User blog:MachineWolf7/Azshrak: The Chronicled Odysseys, Chapter 2

The link for Azshrak on Cuusoo may be found here :

The link for Chapter One can be found here :

Chapter Two: Dread Caverns

The four heroes stared at the strange, pentagonal shaped cells that lined most of the cave's walls, unsure what to make of it.

“It does resemble a nest based structure,” Zxxss said.

Traela rolled her feline eyes as she ran a hand down the strange structures.

“You seem to have some sort of fascination with nests,” she said.

“I'm a social creature,” the rogue Skkrrk replied. “To us social insects, a nest not only represents home, but community. In a way, family.”

Traela smiled slightly at the two of them as she absentmindedly fingered the jars of healing fluid on her belt. Drassnal walked to the front of the group, his sword held tightly in his hands. He scanned about, keeping an eye out for trouble.

“What kind of creature could build this?” he asked.

“Not one that comes to mind, off the top of my head,” Traela said. “I do know of several creatures that build similar structures, however.”

They continued onward, hearing nothing at first other then their own footsteps, until the cave took a sharp turn. When they turned the corner, they heard the faintest and strangest tapping noise from ahead. The four halted, listening carefully. The tapping continued to grow louder, approaching them.

The group stood ready, Drassnal and Traela guarding the front, Zxxss and Loquina in the back, all with weapons raised. The group had figured out this method worked best as the two in front were best with melee, while Zxxss could fire from the back. Loquina could then supposedly heal her comrades should something happen.

They waited as the nerve wracking clatter moved forward. The noise crept ever closer until whatever it was, sat just around the corner. There was the sound of heavy breathing, almost a sniffing sound. The four held there breath, waiting a safe distance back should something jump from around the corner.

Moments passed. All that was heard was that continuing sniffing.

The group's nerves were nearing the breaking point, when something massive jumped around the corner. It bore down on the group, moving far faster then a creature of its size truly should. Drassnal and Traela swung their weapons as best they could, but all they met was very hard plate. With no difficulty at all, the creature bowled Traela over. The others, still caught off guard, immediately tried to get it off of her.

Traela initially began to furiously fight, but soon, her cries of anger turned to ones of surprise.

Then to laughing...

“Its ok”, she said, waving off her comrades, “it isn't attacking.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in">The group stopped in astonishment and then looked down. Indeed, the creature was merely giving happy, sloppy, affectionate licks on Traelas metal helm.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in">“It's... tame?” Loquina said at last.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in">“Apparently so,” Drassnal said, gently motioning the thing to move back. This it actually did, happily bouncing on the cave floor. Traela slowly sat up with the aid of Zxxss, trying to wipe off the eye pieces on her helm with a free hand.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in">“Most fascinating,” she said. “It must know I like creatures.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in">The thing was certainly difficult to describe. Although heavily armored, and carrying several nasty looking appendages, it also seemed quite docile. Its somewhat odd eyes were bright and cheerful, though decidedly disturbing in the dark sections of the tunnel.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in">“Um, so, what is this creature?” Drassnal asked.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in">Traela thought for a second, a look of concentration on her face. After a moment, she finally said, “I think its a Ghlak, a species once used for mounts.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in">“You remember that?” Zxxss asked

<p style="margin-bottom:0in">“Yeah...” Traela said. “I was drawing a blank for a second and then suddenly just remembered.”

<p style="margin-bottom:0in">“Maybe we shall all be so fortunate to regain our own memories,” Drassnal said, holding the back of his hand up for the creature to sniff.

<p style="margin-bottom:0in">

<p style="margin-bottom:0in">The group moved on, the Ghlak walking along beside them. They had decided to bring it along, seeing as it might be useful for a mount once they reached the surface.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">They noted that the amount of 'nest' material on the walls had increased the farther they moved on in the tunnels. There were also a great number of foot prints, very similar to the ones the Ghlak was making, suggesting that more of them lay ahead. Several passages had branched off from the one they traversed, though they were decidedly smaller and many had collapsed.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">Eventually, after an eternity of walking, the group heard the sounds of more Ghlak feet ahead. Walking up a steep rise in the floor, they found a half dozen of them, sitting in a larger chamber. One side of the area had fallen away into a massive chasm, which vanished into darkness. Apparently, based on the wall structure, this section had collapsed during the reshaping of the world.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">The other Ghlaks in the chamber were as equally happy to see the four adventurers as the first had been. Within a matter of moments, all four had been greeted with exuberant licks and tackles.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">“Well,” Traela chuckled as she tried to wipe her wet helmet off with an equally wet arm. “They are certainly glad to see us.”

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">“Domesticated creatures certainly seem attracted to intellectual beings,” Zxxss said.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">Drassnal kept quiet, and merely stood still, his head tilted, ignoring friendly greetings met on him. He seemed to either be in deep thought, or listening intently to something.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">Loquina noticed his expression and asked, “Something wrong?”

