Javindar girded himself as he entered the tunnels. This was it, his final battle against the Asura hordes. Either his greatest triumph or his greatest defeat. The people of both Vinraj and Grom will either sing or lament about this moment for generations, dwarfing the ballad of the Red Mountain or even the yet unfinished masterpiece of his father taming the Great Horde. He will either drive the Asura from this world and claim the Black Scroll, or be the first champion to fall to its fell power.
Javindar paused as he considered the weight of this situation. He wished he had brought along his minstrel in such a trying time to record his deeds, but instead he had to settle for Nahbob. While his servant was artistically talented enough in several disciplines, he was far from being a master in any creative craft.
"Wait, where's Martin," asked Rina as she interrupted Javindar's thoughts.
The supposed epic hero flitted back and forth around the tunnel looking for Martin. Though the dragon outside was quite impressive and lent credence to her claim that she was some ancient hero of old, Javindar still had his doubts, especially when she was doting on a literal stinking drunkard. As her search widened, even Nahbob was drawn into her madness as both began to comb their surroundings. At that point, Javindar decided to step in.
"Forget him," said the Prince. "We will drive the Asuras out ourselves. We do not need the likes of that ne'er-do-well . "
Both Rina and Nahob paused as they stared at Javindar, but it was Rina that spoke. "Ne'er-do-well? Well, if your stuck up noble ass recalled, that drunken slacker is the only reason we are here. He has two of the Black Scrolls, and the blade Greyiron in his possession, more importantly he has the mental fortitude and iron will to not be reduced to a quivering thrall, and despite his unkempt appearance he's probably killed more Demons and Asuras than you have before you were born. "
Javindar eyes narrowed at the militia girl, epic hero or not, no one speaks to him in such a manner. "Watch your tongue girl…"
"Technically she's an old woman, ancient really…" corrected Nahbob whose voice suddenly trailed when he realized who he was interrupting.
"I can defend myself Nahbob, especially to this peasant girl accidental heroine."
"You know, I hate nobles," said Rina. "There's not much difference between them and the demons we fight. They trod on those they seem lesser than them, sucking the life out of generations of them except they don't use claws and dark magic but imaginary constructs like tradition and honour to stay in power. Occasionally they do something useful like defeat and ogre or drive off a band of goblins, but really that's more akin to throwing a dog a bone, considering all the suffering they've caused. "
"..and those are the competent leaders. The incompetent ones implement insane laws that simply suited their fancy at any given moment. Don't give me that look, I know what I'm talking about. Did you know that your country's ridiculous customs on Tamasic and Rajasic foods evolved because some Princeling got a fishbone stuck in his throat? And for that half your people go hungry because they aren't allowed to farm from the sea!"
"…err that's mainly the Rajasic tradition, Tamasic mostly refers to …." Once Nahbob interrupted to correct, but this time Javindar waved him to continue even though he silently agreed on her assessment of Vinraji dietary customs given his recent enlightenment about spicy red fish. "..heavy meats and fermented beverages."
"Stay out of this Nahbob, " barked Rina. "You're easily more competent and useful than the Prince here, but you're literally enslaved to him through social and economic chains. I mean you can bend the elements to your will, make a person fly, and all sorts of wondrous things but for some reason you are subservient to a man who has problems choosing his own clothes. Even without your magical powers, you are worldly and knowledgeable about the world, yet you serve a man who still thinks his little backward corner of the world is what everyone aspires to. I mean Ghata is considered the armpit of the world you know. Even the Dragons don't live there anymore because the nobles there rule like gods, rendering it a pretty piss poor place to live unless you are a member of the upper class."
"Well thank you for your praises," stammered Nahbob. "…but I think your critique on Ghata is a bit harsh. We have a thirty percent literacy rate you know, and we haven't had a famine in twenty years. Also the Sadhevi's do a good job of presenting widespread disease, as well…."
"Silence! I don't have to listen to some washed up ancient heroine that skulks around the barbarian kingdoms because she's too feeble to do her job. A job which she failed miserably the first time, a fact that all of humanity must pay for. And if your great Martin is such a power and force to be reckoned with, why is he wandering lost like one of those mentally touched children that always get lost at the market. It seems pretty unlikely that this is the person that we are going to entrust our fates to. Do you really, honestly think he will be the one to save everyone, or are you just using him because you can't do the job yourself. Why do it yourself when you can let the drunk do it, there's no expectation of success there. Why risk any of your so called legacy when you someone that can barely stand or form coherent sentences can stumble through this."
Rina glared at Javindar, ready to strike him down, but turned away before blades were drawn. "You two can do whatever you want, I'm going to find Martin myself. It's clear to me Prince Javindar, that you still think the world centers on you, and you just hate it when someone else is the anointed one. Good luck saving the world you two," she said before turning and walking away into the darkness back to the surface.
"Wait," cried Nahbob. He walked a few steps towards her but paused as he found a fork in the passage. "Errr, I don't recall this. This was a straight passage when we descended. There was no alternate passage."
