Agatha Logii held her hammer close to her chest, her breath held as she listened intently to the sounds of the dark forest she found herself in. The sounds of large paws rustling through dead leaves and twigs told her that danger was near. She risked a glance around the tree that hid her, and quickly pulled away when the jaws of a massive wolf snapped at her. She swung her hammer and the muzzle of the wolf was crushed between the steel and the splintering bark of the tree. As the wolf lay dying, she knelt beside it with her head bowed in reverence. She prayed for a moment before retrieving a roll of tools from her hip and setting to work skinning the fallen creature. After she was done, she took what she could of the animal's remains and buried the rest.
She continued her hike, watching the sky for a telltale plume of smoke to guide her, referencing a pocket sized and undetailed map as she went. “I should’a bought a bigger map…” She mumbled to herself just as the wind changed direction, blowing her thin red braids into her face. As she pushed her hair back into place, the wind caught her map, pulling it from her hand and off into the shadows of the forest. “Oh no you don’t! Get back here!” She ran after the map, but eventually lost sight of it. Giving up on the map with a sigh, she looked to the sky in hopes of still using the smoke to guide her, but she could see none. She cursed beneath her breath and continued wandering.
As the sun finally set, Agatha found herself following the sound of trickling water to its source, a small stream that glowed in the moonlight. She cupped her hands to retrieve some of the mystical water, and upon taking a sip, she was able to see as clearly as if the sun was out. Wide eyed and with a smile to match, she retrieved an extra water skin from her pack and filled it from the stream. “This’ll get me some coin for sure!” With renewed hope, she glanced skyward and once again located the plume of smoke to guide her. Her grin stretched even wider when she saw how close she was to the smoke’s source.
The mouth of the cave radiated heat as smoke billowed from within. Though Agatha stood low enough to avoid the smoke, she retrieved a scarf and covered her mouth and nose. She kept her steps light as she crept through the cavern, knowing that her goal was near. The further into the cave she walked, the stronger the heat became, until eventually she could see the source. A long dragon lay coiled upon a hoard of gold and jewels, fire trickling from their nose as they snored. The gold had melded together from the constant heat, the jewels slightly sunk into the surface of the metal. Agatha retrieved a pair of tongs from her pack and crept forward, being careful not to awaken the dragon. She failed.
“Hello, small woman.” The dragon’s voice boomed as they uncoiled enough to look Agatha in the eyes. “How may I help you?” Agatha got a knot in her throat, and was unable to respond. “Speak, young one. You were brave enough to approach me, but not brave enough to speak? I’m insulted.”
Agatha cleared her throat. “Yes, sir… Are you a sir? I’m sorry, I just-”
“Be calm, child.” The dragon assured her. “My name is Eldrothel, and I typically have no need of gender, but “sir” would suffice.” Eldrothel straightened their body, raising their head far above Agatha. “I see you’ve come for a share of my treasure. What is your reason?”
“I… Well, I’m a smith, but there haven’t been any adventurers passing through lately, so I’m out of money.” Agatha began. “I finally received a commission, but the materials are so hard to find… I need gold for a crown, and I just- I can’t find any. My deadline is near, and I’m desperate.”
“I see.” Eldrothel said. “And what can you offer me in return?”
Agatha stamered. “I… I don’t know. I really don’t have anything to trade-”
Eldrothel laughed, smoke billowing from their mouth. “Child! Do you think I want for goods? No, I require labor. You may have noticed, but I am unable to keep my home presentable due to my heat softening metal and burning wooden structures. So, what can you offer me as a smith?”
Agatha swallowed a lump in her throat. “I suppose I can craft some metal that will not melt so easy… But what you really need is a mason. I happen to be good friends with a mason in town, I could bring him to help you.”
“Hmm…” The chamber shook as Eldrothel hummed. “Bring me the mason so that we may make a deal, and I will let you take as much gold as you need. But not an ounce before then.”
