The morning air was cold, the ashfall heavier than usual, turning the world into a swirling haze of grey. Ardyn adjusted his scarf as he surveyed the crude map Grath had sketched in charcoal. The quarry lay southeast, tucked in the shadow of Drakmoor's ancient outer walls. Once a thriving hub of stone and ore extraction, it had fallen under the control of mercenaries who now used it as a base for smuggling and extortion.
Grath stood nearby, his arms crossed as he spoke. "The quarry's not just crawling with mercs; they've fortified the place. Makeshift walls, watchtowers, and at least two dozen men. If you're planning to storm it, you'll need more than guts."
"We don't storm it," Ardyn said, his tone sharp. "We dismantle it."
Grath raised an eyebrow. "And how do you plan to do that, kid?"
"With fire and chaos," Ardyn replied, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
Behind them, Calden shifted uneasily, his bow slung across his back. "You say that like it's going to be easy."
"It won't be," Ardyn said, rolling up the map. "But if we pull it off, we'll have the resources we need to turn this place into a fortress."
Grath grunted, his expression skeptical but intrigued. "You've got nerve. I'll give you that. Just don't expect me to dig your graves if this goes south."
Ardyn ignored the jab, his mind already piecing together the plan. "We leave at dusk. Be ready."
The path to the quarry was long and treacherous, winding through the skeletal remains of old factories and abandoned settlements. The ground was uneven, littered with broken stone and rusted machinery. Ardyn moved cautiously, his eyes scanning for movement in the gloom. Calden and Grath followed close behind, their weapons at the ready.
By the time they reached the quarry's outskirts, the sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows over the jagged terrain. The mercenaries' defenses came into view: a makeshift wall of stacked stone and wood, manned by guards with crossbows. A faint glow of torchlight illuminated the perimeter, and the sounds of clinking metal and distant voices carried through the air.
Ardyn crouched behind a cluster of boulders, motioning for the others to do the same. He studied the defenses, his Tactical Awareness skill feeding him a steady stream of insights.
"Two sentries on the wall," he whispered, his voice low. "One patrolling the north side. No visible traps, but the gate's reinforced."
Grath peered over the rocks, his expression grim. "That's a lot of muscle for a quarry."
"They're protecting more than stone," Ardyn said. "This place is a smuggling hub. Ore, weapons, maybe even relics. They're not just sitting on resources—they're sitting on power."
"And we're going to take it?" Calden asked, his voice tinged with doubt.
"Yes," Ardyn replied. "But we're going to make them destroy it first."
System Notification:
New Task: Infiltrate the Quarry. Reward: Advanced Trap Blueprint – Disruption Network.
Ardyn's smirk deepened as he read the notification. The System's tasks had a way of aligning with his own plans, though he didn't trust the convenience. Still, the reward would be worth the risk.
They moved under cover of darkness, slipping past the sentries with practiced ease. Ardyn's enhanced stealth from earlier tasks made his movements almost soundless, and he signaled for Calden and Grath to follow only when the path was clear.
The quarry's interior was a sprawling network of pits and scaffolding, illuminated by scattered torches. Workers—likely enslaved by the mercenaries—hauled carts of ore under the watchful eyes of armed guards. The faint scent of sulfur lingered in the air, mingling with the acrid smoke of forges.
Ardyn's eyes narrowed as he spotted their target: a stockpile of explosives near the main scaffolding, guarded by two men. It was a gamble, but if they could ignite the explosives, the chaos would draw the mercenaries away from the gate.
"Grath," Ardyn whispered. "Can you set that off?"
Grath followed his gaze, a faint grin tugging at his lips. "Easily. Just get me close enough."
Ardyn nodded, turning to Calden. "Cover us from the scaffolding. If anyone spots us, take them down."
Calden swallowed hard but nodded. "Got it."
The plan unfolded like clockwork. Grath moved with surprising agility for a man of his age, slipping through the shadows until he reached the explosives. Ardyn covered him, his dagger ready as he kept an eye on the guards.
Calden perched on a high beam, his bow nocked and ready. When one of the guards shifted, his arrow flew true, striking the man in the neck. The other guard turned, his shout cut off as Ardyn's dagger found his chest.
Grath worked quickly, setting a crude fuse from the torch he'd brought. He glanced at Ardyn, nodding once before lighting it.
"Time to go!" Grath hissed.
They retreated as the fuse burned, sparks trailing behind them. The explosion came moments later, a deafening roar that shook the ground and sent a plume of fire and debris into the air. Shouts erupted across the quarry as mercenaries scrambled to respond.
Task Complete: Infiltrate the Quarry. Reward Allocated.
Reward: Advanced Trap Blueprint – Disruption Network._
In the chaos, Ardyn led them to the storage area near the northern wall, where crates of ore and supplies were stacked haphazardly. Workers cowered in the corners, too terrified to move.
"Start loading," Ardyn ordered, motioning to Calden and Grath. "We don't have much time."
Grath muttered something under his breath but obeyed, his hands moving with practiced efficiency as he packed ore and tools into sacks. Calden kept watch, his bow drawn as mercenaries ran past, too distracted by the fire to notice them.
By the time the flames began to die down, they were already retreating, their packs heavy with stolen supplies. Ardyn's heart pounded as they slipped through the shadows, the shouts of the mercenaries fading behind them.
The watchtower came into view just as the first light of dawn crept over the horizon. Ardyn dropped his pack near the barricades, his body aching but his mind sharp. Grath and Calden followed suit, their expressions weary but triumphant.
Grath inspected the stolen supplies, his grin widening as he held up a chunk of raw ore. "This'll do nicely," he said. "Better than I expected."
"Good," Ardyn said, his voice steady. "Because this is just the beginning."
Quest Complete:
Secure the Quarry. Reward Allocated.
Reward: Advanced Crafting Tools._
New Quest Available:
Expand the Watchtower's Defenses. Reward: Siege Resistance Modifier.
As the notifications faded, Ardyn's gaze turned to the horizon, where the smoke from the quarry still lingered in the air. The path ahead was clear, but it was far from easy.
"We're not just surviving anymore," he said quietly, more to himself than the others. "We're building something."