Mandol manhandled Ezekiel into the back of the carriage and did not save the beatings as he did so. That was understandable, since Ezekiel had just sullied the honor of the Sworn Blades with his betrayal. Not to mention us.

I let him vent, better to have him relaxed and focused, besides Mandol would not kill him. Not with what awaited Ezekiel at the end of the road being a far better punishment for that bastard. With Ezekiel pacified and secured in the back of the wagon, Mandol hopped on in front and took the reins. About half an hour later, we were out the gate.

Despite the sun in the sky, there was a rather cold wind in the air out here on the plains. There was nothing to shelter you from it either, with only small wavey hills that were scattered about the landscape. They barely broke up the monotony of the flat plain.

The trip continued on through the plains. When I heard the approach of horses, two guild guards rode up beside us, probably cronies of that Guildmaster. What did they want? “Milady, Guildmaster Saol bid us escort you to the dungeon and back as a way of apology.” So, trying to worm your way back into my favor are we, fat chance, little pig. The Yndali remembers slights as well as debts. You made an enemy this day.

I looked at the speaker. “Go back to the guild and tell your master I have no interest in his protection. Not after sampling his hospitality.” The two guards looked at one another with nervous expressions, hoo, some guts in these two. “I SAID BEGONE!” Raising my voice was probably not the best idea in case I spooked the horses. But I am certain Mandol could have handled it.

The two guards looked at one another once more. The leader motioned back to the city. The other nodded, and they rode off once again, back the way they came. Well, the less Saol could learn the better.

With the two gone we continued on our way, with little more in the way of interesting events, until we reached the domain of the Dungeon. With the stonewalls barring the way there was no way for us to continue with the carriage. Not that I had expected to be able to use it the entire way. Just inside the exit of the labyrinth, a figure was waiting for us.

It looked strange, like a completely androgynous human. The main difference was that its skin and hair were completely white, white as snow. It was dressed in black leather armor with the guild insignia on it, probably stolen, and it seemed to be expecting us.

I was no expert on Monsters, but that had to be a Doppelgänger. As we disembarked and approached, it looked at the three of us and spoke up “I have been expecting you”. Its voice was surprisingly feminine and melodious and sounded vaguely familiar, though I could not recall where I had heard it.

It turned around and then looked back. “Follow me, I shall guide you through the maze and dungeon proper.” I started after it, not liking the idea of being lost within this place. Mandol forced Ezekiel to follow suit, despite his pathetic attempts at resistance.

As I stepped into the dark gloom of the dungeon, I noticed that it had changed. The stone walls had turned a dark gray, almost black coloration, whereas before they had been like sandstone.

Our guide picked up a strange growth that had been sitting along the wall and handed it to me. “A torch, you just need to light it.” Oh, how thoughtful of it. Magic was not my forte by a long shot, but all nobles had a minimum of practice at it as part of our education. Just in case you had the knack for it.

I focused on my inner mana and imagined a small flame in my hand. A few moments later the strange torch was burning happily in my hand with a strange blue-white flame, casting strange shadows over the walls and distorting our looks.

The torch might make the things it struck with its blue light look weird, but it beat the alternative of fumbling in the dark all the way to our destination. It took a better part of an hour to go through the first maze, even with a guide. I could only imagine what it would be like to attempt to find your way around here without one. While under constant assault and having to be on the lookout for traps.

The three of us had nothing to worry about. Small creatures that kept to the shadows darted into the maze ahead of us and swiftly disarmed the traps for us with practiced ease. No doubt the Core used them for trap maintenance, among other things.

They never drew near though, preferring to keep their distance from us at all times. Shy little things. But considering our apparent size difference from the small glimpses of them that I got, I can’t say I blamed them.

The second floor was warmer than the first, though it was still black as pitch outside the blue sphere that was my torch. The Doppelgänger leading us did so from the edge of the light, peering into the blackness without concern. No doubt nearly every, if not every single creature in this place had some way to see their surroundings despite the darkness.

As we came to a door with a thin wall of mist within, the Doppelgänger bid us to stop. “Wait here while I have a talk with the guardians within. They are incredibly dangerous and one mistake could have the three of you die inside because of an errant look, so I need to ensure your safety.”

A few minutes later the mist dissipated as I could hear a massive growl from above. It sounded like something massive was leaving the room and disappearing off into the distance. At the same time, our guide returned. “We can continue.” was all it would offer us.

The room inside was an underground tower with a spiral ramp leading down. I could only imagine what we would have had to fight in here, a dragon maybe, I continued my musing. Our guide suddenly spoke up “Abyssal Eye” huh? “The room is the lair of an Abyssal Eye” I had no idea what that was, but it did not sound pleasant.

Our guide offered no further comment, but instead just continued on its way. As we carried on the ever present noise of running water, that had been here since we entered, started to grow stronger. And the torch now revealed a drop into the dark abyss at our right side. We could clearly hear the sound of waves crashing against the rocks below. In the distance there were strange glowing flowers floating on the dark waters, with beautiful iridescent creatures flying among them.

