The Jackal's Song
Chapter 18: The Burning Doom

The stone tower loomed ominously before them, its bricks blackened with a thick layer of soot, yet no heat emanated from the perpetual red fire that seemed to engulf the entire structure. The flames flickered and hissed, casting eerie, dancing shadows but offering no warmth. The air around the tower was dense with an unnatural stillness, broken only by the occasional crackle of the illusionary fire. The acrid scent of smoke clung to their nostrils, mingling with something metallic that might have been blood, though it seemed too foul for that.

"Is it some kind of illusion?" Terrance asked, squinting against the otherworldly glow of the flames.

Senu stepped closer, examining the tower with a keen eye, but the familiar hum of Arcana was absent. "I can't tell," he said, not bothering to conceal his frustration. The cold stone beneath his fingers felt lifeless, devoid of magic and life. He'd been warned about this place his entire life. Now feeling it against his pads, he couldn't help but think his parents had been right.

Tracker, ever practical, was unphased. "I don't know much about the Arcana. But if the Dungeon's not burning us, we should start looking for a way in."

"That doesn't look like it'll be hard," Bahadur said, pointing to their right. Stepping in that direction, they found a large archway and a set of double doors, apparently made of iron. The thick,  blackened metal had been warped and blackened by whatever magical catastrophe had befallen the place, but the doors were stuck in a position just wide enough to allow them to enter one at a time. The door was framed by crumbling stone, the edges scorched but intact. Strange, glowing runes were etched into the metal, pulsating with a dim, eerie light that matched the hue of the ethereal flames. From these, Senu could sense the magical energy, which seemed to almost whisper into his mind. They were protective runes, though rendered inert.

Through a small gap, they could see a dark, narrow corridor leading deeper into the tower. A cool breeze beckoned them forward, carrying with it the faint smell of smoke and something else, something metallic and bitter. The interior walls, just visible from their vantage point, were covered in more of the glowing runes, casting an otherworldly light that barely illuminated the path ahead.

"That looks like an invitation if I've ever seen one," Bahadur said, shouldering his heavy mace and taking a few steps forward. "Shall we?"

The rest of them followed, with Terrance lengthening his stride to catch up to his fellow wolf. "We should be cautious," the older wolf said.

"Agreed," Bahadur said. "Until we know what kind of monsters and such she's going to throw at us, we need to be ready for anything. Never let your guard down once we're inside. Understand?" His gaze settled on Senu.

Tracker patted Senu's rear as he scampered forward. "Don't worry, pup. I'll watch your back."

Terrance and Bahadur entered the tunnel, their ears pricked up and alert, and Tracker followed close behind, his lithe form moving with a natural grace and stealth.

Senu swallowed hard and drew in a deep breath before stepping inside. The cold air inside the tower was a stark contrast to the oppressive atmosphere outside, and it sent a shiver down his spine.

The entryway was a wide, circular chamber with high, vaulted ceilings that disappeared into shadow. The walls, made of the same blackened stone as the exterior, were covered in glowing runes that cast a dim, eerie light throughout the room. These runes pulsated softly, like the heartbeat of the tower itself.

Terrance raised a hand, signaling for everyone to halt. "Three paths ahead," he said, his voice low but authoritative. "We need to be methodical about this. Senu, you're the closest thing we have to a magic expert. Take a look around and see if you can sense anything unusual."

Directly ahead, a grand staircase spiraled both up and down, carved from the same dark stone. The steps were smooth and worn in places, suggesting heavy use over a long period, and yet there were no signs of the tower's former inhabitants or any life at all. The staircase provided egress both to the lower portion of the tower and the caverns it undoubtedly connected to, and to the upper floors where the wizards that once trained here would have lived and studied. At a glance, there were visible doorways and corridors extending into the darkness on several floors above them, suggesting an extensive network of rooms and passages that lay within the tower.

To their right, a set of heavy wooden doors stood closed. These doors were elaborately carved with scenes of battles and arcane symbols, and they seemed to be in better condition than the rest of the tower, their dark wood polished and free of soot. However, a faint, sinister whispering could be heard from behind the doors, as if the wood itself was murmuring secrets.

Near the center of the room, a large, ornate chandelier hung from the ceiling, its candles unlit. Cobwebs draped from it like ghostly veils, and the flickering light from the runes cast long, distorted shadows across the floor.

As they moved further into the room, Bahadur noticed something glinting near the base of the staircase. A quick inspection revealed a small, intricate trap set into the floor, its trigger almost invisible among the stone tiles. It was a reminder that the dangers of the Burning Doom were not limited to its inhabitants but were woven into the very fabric of the place.

