Halfling (editing in process)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Aria woke up to the delightful smell of sulfur and dead squirrel. She groaned and pushed Marcus out of her face, huffing lightly at the dog, who simply wagged his tail and licked her face again. The fire was out and Javen was sitting against a tree, sharpening a dagger and watching her as she slept. They locked eyes for a moment and he got to his feet, tucking the dagger aside and moving towards her.

"Before you sic the hellhound on me you look better. Well rested. I wanted you to have some sleep before we went into that crypt. And you shouldn't sic it on me in the first place, because after breakfast we have to get moving. I'd like to get through the resting place of the dead as quickly as possible." Javen commented, watching Marcus wearily.

"Marcus..." Aria started, smiling lightly as she saw Javen flinch. "Go get breakfast boy, hurry up." She watched as the large dog bounded off before moving closer to Javen, nibbling on some of the left-overs from the previous night's dinner and some fresh berries. "Thank you Javen... I'm still going to get you back for that, but I do feel better."

They ate, Marcus came back drenched in some poor animal's remains. After a quick trip to the river to wash the dog off, they were off in search of the crypt.

It took half the day to get to the crypt, the entrance looking quite mundane compared to the other places they had been to. It was a simple marble entrance that led deep underground, strange symbols marking the top of the entrance. Aria looked down into the darkness, a feeling of unease moving through her.

"I don't like this." She muttered, looking over at Javen.

"I don't either, but let's get this done so we can get out of here."

He raised his hand a set the spell that would cause a small light to float above him, Aria following suit. A fleeting memory of their adventure in the drider cave fluttered through her mind. They had been at each other's throats then; it was strange how close they had become. She reached out to pick up Marcus, the dog huffing at her. Instead of shrinking for her he simply moved ahead of them, causing Aria to roll her eyes. They started to follow the dog, the sense of unease growing with every step downwards. Rats skittered over their feet, Marcus snapping a few of them up every now and then. Spider webs hung everywhere, the air growing drier the further down they went. Aria curled her arms around her middle, looking back at the faint light at the top of the stairs. Within a few minutes they finally reached the bottom, the light from the top of the stairs no longer visible. The room around them was barely lit by the two magic spheres. Torches lined the walls, a pedestal in the center. Aria lifted her hand, which glowed for a moment before small balls of flames shot from her hands and lit up all the torches. In the center sat an old looking blade, runes carved on the blade itself and the handle.

"This seems too easy." Javen muttered, taking a small step forward.

Marcus growled, snarling as the skeletons that were laying against the walls began to move. He jumped at one, tearing into it. Javen drew his bow and Aria rolled her eyes.

"Javen, they are bones." She muttered, lifting her hands and shooting flames from both her hands. The different skeletons exploded and lay in shambles on the floor. Marcus came back to her, crunching a skull between his jaws, his tail wagging furiously.

Javen put his bow back and walked towards the blade.

"Honestly Aria, did you even need me to come down here? Marcus could have probably come and got it for us. No driders, no sneaking around an elven castle, why didn't you come get this one first?"

"Just get it so we can get out of here Javen, this place.... It feels wrong."

Javen picked up the blade, looking at it curiously before turning back to her and starting for the stairs. He hadn't gotten two steps when the blade disintegrated between his fingers. He looked up at Aria in a panic, the ground beginning to shake beneath them. They both dashed for the stairs, Aria reaching it first. She hit the space between the door like a wall, staring at it from her place on her behind on the ground. "It's blocked." She whispered in horror. A small veil of magic quivered at the impact and then turned invisible again. Javen pulled her up and smashed his hand against the wall.

The ground began to crumble around them, revealing a dark pit below them. Marcus ran towards her, whining and jumping into her arms, turning into the small little pup she had first encountered. Javen pressed her against the invisible wall, trying to get through as the floor became smaller and smaller. Aria thought for a moment before shoving Marcus into a deep pocket on her dress and gripping Javen's waist. Her wings unfolded from their slits, tearing the back of her dress in the process, just as the floor crumbled beneath their feet. She struggled to keep them both up.

"Damn it Javen, why are you so heavy?" She breathed, gripping him tightly.

She might have been able to keep them both up if the room hadn't responded to her tricking its trap. She cried out as a bolt of magic hit her back, her body jerking in agony as her wings were destroyed. The slits on her back seared shut. Her arm gave off a wave of pain as one of the intricate swirls disappeared, and they fell.