Ash became a loner after the death of his parents. His family, along with the entire village, was sacrificed by cultists. They wanted to send a message to the city lord: if he dared to take action against them, more villages would burn.
The city lord, however, did not back down. Though many commoners and a few nobles perished, he relentlessly hunted the cultists down, dragging them from their hiding places and imprisoning them.
Every month, he would gather a large crowd outside the city gates. Then, he would execute each cultist in the most excruciating and cruel way imaginable.
At first, I watched these executions with great difficulty. Over time, however, I came to find a strange solace in them. It wasn't the cruelty of the killings or the city lord's supposed love of justice that appealed to me. No, it was the fear in the cultists' eyes.
Initially, the cultists approached their deaths with fanatic fervor. Their eyes rarely shown any regret or fear. But as the city lord's increasingly brutal methods became notorious, fear seeped into the hearts of those yet to be captured. Their bodies trembled before their inevitable demise.
Within a year, the city lord had eradicated all cultists from his territory. This display of unwavering power ignited a fire within me. That year, I made a vow: I would become so strong that my name alone would strike terror into the hearts of my enemies.
Three Years. It's been three years. No cultists or whispers of their rituals have been heard since the city lord's purge.
-----
Roha city, Nerva guild.
Pushing open the heavy oak doors of the Nerva Guild, Ash navigated the bustling room towards the reception area. A nervous tremor ran through his stomach despite his vow of strength.
Today was the day. He clutched his new adventurer badge, the polished metal still warm in his hand. He approached the receptionist, a woman with fiery red hair and a bored expression, glanced at his badge.
"Are there any solo missions available?" Ash inquired, his voice surprisingly steady for his racing heart. This could be his chance to prove himself, to earn a reputation.
The receptionist sighed, a flicker of annoyance crossing her features. "Let me check," she muttered, tapping away at an old ledger.
"There are two missions that can be completed individually. The first one is to eradicate a Goblin lair, and the other is to investigate an abandoned mine."
"Second one." Ash blurted out, eagerness tingling in his veins.
The receptionist, unfazed by his enthusiasm, continued, "The mission to investigate the abandoned mine," she confirmed the request.
The receptionist then handed Ash the mission parchment. Ash took a look at it:
Mission: Investigate the Abandoned Mine
Description: An old mine, abandoned a month ago due to strange occurrences and disappearances among miners. It has stirred up fears in the nearby town. Beware of dilapidated tunnels and aggressive wildlife taking refuge in the mine.
Objective: Explore the mine, investigate the cause of disturbances, and report back.
Reward: 2 Golds; Gratitude of townsfolk; Anything valuable found in the mines.
Ash decided to take on this mission.
-----
Ash pushed open the creaking wooden door, a wave of stale air thick with the scent of damp earth and decay washing over him. The faint echoes of dripping water sounded like whispers in the oppressive silence.
Sunlight, filtered faintly through a gaping hole in the collapsed roof, cast long, skeletal shadows that danced across the uneven ground. He drew his shortsword, its worn leather hilt felt a little cold against his palm, as he cautiously stepped inside.
The air grew colder as he delved deeper into the mine. The tunnels were narrow and barely tall enough for him to stand upright, forcing him to hunch his shoulders.
Rusted mining picks lay discarded on the dirt floor, silent testaments to the miners who had once toiled here. Somewhat rotting support beams hung precariously overhead, their creaking, a constant reminder of the mine's perilous state.
'Chapp... Pttr.. Pttr'
Suddenly, sound of something falling echoed through the tunnel. Ash whipped around, heart hammering in his chest.
A chunk of ceiling plaster the size of a dinner plate plummeted to the ground, narrowly missing his head. Dust motes danced in the sunlight, a testament to the tunnel's instability.
He needed to find another way – this passage was on the verge of complete collapse.
Turning back, Ash scanned the shadows for another tunnel entrance. A faint glint caught his eye. A narrow opening, barely wide enough for him to squeeze through, was hidden beneath a pile of fallen debris.
With a deep breath, he shoved aside the blockades and wriggled his way through the opening, emerging into a slightly wider chamber.
The air here hummed with a low, unsettling buzz. A dozen pairs of beady eyes gleamed in the darkness. Startled, Ash stumbled back, drawing his sword fully. A swarm of bats, disturbed from their slumber by his arrival, launched themselves at him in a flurry of leathery wings and high-pitched squeaks.
Instinct took over. Ash whirled, his sword flashing a silver arc in the gloom. He parried a snapping bite from a monstrous bat with the size of dinner plates.
Another swooped down, its razor-sharp teeth inches from his face. He ducked, slamming his elbow back into the creature's chest, sending it screeching into the darkness.
The confined space hampered his movements. He could barely swing his sword without knocking it against the uneven walls. The bats, emboldened by their numbers, attacked in relentless waves.
Blindly, he swatted at them, feeling the sickening thwack of flesh against metal as he connected with a few. But for every one he struck down, another seemed to take its place.
A sharp pain lanced through his shoulder. A bat had gotten past his defenses and sunk its teeth into his flesh. Adrenaline as well as anger surged through him, fueling a desperate lunge.
He drove his sword into the darkness, feeling the satisfying resistance of bone. The bat shrieked and went limp, releasing its hold. Ash kept moving while also killing as many bats he could.
Remaining bats flew away in another tunnel. The air grew thick with the stench of burnt fur and bat guano.
The buzzing subsided, replaced by the labored panting of Ash and the occasional rustle of leathery wings. Around him, the ground was littered with the fallen bodies of his attackers. He leaned against the wall, his chest heaving, his body slick with sweat and the blood of the fallen creatures.
Wiping the blood from his sword, Ash surveyed the chamber. The only exit appeared to be a narrow tunnel at the far end. He wasn't sure if it would lead him closer to the source of the disturbances or further into danger, but it was the only option he had.
With a newfound resolve, he picked his way over the bat corpses and stepped into the darkness, the unsettling whispers of dripping water once again filling his ears.
Patreon
