Chapter 76: Dungeon Dive, part 5

Alcar hit out at one of the cave gremlins as it swooped in, the end of his staff making contact with its folded slug-like face and gnashing teeth. Olynka shot an arrow directly into the gaping maw of another.

“How many are there?” cried Leppie. She was standing near the edge of the tunnel, and had started to use her warhammer to clear the gremlins that were swarming around the entrance, bashing the weapon down upon their gray, stony claws.

Ubund had drawn his shortsword and was slashing out at another pair of the creatures. For a moment, Alcar was about to step forward to lend a hand. But then a further one of the creatures swooped in, knocking him from his feet and pinning him to the cave floor.

Then, Brutus was there, biting at the beast’s wings and pulling it back. It turned towards the dog, its ferocious mouth wide and threatening, but then it stiffened and began to twitch violently; Etienne had appeared behind it, dripping dagger in hand.

Quickly, Alcar got to his feet and struck the wounded gremlin twice more with his staff, and it slumped to the ground, and fell still.

He then spun around. Olynka was now also grappling with one of the creatures, but Leppie was largely finished her work of clearing the mouth of the tunnel. Now, the healer turned and smashed her warhammer down onto the head of the gremlin that was tussling with Olynka, killing it instantly. Ubund then ran through a further one with his sword, and stepped back.

For the moment, all was quiet but for the panting of the group.

“Is everyone all right?” said Leppie.

Alcar could see that the healer had numerous gashes on her arms. “What about you?” he said, pointing. “You’re bleeding.”

Clipping her warhammer to her belt, Leppie looked down, pulling the sleeves of her black robes fully back. “Yeah. I barely noticed. Here – can you apply some of this healing salve?” She passed him the small jar that they had obtained in Riverhome Village.

“Aye,” he said, getting to work.

Olynka sat down at the side of the cave and then slumped back, panting and clutching her side, while Ubund stepped to the end of the tunnel again. “They’ll be back,” he said. “That was a first wave. I can see more far below us.”

“Then we need to be in and out quick,” said Etienne. “Just like my favorite kind of date.”

Alcar snickered, but then looked around as he heard Olynka omit a groan. “You’re wounded?” he asked.

She nodded.

Together, Alcar and Leppie kneeled down at the archer’s side, and Leppie began to carefully examine an area where – Alcar could now see – blood was pooling at the side of Olynka’s leather armor.

“I’m sorry, I focused on my own wounds first,” Leppie murmured. “This is much worse.”

“Don’t be sorry,” replied Olynka, and then clenched her teeth without saying more.

Leppie began murmuring a few words under her breath, and Alcar recognised a magical glow in his fingertips. “Spellcasting?” he said.

Leppie nodded. “Most of what we do in the Elemental Hand Guild involves herbs and bandages and suchlike, but we have our own kind of magic too. It’s very limited, though. Not to be wasted on scratches.” She nodded in his direction. “Or on bruised faces.”

Alcar stood, rubbing his own face where Ubund’s boot had contacted it. The back of his head had bashed down against the floor of the tunnel, too. In truth, he ached all over.

“How does it feel now?” Leppie asked Olynka after a minute or so.

The young archer winced. “Not great at all,” she said. “It’s a bad one, but I think I can move.”

“Yes. You should be good to go, but the wound is not completely healed. Be careful. You can’t afford to take any more hits, especially to that area.”

“Thank you, Lepp.”

As Olynka got to her feet with a groan, Alcar stepped back, rubbing at his own cuts and scrapes. As he did so, he remembered the twist of pau bark that he had received from the herbalist – something that he had been told could ease the pain after a fight.

“Hey, Leppie,” he said, pulling it out. “This is a herb I was given for killing pain. I got it from the damned elves, those fucking traitors, but I believe it’s the real deal. If it could help Olynka, you’re welcome to use it.”

Leppie sniffed at the herb, and then nodded. “Yes. I know this, and it’s good stuff. Olynka, take a pinch of this twice a day until we get out of here. There’s enough for you to take a doze, too, Alcar. I bet you’re still hurting after falling down that shaft into the chamber with the statues.” She handed a pinch of the substance back to him.

Alcar nodded as he took it, swallowing it and then feeling at his bruised face once again. He then looked around at the guide who had landed on top of him. Ubund was now standing beside the winch again, Etienne at his side.

“We could at least lower one of the lanterns,” the halfling was saying. “That way, we could get a better idea of what lies directly below.”

Ubund nodded.

“I have a better idea,” said Alcar, putting one hand on Etienne’s arm, just as the halfling began to tie the lantern.

Etienne looked around at the young sorcerer. “Magic?“

“Magic.”