~March 20th, x800~

Ria chases the snake from the crystal room, her entire focus on the creature slithering as fast as it can across the cave floor. Her boots beat against her back. Behind her, she can hear Craish's armor clang as he, and probably the others, follow her.

There's a small crack in the wall, and Ria knows that's exactly where the snake is headed. She'll lose it if it makes it. Gritting her teeth, she dives. Her body slides across the cave floor, and she lets out a hiss. Her elbows and knees sting, but she can't help but let out a triumphant cheer as she scoops up the snake. It wriggles in the net for a bit before it transports away.

"One down." Ria winces as she picks herself up. "Seventy-nine to go. Ouch."

Her hands are pretty beat. There's a heat radiating from her knees radiating in a way she knows means she skinned them. Even her feet feel sore. She should probably put her boots back on.

Not ten feet away is a cliff. If she hadn't stopped in time, she would have gone tumbling down the side.

Yikes, she thinks and peers over the edge. It's so deep and dark, the light from her helmet doesn't illuminate the bottom, and she's caught staring into the inky black void. The darkness almost seems to grow. She swears she can see the shadows crawling up the side. Squinting, she bends down to get a better look.

Someone clasps her on the shoulder, and she screams as they yank her back. She ends up looking into the insanely bright blue of Craish's eyes as he frowns down at her. He really has that "disappointed father" look down for a person two years younger than her.

"Stop doing Scheiße like that!" Hunter growls once he's caught up. "Do I have to tie a leash around you?"

"We've got plenty of rope, Victoria." Leflin holds up said rope, grinning almost sweetly. "I know how to tie up a person twenty different ways."

"Sorry!" Ria holds up her hands. "I got too excit-."

The entire cave shakes suddenly. Stalactites cascade and crash into the floor around them, sending up shards of rock and dust the four dodge. Ria takes a step back absentmindedly.

But there isn't anything to step back on to.

A jolt of icy fear strikes her heart. Time slows.

A small gasp leaves her lips, eyes wide as she reaches out a hand.

Craish is only just able to keep from being squashed by a boulder. It pushes him far from her.

Her lantern falls from her hand and shatters.

Leflin runs towards her. He's too far to make it in time.

Her boots go hurtling into the chasm behind her.

Hunter, the closest, shouts and makes to grab her. His fingers brush the tips of hers.

But the cave is still shaking, and another stalactite cuts him off.

Ria closes her eyes and falls.

The feeling is familiar; the air whistles past and whips her hair in her face. Her stomach flips— yells of her name echo behind her. Whereas earlier her whole body sang with the thrill, now she's sick with dread. She has no control. How does she get out of this?

"Sirenita," a voice whispers. She shivers. "Use your gift. Listen to your instincts."

Ria pants for breath and forces herself to focus. She reaches out with her magic, and there—something tugs at her core.

Water!

Is it too shallow? Is there enough? There isn't time to see. Ria yanks the water towards her with all her strength and forms a cocoon around her body.

She crashes with a splash.

Ria sits in about a foot of water, soaked but unharmed. Her body trembles so badly, she wonders if the cave itself is still shaking. She cradles her knees close to her chest, struggling for even breaths. Her heart pounds a mile a minute. It's so dark. The shadows are suffocating.

"VICTORIA!" Hunter's panicked yell breaks her from her trance.

Ria looks up, and she can just make out the light of their lanterns.

"I'm-" She pauses. Clears her throat. Takes a deep breath.

"I'M OKAY!" she yells, then quieter, hand to her chest repeats, "I'm okay."

It's silent for a while. Ria stares at the distant lights, steadies her breathing, and tries to calm her tremors.

"We're coming down for you!" Leflin calls. "Don't move!"

So she doesn't. She sits in the water, watching the lights inch closer and closer and ignoring the way the darkness seems to pulse around her. When her friends are close enough for Ria to make out their silhouettes, she stands. The shadows dissipate a little.

Hunter drops down first and begins looking Ria over for injuries.

