The path of greed
From Atlantic Roleplay Wiki
The path of greed by S. M.
Darkness encompassed the small cave, covering the smooth gray walls with its chill touch. From somewhere in the distance, a light beamed, growing steadily larger as those bearing it made their way deeper into the recess of the cave.
Men clad in chain, with swords and maces hanging from their belts passed along the stalagmites bearing torches of their own for illumination. They traveled behind one who was set apart, in the lead as it where from the rest of them.
To their backs walked a women dressed in robes of white, occasionally shouting orders to the fore.
"What's taking so long? We should have found the chamber by now!" She called ahead with a tone of impatience. Grumbles ensued from the several men before her while the one at the point turned to respond.
"Just a wee spot t' go m'lady, donna ye worry. Me n' the boys be worth our fold, you'll be seeing." He yelled back, a grin evident on his face. More muttering commenced as yet the column pressed on into the darkness. From the women in the the back though, nothing could be heard as thoughts raced through her mind.
It was she who had conscripted these mercenaries to aid her in the task that lay spread before them. Unbeknownst to them, great peril where awaiting their arrival and she knew armed men would abide better then magic's there. It was barely a fewdays past now that she had read of the tome of magic's for which she sought.
In that same place she had foud of its defenders, golums of unusual sort that could resist magic itself. A dungeon built by a mage with a treasure no mage could resist, or attain, so her mentors had warned her. She would prove them wrong on that one, though, or so she thought to herself. Mind still pacing with those ideas, she barely noticed as shouts began to arise from the head of the troop. Those at the front stopped suddenly, causing for several persons knocking into each other and a few drawing weapons.
"What's going on?" The women shouts, anger audible in her voice for the delay.
"M'lady! The boss, he did trips some sort o' trap n' fell int' this er' pit!" We canna get across."
A warrior replied in kind as those at the head of the line peered into the newly formed pit to find their dear commander impaled on rows of spikes. The women cursed within her mind, realizing now that she was a fool not to foresee something as simple as a pit trap. Pushing her way to the front of the line, she casts a spell, which thus causes a wall of stone to fabricate over the pit.
"Quickly, over it!" She shouts, running across the chasm, followed by the accompanied dozen or so mercenaries left. Soon enough all of them stop as a door looms before them, hewn of oak and of an indefinite thickness. Setting a few of the men to the great metal handles, the door creaks to life and swings open to reveal to the assembled party a relatively unfurnashed room.
Unfurnished, save for the dozens of glass panes that sit covered in dust about the walls. Another door, adjacent to this one resided at the opposite side of the room. The magus, seeing this for what it is, a trap, knows there is no way around it. With a word, they enter into the room.
As men move towards the other doors, others look about themselves with apparent unease. Kithyra, setting herself to instruct those trying to open the door now before them feels the magic's coming to life about her. With a shout, she sees the panels of glass move in conjunction with the door they had just passed through. A bolt snaps into place as a few men raise weapons in defense, others trying to open the door that now has their escape cut off. From the other side of the room, the groaning of men is heard as the other door appears locked in its place as well.
"Glass golems! Kill them, kill them quickly!" She shouts as glass snaps and folds about itself to create three of the large beasts. No sooner are they assembled then they are set to by the mercenaries, though. Battle is quick, for hammers easily shatter these creatures. Yet in shattering them, casualties fall as shards of glass cut and rend flesh. Fists of hardened glass deal their damage as well, leaving but 7 of the men standing. "Hurry up, we have to push on" Kithyra yells, and is responded to with yet more grumbles. The door now opens easily before their combined strength, allowing view of another room more vast then could be imagined in such a simple cavern as this.
Torches lay about the walls, illuminating and reflecting off of thousands upon thousands of gold coins. Through them lies a path that leads to yet another set of doors, but none save the mage seems interested in these. The men eye the gold for moments before setting into the coins, filling their bags against the words of Kathyra. Words of caution thusly go unheard as mounds begin to shake about them in the room, gold coins sliding down their slopes. Knowing what is about to happen, Kathrya darts across the room to the door, pulling and tugging with all her weight until at last the door creaks open ever so slightly. Glancing back, she sees the slow slaughter of the remaining forces by a horde of golems made entirely of gold. Another obvious trap, she thinks to herself as she slips into the last room and slides the door shut.
Turning about, her eyes widen significantly to see her goal sitting on a pedestal within the center of this new chamber. A book, large and bearing many a magic rune on its cover sits closed, light shining through the darkness from some unseen location overhead to throw a look of grandeur upon it. Greed taking her, she quickly approaches the book and throws it open to gain her prize.
To her astonishment and terror, she is greeted by the sight of a giant mouth. The tounge of this monstrosity slips itself from the creature, and before Kathyra can react, has itself wrapped about her torso. With a jerk, it pulls her over it and slides her within the broad mouth.
Appearing in the darkness, a figure garbed in black cackles as he closes the book.
"Fools... the only trap I ever needed was already given to me through their greed."