nonchalantly. "If you could find the main chamber, that would be far greater a boon."
Tsung pounded his palm, "That I can do. I've been here for three days. I know it like the back of my head."
"Hand."
"Oh. Yes. Well, you get the point."

The bandit led Arya through the hideout, which he dubbed The Frontier Caverns, carefully examining each chamber before advancing.
"Say, voleur, whatever happened to your cudgel?" Asked Arya, aloofly.
"It's a bo staff!" Snapped Tsung, "Also, I don't carry it for observational tasks. Nary did I expect to find a meat-shield-- I mean, fellow traveler, down here."
Arya scoffed, "Amazing. Someone like you is able to brook japes."
Tsung leaned against the wall. "Don't say that with so much disgust. You can't deny that us bandits have our charm."
"I most certainly can," said Arya, "You're thieves and cutpurses, and you spend your days in the company of other dirty, sweaty men. I abhor bandits."
Tsung chuckled, "That's what makes us attractive! The wild, dangerous swagger."
Arya gagged, "Please, stop. There is naught attractive about raping and pillaging."
"Everyone has their stories. 'Tis nary a first choice to resort to this lifestyle."
"Being a filthy murderer is far from a lifestyle."
Tsung was silent.
"If you're ready to keep moving, then so am I," said Arya.
He stood up and stretched out. "All right, that means no more monkeying around! Oh --"
-pfk, pfk-
A hobgoblin wandered in, Tsung gave it two straight and stinging punches to the chin. The beast fell to its knees and Tsung snapped its neck. Arya gave him a slow sarcastic round of applause.
After a few steps deeper into the dungeon, she rushed into the next chamber and engaged a group of hobgoblins.
"Hey, slow down!" By the time Tsung caught up with her, they were all dead. "You're getting goblin blood all over my gold!"