"Forget her, "said Javindar still stinging from her litany of insults. "We don't need her, we'll save the world ourselves like she said. The last thing we need is such an insufferable wench with such a venomous tongue at our side."
"Sir, If I may intercede. She did say that her years of exposure to the scrolls have weakened her resolve against them. Even Aurumgar, the great golden dragon outside, said he feared their corrupting touch since his resolve had been eroded over the millennia guarding them. It goes to reason that the proximity of not one but three such scrolls might be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back. Perhaps her actions aren't wholly hers."
"I have utmost faith in you sire, and I believe in your ability to triumph over the Asura, but we need Rina and more importantly Martin. Regardless if you believe Greyiron is important or not, he does possess two of the Scrolls. The last thing we want is for them to fall into the enemies hands before …err we use them…or whatever it is we are supposed to do with them."
Javindar sighed and reluctantly agreed. Perhaps proximity to the scroll was wearing down his spirit as well. He was of the highest caste in Ghata, he would not normally lower himself to a petty verbal argument, even against one that insulted his honour. That's Nahbob's job. "Your counsel is as wise as always Nahbob. We will find Rina and Martin before they hurt themselves and escort them to the last scroll. We might not be the heroes of this sage, but we still have a role to play."
Nahbob was taken back by this admission as he bowed and smiled to the Prince's will. "Yes my lord, we will do as you say."
Nahbob and Javindar attempted to follow Rina, but they soon found themselves hopeless lost. The pair wisely chose not to split up and picked the passage that sloped upwards, but they quickly found themselves facing three branching paths, then two paths, then several interconnected rooms, before reaching a strange well room which was basically a dead end before they retreated back and found four passages facing them.
Nahbob suggested they follow the left hand wall to lead themselves out of the maze, and even suggested using string or coloured pebbles, but Javindar refused to use such trivial methods to find their way out.
"If we cannot find Rina and Martin we will find the Asura instead," declared Javindar. "They will rue the day they decide to stymie us with parlour trick shifting passages and illusions."
Nahbob bowed as he examined the options before them. "This one slopes downward, the other slope up."
Javindar considered this, but he honestly had no idea which was the correct path to take. They certainly all looked the same, crude lava tubes consisting of black and grey rock with the occasional obsidian shard, but more importantly there was no order to them. While he scolded Nahbob on using mundane methods to track their progress, he doubt they would work since he had been paying attention to the rock patterns and saw that none of the passages had the same patterns he noticed.
As Javindar considered his path, he heard some high pitched grunts and feral roars from the furthest right passage and his decision was made. Was Rina in trouble? Did she encounter some Asura as she made her way back, and realized too late she should have stayed with a holy warrior of Puranas? Whatever the reason, Javindar dashed towards the sound with Nahbob in tow.
Instead of finding Rina however, Javindar encountered a chaotic melee. A woman with short blond hair dressed in similar attire to a Horselord was exchanging sword blows against what appeared to be a Ghatian soldier of all things. The speed and power of both of them were grudgingly on par with his own swordsmanship. Beyond them were two more Ghatians fighting a much smaller girl with green and white hair. Her arms were large and oversized and appeared to be made of gnarled branches, but the Ghatians' spears appeared to be keeping her at bay.
"They must be from the Golden Eagle. We must aid them, " said Nahbob as he began to incant a spell, but Javindar motioned him to delay his action as he sprang into action.
"Bravery! Valor! Glory!" Javindar shouted in a voice that appeared to shake the entire tunnel as he drew his Shark toothed Khanada and rushed into the fray. His wrath was so great that his blade glowed white hot with holy energy, casting a burning light on the combatants.
The Ghatians looked up towards their Prince and renewed their efforts against their foes, while the women looked surprised at the sudden appearance of reinforcements and fell back defensively.
Instead of striking the women down with his shark tooth blade however, Javindar delivered a telling blow straight through the back of the Ghatian swordsman, before pivoting in place and raking the eyes of a spearman. The swordsman keeled over from the mortal blow while the spearman dropped his weapon clutching his eyes. The other spearman was stunned by the turn of events but was quickly hammered into the ground by the small girl's large tree like hands.
"Taste the Chloewood smash!" she babbled incomprehensibly as he fell to the ground.
"Mercy! " cried the Ghatian in a thick Vinraji accent.
As Javindar moved in to finish the Ghatian off, Nahbob dashed in and intercepted his Prince. "Sire! What are you doing! These are your countrymen, your very own troops! Someone must have place a glamour on you, fight it please!"
Before Javindar could throw Nahbob to the side, the spearman sprang behind him and placed a blade to his throat. "Oh, I think this has gone on long enough. Let me and my fellow go, and we'll both live to fight another day," said the spearman as he switched to the Grommish common tongue.
Javindar glared at the soldier, but did not flinch or retreat. "Release him and I'll make your death swift and painless," he countered as his Khanda began to glow dimmer.
The spearman smiled at the sight of the waning blade, but his smirk was short lived as an arrow suddenly pierced his head, freezing his face into a dumb surprised look before falling lifelessly to the ground.
