The Story of Tygoth

Chapter 8: Whispers in the Dark

The chosen tunnel seemed endless, winding deeper and deeper into the bowels of the dungeon. The air grew colder, the walls damp with moisture that trickled down in thin streams, creating small pools on the uneven floor. Every so often, the faint sound of dripping water would echo through the tunnel, the only sign that time was still moving forward in this forsaken place.

Viera led the group, her crossbow at the ready, eyes scanning every shadow. Garrick walked beside her, sword in hand, his expression grim and focused. Behind them, Eldrin gripped his staff, the faint light from the orb at its tip casting eerie shadows on the walls. Rylan and Rolf brought up the rear, both of them tense and alert.

As they delved deeper, the sense of unease that had been gnawing at Rolf only intensified. The air felt heavy, oppressive, and the darkness seemed to press in on them from all sides. It was as if the dungeon itself was alive, aware of their presence, and determined to crush them.

Rolf had mentioned seeing something strange earlier—a shadowy figure that seemed to move along the walls, slipping in and out of sight at the edge of his vision. But when he brought it up to the others, they dismissed it, brushing off his concerns as nothing more than nerves.

“Rolf, it’s just the darkness playing tricks on you,” Viera had said, trying to reassure him.

“Yeah, these tunnels mess with your head,” Rylan added, clapping him on the back. “Focus on what’s in front of us, not the shadows.”

Still, Rolf couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.

Suddenly, Viera halted, raising a hand for the others to stop. The group froze, weapons at the ready, as they strained to listen.

A faint noise reached their ears, a soft shuffling sound coming from up ahead. It was almost imperceptible, but in the deathly silence of the tunnel, it was unmistakable.

“There’s something up ahead,” Viera whispered, her voice barely audible. “Stay close, and be ready.”

They moved forward cautiously, their footsteps silent on the stone floor. The tunnel began to widen again, and soon they found themselves at the entrance to another chamber. The shuffling sound grew louder, and as they peered into the darkness, they could make out vague shapes moving about in the gloom.

“What is it?” Rylan muttered, squinting to see.

Eldrin lifted his staff, sending a pulse of light into the chamber. The sudden illumination revealed a group of creatures hunched over in the darkness, their eyes reflecting the light like twin orbs of fire.

The monsters were small, no larger than dogs, with scaly, lizard-like bodies and elongated snouts filled with razor-sharp teeth. Their claws scraped against the stone floor as they turned toward the light, hissing menacingly.

“Scalebeasts,” Garrick muttered. “Nasty little things, but not too dangerous if we handle them quickly.”

“They’re not alone,” Eldrin said, pointing to the far end of the chamber where more of the creatures were emerging from cracks in the walls. “There’s more coming.”

“We can take them,” Viera said confidently, raising her crossbow. “Just don’t let them surround us.”

Without another word, she fired a bolt into the nearest Scalebeast, the projectile piercing its skull with a sickening crunch. The creature let out a shrill screech before collapsing to the ground, lifeless.

The others sprang into action. Garrick charged forward, his sword slicing through the air with deadly precision. He cleaved through two of the creatures in quick succession, their bodies falling limp at his feet.

Rylan darted to the side, his daggers flashing as he stabbed at another Scalebeast, the creature barely having time to react before it was struck down.

Eldrin raised his staff and conjured a blast of arcane energy, the force of the spell sending several Scalebeasts flying across the chamber, their bodies crashing against the walls.

Rolf, trying to keep up with the others, cast a weak water spell, the stream of liquid striking one of the monsters and momentarily disorienting it. He quickly followed up with a light spell, the burst of radiance blinding the creature long enough for Viera to finish it off with a well-placed bolt.

The battle was brief, and soon the chamber was littered with the bodies of the slain Scalebeasts. The group took a moment to catch their breath, their weapons still drawn in case more of the creatures appeared.

“Well, that wasn’t too bad,” Rylan said, wiping his daggers on the hem of his cloak.

“Don’t get too comfortable,” Garrick warned, his eyes scanning the chamber. “These things usually travel in packs. There could be more nearby.”

As if on cue, a low, rumbling growl echoed through the chamber, reverberating off the stone walls. The sound was deep and guttural, unlike anything they had heard before. It sent a shiver down their spines, the hairs on the back of their necks standing on end.

“What… was that?” Rolf asked, his voice trembling slightly.

“Something big,” Viera replied, her grip tightening on her crossbow. “And it’s close.”

The growl came again, louder this time, and the ground beneath their feet seemed to tremble. The group instinctively moved closer together, forming a tight circle as they faced the darkness beyond.

“I don’t like this,” Eldrin muttered, his eyes darting around the chamber. “Whatever it is, it’s not a Scalebeast.”

Garrick nodded, his jaw clenched. “Everyone, stay alert. If this thing comes at us, we need to be ready.”

For a moment, there was only silence, the oppressive stillness of the dungeon pressing down on them like a weight. Then, as they stood in tense anticipation, the growl faded into the distance, leaving only the echo of their own breathing in the darkness.

“It’s moving away,” Rylan said cautiously. “Maybe it didn’t notice us?”

“Or maybe it’s just waiting,” Garrick replied grimly. “Either way, we need to keep moving.”

As they prepared to leave the chamber, Rolf noticed something strange—a shadowy figure seemed to be moving along the walls, slipping into the darkness at the edge of the chamber. It was the same shadow he had seen before, the one no one else seemed to believe in.

“Did you see that?” Rolf said, pointing toward the shadow. “There it is again—the shadow! It’s real!”

The others exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of frustration and concern.

“Rolf, we’ve talked about this,” Viera said sternly. “It’s just your mind playing tricks. Stop bringing it up.”

“Yeah, enough with the shadows,” Rylan added. “We’ve got bigger things to worry about.”

“But I’m telling you, it was there,” Rolf insisted, his voice rising with urgency.

“Enough,” Garrick said firmly. “We need to stay focused. Whatever you think you saw, it’s gone now. Let’s move on.”

Rolf bit his lip, unsure whether to press the issue or let it go. But as the group prepared to leave the chamber, he couldn’t shake the feeling that the shadow he had seen was far more dangerous than the Scalebeasts they had just defeated.