The Second Age Year 872
Twenty Eighth day of the fourth month
The smell of mould hung heavily in the air as Tharos took a deep breath while travelling down the mine shaft with Rayner. They went down another passageway, which turned slightly. Tharos heard a straining noise behind him. He turned around to find Rayner almost stuck, his shoulders and head scraping against the tightening walls. This forced Rayner to walk while crouching and crawling on his knees. ‘Bah!’ he shouted in frustration. His words echoed and bounced off the walls.
(“What’s the issue, Rayner? Have you never been on your hands and knees before?”) Tharos asked in a mocking tone. Tharos was also crouching down, as the top of the tunnel shaft would touch his head if he stood up straight to his full height. However, unlike Rayner, he wasn’t scraping across the walls as much.
(“I don’t make a habit of it, milk-drinker, unlike you.”) Rayner sneered at him.
Tharos rolled his eyes. (“Are you still going on about that job? I thought we all agreed not to talk about it, and that business with that female guard captain doesn’t count.”) He continued. (“And if I hadn’t of done, how would you and Cenric escaped. That woman had you both under lock and key.“)
(“And I told you taking that job was a bad idea, wasn’t even worth the silver.”) Rayner complained.
(“That’s not how I remember it, I remember you were quite excited about that job. So why bring that up. That job was a few months ago.”) He asked.
(“Because that job is starting to remind me of this, why in the frozen north are we walking through an old mine?”)
(“We need to find out if there are any old mines connected to the fortress above.“) From what he had heard, the fortress they had been ordered to capture was built on the site of an old iron mine, abandoned several centuries ago — perhaps during the period known to the Invicti people as the First Age. This was the period in which the first Invicti kingdoms and city-states were founded, which soon turned into the First Empire. Quintus had heard rumours that some of the old mineshafts were still in use, and that the basement of the fortress was connected to them. However, he didn’t know which ones. They had been sent to investigate. Their mission was to sneak into mines and find these tunnels, see if it was safe to march men through. Depending on whether the rumours were true, as Quintus current plan was to sneak men through the mines to take the fortress. If not, they were to return and help hi lay siege to the fortress. What Quintus failed to tell them — and what he hadn’t known beforehand — was that the Invicti Mines were small. Not in terms of area, size, or network of tunnels, but rather that the tunnels were so narrow that, if he stood up, he would scrape his head on the wall. Rayner had to crawl on his hands and knees — almost belly-crawling — to move around.
(“We should have brought the whelp with us,”) Rayner complained. (“He wouldn’t be having this much trouble.”)
(“Rayner, we both know that isn’t true. He’s almost as tall as me.”)
(“Bah!”) Rayner repeated, as they continued to make their way through the tunnels, bumping into old oil lamp holders and places to hold torches, and stumbling across abandoned mining equipment. As they did so, they came into a small clearing, no larger than perhaps the common room of an inn. Before them, lit with the small, flickering light of their torches, they saw several more narrow and tight passageways.
(“Which way now, milk-drinker?”)
Tharos scanned the corridor for any signs of life or habitation. He couldn’t find any. As he focused his mind, He could sense the faintest signs of life: insects and rodents. (“I don’t know,“) he said, reaching into his satchel. He looked at the map he had been given again. It was a single map made of worn cloth, the faded colours of which had long since faded. (“According to this map, we should be heading in this direction,“) he said, pointing to one of the passageways on the left.
(“Fine by me. Let me know when you find something that’s needs killing.”)
He rolled his eyes. (“I don’t think we’re going to find much in here unless you want to fight mice,”) he said, walking forward with Rayner following slowly behind him. They ducked into another tight corridor, and as they entered Tharos, he flicked out his dagger and marked a symbol on the wall. They travelled through another long passageway. He felt Rayner nudge him.
(“Yes, what is it?”)
(“I smell something up ahead.”)
(“How close is it?”) he asked, hoping it was enemy soldiers.
(“Can’t tell, but it’s a faint smell.”) He saw Rayner twitch his nose. (“Maybe at the end of the hallway. It smells like smoke.”)
