Tired Of Death

The rock wall of the cavern loomed above them.

"Now what?" asked Emerald.

"I don't know," said Dreth. "I just get the feeling here is where we can get out. There must be a secret door. Percy, try pushing that light colored patch over there."

Percy moved to comply, grumbling under his breath. He was rewarded by a hiss and an expulsion of green vapor which issued forth from a hidden aperture.

"Poison gas!" exclaimed Redthorne, moving hastily away. Emerald quickly followed him.

Percy waved a hand in front of his face, unaffected by the trap. "Great, now I'll smell of poison all day."

"Should be an improvement then," said Cuthbert. He pointed to a sharp bulge of rock further up the wall. "This looks a likely handle. Do you think it's trapped in some horrible fashion as well?"

"Only one way to find out," replied Percy cheerfully. He pushed at the stone.

A panel hidden in the wall slid to one side with a dull grinding sound.

"Easy!" said Percy, stepping through and looking left and right. "We're back in the tunnels."

Emerald looked at Dreth curiously. "How did you know that was there?" she asked.

Dreth shrugged. "I don't know. I just did somehow."

The others entered the passage, Redthorne and Emerald waiting until the gas had cleared first.

Dreth looked down. "Light!" he commanded.

"Allow me," said Redthorne. He raised his hands and began an incantation, only to stop abruptly as a small red figure popped into view in front of his face and bit his nose.

"Ooowoowoowowoow!" shouted the mage, grasping at the Spite, which disappeared with a giggle and a pop. The wizard's spell dissipated, incomplete.

"So much for that," said Dreth. He turned to Percy. "Do we have any left in the bag?"

Percy rummaged through the depleted sack and pulled a torch out. "Just one," he said. He lit it and held it up so the party could see.

Dreth looked about. The passageway was hewn through dark rock and sloped down, but was otherwise unremarkable.

"So we go further down?" said Emerald.

"The Manager said the treasure was in The Pit," answered Dreth. "That would imply a section lower than normal."

"Down it is then," said Cuthbert.

They moved off, following the narrow and winding tunnel in silence.

As they picked their way forward, Redthorne drew level with Dreth. "How about helping me get rid of this curse then? You can surely skewer the Spite if I lure it forth. Your sword would kill it, I'm sure."

"Later wizard. Once we're out of these tunnels."

The mage scowled, but dropped back again.

"Is it me, or is it getting hotter?" asked Emerald a little while later, wiping her brow.

"Is it?" Asked Percy. "Heat doesn't affect me anymore." He stumbled slightly.

"Careful there," said Dreth who was walking behind him.

"What's that?" asked Sprat, pointing ahead and knocking Cuthbert over. "Oops, sorry Daddy. I'm not used to this body."

"Just take care will you? You could have knocked my head off."

"What did you see?" asked Percy.

They all looked forward. Dreth could make out some kind of orange light filtering through the darkness. "Put out that torch."

In the dark they could see the light more clearly.

"Looks like fire," said Dreth. He turned to the body of Sprat, which was tightly bound with rope and tied to Percy. "What's ahead Golem?"

The zombie smiled. "Well done Guardian. You've found the Pit. Your just desserts are very close now."

"Mmm," said Dreth. "Carry on, slowly."

They shuffled on, the light and heat increasing until they emerged into another huge cavern. This one shimmered with fumes rising from slow moving lava rivers, the cause of the orange glow they had seen. Uneven paths of black rock were lined with stunted trees. The trails meandered about past craggy rocks and deep crevasses, leading towards a large mound in the distance.

"I don't like the look of this," said Redthorne, patting the baby's back.

"No turning back now," replied Dreth. "Onwards!"

They walked along the path, taking care when it paralleled the pits, which were often filled with pools of bubbling molten rock.

"If this is where the treasure is," said Emerald, dodging to one side as a bubble splattered red hot lava near her, "surely there would be a guardian?"

"Um," said Cuthbert, stopping suddenly. "I think I know what it may be."

They all looked to the large pit which had opened up in front of them. Sat there, red wings folded back on a glistening scaly hide, was a dragon. Its body was the size of several elephants, and a wicked looking tail, at least as long as the body, waved back and forth behind it, culminating in a spiked ball that resembled a giant mace. The creature looked up, yellow eyes the size of plates widening as it saw the group. As they stood rooted to position, it slowly walked over to them, huge feet crunching over red hot rocks.

"And what do we have here?" it rumbled in a deep voice, sending a wave of heat over them.

Dreth pushed Cuthbert to one side. Best not chance the zombie saying something stupid with this beast. "Hello there!" He waved in what he hoped was a friendly fashion. "The name's Dreth. I'm the guardian of the undead way."

"Are you here for the treasure?" the giant creature asked, steam blowing from its nostrils.

"I refuse to answer that question," said Dreth, "on the grounds you may incinerate me."

"Because Dungeon guardian or no, I would be obliged to roast, and then eat you." It narrowed its eyes. "Actually, I think I would just roast you. Dead meat gives me indigestion."

"Oh, absolutely," said Dreth hastily. "No need to be hasty now!"

"Well then, why are you here?"

Dreth thought quickly. "The, ah, Dungeon Master himself told us to pop along and check up on the treasure. Kind of an audit," he said. "It's a nuisance I know, but, well, procedure." He made a 'what can you do?' face, and shrugged.

"Really?" The dragon lowered its head. "Jonathon said it was time for an audit? He told you to come here and check the treasure?"

"Indeed, he was most insistent," Dreth replied, nodding. "Go and make sure it's all there, he said to me. I said, 'Jonnie,' we're kind of close you see, 'Jonnie' I says, 'no problem. Consider the job done.' So here we are. Now, if you would kindly step aside…"

"Oh. I don't think so."

"No?"

"No."

"I will have to report this to Jonathon you know," said Dreth, who was getting nervous.

"Knock yourself out," said the large lizard. "Though I would point out one thing."

"What's that?"

The dragon leaned close, wafting Dreth with superheated breath. "The Dungeon Master's name isn't Jonathon."