Valerik made his way through the foliage of the upper mountain, following his map towards the 'x' on the page. That was were the Annon en Groth Mines were located, were Valerik heard of rumoured treasure. He clung his bundles around him closer as the frigid air stung his face. The high altitude was sharp and the wind chill was high. Valerik wasn't very well prepared for the outdoor adventuring part of his travels. He had stocked well for the mine exploration portion of his adventure. He vividly remembered the man who led him here.

Valerik leaned back in his seat in the bar, sipping his ale slowly in long draughts. The chair in front of him was empty, the wood smiling back at him in his drunken haze. He wasn't much of a drinker, in fact, he was a recovered alcoholic, but today, had broken his vows of sober. He sighed, rubbing his eyes with the stubbs of his fingers.

Suddenly, the chair in front of him was occupied, the dark shape of its occupant blocking Valerik's view of the exit. The face was familiar to him. After much thinking, Valerik recognized him as a client, a previous client who hired him to clear bandits away from his road side stall. Valerik waved slowly, giving sign that he recognized him. The elven merchant smiled back at him. He took a deep breath, leaning towards the vampire.

"I am so grateful for what you did for me. In return, I will give you this scroll," he said, pulling an ancient paper from his pocket. Valerik gave a confused expression, "You paid me!" he exclaimed, bringing his chair upright. "Not enough, though," the merchant said, "This map leads to a deserted mine with great riches. It will be a long trek though." And with that, the elf departed.

The next day, Valerik ordered a messenger to send for Vencrest, inviting him on his adventure. Valerik copied the map, telling the drow to meet him at the entrance of this fabled cavern

"Whoa!"

Vencrest's shout echoed across the deep valley of the mountains below, as a piece of rock crumbled to the ground below. The narrow ledge had proved to be a much harder task than he had anticipated. A low, rough, growl escaped from his companion, clinging to the narrow mountain ledge besides. Trekella, the red furred lupine, a odd smile on her dog like face. "Be quite," Vencrest muttered, a smile on his face as well. The chance to laugh was a big relief from the normal days of living the life of a mercenary, and a beastmaster. His worry wasn't ceased though. His plasma dragon, Zekbel, was roaming free around the mountains, causing him still to worry. But for now, he had other matters in mind. Matters of treasure.

He pulled out the ancient paper scroll that he had received from a messenger, that had allegedly come from his vampiric friend, Valerik. He didn't doubt that it did come from the vampire, but the entire mission seemed odd. Treasure hunting. It seemed pretty far fetched, but according to where the map led him, a dwarven mine would be sure to contain treasure. But some thing still worried him. The dwarves wouldn't take kindly to visitors, expecial a drow and a vampire. And the caverns would be dark, and Vencrest didn't know if his ally had Darkvision.

Pushing these thoughts aside, he trudged onwards, until the path widened into a more easy walk way. With Trekella at his side, he walked for another half hour or so, until he came upon the vampire, Valerik. "Friend!," He exclaimed, wrapping his arms around him, in a customary drow greeting, "Nice to see you again! I hope you have had safe travels!" Just as he spoke these words, a rumbling came from underneath him...

Valerik waited underneath the cover of the overhanging cliff entrance, shading his eye to the harmful sun. He uncomfortably pulled his eye patch over his socket, the bloodied cloth brushing painfully past the sensitive flesh. He grunted in discontent, hoping that a regeneration spell would soon land in his grasps. The empty socket was a constant reminder of the defeat at the hands of Sartana.

Suddenly, his mood was brightened at the sight of Vencrest heading towards Valerik. Obviously, the drow had spotted him too, the wolfish companion following him. Valerik returned the embrace to the drow, some what uncomfortable at the strange customs of Vencrest. "Friend!," He exclaimed, wrapping his arms around him, in a customary drow greeting, "Nice to see you again! I hope you have had safe travels!" Valerik nodded, starting to say, "Ye-" But he abruptly stopped.

A rumbling underneath him caught his ear, the deep noise cacophonious to his ears. His body shook from the vibrations. The earth was cracking, fissuring into tiny pieces. Valerik drew his sword, glancing down below him to see what was happening. But before he could truly inspect the matter, the ground had collapsed completely, and the vampire was falling into the dark abyss below. During the fall, he hit his head against the side of the cavern, falling unconscious.

