Jean-

I was grateful that Terrence offered Todd to go first. I didn't think of that, and it was a relief that someone else did.

I was slowly learning how to think in this new world of magic and monsters.

Macie and I walked inside the dark tunnel hand in hand, following Todd. We came to where the tunnel dropped off and opened into a big cavern of a room, It was huge.

I looked down to the bottom of the room, but I couldn't see, far off on the end it dropped into a chasm, which was several feet down at least.

Looking up, the ceiling was like a dome, with no stalagmites (I think those are the ones that point down, I can never remember) I my flashlight aimed toward the ground.

This wasn't a natural cave.

From where we stood, I couldn't tell if there was another way out besides the way we'd come in, moving forward and looking down again at the ledge where we stood, I saw a rope ladder leading to the bottom of the chasm. I hadn't noticed it before. Had it always been there?

"Maybe only one or two of us should go down," I suggested. "In case there's a trap or something, that way we all don't get caught."

Saying the words, I figured I should probably be one of the two to go down the ladder and into the room, since it was my idea and all, but that didn't mean I wanted to.

However... I also didn't want anyone else to go in my place.

I tried to use my flashlight to see what was on the bottom, but the light beam died out before I could tell if there was anything there besides the floor. There was no way to know what would be waiting for us at the bottom.

Max-

My eyes widened at the spacious cavern, well, our chances of finding what we needed actually seemed smaller now. Who knew how many caverns this cave system even had? And to be honest, since the rockslide...we didn't have a way out of this place.

I took a breath when I saw the ladder.

Bending over it I examined the rope and the wood, both were old, but not so much so that I wouldn't trust my weight on it.

"It looks sturdy enough." I commented rising. "Who's going down?"

Jean-

I took a deep breath.

"I am" I responded, straightening up just a bit, trying to act like I wasn't that scared. I looked from one face to the next. "Who's coming with me?" I asked, hoping not to go on my own, and I loved Todd, but I honestly didn't want to go with him. No offense buddy.

Max-

Okay. Well, if Jean was going, I was too. Macie was a good friend, and Terrence seemed pretty cool, but if something was gonna happen to Jean, I wanted to be there. I wasn't gonna just sit around and hope she was alright.

"I'll go." I promised giving her a soft smile and a nod.

Macie looked at the two of us and gave a soft smile, then froze.

I'll bet she just realized that meant she was being left alone with Terrence and the Zombie.

I gave her an apologetic shrug, then looked at Jean.

"You ready?"

Jean-

I was both relieved and nervous to have Max come with me. I trusted him, no doubt, but I was nervous to be alone with him cause how much I cared about him, and the fact that there might be a monster down there or some other kind of trap.

Then again, there might be nothing down there.

I returned his smile, hoping the darkness hid the blush I could feel appearing on my face. I hugged Macie, hoping she and Terrence wouldn't kill each other while Max and I were gone.

I tucked my flashlight back in my front pocket, then started down the rope ladder in darkness.

It was old and the wood creaked as I put weight on it, so I was careful to hold myself up as much as possible with the rope so I wouldn't break the wood planks.

The ladder was so long that after a while I lost track of where I might be and how close I was to the bottom.

I paused my descent, carefully putting all my weight on the ladder so that I could use my flashlight to see how close to the bottom I was. I slid the flashlight out of my pocket with one hand, the other holding tight to the rope. I clicked it on when suddenly the wooden plank gave out from under me with a loud CRACK! I let out a scream as I fell through the following boards.

I landed on the bottom of the cave floor on my back, my flashlight next to me.

My eyes stung with dusty tears, I wanted to stay there on the floor and not move. I knew I had to get up however, so with a groan I sat up with my hands stinging and my back aching. No doubt my hands had gotten burned by the ropes.

"I'm okay!" I called up to my friends.

I grabbed my flashlight, feeling something wet and looked up at the ladder. I had only fallen through the last five wood boards of the ladder. That was a relief.

"I only fell the last few steps!" I informed.

I looked down at my hands. The wet thing I felt before was my hands. They were bloody from the rope burns. I panicked just a little, but forced myself to calm down.

I wasn't alone, I told myself. Max is coming, it okay. My friends are here with me. I took a deep, though shaky breath, and waited for Max.

Max-

I was gonna go first but Jean beat me to it, so I gave Macie and Terrence a salute before climbing down after her.

It was a long process, but I kept my mind focused on gauging which portions of the wood looked the most stable and stepping there.

Suddenly Jean screamed and I whirled round trying to see what happened as the rope shook and I managed to hold on.

Jean was on the floor but I still felt my heart pounding as the ladder swayed with the movement.

I lowered myself down as far as I could then dropped landing on my feet before rushing to where she was.

"Jean, is anything broken?" I asked examining her carefully. I winced at her bloodied hands, I didn't want to imagine what that felt like.

Pulling off my backpack I reached inside and grabbed the first aid supplies setting to work cleaning, then wrapping her hands carefully with gauze.

Jean-

I was grateful that Max was carrying first aid supplies, we all were, but right now Max was my hero. I had tried cleaning my hands as best I could before he got there with the water from my bottle, but all that did was rinse off the blood and make it sting even more.

