“Report,” Robert ordered from atop the boulder he sat on.

Maggy shook her head. “Garrelt said it’s definitely the opening from the report. Some of the others have also found signs of campsites in the area. It’s safe to say those bastards beat us here. By the look of things, not by any short amount of time, either.”

Robert tsked. “That’s just great. I keep telling the Guild we need to strengthen the security of our information network, but it seems something always slips through.” He sighed and looked toward the horizon.

Big Bert, standing next to Maggy, shrugged. “No point in worrying about it now,” the giant of a man said in his deep voice. “Worst-case scenario, they’ve beaten us to one or two unique treasures. Or maybe we got lucky, and something ate them for us!” Bert laughed loudly, shaking Maggy’s bones this close to him.

Robert smirked. “Now, Bert, don’t go jinxing us. If something did get to them, we’re the ones that would have to rescue any survivors. They might be criminals, but it is any good adventurer’s duty to help those in need,” he said.

Maggy shook her head, though she smiled slightly. She’d not go so far as calling them ‘criminals.’ After all, it wasn’t technically illegal to explore the new cave. Its existence hadn’t been made public, and the Guild had yet to officially claim it. That said, the… timing of this other group was rather suspect, to say the least. Though she always had enjoyed Robert’s rather upbeat views on how an Adventurer should operate.

Even if, in her own experience, most Adventurers weren’t nearly as… benevolent as Robert wished they would be. Maggy preferred to think of herself as an explorer and scholar first.

“Speaking of Garrelt,” Robert asked, “where is he?”

Bert sighed and shook his head. “You know him. Already dove in headfirst into the cavern without any backup. Said he was going to scout ahead.”

“Reckless is what it is! This is an entirely new cave system! Who knows what is down there?” Maggy complained.

Robert, on the other hand, grinned. “Maybe, but if there was one man I would trust to return safely, it would be Garrelt.”

—————————————————————

Sniff sniff.

Garrelt pushed himself into a kneeling position and frowned. He’d been scouting ahead of the expeditionary team for three days now. Mostly, these new tunnels had been about what he was expecting. A few signs of beast inhabitation, some minor mineral wealth, and lots of ‘nothing of real interest.’

If he was honest, that’s how most of these expeditions turned out. Despite how rich the Crimson Mountains were, it wasn’t like treasures were popping out of every crack and crevice. If such places ever existed, they’d been picked clean millennia ago. Now, these days, the real treasures were bought with blood and sweat.

Mostly blood.

When a new tunnel system like this popped up, its secrets were more often than not of a more… immaterial kind. Sometimes, they could become routes or highways that could cut days, sometimes weeks, of travel through more dangerous regions. Other times, they would contain new plant or mushroom species that — while not being much use to a Cultivator — might have interesting alchemical properties.

Sometimes they were just empty holes in the ground, leading nowhere and containing nothing of real importance.

With one last glance down the left tunnel, he shook his head and pulled out a small notebook.

Three sets of tracks lead into the left tunnel. The first set is several weeks older than the latter two. Contains strong traces of ammonia and ash. Potentially the lair of a hibernating Ashsloth. The latter two are likely scouts sent by the proceeding party. The lack of returning tracks suggests an unfavorable encounter. Ashsloth hibernation can last for several years, so it is unlikely to pose any immediate danger. Recommend sending an extermination party at a later date.

Garrelt then closed the journal and reached into his pack. He pulled out a small wooden slate with a red beast skull painted on one side. With a pulse of Spirit Energy, the slate sunk into the left tunnel’s stone wall. Adventurers often carried such Slates, and it was considered common courtesy to mark the lairs of dangerous creatures when found.

Not that it was always done, though. After all, dangerous often meant valuable as well.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Garrelt turned and made his way down the right tunnel where most of the previous party’s tracks had turned. He had to hurry and scout out as much as possible before his team caught up to him. The expedition party had likely already made their way into the tunnels and would move quickly, thanks to the signs he’d been leaving behind him.

Once they caught up, Robert would likely want him to slow down and stay closer to the team. Annoying, but standard procedure. The man was nothing if not a stickler for the rules.

An hour later, Garrelt turned a corner and froze, his eyes narrowing. A long tunnel with no branching paths stretched out in front of him. At first glance, it looked like any other of the numerous tunnels he’d explored so far — until one noticed the various signs of battle.

A scorch mark here. A broken piece of wall there. Dried, faded blood splatters that could have been mistaken for just another mineral color on the wall.

Garrelt traced a hand along a long gash in the wall opposite the bend. It was smooth and deep, with none of the mineralization that would suggest it was just a natural crack. Garrelt closed his lantern and pulled out a crystal stick from his pack, twisting it. Instantly, it started glowing with a deep violet color. Hidden patches of color bloomed to life where the light touched.

