After a short trek they found themselves in a strangely shaped room lined with tiles. It was rounded at it's corners and shaped oddly. It looked to Riddle like they were at the bottom of an empty pool. The tiles themselves were teal and cream and even rust brown in places. There wasn't any particular pattern, just patches of each color placed in a way that seemed to be haphazard. He kept glancing to Claude when he could. A deep visceral concern welled up in him each time he saw his hand gnarled and swinging at his side. Shattered pots and square pillars were sparsely dotting the ground but the room was otherwise featureless, and could conceal no lurking guardians. The acoustics were grandly exaggerating the sound of each footfall and the shifting of gear on Lloyd and Claude's person.

  Xandal stilled in an instant and entered a lower stance, bidding them take cautious positions of their own. They did so as quietly as they could. Much louder sounds emerged from the hall to their left, causing every one of them to brace for combat as carefully as they could.

  The hunter then stood and waved into the hall. A vulgar belly laugh echoed through the hall for several long seconds.

  "It appears we are not the only party on a crawl. It is good that you were forthright in revealing yourself, we would not have responded well to a surprise" His voice was powerful and sonorous. Xandal nodded and bowed. The three of them swaggered onto the tile floor a couple arms lengths away from the halfling hunter. One was an Elf. Tall and copper haired and with eyes like glittering emeralds and a staff and dagger. The other two were humans. The one that laughed was largest of them. With a full blonde beard and beautifully ornate lattice armor and a fur lined helmet with short horns. He held a torch and wielded something like a mace, Riddle figured. It looked like an antique carved table leg but cast in iron. He knew without needing the skill of appraisal that he did not have the strength to wield it effectively. It probably weighed twice what the Orc mace had. The other human was hooded and held a Crossbow. His eyes were severe and unkind, darting to any person that moved.

  "Well, adventurers. We are here for similar reasons as yourself. A quest has brought us to the labyrinth"

  "The nature of our quest does not necessitate violence against other questors" The elf's voice was gentle and even. He sounded like he was only half awake.

  "Well said"

  "We've done it before, when pressed" The smallest of them interjected. His voice hollow and tremulous. His teeth were jagged and his mouth was turned into a snarl from under the leather hood.

  "So we have" The warrior's voice was half it's previous volume. His body became stiff and less cordial.

  "There are better ways to call for peace than with threats. You are free to quest" The priestess said. This caused a reaction. The Elf bowed and the Thief to begin walked ahead of the other two, close enough for Riddle to smell the soot and oil on his leather cape. Riddle stole a glance at the crossbow held in the crook of his arm. "Blackbird Crossbow. Eleven Attack. Requires agility of eleven and skill of four'

  "With your blessings, we hope?" The large warrior said with a smile that didn't make it to his eyes. Enfrida met his gaze but said nothing. This kind of silence was so dense that it seemed to pressurize the air between them. The large warrior just looked at her with his wry smile, but he was otherwise tense and humorless. He took a half step and paused, glancing around at each of them, his eye brows expressed a degree of acknowledgement that differed for each of their group. Riddle didn't seem to draw much regard out of the large man, but he took the opportunity to appraise the warrior's equipment. 'Adamant lattice armor nine def, requires twelve. 'Ramwind mace. Ten attack, requires fourteen strength' Something like envy coiled up under his ribs.

  "Miscommunication, I'm afraid" The elf said solemnly and bowed to them again before rejoining his fellows. They took the door out that Riddle and the rest had entered through.

  "We had better move. If they double back and catch us unawares... We would lose"

  "They were well equipped. They must be quite experienced" Riddle said aloud.

  "Quite unscrupulous, more-like" Enfrida clutched the head of her scepter like it was an egg she meant to crush.

  "Aye, they were a dangerous lot. Shifty eyed. You see them every so often when your working for the guilds. Most of them are alright, but some of them... Always measuring... Worse than bandits. Brigands at least give you the option of buying your life" Lloyd was faced away from the rest of them. Watching the tunnel the interlopers left through.

