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D1 - Beneath the Basalt - Page 8

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D1 - Beneath the Basalt - Page 7 by ArtOfTheGame                  D1 - Beneath the Basalt - Page 9 by ArtOfTheGame
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Unlike the previous doors they had encountered up until now, this one swung open without any auditory complaint. Shawn poked in his head through the opening, craning his neck so that he could see as much of the floor, walls, and ceiling before he dared step inside. It didn’t take long for him to notice yet another anomaly in the new room. The dewott stared fixated at the opposite wall for several seconds before pulling himself back into the previous room. He looked down at Yeaf, who was waiting patiently directly behind him.

 

“Beams,” said Shawn.

 

The eevee tilted her head, confused. “Huh?”

 

“Uh, I mean, there’s a bunch of beams in the room,” Shawn tried to clarify. “Wooden beams. They were set up against the wall on the other side.”

 

“Wooden beams?” Yeaf pawed at the ground absentmindedly as she considered Shawn’s report. “You mean cut timber? Like poles and planks they use in construction projects?”

 

“Oh! Yeah, you’re right!” exclaimed Shawn, his eyes lighting up. “Luke said there were supposed to be construction teams in the dungeon somewhere! Maybe this is where they’re working!”

 

“Yes, that might be true!” The eevee’s fluffy tail swished back in forth in the air as her voice showed evident signs of relief. “And if they’re here, then it may be possible that…”

 

Shawn nodded. “Yeah, maybe they’ve seen Nauxis and Ixx around here! Let’s go in and ask, huh?”

 

“Yes, lets!” agreed Yeaf. “But…please take it slow, ok? Just in case.”

 

“Yeah ok, good idea,” breathed Shawn. “Right. One step at a time. Here we go…”

 

The two Explorers held their breaths as they carefully tread through the doorway. Contrary to the other rooms they’d seen, this one had a basalt wall immediately across from the doorway and to their right, forcing the duo to proceed left down a hall. As Shawn kept a watchful eye out for anything he figured would look like a trap, he carefully took in his surroundings.

 

As the dewott had first observed, there were numerous oaken support pillars that lined the walls on both sides of the hall. They weren’t just found at the corridor’s perimeter; many thick beams lay in pyramid stacks off to the side and out of the way, meticulously balanced and organized. And it wasn’t just wooden beams that could be found: various pieces of construction equipment and gear could be found about the space. Makeshift shelving units held tools and implements of various sizes. Several carpentry tables stood nearby, their knicks and scrapes showing signs of frequent usage. Shawn gaped when he saw an incredibly large crosscut saw propped up against one of the wooden surfaces. Clearly it took two ‘mons (or maybe one machamp) to wield such a large tool.  It was probably what was used to cut the surrounding supports into shape.

 

As their journey down a carpenter’s paradise continued, Shawn realized that the construction work was only partially done. Where most of the beams along the wall were evenly spaced, there were several large open surfaces where there were no beams at all. Following one of the supports upward with his eyes, Shawn saw how much of the ceiling had been covered with additional wooden surfaces, though there were just as many spots where the low-hanging basalt spires could still be seen. It was clear that the construction crew still had plenty of work ahead of them before they could call the job done.

 

With the unfinished state of the work area in mind, the obvious question needed to be asked.

 

“Um…where are the construction guys?” asked Shawn.

 

Yeaf continued her examination of the hallway as she spoke. “I’m not sure. Maybe they’re taking a break? They might be farther in…wait!” Her ears twitched. “Did you hear that?”

 

“Huh? Hear what? I don’t think…wait, hold on…”

 

Shawn paused as a series of faint sounds reached his ears from further down the hall. Cupping a hand to his ears, he strained to identify the source of the reverberating echoes. After a moment, he could determine that the sounds were the voices of other pokemon. This was good…except something was off. There were multiple voices, and it seemed like they were all speaking at the same time. Shawn could tell what was being said from his position, but one thing became clear as he listened even harder: those were not the voices of calm pokemon on a lunch break. Based on the rise of their speech, the speakers seemed to be frantic, or maybe in a state of panic. That couldn’t be good.

