Book 2 Chapter 6

“Your… Home?” Maria asked looking over the dark looking cavern. A lake filled with suspicious liquids sat at the bottom while buildings rose and fell around it within the cavern’s terrain. Well-made examples of architecture stood next to ramshackle huts piled upon one another like a set of building blocks. The sight was a stark contrast to the clean and well-crafted city above them…

“Yep!” Torvus sad proudly as he led the way down into the cave. There are a few caverns this size down here as well as a dozen or so smaller ones, all connected by tunnels and sewers built ages ago. I’ll take you into the city proper some other time, lots of interesting stuff down there. For now though watch your step, trust me when I say you don’t want to end up in the water. One guy I knew fell in once while he was fooling around. Never was able to get rid of the smell…

“Thanks for the warning…” Maria muttered, looking carefully at where she stepped. They moved down into the cavern while avoiding the city itself, sticking to the outside as Torvus led them along the tunnels.

It didn’t take long before Tirr noticed other travelers using the same passages ways. Even the people were different down here he noted. As people passed by they kept their heads down, hands pulling their cloaks and coats tightly around them as if to bury themselves from sight

As they moved, Tirr one such group though seemed to take an interest in them. Two men and a woman started to follow them and Tirr frowned as he felt their eyes watching them closely.

“Torvus…” He said quietly.

“I know…” Torvus replied, still smiling as he led the way without looking back at the group that now followed them. It's alright, we're almost there…”

“Almost where?”

“Just keep close…” Torvus said as he suddenly broke into a run. The sudden speed caught Tirr and Maria by surprise, but they move quickly to catch up, the Blessing of Life speeding their footsteps as they ran quickly through the caverns.

Tirr could hear their pursuers yelling, caught off guard by their sudden dash. He followed Torvus as the former assassin took a sudden turn steering them down a series of more narrow tunnels that moved further and further from the undercity.

As the tunnel grew more cramped, Tirr tried his best to keep close following just behind Maria as they were forced into a single file line. Turning and twisting through the strange maze. Soon the footsteps and voice of their pursuers seemed to fade behind them until Tirr found he couldn't hear them anymore.

Torvus must have noticed the same thing because he slowed, laughing as he took another turn, “These tunnels might as well be a labyrinth for how complicated they can be to follow. People got lost in here so often that there are even rumors about how their ghosts now haunt it. If they're lucky it’ll only take the day to get out…

“Who were those they…” Tirr said as he looked back, wondering if they might appear at any moment. As he looked back though he found the way in front of him empty, Maria’s back which had been just there now gone without any sign of her or Torvus. Garm let out a low whine from his arms and Tirr pet him reassuringly.

“Very funny…” Tirr started as he took a few steps forward, but stopped as the path split into multiple directions, Already the tunnel forked this way and that and Tirr couldn’t see any way to tell which way his followers had gone.

“Maria?” Tirr called out, listening as his voice echoed around him. What came in response was a sudden giggle. A child’s laughter, light and free.

“Who’s there?” Tirr questioned, confused. He moved towards the sound, but it faded quickly before ringing out again from another tunnel. He turned, following it once again, only for it to come out from behind him once more

Thoughts of the ghosts Torvus had mentioned filled Tirr for a moment before he shook the thought from his head, “Fine!” He yelled out, “If you won’t show yourself then I'll ignore you…”

Tirr carried Garm as he moved away, the laughter stopping for a moment as if surprised by his decision before reappearing again as if tempting him to follow once more.

Tirr ignored it and instead focused on keeping track of where he was heading. The dance went on for another 10 minutes as Tirr ignored the voice and the voice grew closer and closer as it tried to get Tirr to chase it after it. Finally, Tirr heard the laughter directly behind him just as he’d been waiting for.

He stomped his foot, bringing down the strength of his blessing into the rocky floor. The force shook the tunnel sending small bits of rocks and dirt flying through the air. At the same time, he turned Diving onto the source of the laughing that had taunted him as he raised his fist.

There on the ground under him was a child even younger than Tirr. He frowned up at Tirr angrily as he tried to shake him off, “That’s not fair! You cheated!”