Merryn kept checking the area, her shoulders drew up, stiff and tense. Was it going to come back again? Did it quit chasing them? An air current stirred her curls onto the side of her face.

She stopped for a moment. When I was younger, traipsing through underground places wasn't easier, but still tolerable. That cave in of—twenty years ago now?

It's more than just monsters running amuck in here. Assuming it's an old god at all. No, the air is thick with it; the weight presses onto us; its whispers in this darkness.

I know Opial hears them too, as she flinched the first few times. If it?—just think about getting out of here! Should i even try and finish this? What if there's nothing her to find after all?

She feathered the tip of a finger on the wall. It's shiny, walls shouldn't be shiny... Just, what am I seeing here? She touched finger to thumb. Sticky and slick.

Opial came back, staying abreast while keeping pace. She glanced at her forehead. "It's getting grimy down here."

Following with her, this tunnel, as it took shape, went on for longer than the others it didn't seem to have an end. The thick lacquer-hued excretion coated the sides, some of it in patchy splatters across the ceiling, dripping into the shallow water.

"Don't touch the walls, they're coated with, I not exactly sure what." I seem to feel healthy, considering, so it's not poison? Hopefully.

"I can't really see, so I'll take your word for it." Opial dipped her head to the side, and beckoned. "I only have enough energy for one more spell," she said in a cracked tone.

She suppressed a startle. Opial's face; now on examining it seemed pinched and a bit pale, it was hard to tell she tended to avoid letting their expressions fly with her emotions. Parcival often too, it seemed. She sparked with more vigor an hour before. Not that being down here wouldn't make anyone's mental shields crack! I partly want to run out of here screaming...

She exhaled. "I haven't used any yet, so it's not hopeless." I will if we need to, though. Unnamed seems a little peculiar lately... he's never interfered with calling the spirits, so should be alright. How long have we been down here anyway? We're both hungry and in need of rest. It's probably almost sunrise.

She pinched the space between her brows. Oy, one thing at a time, think about the now.

This tunnel continued on without end, her thighs burned, as did her chest. Small unlit wall scones like the ones back home, lined the walls, each a foot apart. First the mural, then these wall scones was it the elders that came here or some others? She shook her head. I'll have to work on that later.

After about 100 ft, the tunnel dead-ended into a crumbling mess.

She traced her icy fingers along an excretion filled semicircle crack that ran along the wall.

Opial splashed over, her eyebrows pinched together. "There's nothing here, were you just lazing about waiting to get attacked like a goblin shark?"

Merryn glared back. This is the right place to go, I know it. "Everything in me says I must go this way, that this is the way. I just can't explain it."

Opial flinched.

It also worries me that Maxwell hasn't come back yet, he always does. The

Should I have said that? She sent her thoughts chasing after endless sweets; and pointed her thoughts back to how Opial might be feeling. Why would she say that? Is she tired? I, too, am tired. But, that doesn't necessarily mean it's because of that. So is she angry at me? No. Then the last most likely possibility is: Fear. Is she scared of me?

She held Opial's gaze. Her eyes were wider than usual, her brows pinched along with that "pulled back inside" sensation was in her eyes and face.

Forgive me Goddess, I scared her!

Merryn dropped her eyes, then carefully patted both Opial's arms while drawing her in for a quick soft squeeze before letting go.

Opial coughed, her face red.

Guess it wasn't soft enough...

"I—"

"Let's continue."

She nodded. Opial let things go quickly, she's better than me at that.

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Several cracks webbed above near the ceiling. First one brick crumbled away then another, as they fell, a thick shiny droplet wormed though, slid down the wall and plopped into the water.

Merryn grabbed Opial's arm and jumped them both back. Her heavy wet cloak wrapped around her legs, she yanked it off, and hung it on a jutting brick. Shouldn't have worn this today, it's a disadvantage.

"What the heck is that?"

"Do I look like an information stone to you?"

"You don't need to snap."