"Are you hurt at all? Do you feel dizzy or sick? Scheiße, Ria. How do you always get yourself into trouble?" He tilts Ria's head back and forth, trying to gauge her pupils.

"I vexed the gods in my past life." Ria lets Hunter poke and prod her with little resistance. "I lost my shoes."

Hunter sighs in relief. "You really are okay."

"Duh." Ria forces a smile. "You think I'm gonna let some dank cave do me in? Yeah right. The gods'll have to try harder than that."

Leflin and Craish drop down as well and crowd around them.

"I take it you used the water to break your fall?" Leflin asks.

"Yup. I told you all that would work."

Craish smiles and pats Ria on the head as if to agree.

"It was still a terrible choice. Don't be getting any ideas." Hunter crosses his arms. "Do you know where to go from here, Leflin?"

"Coincidently, we're on the right path, although there used to be stairs to get down here." Leflin studies the map. "We'll reach the next chamber if we follow the water."

'We should leave the rope, so we can use it to climb back up later.' Craish writes.

"Alright! Let's get this show on the road!" Ria marches forward without looking back. The others pretend not to notice her hands shake.

Water sloshes against their calves as the four travel further into the cave system. Long gone is the light of the crystal room, and if not for the lanterns, they wouldn't be able to see their hands in front of their faces. Even then, there's barely enough visibility to see each other, and not much else. Soon they come along a fork in the path; the left tunnel emits a gentle glow while the right seems to be filled with water.

'Which way, first?' Craish asks.

"It doesn't really matter," Leflin says, consulting the map. "They both lead to the second chamber."

"It might benefit us to split up," Hunter suggests. "We'll be able to cover more ground that way."

"Sounds good to me. How about Leflin and I go right, and you and Craish go left?" Ria says. The others agree.

"We should both be able to reach the chamber in about an hour," Leflin says.

"Alright, then." Ria hikes her bag higher onto her shoulder. "See you guys on the other side. Remember to keep your eyes peeled. Pay special attention to cracks and crevices!"

She wades down the right path, and Hunter grabs Leflin's arm before he can follow.

"Keep an eye on her," he whispers. "She's putting on a brave front, but that fall really got to her."

"Aww, Hunter. You're worried about her? How sweet! I can hear the wedding bells already!" Leflin laughs as Hunter pushes him away. "It's alright! I'll keep her from doing anything stupid! The love of your life will be safe in my hands."

"I dare you to say that to her face," Hunter says. "I hope she drowns you."

Leflin just laughs harder as he follows Ria down the tunnel, and Hunter sighs.

'Are they going to be okay?' Craish asks.

"Let's just get going," Hunter sighs, stepping into the left tunnel.

They discover that the glow in their tunnel is caused by bushels of tiny mushrooms that congregate around cracks and crevices in the cave wall; they shift from red to blue to purple to green in a steady synchronized rhythm, almost like a heartbeat.

There's no time to take in the sight, though, as a dozen or more snakes slither away as soon as the light from their lanterns exposes them.

Hunter and Craish give chase.

Not long after the four split up, a group of shadows also comes along the fork in the road.

It pauses, pulsing, the sound of whispers emitting from its center. Its edges curl like smoke along the water and caress the mouths of the tunnels. For a moment, they morph into the silhouettes of a man and a woman.

"Let me take the right path." The woman begs, her voice a quiet hiss. "Let me see her."

"Don't forget yourself. We are on a mission. Master won't be pleased if we mess this up." The man warns.

"I won't. I promise."

"Very well then." The man phases into a shadow once more, and the woman follows his lead.

One by one, the shadows ooze into the tunnels, growing to block off the exits.

Halfway down the right tunnel, the water level gradually rises until it covers Ria's waist and Leflin's hips. Steady drips fall from the ceiling and land on their heads every so often while great stalactites hang so low that Leflin has to duck to avoid some of them. The tunnel had started wide enough that three people could walk side by side with plenty of elbow room, but it had quickly narrowed; now they have to walk single file, and there is hardly any room to turn around.

