They have spent months together building their bonds, gathering information, and years of training for this battle. They have gotten supplies of all sorts for any scenario of what type of battle may lie ahead.

Yet looking into the mouth of a cave that is tens of times higher than she is, knowing entering will either end in her death or glory, Ari wants to turn back. She has never wished for glory; she has wished to protect the lands from which she came.

But now, all Ari wants to do is save her companions from a probable horrific death. This creature hasn’t even been seen. It has killed entire cities of people in one fell swoop. Yet the only thing ever different from the seemingly perfectly fine villages, besides no form of life, is cloth. Every inch of cloth is gone.

And here stands the trio. The most skilled fighters in the empire. The most skilled expendable fighters. The most powerful enchanter’s fairy daughter, the most skilled yet young swordsman, and a renown and powerful mercenary. None even in their mid-twenties. Looking over, Trutina is determined, with a stance ready to bolt in. Irene is calm, though her deep breathing gives away anxiety.

“Aren’t you guys ready,” Trutina grins.

“Sure?” Ari doesn’t mean for it to come out as a question.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Irene sighs, “I’ve come this far. I won’t have given up my vows of pacifism for nothing.”

“That’s the spirit! Come on Ari!”

Yet Ari has no silver lining to see.

“Let’s get this over with,” Ari’s bow is gripped tight.

The feeling only as the first footstep is taken is fear.

They descend into the darkness, only lighting a small flicker so as to not alert any potential enemies.

Trutina goes first, able to slither much quicker around rough edges with a durable snake tail. Ari is next, hand whenever possible on her bow and the magic bag which holds a sword and other dire supplies is always kept available. Unfortunately, her wings have to be securely strapped to her back in an uncomfortable fashion. Irene is last, who had taken just enough shrinking potion to go from seven to five feet tall.

No one knows if they are going the correct way. No one knows what lies ahead. No one may ever know.

They move around sharp rocks as they squeeze past small corridors. The rocks nick at their clothes, giving small scraps and bruises. They have finally gotten to a wide area, deciding to take a quick break to recuperate, quick enough to not waste Irene’s shrinking potion. None of them need it physically, but they all need it mentally.

It’s a small open area that Trutina takes the spark to explore. Irene rechecks the potion bag while Ari lays her head on Irene’s shoulder for comfort. She is a mercenary not a monster-hunter. Yet Ari can’t bring it in herself to be mad for taking the trip, since these are the people she would wish to die with.

Trutina yelps and the sound of rock scrapping on itself echoes around them. A loud crash follows.

Irene bolts up, Ari not far behind, “Are you alright?”

“Uh,” Trutina hesitates, “You guys might want to see this.”

They look around to see a bright light coming from around a bend. They go to investigate, seeing Trutina standing in front of a caved in floor.

A caved in floor which leads to bright light, with shiny fabrics, bright colors and others dull. It looks like an abandoned mining shaft, but lies mountains of fabric within.

They slowly descend down the steep slope to the bottom, only being able to focus on their steps in the right place so as to not trip and fall to their doom.

The area’s size is greater than they imagined.

And on one end is a mountain the size of a small town seemingly made of void itself.

And suddenly hundreds of eyes open. Not only on its body but around it in the air, and they are all staring at the three. It towers over them while it’s crouching, the size of hills before it’s even standing. The shadow strips making up its body look like they’re constantly in motion.

And Ari knows they can’t win this fight.

Maybe a dragon would be fine, but this monstrosity to a dragon is as a god is to an ant. There is no questioning why it keeps itself in such a giant cavern in a mountain.

Ari forces her lungs to start breathing as she becomes woozy.

No one fast enough to run up the slope.

The slope is too steep anyway.

No potion could fix this situation.

No wings strong or fast enough alone.

What could they do?

The room is getting darker, but as Ari blinks, nails digging into herself, it’s not a lie.

It’s coming from the creature.

Black, smokey tendrils come from its body turning into shadows swarming around the area.

“NononononONONONONO,” Trutina is yelling, desperate.

Yet her ears are ringing. Ari’s eyes can’t be taken off the giant beast, but she can feel the shadows reaching them.

And they BURN.

Ari jumps away, but they reach up. They burn through shoes, though socks, through SKIN.

She desperately breaks through any bandages around her chest, wings bursting outwards. Grabbing onto her two friends, Ari desperately tries to fly as the acidic shadows chase them, growing faster and faster.

The potion bag’s contents shatter behind them as Irene pulls out any spells she can for speed, strength, endurance, ANYTHING.

They aren’t safe until they GET OUT.

Trutina uses his fire to incinerate walls of rock that block them from getting out into the sun.

The narrow chambers soon become wide as they force their way through.

And then the sun hits their skin.

The tendrils burn.

And they all fall to the ground.

The last thing Ari sees before blacking out is the blood she coughs