The sun gleamed through a thick layer of dark gray rain clouds, casting a shadowed glow over the Tenebryan camp. The chill of the approaching winter seeped through the air, biting at the exposed skin of the soldiers preparing for the mission. Arden stood in the middle of the camp, his sharp eyes scanning the working soldiers. He was dressed in his dark leather armor, every piece meticulously placed to maximize both protection and mobility. Beside him, Lyra and Sarvin, two of his most trusted Adders, adjusted their gear in silence.
The rest of the team gathered nearby: Finnian, a slender male human with knowledge of dwarven tunnels, and Elara, the young healer with a determined glint in her eyes. The Blackthorn brothers, renowned for their resourcefulness and intelligence-gathering skills, stood a little apart, exchanging quiet words. Each member was handpicked for this mission, their skills vital for the success of the rescue operation.
General Ninloth approached the group, his presence commanding respect. Instead of his usual plate armor, he was wearing dark brown colored leather armor this time, similar to the Adders' armor except for the color. His expression was grave but resolute, reflecting the weight of their task. He gave a curt nod to Arden, acknowledging the dark elf's readiness.
"Is everyone prepared?" Ninloth's voice cut through the cold air.
Arden stepped forward, his voice steady. "We are, general. The Adders are ready to move out." Then he raised an eyebrow at the general's unusual leather armor. It was smart of him to at least think such a mission that required stealth would require such a change in armor instead of the noisy plate armor. ''Are you sure you want to join us?'' The dark elf asked even though determination could be read openly on the general's face. ''We are risking losing our general too.''
Ninloth ignored the question. ''We move now,'' he said instead. ''Time is of the essence. We cannot afford any delays."
The team set off, moving swiftly and silently through the forest. The dense trees and underbrush provided ample cover, but they remained vigilant, knowing that any sound could give them away. The sunlight filtered through the canopy, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor.
As they neared the border of dwarven territory the sun started to descend and the forest gave way to rugged, rocky terrain. The ground beneath their feet became uneven, and the air grew colder, carrying the scent of earth and stone. They reached the entrance to a narrow, hidden valley, the gateway to the dwarven tunnels.
Finnian signaled for the team to halt. He crouched down, examining the ground for signs of movement. "This is it," he whispered. "The entrance to the tunnels should be just ahead." He stepped forward, his eyes scanning the landscape. He pointed to a cluster of rocks partially obscured by overgrown vegetation. "There," he said softly. "That's the entrance. The dwarves use it for mining operations."
Ninloth motioned for the team to move forward. They approached the rocks cautiously, keeping low and making as little noise as possible. Finnian and Lyra worked together to clear the vegetation, revealing a narrow opening that led into the depths of the earth.
Arden turned to his team, his voice low but firm. "We go in quietly and stick to the plan. Finnian, lead the way. Elara, stay close to the center. Blackthorn brothers, watch our flanks. Let's move."
The team descended into the tunnel, the darkness swallowing them as they ventured deeper. The air grew damp and musty, the walls slick with moisture. The only light came from the faint glow of enchanted stones embedded in the tunnel walls, casting an eerie, bluish light.
Finnian led them through the labyrinthine passages with practiced ease, his knowledge of dwarven mining techniques guiding their way. The tunnels were narrow and winding, the ceilings low enough to force them to stoop in places. The sound of their footsteps echoed softly off the stone walls, a constant reminder of the risk they were taking.
After what felt like hours, they reached a wider chamber, the heart of the dwarven mining operation. The chamber was filled with the sounds of pickaxes striking stone and the murmur of dwarven voices. The glow of torches illuminated the space, revealing carts filled with ore and piles of tools.
Ninloth signaled for the team to stop. Arden motioned for the Blackthorn brothers to scout ahead, their expertise in stealth and reconnaissance essential for navigating the heavily guarded area. The brothers slipped into the shadows, their movements almost invisible in the dim light.
Minutes later, they returned, their expressions tense. "The main passage to the fortress is heavily guarded," one of the brothers, Rael, whispered. "There's no way we can get through without being detected."
Ninloth frowned, his mind racing for a solution. "We need a distraction," he said quietly. "Something to draw their attention away from the passage."
