RAVEN'S GAMBIT | Part 30: The Thorned Gate
The final chute dropped the battered party into a grim place.
The ground was littered with gnawed bones, yellowed and cracked. Some bore the size and shape of humanoid ribs. Others were unmistakably elven, dwarven, or worse—beastfolk.
The walls were scarred, raked with deep gouges, as though something massive and maddened had hurled itself against the iron bounds for years. The smell of dried blood and animal musk hung thick in the air.
“This place reeks of old rage,” Theron Blackroot muttered, his hand tightening around Whelm.
In the far wall loomed a reinforced wooden door, heavy with rusted iron bands. The group circled it carefully.
“It’s locked… from both sides,” Elowyn noted. “Whatever’s in there didn’t get out… and no key exists.”
“Then we pray it stays in,” Hachiro replied grimly.
But they weren’t alone.
Two manticores, hunched and scarred, lurked in the shadows of the room’s perimeter. Though the low ceiling grounded their wings, their lethal tails rose like coiled serpents.
As Hachiro Noboru dropped down the chute, spikes flew.
Six tail spikes flew toward him—all missed, clattering and skipping off the stone floor around him.
Taya Vex dropped in next. She had no time to scream. Five spikes impaled her, and she crumpled, dead before she hit the ground.
Trix Vorn followed, only to be struck by four spikes, one piercing her neck. She collapsed beside Taya, blood pooling between them.
Brock ‘Bull’ Dawson dropped in behind them and was struck once, the spike lodging in his side. He staggered, wounded but alive.
“THEY’RE HERE!” Hachiro shouted, drawing his katana and wakizashi. He charged the nearest manticore, carving twin wounds across its ribs.
Theron Blackroot let loose a focused Eldritch Blast, striking the same beast.
Elowyn Mosswhisper followed, Wave clutched tightly, striking a glancing blow.Khopesh stormed forward and slammed into the beast, sending it sliding back several feet.
Brock, gritting through the pain, fired his pistol—the shot went wide.
Lin of the Whispering Wind missed with a Ray of Frost.Seren Willowmere fired her light crossbow, but the bolt skipped off the stone.Kael the Ember-Eyed cast Magic Missile, striking true.Elric Duskwind and Kaelen Firebrand each loosed a Ray of Frost, both hitting.
Thalia Emberbranch’s composite longbow shot caught flesh.Shino of the Whispering Leaves missed her mark entirely.
The first manticore lunged, its claws raking through Brock Dawson’s chest.The gunslinger dropped to his knees and then fell still.
The second manticore snapped at Hachiro, claws raking across his arm, and bit down on his shoulder. He roared but held firm.
“No more,” he growled, and then he moved.
Katana and wakizashi flashed in a deadly dance, cutting the first manticore apart. It died under his blade, crumpling into its own gore.
Theron Blackroot turned toward the second and loosed another Eldritch Blast. It struck true.
Elowyn surged forward again but tripped, Wave clattering beside her.Khopesh rammed the manticore, bones cracking.
Lin’s Ray of Frost slammed into its hind leg.
Seren grazed it with a bolt.
Kael and Elric followed with spells.
Kaelen fired and missed.
Thalia struck again—her arrow piercing deep into the manticore’s flank.
Shino fired—and missed again.
The beast shrieked in rage.
It leapt, catching Lin of the Whispering Wind and shredding her with claws and teeth. She cried out, once, before falling still.
Hachiro, injured, slipped trying to strike.
Theron, hands blazing with arcane light, unleashed another Eldritch Blast.
The manticore’s chest exploded.Its body fell twitching to the stone.
Silence fell.
The terrace reeked of death—both the ancient and fresh.
Taya Vex. Trix Vorn. Brock Dawson. Lin of the Whispering Wind.
Their blood joined the others. Their second chance ended.
“Four more,” Seren whispered, already kneeling to cover faces.
Hachiro, chest heaving, looked around the chamber.
“That door… better stay shut.”
They regrouped, their numbers dwindling again.
The gods demanded a terrible toll in this place.
And Raven remained silent.