I do not own Dungeons and Dragons or any of the characters.
Sewers
Jasper glanced at their temporary Dwarf companion, just as he shot a glare at Mia, then at Jasper. Jasper had adopted his true form now that they were in the sewer and away from the people of Baldur's Gate, as well as since Mia's change of appearance had let the cat out of the bag to their new Dwarf and Human companions. So far, they'd fought their way through a massive stretch of the sewer, battling more sewer rats, then also a small army of Kobolds. The Kobolds were armed with javelins, swords, shields, and armor, so it clearly wasn't an issue of a natural infestation, but the Thieves Guild was meant to be almost exclusively humans, which meant that the Kobolds were either a separate issue entirely, or else were an army the Thieves Guild were building.
"Is there a problem?" Jasper finally asked the Dwarf as he grumbled insults under his breath.
"Yeah," the Dwarf, Kromlech, growled. "The two of ye are a pair of filthy Changelings," the Dwarf growled. "Ye can't be trusted."
"They're heroes," Holga growled.
"They helped save Neverwinter from a Thayan Red Wizard," Edgin said.
"So?" Kromlech grunted. "Should I be impressed? Changelings only ever care about themselves. I don't trust 'em."
"You don't have to," the human, Vahn, said. "They're skilled, they're currently allies, and we could use the extra blades. Stop complaining."
"And you can't talk about them being selfish," the elf, Adrianna, commented. "You're only here because the Thieves Guild took your axe. You're also here for selfish reasons. At least they're here because they feel inclined to be heroes."
"Oh, what, and you trust 'em?" Kromlech asked.
"No," Adrianna shook her head, just as a group of Kobolds rounded a corner up ahead, only for Jasper to send several Flame Arrows into them, killing them all. "But I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt."
Kromlech growled irritably, and turned back to the front, storming away. However, within the next few minutes, as they were wading through knee-deep water, a swarm of a dozen Kobolds and a Bugbear wearing a fur skirt, a silvery helmet with a frightening face on the front, and holding an enormous morning star all swarmed into the water ahead of them. Vahn reacted first, placing an arrow into one Kobold's face and killing it. A moment later, a jet of flames had ignited two more, courtesy of Adrianna, and she finished them with a sharp strike to the sides of their necks with her staff, breaking their necks. The others all surged forward to deal with what remained, Mia wielding her Ironwood sword, but Jasper only killed one, wielding his son's Ironwood sword, then reached the Bugbear. It roared, swiping at him from the left, and he spun and crouched under it, slashing the Bugbear's side as he stood. It roared, swiping back the other way, but he folded forward at the waist as he stepped aside, once again avoiding the swipe, then slashed Bugbear's opposite side. As it let out a groaning noise, Jasper stepped around behind the Bugbear and stabbed his sword into its back, up under its rib cage and into its heart, then withdrew his blade as he pivoted, slashing the last Kobold across the torso and throwing it aside.
"Not bad," Vahn nodded. "You're quick."
"I have to be," Jasper said. "I'm not a powerhouse, so I have to be fast."
Vahn nodded, but Kromlech merely grunted, resting the shaft of his axe on his shoulder and continuing to walk. The others all followed, but as they did, Adrianna caught up to Jasper and Mia.
"Where did you learn to fight like that?" Adrianna asked.
"The first time I tried to be something other than a criminal, I lived among wood elves and learned to be a Druid, but at the same time, I trained under a human Paladin to learn to use rapiers, daggers, and spears. However, one day, both sides found out what I was. The elves only banished me, but the humans blamed the elves for sending me as a spy and tried to wipe them out. I fought to defend the elves, but we failed. My son, however, believed that we could have won if I was stronger, so he sacrificed his life to use a sacrificial spell in order to grant me the ability to use Ironwood Flesh. When the elves found him dead after the battle, they blamed me and tried to kill me, and I was forced to kill them all in order to survive. After that, I gave up on being a hero, until Neverwinter."
Adrianna's gaze fell to the floor. "I'm sorry. I can't imagine how that felt."
Jasper shook his head. "I wouldn't wish that pain on my worst enemy."
Aranea, who had been walking with Jasper and Mia, glanced over at him, sympathy filling her eyes, and reached over, taking his hand. He glanced over at her, and she gave a small, sympathetic, supportive smile, and he smiled gratefully, squeezing her hand lightly, neither taking their hand back. Mia took his free hand, squeezing it, and Jasper smiled knowingly. Mia was attracted to Aranea.