Agatha nodded in agreement. “Alright, I’ll return as soon as possible.” She scrambled out of the cave and into the night. She ran non stop through the night, assisted by her temporary dark vision, until she reached the town of Warchest.
Warchest was a subterranean town, with four small buildings above ground to serve as entrances, disguised mostly by overgrown earth. Inside each was a tunnel that slowly sloped down into a massive cavern lit by a massive central bonfire. From the main chamber, tunnels branched in every direction, most ending in small homes or storefronts. The town’s inhabitants varied from many different races, from humans and elves having to navigate the short tunnels at a hunch, to goblins and dwarves living comfortably in even the smaller spaces.
Agatha ran to an unmarked door, and began hammering on the door. “Tomi! Tomi! Open up!”
Eventually, the door creaked open, and a goblin slightly larger than Agatha poked his head out. “Agatha! Have you any idea what time it is?!”
“It’s- No... I don’t know! Not the point, I need your help!” She only stopped talking due to lack of air.
“Alright, alright! Come in and calm yourself. Then tell me exactly what happened.” Tomi ushered Agatha into his home, and they both sat at a finely crafted wooden table with stools to match.
“Okay, so… Remember that noble who came to my shop a few days back?” Agatha asked and paused, waiting for Tomi to answer with a nod. “Well, they wanted a gold crown! But they made their deposit in silver, and no one in town has any gold to spare! So, I… Well, I did something unwise…”
Tomi sighed and shook his head. “Please tell me you didn’t do what I think you did…”
Agatha nodded. “I… Yes, I went to the Smoldering Cavern.”
“You’re lucky to be alive!” The goblin scolded. “Did you at least get the gold?”
“No…” Agatha started. “That’s the thing I need help with. I… Well, I made a deal with the dragon, and I-”
“What?!” The goblin coughed as much as he barked. “We do not deal with dragons! That is one of the primary rules of this town! Leave the dragons alone and they leave us alone! What could the dragon possibly want from you anyhow?!”
“... Masonry.” She answered hesitantly.
“Excuse me?” Tomi asked. “Did you say ‘masonry’?”
“Yes…” Agatha answered meekly.
Tomi sighed. “So, you promised a dragon that I would help them? And not you?”
“Sort of?” Agatha winced as she answered.
Tomi paused and took a deep breath. “Alright, I’ll help. But I have conditions.”
“And those are?” Agatha asked, slightly relieved.
“First of all, you help. Whatever the dragon wants from me, you assist. Second, you owe me a favor in return, some day in the future. I do not know when. And finally, meat.”
“Meat?” Agatha asked.
“Yes, meat. I assume we’ll be working in a dragon’s nest. It will be hot and taxing and we will need all of the energy we can get. I can call in a favor for breads and cheese, but you will have to hunt and provide meat. I’d do that myself, but my old bones can’t handle a bow anymore. But you, on the other hand? I can smell the blood of a poor beast on you. You’re still young and capable.”
Agatha nodded. “Okay, I agree. When can we go see the dragon?”
“In the morning!” Tomi barked. “Until then, let me get my sleep!” And with that, he rushed her out of his home and closed the door behind her.
With a sigh, Agatha began her walk home as her mind wandered from curiosity to curiosity. Questions such as how long the dragon had been in the Smoldering Cavern, how they had gotten all of that treasure there, and what kind of decor a dragon would even want. Maybe a giant throne? How would a long dragon sit on a throne anyway? Actually, how would any dragon sit on a throne? Like a cat, she decided. And then she felt the heat. She looked up to see flames flooding Warchest, column after column of flame rushing in through the cavernous ceiling and the four entry tunnels.
“Agatha!” She heard a voice calling. “Agatha, are you still asleep?!” And her eyes shot open. She was in her bed, in her own home. Her adventuring gear littered the floor and she was still fully dressed. She couldn’t even recall arriving home the night before. She stumbled over to her door, rubbing sleep from her eyes, and cracked it open to find Tomi, a camping bag almost as large as Agatha on his back. “It’s about time, you’ve certainly kept me waiting! Grab your pack and let’s go!”
