The Cerabora

A few hours after the Cerabora returned and the Sect hid in the little gnome house with Harim keeping watch through the little window. The two Cerabora floated by searching, followed by two more and another two more. Harim ducked back inside.

"There's six of these Cerabora."

"Wait, six?" Rothox asked, taking a look through the window himself. He saw two float by a house away. "There's no way we can take that many on, especially without…"

"We need to figure out why they are here. The medusa wasn't very informative on that," Harim said.

"I wonder what relationship they had. It seems the Cerabora want the gnomes for some reason yet the medusa was petrifying them."

"It is curious. I think we should follow them." Harim peeked out the window again. He no longer saw the creatures.

"Agreed...what do we do about…" Rothox nudged his head in Erigos' direction.

"You know I can hear you guys. I will be fine," he said, while cradling the statue of Alissa.

"Erigos, we know you can handle your own, and don't take this the wrong way, but we need to move quietly and quickly," Harim said, waiting for a snappy response.

Erigos didn't say anything for a few seconds. When he spoke it wasn't what they expected. "You're right. I'm not the best at being silent plus I don't want to leave Alissa. Go, figure out how to free the gnomes and get us the...Fuck out of the Depths."

The two creatures of the shadows slinked out the door and made their way to the edge of the cavern, using the natural layout and rock formations as cover. The mind controlled gnome group had grown since the last time. Assuming they influenced more after the events with the medusa. The connection between them still didn't make sense.

They followed from a safe distance as now four of these Cerabora led the gnomes down the tunnel at the far end of the village. The tunnel descended with a steep grade, almost to the point where the two surface dwellers had to stay on their heels for fear of slipping. A light started to appear down the tunnel, and the temperature began to rise. The tunnel opened up into the largest cavern either of them had ever seen.

Spanning at least a mile across and nearly three miles deep the cavern was lit by thousands of the blue ore and a giant pool of lava pouring out of the ceiling, a thousand foot lavafall. To the right of the lava half covered in volcanic rock appeared to be a buried city. The gnomes were ushered towards this city. Harim and Rothox halted in the tunnel, using the side walls as cover. They watched the gnomes cross the open field of rock and smooth stone. With random large stalagmites jutting out of the ground.

The city, about halfway across the cavern and against the side wall of it, looked to be what the gnomes were working on. It seemed the Cerabora were using these gnomes to mine out the city. They decided to move closer. The two of them found it surprisingly easy to get across the open rock without being seen. There were large flying creatures in the cavern and potentially other creatures of the Depths. The nearer they got to the city, the more information they gathered.

Gnomes weren't the only creatures forced to work on uncovering the dark city. There were at least a few dozen other humanoids. Most likely beings that had gotten lost down here and then captured. Among the beings they could see, there were a few that stood out, mainly the giants, half-giants and a bird man.

"What city is that?" Rothox asked.

"I have no idea. I mean the world is quite old so a city underground is possible."

"Have you figured out the medusa and Cerabora connection yet?" Rothox asked, still not sure of it himself.

"I'm guessing, the medusa has been the ruler there for some time and these Cerabora came in looking for slaves to excavate the city. They brokered a deal and she let them take a few of the gnomes." Harim said as they moved even closer.

"That makes sense but then why was she turning some to stone."

"Hmm...well if you think about it. She seemed crazy at the end, longing for attention. Also these Cerabora were guarding the door, maybe they were guarding the citizens' from being turned to stone?"

Rothox thought back, it was very plausible. A strong hand pulled him prone as Harim yanked him down. They lay still as he pointed towards a flying creature that had swooped down headed in their direction. Their dark outfits helped blend them into the cavern floor as the large creature screeched and flew past with a whoosh of its massive wingspan.

"I've never seen anything like that before." Rothox rolled onto his back watching the monstrosity fly up and grab onto a stalactite. It screeched again.

"It looked like a bat that's been twisted with dark magic." Harim sat up. "We should head back, there is not much else we can do here."

It took them a few more hours but eventually they got back to the gnome village.

"Well shit." Erigos looked physically defeated, slumping into the chair that was much too small for him.

"I have no idea how we are going to do this." Harim said after explaining to Erigos.

Rothox noticed Lydia stared at Harim the whole time like she could understand. He knew she couldn't but maybe there was someone else in the village that could. "I have an idea."

"What's that?" Harim faced him.

"There must be a gnome in this village that understands common or at least another language one of us will know, right?"

"It won't hurt to look for one, although we will have to be careful with more of these Cerabora around." Harim leaned into the wall of the small living space.

"How will we find this gnome, if they even exist?" Erigos looked between them both, his eyes puffy.

Rothox looked at Lydia, removed his journal and began to draw. He wasn't the best drawer but it was a simple image. He beckoned Lydia over. He titled the leather bound book so she could see what he had drawn. He had drawn a simple image of the gnome city with the large rock in the center. Coming off the city he drew a tunnel upwards until it breached the surface, where he had drawn a sun and a small figure standing beside a larger figure. He hoped she would understand what he had drawn. She looked at the image then touched the gnomish figure and pointed to herself.

"That's right." Rothox nodded. Lydia traced the tunnel, looked at the group then bolted out the door. They were in hot pursuit.

Lydia weaved through the homes heading towards the tunnel they had come through stopping at the steps, pointing up to the tunnel. Rothox knelt beside her, facing the gnomish village and the cavern. Tapped the tunnel and made a gesture over it all. Trying to communicate to a child was difficult let alone one that spoke another language. He waited to see if she understood. She kept pointing at the tunnel. Rothox removed his graphite pencil and drew another tunnel on the page and indicated towards the cavern. Lydia seemed to get that and she headed to the far side of the town, an area they had yet to see.