Weaktober 2024 (10): Dungeon
hi everyone! sorry i haven't been writing, i was busy with midterms then passed out during my week break. gonna get back into the writing groove today with... RPG AU!
The party looked up in terror at the gargantuan beast, huffing sapphire flames through its nostrils. The Ivory Dragon glared threateningly at the band of adventurers, flashing its fangs in a growl.
"Oh shit..." Teddy muttered, clutching his daggers.
"Everyone, run!" Ben yelled, turning to flee from the dragon. Eugene, Gray and Rowan ducked behind a boulder. Gerard, Alex and Teddy squeezed into cracks in the wall. This left Ben, who was running for his life, with no more hiding spots.
Gritting his teeth, Ben turned back towards the dragon and braced himself behind his shield. He hoped to whatever deity watching that it would shield him from the blast of flame. This wasn't what he had in mind when he took on this quest. "It would be easy, they said. Just go in, grab a necklace, and get out they said,"
It was another bustling day in the Twisted Root guild hall. Parties of mercenaries and adventurers alike were gathered in groups, socializing, resting or gearing up for the next mission. Ben sat at a bench with the rest of his teammates, reading over a mission brief. He was the leader of their party, a brave knight in shining armor! Well, more like second hand armor from his uncle.
Beside him was Alex, a monk trained in barehanded combat and Ben's oldest friend. Leaning back into his chair and whistling a tune was Gerard, bard and fighter. He could strum a tune on his lute just as well as he could kick a guy in the jaw.
Next was Gray, peering at the brief over his shoulder. He graduated top of his class at his sorcerer academy, and was a magic genius. No spell was too complex for him.
Chatting with each other over drinks were Rowan and Teddy, archer and rogue. Rowan's best strength lay not just with his bow but with his gift of the gab, and Teddy was a former foe turned friend.
Finally, walking back from the bathroom, was Eugene; cleric and former classmate of Gray. They went to the same academy, where Eugene decided to become a healer instead of a magister.
"Alright everyone," Ben announced, getting up from his seat and slamming his palms to the table. "Here's what we're gonna do,
"Our mission is to enter the dungeon and descend to the 7th level to retrieve a sacred amulet from the Ivory Dragon's hoard. Right now, it's hibernation season so this job should be easy enough."
"Question," Teddy raised a hand. "What's the reward?"
"Ha ha, thought you might ask. Well, once we return the amulet to this Duke guy, we're gonna get a hundred thousand gold!" Ben laughed.
"Aw sweet!" Rowan grinned, pumping his fist in the air.
"Well then what are we sitting around for? Let's go already." Gerard said, strapping his lute to his back.
And with that, the party descended into the depths of the dungeon, hungry for adventure and a sweet sweet reward.
The journey down to the 7th floor did not pass without difficulty. The first 3 floors were simple enough, but things started heating up once they hit the 4th floor. Literally.
"Yeowch!" Rowan yelped as a stray flame splattered on the back of his hand.
"Careful Rowan," Eugene said. "Here, I'll heal you." He held a palm over the burn and murmured an incantation, green light radiating above it. The burn healed quickly, leaving fresh unbroken skin. Rowan breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thanks man, that was my shooting hand."
"Stay close everyone, don't go falling into the fire pits." Alex said.
The 4th floor, aka the Inferno Floor. It was home to pits of fire and ash, spouts of flame threatening to melt the sturdiest of armor. You couldn't go down here without a competent healer by your side.
*crunch* Ben looked down at his foot, he'd stepped on something. "Huh, an eggshell?"
"Let me take a look," Gray said, heading to the front of the party. "Hm, this looks like a reptile egg. The leathery shell hardened and burnt to a crisp. What's it doing up here"
"You're right, we don't encounter lizard monsters until the 6th floor," Teddy remarked. He didn't look like it, but he was knowledgeable about animals and monsters alike.
"H-hey, look in front," Eugene stammered. "There's something wrong."
Everyone cast their eyes before them and gasped in shock. They were the remains of a large egg, with a burnt mound in the middle. They were down here to kill monsters, but every creature deserved a chance at life. "Poor thing," Eugene said, and prayed over the mound. It glowed, and disappeared into golden sparks.
