Caswell turned to look back at the group when he realised they were no longer following. As he returned to the group, Sylwester asked with his hand out, “Pass the torch, I’m going to see what that noise is.” 

Caswell questioned the human’s intentions, “To get yourself killed before the dragon is in proximity? No, I think I’ll keep my torch.”

Despite Caswell’s protest, the other three seemed just as curious about the source of the noise. Tilly Faesexi, the most calming of presences, tilted her head to the left. “Then perhaps we won't go far,” she spoke with a smile, “Just enough to see what’s there.”

Caswell snapped, “And if it is goblins, they’ve probably heard us arguing already and are laying in wait.” At that, Caswell removed his pack and sat on the uneven ground, still clasping his torch tightly.

Giving up on arguing with stubbornness, Sylwester turned on his heel, heading down to the left. “Fine, guess our eyes are better than a torch anyway.” The others followed him, although hesitantly without a torch’s light. 

It was darker down here and the four could barely see. Thankfully the dragonborn, Dranx was there to take over the slow and quiet walk down. As well as Tilly shifting her bow and arrow from her shoulder to ready it, making sure she could defend them if the noise turned into an attack.

“Stop,” whispered Dranx from the front, less than 50 metres down from where they’d left the stubborn Caswell. He listened for three sets of steps to come to a stop behind and beside him, and Tilly listened to a different set of scuttling steps through the gloom. She was on Dranx’s left and could hear so many legs moving quickly along the cavern wall to the left of her. So many. That there was only one option up her sleeve; she listened to the movement get closer and immediately released the arrow in its direction. A second later it shrieked, she made contact. But before she could celebrate it retaliated, sending something toward her. Not that she saw it until it struck her shoulder, making her almost lose her footing. It ached but it was nothing to concern herself with now. 

Standing back behind the other three, Kaley heard the scurrying on many legs; Kaley stood unblinking in the direction of where the creature ought to be and thought that burning it with fire would be the best option. They splayed their hands down by their sides, their hands were tingling as they tried to heat them up to unnatural temperatures, raising them up in front as they did. Although their hands got no warmer than a luke-warm cup of tea. Kaley had failed to concentrate on their power, their fear taken over them as they heard the critter shriek. The fear controlled them so much that Kaley didn’t sense Tilly step back and she had stood on their foot. 

While the other two were attempting to do their thing, Dranx unsheathed the short sword he kept clipped to his belt and swung it skilfully through the air a couple times. This was mostly to show off than actually thinking something was there, unaware that no one else could actually see how skilful he looked. In fact, with the creature having just got so close to Tilly, it had scuttled off so quickly that Dranx was unable to see where it could be. Swinging his sword a few more times, all it did was slice air. 

Sylwester listened as the group seemed to be failing to hit this rather large bug-type critter that was scuttling somewhere in this cavern. The problem they were all facing is that no one really knew where it was. However, Sylwester had a plan, a good plan at that. He stood his ground, tall and strong, and could feel his strength and power running through limb and vein. Then the ground started to rumble, as did the walls. The bug-critter shrieked and lost all its footing, dislodging from the wall. Still shrieking like mad, the bug-type creature lashed out, smacking a long tentacle across Sylwester’s chest, leaving him winded. 

Wheezing slightly, Sylwester had a think while he caught his breath, ignoring the laughter he suddenly heard. A critter that scuttles on walls and has some kind of tentacle, could only be a… Carrion Crawler. Maybe they were out of their depth coming down here. 

The laughter that Sylwester had heard had been an Elvish one from Tilly. When she felt the ground shake, she couldn't help but laugh; partly out of fear and partly because she didn’t know what else to do. Probably not wise, as it wouldn't have been so funny had she seen the creature lash out at Sylwester, but by then her laughing had given her an idea. She turned her laugh into one that was hideous, one that was so hideous that it shrieked even louder than when the Earth shook. It shrieked again, taking that same large tentacle and smacking Tilly with it.

Then with feet still firmly planted to the ground, Kaley stood, focusing all their attention and energy on Tilly and whatever part of the critter had just hit her. Feeling goosebumps prickle on Kaley’s arms, it was Tilly that could suddenly feel their energy. Kaley knew it should work this time, it had to work this time, … and it did work this time. Using Tilly to send through her and into this creature, created a 'ZAP' and blasted the critter backwards. Tilly felt as warm as Kaley probably did and she dropped to her knees. The Carrion Crawler is dead. 

A small bag drops to the ground as the dead Carrion Crawler's body slumps to the ground, the bag’s contents jingling as it lands. Sylwester is still catching his breath but manages to say, “Carrion Crawler, we did it.” 

Standing back up, Tilly answers kindly, “Yes. From what I felt go through, I believe Kaley did it. Well done.” She carefully started to get closer to the Crawler to check it was dead. 

“Thanks,” Kaley replied. “And thanks for trusting me, Tills-” A sharp jingle sounded as Tilly kicked the small bag. “What was that?”

“I’m not sure,” said Tilly, picking up the pouch and filling inside it. “Feels like four gold coins. How peculiar. A coin each, is fair, right?”

“Definitely,” Dranx chimed in, walking toward her to grab his and pass the other two coins to Kaley and Sylwester. Tilly pocketed her coin, feeling a second one in there that wasn’t there moments ago. She stayed silent about it as she followed Dranx and the others back to Caswell. 

As soon as Sylwester saw the light of Caswell’s torch, he said cockily, “See, none of us are dead.”

“No, not dead, just worse for wear,” he responded, pointing to Tilly’s shoulder before he got up and put his pack back on his back.