  "We'll push on but I'll take up the rear to listen for them" They entered the next chamber to the west in short order. I was a large room, with a large depression in it's middle full of mud and detritus. Ruined wooden beams and boards were stuck, half submerged in the wet earth and strange vines and roots grew through it all. The smell of wet earth and greenery was pervasive but somewhat pleasant. The stone of the border and walkways around the pit was splotched with clods and a few loose planks.

  "Strange... It should go without saying, but we skirt the pit. Looks like a lair or trap of some kind" Lloyd began prodding at the southern wall and advancing very slowly. His spear picked and and between the large bricks. His brother approached with his shield like an umbrella they both shared. Riddle watched and followed closely. Enfrida put a hand on his shoulder and pulled him back slightly.

  "I note your courage, but we let the twins test for traps. If an arrow or jet of flame were triggered you'd be too close to avoid terrible injury" He nodded and shrank back from them. He glanced back to Xandal who was stuck to the wall just beside the door. Bow and arrow hanging firmly, ready to swing if threatened.

  "Stones are uniform, none are loose or soft"

  "Faster" The hunter commanded. The twins looked hesitantly at him and went back to their search with more aggression. In little time they were passing the mid point of the room. Moving surely and concentrated. No further words passed between them for moment. Lloyd grunted slightly, scooping a clod of earth on the wide blade of the spear and batted it back into the pit. It struck a loose square beam that leaned, half buried, in the mud. A sucking rumbling sounded out of the earth nearby. Lloyd growled a series of curses under his breath and his brother glared at him with white hot disappointment.

  "You fool" Xandal barked again, more pointedly. Riddle felt a shiver even though it wasn't directed at him. piles of mud churned towards them and the beams and planks shuddered and settled further down. Riddle felt the rumble displaced earth through his feet and took several steps back from the edge, trying and failing to remove the small-sword from the frog. Out from the moving mound of earth came a giant insect. Armored and bullet-shaped. With clacking jaws like sabers. It was brown and black and it's tiny eyes communicated a thoughtless rage. It pulled itself to the edge of the stone with ease and Lloyd's spear met and recoiled the armor near one of it's many jaws.

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  "Hells, it's as hard as iron. Do we egress?" An arrow howled and sank into a bit of soft flesh where one of it's forelegs met the bulbous torso. The leg twitched and raked at the stone with enough strength and sharpness to cause sparks and visible scratches. Enfrida held out her symbol and spoke a short series of strange words, the tip of the scepter glowed with as much intensity as her blessing had. Riddle shut his eyes and turned away, just then able to get his sword clear and ready to use. The monstrous beetle squeeked and furiously rolled it's chalicerea, recoiling slightly while it raked at the stone floor with it's sharp appendages. Claude stepped forward with his shield ready to catch them like sword blows. An arrow struck and bounced away from the plating around it's tiny eyes.

  "I don't think we can outrun it. To either door, at this point. Find a weak point and strike!" Enfrida yelled, panic causing her voice to tremble. Claude stabbed into the yellow leathery underbody, burying the spear halfway. The beetle twisted from it's position to loosen the spear, causing the spearman to stumble forward and fall onto his forearms. Lloyd roared and pressed forward to keep it from snapping at his brother. Riddle took the opportunity to lunge at one it's long armored legs. Driving the side of the sword into a gap between the armored segments and dragging it like a saw blade. The monster clicked so loudly with it's jaws that it echoed like a thunderclap. It pulled back the other way and Riddle felt himself become airborne. The sword blade was caught between the joints and he held tightly. He was whipped overhead momentarily, feeling another of it's limbs rake at his leg in an attempt to pry him off and the sharp warm sensation of a wound spread throughout his lower half. He cried out through a set jaw and the sword came loose over it's carapace. He hung in air for a moment and them came down hard on it's back. A thousand small points of light bubbled around his senses and his chest was too tight to draw another breath. He hooked his off hand into a gap in it's plated body and pulled himself into position to stab. He heard a series of arrows whirl near him. Some popped off the carapace and broke but the last two were able to find purchase. Riddle felt the beetle shudder in pain when each of them pierced soft points. Lloyd yelled and stabbed wildly near it's mouth. Managing to hack off one it's four jaws. Enfrida rushed through prayers, sounding like she was on the verge of hysteria, helping Claude to his feet. The monster pulled back from the ledge and twisted itself to dislodge Riddle, but he held fast. Just in front of him, while it twisted, he witnessed an accordion like membrane contract and expand when it turned severely enough.

