It was a quiet afternoon in a small, humble village. A few peasant houses lined the trodden road where Sir Francis and two guardsmen sat on their horses, waiting. Up ahead, Sir William conversed with a middle-aged farmer who carried a pitchfork on his shoulder. Sir William remained atop his horse, leaning down slightly to listen as the farmer described the mine's location that they intend to investigate.
"Aye, from the main road, ride ahead until you reach a dead eldar tree," the farmer began, pointing off in the direction they were to go. "Once you see it, leave the road behind and head towards the hill just beyond it, the one in the wood, covered with trees and bushes. You'll need to ditch your horses there," he added, tapping the ground with his boot.
Sir William nodded, listening intently.
"You'll have to climb a bit. Ain't too steep, but enough to slow ya down. At the top, you'll find one of the mine entrances. Can't miss it," the man finished, adjusting the pitchfork on his shoulder.
Sir William thanked him with a polite nod and just when he about to excuse himself, the farmer called out, "Sir Knight!" His tone was urgent, causing Sir William to stop and turn his gaze back.
The man hesitated for a moment before asking seriously, "The mine... ya really head there?"
Sir William nodded slightly. "Yes, we plan to investigate it."
The farmer lowered his head in thought, then looked back up at Sir William, his expression graver. "The villagers... we… we don't dare set foot near that place. Strange things happen there. Rumors of ghostly figures, shadows that ain't cast by the sun... and worse." His voice grew quieter, more ominous. "Demonic entities lurkin', so they say. And recently, some unknown group's been seen usin' the mine as a place of worship."
Sir William raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What do they worship?"
The farmer shook his head, his face pale. "I got no idea, Sir. But whatever it is... it ain't somethin' good. If you ask me, you and your men ought to be careful. That place is cursed, I tell ya." He adjusted the pitchfork nervously. "Best be watchin' your backs."
Sir William gave the man a nod of acknowledgment. The warning weighing heavily on his mind as he rode back to Sir Francis, who raised an eyebrow as he asked, "And?"
"The mine is not far ahead," Sir William replied as he adjusted his position beside Sir Francis. "I'll tell you more along the way." He motioned his horse forward, heading out of the village, and Sir Francis followed, still wearing a puzzled expression. The two guards trailed behind them as they rode deeper into the forest, the occasional wind rustling the leaves and small critters darting into the bushes.
"What?!" Sir Francis exclaimed, wide-eyed.
"That's what he said," Sir William continued, glancing at his friend. "Apparently, the mine is haunted."
Sir Francis let out a small chuckle, shaking his head in disbelief. "A haunted mine? Hah!"
With a teasing tone, Sir William added, "You've fought witches and an army of skeletons before. A haunted mine doesn't seem that far-fetched, does it?"
Sir Francis frowned slightly, pouting as he considered the comment. "Hm, fair enough," he conceded. Sir William gave a small smile, amused by Francis's reaction.
Then, Sir Francis's tone shifted, growing more serious. "There's only one thing bothering me, though," he said, pausing for a moment, deep in thought.
Sir William, sensing the change in mood, listened attentively.
"The farmer mentioned demonic entities and some lunatics using the mine as a worshiping place," Sir Francis continued, his brow furrowing.
Sir William remained silent, but he knew exactly what was on Sir Francis's mind. One name, in particular, loomed in both their thoughts, though neither dared to utter it aloud: Demon Lord Alastair.
Breaking the tense quiet, Sir William spoke firmly, "That's why we need to investigate. Now more than ever."
Sir Francis nodded in agreement. "You got that right."
A towering Eldar tree stood before them, its once mighty branches now leafless and skeletal. The decaying outer bark had stripped away in places, revealing dark, lifeless wood beneath. Sir Francis halted his horse in front of the tree, his eyes scanning it before settling on the seemingly dense, foreboding wood beyond.
"The Eldar tree, just like the farmer said," Sir Francis remarked, his gaze narrowing as he studied the surroundings.
Sir William steadied his horse beside him. "Seems like we need to leave the horses here."
They dismounted, with Sir William instructing one of the guardsmen to stay behind and watch over the horses while the rest pressed forward. After ensuring they were properly equipped, Sir Francis, Sir William, and one guardsman made their way past the Eldar tree, leaving the main road behind as they ventured into the wood.
The guard left with the horses watched as their figures disappeared into the wood.
The wood was eerie, not as expansive as one might expect, but dense, with leafless branches that cast jagged shadows over the ground. Dead leaves carpeted the earth, occasionally rustling underfoot, while thorny bushes and twisted shrubs dotted the landscape. It was unnervingly quiet—no birds, no wind, just stillness.