 

Shawn glanced at Yeaf and saw that she had come to the same conclusion he had. Someone, maybe even multiple pokemon were in trouble. They had to go see what was going on. The two immediately picked up the pace, running down the hallway until it came to a sharp corner to the right. The echoing voices solidified into crystal clarity when they rounded the bend.

 

It was another section of the basalt hallway, only this one was populated by several pokemon. On the ground were two ‘mons: a tyrogue and a combusken. Both were wear wearing reflective gear while the combusken had its head feathers covered with a hard hat. They had their backs to Shawn and Yeaf and were shouting up at the peak of one of the larger basalt columns the lined the wall.

 

On top of the column was absolutely the most enormous barboach Shawn had ever seen. The dewott was immediately reminded of the accosted barboach he had seen on his way into the Basalt Halls; that guy had been a bit on the pudgy side, and to say that the one before Shawn was similarly well-fed would be an understatement. This example of a normally slender fish pokemon was nearly entirely round, its checks and belly protruding out in perfect curves. Not only that, but that barboach must have been at least twice as long as any normal barboach! The mud fish stood upright while balancing on its own girth, its chest puffed out in a defiant pose. It didn’t take a metagross to figure out that this barboach was not a happy pokemon.

 

“INFEDELS!” cried the barboach at the top of his lungs. “You barbarians have no power over me! Your slander against the radiant King Wussy Whiskey Montgeomery Mudsuckery Sedimus Munge IV only bolsters my will to resist you! I swear upon the glorious crown that rests upon the slimy head of our exalted leader that you will be punished for your many transgressions!”

 

The construction team below the boasting barboach was apparently not in control of the situation. They were waving their arms frantically in front of them as attempting to pacify the deafening speaker. Their legs shook as if they wanted to take many steps backward, but where too afraid to afraid to move.

 

“H-hey now! L-let’s not do anything crazy, ok?” said the combusken, his quivering voice betraying his disingenuous confidence. “Maybe we can talk this out, eh? Nobody has to get hurt or anything!”

 

Shawn had no idea what was going on, but it was obvious that the construction pokemon were being threatened by this engorged intimidator. That was enough to compel Shawn to get involved, despite his misgivings. He called out from his spot down the hall.

 

“Hey! What’s going on? Do you need help?”

 

The heads the construction team jerked as they turned to look at Shawn and Yeaf. Somewhere deep down, Shawn was hoping that they would show signs of relief when they saw him. Something to show that he was doing something right by being there to help them out of a bad situation. Instead, their mouths seemed to hand open in disbelief, the panic in their eyes only deepening. Something was wrong.

 

“Oh crap…” the combusken squawked under his breath.

 

“Hey! You! Kid!” The tyrogue yelled. He turned only his head when speaking to avoid turning his back to the situation in front of him. “Stay back!! Don’t move!”

 

Shawn was taken aback. He wasn’t sure how to respond to this kind of reception. Yeaf appeared to have taken it the same way, but managed to squeak the same thought that was in Shawn’s mind.

 

“W-what? Why! What’s going on?”

 

“MORE INTRUDERS!” The boarboach’s shrill voice shook dust from the ceiling when his beady eyes fell upon the two newcomers, spittle flying from his open mouth. “REINFORCEMENTS! This was all part of your nasty scheme, wasn’t it you venomous curs! You wished to stall me so that you may surround me with your numbers and catch me off guard! Such treachery!! I’m warning you! Each and every one of you! If you have any more surprises ready to spring, I swear I will bring righteous vengeance down upon all of your heads!”

 

The tyrogue broke out in an open sweat. He shouted at Shawn and Yeaf through gritted teeth. “You two! Back off! Don’t provoke him! Just…just don’t come any closer!!”

 

“Why?! I-I don’t understand!” Shawn was starting to feel as scared as carpentry professionals before him. “What’s he planning to do?”

 

It was the combusken who responded. “The supports! We’re not finished yet!  This tunnel is at risk of collapsing and we’re supposed to fix it! But that guy’s threatening to start an earthquake! If he does, the whole thing will come down on top of us! We’ll be buried alive!”