Arden nodded, his eyes glinting with determination. "Leave that to us, General. We'll create a diversion. The majority of them are only miners, after all. Once the guards are distracted, you and the others can make your way through the passage. We will try to join you once we get rid of the guards problem."
Ninloth eyed Arden for a moment then placed a hand on his shoulder, his grip firm. "Be careful. We can't afford to lose anyone on this mission."
Despite the rough situation they were in, Arden gave the general a half smirk. "We'll be fine, General. Just make sure you get to return with Berdine in one piece."
Arden and the Adders moved into position, carefully placing explosive charges in strategic locations around the chamber. The charges were small but powerful, designed to create chaos and confusion without causing a cave-in. Once everything was set, Arden gave the signal, and the team retreated to a safe distance.
The explosions went off in rapid succession, the sound echoing through the tunnels. The chamber erupted into chaos, dwarves shouting in confusion and alarm. Smoke and dust filled the air, obscuring visibility and adding to the confusion.
Ninloth and Finnian took advantage of the distraction, slipping through the now unguarded passage. They moved quickly and silently, their senses heightened by the urgency of their mission. The tunnel twisted and turned, leading them deeper into the heart of the fortress.
Finally, they reached a massive iron door, the entrance to the dwarven stronghold. Ninloth signaled for them to halt, his eyes scanning the surroundings. "This is it," he said softly. "Beyond this door lies the fortress. Stay sharp and be ready for anything." He drew his short swords, ready to attack then motioned Finnian to open the door.
Finnian nodded and stepped forward, his hand resting on the iron door. With a deep breath, he pushed it open, leading the both of them into the unknown.
As soon as they opened the door, they came face to face with two dwarven guards apparently guarding the entrance. The guards seemed surprised to see them, though. Taking this advantage Ninloth lunged with his swords cutting a deep gash at the guard's side avoiding the massive war hammer coming towards him. Then he finished the guard with a sword into his chest.
The other guard ran away to blow the horn he took from his belt but Finnian engaged him with the agility of a true Adder and he grabbed the guard's long beard and finished him before he could blow into the horn.
Ninloth pulled his sword from the male dwarf's chest as Finnian looked up to the end of the corridor which was split into two other corridors and examined the walls. ''The dungeons shouldn't be too far. '' He said as he placed an ear on the moist wall. ''I hear footsteps. Let's head to the left.''
Ninloth nodded and together they slipped into the semi-darkness of the left corridor.
At the same time, Arden and his team were on a killing spree. Dead dwarf miners lay everywhere. Guards, unable to see clearly in all the dusty fog caused by the explosives, fell to their blades. Yet, alerted by the explosions and the horns some dwarves managed to blew in the chaos, more dwarven soldiers poured in.
Arden let out an angry growl, similar to a predator, as he jumped at the back of a dwarven soldier from between large rocks and pierced her back. Blackthorn brothers fought in unison, using distracting darkness powder to vanish from sight then strike from the darkness where the dwarves could not predict where they would emerge from. Elara stood a few steps away, monitoring the assassins' moves to heal them when necessary. She tried to remain closer to Arden to avoid any danger as the dark elf assassin cut down dwarves one by one, his bloodthirst overtaking him even more with each kill.
When the chaos in the mine finally subsided, Arden stood in the middle, out of breath, with blood running down him everywhere. The rest of the team paused as well, trying to catch their breaths.
Lyra tucked a bloody strand of hair behind her ear. ''Is everyone okay?'' she asked as she looked around. ''Commander,'' she looked at Arden standing there and breathing heavily. ''We should move on.''
Arden did not reply as the rest of the team murmured their agreement. He just stood there, his face painted with dwarven blood, narrowing his eyes at nowhere. He had lost the count of how many dwarves he had killed yet he still wanted more. He wanted to draw blood from every single dwarf in the fortress himself. That was exactly what he was planning to do should they find out Berdine was dead.
Footsteps started to echo towards them. Sarvin's feline ears twitched towards the sounds. He reached Arden and placed a bloody hand on his shoulder. ''Commander,'' he whispered wanting to snap Arden out of his situation. ''More are coming. What is our next move?''
Arden took a deep breath and looked at Sarvin, his amber eyes still narrowed. ''We will use stealth and join Ninloth and Finnian.'' Even though he chose stealth as their next advancing strategy, deep down he wished more dwarves would intercept their way.