I flinched as our guide put a hand on my shoulder and snapped me out of the daze I had been in. Our guide looked me in the eyes as it spoke. “Mind your step, if you fall in there your deaths will not be a pleasant one. There are Things down there that are not beholden to the dungeon. Large hungry Things.” It pointed down. And I realized that I had almost walked off the ledge and into the dark abyss below in an effort to get closer to those strange creatures. What a horrible trap!

The three of us kept as far away from the edge as we could after that. The sound of water now interspersed with the sound of large wings and movement in the surrounding darkness. Ezekiel whimpered, right he had always had a fear of insects, hadn’t he?

The next destination loomed ahead as another shimmering, glowing wall of mist came into view a short distance ahead. The guide once again saw fit to warn us. “Mind your manners inside, the Queen is easily offended and rules with absolute authority in her Hive.” Ezekiel took this opportunity to decide to faint. Our guide shook its head and with terrifying ease just hoisted the unconscious piece of shit onto its back and entered the misty door. With no other choice, lest we be hopelessly lost, we followed.

The noise inside was intense. Our torch lit up dozens upon dozens of absolutely massive insects. They all parted ways to let us through until we stood face to face with the Queen. The Doppelgänger bowed lightly to her and then walked past on her right side. Not knowing what else to do, I instructed Mandol to do as the Doppelgänger had and followed suit myself. I got the distinct feeling that the Queen was pleased as we were let past without incident.

As we approached the exit, however, something grabbed me from behind and hoisted me off the ground. Then started down the corridor I had attempted to walk, but after a moment of struggle I was quite happy about the ride too. I did not fancy having to balance across that gap in the dark.

We were put down in the next chamber as the winged insect flew off again. To my amazement, it had just wrinkled my clothes. They could be surprisingly gentle with their talons. The next room was tiled and a small hallway to the left led to a room full of books. The room itself was also lit by small lamps that shone a pleasant yellow glow.

A small creature was sitting in the room with a sad and forlorn expression. Clearly unhappy about something, our guide gave it an encouraging pat on the back as we passed, trying to cheer the little thing up. Mandol and I decided to leave it alone, not sure how it would react to us. We then descended to the third floor.

This place was decidedly cooler than the floor above, and the tunnels were different too. Circular and uneven, almost natural looking. The guide showed us the way through another, though blessedly much shorter, maze. Though I had the distinct feeling that without a guide you could wind up trapped in those tunnels for weeks, if not months.

As we exited, I dropped the torch at the surprise of what I saw and even Mandol, usually the very image of Stoic Muscle Man, could not hide his surprise. A massive well lit cavern and halfway across, a fortress with a wall, it was still in the finishing stages. But already there were visible patrols on top of the walls, and a massive gate blocked the way onwards.

We hurried to catch up to the Doppelgänger, who had already started to move ahead. As we approached the stronghold, a signal was given, and the doors opened, we stepped inside. I thought for a moment that it was dwarves that I saw running around the place, busy with whatever was on their minds right then. Mandol however tensed up, and I quickly realized why, Duergar, dangerous cousins of the dwarves who worshiped Penumbra and could rarely be found in Dungeons. Suddenly, the organized chaos around us all seized as the Duergar all lined up in perfectly formed lines as a bigger, well armed and well armored Duergar approached. An exquisitely well-crafted helmet on his bald head, it undoubtedly also served as a crown.

He spoke to us then, and not in any strange long forgotten language either, but in perfect Common Trade. “So, there ye are at last, took yer sweet time, Snowy.” The Doppelgänger scoffed and dropped Ezekiel to the ground while giving him a kick in the process. “It’s not my fault humans can’t see without the aid of lamps or torches, your Stuntiness. Are the preparations in order?” It responded. They were… cracking jokes at one another’s expense?

The king looked at the hogtied Ezekiel and at us before responding. “Aye, all ready ere, scrying pool set up and ready, no listenin spells though, dat wail can get ya even through those.” Our guide nodded and kicked Ezekiel once more while looking at him with disgust. “Someone grab some water for this worthless pile of shit. He will not get to go quietly into the night” the Doppelgängers voice dripped with disdain.

The king snapped his fingers and a bucket of dirty water was quickly retrieved and unceremoniously dumped on Ezekiel, who quickly regained consciousness. Seeing everyone around him, he started thrashing. But the Duergar were far stronger than their size suggested, and several of them quickly undid his bonds and restrained him through sheer strength. The king then addressed us. “Fer your own safety we will be takin it from ere, ye can follow Snowy to the scrying pool we ave set up to let ye see da execution.” The King walked off, while the Duergar dragged Ezekiel along after him. Their expressions were… a mix of malicious and gleeful.

——————————————————

The strange dwarves dragged me away, I tried to resist, but there were too many of them and some of them were armed. Their expressions showed it all. They knew what that Core had in store for me, and they approved.

I struggled the entire way, for what little good it did me as they talked among themselves in a language I could not understand. Soon I saw it, the massive yawning portal of death ahead of me, with its thin misty membrane covering it. My captors unceremoniously tossed me inside “Walk, and if ye reach the room on the other side yer life might actually be spared.” The leader of the stunted monsters said.