Agatha stretched and yawned. “Yeah, yeah, I’ll be right out. I just have to stop at the market and trade a few things on our way out.” She quickly gathered her gear from the floor, and after double and triple checking that she hadn’t misplaced anything, they left. They stopped and traded the wolf’s pelt from the previous night in exchange for some coin, which they traded in turn for camping supplies. Tomi tried to convince Agatha to buy a bow for hunting, but she refused, saying her hammer was enough.
“It won’t always be enough.” Tomi warned her.
“It’ll have to be until I get paid in full for my commission.” She argued.
After an uneventful hike, they arrived at the Smoldering Cavern. Before entering, they took some time to set up their camp. They raised two small tents, prepared a fire, and took a moment to eat. “You know…” Tomi said after swallowing a bite of cheese. “This could be our last supper.”
Agatha shivered. “Don’t remind me…” She held a piece of bread to her mouth, but lowered it without taking a bite. “...It’ll be worth it, right?”
Tomi laughed. “If we survive? Yes, it should be.”
Their meal done, they set their belongings inside their tents, save for Tomi’s masonry tools, and they entered the cavern. They very quickly found the chamber where Agatha had encountered the dragon, but it was completely empty sans the smoke rising from deeper into the cavern.
“That’s... weird.” Agatha started. “This is where I found them before.”
“Must have moved the gold deeper, that’s all.” Tomi replied. “Can’t be helped.”
Deeper and deeper they crawled, until they found a massive chamber, larger than Warchest, at the bottom of which lay a pool of molten gold, beside which Eldrothel rested. The dragon opened a single eye, looking toward the dwarf and the goblin, then closed it again. “Welcome back, young one.” They half snored. “Is this the mason you promised me?”
“Yes, sir!” Agatha nearly choked on the words, fear gripping her again. “This is Tomi! He’s my friend, and… and…”
“I told you before, child. Be calm.” Eldrothel said. “You will not come to harm in my home.”
Tomi cocked an eyebrow. “Child? Young one? She has a name, you know.”
“I suspect she does.” Eldrothel answered. “However, she has neglected to give it to me.”
Agatha clasped a hand to her mouth. “I didn’t... I’m sorry, I’m really sorry!” After a moment of shared silence, she realized that she was still anonymous. “It’s Agatha, sir. Agatha Logii.”
“And I’m Tomi Rokhurst.” The goblin added. “Agatha also neglected to give me your name, sir.”
“Hmm.” The dragon hummed as they rolled on the cavern floor in a manner similar to a cat in dirt. “I am Eldrothel, and I need your assistance. Of course, in return you may take as much of my gold as you can carry. Seeing that you’re already here, can I assume you’d like the job?”
“Well, that depends entirely on what the job entails.” Tomi replied. “Exactly what work do you need done?”
Eldrothel stretched out their body before rising into the air. “I’d like you to convert this chamber into a livable town.”
“Livable to whom, exactly?” Tomi asked. “Even our races would not be comfortable in the heat of this place for very long.”
“The heat will not last.” Eldrothel answered. “Once I leave, these tunnels will cool, and all will be able to survive here.”
Tomi and Agatha shared a confused glance. “Umm, sir? Why do you want us to build a town if you’re going to leave?”
“Because it is your destined path.” Eldrothel answered. “Of course, destiny can always be subverted, but in this case I doubt you’ll refuse.”
“Oh, and why is that?” Tomi asked.
“You two come from Warchest, but you do not recall the tale of its founding?” Eldrothel asked. When met with the confused looks of the two, they continued. “The Warchest you know is not the original town. It was founded two-hundred years ago, when a neighboring village was attacked by ruthless winged raiders. They rained fire upon the village, but a smith and a mason from the village had been working in secret in a nearby cavern to make it habitable, and so the villagers fled to that new village to begin new lives, and that cavern inherited the name of the fallen village. Meanwhile, the remains of the old town were forgotten, until smoke began to rise from the caverns beneath, and they were dubbed “The Smoldering Caverns”. And now, here we are,with history set to repeat itself.”
