Black Zenith [Adventure RPG / Chapter Four: Fires of Heaven]

Nos faintly hears Thunderpaw's shouting too, and gives Mayor an interested look before turning to the others asking for his assistance. He rolls up his sleeves and sighs. "Yes yes, leave it to me." Then a grin breaks out over his face and he tackles the obstruction, pushing with enthusiasm.

With Watson and Nos pushing at the large ceiling brick together, they soon heave it out of the way. Tainted sunlight suddenly fills the cramped staircase as the party surveys their surroundings. They are outside the ruins, at a small hillside hidden from its surroundings by the nearby, larger hills. Remnants of ruined walls surround the place in which you emerged, and large square cobblestones, much like the one you just pushed out of the way, can be seen sticking haphazardly from the ground in places - in other places, only dirt and pebbles remain.

Not too far from where you emerged is a campfire with a small cookpot boiling on top. Next to the campfire sits what looks to be an old man of a very short height, wearing a puffy, circular hat. His skin looks strange, as if he were sick, or maybe it is just a condition of his age. A large backpack is resting against a nearby wall, and a short walking staff is propped up beside it.

"About time." he says, looking over. "I had to wait for several minutes! You really should work on your punctuality."

Wasting no time, Mayor heaves himself the last distance up from the stair beneath, and then he immediately rushes over, picking the peculiar small man up and embracing him in a steely hug!