“Acid rain, the covonic plague, the exodus of wildlife, the goblin hordes; there must be a common cause.” The apprentice held out his hand and cast an illumination spell for Rangvald, probing the darkness of the cavern for dangers.

“If that were true, my brother, the Magistrate wouldn’t send us on these missions. The Lord and Lady of Umbra appointed him for his efficient nature. The evilness that darkens the land is strictly misfortune.“

Apprentice Niklaus shuttered to think what could possibly be controlling the misfortunate events, if there were such a force. The cave system narrowed into a tunnel and they continued along their journey, Rangvald more confident than himself.

A rumbling shook the cavern behind them, knocking a few stalactites from the rocky ceiling. Niklaus took it as an ominous sign. Only fools and messianic knights entered the Caverns of Noravene.

“Sinister magic permeates through these tunnels, ancient and everlasting, from a time before man.” Rangvald put a hand on his apprentice’s shoulder.

The pathway was craggy which made the glow of the light harder to caste. A choking mist moved through the caverns that most likely emanated deeper within. Another ominous sign, thought Niklaus.

“This stench could prove to be of a manifestation of the toxic rainwater.” Said Rangvald. “The ancient ones have unforetold power; their histories have been lost to time. Long ago these beings spilled forth their venomous gases. It could be happening again. We must drive this scourge from our land.”

“Yes master.” Niklaus spoke. They camped inside the cavern for days. “How much further can it be?”

Rangvald was reading a scroll, “This placed has remained sealed since the Time of the Rebirth. It’s unknown how deep they go.”

As his master finished speaking a plume of dust hit them as if a great force of air had been expelled. In the gloom of the haze a large chamber opened up before them. The vastness of it drew an open-mouthed gasped from the apprentice.

They approached the opening of the chamber with caution, the apprentice casting his glow light outward. It was a stunning sight to behold. Niklaus observed rays of sunlight beaming through the earth’s crust. This must’ve been where the miasma was escaping into the sky and poisoning the rain.

The master wizard looked into the abyss below and seemed to be enchanted by its depth. “We must be wary. I can taste the sulfur in the air. There’s a crack in creation and it must be mended.”

A booming came from within the large cavern. Rock sediment crumbled from the ceiling and the sound of creaking came to their ears. Something massive was moving in the shadows.

In the distance, between the crevice of a rock wall, an oversized hand revealed itself, attached to a gigantic golem. The golem’s face was angular and menacing. It walked in a wretched manner as if in pain and appeared to be more curious than all-powerful.

“Gods…”spoke Niklaus, “what manner of being is this?”

The creaking and groaning of boulders rubbing together made it difficult for the apprentice to hear his master, “It is one of the ancients. Remain still.”

He obeyed and watched as the thirty-foot stone giant came closer and peered at the men.

It spoke with booming reverberations as if the voice was produced by grinding metal, “You have traveled far into the earth. What is it you seek?”

The wizard Rangvald answered with a shaky voice, “We seek eternal knowledge. Knowledge that would bring us closer to the gods and cure mankind of environmental devastation. Our people have suffered greatly from the acid rain.”

“What makes you think you will find it here?” Thundered the golem.

The master bowed his head, “My great lord, we have tried every type of magic to stop the rain. We’ve tried to purify the air with oxygenators. We’ve reduced the toxins we produce from burning harmful chemicals. We’ve reduced our usage of coal and hexane but this has only worsened the pollution.”

“You are fools.” The golem pointed with lumbering fingers, “your actions have only brought you closer to self-destruction. The machines you use to combat the environmental change have only accelerated the disintegration.”

“But we’ve come so far.” Interjected Niklaus loudly. “There must be something we can do to stop it. We didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“The changing tides themselves cannot be changed.” Answered the golem. “Your people fear this notion, hide from it, fight against it, but it cannot be stopped. You came for the truth but I can only offer you this: Your existence has caused the global shift, nothing more. You are the unwitting architect for your own doom.”

“We are at your mercy. There must be something that we can do.” Pleaded Niklaus.

“Yes.” Responded the elemental golem. “Mankind can cherish the time they have left and care for the ones who need it most. That is the way of life, to celebrate what has been given to you. The death of all things is inevitable. For the forces of nature will halt for no one and nothing.”