Hunting Haidians

[Jake Narmolanya]

“Can you tell what it does?” I asked, leaning sideways to peer at the rune.

“I can sense some residual fire magic here,” Nessa said over her shoulder, “but I don’t know for sure what that means. Sel, will you take a look?”

The Fallieni woman crouched beside her compatriot, pushing her long braid behind her shoulders.

“It’s a Haidian sigil of some sort, certainly.” The tanned warrior said. “I recognize elements of it… and you’re right, it definitely has something to do with fire. This marking here means “flame” in ancient demonic.”

“So it’s a fire trap,” Marvin reasoned. “Can we disable it? If not I say we get Dirk and Flint to cover me in ice, and I’ll walk right into the damn thing.”

“I wouldn’t recommend that,” Selima said, twisting around and arching an eyebrow. “We must have nearly reached the main lair by now, and this is the only trap we’ve found. If Arkboss uses only one rune-trap to guard his home, you can be certain it’s especially deadly.”

“I’m not even convinced it is a fire trap,” Nessa added, standing and dusting her palms. “For all we know, triggering it might bring the mountain down around us.”

“But you said it has something to do with fire, right?” I reasoned. “And this Arkboss is a fire wielding demon…”

“What are you thinking?” Selima asked, standing up beside the half elf.

“Something risky,” I said. “Everybody else should go back outside. That way, if this doesn’t work, I’ll be the only one to take an injury.”

“Jake, are you sure-” Selima started to ask.

“Sure he’s sure!” Marvin interrupted. “Come on ladies, let’s give our Haidian hunting specialist some space. I could use a breath of fresh air anyways.” They moved back up the tunnel, Selima giving my shoulder a familiar squeeze as she passed.

“Don’t be a fool,” she instructed me in a near-whisper.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” I grinned back.

I waited until the sounds of their footfalls faded up the tunnel, and then counted out two full minutes. Certain that they would have reached safety, I snapped my fingers and conjured a ball of fire. If Arkboss commanded flames the way they said, what easier way could there be to disable his trap each time he returned? Drawing back my hand, I threw the ball of shimmering heat directly at the rune.

Realizing I had winced and protected my testicles in anticipation of an explosion, I found myself pleasantly surprised. The rune drank the flame. It was as though I’d thrown a ball of water at a pile of dry sand. As the flames vanished there was a puff of smoke, and a long grinding sound from further down the tunnel.

My curiosity got the better of me, and I ventured around the final bend. It seemed my idea had worked. I did not spring any traps, and a heavy stone door stood open at the end of the tunnel. A part of me wanted to dart inside, to be the first to discover what treasures lay within. But I knew there might be more traps, or for that matter, a demon lying in wait. So I turned and ran back up the tunnel.

“Marv!” I called as I circled my way toward the surface. “Selima! I did it!” I stopped shouting as I heard something storming above. The crackle of arcane energies and the shrieks of the freshly wounded. Uttering a curse, I tore my crystal sword from its scabbard and doubled my pace. Arkboss the Hunted had arrived.