Sir William led the group, moving cautiously ahead, with Sir Francis close behind and the guardsman trailing them. They moved carefully, holding their swords and using them to clear their path through the dense undergrowth. Suddenly, the guardsman called out from behind.
"Sir, look here," he said, pointing the tip of his sword toward the ground.
Sir Francis crouched, examining the spot where the guardsman indicated. A faint, worn path, clearly made by human footsteps, stood out among the dead leaves.
"Hm..." Sir Francis hummed, deep in thought. "Someone's definitely been here."
"It looks old, though," Sir William added, leaning in to take a closer look. "Perhaps it was made some time ago."
Straightening up, Sir Francis turned his gaze to Sir William. "I'd wager it belongs to those lunatics."
"Perhaps," Sir William acknowledged, nodding thoughtfully.
Without another word, they resumed their trek, pushing deeper into the wood.
Sometimes later...
"I thought it would be bigger," Sir Francis muttered, his tone unimpressed as he stood in front of what appeared to be a dilapidated cave entrance at the foothill. Wooden support beams framed the entrance, though some had collapsed, giving the place an even more weathered look.
Sir William, standing behind him, observed the area keenly. "Looks like part of the support beams gave out," he noted. The entrance wasn't large, just big enough for two grown men to pass through side by side. Unlike a well-crafted door, parts of the cave opening were jagged and broken, making it easy to mistake for a natural cave if not observed carefully.
"This place feels lifeless," Sir Francis said as he scanned the surrounding area. Dead trees and rocks littered the landscape, adding to the desolate atmosphere.
Sir William and the guardsman were busy preparing wooden torches.
"Well, we've got some exploring to do," Sir William said with a smile, his tone tinged with excitement as he handed Sir Francis a torch. Sir Francis returned the smile, matching his enthusiasm.
With the torches lit and their spirits high, the three men entered the mine, Sir William leading the way.
From the cave entrance, they moved through a slightly narrowed shaft, forcing them to go one at a time. Rubble lined the walls, and the air felt thick with dust.
"You're not afraid of spiders, are you, Sir Francis?" Sir William teased light heartedly.
"Tch," Sir Francis muttered, brushing off the comment without a response.
After a while, they emerged into a large open space. The walls rose high around them, and the cavern was large enough for them to linger about. Overhead, a sizable hole let in rays of sunlight, casting an eerie glow that illuminated the cave slightly.
"William," Sir Francis called out, crouching in front of something. Sir William moved steadily toward him. Sir Francis hovered his torch over a pile of burned embers. "Look, someone has definitely been here recently," he said as the light from his torch flickered against the cave walls.
Sir William's eyes narrowed as he noticed something on the wall ahead. "What the..." he muttered, moving closer to examine the markings etched into the stone. "There are carvings on the wall."
Sir Francis approached to get a better look. "Do these looks like magic incantations to you?"
Sir William nodded slowly. "Yes, it seems like it."
Suddenly, from behind them, the guardsman called out, "Sir, you ought to take a look at this." The guardsman pointed toward a hidden area tucked behind a heap of rocks. A large opening with rubble scattered around it became visible.
"It seems new," Sir William observed.
"New?" Sir Francis echoed.
"Look at the rubble. The rocks must've fallen recently, opening a new path." Sir William held the torch up, scanning the area with its flickering light.
A gust of wind suddenly blew from within the opening, causing the flames to dance wildly. The air turned cold, unnaturally cold. Sir Francis and Sir William exchanged glances, both unsettled by the eerie chill.
"The wind... it feels wrong," Sir Francis said, his tone puzzled.
Another gust followed, but this time it carried with it an unmistakable, dark aura—a presence, heavy and malevolent. In an instant, all three men drew their swords, taking defensive stances.
"What the hell was that?" Sir Francis asked, his voice edged with both fear and confusion.
"I don't know," Sir William replied, his voice tense. "But whatever it is, it feels evil."
Sir Francis, showing his characteristic bravery, moved forward cautiously, his sword gripped tightly in one hand, the torch in the other. Slowly, he advanced, scanning the area. A figure became barely visible, its back turned to them, shrouded in darkness.
"You there! State yourself!" Sir Francis commanded, his voice tense, sweat trickling down his forehead.
The figure moved, turning slowly to face Sir Francis, though still barely illuminated by the torchlight. As it crept closer, the light revealed its ghastly form. To Sir Francis's horror, it was unmistakably human, yet not. Its skin was pale, reddish, and sickly, like that of a corpse. Its eyes were soulless white orbs, devoid of pupils, and sparse strands of hair clung to its head. Its clothes were tattered and decayed.
"What the—" Sir Francis began, but before he could finish, the figure lurched forward and let out an eerie, otherworldly sound, not quite a scream, but something far more disturbing.
Behind the figure, several more emerged from the darkness, their eyes glinting in the faint light. Sir William, standing behind, tightened his grip on his sword, equally unnerved by the grotesque sight.
