"This is disgusting," said Juzh. The group of thirteen men and two women were standing in the lair of the now deceased 'carrion digger' creature that had been captured beneath the VonSinterbourne ruins. Before its capture and subsequent death, the creature had dug a huge circular pit far beneath the collapsed building. The earth was soft and prone to collapse, so the monster had coated the walls with a hard mucous that it excreted from its mouth. The mucous dried into a hard, brittle substance that reminded the adventurers of... well, a wide variety of unpleasant things. Juzh's first words upon entering the lair were echoed silently in the minds of all the others.

"You say this thing killed people," said Zackery, a young swordsman. "And buried their bodies in the ground so it could eat them later?"

"Indeed." The Rune Missionary, a huge hulking mountain of a man, pointed to a section of recently disturbed earth. "The freshest bodies were buried there."

"Don't seem to be any bodies there now," said Juzh. "You think maybe they dug themselves out and started walking around?"

"Don't be ridiculous; I had them removed. The men had families and needed a proper burial." Dokan Maxwell, the leader of the expedition, walked over to the nearest wall and began to examine it. He didn't touch it... or even get very close to it. He simply ran his sharp, critical eyes over the surface as if reading a particularly intriguing book. "Fascinating..." he mused.

"Looks like snot to me," said Rester.

"It IS snot," Zackery replied.

"I suggest we all take a moment to let our eyes adjust to the darkness," said Dokan. He kept on studying the wall... apparently his eyes didn't need 'adjusting'. The others wandered around in the small pit. A few talked among themselves, others took the time to re-arrange the numerous heavy objects in their backpacks to make them more comfortable. Mostly, however, the men cast suspicious glances at the expeditions latest members... the Amazon Thonia and her three male slaves. The four of them stood motionless near the entrance to the pit as if they were guarding it. The tall, blonde huntress was as imposing as she was beautiful, but no one liked or trusted her. Judging from the way she and her slaves separated themselves from the others, the feeling was apparently mutual.

Rester walked up to Dokan and stood next to him.

"I'm still not sure about her, old man."

"Neither am I," said Dokan. "But I AM sure that I'd rather have her with us than wandering around these caves by herself."

"Makes perfect sense to me," said Lara, the group's other female. The girl was thirteen years old, and was already the world's second-greatest thief. She stood next to her new mentor and imitated his study of the wall, although she had no idea what she was looking at. Rester glanced at her and smiled, then returned his attention to Dokan. He started to speak, but Zackery stole his words.

"So WHERE'S the secret passage?" said the swordsman. "All I see is this... stuff. Where is this tunnel that the creature dug?"

"Right here," Sutton, one of Dokan's workmen. He was a tall man with muscles forged by years of hard work. He held a torch by a section of the wall. There was a tall, wide pile of dirt and rocks... and just behind it was a large opening in the wall. "It piled the dirt up here so you couldn't see it unless you took a good look."

Thonia strolled over to the hole and peered into it. Sutton scrambled out of her way.

"Very well, are we prepared to descend?" said Dokan. All around the pit, determined faces nodded slowly.

"The hole is just big enough for the creature," Dokan continued. "which means it's large enough for us to walk two-abreast. "I will take the lead. Lara will-"

"You ain't puttin' no little girl up front," said Sutton.

"I was going to suggest she walk closer to the center of the group." Dokan looked at Lara. He quickly shifted his gaze to Thonia and then back to the little girl. Lara nodded... she would stay close to the Amazon. "Voefeld... you have mining experience that will be useful in spotting trouble."

"I'll walk up front with ye," said the old workman.

"Two old men up front," said Zackery. "Not sure I like that."

"Zackery, you and Rester will stay immediately behind us. Our large missionary friend will be behind you. The rest of you sort yourselves out."

The group fell in line, with Lara walking next to Thonia, and Thonia's three slaves bringing up the rear. After everyone had double-checked their torches and supplies, Dokan lead them into the creature's tunnel. Like the pit, the walls were covered in thick dried mucous. The shiny, organic texture made for an unsettling trip. After only a few yards, the tunnel took a steep downward turn.

"Down we go!" said Juzh from somewhere in the middle of the group. They started down, and found that the incline got steeper as they descended.... growing from barely noticeable to severe in just a few minutes travel time.

"This thing gets any steeper and we'll be descending a little bit faster than we'd planned" said Rester.

"We may have to break out the climbing equipment earlier than I'd anticipated," Dokan replied. Fortunately, that wasn't necessary. The incline steepened only slightly, and the tunnel remained at this barely manageable slope for the next few hours. Dokan, Lara, and Thonia had no problem with their footing, but the others had to slow to a crawl just to keep from sliding. Some of the men used the climbing rope to secure themselves to each other, ensuring that if one of them fell, the others could at least try to keep him from sliding away. Voefeld offered the end of the rope to Dokan, but Dokan declined.

"I'm fine," he said.

"How you doin' that, old man?" said Rester.

"An acquired skill," said Dokan. "It's all in the shifting of weight and the proper placement of the feet."

"Riiiight." said Zackery.

"Those are very interesting, uhh... boots," said Lara. She pointed at the Amazon's feet. The huntress's boots had an odd construction... a combination of a leather and the fur of an unknown animal. The bottom of each boot was made of a rough black material that was neither leather, fur or cloth.

"The tongue of an Urisian wildersphinx," said Thonia. "Very rough... they use it to catch and hold their prey. Good for traction."

"Oh," said Lara.

"You allow your overseer to command much power," said Thonia.

"My what?"

Thonia pointed to the front of the group, at Dokan.

"The old one. The overseer of your slaves."

