The Adventure's End

What was that?

I heard something…

I open my eyes.

I'm standing in a dark tunnel that stretches out before me. Torches line the walls at regular intervals, casting a faint light across the stone.

Where am I?

The walls look hand-carved, their uneven surfaces glistening with moisture. Moss grows between the cracks, and water trickles down the stone. A rat pokes its head out of a small hole. It watches me for a moment before disappearing. I can't see very far ahead, but the tunnel seems to stretch on endlessly, disappearing into the darkness.

I don't remember entering this place.

Then I hear the clang of metal on metal and the sound of shouting.

It's a battle. I know the sound.

It’s not far away. I can't tell how many people are fighting, but the shouts grow closer.

I look behind me. There's a large metal door four times my height

I don't know who these people are or why they’re here, but I don't want to meet them with my back against the door.

The door is slightly open. It's just enough to let me slip through.

Inside, it's some type of ceremonial chamber. It's beautiful. The floor and ceiling are white marble. I can't tell for certain what the walls are made of. Heaps of treasure are piled against them: gold coins, rings, jeweled goblets, swords, and shields.

Braziers burn in all four corners. Blue flames flicker, casting the entire room in an icy glow.

At the far end of the chamber, opposite the door, a stone sarcophagus rests on a raised pedestal.

The sounds echoing down the corridor get my attention again. I hear the clatter of armor approaching.

I look for an exit, but the one door is the only way in or out. I'm trapped.

I cross the chamber and take a position beside the sarcophagus, putting as much distance between myself and the door as possible. I draw my sword.

There's a body lying to my left.

I look around and notice several more. Dead adventurers, judging by their armor.

The sounds stop outside the door. Everything goes quiet for a moment.

Then the door bursts open.

Three figures enter. The first is a knight in heavy armor, carrying a broad sword and a shield. Behind him is a lightly armored man with a dagger. Then a woman with a bow follows behind.

The knight lets out a battle cry and rushes towards me. 

I see the look in his eyes. This is kill or be killed.

I charge forward. We meet in the middle of the room. He strikes down. But he’s too bulky, too slow. I step to the side. I thrust my sword through the opening between his helm and breastplate.

My sword exits the back of his neck.

I pull my sword free and turn toward the man with the dagger. He's already coming at me, low and fast.

He expects me to dodge.

Instead, I thrust my sword straight ahead.

He's moving too quickly to stop. He runs himself through on my blade.

I pull my sword from his chest, and an arrow whizzes by my head. It's the archer, and she's nocking another arrow.

I cover the distance between us.

She fires again. The arrow passes just beside my head.

I'm lucky she missed.

She screams and makes a move toward the door, but it's too late.

I slash downward and she falls broken to the ground.

Then the chamber is still.

I stand there for a moment, watching them. None of them move.

Three dead adventurers. Three more to join the others here.

I didn't want to kill them. 

They attacked the moment they saw me. They were probably so afraid of whatever they had been fighting that their nerves got the best of them. Or maybe they saw the treasure and decided they didn't want to share it with anyone else.

I look at the knight. He's young. The others too.

They're all so young.

The knight's armor is clean, almost polished. His sword barely shows any wear. The others' equipment looks just as new.

I wonder how long they've been adventuring.

What were they seeking? Treasure? Glory? Some ancient relic?

Instead, their journey ended here.

At my hand.

I sheathe my blade and look around the chamber.

There are no statues, elaborate columns, or murals depicting the victories of some warrior king.

It's surprisingly plain, considering all the treasure.

I've raided enough tombs to know this isn't the resting place of a king or high priestess.

I slowly make my way around the room, just taking in all the treasure.

I notice something near one of the piles. A golden necklace catches the blue light of the brazier. It's simple compared to the other things around it, but it has the symbol of my homeland.

I wonder how it got here. Wherever here is.

Am I home? Is this some ancient tomb of our kings or queens?

I turn back toward the sarcophagus and begin to walk toward it. I notice more bodies I hadn't seen before.

Some are just bones. Some are buried in the treasure. There are dozens.

I climb the steps to the sarcophagus. It's so plain. I run my hand along the outside of it. Smooth cold stone.

Its lid has been pushed partway aside.

My curiosity must be getting the better of me. I can't resist the urge to look inside.

Inside is just a skeleton dressed in armor. The armor is that of a warrior. No, an adventurer, just like all the other dead in this place.

For some reason, I can't look away. The helmet, the breastplate. They're worn, but they look familiar. And then I see the blade between the dead man’s fingers. It's my sword.

I unsheathe my blade and look down. It's the same.

My gaze moves from my sword to my hand.

I hold it up toward the brazier.

I can see the blue flames through my fingers, faint and distorted, as though looking through a thin layer of fog.

I turn my hand over.

I can see right through it.

I look back to the sarcophagus. Just above, at the top of the lid, there's a name engraved...

It's my name.

I read it. Then I read it again.

This is my tomb. I look back at my armor, my sword, my bones. That's me.

I don't feel fear or anger or sadness. I just feel tired.

I turn and look away.

And then I see them.

Standing beside their bodies are the three adventurers I just killed.

A faint glow outlines them, and I can see through them to the door and passage beyond.

They died here. This is now their tomb as well.

I wish I could tell them I'm sorry.

Our gazes meet. Their faces are expressionless. No words are said.

They turn one by one and pass through the door. They will guard this tomb from the next group of adventurers.

I watch them as they fade into the darkness.

The door slowly closes behind them without a sound.

I feel a pull from behind me. I look back to my body.

I'm so tired.

I can no longer fight the urge to sleep. I look around the chamber once more. All this treasure is mine. It brings me no joy like it would have before…

I climb into my sarcophagus.

I lie down beside my skeleton, still dressed in my armor, my sword resting between its fingers.

A warmth comes over me.

I close my eyes.

I can rest.