The Unfated Wanderers Canto 12
Four spheres to be gathered, each hidden behind absurd words of poetry. Two spheres were obtained in the time that Tong, Vilerend and Billet sat pondering the riddles.
The poems, A Glowing Marble and To Hold the Smoke, were simple instructions easily followed. The brief rituals complete, the fire and air spheres were in hand.
Tong told to them that the tower the tablet foretold toppled tens of years ago, or so he had guessed. He knew of a tower that stood upon the eastern border of Icebrunt. It was said that lightning struck the structure and its foundations cracked, sending the tower over a cliff. It is known as the Inverted Tower. Tong suggested that they go first to Lake Slowmelt and then seek this tower.
The Unfated Wanderers once again wearily walked the ways of Icebrunt. They traveled to Lake Slowmelt and performed the ritual described in The Wrong Side of a Mirror. The water sphere was taken and they crept quietly away, for Stormcraft was nearby. Their enemies should remain ignorant of their doings.
Days later, they walked into Fleagrass. The famous Unfated Wanderers were treated as heroes and fed a fair feast. There they learned that Fleagrass was expanding their catacomb, to accommodate new residents, ready to move in after passing away from the Demon Plague.
Determined digging delved into a hidden chamber long buried underground: a bizarre temple. Symbols and style revealed nothing to the people of Fleagrass. The temple’s original purpose remained unknown.
It now hosted a hideous hole in the floor that led from the Living World into a strange purple realm. Terrors were climbing through the portal. The villagers fought them fiercely and resealed the temple. They begged the Unfated Wanderers to use their epic might to vanquish these foes and seal the portal.
Burdened by responsibility to their adopted homeland of Icebrunt, Billet and Vilerend agreed to aid ailing Fleagrass.
They passed through the catacomb and entered the temple. Therein they witnessed nightmare alive in the waking world. Two burning braziers stood opposite each other with a hole between them. Purple light emanated from this portal as did several fleshless skeletons. Guarding the flames were large lizards, standing on two legs, wings dangling from their backs, wielding weapons.
Though outnumbered, the Wanderers were not outmatched. With might and skill they decimated their foes. Dashed to bits, the Terrors were no more.
Vilerend and Billet surmised that the flames preserved the potency of the portal. They covered the braziers with lids lying loose on the temple floor. Flames extinguished, the pool of purple squeezed shut, separating the Realm of Terrors from the Living World once more.