  "Xandal, wound it again. Draw it's attention. Or Claude, one of you needs to damage it" He could hear the exasperation in his own voice, only able to take rushed shallow breaths while it attempted to throw him. An arrow came in and rebounded harmlessly away from a large chitin plate only a hands width from his leg. He growled and tried to lock eyes with the hunter, but the beetle moved to erratically for him to make that possible. He heard the audible metallic clang of Claude trying to chop at the beetle the hard exhalations of his brother trying to drive the spear with enough force to pierce the membrane. Another arrow sailed into a bit of flesh behind the large armored hood of it's head. It shook it's head and bleeted through the three remaining chalicerae it had. Riddle missed the first chance but as it swung back he dug his fingers into the edge of the plate and drove the sword in more than half it's full length. The beetle arched itself backwards. A pain far greater than any other doused his left arm and he felt his grip fail. His hand came away from the chitinous lip, looking differently than it had a moment earlier. He hooked the wrist over his other hand on the sword grip and put his weight onto it fully. When it whipped again to buck him off his leverage improved enough to drive an additional third of the blade inside. The others rushed in and volleyed blows. He heard Enfrida and Lloyd call his name as the beetle went onto it's side. He was able to get free before it rolled over him. It kicked on it's side and chittered madly. He crawled free on all fours.

  "Get away from it, boy. Before it crushes you" A lashing of anger went over Riddle, taking away his pain for a moment. He took two hard steps and leapt at the monster's back. Hammering his boot-heel into the pommel of his small-sword, until the cross-guard was pressed against the lip of the carapace that bordered the flesh. It's sounds became more forceful and erratic. A sputtering bird like series of emissions that matched the mad movement of it's many limbs. Riddle limped around it, to the border of the mud pit. The Priestess and both warriors stood and knelt, breathing hard but regarding him wide disbelieving expressions. He turned back to watch the beetle make it's final kicks before expiring. They watched in silence as it paled and shrank. In a minute it was a third it's original size and the color of butter. Riddle found his sword came out of it easily, as though it was no no harder than a raw potato.

  "Well struck" Xandal said, his own voice without it's signature hardness. The others shifted uncomfortably, still drunk on the unlikeliness of their victory.

  "I wish I had another prayer healing to offer you, Riddle" She stared at his hand, drawing his attention to it. The fingers were crushed. The pain was present, even severe, but a current of pride ran over it. He could endure it. He opened and closed them partially, as that was as much as they could move. Each digit shook and eventually disobeyed. The hand was useless for now, but he didn't panic. Magic existed here. The power to heal was as real as the wound was.

  "The eyes remain. They should be quite valuable, don't you think?" The hunter said to Riddle directly. A humorless smirk parting his thin lips.

  "I hope so. They didn't come to us easily" Lloyd laughed but Claude sat, sullen. Holding both halves of his now broken spear.

  "Given the power of the beast, I will ask for a hundred for either eye"

  "It must have use to a jeweler, or perhaps an alchemist?"

  "Enchanter, even"

  "Given Riddle's bravery, I suggest we no longer tax his share. If the eyes go for that much, and the bracelet turns out to be valuable we may have a little over a hundred groats apiece"

  "Here here" Lloyd agreed. Claude nodded along and Xandal just ran his gloved thumb over the black egg-like eyes, offering no resistance.

  "That will hardly make us rich, but I can have a fine haft made for the spear for perhaps thirty coins. I'll still need at least fifty to negotiate the healing of my arm... We still have plenty of rations and the inn is paid till the end of the fortnight. Could be worse"

  "Aye. I could get a better helm"

  "And our new member could afford to improve much of his equipment. His hand will mend with a simple blessing, it should not cost him much.

  "We should begin our trek, then, And keep an eye open. There are always wandering monsters"

  "And those three. They are still out there"