Misbegotten world

Chapter 18: Back at it

Vartos tightened his grip on his sword, the blade gleaming in the faint light that filtered through the dense mountain fog. As he pressed on through the snowy peaks, the memories of his time in the catacombs lingered at the edge of his mind. The whispers, the darkness, the creature that had once taken the form of a little girl—he had barely escaped. But something had changed within him. He could feel it.

He didn't know what yet, but the cold that clung to his bones wasn't just from the snow. There was something darker stirring inside, something that had awoken in the catacombs.

Days had passed since then, and Vartos had resumed his search for the missing girl. But as the familiar sound of crunching snow echoed in his ears, he felt a presence nearby, one that made his muscles tense. He halted, his eyes scanning the mountain path ahead.

Then, through the thick snow, five figures emerged—stout and familiar. His heart skipped a beat as he recognized them: Torf, Kob, Dink, Gund, and Tob, the dwarves he had encountered in the cave. They looked just as he remembered, their bearded faces and heavy gear making them stand out against the white backdrop of the mountains. Torf was at the front, his stern expression softening when he saw Vartos.

"By the gods, if it isn't the blood hunter," Torf called out, his voice booming through the wind. "What brings you back to these cursed mountains?"

Vartos approached cautiously, his eyes flicking to each of the dwarves, remembering their strange yet harmless nature from their first meeting. He hadn't expected to see them again, especially not here.

"I could ask the same of you, Torf," Vartos said, his voice low but steady. "These mountains have become even more dangerous since our last encounter."

Kob, ever the talker, stepped forward with a grin. "Dangerous is our middle name, eh, lads?" He clapped Gund on the back, who merely grunted in response.

Dink nodded. "Aye, we've seen worse. But what about you, Vartos? You look like you've been through hell."

Vartos hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "You could say that. There's something in these mountains... something dark. I barely made it out alive."

Tob, the quietest of the group, glanced at the others with a frown. "We know," he muttered. "That's why we're here."

Torf's eyes narrowed, and he stepped closer to Vartos. "We've heard whispers, lad. About a presence in these mountains, something old and evil. We thought it was just legend, but if you've encountered it... then things are worse than we thought."

Vartos nodded slowly. "It's real. And it's not just in the mountains. It's spreading."

There was a heavy silence between them, the wind howling around them as if the mountains themselves were listening. Finally, Torf broke the silence.

"Then it seems we've got unfinished business," Torf said, his hand resting on the hilt of his hammer. "We've come to these mountains for a reason, Vartos. And if you're up for it, we could use your help. Whatever this evil is, we aim to stop it."

Vartos' gaze hardened. "What are you after?"

Torf exchanged glances with the other dwarves before answering. "There's a place deep in these mountains, a vault older than even the oldest dwarven halls. It's said to hold something powerful... something that might be able to stop the spread of darkness. But the vault's hidden, and only a few have ever found it."

Kob chimed in, "And we're the few who know where it is!"

Vartos' mind raced. He had come here to find the girl, but if what the dwarves said was true, then there was something much bigger at stake.

"What do you need from me?" Vartos asked, already knowing the answer.

Torf smiled grimly. "We need your strength, lad. These mountains aren't for the faint of heart. Whatever lies in that vault, it won't be unguarded."

Vartos nodded, his decision made. "Then I'll help. But once this is done, I'll continue my search."

The dwarves agreed.