Accidental Healer

The Quarry was much like I remembered it.

Walls of bright granite rose high blending into the mountainside like a gaping wound. The ground sloped gently toward the walls for about fifty yards before it leveled, surrounded in a rough semi circle.

Last time I was here the area was swarmed completely with undead zombie corpses writhing and moaning. There were no zombies now, and rather than feeling haunted there was a sense of reverence.

Now that I was here again my imagination took control. I envisioned the ornate stone teleporter surrounded by a colorful market, the training facilities wouldn't be far off and our soldiers and adventurers would spend their hard earned coins on the goods from across the globe.

I grit my teeth. There were things needing done before that dream could be realized. With our target in sight I dropped onto my belly and gestured for Corg to do the same.

"There's no need for all that." He stated matter of factly, ignoring my suggestion to lie low. He strolled right past me, over the crest of the hill and began to lope his way down.

"Okay…"

Not wanting to be left behind I popped to my feet and hurried after him. Wasn't he even a little worried about being seen by the faction that claimed this section? If he was, it didn't show.

I followed him until the walls of granite were looming high over our heads. Standing near the center it was obvious I had underestimated just how enormous the quarry actually was. The walls were several hundred feet high at their peak surrounding a mostly flat area covered in large stones scattered all around.

What appeared to be a semicircle from my vantage was more like a mostly enclosed oval. Each footfall created soft echoes that bounced and reverberated off the hard stone surfaces. Mouth agape, I soaked it all in.

"Don't forget why we're here." Corg remarked, pointing to a corner that had been out of view from the hill.

The area he indicated was easy to miss. We moved closer.

Nestled into the natural stone cliffs was a twenty by twenty foot square doorway protruding from the rock face.

It had been hard to see because it was made of the same granite stone as the walls, except it didn't have the same rough look. Curious, I gave the doorway a closer inspection.

The stones were cut into four foot square slabs stacked five high. I ran my finger across the joints between the stones—they were paper thin. In the center of the entryway nearly flush with the rest of the stone was a stone slab that was large enough that a truck could drive through.

I knew next to nothing about masonry, but the dungeons had only opened a week earlier. Should this even be possible to build in that amount of time? Not to mention whatever was behind the wall.

If the slab was a door—and it sure looked like it—then it had to be a few feet thick at minimum. That thing would weigh tons.

How the hell was it supposed to open?

"Are you telling me that the faction I'm supposed to clear out—is behind that?" I jabbed my thumb at the entryway.

"They've bunkered in like rodents." He spat to the side.

"I can see that. How am I supposed to get them out?"

Corg grunted and walked off. "Just remember—when you do find a way, Aggard will be listening."

"How?" I called after him.

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He ignored me—clearing a spot on the ground he squatted down sitting with his legs crossed.

Great.

So he's just going to relax in the shade while I try to figure out a way to infiltrate fort knox?

And why did he keep reminding me Aggard was listening?

Pushing my annoyance aside I set about reexamining the stone opening. It did little good, the thing was virtually impenetrable.

Arms crossed I stood tapping my toe.

Honestly, why did the red orc's even need to clear the area anyway? Wasn't all they wanted the stone? The way I saw it, if the goblins were going to hold up in their little fort, the orcs were free to harvest what they needed. If the goblins didn't like it, they would have to poke their little heads out and stop it.

But I didn't think that Aggard would go for that strategy—so instead I opened my storage and pulled out a longsword. Tranquility would be stronger, but I had no interest in using her to try and pry open a stone door—which is exactly what I intended to do.

It was impossible to tell exactly how the door would open, but logic dictated it wouldn't be on a hinge. Meaning that trying to pry from the bottom or sides would get me nowhere, which meant the top was probably my best bet.

There was no way that I'd be able to reach the top of the door from the bottom so with minimal effort I hopped twenty feet and landed softly on the three foot wide outcropping of the entryway.

From the top I leaned over the edge to judge how far it was to the top of the doorway.

Too far to reach just leaning over—but not by much.

The stone was smooth and there was not a grip in sight, but I should at least be able to dangle myself off the ledge…

Moving carefully I slowly inched my body over the granite slabs until it was just my elbows. The angle was sharp but I managed to lower my body down—holding fast with my left head, I again pulled the sword from storage.

I had to battle with my balance and the length of the sword to try and jimmy the tip into the nearly non-existent gap between the door and the entryway. Every tiny movement my body rolled away from the wall and I had to wait patiently for my momentum to shift back.

Finally after hanging for several minutes my efforts paid off and the sword slid into the groove. It wasn't much, but even that slight amount of purchase allowed me to stabilize my balance.

Now I just needed to shove the thing in deeper so I could get proper leverage.

Who was I kidding? There was not a snowball's chance in hell that this would work. Still, if Aggard was watching somehow, I had to make a show of my effort.

So I kept at it.

Corg was probably getting a kick out of this. Ignoring my pride, I wiggled the sword slightly.

Without warming, I heard a faint "Click" and the wall disappeared.

The sword no longer had anything holding it and it slipped forward carrying me along. The hand that was my anchor popped off the ledge and I keeled backwards landing with a grunt on the hard ground.

From my back I stared off into the cloud speckled dark bluish purple heavens.

I blinked. Had my strategy of poking the stone wall with a tiny sword actually worked? There was no way.

Leaning onto my elbow I peered into the gaping maw of the now wide open, pitch black tunnel opening.

Sitting up, I wondered what I should do.

I mean, the door was wide open, for who knew how long. Should I run in before it has a chance to close?

Yeah no, that wasn't going to happen. What if that's what they expected me to do and there was another door like this further in? They could close both and lock me into a stoney grave. Just the thought sent a shiver down my spine.

So what should I do?

The question was answered for me and I shot to my feet refreshing my barrier spell.

Rapid clink, clunk noises rattled down the pitch black hallway.

Someone was coming.

And they were moving fast.

Tranquility joined me the next second, her warm pommel a welcome presence. Feeling too close to the opening I backpedalled a ways off so that whatever was coming would have to leave the tunnel a good distance to engage in combat.

This was no problem for my assailant.

A short figure blasted forth into the last dregs of sunlight that remained. If it had been mid day, the armor clad figure would've gleamed brilliantly. The squat creature was decked head to toe in what looked like copper.

Barely taller than the previous goblins I'd faced, this one was much thicker and faster.

A simple large axe appeared like a viper with all the promise of a deadly strike. I pushed hard off my right foot and the world shifted in a sidestep made possible through hundreds stat points.

In a second I had created a twenty foot gap between me and my attacker. A gap that was immediately closed.

Whatever was underneath that armor….it came to play.