131 The Descen (2/2)

This act secured our entire convoy a path into the city beyond.

Looking up at the double doors as they opened to let us pass, I took note of their morbid carvings of skulls piled on top of each other, as if warning all who were about to step through that they should abandon all hope. Only death could be found here.

Although not as poetic, Luca shared my sentiments. He summed up my thoughts in four simple words, \”Well that's just creepy…\”

\”The place is called the Undercroft, dude,\” I replied.

While the entrance certainly exuded an air of creepiness, the city beyond didn't share that atmosphere. It had a different kind of evil vibe.

The very wide sandstone street led into a city hewn out of the obsidian cavern's inner walls. Obsidian mansions that would rival Broken Sellsword's Canyon rose up like works of art which were interspersed between rough-hewn stone dwellings piled precariously atop one another like uneven Lego blocks. It gave off a beehive type feel to the place.

The cavern's ceiling high above us was full of hanging stalactites that had been embedded with the now-familiar glow of light-emitting gemstones. For those who looked above, it gave off the illusion of a brightly lit starry night sky.

These same gemstones could be found at intervals along the city streets and alleyways, and like spotlights, they lit up what seemed to be the city's number one trading product—slaves.

Wherever we looked, we found slaves. Some in cages piled on top of each other like in Broken Sellsword's Canyon. Others were lined up along the street like they were wares from a stall. Men, women, children, fairy, human, whatever slave one might ask for, they were there.

As we rode our swiftharts along the main street, I could visibly see Luca bristling at my side. It was all he could do not to reach for the hilt of his greatsword.

\”Luca, remember why we're here,\” I whispered. \”We can't cause a scene…\”

\”I know, he answered through gritted teeth. \”Doesn't mean I have to like it…\”

I take back what I'd said earlier about my brother whining less about his condition. And I honestly couldn't blame him. Not when a sight like the one we could see all around us made my own blood boil.

There was very little time left in the night to search such a large city, so once Shanks had led our convoy into the wide courtyard of an obsidian mansion he called the merchant's guild, I decided it was time to order people around.

Luca's and Ashley's squads would remain at the merchant's guild with Shanks and our convoy. They would continue to act as Shanks' mercenaries and help with whatever he needed like unloading cargo.

I'd tasked Ashley with getting info from the merchants inside the guild. Perhaps we'd get info on a special kind of product like Ty apparently was.

This was assuming he hadn't been sold yet to someone outside the city, although it did seem in my vision that he was somewhere in the Undercroft.

It also helped if Luca could calm down while inside the merchant's guild. At the very least, he'd be away from all the slaves.

\”What of us?\” Thom asked after I'd relayed my instructions to Ashley.

\”You guys do what you do best,\” I said, pointing up. \”Take to the shadows and be my eyes and ears in this city. I want to know everything that's happening within the next forty-eight hours.\”

\”We can do that,\” he chuckled softly.

Then he stepped back and literally vanished into the shadows behind him. His eighteen other comrades followed suit.

Chills went up my spine as I watched them disappear one at a time.

Honestly, they weren't this adept at it before, but ever since the last war, you could say Thom's Hazy Moon had gotten way stronger. Gliding in the air wasn't their only forte now. Not that they weren't good at stealth to begin with, but their shadoweave cloaks just made them way more awesome at it than the rest of our unit.

Enna was the last to vanish, and unlike her cousin who always liked to make fun of me, she actually nodded her head to me before she disappeared.

After the drow left, I told Qwipps to send his talons around the city posing as potential buyers in shops and inns.

\”Anything in particular you want us to shop for?\” Qwipps asked in a lazy tone.

\”Detailed maps, supplies, and interesting items you come across, I want to know what they are,\” I glanced from Qwipps to Pike who I trusted more to get the job done. \”Mostly, I want you to familiarize yourself with the streets… their quirks, shortcuts, stuff like that. In case we need an escape route.\”

Pike spared a glance at Luca's retreating form, frowning as she watched his slumped shoulders. Then she turned her gaze on me and nodded.

\”We'll get the job done, Dean,\” she said.

Quick as you please, she grabbed onto Qwipps' arm, leaving him barely any room to stutter, and lifted off with him in tow.

I could hear him yell, \”Muddamit!\” while the rest of his forces joined him.

\”And us?\” Aura asked, nodding toward Varda and the remainder of the forces gathered which included both magicians and kobolds.

\”You lot are with me. I want to try using Eagle Vision while we tour the city, and I'll leave a few of you behind to scout out any points of interest we come across,\” I explained.

\”Sounds good to me, Commander,\” Varda nodded.

\”With me as well, sir,\” Thor barked.

\”Good, now let's—\”

My line of thought had been interrupted by the sight of two lanky, identically looking teenage boys stepping out of the merchant guild's front doors. It was the McCord Twins.