"Trap," Bahadur said calmly, pointing directly at it. "Don't touch it and watch your step."

Senu observed the carving on the door while the others continued their investigation. It was obvious to him that the carvings depicted the downfall of one of the cults that had resided here long before the tower had been built. Not the cultists they'd encountered at the fortress, but a group known as the Order of the Burning Eye. They had been magic users - wizards, primarily - obsessed with mastering powerful and dangerous spells, including the manipulation of time. This was strictly forbidden by Yttrus, the God of Magic, and, if the stories were correct,  enforced with prejudice. No one knew exactly what happened to the cult, but it was widely believed that Yttrus and their servants had dealt with them. The carving, then, was meant to serve as a warning to the mages practicing here. Know your limits.

As he considered this, he also noticed a particular piece of the carving, a stylized eye wreathed in flame, which looked different from the rest. It was more worn and seemed to have been touched more frequently. Instantly, he realized this was likely part of another trap mechanism.

"Hey," he called out, not even sure to who.

"Yes, Senu?" Bahadur asked, looking up from the trap he'd been studying.

"There's another one here. A trap, I mean." He pointed at the carving. "There's no lock on the door, but this will set something off if we don't disarm it first."

Tracker came over and inspected the mechanism, violet eyes slightly magnified by his spectacles as he squinted. "I don't see anything. You sure?"

"Yeah. It's the eye. See those shapes around it? I think you need to trigger them in the correct sequence."

Tracker took a step back and stared at the eye. "Yeah. Yeah, I think you're right. Eight shapes. They look a little like Draconic numbers."

"Can you disarm it?"

Tracker shook his head.

"I can't reach. Tall fuckin' wizards. I can help, but you're going to have to figure out the right sequence."

Bahadur's face creased into a smile. "We'll keep watch. Let me know if you need a hand."

Senu leaned closer and started to examine the carving more closely, his nose just inches from the surface. "I think this one," he pointed towards a symbol that resembled an upside-down triangle, "Might be the solution. It shows signs of more use than the others."

"Hmm. It might be a simple switch then. Or it could be a timing thing." He put his ear to the door and listened for a moment, then ran a claw along the edge. "Yeah. That's my best guess. Press it and hold for exactly eight seconds."

"All right." Senu took a deep breath and stepped back, flexing his fingers nervously, then approached again. He didn't hesitate, using his internal sense of rhythm to measure the time. When he released, the eye had turned slightly to the right, and the trap appeared to be disarmed.

"Nice. Good job." The kobold said, pushing the door open with no hesitation. Inside, they found a small study, dimly lit by the glow from the perpetual red flames outside. The room had an eerie atmosphere, heavy with the scent of old parchment and decay. Before Tracker could step forward, Senu grabbed him and yanked him back.

Just inside the doorway, there was an intricate rug with arcane symbols woven into its design. Immediately, he could see a few breaks in the pattern, suggesting another trap. "The rug," he said before Tracker could protest. The kobold relaxed, then stared at it for a moment.

"Good call. Was distracted by that giant fucking hole in the ground."

Senu looked up and saw what was indeed a large pit roughly 10 feet across that seemed to descend deep into the darkness below. The edges were lined with more arcane runes. However, it didn't look like it had been here long. Lying in a pattern that suggested they had been undisturbed for a very long time, were the bones of another beast still tangled up in a set of robes.

"Yeah... let's just put a pin in this one for now," Tracker said as they stepped backward, though Tracker used a weight he pulled from a pocket to prop the door open.

They returned to the center chamber.

"Should we try the stairs?" Terrance asked.

Sometime later, they pushed open a heavy set of double doors on the second floor. So far, they'd found little more than dust, bones, and the omnipresent scent of burning. The room they revealed felt like a completely different place. There could be no doubt it was an armory of sorts. The room was a marvel of craftsmanship, and seemed to have been untouched by the signs of disaster they'd found elsewhere thus far.

Several polished weapons and shields lined the wall, each glinting in dim light, clearly humming with latent magic. However, each was protected by a shimmering wall of energy that seemed impenetrable. The lone exception was a pedestal in the center of the room, which held a sword unlike any Senu had ever seen. Its shimmering blade was inlaid with a metal that radiated warmth and energy. Intricate runes were etched along its length, and the hilt was adorned with a ruby that pulsed as if in the rhythm of a heartbeat. It cast an otherworldly glow on the entire center of the room.

Naturally, Tracker's eyes widened at the sight. Before they could protest, he gestured for the others to stay quiet, then rushed across the room. He was remarkably silent with his movements, and even Senu lost track of him as he made his way through it. That was until he stepped close enough to the blade to snatch it up in a deft hand.

