The Wandering Spire

This was exciting! Jeze thought to herself as the teenager scaled a jagged wall high above the chamber below. Her strong, wiry arms and legs held her small frame against the stone as she climbed up inch by inch. Jeze had left her dark reinforced padded armor and heavy pack below in order to make the treacherous ascent. Her Team looked up in dreaded anticipation.

"Are we sure there was no other way?" Mikal, the skinny dark-haired Healer, asked.

The other shushed him as this topic was already discussed. The decision was made, and Jeze was high above them, and it didn't make sense for her to climb down without first completing her task.

"She is a Knucklehead," Ziplcoke observed and shook his tiny green bald head.

It was odd that the two occasionally agreed, considering that they both vehemently disliked each other. Jeze reflected and blew a stray dark bang from her face and returned her attention back to the mechanism above her. For the past several hours, Jeze and her Team traveled through the twisting corridors and hallways of the first level of the Wandering Spire. The passageways were sometimes narrow, where they had to walk in a single file, and other times, they were wide enough for everyone to be at arm's length from each other with room to spare. On occasion, they would pass through rooms that were circular with high ceilings, and other times, the rooms would be square with jagged walls. In some parts, the ground was made out of polished brick, and at other times, it was rugged dirt. There was no rhyme or reason to the level's design.

"Do you have enough light?" Dunar called out.

The broad-shouldered Team Leader was holding up Jeze's glowing globe that illuminated the long chamber they were in. His heavy armor jingled as he shifted his weight nervously and he made sure to not step on the pressure plates that Jeze discovered earlier. The Team was located at one end of the chamber and the other end was shrouded in darkness outside the radius of the magical globe.

"I'm fine," Jeze called back.

She was hanging precariously from the small hand and footholds made from the uneven, jagged surface of the wall. Just above her was a chain connected in between two winches. The only part of the trap's mechanism that was visible, and Jeze felt she was lucky to have spotted it from below. It had been a painstakingly slow trot through the tunnels, caverns, and passageways. So far, Jeze successfully disabled two Rune traps and one mechanical trap. She triggered one bolt trap and was lucky to have dodged the deadly missile. However, despite that one mishap, she was confident in her ability to spot and disarm mechanical traps. Ziplocke, however, was not amused as the bolt almost struck him. The small Goblin Familiar was now on Helga's muscular shoulder and clung to the Striker's braided blonde hair next to her visored helm.

Jeze carefully retrieved her wrapped toolset and placed it on a small ledge just beneath the chain and two winches. She moved her body so that her weight rested firmly on her legs. It was precarious, but it allowed her to use her hands. Jeze studied the mechanism in front of her. Earlier, she discovered several pressure plates on the ground below and cautioned the group from going further. Jeze was not sure if she would be able to spot all of the cleverly concealed plates. So she searched around, and that was when she discovered the chain and winches. Jeze deduced that when the pressure plates were pushed down, it would trigger a series of mechanisms that ultimately resulted in the chain being pulled to open up the ceiling and drop boulders on the unsuspecting adventurers below. That was her best guess, at least, and they didn't have any other option.

Going through this chamber was the only way forward for them. Unless there were some hidden doors that they missed along the way. Jeze shook that thought out of her head. She needed to be focused on the task at hand. With steady hands, she used her tools to dismantle the winch that was connected to the ceiling. After several moments, Jeze was able to disconnect the piece, and it hung loosely from the short chain. Jeze looked around and decided there was nothing else that could be done. The trap door above the chamber was disconnected and wouldn't open. So she hoped. Jeze climbed down to join her Team.

"Well? Is that it?" Dunar asked.

Jeze could see the concern in his dark eyes through his visored Frostsworn helm that protected the top half of his face while leaving his clean-shaven jaw and mouth visible. She nodded. The Team moved back while Rolfe and Helga stepped forward. The two powerfully built warriors were holding heavy stones that they had retrieved from an earlier passageway. They threw them onto the pressure plates. The bricks sunk to the ground with a click. There were several more rumblings under the ground, and the Team flinched as the chain above them snapped against the stone wall. Because Jeze had disconnected it from the ceiling, nothing happened. She grinned at her Team.

"The way is clear," Jeze announced with a bow.

"Ya! Very good!" Helga exclaimed as she ruffled the Scout's hair.

Jeze donned her armor and pack, and the Team continued down the chamber. They stepped on several more pressure plates that made no sound as the mechanism was already triggered. That was until they were at the end of the chamber. Jeze felt the stone sink beneath her and heard the horrifying series of clicks.

"Run!" She roared.

The Proven ran ahead toward the exit as the ceiling above them gave way to an avalanche of heavy stones that tumbled and crashed to the ground behind them. A cloud of dust engulfed them, and they turned to see a rubble-strewn chamber.

"Well, that was fun!" Jeze exclaimed.

"Knucklehead," Ziplocke hissed.

"By the grace of the Frozen all Father, we are still alive," Mikal muttered.

"We are here, and that is all that matters. Good job, Scout!" Helga exclaimed.