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">“I... sense something...” the warrior said.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">The Ghlak seemed wary as well, for they began to become skittish, trying to lead the party away from the main chamber. When the party resisted, the kindly creatures began to panic, using their great strength to even pick up the heroes and then run off.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">“What's gotten into them?” Loquina asked, struggling in a massive claw.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">Traela spoke softly to one of them, trying to calm it down. Her efforts though only seemed to make it run faster, chittering quietly, yet urgently.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">The answer came when a massive Ghlak broke into the room, roaring, snapping and swinging at anything moving. All the other creatures panicked and fled, leaving the area and almost taking down the adventurers as well.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">Drassnal looked up at the creature, his sword in hand and at the ready. The Ghlak snarled down at him, revealing large sets of broken, yet sharp teeth. Drassnal swung in a parrying blow, keeping his head from being caught in a massive bite the creature tried to administer.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">“Let me guess, this thing woke up on the wrong side of the cave, and its cranky now,” Drassnal said, jumping back from another attack.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">The angered Ghlak swung around, making flailing and biting attacks at the group. The four ducked and weaved, trying desperately to keep out of harm's reach.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">“Any suggestions here?” Zxxss asked, letting out a slight shock-wave, which only bounced off the creatures hard shell.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">“Look for a weak spot,” Traela called out.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">Loquina hopped on a nearby fallen rock, safely out of reach of the creature. She carefully studied the angry creature, though through the eyes of a healer and not a warrior like Drassnal or Traela. While they could certainly see a good place for a weapon strike, she saw things in a different light.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">At first the creature seemed simply like a mad Ghlak, until she got a better look at its back. A huge section of armor had been torn away, leaving an ugly wound that looked quite painful. Just as rapidly as she saw it, an old saying came back to her. Something about nothing can be more dangerous then a wounded creature...

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">“Try to hold it still!” Loquina called out to the group. “I'm going to try something.”

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">“Easy to say,” Traela grumbled, grabbing hold of one of the creatures legs. “Not so easy to comply with.”

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">The Ghlak tried to turn, but Drassnal grabbed onto a facial horn, keeping it from biting at Traela. Zxxss jumped forward, grabbed another side, and pulled, his clawed feet scraping on the hard floor.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">Loquina wasted no time in jumping forward, landing on the uninjured part of the creatures back. In the same motion, she dug her small blade partway into a crack in the armored shell. She then held tight, using this as an anchor, for when the Ghlak felt her land, it almost immediately began to buck. Almost falling off twice, she was at last able to put a hand on the large wound, having only an instinct on how to proceed. Energy pulsed and flowed out of her hand, initially covering the damaged area. Energy then seemed to flow back into her, turning from a healing blue, to a painful red. The other three heroes heard Loquina let out a cry of agony.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">The creature bucked again and Loquina, flipped off, landing hard on the ground. The three others who were holding the creature were thrown aside, Zxxss, being sent straight over the cliff ledge. He tried to reach out to save himself, but missed, falling deep into the darkness below. The Ghlak itself ran out of the room, with little noise and no more screams of pain.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">“Zxxss!” Traela cried out, seeing the Skkrrk vanish far below.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">Drassnal jumped to his feet, his eyes narrowing and glowing brightly. He ran past the unconscious Loquina, calling to Traela, “Look after Loquina!”

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">Not even waiting to see if she had complied, he held his hands out over the edge, a darkness spreading out over his clawed fingers and seeming to reach down into the shadows below.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">Traela could not see what he was doing clearly, and instead did as ordered, kneeling down beside the healer. Looking upon her, the warrioress saw a massive wound on Loquina's back, looking both painful and potentially quite dangerous. Being more of a fighter type, Traela had little idea what to do, but looking closely, she saw to her amazement, the wound was healing. It did so slowly at first, then faster as it progressed, until hardly even a scar could be seen. The healer's eyes slowly opened at last, blinking quickly, trying to focus her vision.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">“Did... it work?” Loquina asked slowly.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">“If you mean getting that Ghlak out of her, then yes it did,” Traela said. “What were you doing anyway?”

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">“It was injured, in great pain,” Loquina said. “I thought if I could heal it... maybe it would calm down. I just had not realized that I heal by taking damage from someone... it was quite a shock. Fortunately I apparently have the ability to recover rapidly.”

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">“Well your little plan has just cost us Zxxss,” Traela suddenly snapped. “The Ghlak threw him over the cliff when you did that.”

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">“What?” Loquina exclaimed, sitting up horrified.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">The healer suddenly stopped and peered over Traela's shoulder. The warrioress watched her for a second before turning herself. What she saw shocked her as well.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">Zxxss was there, levitating off the ground, held up by a pair of massive hands, composed completely of shadow. Drassnal stood tall, streams of shadow energy pouring out of his hands, controlling the dark clouds that held up his friend. Zxxss was slowly set to the ground, the shadows fading away back into the chasm.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">Drassnal seemed to shiver, staring at his hands, before looking up in complete terror.

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">“What in these dread caverns am I?” he whispered.

<p align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom:0in">

<p style="text-align: LEFT; margin-bottom:0in">To be continued in Part 3: The Surface