Fantasy fiction prologue

[Darcness]

This is the first part of the prologue to my second novel set in the fantasy world of Darnathia.

Please tell me what you guys think so far.

PS. Quite a long post.

In the Darkness, Dreaming


   Tiny creatures scuttled into the darkness of the old mine as the trio passed them.
   Creatures with eyes unaccustomed to light fled toward the darkest corners as the blinding light of the party's torches stung their eyes.  A small rat-like animal was overcome with curiosity and sneaked closer to the strange intruders, its elongated nose twitching at the alien smells emanating from the two-legged creatures.  It shrieked and ran as a purple bolt of energy exploded next to it.  The tiny critter fled into the darkness, its fur smoking slightly.
   â€˜That wasn't very nice,' Tulip scowled at her mage companion.  ‘What did the poor thing ever do to you?'
   The mage sneered down at the halfling woman.  ‘We've been walking through these cursed mine tunnels for hours now, and still no sign of the five sigils. I think Kara's map is a fake.'
   The raven-haired Kara spun on her heel and poked him hard in the chest, a sneer distorting her delicate features.  ‘We didn't ask you along on this expedition, Caldon.  You virtually forced us to take you along, so don't come complaining to us about not having that treasure yet!'
   Caldon took a step backward, clearly bewildered by Kara's reaction, and bumped the diminutive Tulip right off her feet.  The halfling landed hard on her rear-end and grumbled something unintelligible up at the mage.  Caldon, a look of pure consternation on his face, reached down to help her up, but she slapped his hand away.
   â€˜No, thank you,' she grumbled. ‘I can manage quite well by myself.'  She pushed herself off the ground and shoved past the mage, clearly incensed.
   Caldon threw his hands up in defeat.  ‘Look, I'm sorry, alright?  It's just that I'm tired, I'm hungry and it feels like we're walking around in circles.  This place is a veritable maze, and I still haven't seen anything on that map that seems familiar.  I think you can understand that I'm feeling a tad irritable at the moment.'
   Kara sighed as she studied the mage.  He did seem sincere in his apology.
   â€˜I can understand how you feel, Caldon,' she said.  ‘We all feel like that at the moment, but that's still no reason to take out your frustrations on us.'
   â€˜Or defenseless little critters, for that matter,' Tulip piped up from somewhere up ahead.
   Caldon sighed.  ‘Are you sure that map is authentic?'  He looked at Kara almost pleadingly.
   â€˜I'm certain. After I found it in those ruins I took it straight to Myron.  He verified that this map was almost as old as these mines,' she said, unrolling the yellowed parchment.
   â€˜It could be an ancient prank, for all we know,' Caldon said, shaking his head.
   An angry retort died in the back of Kara's throat as Tulip suddenly called back to them excitedly.  ‘I think I've found something!  Hand me the map.'
   Kara and Caldon glanced at each other briefly, then rushed over to where Tulip stood staring at a spot on a wall.  Kara handed Tulip the map and stared at the wall, puzzled.  There was nothing there.
   â€˜What, exactly, are we looking at?' Caldon asked, straining to see some pattern on the rock.
   â€˜At this, Numskull,' Tulip said and traced her finger over an area on the wall.  After a short moment Kara and Caldon could discern the shape of a dragon carved into the rock.
   â€˜By Darnath's beard,' Caldon gasped.  ‘Well I'll be a Gwalrath's bib.'
   â€˜Maybe you will,' Tulip grinned up at him.  She pointed to an identical dragon symbol on the map.  ‘According to this, the dragon marks the entrance to a side passage.  From there it's only a short ways to our treasure.  Now we've just got to figure out how to open it.'
   Caldon stepped forward and traced the dragon carving with his finger as he chanted words of power under his breath.  A faint blue glimmer formed in the carving and he stepped back, turning to his companions.
   â€˜It's a magical ward,' he smiled at them.  ‘It's a good thing I came along, else the two of you would've struggled to get this thing open until next Helmfast.'
   Tulip rolled her eyes.  ‘Just get on with it, will you?'
   â€˜Why, certainly,' Caldon grinned as he placed his hands on the wall.  He closed his eyes and began to chant.  The blue glimmer in the carving slowly started to change to a deep red and the wall started to vibrate under his hands.  The vibration abruptly stopped, and Caldon stopped chanting.  He took a step back and shook his head in puzzlement.
   Nothing happened.
   â€˜Well done, Mister Mage,' Tulip glared up at him.  ‘You've miraculously succeeded in keeping it closed.'
   Caldon was dumbstruck.  The ward was a simple magelock, and not a very skillfully woven one at that.  A yearling apprentice could open it with the least effort.  Yet he had failed.
    Kara looked at the wall before her, then turned to Caldon.  ‘Try it again,' she said.
    Caldon shook his head, still disheartened by his failure.  He stepped hesitantly back toward the wall.  Before he could do anything, however, there was a loud grinding sound from somewhere beyond the wall, followed by a hiss.  The wall shook slightly, then started sliding upward.  The stench of death and decay assailed the companions' nostrils long before the secret door had even completed its ascent.  The door came to a grinding halt and the companions stared at each other.
    A deathly silence hung over the area.
    The companions stood staring into the gloom beyond the newly formed doorway.
    ‘Well, shall we?' Kara asked nervously.
    A deep growl came from somewhere down the passage and Caldon turned toward Kara.
    ‘By all means. After you.'

[Einoo]

What's with the In the Darkness, Dreaming thing? Is this a text adventure and that's a room name?

Anyway, the story looks like it's gonna be great. Keep up the good work.

[Darcness]

Hehehe. In the Darkness, Dreaming is the prologue title.

Thanks for the encouraging words.

[Vince Twelve]

In the Darkness, Dreaming is the prologue title.

As long as it's not "In the Darcness, Dreaming."  That would be a little creepy...