A lie, I knew it to be a lie, but I could not stay. Several of them were arming large, nasty looking crossbows. If I didn’t want to die or receive some really nasty wounds, I only had one option. I started down the corridor in between the eerie green lights of the massive hallway.

It took me ten minutes to realize the constant and eerie atmosphere and sound of my own footsteps had absorbed me so much I had gotten completely and utterly lost. Every wall was the same and there was not a single living creature to see. The silence was only broken by the sound of my own footsteps, echoing eerily off the massive walls.

And somewhere out there, no! I had to keep going, find a way out, find a way back out. There had to be, right? Wait, what was that? A strange noise… a growl? I listened intently. It sounded like a growl, but it was distant, an echo carried by the massive halls of the hallway.

I turned around and decided to head away from the noise. Better to not get anywhere near whatever that was. I already had the monster I had been shown to worry about, I did not need to also run into whatever beast that was.

Another turn, another hall. The growl had not lessened in its intensity, but rather grown a bit louder. It was stalking me, hunting me like I used to hunt rabbits. I sped up another turn, and the growl intensified in strength. Rubolg protect me, please! My quick prayer was not heard as I rounded another corner and stood face to cloven hoof with my executioner at last.

------

The Scrying pool was an intricate thing, and the craftsmanship marvelous. Not even the master crafted mansion that Milady lived in came close to the skill and quality of this stonework. It was as if the stone was one single continuous piece, rather than multiple blocks.

It took the Duergar priests mere moments to find the traitor Ezekiel; he was heading down a hallway that even through the surface of the pool was enough to give me goosebumps; he was clearly out of sorts, something that did not surprise me at all, I would be too, going into that.

The first 15 minutes or so passed uneventfully, though Ezekiel had now gotten himself pretty damn lost within the large corridors. Then he stopped, looking around, he had clearly heard something, then he turned around and started to backtrack, his steps more urgent.

After another few wrong turns, however, and he stood face to face with it. Hazalaar, The Heartseeker, our guide had called it. And it was far more terrifying in life than the image of it that had been planted in our minds by the Core. So, too, thought Ezekiel. As he turned around once more and ran, the monster started its chase. For the next hour or so Hazalaar toyed with Ezekiel, made him think he had gotten away only to show up in front of him or it waited around corners. It was deliberately not killing him. Both Milady and I realized, but instead took a sick, twisted delight in Ezekiel’s suffering and fear, there was also something else, something was clearly wrong with Ezekiel.

His hair, which had been midnight black, was now gray and quickly approaching the same white as that of our guide. Hazalaar was literally turning his hair white and visibly aging him. There could only be one explanation, Terror. Hazalaar was not inflicting Fear or Panic on Ezekiel, but Terror. It was then I realized Ezekiel’s punishment would be longer than I expected, far, far longer. This was a punishment for Ezekiel, yes, but also a warning to me and Milady, that this was the fate awaiting those who betrayed the Core.

Ezekiel had now been herded back to the entrance corridor, he could see the entrance. I could see the hope in his eyes, false hope planted there by Hazalaar, who would crush it and Ezekiel’s life in one fell swoop. The guards had left long ago. If Ezekiel somehow escaped, the lookouts would instantly see him, and the Duergar wanted nothing to do with Hazalaar for obvious reasons. Ezekiel was almost there, Hazalaar close behind, driving him forwards, enjoying every moment of this torturous hunt. Ezekiel seemed elated as he reached the boss barrier, and then that elation turned to utter despair as it refused to let him through. You did not just leave the Boss room while the Boss was there to fight you, you should have paid more attention during training Ezekiel. Ezekiel turned around, the last hint of color left his hair, Hazalaar lifted his scythe and did something, a shock wave seemed to emanate from him. Ezekiel grabbed his chest, looked up at Hazalaar, then fell over, dead.

Milady was about to step away from the pool, but I put a hand on her shoulder and silently motioned for her to keep looking. Because Ezekiel’s punishment had not yet ended and would never end. Not anymore, he would relive his last moments for all eternity as the most horrifying part of Terror became apparent. Ezekiel’s dead body twisted and shook, the skin turning purple and the white hair now standing straight up. As he slowly clawed himself back on his feet, we could see Ezekiel’s purple and bloated face. It was now stuck in a mask of abject terror, his eyes pools of milky white.

Then he took a slow, staggering step back into the labyrinth. To start his new and eternal vigil, he had become a Terrorgeist. I felt a small twinge of pity for him. Now bound to protect this labyrinth in undeath for all eternity. Truly a fate worse than death. Though one he brought upon himself.

Milady was clearly shaken as we were guided back out of the labyrinth, but at the same time there was an obvious air of satisfaction around her. The traitor had gotten a punishment befitting his crime, and we still had the deal with the Core, if it ever got itself out of the clutches of the Guild. And most importantly, we were alive and free.

I hopped back into the carriage after helping Milady onto the passenger seat, then cracked the reins and set off back towards Caelyn. With luck, we would make it back before sunset.