He ran the crystal along the gash in the wall and paused when the violet light reflected off something. Garrelt’s finger wiggled and squirmed bonelessly as he poked it into the gash. After a moment, he extracted a tiny piece of work steel, no bigger than a splinter.

Metal… nonorganic… So, not a beast. Infighting? No… not that either… strange. The stone is unusually hard for this far up as well. Enough to chip a low-quality blade, at least.

Garrelt twisted the crystal in the opposite direction, and the violet light died. Then he opened his lantern back up and stared down the tunnel.

Now… how to —

“Gaaaarrelllllllltttt!!!” a youthful voice echoed up from the tunnel he’d just come through. Garrelt paused and sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Well, it was fun while it lasted. Robert must have been pushing them harder than he thought if they’d already caught up to him. Garrelt turned just in time to see Maggy coming around the bend. The girl looked ragged, her hair disheveled and her runed robe covered in thick white webs. On spotting Garrelt, she paused, her bloodshot eyes locking onto him. Despite having to lean up against the wall and panting, she raised her wooden staff and pointed it at him.

The dust in the tunnel swirled as a ball of air formed at the staff’s tip and shot toward him.

Garrelt stepped back and easily dodged the air ball, then stared at Maggy with a raised brow.

She huffed and pointed at him. “You bastard! You could have told us about the spiders!”

As the airball slammed against the wall behind him, a gust of wind rushed down the tunnel. The gust pushed several objects previously hidden in shadow into the light: a broken spear, a few shattered rocks with something attached to them, and... bones.

Garrelt frowned and turned to stare down the battle-scarred tunnel, his eyes narrowing. As he did, he answered Maggy. “I did.”

He’d left signs at every potential issue on the way here.

Maggy stomped her feet. “You could have mentioned they were the size of melons!”

Garrelt sighed. “What did you think ‘Titanus’ means? Did you not read the dossier I made for the trip before we left?”

“What? That brick you gave Robert?! Bert could use that thing as a pillow! Who in their right mind would have the time to read it all?!” she nearly screamed.

Garrelt only smirked. “You had a month.”

Maggy growled and raised her staff over her head. She might not have the energy to cast another spell, but she could sure as hell brain him with it!

Before she could take a step forward, though, a massive hand lifted her from the ground.

As Bert held the young woman in the air, her staff swinging in time with her furious half-words, Robert appeared and approached Garrelt. Smiling as always, Robert clasped Garrelt’s hand and laughed. “Don’t mind her, Garrelt. One of the creatures may have gotten down her robe at one point, so she’s a bit on edge. You did well getting us this far. I’m glad we could have you with us.”

Garrelt waved it off and stared back down the tunnels. Robert followed his gaze and frowned. “If we caught you here, I assume this matter isn’t as simple as the others. What are we looking at?” he asked.

Garrelt paused. “Something that shouldn’t be here…” came the response.

Robert hummed to himself. “I see… Do you have a plan?”

Garrelt smirked, then stared up at the dangling Maggy. “Possibly.”

—————————————————————

Antchaser nudged the coals of the small fire with a stick. Occasionally, he would nervously glance toward the large, still lake near the back of the cave.

“I don’t like this plan…” Antchaser said, more to himself than anyone.

Boarslayer, leaning against a stone wall, laughed. “Stop being a baby. Dr. Maria said these tunnels should be pretty safe, at least up to this point.”

Antchaser glared at the large goblin. “You only say that because you’ve never been to the surface before. These connecting tunnels can attract all sorts of things! There’s a reason we normally only use the well-traveled routes despite the fees and taxes the clans impose!”

Boarslayer shrugged. “Well, that’s why I’m here.” She picked up a stone and tossed it. It flew through the air and skipped across the surface of the lake. Each skip was accompanied by a chaotic flurry of splashing as something under the surface reacted to the stone’s passing.

Antchaser shivered and shook his head. “We didn’t even know these tunnels were here! No one’s explored this area much, as it’s too far into the Demon Ant’s territory. Who knows what’s lurking in here?”

Boarslayer rolled her eyes and shifted position. “Who cares? It’s not like we’re going to explore right now, anyway. All we’ve got to do is wait for our ‘guests’ and head back.”

Antchaser sighed. “That’s true. You remember the plan, right?”

Boarslayer glared at him. “Yes, mother. I read the script. Stop asking. I know what to do.”

Antchaser shook his head and stared at the entrance the Adventurers were supposed to come from. Here’s hoping everything went according to plan.