Hunting Haidians

[Jake Narmolanya]

We’d arrived at a sheer cliff face, smooth sun-stained rock that rose vertically for twenty yards or more. We stood on a plateau of sorts in front of the cliff. I looked about, trying to see where exactly “here” was. The area seemed completely unremarkable.

“Well, I did tell you it was hidden,” Marvin guffawed, noticing my confusion. “Just give it a moment…” he looked about. “Nessa? I think we’re clear. Go ahead and do your thing.”

The half elf took a deep breath and straightened her spine. She opened her mouth, and out poured the most beautiful sound I’d ever heard.

It was like no other music I had ever experienced. She barely seemed to sing, it was more like her body vibrated the sound and it echoed out her mouth. She closed her eyes, appearing to settle into a blissful reverie as the song flowed from within her. I could feel the elven song magic touching me, and touching everything around me. Its subtle influence did its work over the course of several minutes, and then a portion of the cliff face shimmered and vanished.

Where once solid rock had stood, a cavern yawned at the six of us. It tunneled deep into the mountain, the path twisting out of sight. It was lit by strange luminous quartz inset at regular intervals in the walls. There was no smell of dust or decay as I stepped up to the opening. Clearly, Arkboss came here regularly.

“Careful there,” Marvin advised as I neared the entrance, “there may be traps. Best to let Nessa and Selima go first.”

“I know a thing or two about demonic lairs,” I retorted, but I stood aside to let the women pass. They moved into the cavern tentatively, running their fingers along the walls and floors as they searched for runes and triggers. The glowing quartz made their shadows split and dance as they progressed deeper into the tunnel.

“Dirk, Flint, guard the entrance.” Marvin said, drawing his mace. “Jake, you’re with me. We’ll watch the womens’ backs.” As the Salvic brothers took up positions outside, the giant ginger and I progressed slowly into the cavern. It twisted downward like a spiral staircase, and the air grew cooler and dryer with every step.

“This might be a good time to tell me the plan,” I said in a hushed tone as my boots grated over the rough stone.

“I suppose you’re right!” Marvin laughed, tossing his mace from hand to hand. He seemed completely unconcerned that the demon might be home. “It’s quite simple really. The best plans are. We’ll invade the innermost sections of his lair, where he’d feel safest, and lay a trap. Hopefully Dirk and Flint will be able to hem him in with their ice magic while you, I, and Selima provide support. That’ll leave Nessa free to shower him with arrows. If he teleports away, we’ll use yours and Nessa’s talents to follow and take him down. What do you think?”

I thought the plan was about as solid as a ghost, but then again, even the best plans didn’t normally last past the first blow in a fight. In any case, it seemed this group of hunters were more habituated to using extreme force rather than cunning strategy.

“We found one,” Nessa’s beautiful voice wafted up from below, some ten steps ahead of us. She crouched in front of a large rune inset in the floor. With the rough patterns existing in the natural rock, it would have been easy for one’s eyes to slide right past the symbol. If not for the half elf’s acute perception, the trap might have ensnared us all.