Legacy of the Tarot (Laoyon)

As the battle erupted, the trio moved in perfect synchronization, weaving through the barrage of attacks from the wizard and the bowman. Arden somersaulted onto the table, deflecting a steel bolt aimed at Leigh with a quick flick of his mace. He landed in a crouch, rolled fluidly to his feet, and sprinted toward the bowman, closing the distance in seconds. Dominic engaged the wizard, unleashing a tempest of elemental attacks while casting a force field around Leigh.

Leigh sprang from the force field just as a lightning bolt scorched the air behind her. The bowman was quick, retreating southward to maintain distance, but Arden pursued relentlessly, deflecting arrows with calculated swings of his mace. He twisted to the side, narrowly dodging a fireball from the wizard, and vaulted over a counter in the southeast corner of the cavern. Adjusting his grip on the cumbersome weapon, he muttered, "Man, this thing's not built for speed."

As he straightened, his head knocked against something metallic. He blinked, then grinned. "A Talibon?" He gripped the blade and tested its balance, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. "This is just what I need. Hey, bowman!" he called out, hurling the mace toward his opponent. The bowman instinctively dodged, but in that split second, Arden vanished from sight—only to reappear right in front of him. Their eyes locked for an instant, and before the bowman could react, his world turned upside down—literally. His severed head hit the cavern floor before his body collapsed beside it.

With fluid precision, Arden flicked the Talibon toward the wizard. The minotaur instinctively raised a shield to block the incoming blade, but it was a feint. Dominic snapped his fingers, dispelling the protective spell. "Leigh, now!" he commanded.

Leigh launched herself from the cavern wall, her body twisting midair as she propelled herself diagonally toward her target. In the blink of an eye, Venya's gleaming edge pierced straight through the minotaur wizard's heart. A final, gasping snarl echoed through the cavern before the wizard slumped lifelessly to the ground.

Leigh carefully turned the pages of the aged, bloodstained journal she found near Minotaur's lifeless body. The faded ink recounted the warlock's tragic tale:

"I was once Xarnok the Starbound, a proud warlock of the Minotaur Dominion, commanding legions and wielding celestial magic that struck fear into our enemies. I created protective energy fields, rained fireballs upon our foes, and bent the stars themselves to my will. But my own kin feared me more than any enemy. They called my magic unnatural, dangerous... heretical.

During the last great war against the dwarves, they turned on me. Branded a traitor, I was hunted like a beast. Betrayed, wounded, and abandoned, I fled into the depths of the land, seeking refuge where none would follow. That is when I met the trolls of Dreadfang's Clan.

They did not fear me. They did not shun me. They took me in, not as a master, but as an ally. Over time, I taught them magic, and in return, they gave me a place to belong. Among them, I found Garthok, another exile, an archer who refused to let blind loyalty dictate his fate. We became brothers in arms, not as conquerors, but as survivors. Here, in the shadows, we carved our own path.

If fate brings warriors to our door, we will not surrender. We will fight until the last breath is stolen from our lungs."

Leigh exhaled slowly, closing the journal. "He wasn't just a foe," she murmured. "He was a survivor, just like us."

Now, in the heart of the Troll Clan Cave, Xarnok and Garthok stood as the last line of defense against any intruders who sought to disturb their refuge.

As the dust settled, the trio sifted through the remains of their fallen foes. Arden crouched down, picking up a handful of gold coins. "Well, at least this fight had a decent payout," he said, tossing a coin up and catching it effortlessly.

Dominic raised an eyebrow. "You always focus on the gold first. What about these?" He held up a bundle of carrots, inspecting them curiously. "Trolls must have a thing for vegetables."

Leigh smirked. "Better than the usual rotting meat you'd expect down here. Might actually be edible."

She then knelt beside Xarnok's remains and lifted the purple robe, its fabric surprisingly well-preserved. "This must have been his. It's imbued with magic—though nothing too powerful."

Arden picked up the leather legs and helmet, inspecting their worn-out condition. "Standard minotaur gear. Nothing fancy, but they did their job."

A torch lay nearby, still flickering weakly. Arden picked it up and twirled it. "Handy for those of us who don't have magic light floating around them all the time."

Then, something heavier caught his eye—a Horned Mace. He gripped the handle, giving it a few experimental swings. "Now this… this has some weight to it. Not bad."

However, it was the wand that drew Dominic's full attention. He carefully lifted the Wand of Celestial Power, its surface shimmering with faint star-like glows. "This… This is something else."

Leigh's gaze lingered on it. "It's celestial magic. That makes it compatible with Venya." She hesitated. "But I don't use wands."

Dominic smirked. "You will. I'll teach you. You might find it useful in ways you never expected."

Finally, they found a small vial of Magic Potion tucked into the folds of the wizard's robe. Arden picked it up and tilted the glass. "One sip and we're back in the fight. Shame we didn't find this earlier."

Leigh sighed, tucking the potion into her belt. "At least we have it now. Let's keep moving. Something tells me this cave still has more to reveal."

Arden gathered the rest of the items and carefully packed them into a leather backpack. "No point in leaving good loot behind," he said with a satisfied grin, slinging the bag over his shoulder. "Let's see what else this place is hiding."

