“And you're sure they came here?" asked Mel'er with a rough voice, doubt dripping in her tone.

“Yes, yes. Little Wallace said they had a dare but he fell asleep and missed the time." answered the short satyr man, annoyance flashing in his eyes.

Mel'er's brows furrowed and her fists clenched at her side. “And you didn't think to check on the kids before a day passed?"

“We--well, no, over here kids play on their own all the time. We adults are busy working most of the day." the satyr stammered under the seething glare of the blue skinned orc. “And, besides, is not like we didn't do the same back in the day. Nothing happened to us then."

“But something clearly happened to them."

The satyr didn't say anything else, worry worming its way into his face for the first time. His hooves clacked against the stone path, his fingers scratching at his worn clothes. Mel'er bit back another comment, the fate of the children weighting heavily on her mind.

“I'll head in to take a look. And when I return I expect to see you all gathered." she announced after a few second, her tone leaving no room to argue. The satyr gave her a quick nod and scampered away, heading towards the town.

Finally alone with her thought, the orc ranger turned her gaze back to the cave. A thick darkness clung to its depths and even on its opening, the light seemed to flee away. A shiver ran down Mel'er's spine, her instincts screaming danger. A part of her wanted to listen to them, to the old companions that had saved her more than once, but her duty compelled, and so she would do.

She checked her equipment. Her sword's belt was tight against her hips and her knifes were nestled securely against her legs. She adjusted her dark brown uniform, a thick shirt and some faded trousers, and walked boldly into the cave.

The air inside the cave was hot and stuffy, despite how often winds would howl past her. Her brown eyes scanned the rocky walls of the caves, searching for any signs of the missing kits, but finding only liveless stone. Mel'er shove her worries to the back of her mind and used one knife to scratch a sign on the wall. She hoped that would be enough.

The ranger plunged deeper into the cave, the sounds of her footfalls echoing in the rocky chamber. The light grew dimmer as she left behind the entrance, her orcish eyes adjusting to compensate until the world was left in in blurry shapes of green.

A couple more minutes of marching presented her with her first clue. A small oval shape hidden between some rocks. The orc's heart jumped to her throat, the worst outcomes jumping into her mind. Her hand flew to the pommel of her sword. Her muscles tensing as she approached the object. Only a meter laid between her and the object, when Mel'er's sight grew clearer and a frustrated sigh left her mouth. It was an old sack, roughened by age. A quick search turned out some apples, a few candies and some rope.

Mel'er searched the area once more, and was about to give up, when a wail came from behind some rocks. She pushed them aside with some effort, the wail growing in strength as she worked until it seemed to come from everywhere at once. A narrow passage opened before her eyes, a thin trail of blood running down its length. She peered down the passage, but even her orcish eyes could pick nothing but darkness.

The ground gave way before her feet. Her hands shot to grab the walls but found no purchase in the smooth rock. The orc ranger fell with a scream, the darkness swallowing her whole. The prickling in her neck got stronger as she fell. The air promising certain death in her ears. The ranger pulled out her knife and drove the metal against the stone to arrest her fall. The knife pushed through the wall without resistance, the metal melting before her eyes moments later.

“Give up. You're ours." whispered a voice like claws sliding over stone.

Mel'er turned on the air. She swung her sword in an arc, a blue glow coating the blade. Blue fire flashed before her, consuming a phantasmal shape. A high pitched cachinnation came from all around her. Orbs of azure flame filled her vision and robbed her from warmth. Still, Mel'er fought, pouring her whole self into her blade and cutting at the giant orb of blue flames.

“Our turn." said the flames when the ranger had grown tired. The orbs fused together, forming a giant ball of flame. The air grew frigid, chilling the orc to the bone. The boom of thunder shook her body and her sword was stricken from her hand. A flash of blue filled her vision, and Mel'er's consciousness dove into the darkness.

Mel'er woke up with a scream, memories of the fall still playing in her mind. She had to close her eyes, the painful brightness of the world too much after hours underground. Instead, she explored the world with her other senses. The whistle of the wind and crashing of water reached her ears. The hard earth stood under her hands. The fresh smell of water invaded her nose. After an eternity of doubt, her eyes opened and her heart sunk to her gut. The sun shone high in the sky, just a little past noon. She was lying by a wide river with strong currents: The Talsen. She had waded it on her way to the cave. She turned her eyes northeast, the vague shape of a mountain was clear in the distance, the mountain she should have been in.

Shivers ran on the orc's skin, her heart pounding in her chest. Her mouth went dry when she saw her sword stuck into the ground half way to the hilt, and the remains of her dagger laying by its side. She heard a moan come from her side. Her body went stiff. The situation too strange for her to process. She jumped for her blade, the metal sheared through the hard earth like a hot knife through butter. She lifted her blade high, poised to strike. And stopped herself just in time.

By her side was a runt of a satyr, a child. His clothes were in tatters, showing bits of copper skin and brown furred legs. A bloody bandage was wrapped around his head. The child's chest rose and fell with even breath, his expression one of peaceful slumber. Mel'er sheathed her sword and knelt by the boy's side. Her trembling hand touched the kid, hoping it wasn't an illusion or worse. Her hand met the hardness of muscles and bone, with the typical softness of the young. The orc ranger gulped, her mission hanging upon her shoulders. She gazed once more towards the mountains, where the cursed cave laid.

“The rest are ours." Whispered the otherworldly voice from the cave before erupting into cackles.

The ranger couldn't hold back her scream as she fell to the ground, her body trembling all over. Her eyes fell on the young satyr and then on the ominous mountain. She didn't have to think twice. She picked the young boy in her arms and fled as if she was chased by Evil itself, and perhaps, she was.