Agatha’s jaw had dropped, remembering her dream from the night before, but Tomi was unimpressed. “If history is going to repeat itself, why don’t we just warn Warchest?” The goblin asked.
“Even if they believed you, what would you have them do?” Eldrothel asked. “Take up arms against The Rotting Horde?”
This impressed Tomi. “The Rotting Horde?” He repeated. “It was them?”
Agatha softly elbowed Tomi’s ribs. “Who is The Rotting Horde?”
“When a dragon dies…” Eldrothel started. “...If their remains are not properly taken care of, then once every one-hundred years, they rise again as mindless, undead beasts. That is The Rotting Horde.”
“Well then… I guess we’ll need to work fast.” Tomi said. “We’ll take the job.”
The next day, Agatha refunded her commissioners, telling them that something urgent had come up that she needed to tend to. For months, she and Tomi worked tirelessly, converting the Smoldering Caverns into a town that could house all those in Warchest. Unlike their predecessors, though, their work did not go undiscovered. Those who believed their story would join in, helping to speed up the work, until one dark day, when The Rotting Horde arrived.
Agatha happened to be in town buying supplies when the flames erupted. It was just like the dream she’d had months earlier, but now she was prepared. She helped lead the evacuation, through a secret tunnel Tomi had dug to connect the two caverns. After an hour of evacuation, Warchest began to collapse in on itself. Agatha was still trying to direct people to the tunnel, but Tomi had found her and was dragging her back to their new home. However, they were not quick enough, and the entrance to the tunnel became blocked. Along with the rest of the survivors, they had no choice but to evacuate through the surface and brave The Rotting Horde.
Up top, they were met with the grizzly site of dozens of undead dragons of various cultures. Long dragons brought lighting and flames, while smaller winged dragons fanned the flames stronger and stronger. There was a crater where Warchest once was covered by earth, and flames stretched across it like a crooked spider web. But amid the chaos there was one shining beacon, as Eldrothel faced off against The Rotting Horde while literally aglow with electricity and flames. Lightning arced from one undead dragon to another, as Eldrothel fought to protect the evacuees.
Meanwhile, Agatha and Tomi led the remaining survivors into the woods and down what was once The Smoldering Cavern into what would be their new home. They were halfway down when Eldrothel, like a bolt of lightning themselves, raced past them and into the massive chamber. Agatha and Tomi ran after them, following a trail of blood that they left behind. Once there, they found Eldrothel resting in the pool of molten gold. Agatha tried to run to their side, but was stopped by one of the new arrivals. “What’s he doing?” A dark skinned elf asked her. “He can’t expect the gold to help, can he?” Agatha pushed past him and continued to the side of the pool, but Tomi answered the elf’s question for her.
“They, not he, told us once that if a dying dragon is laid to rest in the right manner, then not only will they not have to join The Rotting Horde, they will return as something new. They weren’t much more specific in that.”
As he spoke, Agatha had reached Eldrothel. “You… You knew this would happen, didn’t you?”
“I only suspected it.” Eldrothel answered. “That's why I brought my own coffin.”
Agatha began to cry, gripping the hem of her shirt tight. “That’s why you told us not to use too much gold…”
“Yes… Yes it is.” Eldrothel admitted, beginning to rise out of the pool, the gold cooling and coating them from the head down. Though their jaws could not move, Agatha heard them speak again. “You did good work, Agatha, and that work will be remembered.” The dragon stood tall, the fast cooling gold hiding their wounds as they froze in place, a gilded memorial to themselves.
Agatha turned to the crowd of evacuees, and in the heat of the moment made an announcement. “This is our new home!” She yelled. “But it will not carry the name of Warchest! No, this town will be named after its founder and guardian! This town is called Eldrothel!”
This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0