Ria's mind wanders as they wade. The voice that whispered to her while she fell stills echoes in her mind. Was it real? Did she hallucinate it?

"So," Leflin's voice bounces off the walls. "Sergeant Laila Astra."

With a frown, Ria shoots him a look over her shoulder.

"What about her?"

"Nothing. I just think it's funny." Leflin purposefully keeps his tone vague, watching Ria's reaction.

"Alright. I'll bite." Ria sighs. "What's funny?"

He grins.

"How specific your type is."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Ria's voice is carefully casual, but Leflin can see her ears turn red, and his smile only grows.

"Pretty hair, prettier face, authoritative, clever, confident, and while compassion is a bonus for you, it's not a requirement. Let's see, that's Sergeant Astra, Erza Scarlet, Kagura Mikazuchi, the queen, Ap-" "

"I get it, already!" Ria shouts, then shivers. "Is it just me, or is it getting colder?"

"It shouldn't be," Leflin says. "Caves have the same average temperature all year round. I'd say this cave stays between fifty and sixty degrees."

"So you're saying I'm imagining it?"

"Basically yes, though you may just be colder because there's a slight draft, and half of your body is in water." Leflin notices Ria's shoulders shaking. "Are you really that cold?"

"Yes, but I'll be okay." Ria rubs her arms. "I just need to keep my mind off it. Can you help distract me or something?"

"Here, I'll do you one better." Leflin places both his hands on Ria's shoulders, and suddenly she feels enveloped in great warmth.

"Oh," she says before breathing out a sigh of relief. "What spell is that?"

"It's simply an illusion. I'm just making you think it's warmer than it is. It's only temporary."

"Thanks. I'll appreciate it while it lasts." Ria closes her eyes to bask in the false warmth for a moment. "I always forget you use Illusion Magic."

"That's because, despite our deep and profound friendship, you and I rarely team up for missions," Leflin says. "This is your first mission without Catie or Evander, isn't it?"

Ria shrugs. "I guess so."

"Why haven't you gone off without them before now?"

"I don't know." She sighs. "We were the only members for a while, and my dad wouldn't let us go off on our own. Going on missions together just became a habit."

"Is it difficult not having either of them here?"

"Not really. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself." Ria sighs again. "But it is weird. I keep turning around to tell them something or ask them something, only to remember they're not there. It's throwing me off balance." Ria shivers again, and Leflin renews his spell. "Thanks. It's too cold down here. I should have worn pants."

"Or put your boots back on," Leflin says, and Ria makes a noise in agreement. "It's a shame you lost them in the fall."

"Yeah," Ria says, "They were my favorite pair. Very comfortable and durable."

"I bet it was terrifying." Leflin studies Ria's body language. Her shoulders are hiked up to her ears. She's still shaking like a leaf.

"Not too scary," she lies.

"Did you want to talk about it?"

Ria pauses as if considering it but shakes her head. "Thanks, but at the rate we're going, I'll have to pay you."

"Who said I haven't already been charging you by the minute?" Leflin grins. "You already owe me 5000 Jewels."

"What kind of overpriced therapist are you?" Ria asks, mock offended, but Leflin can hear the smile in her voice. "I should sue you for malpractice."

A gust of wind from behind steals whatever answer Leflin was going to give as the temperature drops to below freezing in an instant.

"W-what's g-going on?" Ria asks, her breath forming white puffs with each word.

"Magic, I'm guessing," Leflin says, turning to face the back of the tunnel.

"T-there's someone else d-down here?" Ria whispers, teeth chattering. It's getting colder and colder by the second.

"The Rune Knights must have missed them."

"H-how?"

"They probably lost them during the cave-in." Leflin is shivering now too. "The water is just making the cold worse. Can you manipulate it away from us?"

Ria tries to create a dry path for them, but she's shaking so much she can't focus. After her third attempt at parting the water just makes a wave that brushes against them, she gives up.

