The following morning, the group had a light breakfast before taking a short hike to the caves. Meadows gave way to forests, growing increasingly dense. Finally, the group reached a clearing with moss-covered boulders scattered all around. There was a rocky hill with a yawning, dark cave mouth.
“This is as good an entry as any,” said Verin. “Move quietly.”
The group entered the cave. As the light of the surface vanished behind them, Andy’s eyes took a few minutes to adjust.
“Kermit,” Andy whispered. “You have a light spell with your Arcane Gesture, right?”
“Oh!” Kermit said just a bit too loudly.
“Shhhh!” said Verin. “We must be quiet!”
Suddenly, a [Blinding Light] emanated from Kermit’s hand, causing Andy’s vision to fade.
“Goddammit!” Verin cried without bothering to whisper.
“I can’t see anything,” said Andy. It was true, he squinted, but he could see nothing but a dark, colorless void. “Anyone know how long this lasts?”
“Oops, sorry,” said Kermit. “I think only a couple minutes.”
“Can you see, Kermit?” Arlene asked.
“Yep!” he said. “I can see just fine.”
After a few moments, Andy’s vision flooded back. The cave seemed even more vivid than before. “Sight’s back for me,” he said. “And I guess it helped my eyes adjust.”
“Me too,” said Arlene.
“Me as well,” Verin said with a begrudging scowl. “Let’s continue… and please do keep quiet…”
With newfound visual clarity, the group continued into the cave. Verin led, followed closely by Arlene and Kermit. Andy stayed in the rear, occasionally stopping to check that they weren’t being followed.
The cave was dark, dank, and cool, moisture coating the walls and floor. Andy made sure to keep his path to the rougher sections of the stone so he could keep his stability.
The group came to a split. One tunnel dropped down to the left, overlooking a huge, cavernous room. The right side of the tunnel forked upward.
“Which way?” Andy whispered as they came to a halt.
“One moment,” Verin said quietly. He stood silently facing the wall that divided the two tunnels, listening closely for any noises coming from either path.
Then, Andy heard it: from somewhere far away, a terrible shriek, a mix between a crying baby and a screeching hawk. But it was distant and faint. If he had not been attentive, he would have missed it.
“Sirens,” Verin whispered. “Sounds like it’s coming from a higher room to the right.”
Then another shriek, this one a bit louder. It echoed loudly in Andy’s mind, lingering for moments after the physical sound had dissipated.
Andy suddenly went rigid. Every hair on his body stood on end. He couldn’t move his feet or arms.
“I think…” he started. He couldn’t finish the sentence. He was held in place, paralyzed.
Everyone else was silent and unmoving too.
After a moment, Arlene gasped, as if breaking free from a trance. Then Kermit and Verin began to move again.
Finally, after a few seconds, Andy regained control of his limbs.
“Their screams work from so far away?” Andy whispered.
“Yes,” said Verin. “And if they were closer, you’d still be paralyzed.” Verin rummaged through his pockets, producing a small handful of cotton balls. He whispered into them, a soft glow infusing them and fading back into darkness. “Here everyone, take these and put them in your ears. They are magically fortified cotton balls that will help filter out the sirens’ screams.”
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Andy took the cotton balls and stuffed them eagerly into his ears. Although his normal hearing was slightly impaired, it wasn’t as much as he expected. He could still hear the footsteps of the others in his groups, as well as their whispers.
I hope these work as promised.
“Now, we need to avoid the sirens and seek a larger cavernous room,” Verin said. “We should go left and explore this section of the cave.”
Andy nodded and the group began their descent down to the large cavern room to their left. The way was rocky and uneven, but with a bit of coordination, the group made their way down with relative ease.
As Andy found solid footing, he gazed up at the huge room they had arrived in. Hundreds of stalactites clung to the ceiling above.
Instinctively, the group began to fan out, covering the room. Andy went out in front, traversing the center of the massive room. He hopped over crevices and scrambled over a boulder or two, but in general, the terrain was fairly easy to manage.
Finally, Andy reached the opposite wall. There didn’t appear to be any other caves or passages connected to the room.
Did we reach a dead end?
Andy returned to the center of the room where Verin, Kermit, and Arlene had already congregated.
“Looks like a dead end,” said Andy.
“I agree,” said Verin. “Though it is a beautiful sight. Well… let’s turn back. We’ll have to go up to the higher levels of the caves, which means we very well might encounter sirens. Be sure to keep the cotton in your ears.”
“Aye aye,” said Kermit playfully.
As the group headed back toward the incline they had descended from, Andy heard a shuffling from the ceiling.
“Wait,” Andy said.
Each of the party members paused. Verin drew his crossbow, as if by instinct.
“Do you hear that?” Andy said.
It was a crunchy, slimy sound… undulating and arthritic.
What the hell is that?
“Prepare yourselves,” Verin said, his face suddenly overcome with horror.
As Andy peered up toward the ceiling, a large form began to become more clear.
“What is…” Andy began.
“Crawfish,” said Verin. “Back up!” He hissed at the group.
The four of them retreated a few paces, each drawing their weapon as a massive arachnid with shiny black natural armor dropped from the ceiling, making a thud as it landed. It’s terrible pincers were the size of refrigerators, and it’s eyeless face leaked acidic drool.
Andy placed his greatsword in a defensive posture, awaiting the crawfish’s attack.
“Get back,” Andy told Kermit. “You and Arlene give me covering fire.”
A flaming arrow zipped past Andy’s face and collided with the crawfish’s exoskeleton, bouncing off and skidding across the cavern floor before extinguishing.
The giant creature reared back, hissing and displaying its many legs, its stinger arching forward, poised over its head like a scorpion’s.
Andy lunged forward, swinging with all his might at one of the legs.
Its legs are fairly thin… if I can take them out one by one, then I can immobilize it.
Andy’s blow landed against one of the creature’s many knees, but it was no use. It bounced right off.
“Damn!” Andy exclaimed in frustration.
The crawfish’s tail came down quick, smashing into the ground and leaking a pungent venom onto the floor. Andy barely had time to dodge it.
“Look for the gaps in its armor,” said Verin, loading his crossbow and taking aim.
As the Crawfish reared back again, Andy noticed several areas on its underbelly that seemed unprotected.
Maybe if I can get under it… he thought.
Andy lunged again, this time aiming at the Crawfish’s belly. He activated his Fluid Strike. The crawfish began to move more slowly as time dilated. Andy located the soft, fleshy white spot in the middle of the creature’s abdomen and thrust his greatsword into it once, twice, three times…
The crawfish hissed in agonizing pain as time ceased its dilation.
“I got it!” Andy said. In a moment of jubilation, he let his guard down.
“Watch out!” he heard Arlene call.
As soon as the words escaped his mouth, the crawfish’s stinging tail came down upon him. He felt its long, venomous stinger enter his shoulder, his chest cavity…
Andy instantly went rigid as the crawfish pulled its stinger out. It was wounded, but not dead. And now Andy was paralyzed.
He fell to the ground.
“Andy!” Kermit called.
Andy couldn’t move. He tried, but he couldn’t. His insides were on fire and there was nothing he could do about it.
How could I have been so foolish?
Andy couldn’t move his head, so he couldn’t see what was going on behind him. He heard Arlene, Verin, and Kermit all scrambling as the Crawfish limped its way toward them, hissing…
…Andy lay paralyzed and powerless…
