The Find 30.

Autumn.

Afternoon. In the giant hole in the ground. Within which, is the ancient city of Dalphene. More commonly called the City of Ruins.
Looking in the distance at the top of the pit, Zam the mercenary spots a number of figures hurrying along the top of the pit.
The young mercenary who hails from the city-state of Kuradum frowns as he tries to figure it out who it is.
Then he nods, when Hilmik the dwarven warrior who has just climbed up out of the hole in the ground, quietly says "Bunch of goblins running across the top there".
The two of them are crouched to the side of one of the piles of dirt, sand and debris scattered across the northern end of the giant hole in the ground.
While behind them, the rest of their small group, are climbing up from the tunnel they've just gone through.
"They were in a hurry" quietly says Zam referring to the goblins that were running along the edge of the pit to the north.
"Who was in a hurry?" asks Almard the mercenary who joins them at the side of the pile of dirt and debris.
"A bunch of goblins" replies Zam pointing to the north, to the top of the giant hole in the ground, within which is the ancient city of Dalphene, which is more widely known as the City of Ruins.
"Running from something?" asks the older mercenary who is the defacto leader of their small group.
"Could be" says the youngster from the city-state of Kuradum, who then shrugs his shoulders.
"Who can tell with goblins, especially wild ones" adds Hilmik the dwarf, who follows that "Knowing them, they could be running straight into danger, as much as running away from it".
"They went that way" says Zam pointing in the direction the goblins disappeared to.
Almard, who has been the company's second in command, Uren's helper since he joined up.
Then looks at the young dwarf from the Colevar Mountains, and asks him "Hear anything or anyone around?".
Gesturing all around them, Hilmik quietly says "All around us" followed by "As it has been for the last few hundred yards".
Almard winces as he looks around, and sees no one else in the immediate vicinity.
As the others climb out of the hole in the ground, with Imraness the mercenary quietly muttering "Wish that tunnel went on longer".
As they've found going underground a hell of a lot easier, not to mention safer, that going over ground to the end of the pit.
Here at the northern end of the ancient city of Dalphene, there's no more ruins.
Well no obvious ones, for there are some here and there, still sticking out of the ground, not fully dug out yet.
While covering much of the ground here at the northern end of the giant hole in the ground.
Are piles and piles of dirt, sand and debris. Where holes and tunnels have been dug over the years.
Over a number of centuries to be exact, though not all the time. As there will be a sudden rush to dig for a number of years. That would slow to a trickle, then to no digging at all for years, and even decades.
But recently, over the last twenty years or so. Digging has resumed here at the very northern end of the City of Ruins.
And though the number of people up here is small in comparison to the rest of the pit.
Especially when you compare it to the well populated and busy southern end of the giant hole in the ground.
And the vibrant neutral zone, where there's more ruins and remaining parts of the ancient city of Dalphene than anywhere else in the pit.
But nevertheless there are people at this end of the City of Ruins. And though a fair share of them try to keep to themselves as they dig up the ground.
Others, prey on and attack anyone who come up to this end of the ancient city, which was originally from the otherside of the world, until it was transported here by the Greater Dragon Kor.
And it's predominantly these people the group have run into today. As they've been attacked a few times already since the first attack this morning.
Looking at the very end of the pit in the distance, Almard the mercenary now sees a number of spots where it will be fairly easy to just walk up, and out of the giant hole in the ground.
Then he looks at Hilmik, who points away to their right, and quietly says "I hear can hear a couple of people about thirty to forty yards in that direction".
The young dwarf whose clan hold is on the northern side of the Colevar Mountains continues with "They're busy digging by the sounds of things".
"Treasure seekers" murmurs Almard, who isn't too worried about the likes of them.
It's fellow mercenaries, as well as adventurers he's more worried about. As they're the ones who will attack you if they see you, here at the very northern end of the giant hole in the ground, within which is the City of Ruins.
Gesturing northwards, Almard quietly asks the dwarven warrior "Anyone that way?".
"No one close" is the reply of Hilmik, who continues on with "Though that doesn't mean there isn't anyone".
That dwarven warrior briefly pauses, before he adds "Could be anyone underground in a hole or tunnel".
Almard nods, for Hilmik can usually hear someone under the ground if they're not too deep.
But only from a distance of twenty to twenty five yards away. Any further than that, and the young dwarf's naturally enhanced hearing can't pick it up.
It's a different story underground, where Hilmik can hear much greater distances.
Especially in the narrow, and low tunnels that crisscross the very north of the ancient city of Dalphene.
"Move out" quietly says Almard gesturing northwards, he then adds "The usual order" followed by "Keep alert people".
They head out, with Hilmik leading the way, followed closely by young Zam.
They keep low as they move, trying to keep beneath the height of the various piles of dirt, sand and debris.
Some of which are only small piles, just two or three feet high. While others are large mounds, up to twenty to thirty feet in height.
While most are around four or five feet in height. Some in neat rows, while others are scattered all over the place in a haphazard fashion.
As they move forward, in the order of Hilmik, Zam, Farnill, Melmear, Imraness and Almard.
The young dwarf from the Colevar Mountains who is leading the way, slightly frowns as he's sure he hears something away to their right, and further back.