(“Smoke?”) Tharos raised an eyebrow. ‘If you say so,’ he said as they reached the end of the passageway. Tharos could see what looked like flickering torchlights. Turning to Rayner, he whispered, “There’s light up ahead. With any luck, this might lead to the fortress.’ As they got closer, the lights grew brighter. Tharos sensed something up ahead. However, it wasn’t a person — it was something else. Whatever it was, it was big — perhaps the size of a large horse or bear. They arrived at the next nexus point of the mineshafts and tunnels. Tharo saw various banners, crates, weapons, and sets of armour, all neatly arranged and stored. It seemed as though they were using the old tunnels for storage. As he looked around, he saw a sleeping drake at one of the tunnel entrances, marked with a Ferrum symbol.
“A drake.” he thought to himself. This was probably the first time he had ever seen one in person. He had seen pictures of them in books and statues, but meeting one in person was a rare occurrence. From what he knew, drakes were the lesser, poorer cousins of dragons. Like dragons, they could breathe fire, ice and even lightning. Their scales were as hard as iron and their teeth, horns and claws were as sharp as swords. However, unlike dragons, drakes were neither sentient nor long-lived; their average lifespan was similar to that of a human. He had heard that the Arianen, famed for their dragons, also used drakes and wavens much as other civilisations had used horses or mules. During the wars with the sky-people, the populations of dragons, drakes and wavens dwindled considerably. Looking at the drake, he saw that it was light almost faded red colour with green stripes and had well-defined horns. Massive spurs protruded from its elbows, and its long, muscular tail ended in a sharp point. However, around its neck was a collar with arcane runes etched into it.
This must be used to help guard their supplies and stop intruders from sneaking in. Smart, but I wonder where they got the Drake from. A question for another time, I suppose. He thought to himself as he watched the Drake. It hadn’t noticed them for it was deep in sleep, with a faint orange and reddish light emanating from his mouth as it breathed in and out.
(“So, what’s the plan?”) Rayner asked. (“Because I hope it involves killing that.“) he said, pointing to the Drake with his meaty fingers and giving a wide, toothy grin.
(“Normally, I would say go ahead, but it doesn’t know we’re here, and time is of the essence. We could just sneak past it,”) he replied. Even though this Drake was working for the enemy. He didn’t see the point in attacking it if it wasn’t an immediate threat, however, they had a job to do, and sadly, that Drake had to go.
(“However, we should get rid of it as soon as possible.”)
(“Now you’re speaking my language. This is going to be fun.”) Rayner said back, reaching for his axe.
(“Rayner, you stay back, I will take care of it. We need to kill quietly, if we make too much noise we could attract more unnecessary attention.”)
(“Fine,”) said Rayner, rolling his eyes as he slowly crept toward the sleeping drake. While a drake scale made it hard to differentiate the kill, unless you have magical, enchanted weapons. However, only the top part of the drake was well protected; they had a soft underbelly, along with other parts of the body that were easier to stab or slash, such as between the eyes or the throat. As Tharos unsheathed his sword slowly. He heard a snap, and looking underneath him. He saw the remnants of a heavy club on bone, and as he looked up at the drake, only several feet away from it. He saw the drake head move in his direction, its eyes with a faded yellow, and as it locked eyes with him and he with it, it began to hiss at him and bare its teeth before a massive torrent of reddish and orange flame spewed forth out of its mouth.
“Curses.“, he uttered out as he ducked out of the way. As he did, he saw the drake charge and attack before it fully got to him. As Rayner swung his axe at it, hitting the drake centre in the nose. Tharos was about to face palm. “Rayner, don’t do that.” But it was too late, as the axe came crashing down, the axe broke, the head shattered like they were made of cheap glass, and the handle broke at the seams.
“Bah, by the frozen north!” Rayber shouted, his sound echoing off the walls.
“So much for being quiet,” Tharos said aloud. “In case you didn’t know, drakes have armoured scales.”
“You could have warned me.” Rayner said, reaching for the sword at the hilt to the side of his belt.
“I thought you knew.”
“I didn’t,” Rayner replied. But before either of them could say more, the drake interrupted by taking a swing at Ray with his claws. Rayner reared his head, and the two exchanged several blows in rapid succession. Rayner received several shallow cuts from where the claws struck him, which slowly started to heal as quickly as they were inflicted.
Until Rayner grabbed one of the drake’s arms with his free hand. “Got you, you overgrown lizard!” Rayne said as he tried to chop off the arm.
