The deeper they pushed into the sewer, the more the world seemed narrow into a tight claustrophobic tunnel of damp stone, stale air, and blue mana light.
Even though the sewer tunnels were massive by most standards, they still managed to feel claustrophobic in a way Eleonora couldn’t quite explain.
The main passage was wide enough for four burly men in full plate armor to walk shoulder to shoulder and still have room to swing a sword without striking the walls.
Old maintenance grooves ran along the edges where carts or sleds had once hauled dirt through the depths to be deposited on the surface during construction.
The tunnel's stonework was surprisingly precise with great blocks fitted tightly together, though 50 odd years of moisture had begun to soften the edges and begin filling the seams with slick moss and mineral deposits.
The ceiling arched nearly fourteen feet overhead, supported at intervals by thick stone ribs that disappeared into the shadows the tunnel cast in the dim mage light.
The height allowed air to circulate better than one would expect underground, but it also meant sound carried meaning their every footstep, the drip of water, or even the clanking of armor echoed ahead of them into the darkness.
Yet even so the darkness and an eerie silence pressed in around them creating a claustrophobic feeling that was only broken by the steady drip of water from the ceiling and the soft, rhythmic scratch of Kavisha’s quill as she made notes while walking.
Every few steps, she paused sometimes so briefly the others barely noticed as she glanced at a wall or one of the many carved runes.
Then she would pull out her small leather notebook, flip it open with practiced ease, and jot down a few quick notes that were a mix of measurements, descriptions, guesses about her observations.
If they survived and made it back to the surface, the guild would expect a full, precise report, and Kavisha intended to give them one.
Adventuring, despite its reputation for heroics and glory, involved a surprising amount of paperwork.
Contracts had to be logged. Hazards cataloged. Unusual creatures documented.
Mana anomalies recorded in case they spread or reappeared. Most adventurers couldn’t read well enough to manage that themselves.
Many had to hire a doll to write for them or read for them.
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However, there were quests that required a certain level of literacy.
Thus, a party without someone literate could easily miss crucial details or walk straight into bad situations that could have been avoided.
Because of that, most serious adventuring groups made sure at least one member could read and write.
Their current party was unusual in that every single one of them was literate.
However, as Kavisha was both the party head and was already in the habit of being a party’s unofficial doll, the task naturally fell to her.
For Eleonora the sound was oddly reassuring and helped distract her from her own nervousness and inner thoughts.
The smell, however, was another matter; it had continued to be a constant ever-present nuisance, and it currently sat heavy in her throat.
To add to her discomfort, while the sewer air was cool, almost bone chilling cold, inside her armor she felt a damp humid heat building along her spine from the armor and padding causing sweat to trickle slowly between her shoulder blades.
She did her best to ignore it.
After all, adventurers didn’t complain about discomfort or at least that's what she told herself.
As they continued Eleonora tried to distract herself by thinking about her favorite food chilly.
Ahead of them, the tunnel curved left slightly.
Kavisha didn't like it, so she lifted a hand to signal the party to slow down which everyone did.
Then everyone heard the movement as four goblins spilled around the curve, shrieking in harsh, barking voices.
They were smaller than the previous pack but no less vicious. One carried a jagged length of pipe.
While another had a board studded with nails. The rest were unarmed
“Contact,” Isadora said calmly as she and Eleonora formed a shield wall before the goblins could charge.
Eleonora barely had time to raise her shield before one of the unarmed goblins first slammed into her shield with surprising force.
The impact ringing up her arm. She stepped forward instinctively, planting her feet the way Isadora and her instructors had drilled into her.
“Push,” Isadora said and they began advancing together.
Eleonora thrust her sword forward sliding it into one the unarmed goblin’s throat.
Its Hot blood splashed across her gauntlet as spurted from the creature jugular.
To her left, Isadora moved with terrifying efficiency executing a single precise cut across another unarmed goblins wrist before pivoting her blade and then thrusting it under its ribcage.
Causing the goblin to drop without even finishing its scream as it bled to death.
Behind them came a sharp crack of heat as Lucien’s spell struck the goblin with the pipe square in the chest.
The fireball melted the goblin's chest and burned its heart.
The last goblin was the one with the board with a nail embedded in it, upon seeing its comrades soundly being put down it tried to run away.
However, Kavisha was already on the goblin like white on rice.
She flowed out of the shadows behind it, blade flashing once across the back of its knee.
Forcing it collapsed forward like a felled tree. Her second strike, was quick and efficient, ended it as her blade pierced just below the base of the skull.
The silence returned, broken only by Eleonora’s breathing inside her helm.
“Four,” Kavisha said, already wiping her blade. “Less organized than the last which is a good sign,” she stated, satisfied with everyone's performance.
Lucien exhaled slowly. “Or they’re gathering somewhere else.”
Eleonora swallowed. “That totally not comforting thought,” she exclaimed. Causing Lucien and Kavisha to chuckle.
“My lady, don’t worry. Goblins are too stupid to organize,” Isadora said matter-of-factly.