"Let's keep moving." Ben said. Everyone nodded in agreement and ventured onwards, to the 7th floor.
After a few hours of adventuring, the party finally made it to the midpoint of floor 6, the fungus floor. They settled in a clearing filled with bioluminescent mushrooms glowing an array of colors. Everyone sat in a circle to rest their legs and have lunch to regain their energy.
"My uncle always said, you gotta have a balanced diet and a good rest to be ready for what comes ahead!" Ben declared, chowing down into a loaf of sourdough bread.
"Didn't your uncle also survive by eating monsters?" Gerard remarked.
"Yep! Which I think is super cool. You guys ever tried sauteed mandrake?"
"Um, I think I'll pass." Gerard said.
Suddenly, the group heard a rustling coming from behind them. They readied their weapons and waited in silence. More rustling, and hushed voices.
"Stop pushing me, I'm gonna drop it!" Someone hissed in hushed tones.
"Then go faster or Master will kick our asses!"
"I'm just being careful, after SOMEONE dropped the last egg."
"Hey," Ben said, "We can hear you. Show yourselves." He drew his sword. Alex and Gerard got into fighting stances. Teddy readied his daggers. Rowan pulled back his bowstring. Gray's staff began to glow. Eugene braced himself.
From among the mushrooms emerged a pair of goblins. One held an egg 3/4 his size in his arms, he looked to be struggling. The other was larger in size and wore a dented helmet.
"Whataya want huh? Can't you see we're busy here?" The smaller one snapped, tossing floppy pink bangs out of his face. Gray's eyes widened with recognition upon seeing the egg, but he kept silent for now.
"What's that you got there?" Ben asked, gesturing at the egg.
"Nunya business!" The pink-haired goblin said.
"Yeah! It's our dragon egg and we're not giving it to you!" The bigger one said, which earned him a kick in the shins. "Ow!"
"Oh now you've done it! Just shut up now!"
"Dragon egg eh? Wonder what you're gonna do with that?" Teddy smirked, twirling his knives. "Sell it? Bet that would fetch a pretty penny." He crept up behind them.
"Why you!" The big goblin attempted to tackle Teddy, but the blonde rogue dodged nimbly to the side, stuck out a leg, and tripped him. "Oof!"
"Helmet! Ugh, whatever. I'm leav- WOAH!"
In a few seconds, both goblins were knocked out and disarmed. Teddy held the egg in his hands. "Hey, this look familiar to you guys?"
"Yes, actually. It seems to be the same type of egg we found earlier. If my assumptions are correct, it looks to be the egg of an Ivory Dragon." Gray said.
Everyone's eyes widened in shock.
"No way..." Eugene said. "We gotta keep that egg safe then!"
The party agreed, and put the egg in Eugene's backpack for safe keeping.
Well rested and with new loot, the party entered the lair of the dragon...
...which brought them to this point. The party, upon entering the Ivory Dragon's cave, were met not with a slumbering dragon but with a rampaging one. And the moment it set their sights on the adventurers, it took a few deep sniffs and charged right at them.
"Hrrrgh!" Ben grunted as his shield deflected the dragon's flames. This shield was an heirloom passed down generations of his family. It was used by his uncle as a wok for a time, but now came to him, an unbreakable mithril shield! Finally, the dragon let up on its flames and reared back, coughing. It seemed to have overexerted himself.
"Guys, group up!" The party gathered behind the large boulder while the dragon was recovering after the blast. "Quick, we need a plan," Ben said.
"I have an idea," Gray smiled.
Ben and Alex rushed out from behind the boulder. "Over here you overgrown gecko!" Alex yelled, sticking his tongue out. The dragon roared in fury and began to chase them. Ben and Alex split into different directions and ran circles around the lizard, confusing it. Whirling around rapidly, the dragon soon became dizzy, standing dazed and confused.
"Now!" Ben said, raising his shield. Alex leapt on top of it, and Ben launched him up and above the dragon's head with a mighty heave.