Then he, and the rest of the small group here shouting, and the voices of two men, yelling "Run!".
They all look back, and away to the right and they see sand and dirt shoot up into the air behind some of the piles, about forty yards away.
Then a few moments later they see two men, the treasure seekers Hilmik heard a little earlier.
Running between some of the piles of dirt and debris, going at an angle that will take them by the group.
One of the two men running, spots the small group who have stopped to see what's happening, and he shouts at them "Run!" as he and his fellow treasure seeker run by.
"If they're running, then we're running" says Farnill the mercenary.
From the rear, Almard quickly says "It could be a trap" followed by "All the same, pick up the pace".
Then Hilmik hears something that's definitely not a person, and as he sets off at a quick walk, he says to the others "There's something back there" followed by "Whatever it is, it's big".
Even though they're walking at a fast pace, it's not until Almard looks back in the direction the two treasure seekers came from, do they break out into a run, when he shouts "Run!".
Coming over one of the piles of dirt, sand and debris is a large creature, that resembles an ant more than anything else.
It's black, and segmented like an ant, and on it's black chitanous head, it has feelers like an ant.
And though it doesn't have mandibles like an ant. What extends from the midsection, where it meets the head is far worse.
The near ten foot long creature has pair of claws like a giant crab. Each claw is longer than the entire length of it's body.
And the reason the two treasure seekers fled at a run, is because the creature as it scuttles along on it's six legs, moves way quicker than you would think something of it's size would move.
The six of them from Maygam's mercenary company, all fairly new hires having joined in either the summer or at the start of autumn.
Are running as they're chased by the creature, Almard mutters "Fuck" after looking back and shooting a bolt from his crossbow at the creature.
A bolt that bounced off it's dark, shiny body as it pursues the group of six mercenaries.
Then further away to their right, another cloud of sand and dirt shoots up into the air from behind one of the large mounds of dirt and debris.
"Another one!" yells Hilmik the dwarven warrior, who waves away to the right, as another of the creatures comes scuttling around from the side of the large mound.
With an arrow to his bow, Farnill the mercenary draws his weapon back and to the side as he runs.
He lets the arrow fly, aiming at the second of the creatures that's coming at them from the right.
The experienced mercenary who hails from the kingdom of Nastell is more successful than Almard was with his crossbow.
The creature pauses, and lets out a high pitch screech after the arrow from Farnill's bow hits it in the soft tissue directly around it's mouth.
Awkwardly with one of it's long claws, it tries to bat away the arrow just above it's mouth.
As it does, it still gives chase to the group, though it's moving much slower than it did when it came scuttling around the large mound it appeared from.
Looking away to their right and left, young Zam spots other people running as well.
There's a few goblins, some more treasure seeders. And a handful of mercenaries who were lying in wait to ambush anyone who crossed their paths.
They're all running, trying to evade the two large ant like creatures that have come up out of the ground.
Here at the very northern end of the City of Ruins, on what's a cold autumn day.
Looking back, Almard sees the large creature pounce on a man, who has stumbled and fallen over.
The creature grabs the man with one of it's claws, and barely slowing as it continues forward, the claws snaps shut, cutting the man in half as he screams.
Almard grimaces as the large ant like creature doesn't even bother to feed, and he realises it was only intent on killing.
Up ahead, Hilmik shouts "Another!" as he spots in the distance to the left, more sand and dirt shoot up into the air from between the piles and mounds of dirt and debris.
No doubt that creature will head this way too, as the two others give chase to the group, and anyone else who is fleeing this part of the northern end of the pit.
It's Zam who sees him first, a figure up ahead, between some of the rows of piles of dirt, sand and debris.
He's a fairly tall individual, standing over six foot in height. Who is also standing over a body that's lying on the ground at his feet.
Hilmik sees him too, and sees that he has blood around his mouth, and on his chin.
The young dwarf from the Colevar Mountains sees that it's an elf, not just any elf, but one that he recognises.
"Lolm!" shouts out Hilmik the dwarven warrior, the others call out the elven magic user's name to when they see him.
But as they approach, and he looks up from the dead body at his feet, that's got his attention.
It's Almard who immediately recognises that it isn't Lolmildíll the elven magic user who is part of their company.
But it's Gilvanéllé, Lolmildíll's twin brother, who is also part of Maygam's mercenary company.
And though both elven brothers are feared because of their depraved reputation.
It's Gilvanéllé or Gil as he's more commonly called. Who is a pariah, not just in their company.
But throughout the City of Ruins by those who have heard about him, or know of him.
"Gil, behind us!" shouts out Almard the mercenary, who hopes like hell the elven spellcaster will help them as the two creatures close in on the group.
And though the twin brothers look almost identical. There's an anger, and a detached sense of menace about the appearance of Gilvanéllé as he watches them in a cool manner, totally devoid of any emotion or feeling.
Then as they approach the elven magic user, with the first of the creatures just thirty feet behind Almard who is at the back of the group.
Gilvanéllé the elven magic user lifts up his hands, and casts a spell. It's a fiery looking energyball about six foot in width.
That the elven noble from the principality of Alínlae sends hurtling towards the group who are running towards him . . . . . .