Both Tilly and Sylwester looked at her shoulder and the small quill sticking out of it. Tilly pulled it out and a drop of blood escaped, which she wiped off with her hand. Sylwester gritted his teeth and uttered, “Least we came back richer.” 

“It wasn’t easy,” Kaley practically said to themself, still watching the darkness behind them.

But Caswell heard it and replied, “And it won’t get easier.”

Tilly glanced between them. “Then it’s a good thing we’re not alone.”

“Yes,” agreed Caswell as he adjusted his torch and spun around. “Stay behind me and stick together.” One thing that was surprising was he didn’t sound bitter about them leaving in the first place, he was merely warning them not to implore their curiosity again.

Onwards they walked through the sloping old goblin tunnels. Slowly but also with haste as the path narrowed. Kaley, who was second in the line, could see the rough walls in the flickering light of Caswell’s torch. They put their hand on the wall that felt dry and warm despite looking slick obsidian black. Listening to only their boots scraping the stone underfoot, they asked, “Do goblins usually live this close to the entrance?”

“They can do,” Caswell replied, not as quietly. “But they’re not generally worried about visitors, only intruders.”

“What about other creatures, there are probably many more besides goblins, right?”, Tilly asked.

“If there are more, then at least we know we took one of them out down here,” Sylwester muttered.

“Yes,” Caswell answered only Tilly. “And there will be more.”
“You always know how to brighten a walk, don’t ya, Cas-”, Dranx retorted, not finishing his comment due to everyone abruptly stopping in front of him. “What’s the hold up?”

The group gathered either side of Caswell to take a look at the difficult part in the path ahead. They had reached flowing magma. More precisely, ahead was a chasm of magma that left a broken gap in their path too big to jump. The only way across was a dilapidated swing bridge. 

Dranx pushed his way through to the front and very lightly started to step on the first bridge plank, which immediately caused a lot of tension and he stepped back swiftly. 

Watching Dranx attempt this, Caswell pondered on it a moment before asking, “I don’t suppose anyone has any kind of ability to fly?”

“No,” answered Dranx. “I do have a grappling hook without the rope; I lent it to a guy who said he needed it for ‘something important’. He didn’t elaborate.”

“When was that?” Kaley asked. 

“Four months. I probably should have looked him up.”

“Unhelpful,” Sylwester said irritably. “Anyone actually got some rope?”

“Of course,” Caswell answered. “One should never go anywhere without a torch or rope.” 

“Not to be a downer, but how is rope and a grappling hook meant to help?” Kaley asked. “Are you thinking it’ll help reinforce the bridge or something?”

“Not the bridge,” Caswell answered promptly, already uncoiling the rope. “The other side.”

Sylwester rolled his eyes. “I wouldn’t say downer, just a stupid question, that’s all. We anchor the hook across the gap first.”

Dranx nodded while taking the hook over to Caswell. “So someone throws it over and makes it stick.”