The Hollow Grove: The Companions [Book 2]

[21] The Terror Below

The slabs of grey stone were not easy to pry open, but Haygen crammed his meaty green fingers into the doors' tiny opening and pried apart with all his might.  The doors fought against the Half-orc's strength, but he broke through the friction and weight of the massive slabs. He gnashed his teeth and the sound of stone grinding on stone echoed through the crypt.  Once a fist sized gap was made in the opening, the companions chipped in from the sides and pulled along with him.  The stench of death and sewer did not hit him in a wave like he expected, it just hung like a stinking cloud as if the gasses were now the very air he breathed.

Before him was the darkness of a very deep well, though his moon sight easily burned through it in shades of black, white and grey.  A passage leading forward in a downward slope lay before him with the walls on either side roughly carved into the rocky earth.

"I hear something," said Kayla.  "A rhythm.  A drumbeat.  Can you hear it?"

"I hear it," Wess replied.  "It's like...a beating heart."

Haygen could not hear the sound, so he plotted forward, his hands now wringing the blue leather grip of Icefang.

The passage down was not so steep as they could not walk down, but if they were not careful, momentum would carry them faster and faster.  They took steady, controlled steps.  The Wizard's staff was aglow in red providing a dim light for them. 

"I hear it now," said Haygen.  "The beating."

"So do I," Anyu whispered. 

"Sounds like a drum to me," Otis said.  "Let us investigate." 

Haygen led on. 

The passage went down and down, curving left and right for what seemed like hours.  The beating sound grew louder and louder still.  Finally, firelight flickered ahead and the passageway broke out into a wide-open cavern.  Large stalactites pointed down from the ceiling like sharp, rocky teeth directing their eyes to the horrific scene before them.  On a pedestal sat a great monster bound by heavy chain and a sphere of blue magical light.  Writhing around it in a maddening, dense wave were hundreds of short bipedal beings with twig-like limbs that protruded from their barrel chests.  They had boney heads and pointed ears and those that were dressed wore loincloths of crude manufacturing. Their gyrating seemed a dance insulting to even the cruelest of gods, yet in their deep trance they were mighty.

"Adrunnah help us," Haygen said.

Kayla dimmed her staff.  "That," she pointed to the bound beast, "looks like a Demon.  Remember from our battle with Aratass?"  Her mind flickered back at the thought of the magnificent gold Dragon and it comforted her.  Shadowfighter...Castlebreaker...Fireweaver.  "It has similar features of the Demon he fought.  Bound for two thousand years...sure doesn't appear to be that old." 

Otis pointed.  "And those are Goblins of a subterranean breed."

"I've never seen Goblins act like that," Wesley shared. "Vile and cruel, yes, but not...maddened."

"Perhaps they are worshiping the Demon in some way," Anyu reasoned.

Haygen whispered, "This is good news."

"Yes," Anyu said, "if the Goblins are down here, there must be an exit to the surface."

The Dwarf snapped his head to the left.  "I see a way of egress on the western wall."  Otis pointed.  "Just there."

"I see it," said Haygen.  "Two sentries on either side of the opening as well...with spears."

"Wesley," said Otis, "would you be so kind?"