When he awoke, he was in a cage, deep within a cavern. The floor must of given way to this cavern, and their captor must of locked them in this cage. Valerik felt around, finally coming across the form of Vencrest. He rose with a grunt, staring around the torch lit room. It was empty of life other than Vencrest and Valerik. Their weapons and supplies lay at the other end to the cavern room, stacked on a box. The cage they were in was locked, secured completely past escape

Vencrest began to feel the earth give way underneath him, the very ground collapsing against their feet. He feel, casting a glance to Valerik, to see if the vampire had managed to find away to escape their fate, but only to find the vampire's head, collading with that of a rock. All he could do was fall, down to a cavern below him. As he fell, the last image that he saw was a brown clothed dwarf, sinking into the cave behind him. 'Earth mages!' Vencrest thought, as his very conciousness began to leave him. 'Blasted dwarves!' His vision blurred, and he fell unconcious.

Something cold was pressed against the side of his head. It had begun to hurt. "What is that?," Vencrest murmmered to himself, rubbing his slightly bloody scalp. He arose, looking at the source that was causing him so much discomfort. It was the cold floor of the metal cage, that his head had been pressed against. He looked around, regaining himself after the dramatic fall. Valerik was in the opposite cage across from him, looking similarly shocked. "The dwarves," Vencrest growled, walking to the edge of his own cage, feeling the sturdiness of the cage bars.

He looked around the room. It was bare, the only two beings bieng himself and Valerik. But where was Trekella? His question was immediatly answered. From the hole in the roof, where he had assumed the drow and vampire had arrived from, a large, lithe, red figure decended, a blur of red fur and white teeth. "Trekella!" He exclaimed, pressing up to the side of the cage. "I was able to remain consious, and hang at the side of the wall," she grunted, approching the bars. Vencrest fell back, knowing the lupines plan. She gave a mighty heave, and blew a stream of fire, melting away the metal bars. "Thanks," Vencrest said. The wolf growled something, and approached to the vampires cage, following suit.

Valerik gasped as a red furred creature approached Vencrest's cage. But Valerik's fears were subsided when he realized that it was nothing other than Trekella, the drow's lupine companion. But the vampire greatly underestimated the capabilities of the lupine. It went forth to the drows cage, heaving greatly, her chest swelling up, until at last, a burst of flame came forth and melted the bars. Valerik nearly felt like applauding at the rescue that would be soon to come.

The lupine came to his cage. Valerik stepped to the very edge of the cage, hoping not to get burnt. The lupine did the same as it did for Vencrest's cage, heaving in greatly, and fire coming out of its lungs, burning away the metal. Valerik stepped over the stubs that once was the bars of the cage. The melting liquid seeped on the floor, quickly hardening into a steel tile. Valerik headed over to were his supplies were, reattaching his sword onto his belt.

The room they were in had no doors, only an entrance directly in the center. At the gaping hole, it turned into a passagway, going left and right, torches illuminating all the way down. Valerik peered down the passageway, squinting to see around the dimly lit area. He quickly jerked back, drawing his sword. "A dwarf is coming!" he hissed towards Vencrest, and then motioning were his equipment lay. "Hurry, I think he's coming into th-" he was cut short as a short, stubby figure came in, his axe still on his back. The dwarf jumped back in surprise, his hand rushing towards his hilt. But it was too late. Valerik skered the mountain creature, easily killing him in one blow. The electricity pulsed through the short humanoid, sending pulses through him. Valerik pulled his blade out, whispering, "Be on your guard."

Vencrest approached the chest that contained his equipment, and grabbed his belt, all his weapons hanging limply from it. He attached it to his side, feeling full agian. He grabbed his Black Dagger, and shoved it in his boot, at its orignal postiton. He did a quick check. Black Dagger, Winter Wand, and Scimitar were all accounted for. He had all his gear, and ready to get his treasure. Even with thier recent fall, his hopes weren't dimished. He would get his treasure, after the pain the pair had been through. And they wouldn't be too careful. After what the dumb, fat dwarves had done to him already, he would, be certain to kill a few before departing, with a heaping sack of treasure.

He followed Valerik, and turned into a long hall. "A dwarf is coming!" he hissed towards Vencrest, and then motioning were his equipment lay. "Hurry, I think he's coming into th-" he was cut short as a short, stubby figure came in, his axe still on his back. The vampire stabbed him with his impressive lightning blade, running it through the small, chubby body of the dwarf. "Be on your guard," Valerik added, his blade still drawn.

