In the Nick of Time: Prologue part 1
A/N: Hey y'all. I'm alive. Just been busy with going back to college, but I'm finally starting my cozy fantasy for myself and my friends. Here's the AO3 link in case that works better for y'all. AO3 Link.
Tuvre hefted Mayhem over his shoulder, taking in a deep breath as he swung the great axe into the side of the nearest purple worm. There were eight of them to start out with but now they seemed endless.
Tuvre grit his teeth, a low growl leaving him as he entered a rage to hopefully cut through the mass of worms. Who or whatever sent these things would not only pay for putting his friends in danger, but for keeping him away from his family.
He roared, slicing through the stomach of the next worm, gems of various shapes, sizes, and color pouring out of the wormâs intestine. Tuvre grimaced, watching the worm screech and curl in on itself as it died.
âTuvre,â Nina began, her touch light on his arm. âI think we are going to need a bigger boat. So to speak. Melee attacks are just making more and more of these things.â
At Ninaâs touch, Tuvre slipped out of his rage, the dragon-born giving a quick glance around. âRight, uh,â he put Mayhem back into its hold, gathering a handful of gems. He shook stomach acid off, frowning at the slight sizzle the acid made once it plopped back onto the ground.
âWell, if you ever need gems for spells, this might be enough.â He said, dropping them into the bag of holding Nina brought along.
âAlright. Well, we can hit them with a good ol Islaisian Summer. Tuvre, you think you can make sure Blythe and Seza are safe before I cast it? I'm going to see if I can be distraction. They focus on me, you get the others, we start with Meteor Swarm and then we finish them up with your breath weapons and some of the spell scrolls we got. Otherwise, we might end up being here all day and you have hubbies waiting on you.â
As Nina cast meteor swarm, Tuvre grinned.
âSure, sure. You have people waiting on you too,â he replied. âWe canâ,â Tuvre paused, feeling the air shift and buzz with magic. Pressure.
He glanced over to where Seza and Blythe were, tossing up three of his magic circle spell scrolls, the third centered on Nina.
Sure, going into the Underdark wasnât the best idea, but it was easier to deal with the worms now rather than much later. Something felt. . .off, however.
Tuvre looked around, his gaze sweeping over a shadowed corner before darting back to it. Emerald twin flames stared back at him, a hiss rasping out into the air.
Tuvre moved, one hand on Mayhemâs hilt, the other stopping Blythe and Seza once they got close enough. âThereâs someone in the corner.â He grit out, his scales beginning to rise to make himself appear bigger.
Tuvre swallowed, letting out the breath he was holding as the twin flames snuffed themselves out and some of the pressure left. Until something hissed directly in his ear, a bony hand wrapping around his throat. On instinct, Tuvre used his breath weapon, ice doing nothing to stop the rattling words. âYouâll die here.â
Tuvre bit back a scream, staring into green flames as he brought Mayhem up into a wide arc and down against the lichâs shoulder, the sickening crack of metal against bone ringing in the air. ââre. Tuvre.â
His muffled name reached him, suddenly clear as he snapped back into his body. His hand was still on Mayhemâs hilt, the great axe in its sheath, and Tuvreâs hand making the leather creak.
The eyes were gone. There was no lich with a hand around his throat, telling him he was about to die here. Tuvre let go of Mayhem, running a hand over his face as he met Nina, Blythe, and Sezaâs concerned gazes.
âI just, Iâm fine.â Tuvre said, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. âLetâs keep going,â
Tuvre hadnât been outside his body in a long time, not since he lostâhe shook his head to rid himself of that train of thought. No. He would not go down that road again. His breath stuttered out after he cleared his throat. âYeah. Letâs keep going,â he repeated, swallowing and walking deeper into the Underdark.
If he had gone down here alone, if he wasnât with his friends or cleared this adventure with Heva first, then sure, he would have died.
But he wasnât alone. He had friends, he had five girls waiting for him at home, and Tuvre was going home after this. He wasnât a reckless, self-centered teenager anymore, and if he left this world now, heâd be leaving behind people he cared for.
The dripping of water reached the party as they went deeper, bioluminescent mushrooms above and a smattering of gem-ladened crevices twinkling below their feet.
âSo, what was that about?â Seza asked, walking backwards in front of Tuvre as the dragon-born looped a pink scrunchie around his wrist.
âWhat?â Tuvre asked instead, his breathing picking up a little.
âYou know, you. Staring in the corner. Acting like someone was there.â Seza replied, her orange eyes glinting in the sudden light.
Tuvre laughed, the sound a bit high and obviously nervous. âOh, that. That was nothing.â He said, his next words dying on his tongue as the path suddenly ended.
A perfect circle in the ground met the party. Darkness staring back at them as a few pebbles went down the hole, taking a while to make a sound against stone. Tuvre hesitated, searching for green twin flames that never showed up.
If he stared hard enough then he could see a flicker of shadow moving out of the middle of the circle. Would the lich be down there if they went? Would whatever vision, prophecy, or fate come true if they went down there?
The party went down the hole, Tuvre holding his breath every now and then as the darkness closed in on them. It was just his mind playing tricks on him, there was no lich down here.
Flames flickered to life in sconces on the wall, lighting the partyâs way as they walked and making Sezaâs blue flaming hair no longer a beacon. Tuvre led the party with Blythe at the back, the dragon-born keeping his gaze straight ahead in case some other monster decided to make itself known.
Another flame flickered to life, then another, the flames becoming a sickly yellow-green as Tuvre breathed in through his nose and let the breath out through his mouth. He could see his breath.
He hadnât done anything to make the temperature drop and the earth should have been warm. Tuvre stopped, feeling Seza bump into him and make a noise of complaint as she peeked around Tuvre.
A tomb sprawled before the party, Tuvreâs scales rising in alarm as his breath puffed out in front of him. An offering statue of Helio towered over them, coming out of the wall to the left.
The lid to the sarcophagus was open.












