Cleatus sprang forward and shouldered the door open with a smash that broke it off it’s rusted hinges. He tossed out two bolts of rainbow firelight that slammed into the two henchmen and knocked them forward. The firelight spread over them like burning oil. Haagut slid through Cleatus’ legs bringing out his skull and clanging it with the deafening sound of a bell that forced the warlord back.

Odelia leapt through the door, covering Haagut’s retreat with four shots of white light. Two hit the warlord and the last two were split between the henchmen. Shaynen ran through last. Stepping out in front of the rest and throwing out his dragon daggers. They cut through the warlord and kept moving, bouncing off the floor and ricocheting back into their sheaths.

Odelia felt herself engulfed in a warm glow. Manifesting into a glowing golden crown hovering over her head. She had a sudden realization that she couldn’t die. Bumps rose over her skin and her hair stood up on end. Cleatus ran around the room, nocking an arrow and firing into the warlord. The arrow burst into sharp shards of ice that barraged the two smaller followers, only one able to raise a shield in time to avoid being impaled.

Haagut rose the skull again and clanged it. The Warlord taking another step back. Odelia drew her glowing sword and charged at him. Barely aware that she was screaming in a haze of raw magic and adrenaline. She raised her sword above her head and slammed it down over the warlord. Catching him in the arm he raised against Haagut’s bell tolling. One of the followers drew a pure black blade from the air. He pointed it at Odelia and a black mist enveloped around her heels. He raised his blade to strike Odelia. He swung his blade but Odelia turned and caught the blade in her hand. Looking dead into the follower’s pale nearly sightless eyes.

The warlord pulled the black mist up and fashioned a warhammer from it. He took half a step to the side but stopped as the glittering dust covering him became brighter. He snarled and swung his hammer at Odelia’s knee. Haagut raised his shield and slung one of the scales to stop the warlord from knocking Odelia’s legs out from under her. While Haagut stopped the warlord he couldn’t stop the other follower from sinking another obsidian psi-blade in between the plates of Odelia’s wooden armor.

The Warlord sent a bolt of dark lightning up the first follower. The follower shrieked and leapt forward. Slicing through Odelia’s armor just as the other did. Odelia made no sound as she was thrown to the ground.

“Odelia!” Shaynen turned and threw both of his daggers and ran forward. The first dagger bounced harmlessly off the warlord but the second sliced right through his neck. Shaynen caught the first dagger and turned to punch the nearest follower. The second dagger came flying back and knocked his wrist aside and rendered his attack useless. The follower Shaynen attacked cloaked himself in shadow, the black mist twisted and turned getting bigger until the dwarf-like man towered up toward the top of the cave, nearly twice Shaynen’s height. The shadow centered around the followers hand and out of it he drew an obsidian club.

The dwarf swung the club and hit Shaynen; throwing him back. Cleatus ducked around the giant sized dwarf, firing an arrow into the back of the giant’s knee. Out of the arrow a tendril of thorns lashed out and grabbed the other follower and dragged him away from Odelia and Shaynen. Cleatus ducked and rolled into sight and held out a hand.

“Rise,” He said. Odelia drew in a sudden breath and her eyes opened. The smaller follower tore free of the thorned rope and turned. Coming face to face with Haagut. The goblin drew up his skull, it’s empty eye sockets gave off a faint glow.

“Kneel,” He commanded. Without a second of hesitation the dwarf dropped to his knees. Speaking rapidly in dwarven to Haagut’s heels. From the ground Odelia spat a curse and held up her hands. Fire bursting from her palms and punching the giant in the gut. She pressed the fire into him harder until it burned through his veins and he burst in half.

Odelia rolled onto her knees then to her feet flexing her muscles and screaming;

“I AM UNKILLABLE!”

Shaynen stared at her. He crawled to his feet and away from Odelia as she laughed maniacally. Haagut cleared his throat and got their attention.