"I-I can't."

"What?"

"I CAN'T!"

"Keep your voice down!" Leflin hisses, but it's too late.

The water turns to ice and traps them.

"L-leflin!"

"Don't panic. Keep quiet. Don't move." Leflin places his hand on top of Ria's head and takes a deep breath. "False," he whispers, and Ria shivers at the feel of his magic falling over her.

The tap of footsteps echo in the cave, getting closer and closer until they sound like they're right in front of them, but Ria doesn't see anyone.

Suddenly, a woman drops from the ceiling, landing hard enough on the ice that cracks spiderweb from beneath her feet. She's tall, with thin limbs. Her skin is pale, and her eyes are black as her hair. She looks like someone drained all the color out of her. Even her clothes are black.

"Where did you go?" The woman asks, her voice delicate and thin. "I heard you. Didn't you want to play with me, Sirenita?"

Leflin feels Ria stiffen beside him and risks turning his head just enough to glance at her; her eyes are so wide they take up half her face.

"I saw you earlier, Sirenita, just for a moment." The woman takes a step towards them. "You're so pretty from afar." Another step. "I'd love to see your face up close." She's so close now; Ria covers her mouth to muffle her breath. "I'm dying to know if you have her eyes."

The woman reaches out a hand as if to cradle Ria's face.

Craish and Hunter have caught two snakes a piece but are blocked from going any further into the tunnel by tree roots dangling from the ceiling. The roots have woven together, creating a strong and massive wall that's too thick and sturdy to break barehanded.

"How are we going to get through this?" Hunter asks, tapping the roots with his knuckles.

Craish answers by drawing his sword and striking the roots. When that fails to do anything, he summons a different sword from his Requip Space: a green glowing machete, to be specific, with the rune for "acid" carved into its hilt.

"That works," Hunter says, watching acid drip from the blade. "Just try not to hurt any of the snakes, or Ria will murder us."

Craish nods and gets to work, hacking away at the roots; they sizzle and shiver away when struck, leaving behind a bitter, smoky odor.

Hunter follows close behind, his eyes peeled for even the barest hint of a snake, though they're all doing an excellent job of staying hidden. He dodges a stray root that swings back towards him. Some acid is still dripping from where it was severed and nearly lands on Hunter's arm.

"The acid might have been overkill," Hunter mutters.

Craish either doesn't hear or ignores him and continues chopping away at the roots until there's finally enough space for the two of them to walk through. Fortunately, the roots were acting as a bit of a curtain, and once the two pass them, the rest of the tunnel is clear.

Unfortunately, a man in a black cloak that covers most of his face is waiting for them on the other side.

Craish immediately crouches down into a defensive position, and Hunter calls upon his magic: wisps of green light start rapidly circling his hands.

"Identify yourself!" Hunter demands.

"You're vulgar," says the man. His voice sounds like it's coming through a radio with a poor signal. "People normally start with a 'hello,' but seeing as you barbarically slaughtered your way through those poor trees, I expect little from you." He lifts his hand. "My name is Krait, and you should have more respect for nature."

Krait flicks out his fingers, and black tendrils of shadows shoot out from behind Hunter and Craish, wrapping around their ankles and wrists. It feels like razor blades are cutting into Hunter's skin, and Craish thrashes about as they burn through his armor.

"You'll be coming with me now," Krait says as he turns to walk away.

"I don't think so! Himmel's Flash!" Hunter shouts as he snaps his fingers. A blinding flash of light bursts forth, chasing away the shadows and causing Krait to fallback.

"Let's go!" Hunter grabs Craish's arm and runs, doing his best to keep him from stumbling. "Sorry I wasn't able to warn you! You should get your sight back in a minute!"

Of course, that meant Krait would also get his sight back. Normally, Himmel Magic is quite effective against dark magic and shadow based magic, but there was something off about those shadows.

Hunter just needs a minute to think of a plan.

