Marco was holding Higgs hand, as they moved through the forest scrub, he was helping her over rocks and logs of assorts. Marco wore his red hoodie and armoured grieves which covered his upper and lower arms, he brandished a sword in a sheath, an axe on his belt and a shield. Higgs, in her tunic and armoured pads, carrying a bow and arrows, assorted knives and rope. They came up to a clearing as their hands parted, they moved closer to the centre but stopped before a large crack in the ground.
'Ok, let's get the rope ready,' Marco said as he took the rope of Higgs and he tied it around the tree.
Higgs walked up to the gap, dropped a rock and waited for the distant clash of stone on stone.
'Thirty feet,' she began, as she marched to Marco, 'wasn't expecting it to be so nice here.'
She said, looking at the scenery.
'We should come back again, soon.' He said with a smile.
'Maybe when we're not looking for some dumb rock.' She replied with a smile.
'Heckapoo said this is the place, it shouldn't be a "dumb rock," I hope.' He said, tying the rope around his waist.
Higgs walked up, brought the rope around the tree and giving Marco the other end which he tied around his waist. She looked up, looking into his eyes and saw how sad he was. She leaned in and kissed him briefly.
'I'll cover you.' She reassured him, preparing her bow.
He held onto the rope Higgs handed him and he began to climb into the crevasse. He climbed below into the dark, he reached the bottom of the hole and untied the rope around his waist. He looked around the dim room, he looked on the floor to find dust covering carvings. He brushed away the dirt to find writing, in an ancient language. Ok, you got this. . . in sixteen years you've seen this before, He thought. "you walk the path of Reym, the War Master. Master your fears ye who are mighty, journey into the dark and find the War Paths Prize". He walked into the dark, out of the light and disappeared in the chasms darkness.
'Marco?' Higgs called from the entrance.
She stood there a moment, bow ready. This doesn't feel right. . . she thought. She walked to the edges, she took hold of the ropes and climbed down. While on the floor she looked down at the carvings, she stopped when she heard the sound of steel on rock and screaming. She turned to the dark, readied her bow and waited. Out from the dark came Marco screaming, covering in some kind of "glow in the dark ooze".
'Higgs!' he yelled, 'run!'
Higgs looked behind to see something moving behind him, only thing she could see was glowing blue eyes and teeth in the dark. She shot the arrow at the eyes and the creature retreated.
'The icon?' she asked.
'Yeah, I found it!' he yelled, running to her side.
'So where-?' she began.
'It ate it!' he interjected.
The creature came back, circling and roaring at them. Marco ran up with his sword before he was knocked back. Higgs shot an arrow at the creature again, but it managed to evade and charge at them. Marco and Higgs backed into the light from the ceiling and stepped back further. The creature stepped into the light, revealing its slim and arachnid type form with numerous arms and spikes protruding from its body. Higgs shot another arrow and the beast slinked back into the shadows. Higgs ran up to the rope and began to climb.
'Marco!' she called.
'The icon!' he shouted back as the creature returned.
'leave it!' she called as she climbed to the exit.
The beast lumbered at Marco, he held his sword and ran at it. He fell to the ground in a sliding motion and held his sword up as he passed under the beast. The beast lingered in the light before barely turning to Marco. He drew the axe and threw it at its head. The beasts form twisted as it came about and was preparing to charge, it opened its mouth and roared. The beast set its eyes on Marco but as it charged, and arrow came through its head from the top and exited through its lower jaw. The beasts body fell to the floor before Marco and bled. Marco looked up to see Higgs dangling from the rope.
'You gonna get it?' she asked with a smile.
'Yeah,' he began, raising his sword, 'I'm going to have to.'
Marco left the cave as Higgs helped him up, he exited with an item covered in muck. It was a gauntlet, dark and corroded steel with symbols and stylised embellishments.
'Well, better than a rock,' Higgs said with a smile.
Marco grabbed a sack from the side of his belt, he put the gauntlet inside and then then he cradled it for a moment. Higgs looked at him concerned before she took it from him.
'I'll take this one,' She said, placing the sack around her belt.
'Alright,' he sighed with a sense of gratitude, 'will we go the way we came, or take the high road?'
'Well the way we came was through a spider's nest. . .' she pondered, 'let's take the high road.'
He nodded as he led the way, Higgs caught up to him and placed an arm on his shoulder.
'Well, Heck will be happy with what we got.' she said, snuggling close to him.
'I hope so, she was angry when we got her the rock.' He said with a smile.