Dungeons & Disappointment

Chapter 66: Cave of Memories

Honestly, as we hovered over the Cave of Memories, I wasn't sure what to make of it. It was a cave, heading straight down, and at the bottom, I could see the crystals that Entrydal was talking about, easily dwarfing the crystals that had been in Mahila's lair. From what I could see, these were huge, and they almost seemed to be staring back at me.

"Alright, lets land the airship." I said, giving my friends a wary look as BahnBarr piloted the ship downwards.

She lowered us further and further, until we were resting on the surface of the little island, and I jumped off, still staring warily at the Cave of memories. Around us, on the shores of the Sea of Fallen Stars, there were the three armies, along with others that had been recruited for war, like dark elves, Duergar (the non-insane ones, that is), any orcs that were on our side, Fairies, Wood Elves, and even a battalion of Serpentines, geared up and ready to fight. There was even Alatar the Glassmaker and Maliki the warrior, from that little hobbit wedding, so long ago. So, so many people had come to fight. And now they were relying on us. We had to open the portals.

I looked down into the chasm, the turned to my friends.

"Are you guys ready?" I asked. "There's no going back once we do this. This means war."

"And if war means we can stop all this?" BahnBarr said. "A stop constantly looking over our boulders? And maybe settling down? Then I'm fine with any war. Like I said, we're here for you."

"We're here too." Ormgaul said, giving Haneen a side hug. "Let's do this."

I nodded, still staring at the cave, then, we started making our way down inside. It was dark and dank once we were inside, and the tinkling of crystals reached my ears. I felt Finana's hand slip into mine, and I squeezed hers.

"Alright guys, make sure to stay in sight of everyone." I said. "Never let each other out of your sight, and does everyone have their lights and stones of far speech?"

"Yeah." They all answered.

"Okay good. Let's go."

We forged deeper and deeper into the cave, walking around crystals and other rocks and ores, but I tried o keep everyone together. According to Entrydal, this cave would try and split us up, and that was horrible. I held Finana's hand as hard as I could, making sure that she couldn't get away from me, and I stared into one of the closest crystals. My own reflection stared back at me, but after just a second, the image changed, and I saw Alocertha grabbing me, as I was charmed. I gagged, backing up, and suddenly, my friends weren't there anymore.

"Trevon?" Finana called, sounding six feet and six hundred feet away simultaneously.

"FINNY??" I yelled throughout the cavern.

"Guys?" Ormgaul hollered.

"Everyone stay where you are!!" I yelled. "Haneen, are you with Ormgaul?"

"No, I'm with BahnBarr!" She answered. "Where are you?"

I looked around, and through the darkness, and through one of the crystals, I saw Ormgaul in a separate room, cowering in fear from the crystals. It was just like my nightmare, so long ago.

"Ormgaul, I'm coming!"

I ran towards him, holding up Pomu's lantern as she squeaked in fear, and yet, when I got int the room, he wasnt there. I looked around, and in six of the crystals, I saw that he was there, cowering in fear still.

"Ormgaul??" I yelled.

He looked up to the sound of my voice, staring to his left, so I ran in that direction, and thats when I found him, cowering before a crystal.