As if in answer to his thought, the light of his lantern lands upon an alcove, just big enough for him and Craish to hide. Without ceremony, he shoves Craish inside and squeezes himself in right behind him.

"Turn off your light!" He hisses, quickly doing the same.

Craish, still unable to see, fumbles around before finding the switch. Once his lantern is off, the two are left in darkness. The mushrooms still blink and glow out in the tunnel, but their light doesn't reach the alcove.

Hunter watches, waiting and listening for some sign of Krait even as his mind races. He leans in close to Craish and whispers so quietly he almost doesn't make a sound.

"Do you have a weapon you can fight the shadows with?" He asks. Hunter can't see him, but he can feel Craish nod in confirmation. "Then when I give the signal, you come out swinging, alright?" Craish nods again.

He'll never let me get close enough to fight, he thinks, but if we keep our cover, I can ambush him as soon as he passes. I should be able to get in a few good punches before he can call on his shadows. That should buy enough time for Craish to jump in, assuming he has a light-infused weapon of some sort. While he fends off the shadows, I can knock out Krait. After he's secured, we'll need to meet up with Ria and Leflin. If he's not the only one down here, they'll be targeted as well and might need our help.

The two of them hear the scraping sound of Krait picking himself off the floor, followed by unsteady footsteps walking towards them.

He's still disoriented. Good.

With bated breath, Hunter listens as, step by step, Krait approaches the alcove. His body is tense, a trigger on the verge of being released. The light of the mushrooms allows him to see Krait's shadow take form the closer he gets.

Just a bit more.

Hunter digs his heels into the ground, prepared to spring. The edge of Krait's shadow touches the cave. Hunter jumps.

"Found you," Krait says. His shadow knocks into the entrance of the alcove, and one tendril stabs Hunter through his shin.

The cave wall collapses.

As the woman's hand approaches Ria's face, Leflin gets ready to transform as soon as his illusion breaks. Ria can feel the warmth radiating off the women's fingertips; she holds her breath and closes her eyes.

"Bandy," a man says, appearing out of nowhere. He wears a thick black cloak, but what can be seen of the bottom of his face and beard is just as monochromatic as the woman.

"What are you doing to that stalagmite?" He asks. "Didn't I tell you that touching damages them?"

The woman, Bandy, blinks and pulls back.

"Sorry, Krait." She smiles, but the gesture feels empty. "I got Lost again."

"Your delusions are getting out of hand." The man sighs. "Did you find them?"

"No. She must have used the water to escape somehow." Bandy swoons. "That's what Marcy would have done."

"They can't have gone too far. I'll leave my pet to monitor the entrance." Krait turns on his heels. "Now come with me. I've cornered the others, but I'll need your help to subdue them."

"Alright." Bandy skips after him. "You'll let me keep her, right?"

"I don't care so long as you can keep her from escaping."

"Don't worry!" Bandy sighs, forlorn and love-struck. "Once I have her, I'll never let her go."

As the two leave, the temperature returns to normal, and the ice melts. Leflin waits until the sound of their steps has faded before he ends the spell.

"We need to go help Hunter and Craish," he says.

"She knows." Ria whispers. All the blood has drained from her face, and her hands are shaking as they cover her mouth.

"What does she know?" Leflin asks.

Ria swallows and shakes her head hard, as if resetting her mind.

"Nothing. It doesn't matter. Let's get out of here." She turns back to go the way they came.

"Hold up," Leflin whispers as he grabs her shoulders. "Look there." He points to a mass of shadows far down the cave. "Something's waiting for us."

Ria squints. She can't see anything unusu-

"Oh!" She gasps. Tendrils of inky darkness and inching up the cave wall and drifting towards them slowly. "What is that?"

"I'm not sure," Leflin says. "Whatever it is, though, it can't see or hear us, or it would have attacked us by now. Judging by the way it's moving, I'd say it navigates by touch."

"I guess we can't go back the way we came then."

"Definitely not, but we need to keep moving. Stand back to back with me." Leflin guides Ria behind him and grabs her hand. "I'll monitor it. Lead us out of here."