“Guys this doesn’t last very long. Hurry up!” He whispered to them. Shaynen frowned, nose wrinkling.

“I don’t think it’s right to kill somebody who's on their knees,” He said uncomfortably. “It feels wrong.”

“This spell doesn’t last a very long time,” Haagut insisted. “Do it now!” Cleatus walked up past Shaynen.

“Sometimes you gotta jump through the windows of opportunity life gives ya,” Cleatus pulled his sword free and pulled the dwarf’s head back. “No matter how uncomfortable they make you feel.” Shaynen turned away as Cleatus cleanly slit the man’s throat. Shaynen crossed his arms tightly. Odelia swaying up beside him.

“You’re like… so sensitive.” She slurred slightly. “It’s… so sweet of you and it’s gunna get’cha killed. Lucky for you, ya got me” Odelia clapped Shaynen’s shoulder drunkenly. She pulled a corked health potion from her bag. Grabbing the cork with her teeth and yanking it out. Spitting the cork across the room; nearly collapsing into Shaynen’s arms while she chugged the potion.

“Odelia? W-why don’t you let me help?” Haagut offered. Walking over to her as she finished the potion.

“I don’t need help,” She loudly announced, smashing the bottle on the ground at her feet. The wild swing caused her to sway wildly.

“Oh, whoa now.” Shaynen caught her before she fell.

“I’m fine. Look at this! Y’see this!?” Odelia pointed at the crown still glowing over her head. She tried to push Shaynen back but only pushed herself over onto the ground.

“Okay Odelia, why don’t we just take a second?” Haagut said gently, “Wait for Cleatus to finish looting the bodies?” Shaynen looked up at Cleatus pulling at the corpse’s clothing. He rolled his eyes and looked back to the slowly nodding Odelia. Haagut stood beside her, even on the ground Haagut shorter than her.

“You know running into a fight like that was reckless,” Haagut asked slowly. Her eyes were unnaturally wide and twitching as she slowly turned to look at Haagut.

“I can’t die. Do you know what the power of a god feels like?” She said inching closer until their noses were touching.

“I know what crazy sounds like…” Shaynen said. Haagut shot Shaynen a chastising look. Odelia grabbed Haagut’s face with both of her hands and pulled him back nose to nose with her.

“This has never happened to me. I’ve never had good things happen to me.” Odelia whispered.

“Right. That’s. Great.” Haagut gently patted Odelia on her cheek Casting cure wounds over her. Cleatus walked up beside them.

“Y’need help up Odelia?” He asked, holding out a hand for her.

“Nah,” She pushed his hand away and got to her feet on her own. Her swaying had stopped and the crown faded away. She smoothed down her hair and adjusted her armor. Her frenzy seemingly over.

“You okay now?” Haagut asked.

“Yeh,” Odelia nodded.

“Good,” Cleatus past her and headed for the next room; Haagut following behind.

“Unfortunately,” Shaynen heard Odelia mutter under her breath before they both followed into the next room.

This room was broad, with walls inlaid with old runes and maps. Carved into the walls themselves instead of hanging. Precious metals and gems decorated the walls. According to the map this was the central chamber that connected to all the others. Shaynen led the group with the map into a tunnel, the end of which was a giant glowing symbol in a dark purple. Cleatus reached for the symbol but his hand went right through it.

“So where’s that riddle posted?” Shaynen wondered. “It should be near the door somewhere. Right?” Cleatus inspected the glowing symbol and the wall behind it. He scratched through his chin fur, thinking deeply. He snapped his fingers as an epiphany came to him. Cleatus put his hands on the symbol confidently proclaiming; ‘Garfrost!’ Cleatus vanished.

Shaynen jumped and ran to the to symbol. Knocking shoulders with Odelia who moved forward at the same time he did. They raced to the symbol and yelled the command word, trying to be first. They both vanished at the same time, leaving only Haagut in the mines. He approached the seal, but paused and looked back into the tunnels...