Let There Be Light

SPACE It takes a few attempts, but, eventually, the fire is rekindled. Kavan moves back from the flames and rocks back on his heels. He grabs two good-sized sticks from the hearth and heads toward the corridor. Tarsis and Grant reenter the cave, both of them squinting their eyes to better see into the dark corridor. Garn and Gahiji are no where to be seen.

SPACE Alasdair begins hollering down the dark passageway.
SPACE “Watch out for any quicksand or deep holes,” he says. “Test the ground ahead before stepping on it.”
SPACE The sound of soft splashing echoes down the tunnel as the two barbarians flick the severed, bloody arm in the water ahead of them, luring whatever scaly creature might dwell here. An audible grunt signals their acknowledgement.

SPACE Kavan hands the torches off to Grant’s awaiting hands and then lowers himself into the corridor as well. Tarsis follows suit. After Kavan is safely on both feet again at the bottom of the tunnel, Grant hands the torches down.
SPACE“I'm not afraid," he says. Kavan nods and begins catching up with Tarsis and the barbarian cousins. “It's just that dwarves don't float!” he calls out after them.

SPACE Alasdair turns about to face Alliandra, who is watching the activities inside the corridor intently.
SPACE“I'll go after Garn,” he says to her in a low voice. Alliandra’s expreesions makes it obvious she doesn’t think that’s such a good idea. “I won't follow him inside the woods,” Alasdair explains, “just stand near in case he meets someone or something hostile and needs help.” Alliandra nods approvingly and walks Alasdair to the mouth of the cave.

SPACE Conner and Tharg continue to dangle the disgusting piece of flesh in front of them, almost wishing for a battle. Kavan joins them with the torches, illuuminating the water-filled coral hallway.
SPACE “What say you cousin? We find treasure? Kill men with boots?”
SPACE Smiling, Tharg displays enthusiasm. “Treasuuuurre! YES! That be it! Let’s go find!” Laughing, they both scoff at the previous warnings.
SPACE “Stupid picture lie,” Conner says, dropping the bloody arm into the water. “It just try to scare Conner and Tharg away from treasure!”
SPACE “Yeah!” Tharg echoes, kicking the arm away from them.
SPACE Kavan is not so easily dissuaded. “Man sized fish do exist, you know.” Both barbarians stop their giddiness and focus in on Kavan’s words. “They are called sharks and can grow to be up to 20 feet long. They have several rows of teeth and can bite a man in half if they were hungry enough.”
SPACE Tharg and Conner look at each other nervously. Tharg scrambles back a few feet and scoops the fleshy arm back up, dangling it in the water once more. Conner begins to jump from facing forward to facing backward, trying to catch an invisible something from sneaking up on him.
SPACE “Maybe I shouldn’t have said that,” Kavan adds to Tarsis.

SPACE Alliandra rejoins Grant and watches as the dark and twisting passageway unfolds at a distance.
SPACE “Are they armed?” she asks.
SPACE “Aye,” the dwarf replies, his attention never leaving the foursome.

SPACE The corridor itself branches off in several directions up ahead.
SPACE The passage that branches immediate to the right seems to have a definite direction of flow to it. Large ripples, and sometimes even tiny whitecaps, emerge from the watery surface as far back as can be seen. A splashing sounds can be heard echoing from down this hallway. It sounds like falling water.
SPACE The passage up ahead branches again. The right-hand branch breaks in half yet again. The left-hand branch seems to open up into a larger area, possibly a chamber of some sort. Weapons brandished, the small group of brave curiosities venture on and out of the sight of those who stayed behind.