Several rooms later, each without incident and with even more loot, Tobian and Darius joined the group in a larger room. The stone walls were broken up with little cells inset into them. Wooden doors were wrapped with metal bands, and a window was covered with a webbing of metal bars so tight that not even a chicken egg would fit through.

Tristan and the others were sitting in a room at the other end of the entrance, a large office with furniture still in usable condition. Sirah sat in the main chair, resting her feet on the desk. The Professor, wrapped in blue robes, floated in the air as if sitting on an invisible chair with a large book open. Tristan sat on the stone floor with her eyes closed and lips moving as she prayed silently.

Tobian lifted a large silver ring he held in one hand and started walking toward the blue-figured figure.

"Professor, I found one of your premade circles," Tobian said.

"Did you put it in one of your bags?" the blue figure said without looking up from his book.

"No, I held it the whole time, even ensuring it didn't accidentally scrape against a wall or get bent!" Finally, Tobian lifted the hoop higher as if offering it to a being of greater power.

"Ha, scratch it." The Professor looked up from his book. Glowing blue eyes with white pupils stared at Tobian. The grey goatee surrounding his lips moved a little as he smiled. "I'm glad you followed my directions and found this. Thank you, these are not cheap."

Faint blue light illuminated the ring as it lifted itself from Tobian's grasp. Then, the ring disappeared, only a ruffle of the Professors' robes indicating where it went.

Tobian, however, still had his magical vision running; he saw a trail left by the ring as it flew across the room to the wizard but ended on the man's hand. Under the cover of the sleeve, he could make out a glint of silver.

Shaking off the magical display, Tobian started heading around the room, looking for loot and items to put into his various holding bags. Several bodies of cats that looked like their skin was made of molten stone simmered as they lay upon the rock. The magic controlling or sustaining them has since been extinguished.

"Is there anything I should look out for to stow?" Tobian said as he carefully used his shovel to roll one of the hellcats' bodies over. The stone floor underneath remained in perfect condition. "These stones have some powerful…."

"No, leave the stonework." Tristan's voice filled the room as if speaking from every corner.

"Ok, just checking."

Slowly moving around, he picked up a few daggers, swords, and a crossbow. Of all the bodies in the room, he didn't see any that would use the weapons. Before heading into the office, he checked the cells and even the hallway, where everyone else rested. The room could have been more interesting, with some scattered papers, and while the desk and chairs were not magical, they looked well made.

"I can't store the furniture, but if you want to take them, you could probably make a few coins," Tobian said.

"Na, we'd have to drag it, and it would just scuff it up into worthlessness," Darius said. "I thought they had a dragon. Did you see any secret doors, Sirah?"

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"Nothing. I searched the desk twice, and there was no secret key or button. Maybe the hallway has a hidden door," Sirah said from her relaxed position in the chair.

Tobian went around and gathered what he could. There wasn't much in this room, as the creatures that had been kept here were not weapon-carrying types. He collected a few paws, teeth, and a tail, just in case.

"All done," Tobian said as he finished putting a stone cat paw into the backpack.

The group got up from their various places of rest and started back toward the prison entrance. As soon as Sirah moved from the main chair, the magical enchantment on the stonework behind her came into view. Somehow, wherever she was, something hid magical energy from his ability.

The enchanted wall stopped in the center, and a perfect rectangle stood in it. Tobian walked up to the wall and carefully started feeling around the stone, which looked normal.

"Tobian, you ok? It's just magical rocks; we can get you some if you want." Darius said as the group looked at the Tobain from across the room.

"Not magical though, the one spot in the whole prison without…." Tobian said as he still ran a hand down the side of the normal stone.

CLICK!

The stone wall fell open under his hands. It opened as if mounted on a hinge, revealing another room with bones scattered across the floor. Tobian managed to hold back an explicative as he stood in the doorway. His magical sight revealed everything in the room, several bits of fabric and weapons on the ground, several skeletons in various states, and a chest against the wall.

The large wooden chest didn't glow with magic, but magical energy seeped from inside it through the cracks or ill-fitted joints.

"Guys, there's a chest in here," Tobian said as he stepped forward. Behind him, several voices told him to stop, but he continued. A magically trapped chest would have set off his vision, and an illusion would still reveal some detail, giving it away. The dream of being an adventurer returned to him as he moved toward the chest.

"Just gonna open it," Tobian said. "You guys still do what you want; I never get to be the first." His heart was racing as the thrill rose inside him. He reached a hand out and lifted the top of the chest open.

No treasure was inside the chest, just rows of teeth and a long snake-like tongue that wrapped around his neck and pulled him into the open maw. Pain shot through him as the teeth sank into his shoulders and the tongue tightened around his throat. His left hand was also caught in some of the creature's back teeth.

Panic! He tried kneeing the chest to try and get it to release him. The several packs he wore on his back and shoulders prevented the creature from closing the top half on him. His lungs screamed for air as the tongue choked him. His heart pumping a million times a minute, he instinctively reached his right hand into a bag on his belt. He put two fingers inside. Thinking of the acid vial, it appeared in his fingers. He fumbled a little to uncork it with one hand but got it open.

With the chest monster's mouth stuck open, Tobian could quickly pour the contents of the acid vial into the gaping maw. The creature gargled in pain, as did Tobian, as some of the acid hit and burned against his head.

The top half of the creature stopped pressing down upon Tobian. A strong hand lifted him from the maw just before a massive axe crashed into the creature's mouth. Magical energy wrapped around Tobian, lifting him up, and he floated away from the fight as the group finished off the beast.

"Idiot, I can't believe you survived," Sirah said as she cut the side of the creature's mouth, taking away its primary weapon.

Cold water splashed over Tobian, and then even more cold filled him as energy coursed through his body. Tristan slowly moved her hand over Tobian, infusing every cut or scratch with healing magic.

"I can't do anything about the hair, but maybe it'll be a good lesson," Tristan said.

"Sorry, I wasn't trying to take anything; I just… wanted to be an adventurer," Tobian said as he tried to calm himself down.

"Someday, we'll make an adventurer out of ya, but not today," Tristan said.

Tobian looked up at Tristan and the rest of the group. He caught several smiles except for the Professor.

"You know how much one of these intact sell for!" Professor yelled as he pointed toward the wood, flesh, and teeth pile.