Chapter 32: Tunnel to the Swamp

Alcar took a further step back towards the passageway, still leaning down to grip Brutus’s collar. While there were still many conversations and trades going on all around the huge and mysterious underground meeting place, several clusters of people were now staring towards the stand-off between the half-orcs and the lizard folk.

“Ta’rox,” cried one of the half-orcs, and pointing towards the taller lizard warrior. “the matter remains unresolved. Warriors from the Fizna Clan moved beyond the underground river. They entered our territory.”

“And I have told you,” responded Ta’rox calmly, “that it was necessary to retrieve a whelp from our clan. It was no act of war. But if you want war, you will get it. We have never feared you.”

Alcar could see plenty of reasons to avoid the rest of the argument that was brewing between the lizardfolk and their foes. Several more half-orcs now closed in; Alcar noticed that one of them held several goblins on chains, all of which appeared to be little more than ravenous beasts. The number of lizardfolk in the great cavern was fewer, and some, but not all, were now moving towards the pair that he had spoken to. What was worse, a familiar-looking orc with blood around his nose and left eye had now emerged from a passage on the opposite side...

Alcar began to edge more rapidly back towards the tunnel. If it really led to the swamp, that was great! He could get right out of Katresburg without any Imperials having a chance to see him. Surely, if he could make it safely from there to the road, he could catch up with Olynka and the others, or ask some passers-by if they had seen his friends.

But as Alcar edged further away, the shorter lizard warrior, who he reckoned was female, caught his eye. “Go, check on the human,” she said urgently, pointing towards Alcar but speaking to the taller lizard warrior – the one who had been referred to as Ta’rox. “He could be a spy, but either way, he won’t make it far by himself.”

Ta’rox looked around, but then shook his head, standing resolutely with dagger in hand and facing down the half-orcs. “Let the human go. If he survives, we will see him along the way. If not, he’ll be food for the carrion beasts.”

Alcar didn’t need any further permission. Patting Brutus hard on the rump, he sent the dog on ahead of him, and hurried away from the altercation and into the side tunnel, wondering if either of the lizard warriors would make it out alive. He tended to doubt it.

If nothing else, he had learned a few things – or could at least piece them together:

1) This was an underground meeting place frequented by many of the species of creatures who lived in the streets of all kinds, and which appeared to be used for settling disputes and trading in illegal cargo.

2) One of the lizardfolk was named Ta’rox, and he was a member of the Fizna Clan.

3) The half-orcs and lizardfolk had territory that they each controlled, with a boundary at a river (presumably an ungerground river?) and were in dispute since some lizardfolk had crossed this. That could mean that there would be a barrier or checkpoint ahead.

4) There were other things in the tunnel that could kill him – including carrion beasts, whatever they were...

5) ...but if he made it through, he would reach the Great Swamp, if he couldn’t find a way out sooner.

It was difficult to say whether of this intelligence would be enough to keep him alive, but it was better than nothing. At the very least, if he was captured, he could claim fealty to one group, or profess friendship (or enmity) to Ta’rox, as the need arose.

As he walked further along the tunnel, thoughts of fealty caused Alcar’s mind to turn to the issue of Princess Thacla von Dathmir, and the conversation he had heard from the dwarf and orc by the fireplace. He was fairly sure they had been talking about harming, capturing or killing the princess – the same noble that Maluhk and the others were keen to place on the throne in the stead of Duke Frage.

If there was a conspiracy of that kind, would their goal of obtaining the Viperstar Codex be fruitless?

If only he could speak to Maluhk, or even to Lox’aar or Warlik. But for now, the priority had to be getting himself and Brutus back to the surface alive.

***

At least the tunnel didn’t seem to be too dangerous at first. It continued in a straight line, with walls of a similar style to those back in the huge cavern with the pillars – smooth, straight sided and tall. There were again torches in occasional sconces, and Alcar took a moment to pull one of those free to carry with him. How long, after all, before he might come to an area that was less well lit, and unsuitable for a person without dark vision?

Brutus was now walking very obediently just at his heel, apparently content to stay close to his master. Every now and then the dog would paused to have a sniff at the wall, but he then quickly caught up without Alcar needing to break stride. The fact that the dog appeared relaxed helped Alcar to calm himself a little. He reminded himself that he was a bold and brave adventurer – a leader of his adventuring party, and a hero! Look how much he had just navigated past, from Imperials, to rain, to orcish conspirators. Surely a tribe of lizardfolk wouldn’t be that much of a challenge. He could also draw on his friendship with Warlik if necessary...

Unless, of course, the clans of lizardfolk were on hostile terms with each other. What clan were Warlik and Lox’aar from? The truth was, he didn’t know. They were of more of a greenish hue than the blue pair that he had passed, but perhaps that didn’t mean much. Lizardfolk seemed to come in all colors.

Perhaps the most important thing, in any case, would be to find a suitable way out of this tunnel, and at just the right moment. The city was above him, he was certain about that. He hadn’t gone far enough yet to have passed the city walls. But on the other hand, he didn’t really want to go as far as the Great Swamp – or even close. Ideally he would leave the tunnel midway between those two points, and head for the main Imperial road toward Dathmir. The Trollbone Hills were further north than that, but if he followed along the road in a hurry, he should catch up with his friends before they struck out for the north.

If they had made it out of the city at all, that’s to say.

As he walked on, musing to himself, Alcar almost didn’t notice a radical change in the landscape ahead. The clear, dry stone underfoot swiftly gave way to a muddy area, and the walls changed from regular and straight to rough, more like the walls of a natural cave. Whatever had created the previous area, he had passed beyond some kind of boundary and into something that was more of a wilderness.

He raised the torch and paused, Brutus still at his heels. The way ahead continued in much the same direction for a long distance ahead, but the route widened considerably. It was also narrower at the top, giving the passage the sense of being a rift in the natural stone. The mud gave way to water a little further on, and though there were plenty of stepping stones as well as rocky ridges at either side, Alcar knew that it might not be long until he needed to wade through.

Brutus was now sniffing at a rash of little brown fungi that were glowing slightly at the edge of the mud. Alcar crouched down, touching gently at one of these to check that it wouldn’t sting. Could this be one of the ingredients that he had been told he might need to gather? It certainly looked unusual – even on his trip to the swamp with Olynka and Sprigg, he had never seen anything like it. The glow felt magical.

On a whim, he decided to gather some, pulling out one of the jars that Maluhk had paid for during their trip to Xian’s store, and filling it to the brim. It held around ten entire mushrooms in all.

Then, he walked on, keeping to the stone ridge, with Brutus splashing through the water at his side.

“It shouldn’t be long, boy,” he said encouragingly. “We either get to the swamp and get out, or make it out some other way. Another ten minutes max, Brutus – I’m sure of it.”