Fang and Corea stepped out of the decrepit catacombs and into a larger chamber, deep underground. What was once a natural cavern had, perhaps over centuries, been worn and hewn into some sort of waypoint between several wings of this strange, underground facility.

The walls, mostly moisture-slick rock, had deep brown markings and necromantic runes scrawled upon the surface. One particular rune, one Fang could not translate, seemed to be fresher than most, and it was to the side of an opening.

Fang could smell the blood that was used to draw the rune. It was old blood. No whiff of fresh blood yet. Perhaps the girl's brother was still alive.

Fang turned to the girl, who had stepped from his side towards an alcove.

"Little one, stay close."

"I think he crawled under here..."

Fang took three large steps towards the alcove and saw freshly disturbed dirt. Sure enough, there seemed to be a small hole at the bottom of the alcove. Wide enough for a boy to crawl through.

"Child, no!"

But it was too late, Corea had already begun to wiggle beneath the wall. Her flaming blade was the last thing to follow her out, and within moments she was gone.

Fang began to frantically claw at the dirt. He kicked up huge clods of soil and jammed his snout into the gap. He couldn't slip in but his instincts kicked in.

"Corea!"

He felt her hand touch his snout.

"I found his bracelet! He must have hid here."

"Corea, come back here, now. We can't separate. We need to find a way to get me back there. Maybe I can dig-"

The fur on the back of Fang's neck stiffened as he heard the sound of limp shuffling echoing in the chamber behind him. He ripped himself from the alcove and spun, flaming sword drawn.

Three ghouls approached from the passage with the freshest runic marking.