Suddenly, the figures charged toward them with terrifying speed.
"They're coming! Ready yourselves!" Sir Francis shouted, his voice loud and tense as the horde of twisted beings rushed them.
The grotesque looking figure illuminated by Sir Francis's torch lunged at him, its decayed arms reaching out. Unfazed, Sir Francis took a deep breath, planting his feet firmly into the ground and steadying himself. With a quick, fluid movement, he ducked low, his sword slashing forward. The blade pierced through the entity's body, stopping it mid-charge. The creature's arms flailed, still trying to grasp at Sir Francis, but his sword held it at bay. With a powerful kick to the creature's chest, he sent it flying backward, crashing hard into the cave floor.
The whole exchange happened in mere seconds, but Sir Francis knew more were coming. As the other figures rushed toward them, their screeches echoing in the cave, he quickly realized fighting in such tight quarters was a disadvantage.
"We've got to get out of here!" he yelled over the cacophony, turning and sprinting toward Sir William and the guardsman, who were holding a defensive position near the opening.
Without hesitation, they all retreated, moving quickly through the mine's narrow passageway back toward the more open cavern. "Head for the entrance!" Sir Francis shouted, his voice reverberating off the stone walls. He glanced back, heart pounding as he saw multiple figures pursuing them, some crawling on the ground like wild animals, others scuttling along the walls with unnatural, inhuman movements. Their screeches and growls echoed through the mine, filling the air with an unnervingly eerie sound that sent chills down his spine.
One creature came dangerously close from the rear, its shrill screech piercing the air as it neared. Without a second thought, Sir Francis hurled his wooden torch at it. The torch struck the creature's head, flames licking against its pale skin. Unbothered by the fire, the creature only staggered slightly before continuing its relentless crawl forward, undeterred and intent on closing the distance.
Faint light from the mine's entrance came into view, a beacon of hope. "Ah... RATS!" Sir Francis cursed under his breath, pushing himself harder to keep up with Sir William and the guardsman, who were just ahead. Sweat dripped from his temple as they neared the exit.
They launched themselves toward the light, escaping into the open air outside. But just as they did, Sir Francis's foot caught on a loose piece of rubble. He tumbled forward, crashing to the ground and landing on his back with a hard thud.
"Francis!" Sir William called out, concern clear in his voice as he turned to see his friend down.
Sir Francis's instincts kicked in immediately. Still on the ground, he quickly adjusted his body, pointing his sword toward the mine's dark entrance, ready to defend against the onslaught of creatures. But to his surprise, the figures didn't follow.
They stopped, just at the threshold of the cave, hissing and growling, some perched on the walls while others crawled on the ground. Their glowing eyes glinted with malice, but they didn't dare move past the shadowy entrance into the light of day.
Breathing heavily, Sir Francis remained on his back, sword still pointed forward, his heart pounding in his chest. Shock and relief washed over him. The creatures, though fearsome and relentless, were confined to the mine's darkness, unable—or unwilling—to step into the sunlight.
The figures retreated slowly back into the shadows, their hollow eyes never leaving Sir Francis. Sir William stepped over, grabbing Sir Francis by the arm and helping him up. Now standing, Sir Francis's gaze remained fixed on the mine's dark entrance. "What in the gods' name was that?" he muttered, his voice tense and low.
"Whatever they are, they weren't human," Sir William replied, his usual calm shaken, the strain evident in his face. The lone guardsman, standing behind them, was hunched over and panting heavily.
Then, an eerie silence fell over the mine entrance, thick and unsettling. Sir Francis squinted into the darkness.
"Where'd they go?" he asked, his voice a whisper.
Suddenly, from deep within the shadows, a pair of glowing red eyes appeared, staring back at them with a malevolent intensity.
"Francis, you see what I see?" Sir William asked in a hushed tone.
"Yeah…" Sir Francis responded, gripping his sword tighter, lifting it toward the glowing eyes as if to shield himself from whatever horror lurked within.
The darkness inside the mine seemed to pulse, creeping slowly toward the entrance like a living shadow. Sir Francis and Sir William instinctively backed up, unable to tear their eyes away from the glowing stare. Then, without warning, an invisible wave of energy blasted from within the mine. It struck with the force of a gale, though no wind actually blew.
"Wha—" Sir Francis choked, dropping to one knee as his body shuddered under the force, his sword plunged into the ground to steady himself. Sir William stumbled, falling backward but managing to soften his landing with his hands. The guardsman, however, fell hard on his back, beads of sweat forming on his brow as he struggled to sit up.
The red eyes burned brighter for a moment, flickering like embers. Then, just as quickly as they appeared, the eyes faded, retreating into the impenetrable darkness.