Vencrest began to lead the way, and peered inside a room to the left. He quickly pulled himself against the wall, for the in the room a group of eight dwarves were drinking. They were singing, and hicupping in a drunken fervor, happy with their drunken delights. A perfect plan came to mind. He threw a small rock across the room. All the dwarves chased it,hicupping. He crawled into the room, and slipped several drops of his Potion of Suggestion in their drinks, and returned outside. Now all he had to do is wait for the dwarves to drink, and the suggestion would compel them to go outdoors, for a long bathroom break.

Valerik waited for Vencrest to finish loading on his gear, which included his belt, several potions, and his blade. But a new addition was included to the drow's repritiore. It was a wand, that seemed like a rod of ice. Even though it was cold down in the cave, it was slightly warmer up on the surface. Yet no water was on the drow: the wand had not melted. Obviously, it was enchanted. Valerik was eager to see the magical effects of the wand.

The drow went ahead, leading the way down the dimly lit corridor. At last, they came upon a room, with a similar entrance to where they had been locked up. Inside, Valerik could hear the clamor of dwarves, drinking and having fun. They clashed their glasses together, sang songs cheerily, and feasted. Valerik sighed, not wanting to waste time and effort killing all these drunken dwarves. Inside, their was approximately eight of them.

But it seemed Vencrest had a plan. The drow slipped in unoticed, a slipped a drop of a potion into their drinks. They all drank some more, drinking in the potion. What the potion was, Valerik did not know. He just waited with his companion. After several minutes, every single dwarf evacuted the room, heading straight towards a bathroom. 'Suggestion,' Valerik concluded. He went into the room, inspecting the various crates for treasure. "Its all empty," Valerik announced. "It seems that if there is treasure, its not in this room," he told his companion.

Vencrest causually strolled into the room, looking into all of the containers that the group of adventurers were looking for. "Its all empty," Valerik announced. "It seems that if there is treasure, its not in this room," he told his companion. Vencrest slammed the top to a wooden barrel, creating a loud slaming noise, echoing across the stone room. "Great," Vencrest murmmered, beginning to head out the door and into the corridor again. Trekella, followed him.

"HEY!"

The deep, craggly voice of a dwarf echoed across the hall, the sound of steel being drawn as well. "Ready yourself," Vencrest exlaimed, drawing his Winter Wand as he did so. Four dwarves were charging them, mighty flails and axes held in their rough hands. Vencrest held out his hands, casting the Blizzard spell. A barrage of ice, wind and cold temperature flooded over the herd of dwarves, smothering them with ice and frostbite. The most heavily armored one collapsed on the ground, his own armor conducting the heat, and freezing him from the inside. "Now fight!," Vencrest excalimed, preparing for battle.

A dwarf ran up to him, swinging an axe at him. Vencrest held out his wand, blocking the axe gently, as to not break his wand, but activating its mystical effects, freezing the weapon entirly. He broke contact, and flung his foot in a round house kicking, smashing the face of the dwarf in, sending his axe shattering on the ground, and knocking him unconsious. Only two were left, and hopefully the vampire would help in killing these foes.

Valerik winced as the drow slammed his fist in frustration against one of the crates filled with food. He could already feel the murmer of nearby dwarves. He followed Vencrest outside the room, drawing his blade as he did so. Outside, in the damp and dim corridor was four dwarves. One of them was incrediably armored, the steel almost as large as himself. Each was equipped with a rusty axe, probably standard for their military.

Vencrest drew a wand. Valerik was able to tell a drastic change in tempurture. The source of the cause, Vencrest's wand. Valerik readied himself for contact. Two of the dwarves were already headed into his direction. The vampire swung his blade experimentally in the air, the steel ringing around him. Luckily, the dwarves were only able to get him one at a time, allowing him not to get overrun by their numbers. The dwarves waddled over, trying their hardest to sprint over towards the vampire.