Javindar nodded at the blonde Horselord who had taken position to the side of the hostage taker with her black bow. He stabbed the spearman who was still clutching his eyes in pain on the ground. Though his blade was made from the sharkteeth his sword did little damage to the man, confirming his suspicions further.
"Here let me do it handsome, " said the green haired girl. She then placed both her wood covered hands around the man's face. The branches around them began to grow and entwine outwards and then inwards wrapping and smothering the dying man. The spearman screamed and kicked futilely from the ground, even as the green haired woman happily whistled.
"What..what's going on," asked Nahbob in shock as he checked his neck for blood.
"Jimmy was right, these blokes don't go down easily. Besides being virtually magic proof, they need holy cold iron piercing weapons to break their skin, and sadly we only had a couple of arrows that matched that description. Jimmy was hording all the good stuff again it seems," she sighed even as her victim ceased its struggle.
"Rakshasa, most likely from Ghata. Probably the same ones that infiltrated the Western Holy Temple," guessed Javindar. "Or did you not notice their backward hands."
Nahbob took a closer look and saw that the three slain Ghatians did indeed have backward hands. More importantly, after their deaths their uniforms began to dissolve and their heads began to transform to those of tigers. Nahbob blushed at being fooled by their ruse.
"Thanks for the help handsome, " said the green haired girl as her hands slowly transformed back into thin normal looking hands. "We got ambushed by some boss tigerman earlier and its Succubus girlfriend. We almost had him beat, but he retreated and sent these three lackeys to keep us busy, damn cheater. Oh, I lost track of my partner in these damn moving tunnels during the fight, I bet he's prolly porking her right now, knowing how sexually repressed he is over his ex girlfriend. Mango grove this, banana girl that...it's sickening really. "
The seemingly impassive Horselord broke a smile at the last comment as she gave a slight chuckle.
"Rakshasa are dangerous foes, master assassins and shapeshifters," said Javindar. While he was put off by her crass nature, he couldn't help be impressed by her fighting skills. "The fact you two held your own against three of them speaks volumes of your combat prowess. I assume that you two are here for the same reason that we are, to recover the last Black Scroll, I suggest we ally ourselves to accomplish that task. Also, we too have lost companions in this maze and it would suit our purpose to accompany such comely warriors until we recover them."
"Why don't you have a purdy mouth," beamed the green haired girl." That sounds good to me, how about it Nymk?"
The blond haired horselord tipped her head in agreement. While she was quite noble and pretty, there was a dangerous aura about her that made Javindar wary of her.
"To be honest we aren't looking for any Black Scroll," continued the green haired Girl. " We're looking for a friend. So since Jimmy is probably playing hide the banana with a demoness right now, teaming up sounds as good a plan as any."
Javindar nodded and motioned for Nahbob to introduce him.
"It is my pleasure to present, the Bey of Ghata, Commander of ten thousand men, master of the horse and Kaylon, Holy Warrior of Puranas, wielder of the bow Red Flight and future Sultan of Ghata. Prince Javindar," said Nahbob as he bowed towards the two women.
The Horselord did not look impressed, but the green haired girl's eye grew wide. "Wow, that's a lot of fancy titles. That's Nymk, she's a jack of all trades barbarian ranger sex golem, but don't ask her about the sex golem part she gets all defensive about it," she teased as the horselord shrugged her shoulders. "…and I'm Chloe, a druid. Also , if you must know I'm a princess too, though I'm nowhere near as flashy as you are, so I guess we're kinda even in social status."
Javindar raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Oh really? Of which noble house do you hail."
"Two actually, my mother was the Queen of Blackstone, while my father is the current undisputed King of Crime," she smiled as Nymk rolled her eyes.
With introductions made, the four began to navigate the tunnels once again. Though the tunnels were as confusing as ever, Chloe appeared to be able to navigate them through her heightened olfactory abilities.
As they journeyed deeper, Chloe talked briefly about how they had met Prince Vleda earlier and how he had put a large price on Javindar's head, though the druid assured them they weren't going to collect it. She didn't have the heart to kill someone so good looking. Javindar was dubious of her claims, thinking she was just waiting for a better opportunity, but assured her that Vleda and himself had agreed to a truce, so the bounty for him was rescinded.
What was more surprising was he noticed during their march, Chloe had subtly changed her hair to match his own. She even changed her facial features slightly to mirror those of the women back at Ghata, including a red bindi on her forehead.
"That's an unusual woman, " commented Javindar as Chloe's acts curiously held his attention, perhaps he was under some spell like Nahbob had suggested before when he was battling the Rakshasa, but the fact that he was questioning his mental status generally meant that he wasn't under such a spell. Or more likely she was a welcome change from the abrasive and stuffy Rina. Here was a girl that was actually entertaining given the amount of pressure they were all under.
"Aye, she's an impish braggart, but she appears to have mastered nature magic, a rarely studied discipline in Vinraj, but common in these barbarian wildlands. Which is odd since she doesn't appear to be like any nature priestess I've ever met, " replied Nahbob.
"So, you're familiar with the various regions of this land correct?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Where is this nation of Crime she speaks of?"