 

Shawn suddenly felt cold. He looked up to see the uneven basalt spires that jutted out between the incomplete wooden supports that were scattered about the room. Small cracks in their surfaces betrayed their supposed stability. No doubt, if a large enough quake shook the room, then the worst possible scenario could possible occur. Shawn instinctively took one step backwards, but no more. His breathing quickened as his arms lowered ever so slowly to his sides. His finders twitched as they neared the scalchops seated in his fur.

 

Meanwhile, the bloated barboach was continuing his tirade. “That’s right! Cower before my prowess! My earth tremors pale in comparison to the mighty King Wussy Whiskey Montgeomery Mudsuckery Sedimus Munge IV, but they would be enough to send you all to your pitiful ends! I don’t even care of the harm that I would inflict upon myself! The legacy of my one and only king is the only thing that drives me, and I will stop at nothing to smite those who would befoul his wondrous kingdom! Through his great generosity, I can offer only one final warning! If you all don’t surrender and submit yourself to the rule of his excellency at this moment, I will have no choice but to-!“

 

The barboach abruptly stopped his declaration when the sounds of rabid footsteps and fluttering feathers could be heard echoing through the room. All eyes turned to the other end of the hall. From the darkness burst forth a natu in flight and a black-coated shinx. They both halted as soon as they came into view of the other pokemon in the room. The natu immediately called out.

 

“Excuse me! I must ask for this commotion to end! We are in need of help! Two members of our party have gone missing and we need immediate assistance to find them! Could you-!” Nauxis gasped when his eyes alighted on Shawn at the opposite end of the hall. “Shawn!"

 

A flurry of emotions stormed within the frozen dewott. There were so many things he needed to say to his discovered partner right at that moment. I found you! Go away! I missed you! Get back! I’m so relieved! I’m scared! So many things were at the tip of Shawn’s tongue.

 

But he didn’t get the chance to say any of them.

 

“TREACHERY!! WICKED DECEPTION!! LOATHSOME TRICKERY! You yet bring more of your filth to defile the great King’s realm! INCONCEIVABLE!” The barboach glutton was beside himself with rage. “If you lot thought you could intimidate me into surrendering to your anarchy, you are gravely mistaken! Now you will know nothing but the crushing embrace of the earth as my quake brings this dungeon down upon you all! Your last moments will be nothing but the eternal regret borne from invoking the wrath of King Wussy Whiskey Montgeomery Mudsuckery Sedimus Munge IV!”

 

The hall broke out in chaos. The construction pokemon cried out and scrambled, desperate to get away. Yeaf whimpered and lay flat on the floor, covering her head with her forelegs. Ixx cursed under his breath and dashed into the room, falling to all fours to cover as much distance as possible. The color drained from Nauxis’ face when he realized his horrible mistake and he fluttered as fast as his small wings could carry him, crying for it all to stop.

 

Shawn was absolutely still.

 

The barboach made his final statement. “May you all know righteous judgment! LONG LIVE THE KING!!”

 

And with that, the obese barboach leapt from his basalt pedestal and plummeted to the floor below.

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Things are ramping up again...jeez, it's only their first dungeon, and my team has already found themselves in a potentially fatal fatal situation. And this is supposed to be an easy dungeon too! No one told me we were playing Pokemon: Dark Souls version! 

Both the drawing and writing was a pretty crazy exercise to get done. I love me some fun angles, and I think I'm pretty pleased with how this one turned out. I'll be soooo happy when I get to be finished painting all of that basalt though. :p
As for the writing, I admit I had fun drafting the dialog for the barboach zealot. But boy howdy did I need to have a thesaurus on standby while getting it done!

Cameos:
:icondingosilver57:'s Ixx and Yeaf from Team Valor

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Comments15
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Wyvern-1's avatar
Aww man, all the faces! Perfection. Especially the fat Barboach.

Speaking of mud fish, I had fun writing for my own henchman, too. I tried for an overconfident and pathetic plunger-maiden.

It's not an easy dungeon. I don't think any of them will be. I know it to be so, considering the second floor of dungeon 1 is off-limits. There just has to be at least something scary on that second floor.