Tales From the Void

Gabriela worked her way through the thick under brush of thorns and thistle. Thankfully, she wore heavy clothing to keep her olive skin from being peeled from her body. Sweat poured down her face, her muscles ached, and her breath was labored occasionally she had stop and untangle her sandy hair. No had come to this temple in more than a thousand years, the only reason she knew of it was because of Biba her contact in the criminal underbelly or Oshireth.

As treasure hunter you have to always be looking for new adventure in long forgotten places. This had always been her dream to follow in her mothers footsteps. Sometimes she was angry that she never came back from her last adventure. Leaving Gabriela in the care of the local church her mother sought out something called the Thorn palace, the place she herself now traveled to.

Maybe she would get her answers or maybe she would suffer the same fate as her mother. Either way this was the journey she needed to take in order to move on to the next one. Despite the thorns it was beautiful, there where flowers of every color bright with a slight luminescence. This drew many small birds like sparrows’ and hummingbirds, as well as many insects. Many of these bugs she had never seen before so she took a few to give to the entomologists back home. “never squander a chance to make a new contact,” her mother always said.

After several long grueling hours in the brush she made it to a clearing with massive fortress gate. Heavy moss covered most of it except an oddly newish looking wooden door to the right. Gabriela cautiously made her way to the door her ears seeking any sounds that might indicate danger. Kneeling down to check for any trip wires or traps attached to the door she jiggles the handle. It was locked. She reaches into her satchel and plucks the lock picking set her mother left her to practice with all those years ago.

A few light turns of the tumblers and the lock gave way with a satisfying “Clink.” The door opens with a slight “eerr,” revealing a square room with furniture that seemed to small to belong, it was almost child sized. Moving over to a table that had been pushed into the corner Gabriela searches a stack of papers. They have sketches of hallways, rooms, what looks to be a grand hall.

“Put down my drawings!” came a high-pitched shriek. Startled she drops the papers on the floor. Standing in the doorway is a barley two-foot-tall humanoid woman with dirty brown hair. Her angry gray eyes could’ve blasted wholes through Gabriela. Her skin was pale and she had big bushy eyebrows which gave her face a sort goat like appearance. “I’m sorry I thought this place was abandoned,” she said to the small woman trying to sound more confident than she was.

“Who are you and what do you want?” the woman said with a snarl.

“I was told this place had long forgotten treasure, so I came to see for myself. My name is Gabriela by the way,” taking a step toward the door and extending her hand.

“there is indeed treasure here, but it will take more curiosity to get out of the hands of tomes below. The last time anyone tried to make their way through they didn’t make it very far.”

“Was it a woman she would have been about my age when she came through.”

“No, it was man all decked out in his heavy golden armor. He belonged to order of knights that say they have claim here. I told him go right ahead and try I’m just an old woman living here, I have no need for gold or silver the woods give me what I need. So, off he went got no more than fifty feet in the tunnels then… SMACK! A section of the floor smooshed him into the ceiling. His precious armor did him little good against the traps set by the former inhabitance of this forgotten coffin.”

“If you have no desire for treasure why make the sketches?”

“Because one day I will be gone and so will this place. I am a preserver of knowledge. I have traveled across many lands procuring lost knowledge of kingdoms and people dead for centuries.”

Gabriela looked about noticing the stack of leather-bound books on shelf next to a simply made bedroll. This was definitely no life of luxury. Thunder clapped outside as rain began to pour down like a monsoon, hail fell the size of a man’s fist and the wind began to blow trees over as if they were made of straw. The old woman’s face went from one of announce to fear. “quickly girl back inside before he see’s us.”

“Before who sees us.”

“Tyrlus’ the mad. He’s a fearsome ancient dragon definitely not someone you want to tangle with if you can help it.”

The ground rattled beneath them as the giant creature landed outside the door. Bottles, plates, and anything else not nailed down was thrown to the floor. “He knows we’re here. Take these. The old woman hands Gabriela an amulet, a ring, and her sketches along with a leather book. “The amulet will light your path, the ring will make you fleet of foot, and the book contains all my knowledge. Make sure the book finds its way to the library of Angorith in the city of Hridor. The only way for you to make out of this place now is though the tomes on the other side there will be a valley you’ll be safe there. Now go before we both suffer the same fate.”

“Why trust me with this task wouldn’t you be better suited for it?”

The old woman looks up into her eyes. “My people have the ability to see fractured parts of the future. My times on the planet ends here but you have a great destiny that is only beginning. Go now find your mother and tell the man in the river to stay out of the mushroom patch.”

The old woman pushes Gabriela into a dark hallway then bars the door. Screams and curses fly through the air as battle ensues outside. The amulet begins to brighten lighting up the hall. It continues in a downward arc smells of decay, dirt, and mold fill her nostrils. The walls are made of carved stone instead of being brick and mortar something she hadn’t thought would be the case. Perhaps that’s why this place has lasted so long after being abandoned she thought.

Until next time