The Ambush

The corridor was drafty and cold. "This air creeps me out, feels like something huge is breathing in and out", murmured the elf clutching his staff. The light in his power crystal flickered and became a tad stronger lengthening the shadows of his companions. "Nay, mage, 'this only the air shafts doin' the work" grinned the cleric. "I feel nothin' in this place, there's no real wind an' even the air don't feel real, it doesn't" complained the ranger shivering. "Its eery this place, is. Like its kept frozen by somethin'. And so little growin' here, so little. Old roots with no trees and blind creatures slithering behind every boulder".
"There is something up ahead" said the fighter and his voice carried weirdly loud along the corridor. Before them were stairs. Not just the granite shaped into some seaming of a stairway, but stairs, built with rocks and mortar. It trailed up, to a very old looking porticulis sculpted in the shape of two brooding mind flayers. Their faces where scraped off and the tentacles of their lower face seemed to move into the light of the torch. The cold swish of the steel as the fighter drew his sword broke the tense moment. The dwarf cleared his voice softly and moved his hammer in his hands for a better grip. The ranger drew and nocked an arrow murmuring some old prayer. "I sens nothing beyond it" tried the mage to reassure them. "No traps it seems. Tis' old work this one, nothings passed here for a long time" said the cleric looking at the polished walls with expert eyes. They followed the fighter up the stair with careful steps. Beyond the portal, a short, narrow stone bridge stretched over a chasm of darkness and fading sharp edges. Air was growling a deep hum deep below. There was water dripping from the walls somewhere and over the bridge, another porticulis reached into darkness further, slightly illuminated by a purplish light. They stepped over the old, lifeless roots grown over the ancient cobble stones, toward that purplish light.
....

Hi guys and girls. Its been a while since my last post so I hope this image somehow washes some of that past silence. I did this illustration for the awesome project of the guys at Adventureaweek.com, called "Rise of the Drow". Its not the only one and, in time, I'll post the other ones too. In the meantime I urge you to go to their site or look for their kickstarter to find out more about their incredible publication. This image is under their copyright so no download, sorry.
As usual, the story is my own. I just felt like adding a bit more of myself beside the image. I hope you enjoy the bit of writing as well as the illustration.