Realm of shadows: Finnegan’s journey

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Sorcerer, Finnegan embarked on a thrilling quest, fueled by dreams of adventure and riches. Lumina Village, his beloved home, now lay a day's journey behind him, its warm lights fading into the distance.

As evening settled, Finnegan weighed the wisdom of finding a secure camp-site. These woods were known for goblin activity, especially after dark.

Suddenly, a terrible smell filled the air, snapping him back to reality.

"Gareth! Is this your doing, this awful stench?" he asked, shooting a puzzled look at the sturdy warrior.

"No, Finnegan! I swear, it's not me," Gareth replied with a playful grin.

The smell was unsettling, unlike anything Finnegan had encountered before. It hung in the air. An uneasy feeling settled over him. Was it a trick of his senses, or did he catch a faint, unsettling sound?

"It's an ambush!" Finnegan's voice echoed through the forest.

Startled, Gareth sprang into action, his chainmail jingling urgently.

Just then, several snarling goblins emerged from the thick underbrush, with fury, they charged.

At the fore-front, a goblin brandished a wickedly sharp dagger, ready for bloodshed. Close behind, his companions came forward with spears, their movements fierce and coordinated. The clash of combat began!.

With a quick incantation and a deft motion, Finnegan unleashed a bolt of flame that engulfed the goblin leader. It thrashed and fell, consumed by the fire.

In swift response, Gareth swung his sword, dispatching another goblin with precision. The remaining three fled, their cries echoing through the forest.

"Get the ears! Get the ears!" Finnegan exclaimed, drawing his razor-sharp dagger.

Gareth, catching on, retrieved his own dagger, and soon they had two gross trophies tucked away. It was a gruesome task, but the promise of gold in the city made it worthwhile.

"Now what?" Gareth inquired.

"We need to find a safe haven," Finnegan replied. "The forest is swarming with goblins, and we're outnumbered."

Gareth suggested climbing a tree for defense, but Finnegan hesitated. "Being cornered like a fox with goblins barking below doesn't sit well with me."

"Then to Castle Wyvern it is," Gareth insisted. "It's nearby, and we can fortify ourselves there."

Finnegan frowned at the suggestion. "True, it's a fortress, but who knows what lurks within its walls now?"

"Let us take refuge just behind the stone walls of Castle Wyvern," Finnegan declared.

As the goblin hunting calls echoed, Finnegan and Gareth sprinted up the path for about a hundred meters, reaching a fork in the road. The path to the right was barely discernible, almost swallowed by overgrowth. To the left, a clear path led towards what seemed to be a flickering firelight.

Could this fire belong to the goblins, or perhaps it was the campfire of another friendly adventuring party? There was no time for second-guessing now.

"Enough foolishness. To Castle Wyvern and her blessed walls!" Finnegan proclaimed.

After a minute of stumbling down what can only be described as a game trail, they saw the shadowy ruin illuminated by the moonlight ahead. Unfortunately, the battle cries of their pursuers grew ever nearer. Glowing eyes gleamed in the darkness.

The outer wall of the castle loomed before them, about ten feet high and in a state of decay. Panic set in as they realized there were no openings on this side large enough to pass through.

Gareth, the swifter of the two, disappeared around the far corner of the wall. A short spear whistled past Finnegan's head. He looked back and spotted at least four of the menacing creatures. He turned and unleashed a blast of flames, shouting, "Die, filthy vermin!" The goblins' screams pierced the night, soon silenced by the engulfing flames.

With no more goblins in sight, Finnegan hurried to catch up with Gareth.

"Gods, you've struck terror into that advance party. However, they'll call for reinforcements. We have the wall. The question remains, can we hold it?" Says Gareth."

"We could go in," Finnegan suggested, pointing towards the castle keep beyond the courtyard. The fortress, once grand, now stood in a state of scary stillness.

The situation around Castle Wyvern had escalated quickly, the air thick with tension and danger. The goblins had gathered in their fierce groups desperately forcing their entrance into the castle.

Finnegan, assessing their options, swiftly decided against blocking the entrance, realizing it would be futile. "Two are not enough to defend all four walls! Into the ruins!" he shouted.

In a rush, they crossed the courtyard, Finnegan wrestling open the creaking double doors. Gareth, with a cautious eye, secured the doors with a heavy bar. The entrance chamber loomed before them, its once excellence now marred by time.

Rubble littered the ground, and closed wooden doors punctuated the stone walls. A blocked stairwell hinted at a path upwards. As the front doors outside rattled violently, Finnegan's gaze locked onto the arrow sl*t, where menacing eyes and axes assailed the castle entrance.

Finnegan signaled Gareth to follow deep into the castle, while he surveyed the tracks on the floor. They revealed an unsettling mix of human-sized prints and much larger, barefoot imprints—certainly not goblins.

Then, something caught his attention—a glimpse of a glistening eye through a rotting hole in the northern door. Swiftly, he directed the lantern's light, confirming his suspicion. It wasn't human.

With a whisper of arcane words, Finnegan fired a bolt of flame, hitting the eye with accuracy. But the element of surprise was lost, and the door exploded open, revealing an enraged ogre. Gareth boldly defended against the first assault, but was sent crashing into a wall.

Simultaneously, the entrance doors to the castle gave way, unleashing a horde of goblins into the chamber. Amidst the chaos, a spear found its mark, grazing Finnegan. It was a close call, but fortunately, the wound was not severe.

As the ogre's thunderous roar reverberated, chaos reigned, the clash of arms and wild cries filling the air. It was a battle against overwhelming odds, and Finnegan and Gareth had to summon all their strength and wits to survive.

Gareth and Finnegan dashed through the eastern portal, narrowly avoiding a collision. With a forceful shove, Finnegan slammed the door shut, sealing off the horrors behind them.

From the chamber they just fled, goblin cheers twisted into terrified screams, drowned out by an earth-shaking, bone-chilling snarl. The air trembled with the gruesome dread—the sickening sound of flesh, the grisly sound of bodies tearing.

They moved swiftly from room to room, navigating the castle's neglected halls. Cobwebs and shattered remnants of furniture littered the way. Finally, they stepped into a larger chamber, a dining hall with a long wooden table and twin fireplaces. Finnegan signaled for Gareth to stop, straining to hear. Faintly, the distant echoes of battle reverberated from behind.

"No way out that way," Finnegan thought.

Then, a new sound cut through—an uneven breath, accompanied by soft, anguished cries. The source of the sound seemed to be right here.

Stealthily, Finnegan made his way to the other end of the dining hall. There, a sight froze him in place. A young woman, chained to a fireplace, rocked back and forth, her sobs a haunting melody in the midst of the castle's dark scenery.

Finnegan's gaze met with the distressed maiden, her wide eyes filled with a mixture of fear and astonishment. Her voice trembled as she spoke, "Who... who are you?"

Finnegan offered a reassuring smile and introduced himself and Gareth, explaining their purpose—to seek adventure and fortune while smiting any darkness that dared to threaten their path. The words seemed to resonate with Elena, her fear giving way to a hopeful glimmer in her eyes.

As she shared her own name and story, Finnegan's heart swelled with empathy. Elena, a merchant's daughter, had been traveling with her father's caravan when tragedy struck. An ogre, accompanied by dark-cloaked priests of an evil god, had descended upon them. Her fellow travelers were either slain outright or taken captive, disappearing one by one at the hands of the malevolent priests.

"They took my father!" Elena's voice trembled with grief. "I fear he ma