"Okay," Ria says, wading forward through the water.

They move quickly, trying not to draw attention while keeping a steady pace. Leflin has a spell prepared on the tip of his tongue should the shadows attack, and Ria keeps her hand poised above the water, which is getting deeper and deeper. Her head barely sticks out of the surface now. She tilts it back to keep from breathing in the water but doesn't lose her pace.

It must only be about ten to fifteen minutes, but it feels like hours before they reach the end of the tunnel. There's a ledge that Ria drags herself onto and a small opening she has to wiggle and crawl through. Once through to the other side, she gives the all-clear for Leflin and pulls the water away from her body when the light of her lantern lands upon a gruesome sight.

Still inside the tunnel, Leflin also pulls himself onto the ledge and examines the opening. He can't fit through it like Ria did, at least not in his current form. Taking a deep breath, he transforms: his skin turns red as fur rapidly grows, his entire body shrinking down as his bones rearrange themselves, and a long tail emerges from the base of his spine. In the end, where Leflin once stood, is now a small red cat that easily scampers through the hole and joins Ria on the other side.

Leflin nuzzles against her calves and meows, but she doesn't push him away as he expected. He looks up at her face, shocked to see her openly crying as her eyes remained glued on something in the distance. He follows her sightline, his vision in this form much better than normal, and hunches his back with a loud hiss.

A pile of forty or fifty snakes lies before them. All of their bellies are facing up and eviscerated while their heads seem to have been bitten off.

Leflin transforms back and places his hand on Ria's shoulder.

"Why did they do this?" She asks, hiccupping as she wipes away her tears.

"I don't know, but we can't stay here," Leflin says.

"I can't just leave them like this. It's awful!"

"I know. We'll come back, but right now, Hunter and Craish need us."

Ria nods, biting her lip to hold in a sob.

"You're right." She takes a deep breath and forces a look of determination on her face, though Leflin can easily see the cracks in the facade. Turning her back on the snakes, she runs towards the second tunnel.

Craish coughs, waiting for the dust and rubble to clear the air before moving; he can feel all the weight his reinforced shield is supporting, but he can't be sure just how precarious their situation is from that alone. Beside him, Hunter shifts and hisses in pain.

"Verdammt," he says. "He used his shadow as a decoy."

The dust finally settles, and Craish turns his lantern back on to assess the damage. They're entombed in the rock. The only thing keeping them from being crushed is the forcefield his shield creates. He doubts they would have survived without it.

"How are we gonna get out of this mess?" Hunter asks though Craish can tell the question is mostly directed at himself. "Are you okay?"

Craish nods then points at Hunter's leg. His pants are ripped and wet with blood.

"It's a pretty shallow wound," Hunter says, "I'll be fine. The sooner we get out of here, the better, though."

Craish taps the rock wall behind him, and Hunter can make out light peeking through the cracks.

"That's our way out, then?" Hunter asks, and Craish nods again. "You've got a plan?"

Craish rocks his hand back and forth in a "so-so" manner and indicates that Hunter should trade places with him. After he manages to hand off the shield without either of them getting squashed, Craish inspects the cave in; the rocks are packed tightly together, and if he's not careful about how he breaks through, he'll destabilize the pile.

Satisfied with his analysis, Craish summons a pickaxe from his Requip space, activating the "strength" and "harden" runes on the handle. Using the pick end, he chips at the rocks until he's able to form a small hole. He can almost see through to the other side, so he takes a bigger swing with the chisel end. The rock shatters on impact.

Craish waits a moment, either for Krait to attack them again or for the wall to collapse, but nothing happens. He keeps going, working from top to bottom and carefully tapping on each rock and watching for any sign of movement. When he's certain destroying it won't affect the wall, he smashes it to bits. It's slow going, but eventually, Craish carves out a hole just big enough for both of them to squeeze through.