She waved her hands about, growled and gestured at where it dropped. The translation device kicked in; of better quality than usual. "That, is our current predicament, how about not asking false questions?" Maybe, I am getting a little ill-tempered; better watch that.

Opial's face became blank. "In who's view?"

I think I'll leave well enough alone here.

"——"

Off ahead small bubbles rose from the water, and frothed as if mixing with a bubbly soap, the fumes that followed weren't anything so ordinary and inviting.

Opial coughed, while backing away, further and going behind her. "E! Time to leave!"

Merryn stayed put without facing her. "Something in here has been pulling me forward, that 'thing' I need to find it. You can leave if you must, It's better if you do." I don't want another person dying. Not that this thing? Isn't… going to do... well, who knows what it is or does. Gah! It'd be selfish asking her to stay. She gripped the weapon tight enough to make the joints ache.

Lots of sizzles and pop-pop-pops, a blurry object sipped past too fast to see.

She dodged and half spun around, floating in the waters.

"Get down!" She yelled.

Too late.

Opial make a tiny noise and cupped a temple. A keen, restrained wail escaped forth. A thin stream of weeping vital blood escaped between her fingers, coating the back of her hand like an executioners glove. Her eyes widened, and she partially buckled then righted herself. Her bodys bright undertone slipped away replaced with a bluish tint.

Her mouth opened, for a silent scream. She hopped further away, and kept looking back. That and several heated words the translator couldn't quite catch. Her body shook for several seconds before she straightened again. "I'm alright. it's just a scratch."

"That's one hell of a scratch, you're also way too cold now." Please don't become ill! That has to hurt. She fumbled around in the pouches, and pulled out her mother's handkerchief, and passed it to her. "Here."

"Thank you." Opial pressed it to the 'scratch.' It still trickled from under the cloth.

An oily film spread a touch from water lapping along the wall, any movement drew it closer. The bubbles disappeared, then reappeared a few feet closer by the film.

The hairs all over her body stood up with a rash of goosebumps.

"Withdraw from the wall!"

Opial hurried to the middle of the tunnel.

She stood by her, with the mallet ready.

And waited.

Opial shrugged.

Several cracks appeared on the wall behind it, spreading out like a fine broken spider web, the excretion oozed from it.

Three thumps; three more cracks that spidered just above the bubbles. "Run?"

"Run."

Multiple bricks fell in a cascade, splashing into the waters, sending ripples across the room. A slick appendage reached through the water and slapped Merryn across the stomach. The sting spread, widened and deepened, becoming more than it was. She couldn't breathe for a few counts, and clasped her stomach.

Opial shot her a softened glance and moved before her, then bumped her back and away.

What was bubbling under the water, avoided the bricks and raced over.

Above the oily film spot, a gooey substance excreted.

Whatever it was let out a wailing noise, came as droplets through the brickwork, condensed and encapsulated on itself already at the bottom and guiding on the water towards her.

Opial patted her arm. "Another is coming my way."

Every direction, blocked! She tugged on her ear, then bopped on her head. Come on! The walls, the walls, the walls. Something about them. Ak. "Ideas?"

"Pray?"

"Actually, that's a great idea. But, not until next month. There's a limit after all."

One of Opial's brows raised so high it pushed up her hairline. "Yours sets limits?" She started to bow but stopped, instead monitoring the abhorrences. "That was rude, of me."

Her words became a croak, that fell into a coughing fit. Blood trickled on the side of her mouth, she wiped shaking hands on the leather leggings.

Opial and everything else swirled around, spinning. Groaning, she held her head in her hands. The stinging reappeared, it ripped though her with twice the force.

Opial caught her as she toppled. "Don't you dare! I need you now. You hear me?" Her voice pitched high, hurting her ears.

"Anything... just leave... my ears out of it." A prickling numbness ran up and down her arm, she flexed stiff fingers.

Opial smirked. "Nothing will leave them out of it. Try standing." Her smile fell away as her voice steeled with a stern, authoritative tone. "Get up!"

I'm an Idiot! "Don't touch the walls." I can't pass out, not now.