Alhabba and Roshabba watched with confused and horrified looks on their faces as they watched Nero’s body completely vanish as soon as he had blown the door off its hinges. As soon as the smoke cleared they looked to see that behind the door was a hastily made knee wall with a large number of runes plastered on it in a strange circle that was completely different than the regeneration circle that Nero had pointed out before. It also didn’t help that several of the runes had deteriorated over time. Making it into a different combination of runes than what it had been originally.

“Nero!” they called out in hopes that he had just fallen beyond the wall. However, they didn’t hear the sound of Nero beyond the doorway, but that of several kinds of beasts. Long forgotten and left to survive on their own down below.

“We need to go. The Elder should know what to do.” Roshabba said. Alhabba nodded in agreement before the two started heading back up to the upper levels. Shutting and barring the doors as they went until they reached the third level.

* * *

Looking around me, all I could see was a damp stone hallway and the decomposed bodies of old Imperials. They were probably those who had been trapped down here during the siege sixty years ago. On the floor was a broken carving of a teleportation circle that probably could send me back up to where I was if it was still intact. Sadly, it was too damaged to salvage.

The sound of water flowing in the distance echoed enough to make it sound like rapids that weren’t too far away. Following the sound of the water, I wandered down the hallway. Eventually, I came to the end of the hallway, opening up into a large area filled with buildings built in a much different style than the others I had seen in the upper levels.

Many of the buildings were starting to fall apart. The only exception was the hundreds of pillars and arches covered in protective runes that held up the floor above. None of the arches were ornate like the ones on the third floor. However, they served their purpose. Walking out into the open area I began seeing a strange glow. Getting closer I found that the glow was coming from a large hole in the floor. The floor had collapsed into the floor below it and had been filled with water and became an underground river.

The glow itself came from the blue algae growing all over the walls of the floor below. I assumed that the water was as deep as a full level. However, the water was so clear that it looked like it was only a few feet deep. Looking around I saw the stairs to the next level stood on the other side of the river. The lower steps had broken off and fallen into the water below much to my dismay.

Just as I was about to get into the water to swim across I saw a creature on the other side of the river. It was unlike any creature I had ever seen or heard about. Standing three feet tall on four legs. It had no eyes making its head smooth other than a few hexagon-shaped holes on each side of its neckless head and its absurdly wide mouth. Watching it for a moment I saw a long tongue extend from its mouth. The tongue forked into three before reconnecting back together to form a spoon-like shape. Dipping it into the water it began pulling the water into its mouth. There was something odd about the water though. It was less viscous than I would have figured.

Dipping my hand into the water I lifted it up to see that water had a consistency more akin to jelly. Though rather than being sticky it still fell off my hand while still getting my hand somewhat wet. Swimming through this would be difficult. I wondered if that thing could swim through it? Killing it wouldn’t be too difficult if it got too close to me.

Picking up a small rock from the ground I chucked it at the creature. Its body flinched at my provocation and a low sound began emanating from it. Several more showed up from behind the creature until there were around twelve. Running as fast as they could they each attempted to jump across the river. It looked like a few of them were going to make it across so I held out my staff and forced my essence into it. Summoning forth a decent gale of wind that knocked the creatures back. All of which fell into the water.

I watched as all twelve of them desperately tried to swim out of the water. However, instead of them swimming easier they all sank as if their density was increased. It made me curious but it didn’t matter right now. Wandering around the ruined level eventually led me to a part of the city that had a decent pathway that I could use to get to the other side. However, I wasn’t sure how stable it was. If I fell into that soup below then I was as good as dead.

Thankfully, the path held up and I was able to make it across without an issue. Once I was on the other side, I did my best to make it to the stairway up to the next level. The stairs had deteriorated enough that I had to climb ten feet up the side of it. The weight of my ration packs, staff, and iron sword made it difficult but I eventually made it up without falling. Going the rest of the way up the stairs I had finally made it to the door. Unlike all the other doors, this had one side on the ground off its hinges while the others wood had rotted to the point that it looked like it would fall over if I touched it.