Touch of Honor

Touch of Honor: Debt of the Dead - Chapter 3

     The shallow, cracked stairs descend onto a platform. From there, a pair of rickety septs on either side descend further around a statue of a humanoid, its back facing the party.

     Below the stairs was a dirt and gravel floor, with bones of various organisms scattered throughout.

     Both sets wound around a tall, muscular and demonic looking figure adroning heavy armor in statue form. In his right hand, he held a pike. His left was at his side, clenched in a fist. His teeth were bare and fanged, jagged like a saw. He had small horns atop his head as well as a forked tail. On his back, was a pair of tattered and webbed wings.

     "What is that Mr. Skamos?" Casset cast a wondrous examination upon the dark stone figure, recognizing the similarities in it and Skamos's biology.

     Spruce kept walking.

     Jeri and Skamos looked at each other, a worried half smile pressing through Jeri's lips.

     "A cambion." Skamos answered with a shallow voice.

     "Are they like redlings from another country? I've never met one of your kind before. The statue man looks a lot like you. Except for the wings of course."

     Skamos didn't wear his face mask, but his horned helmet was still on. If not for this, Casset would notice that Skamos's horns are much longer. "They are not my people. They are more of a deep red complexion than I. They are not creatures I am fond of, though I have never met one."

     Jeri looked at the statue with disdain. "They are evil and deplorable people. Invaders of the most barbaric kind. The kind of creatures parents tell their children about to make them behave."

     Spruce turned at the opportunity. "Don't be late to sparring lessons. If you are, then a cambion will come and take you far away. Stuff like that." Spruce had never heard of a cambion before.

     Casset swallowed his spit and hesitantly looked up to the statue's eyes as if it was living flesh. "B—but are they real?"

     Spruce released an audible yawn.

     Casset would not receive an answer he would be fond of.

     Spruce turned again. "Of course not. A species that invades and kills for the fun of it? No group of people would do that for no reason. If they are real, maybe they have a good reason."

     Skamos found multiple holes in Spruce's argument. "Spruce, is it not the case that you kill for the fun of it for no other reason?"

     "As blunt as ever."

     Jeri took his turn. "Careful kid. You may have some competition. Only one mage on the council believes in their existence. He's put some heavy research into the topic. According to him, they do kill and invade for a reason, and a pretty good one from their perspective. Although there has never been a confirmed sighting. Not ever, so take that as you will."

     Dust falls with every step from the groaning and cracking of the stairs, verging on collapse.

     As they continued, the stairs eventually led to the returning stone and dirt structure of the previous catacombs.

     "How long have we been walking I wonder? And still no magical artifact." Spruce said, lackadaisically continuing through the winding passages.

     "Nor have we found whoever has kept those ghouls alive." Skamos added.

     "We're getting close." The sorcerer claims.

     "And how do you know Jer? Don't tell me you've had a map this whole time."