The entrance to the caves was narrow, half-hidden behind a crumbling stone wall. The darkness emanating from within was dense, almost tangible. Wordlessly, Hans squatted for a few seconds, inspecting the fresh marks on the ground: irregular footprints, claw marks, and small traces of dried blood.
Yang watched silently, his hand already nearing the handle of his short sword.
Hans sat up, giving him a brief but meaningful look.
—This is it.
—So, let's get started.
Without further ado, they both entered the opening, swallowed by the darkness beneath the old stones.
The darkness within the mines was thick and heavy, like a formless fog that clung to the skin. Every step they took was accompanied by the crunch of loose stones and the distant echo of their breathing. The air was stale, thick with dampness and the smell of old earth and something else... something rancid, as if corruption itself were seeping up from the depths.
Hans advanced first, his sword drawn in one hand and a covered lantern in the other, casting a dim light that barely broke the darkness. Yang walked behind him, his weapon drawn, listening for every sound that wasn't his own.
The tunnel was narrow at first, barely allowing them to squeeze through one at a time. Along the sides, the stone walls were cracked, and in some places, old mining tool marks suggested that these passages had once been part of an abandoned mine.
"This isn't natural," Yang murmured softly, as if afraid of waking something sleeping.
Hans nodded slightly. Ever since they'd entered, something had been bothering him. It wasn't just the stench or the darkness; it was a feeling of being watched, as if hundreds of tiny eyes were following them from the deepest shadows.
After a few minutes of silent progress, they reached a fork. Hans stopped, studying the ground in the light of his flashlight. There were faint footprints: small, misshapen paws leading toward the tunnel on the left.
"This way," he said simply, nodding.
Yang said nothing. He just tightened his grip on the handle of his sword and followed Hans.
The air grew even thicker as they descended. In the distance, like a murmur carried by the wind, strange noises could be heard: short squeaks, scratching, the tapping of something soft against stone.
Hans stopped again, raising his hand in a signal to halt. A few meters ahead of them, just at the edge of their light, something was moving. Something swift, misshapen, barely a shadow that disappeared behind one of the ruined walls.
Hans lowered the flashlight, dimming the light even further.
Yang stepped silently beside him.
"They've already seen us," Hans whispered, almost to himself.
They both knew they would soon be attacked. The real hunt was just beginning.
Hans moved first, advancing with measured strides, his sword held in a low stance. Yang moved to his side, covering his rear, her senses as sharp as a taut string about to snap.
Ahead, something scratched the stone. Then, another sound, this time closer, to their right. They both stopped immediately.
A figure emerged from the shadows: short, hunched, covered in rags, with a pointed snout protruding from beneath a filthy hood. The Skaven's reddish eyes glittered briefly in the darkness before it let out a high-pitched shriek.
Hans didn't wait. He lunged forward, his sword slashing in a silver arc in the gloom. The Skaven tried to dodge quickly, but Hans caught him in the side. The creature fell with a stifled cry, skidding against the stone.
There was no time to breathe. From the crevices and secondary tunnels emerged more: three more, then five more, armed with rusty blades, makeshift spears, and a nervous energy that made them move erratically.
Yang reacted instantly. Without losing her composure, she charged toward the first group, her sword flashing in swift, precise thrusts. One of the Skaven fell immediately, impaled on its blade. Another tried to flank it, but Yang, with a swift twist, brought it down with a slash to its neck.
Hans held his ground, cutting and dodging efficiently. It wasn't a fair or honorable fight. It was dirty, fast, and every mistake could cost them their lives.
A larger Skaven, armed with some kind of spiked club, lunged at Hans. The force of the blow shook the ground, but Hans stepped to the side, letting the attack crash into the rock. In one fluid motion, he plunged his sword into the creature's chest and yanked it back.
For a few minutes, chaos reigned in that narrow tunnel.
Finally, the last of the Skaven, seeing his comrades fall, let out a terrifying shriek and tried to flee into the darkness. Hans, without hesitation, threw one of his short blades. The weapon flew straight and true, burying itself in the fugitive's back.
Silence returned, interrupted only by the labored breathing of both men.
Yang wiped his sword on the rags of one of the corpses. Hans picked up his blade, looked around, and muttered:
—This was just a patrol.
Yang frowned.
—Then the nest must be nearby.
Hans paused for a moment, scanning his surroundings. A flicker in his field of vision alerted him: his system notification suddenly appeared, like a window unfolding before his eyes.
Current Mission: Destroy the Skaven invasion.
Rewards:
Experience gained: +30
Optional Rewards: Destroy the hidden Skaven lair: +100 experience
Warning: The area contains hidden traps. Disarm them to avoid an ambush: +50 experience.
"They're more organized than I thought," Hans murmured, as the system registered and guided him precisely toward what he should do next. The map of the mines, though rudimentary, appeared in his mind as a clear blueprint, each tunnel, each trap signaled by the system alert.
Yang, still cleaning his sword, didn't seem to notice the brief pause. Hans nodded, processing the information. Not only did he have to face the Skaven, but he had to deactivate the traps along the way to prevent them from overtaking him.
"We have to be careful," Hans said. "The distortions in the ground indicate they're using mechanisms to weaken those who try to enter. We can't fall into their traps."
Yang, trusting Hans's experience, nodded.
— I follow you.
Hans closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the surge of energy in his body, as if the world had responded to his thoughts. With a precise movement, he stepped forward and touched the wall to his right. A faint red flash appeared at the edge of his vision. The system had highlighted a hidden trap in the floor, a series of taut wires that, if not deactivated, would unleash a shower of sharp needles.
Activated Skill: Trap Deactivation (Level 3)
The system provided the necessary steps to deactivate the trap. Hans quickly bent down, manipulating the mechanism with a skill that seemed instinctive. Within seconds, the trap was inactive.
Yang watched everything without saying a word, trusting in Hans's skill.
"Come on, let's not waste any time," Hans muttered as he moved forward cautiously, aware that the Skaven infiltration wasn't limited only to their numbers, but to their ability to prepare the ground.
There was something that Hans had discovered after many confrontations with the Skaven and that was that although sneaking into their lairs was an arduous task, it was the best way to deal with them, but that didn't mean there weren't confrontations at every moment, the rats were paranoid and were always covering their backs.
The faint, barely perceptible sound made him stop, and without thinking too much, he raised his hand in a sign of silence. Yang stopped in his tracks and stood beside him, both of them listening intently. Something was moving in the darkness. The torchlight barely illuminated the path, and the sound of approaching footsteps indicated they weren't alone.
When the Skaven appeared, Hans acted almost without thinking. The speed with which he launched himself at the first of them was almost instinctive. A precise movement, straight to the target, and the Skaven fell to the ground before he had time to react. Yang, as efficient as ever, did the same with the second, quickly neutralizing it.
The third Skaven attempted to flee, but Hans caught up with him in a few steps, taking control of the situation with the same calmness he had displayed before. With one clean blow, he eliminated the threat, ensuring that none of them remained alive.
After a few seconds of silence, Hans allowed himself to breathe deeply, though his mind remained alert. He watched Yang calmly clean his dagger, unfazed by the speed of the confrontation.
"No more," Yang said, looking around, as if expecting another attack.
Hans nodded slowly. "Let's continue."