Return to Jorgaldur Volume V: Reunion (2)

In the underground city (IV)

Gjaki also entered the dreams of the captured vampiress, although she didn't ask who was behind it. She didn't want to risk their prisoner dying yet, as this could alert said enemy.

She didn't get any more interesting information, except that those two vampires were bloodthirsty monsters. The vampiress felt a strong urge to annihilate them.

"There're more vampires like these, six at least, probably more. Their levels are between 60 and 90. There could be even more powerful ones. They don't want anyone to know they're there. They'll kill whoever approaches," she reported.

"Well, that's the fucking bad news. Which're the good ones?" Trelka asked, frowning.

"The good news are that they have only sent those two. They don't even imagine that they could be captured. The rest are in a building, reinforcing it. The toads are around, watching."

"How's the building like?" Tica asked. She had already gained some friendliness with the vampiress.

"It has several columns, some of a semi-transparent material. The walls are white and bright. The ceilings and doors are higher than normal. The vampires had no problem standing," she detailed what she had seen in the dream.

"It has to be the palace," Hila said. She had read about the building.

"It also coincides with what the... sister with wings saw," Fita reaffirmed.

"Apart from the toads, do they have any other defenses?" Eldi asked.

"I'm not sure. Probably traps and barriers. It won't be easy to enter without being detected," Gjaki warned.

"Perhaps, we could attract the toads in some way," Goldmi suggested.

"If there were only two fucking vampires, could we make them believe that we have divided ourselves, and the other group is the one that has reached their fucking house?" a dwarf proposed.

"We could make part of the roof fall on the palace. It would seem like a natural detachment. It would be a shame to break it, but we'll fix it later," Guto added.

"They must have some way to get to the city, probably gates. We have to disable them," the vampiress pointed out.

"We could use some type of spatial sealing like the one the vampires used in the dungeon. Do you have or know where to get something like that?" Eldi asked.

Quickly sneaking up and destroying them could be difficult even for Gjaki. There would probably be traps, and they didn't know where.

"Maybe... I would've to talk about it with the Great Sage," Trelka doubted.

"Ask her as soon as possible. Here, press when you want us to go look for you," Eldi opened a Gate, after handing her a strange square object with a red button.

"Suppose we can isolate them, how do we attack? Shall we start with Gjaki's Marabunta?" Goldmi asked.

"What's that?" Tica asked, although she soon regretted it.

Dozens of small bugs began to climb on her, although without doing any harm.

"Aaaaaah!! What's that!?" the apprentice was scared.

""Gjaki..."" Eldi and Goldmi reproached her at the same time.

"She wanted to know... Okay, okay, it was just a joke," she made them disappear.

"Is that a Marabunta?" Fita asked curiously.

"Yes, but many more. Thousands?" the high human explained.

Both dwarfs and mole-beings, especially Tica, had goosebumps. Those beings looked strange, and didn't seem very dangerous, but thousands wasn't something they wanted to experience.

"They could disable the damn traps. If they think they're just shitty bugs, it'll distract them. We dwarfs can enter through one of the fucking entrances. Fighting in formation, we aren't afraid of them," one of the dwarfs proposed.

"We can cause small tremors and landslides. And support any of the groups," Fita offered.

"How're the plants? You said you felt something," Gjaki was interested.

"Weak for now, but they should be stronger near the palace. My sister has seen a lake with a lot of vegetation next to the palace, a kind of garden. Some toads hide in the lake. Kraki says that she'll be in charge of the water," the elf explained.

"Vegetation in these depths... It's amazing," Eldi praised.

"There were many wonders back then, when all the moles were one, and the dwarfs were our siblings. Maybe, we can recover the glory of the past," Guto expressed her hope.

"She's already finished assembling the model," Hila called them.

In front of her, there was a three-dimensional model of the palace made with clay. It had been modeled after the city maps they had obtained on the previous visit, as well as ancient texts. The palace building may not have been very detailed, but the doors and levels were marked.

Doing it manually in such a short time would have been impossible. Of course, why do it manually when there is something as convenient as magic?

The mole-woman who was next to Hila was the best cartographer in their town. She specialized in creating those types of models, although that was her most complicated work so far. The Big Brotherhood couldn't be compared with her hometown, or with the tunnel models she usually made. It had been quite a challenge.

"We are around here," the cartographer pointed out into the void. "These planes represent the separation of levels. I've marked the doors we know of, but there could be more, or they could be destroyed."

"Wow. That's amazing!" Gjaki praised.

"It's really impressive," Eldi joined in.

"It's a work of art," Goldmi looked at it with admiration.

"How fucking wonderful! You have to come to Khaladok for a few days, it would be great for us!" a dwarf asked.

"It... It'll be my honor" she responded, somewhat overwhelmed by the flattery.

"We need explorers to confirm the entries. Goldmi, can you take care of the upstairs?" Gjaki asked.

"Sure. I'll climb that tower, and leave my sister in the water," Goldmi pointed to a watchtower. Her winged sister had already suggested it from the rock sky.

"I think I could enter right here, on the second level. I'll need some support. Landslides, tremors, holes, tunnels..." Eldi looked at Fita.

"No problem," the mole-woman assured.

"The dwarfs by the main entrance?" Gjaki suggested.

"Ha, ha! That'll be fucking perfect! When you go to find Trelka, tell them about the plan. I'm sure that idiot Hortun will sign up!" the dwarf requested. "No shitty vampire is going to pass us, even if it's as strong as those. No offense intended."

"Those are shitty vampires, as well as fucking cruel," the vampiress responded, amused, without taking it personally.

"Ha, ha! You really know how to talk! You almost look like a fucking dwarf!" the dwarf laughed.

It should be said that it wasn't the first time that Gjaki had "spoken dwarf". She had done it several times during the trip, earning their friendliness. It amused her, and she had some practice. It wasn't surprising, as there were some dwarfs in the mansion.

"Well, then, should we do something similar to the black tower mission?" Goldmi suggested, as she ignored the dwarf and the vampiress.

"I was thinking the same," Gjaki smiled.

"I was afraid you'd say that," Eldi sighed.