Valerik was to impatiant. He swiftly jogged over, keeping a defensive stance. When he at last came within striking distance of the dwarf, he brought his blade to his center, a stab aimed for the dwarf's head. But he was forced to quickly change his posture, blocking a heavy blow from the small humanoid. The axe and sword clanged, sparks flying. Valerik quickly countered, stabbing his blade directly into the warriors neck. On a normal human, it would of pierced the chest, but due to the warriors stature, it was a fatal blow. He crumpled to the ground. The other dwarf muttered a prayer, stepping around the body. Valerik took advantage of this dwarf's respect, banging his blade at the side of his armor that surrounded his entire body. The electricity from his enchanted weapon conducted through the metal, zapping the dwarf. The small person foamed slightly at the mouth, and then crumpled onto his companions body.

"Where next?" asked Valerik, placing his blade back onto his hip.

Vencrest watched as his ally began battle with the two dwarves, with his relitivly new weapon, the Lightning Blade. It cackled with magically energy, and electricity, powerful and deadly. The axe of the first dwarf and the blade collided, clanging as the steel bashed together. Valerik took the chance, and stabbed his blade through the short, yet stocky neck of the dwarf. The other dwarf began to mutter a prayer to a god, beginning "oh please dear Lothlo..." His words were cut short, as the blade of the vampire touched his side, the metal of his death suit becoming a conducter for the electricity. The dwarf foamed at the side of his mouth, and collapsed, dead.

"Where next?" asked Valerik, placing his blade back onto his hip, looking expectantly at Vencrest. "Well," said Vencrest, stepping over the frozen body of the first dwarf, "I suggest we just search the rooms in this corriedor. What other option do we have?" He continued heading down the path, untill he reached another door to his left. He clung to the side of the wall, and opened the door slightly, looking into the room.

It contained several crates, but inside was empty of life. Vencrest stepped inside, relaxing at the emptiness of the room. CRACK. Vencrest jumped to the side, avoiding as a huge spike emmited from the ground. A dwarf stepped from the wall, the very same mage that had sent them plummeting to their cage. Another mage stepped from the corresponding wall, each holding their hands up, ready to cast magic. "Get ready to fight," Vencrest said to both Valerik and Trekella, drawing his own blade.

Valerik pressed on, stepping over the two dead dwarves bodies. Their corpses still crackled slightly from the electricity. Burnt skin reeked all across the air. Valerik waited patiantly for Vencrest. "Well," said Vencrest, stepping over the frozen body of the first dwarf, "I suggest we just search the rooms in this corriedor. What other option do we have?" He continued heading down the path, untill he reached another door to his left.

Valerik nodded in agreement. He headed down the path, stoping at the room directly parrallel to Vencrest's, assuming that they would split up. But a large crack corrected him. "Get ready to fight," Vencrest said to both Valerik and Trekella, drawing his own blade. Valerik drew the lightning blade, heading over to were the earth mage was. Already, he was starting to perform a new spell. The incantations were but a murmer, but Valerik could already feel the magical energies rising from inside the anceint mage.

Valerik gathered his own energy, perparing one of his favorite lightning spells, chain lightning. The orb gathered at his fist, cackling in anticipation to find its target. The dwarf's spell launched first. Valerik ducked, several rock missles hurtling towards him. He launched his spell, sending the lightning. But surprisingly, some of the lightning branched off, hitting behind a crate. A small yelp echoed. The main bolt instantly killed the mage. But the other figure from behind the crate rose. It was yet another mage. But he was wearing ornate robes, and a eloquent headress. He was a superior, casting a spell from behind. And the spell launched. Several wild boars appeared, ready for combat.

Vencrest held his blade firm, and dodged a barrage of rocks sent at the vampire and drow, casted from the robe wearing mage in front of him. Vencrest prepared to charge, but to his surprise, Valerik cast the Chain Lightning spell, sending a large bolt of lightning at the mage. It struck him with amazing force, creating a loud bang, and sent him flying into the wall. The dwarves head made a large cracking noise, blood and pink goo flying from his skull. "Very well done," Vencrest commented, but his voice was not heard, for another small bolt of lightning had branched off, and struck a box, which let out a small eeping noiise.

The box shattered, revealing a more elegent mage, dressed in unique robes. He raised his hand, casting a spell. A green light flashed, and in the space between the drow and mage, was four boars, intent on killing the pair of warriors in front of them. "Watch out," Vencrest warned, pulling his blade up ", this is more than an earth mage, but also a nature mage." Vencrest ran forward, matching the boar charging him. It was close to collision, but Vencrest casted the spell 'ice arrow, and impaled the boar in the head. It fell, the arrow lodged in its head, blood leaking as it fell, and slide across the earthen floor.

