"M'lady's and sirs," Khaz mumbled under his breath. "We ain't in the king's court drinkin' tea and eatin' crumpets." His voice rising in annoyance as his discomfort increased. "That there fog's rollin' right over them ruins; they say restless spirits travel with the fog!" As if on cue strange lights started to blink and shimmer within the fog bank.
"That's probably just a trick of the moonlight reflecting off the bay and getting caught up in the mist," said Dev looking over his shoulder. "But I agree with master Axzen; we really should get going; the less we linger in one place the better."
In silent agreement the quartet turned to the rusted iron gate. The left side hung from one hinge, the top hinge having rusted through; it looked as if it would only take a nudge to dislodge it completely and send it crashing to the ground. Squeezing through the gap, they made their way down the main center lane. Weeds had long ago grown through the cracks to obscure the once well tended cobble stones making it hard to follow; none of them wanted to trod over any graves even if the deceased names had long ago been worn away by the elements and forgotten.
Kimba confidently took the lead; Khaz and Sarel walked side by side as Dev fell back to the rear.
"How'r we gonna get to the sewers from a derned bone yard?" Asked Khaz to no one in particular.
"Since the cemetery lies in a shallow valley," the druidess answered, "they devised a drainage system which leads to the sewers. Later it was used and maintained by smugglers seeking secret access to the city before it became easier and cheaper just to pay off the corrupt city guard. There are hundreds of entrances and exits to the sewers; they were designed and built by dwarven engineers you know." She added the latter bit of information hoping to peak Khaz's curiosity. "Dwarven architecture, as I'm sure you know, often has hidden and unmapped sections and tunnels known only to the architects and engineers who created them."
She led them left off the main road to a smaller intersecting lane. Turning right a short distance up on a path lead to what appeared to be a tomb indistinguishable from the rest of the plain but well constructed as eternal resting places. Comprised mostly of marble and granite the tomb had a wrought iron gate intricately designed and adorned with warding gargoyles and archaic runes made unreadable by rust and time. Kimba tried the latch but found it was rusted securely in place.
"Your strength is needed here, Khaz; I can open the inner door with magic, but I'm afraid the gate will need to be broken open." The elfess said to Khaz who was still gazing at the incoming fog.
"Let the dwarf do it," Khaz mumbled. Ruling out hewing through the latch with his axe as too loud, he planted his feet and rubbed his large calloused hands together before grasping the rusty bars of the gate. The muscles of his huge arms knotted and bulged with the exertion, veins popped out along his temple and thick neck and sweat beaded on his forehead. Groaning in protest the metal latch bent before snapping under the pressure. Rusty, unoiled hinges squealed loudly echoing through the night sending Khaz flying back where Dev caught him before he tumbled to the ground.
As if in answer to the now open gates squealing, an inhuman, haunting, anguished, howl reached their ears carried on the wind seeming to bounce off the tombs. The tortured, mournful cry trailed off seemingly absorbed by the fog which now billowed thickly around their feet. All four companions looked around nervously hair standing up on the back of their necks.
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