Tracker had been careful to check for dangers on his approach, but in his excitement at seizing the weapon, vigilance waned and he failed to notice the mote of darkness until he was stepping into it. The roar of something primal echoed through the chamber, and then an animate force of elemental darkness appeared between the door and the pedestal.

Tracker gripped the sword, even as his eyes widened in shock. Fortunately, the two wolves were quick to react.

Terrance stepped forward, issuing rapid commands. "Bahadur, take the left flank! Senu, stay back and use magic at range."

The cleric was all too eager to step in, and his heavy mace glinted with divine magic as he drew the elemental's attention. Meanwhile, Senu kept himself partially protected by the doorway and leaned forward to channel a blast of prismatic energy at the elemental. This caused it to recoil in apparent pain.

Despite their efforts, a wave of dark magic passed over them, then seemed to coalesce on Terrance. The magic overwhelmed him and left him pinned down, shield raised in an attempt to fend off the attack.
 
"Bahadur, help Terrance!" Senu shouted before, firing off another spell.

The white wolf rushed to Terrance's aid, summoning more power from his god to bolster the other wolf. Terrance's strength seemed to return as he struggled back to his feet, but the elemental's onslaught continued while a single tendril of darkness batted away an attack from Tracker, who hit the far wall with a sickening thud.

"Form up!" Terrance barked, regaining his composure. "Bahadur, keep up the pressure. Look for an opening."

"I've got this," Bahadur said as he raised his mace and stood up straighter. His fur was standing on end, now radiating a pulsing golden light that caused the creature to recoil as if it were little more than a shadow facing the light of the sun. Light and heat grew stronger and stronger, seeming to engulf the cleric's form until he finally launched himself at the shrinking creature.

He unleashed two rapid strikes, each blow infused with holy energy. The elemental shuddered and was practically vaporized by the assault, leaving behind only a small cloud of dark mist that quickly faded.

Though the elemental had vanished, Tracker and Terrance had been injured. The group quickly retreated back to the second-floor balcony, the kobold still cradling the newly acquired sword, even as Bahadur saw to his wounds.

Terrance was less than pleased. "That was stupid, Tracker. You could have gotten yourself killed, and all of us with you."

The kobold shrugged, unbothered. "It's not like I triggered that trap on purpose. Besides, we got something nice out of it."

They all eyed the sword.

"I guess we should keep it sheathed for now. Until we can study it. Make sure it's safe. But come on. Look at that glow. Totally worth it."

Terrance let out a soft breath. "Tracker, if you do that again, I'm leaving. You promised to follow my orders. If you're not going to do that, I'm not going to risk my life to keep you safe."

Tracker seemed ready to argue, but Bahadur poked him in the chest, now finished with his healing. "That goes for me too. No more stupid risks. We're a team. You need to act like it."

The kobold's defiant expression softened and he looked away. "Fine."

Terrance nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Fine. If everyone's caught their breath, let's move on."

At the end of the spiral staircase, now high above the ground floor, they reached another heavy set of doors. Though locked, they were able to force the doors open to reveal and long, rectangular room lined with dusty shelves filled with a variety of curios, scrolls, and magical trinkets, all coated in a thick layer of dust. The air was cool and damp compared to the rest of the tower, apparently cooled by twin streams of water running down gutters on either side of the room. They served no obvious purpose but to add to the room's eerie atmosphere.

At the center of the room, a raised dais moved in a chaotic pattern around a circular platform, as if guided by invisible hands. The Arcana was so strong in here that it made the hairs on the back of Senu's neck stand up.

They stood at the doorway, all taking the scene in with equal awe and confusion.

"What do you make of it, Senu?" Terrance asked.

"The dais... I think it's a focal point for some kind of enchantment. I can't tell what the purpose was, but the platform is for summoning. I'm fairly certain it will activate if we step forward."

Terrance looked wearily to the other side of the room. "I don't think there's any other way to progress deeper into the tower. Let's move in together, but be ready to take up defensive positions. The shelves create corridors we might be able to use to our advantage."

Tracker pointed towards a large flagstone to the right. It was raised slightly. "That's a trap of some kind.  Don't know what it's connected to, but don't step on it unless you want to find out."

They all nodded, taking a moment to prepare themselves before stepping forward into the room. A pulse of magic washed over the room before two animals appeared. Senu wasn't certain what to expect - he'd feared elementals or something even more terrifying. Still, as a majestic lion appeared, its golden mane shimmering even in the dim light, it was an intimidating sight. The large bear rearing up on its hind legs next to it was even more terrifying.

