Kael
Chapter 2
Kael was surprised to find that he was starting to enjoy the adventure. He was no longer nervous and unsure, but rather he felt like he was part of a team, working together with the others to overcome the challenges they faced. He even found himself laughing and joking with Raine, who had taken him under her wing.
As they continued on, the tunnel became darker, and the rats became larger and more numerous. The group had to be careful not to get separated, as the rats would swarm anyone who was alone. But they persevered, their determination driving them forward, deeper into the sewers beneath Tirovna.
Eventually, they came upon a large room filled with ancient artifacts and treasure. The room was dimly lit by flickering torches, and the walls were lined with gold and silver coins, precious gems, and other treasures beyond their wildest dreams.
The group hesitated for a moment, marveling at the sight before them. But their wonder was quickly replaced by suspicion as they realized that the room was booby-trapped.
Niam, the cleric, pointed to a series of runes etched into the floor. "This is no ordinary treasure room," he warned. "Those runes are a warning. We need to be careful."
Valtor, the fighter, nodded. "Agreed. Everyone, stay alert."
They slowly made their way into the room, keeping an eye out for any signs of danger. Sylphia, the magic user, used her powers to detect any hidden traps or spells, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
As they approached the center of the room, they heard a loud clicking sound, and the walls began to close in on them. The group quickly realized that they were standing on a pressure plate that triggered the trap.
"Get off the plate!" Raine, the thief, shouted, as she quickly jumped to the side.
The others followed her lead, jumping out of the way just as the walls closed in on them. They looked around, trying to find a way out, but the walls seemed to be solid stone.
Raine raised her hands and muttered an incantation, trying to dispel the magic that held them in place. But her spell was ineffective.
"We're trapped!" Niam cried out. "What are we going to do?"
Valtor thought for a moment, his eyes scanning the walls and floor for any weaknesses. And then he saw it – a small crack in the stone wall, barely visible in the dim light.
"Over there!" he shouted, pointing to the crack. "We can use that to escape."
The group quickly ran over to the crack, using all their strength to widen it enough for them to squeeze through. They emerged on the other side, panting and sweating from their exertions. But they were not out of danger yet. As they looked around, they realized that they had stumbled upon something much more sinister than just a booby-trapped treasure room.
The walls were covered in strange symbols and runes, and the air was thick with an acrid, foul-smelling smoke. And then they heard it – a low, guttural growling sound coming from the darkness ahead.
"Over there!" Valtor yelled, pointing to a narrow tunnel on the other side of the room. "We can make a run for it!"
The group sprinted towards the tunnel, the rats snapping at their heels. They were almost there when Niam stumbled, his foot catching on a loose rock. Before he could get up, the rats were upon him, their teeth sinking into his flesh.
"NO!" Raine screamed, tears streaming down her face as she watched her friend die. "We have to keep going!"
The remaining members of the group ran towards the tunnel, their hearts pounding with fear and adrenaline. They could hear the rats behind them, their hissing and squealing growing louder by the second.
As they emerged from the tunnel, they found themselves on a narrow footbridge over an underground stream of sewage. The smell was overpowering, and the rushing water below was almost too loud to bear. But there was no time to stop and rest - the rats were still pursuing them.
And these rats were different from the ones they had encountered before. They were larger, with fur the color of soot and eyes that glowed like embers. Their teeth were razor-sharp, and their claws dug deep into the wooden planks of the bridge.