Trekella had jumped on the back of another boar, and steered it into the wall using its tusks, jumping off before impact, and unleashing a storm of fire from her mouth.

Valerik stared and watched as four boars magically appeared. Each one had a tusk as long as a arm, long blood stained teeth, and hooves pawing the ground, ready to fight. Vencrest and Trekella took two of the boars, killing them in gracefully manners. The lupine was gracefull, landing on the back of one boar, leading it into the wall, dismounting, and blowing fire onto it. The pig squeled in pain, writhing upon the ground. Vencrest impaled one in the head with a spell, the ice arrow.

Valerik impaled his sword through the back of a charging boar, quickly yanking it out. He was forced to jump back, avoiding a blow from one of the boars that was not preoccupied in combat. Valerik stabbed his sword deep into the second boars back, keeping it long in place, allowing the electricity to surge throughout the creatures body. The boar squealed in pain, dying slowly. Now the injured one had recovered, trying its hardest to stab Valerik. The pain filled boar swung its mouth, the elongated tusk stretching towards Valerik. The vampire only responded with a grimace.

He quickly avoided the lethargic blow, and responded by kicking the boar's skull. A large and sickening cracking sound resounated across the room. Valerik charged the mage instantly, preparing for combat. The mage conjured a long staff made out of rock. Valerik lunged, only to have his strike countered in a explosion of sparks. The mage countered, bashing Valerik across the skull. He collapsed on the ground, and slowly drifted into unconceousness.

Vencrest watched as Valerik had to fight off the remaining two boars, as a graceful dance of blade and fist. His blade plunged into the first one, and removed his blade, letting it continue its path, while he sidestepped another one, and plunged his blade into it, letting the electricity end its life. The other boar had arose, and approached Valerik, but he had managed to dodge its weakened blow, and stab it again, and kill it. The mage cast some sort of spell, forming a staff of stone into his hands. Valerik ran to the mage ready for combat, swinging his sword. The mage blocked it, sending sparks eveywhere, and then, counter attacked, smashing the vampire in the skull.

Vencrest grimaced, while he watched his friend collapse on the ground, falling into unconiousness. The mage looked at him, and charged, attempt on killing him. Vencrest blocked the blow, and ducked, as the mage swung his staff again, trying to perform the same move he had done to the unfortunate vampire. Vencrest, while he was low, swung his blade, as he aroused, creating a long, upward gash across the thick, stocky chest of the dwarf. It cut across his intricate robes, staining it with blood. The mage held his chest backing up, to avoid another attack, but he wasn't ready for a ranged one. Vencrest shot an ice arrow from his hand, piercing the dwarf in his skull. His face wasn't recognizable, only red ice, stained with his blood. Vencrest approached Valerik, and shook him slightly. "Wake, Up," he murmmered into his ear.

Valerik lay on the ground, his head spinning. A cold sweat dripped across his drow. He was unconcious, asleep on the ground. Slowly, dreams filled his head. Dreams that resemble the events occurring around him.

Vencrest was dancing across an open plain, using his sword to cut flowers. Each time, he started low, and spiraled up, cutting each of the flowers into a low bush. The flowers then began to bleed, dark red crimson covering the beautiful feild. Valerik tossed and turned in his sleep. Next, their was the dwarf, standing empty in a black nothingness. Inside, surrouding the dwarf was a circle. After observing it for a while, Valerik was able to make it out as a star, surrounding the entire dwarf. But then, the dwarf's face began to slowly disappear, fade away into a red pit. Then, lips appeared in the backround, whispering, "Wake up."

Valerik awoke with a start, Vencrest next to him whispering in his ear. "I'm ok!" exclaimed the vampire excitedly. He retrieved his fallen sword, returning it to the original position on his belt. "Lets continue!" he said, continueing around the room. He opened each of the chests, only to discover no treasure. He muttered, and headed out of the room. He went directly to the room parrallel to him.

Inside, was only one object. A chest. Valerik went straight to it, excitement over coming him. He reached to open the chest, his hand tingling. But he yanked it back as the chest suddenly grew a mouth, biting his hand. The vampire yelped in pain, drawing his sword simultaneously. It was mimic, a trap by the dwarves. "Beware of the chest!" yelled Valerik percautiously to Vencrest.