He almost didn't notice that something else was emerging from the far end of the room. At first, he feared it was another shadow elemental like what they'd fought below. Then he saw the individual shapes and realized what he was looking at. Rats. An enormous horde of them clambered and climbed over each other from all sides of the room, converging on the two predators who were quickly worked up into a panic.

"What...?" Senu muttered, though it was lost amid the echoing high-pitched squeals of the vermin and the pained cries of the lion and bear. Both of the larger animals began charging towards them, fleeing the biting, scratching, horde. There was no doubt what would happen if they reached this end of the hall.

"Keep calm and watch your step," Terrance warned, his voice steady.  "Bahadur, with me! Tracker and Senu, you take up the flanks and support us at range."

As they stepped forward, Senu used his lyre as a magical focus and focused on his friends to enhance their abilities. Bahadur had a small crossbow out, which he used to launch a thick bolt into the shoulder of the charging lion before dropping it and drawing his mace.

Terrance used one of the three javelins he'd carried on his back to attack the bear. The pointed tip sliced across the bear's side and through several rats behind it. Meanwhile, Tracker and Senu were firing arrows and spells respectively into the sea of oncoming vermin.

The lion's injury was slowing it down, and the rats were starting to overwhelm it. The creature roared and lashed out, but the rats continued to climb over its legs and back, the sheer weight of them pulling the creature down as it cried out in terror and pain.

Driven mostly by instinct, Senu focused his magic on the lion. The bright beam of light that sliced through its neck ended the creature's life in what the jackal hoped was a merciful end compared to what the swarm of vermin intended. Still, he had no time to think. The bear was almost on them.

Tracker had placed several arrows into its neck, but it was unphased. With another roar, it charged directly at Tracker. Then, the kobold did something unexpected. With a triumphant stomp, he slammed his foot down on the trap he'd pointed out earlier, then jumped to the left. A wave of sharp darts exploded in a wave from the wall behind them, narrowly missing the Kobold while turning the bear into a pincushion. It collapsed to the ground and stopped moving.

"So, that's what it did," Tracker said before returning his focus to the remaining rats.

Much of the swarm had turned its focus onto the animals they had killed, apparently pausing on their onslaught to devour these meals. The hows and whys of what was happening were gnawing at Senu's consciousness, but he forced himself to stay focused as he continued to fend off the remaining swarm.

"Stay focused, everyone!" Terrance urged, his voice strained with effort.

It took several more moments before the last flash of magic and steel ended the swarm. The rats did not leave corpses behind. As they died, they simply faded away, suggesting they had been nothing more than the creation of a spell. The gnawed bones of the lion and bear remained behind, however. They had not been conjured, but somehow brought to this place by whatever magic had been set to protect this place.

Panting, and out of breath, with most of them nursing several wounds, they regrouped around Terrance.

"What... the... actual... fuck..." Tracker muttered as he started collecting stray arrows.

"That was unexpected," Bahadur added. "I've seen some strange creatures in the Dungeon, but that was a first."

"I'd prefer if the surprises ended here," Terrance sighed.

"Sometimes the Dungeon is just weird," Tracker said, still grouchy. "The last one I was in had a room full of animated brooms. And they were mean fuckers."

"Brooms? That's all it was?" Senu asked.

"Yep, a whole bunch of brooms in the middle of some sort of feast hall. I had splinters for weeks."

For the next few hours, they searched the room to try to understand its strange magic and to see if any of the small magical trinkets on the shelves might be valuable enough to bring with them. They would only be able to carry so much with them when they returned home. Tracker was quick to stuff a handful

of cloth tapestries into a leather bag, declaring that "some rich fuck would pay a lot for them." They also found a few small pieces of jewelry that seemed to have magical properties, though Senu had no idea what they might be. Bahadur, concerned about possible curses, warned them against trying to use them until they could have them examined by an expert.

Eventually, they were forced to move on, though they were no closer to understanding why this room existed or the purpose of the summoning platform.

The next part of the tower they reached had once been living quarters for the students of the magic academy. Here, when they found a large dorm room with intact bed platforms and open windows allowing some breeze to drive away some of the stench of smoke, they decided to set up a simple camp so they could eat and rest for a few hours.

They sat in a loose circle, the room filled with the quiet sounds of chewing and the occasional clink of utensils.

Tracker leaned back against a wall, the newly claimed sword resting across his knees, its unnatural light throwing ominous shadows across his features. He smirked, breaking the silence. "If this is rest, I'd hate to see what work looks like."

Terrance stood, stretching his stiff joints. His voice was firm, but his gaze lingered on the darkened hallways beyond the room. "I'll take the first watch. Get what sleep you can. I expect things are only going to get harder from here."

In the oppressive silence that followed, the tower itself seemed to hum a low, resonant sound, like a distant heartbeat.