Dominic wandered to the east side of the altar cavern and was met with a foul stench of blood. "Hey guys, you might want to see this," he called out. Leigh and Arden quickly joined him, their expressions tightening as they stepped into a smaller cavern. At its center lay a Sacrificial Stone, its surface darkened with dried blood, the air thick with the remnants of past rituals.

To the northeast, two chests sat against the wall, their wood splintered with age. Arden pried one open and found a knife, its edge dulled but still serviceable. "Someone used this for more than just carving meat," he muttered.

Meanwhile, Leigh examined the southern side of the cavern, where a dusty tome rested on a pedestal. Brushing away the grime, she read the title aloud: "Rituals of the Ancient Trolls." A shiver ran down her spine as she flipped through the brittle pages. "This might give us some insight into what was happening here. Arden, put this in the backpack."

With the unsettling discovery fresh in their minds, the group made a decision. "We'll use this cave as our base while we train in Laoyon," Leigh declared. "But first, we clear every cavern of threats."

Arden nodded, tightening the straps of his pack. "Then let's get to work."

With that, they retraced their steps, heading back toward the ladder that led to the first floor, ready to claim the cave as their own.

Arden climbed up first to scout the upper floor, his eyes scanning the area before spotting an axe resting on top of a studded shield. He called down, "You can come up now."

As the others emerged from the ladder hole, Arden inspected the axe and shield but left them in place. Leigh smirked, crossing her arms. "Not taking them? That's unusual."

Arden shrugged. "This will be our base anyway. I'd rather keep them here and remember their location. If intruders come, I'll know exactly where to grab a weapon without wasting time."

The group proceeded, navigating a narrow pathway until they reached a fork. At the southern path, a poison field intrigued them. Dominic activated a Poison Shield, allowing them to explore. However, they found a dead-end—except for a faint noise beyond the cavern wall. Leigh noted the spot on her mini-map, ensuring they'd return later. Arden gave an approving nod. "You're good at this."

Moving north, they reached another fork, only to be ambushed by a group of Trolls led by a Chieftain. The battle was swift, their teamwork flawless. After eliminating the threat, they advanced east, emerging into a familiar chamber. "We're back where we found those two beds near the big stone," Leigh observed, marking it down. "This means the step hole to the south loops back to the ladder hole at the east."

Continuing their survey, they explored further east and came upon a wooden door. Arden spotted a trough of water nearby and tested it. "It's drinkable. I wonder where they get their fresh water supply."

They returned to the wooden door and pushed it open, revealing a dark corridor. Almost immediately, bugs, rats, and bats swarmed them. "No wonder we didn't see any insects in the rest of the cave. They were all hiding here!" Dominic grumbled as they fought off the infestation, clearing the area.

Deeper inside, they discovered a spring of spiritual water. Leigh crouched beside it, dipping her fingers in. "Looks like we found our fresh water source."

After securing the area, they shut the wooden door and turned their attention north. The path led them to another clearing, where they encountered yet another group of Trolls. The fight was swift, their movements seamless. Advancing forward, they reached another clearing, and realization dawned upon them—they were now at the first wooden entrance of the cave, just below the ruined house where their first night in Laoyon.

"And that completes the survey of our base," Leigh confirmed, satisfied.

Dominic stepped forward, examining the sign on the right-side wall of the entrance. With a grin, he renamed the cave: "The Silent Peak Cave."

Arden chuckled. "Fitting name. Now, let's start making this place truly ours."

The trio spent their second day cleaning and organizing their new home. They modified the two barracks below, designating them as separate male and female quarters, each equipped with bathrooms. Thanks to Dominic's playful yet efficient magic mastery, the process was swift and convenient.

Arden ventured outside to hunt for game, while Leigh and Dominic focused on cleaning and preparing the kitchen for storing their food supplies. To preserve their provisions, Dominic conjured a wall of ice around the crates, ensuring their stock remained fresh for longer.

During their exploration, they stumbled upon the remains of Memen—the original owner of the leather backpack Arden had been using. Alongside him lay four other human corpses they found in the sacrificial cavern. The discovery confirmed their suspicions: Memen and his companions had been explorers who met a grim fate in the cave.

With solemn determination, the trio crafted four coffins, giving the fallen adventurers a final place to rest. Leigh placed a simple marker by their graves, ensuring their memory would not be forgotten. 

They spent their second night in Laoyon inside their new base, celebrating with a heartfelt dinner together. The discussion confirmed their belief that civilization existed within Laoyon, fueling their determination to begin their exploration the following day.

As the night deepened, each of them retired to their rooms, but Leigh remained awake, her curiosity pulling her toward the artifacts she had personally recovered from the cave. She laid them out carefully: a wooden hand mirror, a watch, a blank scroll, and several ancient books. Picking up one of the books, she flipped through its brittle pages, her eyes narrowing as she came across a passage about Goblens.

Her thoughts immediately turned to the Goblen statue they had seen in the Altar Cavern. She ran a finger over the faded text, deep in thought. "There has to be a connection between Xarnok the Starbound and the Goblens mentioned in this book," she murmured to herself, gripping the tome tighter.

Determined to uncover the mystery, she marked the page and set the book aside, knowing that tomorrow would bring new revelations.