"Aye!" Rolfe echoed as he thumped his spear against his round shield.

Dunar updated the map he was making and he studied it. The Team made slow progress as the team Leader often stopped to document their travels. He compared his findings with the drawings they collected from the adventurers that ventured the first level before them. The Team Leader shook his head.

"I do not believe we have traveled the paths of the others," he observed.

"How big is this place?" Helga demanded. The warrior maiden was itching for a fight.

Rolfe, the Team's giant Protector, nodded his helm-covered head in agreement. They were constantly on edge for an ambush or a trap that weighed heavy on their psyche. Jeze resumed scouting ahead of the group. They traveled through several more chambers, some of which were illuminated with red torches that gave off no heat. Jeze had tried to collect them, but the flames went out when they were removed. Jeze shrugged at that, but it was not a worry since the Team had enough magical illumination to meet their needs. They entered a twisting corridor when Jeze heard a sound that sent shivers down her spine.

"Hold up," she cautioned.

Her teammates paused and cocked their heads to listen.

"What is that noise?" Dunar whispered.

"Is that laughter?" Rolfe asked.

Ziplocke snickered. "It is madness!" The Goblin shrieked with glee.

The laughing echoed from the corridors ahead of them, and it lacked mirth or joy. It went at reverberating intervals from giggles to loud outbursts as if the individuals had no control over it. Jeze nodded and understood what Ziplocke had meant. What they heard were people afflicted with madness.

"Could those be the missing adventurers?" Mikal asked.

Ziplocke giggled and responded, "Could be!"

"This is not funny, Demon!" Mikal snapped and turned to his teammates, "We need to help them."

"Aye," Dunar replied with a nod.

"How? Hmm? How can you help them?" Ziplocke asked.

"You know the Affliction aspect. Tell us how to undo the curse," Jeze stated.

The Goblin crossed his thin arms and huffed. Jeze sighed and dug into her pack for his paste.

"Really? Have you no compassion?" Mikal asked.

Ziplocke hissed at the Healer and observed, "One drawback from you mortals is that you have a few that are pure and holy. So gross!"

The Goblin perked up when Jeze offered him a spoonful of paste. He loudly slurped it up.

Ziplocke's ears pulled back against his head and he said with a sulk, "I am sorry I can not help you. Us Goblins specialize in pranks and jokes. Not madness. That is the realm of Imps or even worse beings that you better pray are not here."

"You can't or you won't help us?" Mikal growled.

"I will not lie to you, human," Ziplocke snapped.

"He can't. It is against our bond," Jeze stated.

"Then we best find a portal so that Jeze can turn it into a Safe Zone. After that, we can lead the poor souls outside where I'm sure they can find help," Dunar stated.

The others agreed, except Ziplocke. The Goblin shook his head and cautioned, "I would be careful if I were you. Those afflicted with Madness can be very dangerous."

"Nothing more can be achieved from talking, correct? Let us keep moving and face the challenges with bravery," Helga boasted.

"Hurrah!" Rolfe exclaimed and thumped his shield.

The others nodded and echoed, "Hurrah!" The cheer dispelled their fears.

Ziplocke rubbed his face and muttered, "Knuckleheads."

Jeze went ahead and resumed scouting. She turned a corner and stopped with a gasp. Jeze covered her eyes and turned back to the others.

"What is it?" Dunar asked.

The large leader readied his axe and sword. He slowly lowered his weapons with numb hands at what he saw.

"By the Frozen all Father," Mikal said softly. The Healer made a gesture to ward off evil spirits.

"I count three bodies. That means two might still be alive," Dunar observed.

The room was a small circular chamber with two other exits that branched off into adjacent tunnels shrouded in darkness. There was a cooking fire still going with a pot, and it appeared that a team was about to eat before the massacre occurred. Three mutilated corpses were strewn across the floor with their innards and limbs scattered about. Rolfe, with a determined look on his face, entered the chamber. The giant man knelt before one of the bodies.

"The blood is still fresh," he observed.

"Be on the lookout," Dunar ordered.

Helga hefted her Dane axe in two hands and surveyed the room. "Look at that!" She exclaimed.

On one of the walls, words were written in blood. "What does that mean?" Rolfe asked with horror etched upon his face.

The words were scrawled haphazardly and read: "I must kill everyone to settle the echoing drums that beats in my ears. Make it stop! MAKE IT STOP!!!!"

"It is evil magic," Mikal answered quietly.

Even Ziplocke was subdued by the message. Laughter echoed from the tunnels, its location indeterminable. With the ease of a well-practiced team, they gathered into formation with Rolfe in the front and center. The giant Protector held his spear and shield, and Helga stood to his right with her Dane axe ready. Dunar was on Rolfe's left with axe and sword. Behind the three was Mikal with his spear and Jeze with her battle axe and long knife. The laughter grew louder, but it was unclear from which tunnel it came from.

"We will face and defeat this evil," Dunar promised.

"Hurrah!" The others cheered.

Rolfe thumped his spear against his shield. Despite the maniacal laughter and the fear in their hearts, the Proven were excited to face this challenge.