[This is an early chapter from my current fiction WIP, hoping to have this released by Spring of 2025]
The Sewers of Elysar
A solitary ray of sunlight pierced through the crack in my curtains and met my slumbering eyes. Before I was fully conscious, the bustling sounds of Elysar's busy streets carried my thoughts to a life much more exciting than my own.
I rolled out of bed and parted the curtains. The late morning sun flooded into my modest dwelling as I gathered what I needed to begin my day- my clothes and my sword. Both were modest, but the world's greatest swordsman needed to start somewhere.
And I knew exactly where I would start- the sewers of Elysar.
Sword safely stowed in the scabbard on my side, I descended the stairs to the ground floor of my building. Rather than exit through the front door and wade through the throngs of merchants and pedestrians doing their business in the capital city, I emerged into the mostly deserted allyway behind the building.
I say mostly deserted, because the old woman with an enormous nose was hanging laundry on a line spread across the second-story windows.
"Good morning, Caelius," she said, hardly averting her attention from the clothespin she was fumbling onto the line.
I waved as I passed by, the smell of fresh laundry swirling around in my nose, a welcome scent amongst the other smells of a back ally. I feared not even the freshest laundry would mask the stench of where I was heading.
The tall stone buildings on all sides allowed little light to reach the cobblestone path beneath my feet. Yet, the warm summer breeze still somehow found me, so deep within the city, gently blowing at my back, as if leading me to my destination.
My walk was short: one right and one left. And besides the old lady, I didn't encounter another soul along my walk. Once the manhole cover was in sight, my heart began to race. I knew what creatures dwelt below.
Pushing the cover to the side, I descended a short wrought iron ladder into the murky darkness.
When my eyes adjusted, I was satisfied with the amount of light passing through various cracks and holes from the streets above. The smell was… unpleasant; but it was more of a cold musty aroma than that of sewage. Grey stone walls formed a corridor stretching into the distance, half of which was the path walked. The other half was dug into a channel for the muck and mire to flow along.
My cautious steps echoed down the cavernous shaft, eliminating any hope I would have of catching any creature I met by surprise.
I gripped my sword and drew a deep breath, letting it out with a sigh. Come what may, I would meet it with courage.
I progressed along the tunnel, my confidence growing with each step. I had not yet encountered a living creature larger than a fly, or any turns along my path. Soon, however, the sound of claws clanking against the stone floor sent a wave of nerves through my body. Up ahead, clambering towards me, was a Giant Sewer Rat.
As far as rats go, this one was giant, but as far as giants go, I suppose it was actually quite small. The top of its back reached no higher than my knees. A mass of brown fur, caked with grime, towing a long pink tail, the rat sprung at me with a hiss.
I readied my sword to ward off the attack, but between its oversized fangs and four sets of sharp claws, the rat found purchase on my skin. I had taken damage, but it wasn't much. Now it was my turn.
One slash was all it took. My sword met the rat's giant (for a rat) head as he was midair for another strike. It writhed on the stone floor for a moment, and then, as vanquished foes tend to do, it disappeared, leaving a handful of coins where it had once been.
I stooped to pick up the coins and took stock of my condition. The scratches on my arm and upper leg stung, but they were nothing to keep me from proceeding. As I continued, I came to a choice. The corridor came to an end and made a "T", forcing me to choose between a path to my left and one to my right. Neither had any distinguishing features, so I turned right, which was the side of the sewer I was already on.
No sooner had I turned than I heard the sound that had alerted me earlier. But this time, the clamor of claws on stone betrayed my misfortune- there were more than one.
Sure enough, emerging from the mist were three Giant Sewer Rats., bounding from the mist, black beady eyes fixed on me. Their matted brown fur rose and fell as they bounded forward, fangs bared.
Having failed to fully block one rat's assault, my chances of protecting against three were grim. I had to attack first. Charging forward, I raised my blade and struck the rat nearest me. My momentum caused one of the other rats to miss me completely. The third rat met its mark. I shouted in pain as the rat's teeth sunk into my thigh. Since it was reluctant to let go, the rat attached to my leg became an easy target for my next strike- a stab through the beast's side.
I sustained another scratch or two before the final rat was felled. I stooped down, collected my loot and trudged forward. My wounds were no longer trivial. The blood flowing down my right thigh caused the lower part of my leg to feel cold, an uncomfortable sensation. One more encounter like that, and I'd be in trouble. Still, I had no intention of turning back.
Forward I limped, hoping to find a potion or something to bring me back to full health.
My next encounter was with only one Giant Sewer Rat, and, despite my condition, I defeated it with ease.
My skin began to glow… a short, triumphant song seemingly played from nowhere.
Aha! Even better than a potion!
LEVEL UP
You have reached level 2!
STATS:
Vitality: 10 (+1)
Strength: 10 Dexterity: 10
Defense: 10
Intellect: 10
Luck: 10
Choose a skill:
Whirlwind Strike: Spin three times, striking all enemies within range for .7X damage per hit.
Focused Stance: Temporarily enter a buffed state, increasing accuracy and evasion.
I put my point in Vitality, since, so far, I've had enough strength to kill these rats in one hit, I'd rather have some more health. For my skill, I chose Whirlwind Strike, in hopes of faring better next time I encountered multiple enemies at once.
I looked down to check on my wounds. They were all gone. Another benefit of leveling up. I felt great; ready to push on.
As I progressed along the sewer, I came to a section that looked different. An iron gate stood ajar at the end of the corridor, beyond which was a vast open chamber. I approached the gate and peered inside… it looked safe.
Cautiously, I crept into the chamber. What I hadn't noticed before entering was that there was only solid ground in a center of the chamber. Besides the small platform I stepped across, there was nothing but a black abyss below on all sides. Still the center platform was big enough that I felt no unease stepping to the center of the chamber.
A crash behind me caused my heart to sink.
I whipped my head around just in time to see the small platform I had crossed to enter the chamber fall away. There was no way out.
What I hear next was even worse.
Scratch, scratch, scratch.
The sound of monstrous claws on stone grew louder and louder, reverberating throughout the enclosed chamber. I shot my head this way and that, anxiously seeking the source of the noise. It sounded like it came from all direction as it crescendoed. Something was scaling the platform from below.
Then it stopped.
First a nose emerged over the edge of the platform, pale pink and the size of my head. Then two massive sets of claws, each as long as my sword. Finally, the creature dragged its entire monstrous form over the ledge. Whoever named the giant rats I had encountered earlier had surely never seen this rodent.
Legends told of the king of the rats, whose domain sprawled beneath the streets of Elysar. I hoped they were wrong. But no legend, however vivid, could have prepared me to face Mys the Rat King.
Unlike the other rats I had encountered, Mys took his time. His whiskers twitched subtly as he circled me once… twice… those black eyes fixed on me. His ragged tail dragged behind him, heavy enough to make a dull scraping sound as it passed over the rough ground.
My whole body was trembling. My white knuckles gripping my sword in terror.
In a flash he struck, fetid maw agape. I just barely rolled out of the way in time. The momentum of his charge left the Rat King's side exposed. I wasted no time trying out the new technique I had just learned: Whirlwind Strike.
With a mighty spin, my blade met its mark all three times.
If I could have turned any whiter, I must have. Mys' matted brown fur acted as a coat of armor. My attack hardly registered.
I swore I heard the Rat King laugh, but maybe that was just in my head. The next thing I knew, however, with a spin of his own, Mys knocked me into the chamber's far wall. Hitting the wall hurt, but I knew what came next would be worse. There was no floor beneath my feet. With a terrified scream, I fell into the abyss.
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