"May I ask you something?" Adrianna asked.
"Of course," Mia smiled kindly, Jasper smirking.
He was glad that Mia's taste in women matched his own. It made it easy to know who she was attracted to. In this case, her opinion matched his own. Adrianna was absolutely gorgeous.
"You two, Mia and Jasper, are together, correct?" Adrianna asked.
"Yes," Mia nodded.
"Are you also...intimate with her?" Adrianna asked.
Aranea blushed scarlet and ripped her hand back, but Mia and Jasper just chuckled.
"No, no," Jasper smiled. "She's just our friend."
"I see," Adrianna nodded.
"Why do you care?" Kromlech asked.
"Mere curiosity," Adrianna said dismissively.
However, just as they reached the next door, Adrianna moved to pass through, only for Mia to catch her and yank her back before a dozen short spears crashed into the door and the wall around it, two of them nearly missing Adrianna. Simon instantly moved to the front, forming a Shield spell as cover as the others all sprinted past him to a pile of crates where they'd have cover. Then, they all began to carefully fight the dozen Kobolds wearing purple armor that hurled a seemingly endless stream of spears at them. Mia and Vahn both leaned out, firing their bows into two of the Kobolds, killing them, and Simon and Adrianna both sent a Fireball into two more, the blasts killing a total of five. Jasper shot a pair with Flame Arrows, and Holga and Edgin charged with Kromlech. An arrow grazed Holga's shoulder, but Edgin and Kromlech both avoided theirs. A moment later, Holga and Kromlech had planted their axes in their targets and Edgin had slashed the last Kobold's head off. Everyone else stepped out of cover and walked over, Jasper, Doroc, and Simon pulling three levers. Ahead of them, three massive, round gates ahead of them rolled aside, clearing their path. They headed into the next room, which was a massive, open room with standing water in the majority of it, and quickly and easily cleared out the two dozen Kobolds present, between Doric transforming into an Owlbear, Vahn and Mia's bows, Adrianna and Simon's magic, and everyone else slaughtering anything lucky enough to reach them. As they headed to the next door, Edgin shook his head.
"It feels like we're almost overdoing it for power," Edgin commented.
"Don't jinx us," Jasper said.
Then, they all headed through the door and stopped, staring at the mass of Kobolds and the enormous, muscular Bugbear ahead of them. The Bugbear wore a key around its neck, had a helmet shaped like a demonic skull with two horns per side and two tusks, and had a morning star the size of Jasper's torso in its right hand.
As it spotted them, it roared angrily, then pointed at them. "Kill the intruders!"
Jasper narrowed his eyes, drawing his Ironwood sword again. Instantly, the Kobolds swarmed them, nearly three dozen in a formation before the Bugbear, five more from each of the four large, red, five-sided tents spread through the enormous chamber, more than a dozen more from a set of stairs near the far wall. Edgin swore instantly as Mia hurled a handful of throwing knives into the oncoming horde as she drew her longsword. Simon and Adrianna both sent a stream of flames washing over a huge swath of the Kobolds, but it was less than a quarter of their full number. Doric transformed into an Owlbear, hurling a huge crate into the Kobolds, crushing a handful of them, Then they were surrounded. Jasper, Mia, Holga, and Kromlech instantly tore into the Kobolds as Doric crush an Kobold, then used its body as a flail, then became a Black Mamba, striking out at an Kobold. At the same time, Aranea slashed several with her spear, twirling, then knocked a spear aside, driving her apear's head into another. Edgin slashed two, stabbed one, then ducked as a spear flew over him, smashing against the wall. Vahn sent out a wave of repulsive force, knocking several Kobolds away from himself before returning to firing into further targets as Simon formed a massive, cobblestone fist, which crushed several of the Kobolds as Adrianna sent a jet of flames into the other, then spun, using her staff to smash another Kobold away.
Jasper tore through the Kobolds rapidly, twirling and spinning through the Kobolds as his blade carved them open, his teal hair flying about his head as he all but danced through the Kobolds. Finally, he broke free from the far side of the swarm of Kobolds, beginning to stalk forward to meet the Bugbear Chieftain. It roared, charging forward to meet him, then stopped, roaring and swinging his morning star with both hands. Jasper ducked, dodging to the side, and no sooner had he stood did he immediately have to dodge aside to avoid a downward strike that cracked the floor.