“Rayner, look out!” Tharos called out.
“What?” Rayner looked at Tharos, but didn’t see the tail that hit him and sent him flying several metres. Tharos ducked as Rayner came flying through the air and passed him. He saw flashes of the drake changing and trying to pin him down with its claws. As the drake changed, he tried to rip Tharos apart with his claws. Tharos dodged out of the way. As he stepped to the side, he saw that the drake couldn’t react quickly enough to avoid the wound inflicted by his sword. As Tharos stabbed it in the underarm, streams of blood started to pour out of the wound. But before he could strike again, he saw the drake’s tail flash as it tried to jump out of the way. However, Tharos wasn’t quick enough and was sent spinning back a few feet in mid-air by the impact.
Lying on the ground, Tharos tried to get up, but was too late. Even seeing the flash of what was about to happen wasn’t going to prevent it. Not this time, was the drake, leaping on him, biting him to the tearing through his armour and ripping torso like a hungry dog. He felt like his insides were being scoped out as the drake was ripping into him with his claws and teeth. He could barely speak as the pain was so intense, he tried to reach for his sword. However it was a few out of reach, as he reached to push it back with his arms, the entire scene was being covered in his own blood and entrails as the drake was trying eat him alive, however before the drake was about lunge upon him, and rip into his head. he saw from the corner of his eye, Rayner leap on the creature, wrapping his arm around its neck, trying to hold it place.
“Any time, milk drinker,” Rayner said. Rayner shouted, his face and voice so tense that Tharos could see his blood vessels bulging. He and the Drake were engaged in an epic struggle to the death. Tharos sized the opportunity. He managed to grab his sword with the tips of his fingers and grip it tightly. He stabbed the Drake in the throat. As he did so, a torrent of blood spilled onto his face as Rayner started to choke the life out of him. A few moments later, the Drake stopped moving and collapsed to the ground. Tharos felt a wave of relief wash over him as the drake took its final breath.
Tharos could barely move. He saw Rayner look at him with disgust as he saw some of his organs that had been ripped out start to pull themselves back inside him. Then his ripped-open belly started to sew itself back together. A few minutes later, the pain had gone, and the only signs that he had been in battle were his destroyed breastplate and the slight burn marks on his armour. He was also caked in blood.
“Well done, Rayner,” he said, getting up and dusting himself off as he looked at the dead drake.
“When we’re finished here, would you mind helping me take out its teeth and skin this thing? We can take its scales and some of its bones as well.”
“You could make yourself a necklace or some boots,” Rayner suggested.
“No, but you can make some fairly decent armour and weapons out of a drake. I’m sure that, once we reach the capital, a craftsman would pay us handsomely for them.”
Rayner smiled and grinned at him. “Now you’re talking my language,” Rayner said. Tharos then walked up to the drake and examined the metal collar, that was around the drakes neck. There was a faint hum of magic around it and he looked at the arcane markings on it. Tharos noticed that it was a taming collar
“That’s some good news,” he said.
“What is it?” Rayner asked, puzzled.
“This drake has a taming collar.”
“What’s a taming collar?”
“It’s a collar that some mages use to keep their beasts docile — in other words, to make them more willing to follow orders. We were lucky this drake had this type of collar and not the other one.”
“And what is the other one?” Rayner asked.
“The one they use on slaves. Cenric had one around his neck once. Until I disabled it. It’s a collar that allows them to track their property and determine whether it’s alive or dead at all times.” Tharos continued. “With a taming collar, it only domesticates. It doesn’t tell you where the beast is or if it’s alive.”
“Which means…”
“They don’t even know we’re down here,” Rayner frowned. Upon hearing this,
“That’s a shame. That drake made me work up an appetite for battle.”
“You always have an appetite, besides, there will be more battles to come, my dear Rayner, to sate yourself on. For now, be happy with this,” he said, gesturing to the dead Drake on the ground.
“Now, let’s keep going; we still have a job to do.”
Rayner snorted in agreement. The two of them then explored more of the tunnels and discovered that they led to a basement area connected to the fortress. After ensuring they had not been spotted, they skinned the drake, taking its scales, claws, and as much bone as possible. They left the old mine, pleased with a job well done.
