Shadow Fiends

There was some worry whether Djarrus would obey his commands but so far there was no indication he would attack as long as you followed behind him. With his huge body, there was no worry of accidentally "passing him" either; however, there did appear to be some concern over whether the cavernous paths would continue providing enough room for him to move through. He had to occasionally duck to avoid stalactites and other rock formation on the ceiling.

If it comes down to the path narrowing, you and the drow agreed to make a break for it and hope that the minotaur wouldn't be able to follow. As shameful as you feel for possibly leaving the minotaur behind without putting him to rest, Djarrus is incredibly understanding. Even if he remains bound, he will put his hope in you and the drow to free him from the mistress.

In the meantime, while he is able to travel with other creatures, he relays more of his story...

"...this mountain wasn't always miserable and filled with negative energy, it was a shelter for us minotaur who worked all day and all night, carving the mountain to build us a refuge...a home.

"We lived here for at least a hundred years, away from the world and we were content with that. I was born midway of my peoples' stay and trained to be a warrior just like many other young minotaurs. I had a family I wanted to protect, but they all perished when the mountain suddenly decided to shake, kicking us out like we were an infection to the body.

"I am not sure what caused the mountain to wake when it did. Perhaps someone or something woke it up and angered it. It is a mystery, but I believe that the mountain didn't expel this misery and madness to everyone on its own..."

Nathraena could not help but speak up, confused. "I assumed your mistress is responsible?"

The minotaur kept focused among the glowing purple cavern and shakes his head.

"The mistresses...came when we all should've been dead. Among the lack of oxygen, madness filling my brothers, and a strange sickness killing us slowly, I was ready to die, but then I felt myself being pulled back. Everything was a blur and it happened too quickly for me to think. I don't even know what my mistress looks like. All I heard was my true name being called, then I was **** to answer.

"None of my brothers or sisters were pulled back to life, only I was and I do not have the slightest clue why. She disappeared quickly before I could ever see her, spilling me my orders. That is how I've been **** to blindly to follow the mistress, acknowledging that she can only be deadly and powerful to bring me back to life; and also have me guard wherever the mountain requires me. I still remember her words...Djarrus, wake...Djarrus, do not let anyone pass...Djarrus, live."

You widen your eyes in shock. "So with a true name, someone can have you live forever?"

Djarrus hums lowly. "It is not a name that is supposed to be given to mortals. It is a name only used by **** itself to **** someone to spill their sins and have them pass on."

Nathraena glances in your direction as you follow slightly behind her. She can immediately tell what you are thinking and she hums, sadly.

"You think that one of these mistresses took your wife by finding her true name?" she asks.

Yeah, that is pretty much what you are thinking.

You close your eyes for a moment and nod. "I can't find any other reason. Before this, I had completely forgotten about the concept of true names. They are believed to be impossible to find and only in the hands of ****."

Oddly, you didn't feel angry or upset. Relief actually filled you and maybe because you worried that you wouldn't get a clear-cut answer of who took Elayna's soul. You came to Madness blinded because it is usually the cause of the unexplained, much like Nathraena's sister and her illness.

The only question is whether one mistress or all of them are at fault. In the dream of the cackling voice, you could not determine if it was a male or female. Perhaps the demon who took your wife didn't even have a gender and was something else.

"Djarrus, stop. Something doesn't feel right," the drow suddenly ordered, pulling you out of your thoughts. The minotaur did as he was ordered and you raise an eyebrow, questioning the drow's order.

You feel a sudden chill overcome you.

"Shit, shadow fiends..." the drow breathed quietly.

The words cause your pupils to dilate. You gasp silently and you move to the drow's side to see what she sees.

There is enough space from the minotaur's massive body to see farther ahead where the purple glow of the caverns stops instantly and is replaced by darkness.

This darkness is different from being an absence of light. No, this darkness looks as if it is moving, engulfing the luminescence of the purple rocks. If it were true darkness, then the glowing of the rocks that surrounds you would gradually dimish, but this darkness was too sudden.

As if to prove your point, you see white eyes flicker within for a moment. Then a gaseous green faded into your view from the darkness like poison. You freeze as the darkness starts to protrude out a creature, slowing taking the form of a wolf that walks on to its four feet.

Darkness Bringers by Exileden

The wolf emits black smoke from its body and it focuses itself on the party in front of it.

It smiles menacingly and begins to attack. As it moves, more fiends escape out of the darkness surrounded by black smoke, each one takes after an animalistic creature, including small dragons.