Jasper struck outward at it, but had to break off his attack to deflect the morning star, his sword spinning away. The Bugbear roared triumphantly, preparing to strike again, only to roar in pain as Aranea's spear jabbed into its side in a lightning-quick strike. Jasper drew his family's rapier and lunged, slashing the Bugbear down the side and out the back of its thigh, and it roared in pain, swiping a backhand at Jasper, only for him to step backward and lean back, evading the strike. The Bugbear raised its morning star, but Aranea slashed with her spear's head and severed its hand at the wrist. It roared in pain, punching Jasper mid-slash, then grabbed Aranea by the throat, lifting her into the air. However, before it could crush her throat, Mia and Jasper both lunged, Mia slashing the Bugbear's arm off at the elbow with her longsword before Jasper drove his blade into its heart from the side. It let out a roar of pain, spinning and throwing Jasper aside before kicking at Mia, who jumped back to avoid it, bringing Aranea with her. Then, it took a step forward, only to groan and fall to its knees, then crash to the ground. Jasper sighed, stepping forward and ripping his blade free before slashing off the Bugbear's head. He turned to look at the others, seeing them still struggling with the sheer number of Kobolds, and the three of them charged back into battle, slaughtering the Kobolds from behind. This time, with all of them focusing on the Kobolds and significantly less of them than before, they finished within minutes, the last of them killed by Adrianna and Simon using a pair of Fireballs.
Jasper sighed, using an Kobold's hat to clean his blade before sheathing it, then walked over to retrieve his Ironwood sword, Edgin following.
"We really could have used your Shadow during that fight," Edgin said.
"I don't know if I trust our new companions enough to show them to him," Jasper said, using the Kobold's hat to clean his Ironwood sword before sheathing it.
"Fair enough," Edgin nodded.
They returned to the others, and Aranea hugged Jasper.
"I'm glad you're okay," Aranea said. "Thank you for saving me."
"Mia saved you," Jasper smiled. "You saved me."
Aranea smiled, then looked down at the blood coating her. The others all glanced down as well, realizing that all but Simon and Vahn had gotten splattered with blood.
"Hello!" a voice called out. "Hello!"
"Who's that?" Jasper frowned.
The others all shrugged, and they all headed through a pathway off to the side. After a short passage, they found a row of three cells, the middle of which held an aging man in a dark red shirt and a grey cap.
"Thank the gods you're here!" the man gasped. "Any longer and I'd be sitting in some kobold's belly!"
"I recognize you," Vahn said. "You were in the tavern. You're Ethon."
"How'd you beat us down here?" Jasper asked.
"A Changeling?" Ethon asked. "Uh...I followed you all down into the cellar because I felt guilty about letting you head down here without help."
"You realize that there are..." Simon trailed off as he began to do a head count.
"A lot of us," Holga cut him off.
"Yes, but I thought an extra set of hands might be welcome," Ethon explained. "Even if not strictly necessary. But no sooner do I get down here, then I'm surrounded by those yapping kobold devils, and they haul me to this cell and lock me in."
"But the door to the sewers was locked behind us," Adrianna frowned.
"How'd you get in?" Kromlech growled.
"There's an entrance to the sewers from the streets, and I used that," Ethon said. "I knew about it from my days when I was in the guild. The old guild, not the new one."
"A thief, huh?" Jasper mused.
"Retired," Ethon assured them. "That life's behind me. Still, I've kept a bit of what I've learned, and it might help you now."
"What do you mean?" Mia asked.
"I managed to pick this key off the chieftain you killed," Ethon said, taking one of the keys from his keyring. "I think it unlocks a gate deeper in the sewers. If you're still aiming to catch those thieves that robbed you, then you'll need it. While I was locked up here, I overheard some of the thieves from this new guild planning a mission."
Everyone listened attentively as he described a Thieves Guild higherup passing along orders for a lower-ranked member to take an object into the crypts.
"And that's what I heard," Ethon finished his story. "I don't know what that thief was carrying, but it can't have been good. If you want to stop whatever deviltry they've got planned, then you'll need to head deeper into the sewers and find that thief."
"We'll find him," Edgin promised. "Give us the key and we'll head deeper into the sewers."
Ethon nodded, passing the key to him.
"Do me a favor and let Kira know we're okay and we'll be back soon," Edgin asked.
"Sure," Ethon nodded. "You might consider coming back when you've cleared a path to the crypts. There should be a staircase that'll take you back up to the streets there. Who knows. You may need some armor or new weapons by then."
Jasper nodded. "We'll see."
Ethon nodded and took his leave, and the others all headed for the stairs leading deeper into the sewer.
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