"No, nothing broken," I answered.

I tried to keep still and not yank my hands away as Max wrapped them. I felt foolish for falling. If I hadn't stopped to look, I wouldn't be in this mess and Max wouldn't have to wrap up my hands.

"Thank you," I said quietly when he was done. I felt like if I talked any louder I would be disturbing something that should stay undisturbed.

Despite being in pain and wanting to kick myself, I couldn't help but feel butterflies at how worried Max was for me and how fast he wanted to help me.

Max-

I let out a relieved breath when it looked like all the damage had been taken care of.

"Of course." I offered gripping her wrists carefully to help lift her to her feet.

I then looked back at the ladder, with the bottom five steps out, we couldn't use it to get back up, unless we had the upper arm strength to pull ourselves up the rope, but even if we did...Jean was hurt.

I took a deep breath running my fingers through my hair.

I couldn't shout to Macie and Terrence cause...something was down here. I didn't know how I knew, but there was a creepy lingering feeling of being watched, and every fiber of my body said yelling, would be a BAD idea.

Would they know not to follow? I hoped so,

Terrence and Macie would probably be trying to find a way out, meaning we should do the same, and hopefully meet up outside the caves.

I sighed.

Jean-

Max stood me up and then I grabbed my flashlight again, careful not to hold it too tight, to keep my hands from stinging as little as possible.

I finally got a chance to look around the deeper part of the room, there was an odd looking gazebo-type thing in the center of the floor. It looked like it was carved out of the same rock the the room was made up, like the builder had carved round it. It was just tall enough to walk under, but wide enough to fit a couple of people. I wasn't sure why it was there or if that was our way out somehow. It wasn't connected to anything besides the floor. And upon further inspection, I didn't see any other ways in or out besides the way we had come other than a small creek that ran down the middle of the room, through the rock gazebo and disappeared into the far wall. Shining my light on it, creek seemed to have no obvious beginning or ending, it just was. It wasn't flowing one way or another, it was just flowing.

I looked back at Max. "Think we should try the gazebo?" I asked, not sure what else we could do.

Max-

That looked...sketch. I took a deep breath, my grip on my sword firm, then nodded at Jean.

A part of me wanted to grab her hand, but they were hurt. Since she was at a disadvantage in fighting and otherwise I lead the way, through the crumbling stone and into the darkness.

Just as I passed through the arch way I heart a clicking noise.

I whipped around, looking for the source, there was nothing. I searched the ceilings and the floor, still nothing.

I glanced at Jean to be sure she was still there and this time I did take her hand, though lightly. I wanted to know where she was at all times.

I kept walking, and the clicking came back.

~you're very brave to venture into my home.~ a smooth female voice came from an undeterminable spot, demure and terrifying.

I felt my heart racing as ice cold fear pricked my skin.

The clicking turned to skittering and I kept my sword ready, looking for whatever was coming.

~yet I know what it is you seek.~ the voice continued.

Then it stepped out of the shadows, a spider, huge spindly pointed legs each on long as a lamp post, where the head should've been sprouted a woman's torso, dressed in leather armor she looked at us with eight slanted eyes, mandibles sprouting from her mouth, her brown stringy hair a rats nest.

We were dead, so very very dead.

She glanced over me and looked at Jean.

~it's rare to see one so light in a place so dark.~ the monster commented, a hint of resentment in her voice. ~if you enter into my domain you will not leave with out pay.~ she threatened, then she pointed at me. ~you, will accomplish my three tasks, if you fail, I will eat you both, you succeed, I will allow you to leave...with the crystal you seek.~

I paled and glanced at Jean.

Jean-

If I wasn't so scared, I would have been overwhelmed with butterflies in my stomach when Max took my hand. He was gentle, for which I was grateful, but as soon as I saw the spider woman, my grip on his hand tightened regardless of the pain.

She was frightening, to say the least, and even more, she looked hungry.

What did she mean "one so light in a place so dark"? The phrase replayed over and over until she said that Max had to complete her tests.

I looked up at him, sliding my other hand around his arm. Why him? What would she have him do? All feelings for him aside, I was really scared for him, and once again, I had dragged him into it. I had chosen to come here, and he followed.

"What are the tasks?" I asked, finding courage to speak.

Max-

I swallowed, drawing strength from Jean's arm around me, and feeling a protective surge, though my mind was screaming I was going to get both of us killed.

However if doing the tasks gave us a chance to leave...well I'd have to take it, that is...if the monster actually intended to keep its word, there was always the chance of the thing eating us anyway.

The spider woman raised an eyebrow at Jean. ~the tasks he must accomplish are none of your concern.~ she scolded. Then her gaze returned to me.

~follow me~ she instructed, turning walking further into shadows.

WOW GUYS CAN YOU BELIEVE WE'RE ON OUR TWENTIETH CHAPTER?!!

Also I TOTALLY forgot to add this little note at the end of the previous chapter, sorrrrrrrrrryyyy.

How are my little Chasers doing? You enjoying?

What do you think the tasks will be?

Can the spider lady be trusted?

How long do you think Terrence and Macie will last alone without killing each other?

Let me know in the comments XD love you guys!