06
FEB/22
Into the Tomb of Death
From the sands the ruins of a great amphitheater rose. The entire complex surrounded a great sand stung statue. The entire area projected fear. Arnia had to sooth most of the group as they approached the statue, “through the dawns light, you will be safe.” Oni knew few could have withstood that fear without the glory of the Dawnfather. He could feel it, but through practiced breathing could sluff off the panic within himself.
His hand reaching out slowly David touched the statue. He was scanning it again. His face contorted. A pain struck through him. He normally had no change as he scanned objects, but this statue had magics that protected it. It could not stop his visions, but it could make it hard on him. Arnia stepped up and gently placed her hand on his arm. The stiffness of his face and body relaxed. She could sluff off his fear. He started to mumble finally finding words, “The entrance is under this statue.”
Wondering to the end of Arnia’s aura Oni peered out in all directions. He was not worried about the fear he felt. He started his own breathing exercises that Ippi had taught him so many years ago. He watched for other unseen dangers. Arnia and Ixen moved the statue. Oni never looked back but could feel the wings growing from Mar’iya back. He could go down into the temple. Oni was the only one not watching when his screams came from the revealed pit.
David was heading into the darkness of the pit. Oni turned to tell him no, but it was too late. David was already going in to find Mar’iya. His hand reached out as if in habit again missing the ability to stop him. Oni brought in some of the sun glory, “Dawnfather, may your light find them in that dark place.” He could only trust in his friends and the god he served. He moved back to watch the horizon. His duty was to protect their back as the others moved forward. It was good to place the dawn at your back.
After a lifetime Mar’iya arrived at the surface again. He opened a portal, to drag all of them into the tomb. The first couple of rooms were mostly empty, but the tomb itself made the danger clear. Twice it attacked the group with deadly traps. Traps so deadly only by the grace of Lathander did they survive. One small chamber had undead. That room was a trap for the brave. Arnia with her glow charged in. The creatures swarmed her. Their attacks trying to bring her into the realms of the dead, to join the defenders of this place. Without help she would have been lost.
Mar’iya opened a secret door behind a statue revealing a bridge within the tomb. The construction of this place made Oni think of the pyramid. These were all built by the same masters of death. The group moved out into the chamber slowly. Mummies and other creatures came from all directions. The call was to pull back. Everyone pulled back to the door except Mar’iya. He laughed as he went invisible. Oni looked to David, “we need to hold this door.” David spun up his blades. Ixen created a great wall of fire. Luckily the mummies were vulnerable to the fire. Oni filled the last gap. Arnia in her weakened state stepped up to destroy those that made it through. Death could have come at any moment for her, but she brought the glow anyway.