Slinging iron

(Narrator Note//: Hey all! Thank you so much for 500 likes on the story! To see my story grow as much as it has already has just been insane and I will keep saying this every time but I am so thankful for each and everyone of you who continue to keep coming back and even to the people who gave it a quick glance, I am forever thankful! ---------------------------------------- I never expected to break 100 views let alone 70k and to break into the top 50 most viewed fantasy stories is such an honour! Now for a small update, we are coming up to the end of what I am calling the "Prologue" block of the story and we'll be heading into the first big adventure soon and along with that will be multiple choices for decisions, some may lead into separate branches and some may bring an abrupt end but that's in the future, for now. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and the remaining prologue chapters!)

IN THE CAVE:

The four are walking around, this time, less stealthily as the first time they were here. They're still prepared however as they have weapons at the ready just in case.

Just then, Amilia, John and Kyuala recognise the room they've just entered, its the room where they first encountered some Darkcross members. They see the dried bloodstains on the ground but one key thing is missing from this picture...

The bodies.

The trio look amongst one another in confusion which Terra sees and so she asks, "What's wrong?".

"Amilia and I, we killed two guards here yesterday. We hid their bodies in the shadows, but now-".

"They're gone" Amilia interrupts Kyuala, a hair-raising silence following her words as they look amongst one another.

"Some other members must've come back and moved the bodies, we need to be on extra high alert" John says.

"You're right, let's keep moving and keep our heads on a swivel" Kyuala says, taking the lead once again as she heads over to an unlit torch sat in a brazier. She then looks to Terra before asking, "Any chance of a light?".

"No need" Terra responds as she taps her staff on the ground, causing the orb at the top of said staff to emanate a bright light.

"Follow my lead" Terra says as she now takes charge, heading out of the room with the others closely behind.

A FEW MINUTES LATER - THRONE ROOM:

The quartet walk into the former throne room of Ivellise, more uneasy than they were a mere 24 hours ago.

They scan the room and see no one, either alive or dead. Fear building in them more as Amilia says, "I'm not the only one who doesn't see anything right?".

"The bodies are gone, again" John comments as he crouches down next to a dried pool of blood.

"What in the Hunt Mother's name is going on here?" Kyuala says obviously rattled by the while situation.

"Amilia, how sure are you that you truly killed Ivellise?" Terra asks.

"Well let's just say, if I drove that sword any deeper into that cunt, it would've came out her ass" Amilia bluntly says, making Kyuala and John crack a small smile in this tense time.

"Thank you for the vivid visual as always Amilia" Terra responds.

"You're sooo welcome sweetheart" Amilia says with a sarcastically flirtatious voice.

The group once again let the eerie silence of the cave settle back in which sends chills up all of their spines. Amilia then speaks up again, "Okay, are these weapons really worth it? It's just a bunch of metal".

Kyuala looks at her cat friend with knowing eyes before using a sarcastic tone of her own "Yeah, just a bunch of pristine Kalær steel lying there. Pretty useless if you ask me".

Amilia's eyes now open wide with shock ad she says, "Wait, Kalær? As in-".

"As in one of the finest steels in the Northern Continents, and decently expensive to boot" Kyuala says, finishing Amilia's sentence for her.

"Woah" Is Amilia's immediate reaction before following up with, "Okay, let's go nab it all before it rusts".

Amilia then walks to the side-opening with a purpose in her step as she now knows what's waiting for them. The others find this amusing, once again, getting a little chuckle out of it as Terra leads the way once again.

THE ARMOURY:

The four walk down the cave system and they come up to the currently blocked entrance of the armoury and Terra moves in front of the former entrance before saying, "Okay, we don't know if anyone is here so this may attract some unfriendly faces".

"We'll be ready, you just be ready to quickly pull it back down if we need" Kyuala replies.

Terra nods her head before turning to face the blocked entrance one again and readies her staff.

Terra takes a breath as she closes her eyes, feeling the magic building within her and then, she begins to incant, "Rís upp frá jörðinni, hreinsaðu veginn!".

Terra's staff then begins to shine brighter than it did before. The carefully carved markings in the staff glowing with magic as the fallen stone begins shaking.

Terra's eyes then open as she thrusts the staff forward and then, the stone blocking the entrance is blown back. The rubble flies back into the armoury, colliding with the other blocked entrance but luckily not doing much damage to it.

"So, the cave-ins were really you then" Amilia comments.

"Why would I lie about that?" Terra replies.

Amilia shrugs her shoulders, "I dunno, thought you were just big-balling yourself but looks like I was wrong, nice work pointy".

Amilia walks past Terra and heads into the armoury as the elf says under her breath, "Don't call me pointy".

The remaining three head into the armoury where Kyuala hands them a bag each before saying, "Alright, grab as much as you can carry. The less left for scavengers, the better".

The group all agree with Kyuala's words as they open their bags and begin to shove in as much weaponry as possible.

Axes, swords, shields along with bows and arrows are all looted like they have an expiration time, shoved into the surprisingly big bags given their outer appearance.

John is clearing the racks of hanging swords into his bag when he hears a familiar hum ring within his ears.

He turns to the right and that's when he sees it...

The armour from the last time they were here.

The faintly glowing armour still sits on its stand, once again gently beckoning for John to come closer, which he does.

John reaches out, extending his finger before slowly moving it toward the taunting chest piece. As his finger just graces the metal, a shock is sent into John's finger, shaking his entire body as he slightly seethes in pain.

He shakes his right hand as the stinging travels upward from his finger into the rest of said hand. John then looks around, seeing the others are still distracted with looting the armoury.

John then looks back at the armour, still almost entranced by it despite the slight electrocution just a moment ago. He then gets an idea about the taking the armour and begins to justify said idea internally,

"Well if I leave it here, it could fall into scavenger hands and it could be dangerous but, if I take it, it'll be safe".

John thinks on it a bit more, quickly looking at the others to see that they're almost done with collecting and so he needs to make a decision quickly.