"Yah!" Alex yelled, dived and punched hard right between the dragon's eyes before leaping off and standing beside Ben. Now temporarily blinded, the dragon stomped its feet and thrashed its head around, tail swiping the hoard around it and scattering jewels everywhere.
From the shadows, Teddy darted forth and slashed at the beast's ankle joints, eliciting screeches of pain. Perched on a tall stone growth, Rowan fired enchanted arrows into the back of the dragon's knee which pierced it deeply, bringing the dragon to the ground and staining its white scales red. Its wings twitched in frustration, but thankfully couldn't spread because of the cramped den.
"Roaaaarrrr!" Smoke began to waft from the dragon's nostrils. The dragon opened its jaws wide, charging up a blast of flame. Just then, a fast paced melody sounded from the right as Gerard plucked at the strings of his lute. Everyone felt invigorated, like they could run like the wind.
"Thanks Gerard!" Ben called as he, Alex and Teddy ran like lighting away from the flames and the swipes of front claws. However, they were so focused on the front that none of them saw the dragon's tail heading straight for them from behind!
The tail swept towards the three like a snow-white whip but struck a glowing green magical barrier with a "WHAM"! Eugene held out his scepter, chanting an incantation for a barrier spell. He flashed them a smile.
"...with steel and shadow, metal and magic, come forth and entangle, those ties that bind! Entrap mine enemy, Dominus Catenis!" Gray shouted from before the dragon, dispelling his invisibility ward and completing his incantation. With a wave of his staff, a glowing fuschia magic circle manifested before the dragon. Glowing chains erupted from the circle and wound themselves around the Ivory Dragon, pinning it to the ground and clamping its jaws shut. Finally, the dragon was defeated. It was time to land the killing blow.
Ben approached the dragon, and raised his sword. The dragon whimpered and closed its eyes, a tear rolling down its cheek. Ben's lips quivered, then tightened. His grip tightened around the hilt of his sword and-
Everyone turned to look at Teddy.
"Why? What's wrong?" Gray asked.
"Y-you can't kill her," Teddy said. "She never wanted to kill us in the first place."
"How do you know?" Rowan asked, scratching his head.
"Because, she kept saying stuff about her babies. So, I thought- like- we can't kill her so-"
"YOU CAN TALK TO ANIMALS???" Rowan exclaimed, pointing at Teddy.
"Why didn't you tell us this?" Gray asked.
"Cuz it's embarrassing! Who's gonna take me seriously if I go around talking to animals like some sorta magic princess?"
"Guys calm down! And look over there, at the dragon's nest!" Eugene exclaimed, drawing their attention to the dragon's hoard. Nestled in a pile of gold coins and sparkling trinkets was a nest lined with pelts, cloth, dried leaves and rocks- and it was empty. "It's not hibernation season, it's brooding season! Which means that this dragon is a mother trying to protect her babies," He looked up at the dragon, who peered down at him curiously, as if understanding his intent. Eugene set down his backpack and removed the egg, which was half his size. Gently, he set it down before the dragon and backed away. He looked at Gray, who smiled and released the enchantment.
The chains faded away and the dragon rumbled, nudging the egg towards herself. She cast a meaningful look at Teddy and, holding her egg in one claw, climbed back into her nest and settled down.
"She says thank you, and that we can take one treasure as thanks." Teddy said.
"Well that makes things easier," Ben said with a smile. "Excuse me, Mrs Dragon, do you happen to have an amulet that looks like this?" He showed the poster to the dragon, who nodded and tossed a trinket to him. The amulet! "Thank you ma'am, and sorry for um, attacking you and everything," Ben said sheepishly.
After that, the party returned to the Duke and gave him the amulet much to his delight. Everyone went home with the satisfaction of a job well done and much fuller bank accounts.
"So Teddy," Rowan began, "how'd you learn to talk to animals?"
"C'mon man spit it out. We're buddies right?"
"Hmph fine. I'm from a family of druids. I learnt to talk to animals since I was a kid." Teddy said, a blush creeping up his neck.
"Didn't take you for a softy either," teased Alex.
"Heheh, Princess Teddy!" Eugene giggled.
BONUS: if you can guess who Ben's uncle is... you get a prize! The prize of being cool!
