Six had entered, but now, only five were walking out.
They hadn't faced a single monster, and yet, the Chains had already taken from them.
They stepped through the open doorway in silence, the heavy weight of Ola's absence clinging to them like ash in the air.
Not one word passed between them.
Behind them, the great stone door began to close.
Grrrrk...
Thud!
The sound echoed through the corridor like the final beat of a heart.
The light of the chamber had been sealed away behind the stone door. So was Ola.
And right in front of them was another staircase. This one was steep, and carved directly into the Chain's inner wall, its path vanishing into darkness above.
Ragnar didn't move.
He walked to the nearest wall and slumped against it, his back pressing into the cold stone.
He didn't say anything.
None of them did.
Bjorn sat on a step nearby, hunched over, axe across his knees.
Astrid leaned against the wall opposite Ragnar, her eyes dark and unreadable.
Erik crouched quietly, his expression blank, fading away from their attention.
And Ulf sat at the foot of the staircase, his usual grin nowhere to be found.
The silence stretched between them like it was another member of their party.
Finally, Ulf broke it.
His voice was quiet, like he didn't want to disturb the air around them.
"We all knew something like this would happen."
No one looked at him, but no one disagreed.
"This place… it was never going to be fair. Never going to let us walk through without taking something."
Ragnar's fists clenched at his sides.
"But that's why we're here, right?" Ulf's voice grew clearer. "We're not doing this for ourselves."
He turned slightly toward Ragnar.
"We're doing this because we were born without a choice. Because our people were chained. Because no one else ever made it this far."
It was as if they'd been doused with cold water.
"Ola knew that." Ulf said. "And she chose to be the one who paid the price."
Ragnar looked up slowly, meeting Ulf's eyes.
"She believed in you." Ulf continued, softer now. "We all do."
Ragnar exhaled, the tightness in his chest loosening just enough to breathe.
He looked at each of them.
At Astrid, who stood, unmoving but listening.
At Erik, silent but present.
At Bjorn, who gave him a single, quiet nod.
At Ulf, who waited.
Ragnar stood.
The others followed.
He looked up at the darkness that shrouded the stairs above.
"Let's go."
No more words were needed.
Bjorn took his place at the front, lifting his axe. They all drew their weapons, ready for anything the Chains had to throw at them.
And together, they began to climb.
The incline was at a sharp angle, as if the Chain itself wanted to make them bleed just to rise. The silence continued, but it was different now, this time, less heavy and more focused.
Minutes passed in the climb. Sweat gathered. Breaths deepened.
Then, at last, they reached the top.
A narrow corridor stretched out before them, long and lit by torches.
"No hall this time?" Ulf spoke, his voice quiet, as if he didn't want to disturb whatever peace the corridor had.
"Stay alert." Bjorn's voice rumbled. "The Chains might send anything at us."
As they walked, their footsteps echoed against the stone, as if signalling their location to whatever monster was around.
The air was growing colder again. Heavier.
They moved in silence, their eyes snapping to every shadow created by the flickering torches. No one knew where the next attack would come from.
Then the passage branched. A sharp turn left.
Bjorn raised a hand.
The group halted.
He stepped forward, his axe low, then nodded.
They turned the corner cautiously, following the corridor to wherever it was taking them.
After a few minutes and more corners, there was nothing else in the corridors with them, until the sound of clicking claws on stone reached their ears.
Their guard was up, their eyes peeled for whatever was coming.
The clicking sound was followed by sniffing, and growling.
The monsters slowly emerged from the shadows ahead, stepping into the torchlight one after the other.
Three Nightshades.
Snarling, twisted things of lean muscle and blackened fur, their red eyes glowing like embers in a pit.
The one in the middle growled, low and guttural. Then it lunged.
"Positions!" Bjorn barked.
The team moved instantly.
Astrid stepped forward, axe flashing, catching the lunging Nightshade across the shoulder. It howled, stumbling.
Ragnar surged in from the side, already activating Rend. His axe shimmered faintly as a thin veil of energy coated the blade.
The second Nightshade rushed in from the left.
Ulf leapt forward, intercepting it with a roar. His blade clashed with its teeth, holding it at bay.
Ragnar turned, stepped into his swing, and slashed across the first Nightshade's neck.
The creature twisted away, snarling, but blood sprayed from the wound, deep and brutal.
The third Nightshade lunged at Bjorn.
Erik appeared behind it.
No one had seen him move.
He dragged his dagger across the beast's hind leg before vanishing back into the shadows.
The creature staggered mid-leap, and Bjorn met it head-on, slamming the flat of his axe into its face.
Astrid turned back to the wounded first Nightshade, slicing at its leg.
It yelped, distracted.
"Now!" Ragnar shouted.
He stepped forward and drove his axe into its chest.
Crack.
Bone gave way.
The beast collapsed, twitching.
Ulf dodged under a swipe from the second Nightshade, then kicked it in the ribs, sending it staggering back toward Ragnar.
Ragnar spun, Rend still active, and delivered a rising slash from jaw to eye.
The Nightshade's head snapped back, and Ragnar brought the axe down once more, this time splitting the skull.
Blood sprayed across the stone floor.
Two down.
The third was still fighting, snarling wildly.
It lunged at Astrid.
Bjorn stepped in, axe raised. He brought it down in a cleaving arc, splitting the beast from shoulder to chest.
It fell without a sound, dead.
The five stood still, their breathing heavy.
Blood pooled at their feet, steam rose from the cooling corpses.
Ragnar deactivated Rend, his energy ebbing slightly.
Bjorn turned to him. "Two kills."
Ragnar nodded. "You finished the last."
"I'll take it." Bjorn said, then added, "Good coordination."
Ragnar looked at the group.
Ulf was wiping blood from his blade with his sleeve.
Astrid was already checking her wounds, not many, just a scrape along her arm.
Erik was nowhere to be seen, but Ragnar wouldn't be surprised if the man was standing right beside him.
He then looked down at the dead beasts.
Time to extract more blessings.