However, his shield's forcefield is the only thing supporting the rocks above them. If they try to leave with it, everything will come crumbling down. Craish has an idea, but he's not sure just how well it will work. Still, it's worth a try. He takes his pickaxe and starts digging into the ground. It's tough and takes him a while until he's gouged out a hole that's big enough for the bottom of the shield to fit in. Hunter, having caught on, helps him partially bury it. Now that the shield is lower, however, so is the forcefield and the rocks fill the void it was once in the blink of an eye. The forcefield flickers at the extra pressure but holds steady.

They let go of the shield slowly. It stands on its own, but Craish can tell it's shifting. They need to hurry.

Hunter climbs out first. Despite what he told Craish, the cut on his shin is painful, and he has to bite back his reaction when he ultimately bumps into the rocks. By the time he's made it to the other side, his entire leg is throbbing, and he needs to lean on the wall to keep him upright.

Craish returns the pickaxe to his Requip space before he also crawls through the hole. With his armor, it's a tighter fit. It's taking him longer than he thought it would to scrape through, and the sound of the rocks raking against his armor is awful, like nails on a chalkboard. When he's got halfway through, he hears the unmistakable clang of his shield falling to the ground.

Craish forces himself the rest of the way with all his strength, his armor making a sound like the death cry of a wounded animal. He crashes to the floor as the cave collapses further behind him. Even the hole he just climbed through is gone.

"That was close," Hunter says, helping him stand.

Craish agrees and winces as he looks down at his armor. It's covered in scratches and dents that'll take him hours to repair. He recalls his shield, breathing a sigh of relief when he feels it return.

"We need to get to Leflin and Ria," Hunter says, testing the mobility of his leg. It hurts like hell, but he can still use it. "If he went after us, he probably went after them too."

Craish nods, and together they run down the tunnel. Up ahead is a bend in the tunnel, which creates the perfect spot for someone to ambush them, and Hunter slows down. He can hear footsteps running towards them. Bracing himself, Hunter steps into the path, ready to fight.

The pile of the dead snakes flashes through Ria's mind as she and Leflin run through the tunnel Craish and Hunter took. Her stomach rolls, and her eyes sting with the tears she's forcing away. It just doesn't make sense to her why anyone would go through the trouble of killing them all, let alone in such a painful way. It didn't look like they'd been dead long, either.

And if that's what they're willing to do to the snakes, just what could they be doing to Hunter and Craish? She thinks. Unbidden, the image of her friends lying dead in their own blood invades her thoughts and spurs her to run even faster.

A bend in the tunnel comes up, creating a blind spot, but Ria rushes past it without reserve. Someone steps into her path, and she collides with them at full speed.

She jumps back, ready to strike, but it's just Hunter standing in his own attack position. Relief floods her, mixing with the adrenaline still pumping through her veins, and Ria launches herself at him, wrapping her arms tight around his neck.

Hunter stumbles back a bit at the impact, then stands paralyzed as Ria does her best to squeeze the life out of him. After a moment, he stiffly pats Ria's back, not really knowing what else to do.

Just as quickly as she initiated it, Ria ends the embrace and makes a beeline for Craish. Having seen what happened to Hunter, Craish is fully prepared and accepts Ria's hug with one of his own.

With a look of deep sympathy, Leflin pats Hunter on the shoulder.

"Looks like you've got yourself another rival," he says.

"Do you ever shut up?" Hunter glares, though the effect isn't as strong with the slight blush on his face.

"Not really, no." Leflin looks down at Hunter's shin. "What happened to your leg?"

It doesn't take too long for Hunter to explain the run-in he and Craish had with Krait, and Ria and Leflin share their near-miss with Bandy.

"That Krait guy said he had you two cornered," Ria says. "He came to get Bandy to help finish you off."

"He trapped us in an alcove," Hunter says. "I assumed he thought he'd dealt with us and was going to find you two."

"They had a head start on us," Leflin says. "One of us should have run into them. Where are they now?"

"Up here."

*Edited January 24th, 2021*