"That's not... he's... it's better that way. People in towns like Montfort are uneasy with women in authority." Lara stifled a smile. "Especially young ones."

"Typical male arrogance," said Thonia. "That is why I prefer the wild."

"Oh, I don't know," said Lara. "There's a lot to be said for the city... Restaurants. Shopping. Bathing regularly."

Thonia grunted. Lara couldn't tell if it was in agreement or contempt.

They continued in silence for a while, with Lara watching Thonia, and Thonia watching the walls and the passage ahead of them, much in the same way that Dokan was doing. The others were lost in their own thoughts and conversations.... all of which halted when Dokan raised his hand and signaled them to stop moving.

"Is there danger?" said the Rune Missionary.

"No, no..." Dokan replied in hushed tones. He stared at the passage in front of him, then at the walls and floor. Finally, he pursed his lips and gave a loud, long, shrill whistle.

"The old man's gone mad-"

"SHH!" said Dokan. He listened to the echo for a moment, then addressed the group. "We are approaching the end of this tunnel. Another eighth of a mile, give or take a few yards."

"And just how can you tell that?" said Zackery.

"The same way bats do," Dokan replied. He didn't explain himself... he just continued walking. Sure enough, after a short while the passage dead-ended. The end of the tunnel was free of mucous, revealing the thick clay and rock that had replaced the soft soil of the upper sections. Part of it had already collapsed into a formidable mound of rocky clay. Just beyond it was the sheer vertical wall that marked the end of the carrion digger's travels. Both the mound and the wall bore the creature's deep claw-marks. Thonia studied the marks stoically, while the others eyed the end of the passage with concern.

"Here we are," said Zackery. "End of the line. Now what?"

"We go on PAST the end," said Dokan. "The creature was going somewhere. We owe it to ourselves and the city above to find out where."

"You heard the man," said Sutton. "Break out the picks and shovels... we got us some diggin' ta do!"

---


"Here I am thinkin' we're goin' on a treasure hunt," said Red. "And we end up in the damned sewer!"

Princeton Park's team of criminals and mercenaries were hip-deep in raw sewage. They were underneath the streets of Montfort, traveling the highways of waste that flowed beneath the unsuspecting townspeople's feet. Princeton Park had led them literally from one end of the sewers to the other, and now the group found itself in a little-used part of the system that had probably not seen human visitors in several decades.

"Think of the bright side," said Cole. "Lots of interesting things end up in sewers. You never know what you'll find."

"That's what I'm afraid of," said Slick. The oily con-man was perhaps the most uncomfortable of the lot. The horrendous smell and the preponderance of darkness didn't seem to sit too well with him. "I've heard stories about this place."

"Oh yeah?" said Cole with an amused chuckle. "What KIND of stories?"

"Well... I heard this one about these two women that were down here and got attacked by this monster made out of raw sewage! The more solid pieces, in particular... if ya get my meaning."

"Now what two women in their right mind would be down HERE?" said Cole.

"What MEN in their right mind would be down here?" said Red. "That's what I'D like ta know... I say this Park fella is leadin us on a wild goose chase. Ain't no secret tunnels down here!"

"I assure you that there are," Princeton Park's high, arrogant voice called from the front of the procession.

"Was I ASKIN' you somethin,' skinny-boy?" said Red.

"Uhhh... no," Park replied.

"I don't like this," said Rath. He moved up beside Princeton and gave Krycek an wary nod. "These people are unpredictable."

"They can also dig and carry supplies. AND I don't have a choice. Unless you're volunteering to get rid of them."

"Is that a request?"

"Not yet."

"Just say the word."

Princeton didn't know whether to feel reassured or uneasy... so far, Rath had been the third person to volunteer to rid the party of Red, Cole, Hendrix, Slick, Thurg, and the unnamed swordsman. He'd surrounded himself with people who had NO reservations about killing. That wasn't the first quality he'd look for in a team to accompany him into the deepest depths of gods-know-where. But he was stuck with the criminals (for now), which also meant he was stuck with the mercenaries (for now). Not that he counted Rath among either group. Rath was the only one Princeton trusted... for now.

The other mercenaries didn't quite share Park's opinion of the man. They watched him almost as much as they watched the outlaws. Rath knew it, of course... but he didn't seem to care.

"That's an interesting tattoo you got there," said Drayn, one of the mercenaries. He pointed to Rath's head, which was bald save for a long ponytail in the back. There was tattoo on the left side of Rath's head... a complex, tribal-style design that seemed to crawl up the side of his head like a living thing. There was a jaw-less skull in the center that constantly peered out at onlookers. "Where'd you get it?"

"You don't want to know."

"Actually, I do," Drayn insisted. "It looks military."

"And?"

"And I served under General Harshaw in the York rebellion. He was an old man by then... well past his prime, but still one of the best military minds in the business. He used to tell a lot of stories... like the one about an army of mercenaries that could never be defeated. Said some of them were immortal... others were just evil bastards with more dark magic than a sane man had a right to possess. Said you could recognize one by the designs they all had tattooed on their bodies. Said those designs looked kinda like the one you got."

"Sounds like your general was a senile old man," said Rath. He gave Drayn a look that plainly indicated that the conversation was over. Then he looked back at the outlaws, most of whom were silently planning the demise of the rest of the party. Slick smiled back at him, and the others avoided Rath's steely gaze. Even in the darkness of the sewers, Rath still wore his dark spectacles.

"Ahh, here we are." Princeton pointed to a spot on the wall that looked no different than any OTHER spot.

"What?" said Red. "I don't see nothin'"

"There is a tunnel there. Bricked over... we'll have to break through."

"And who's gonna be doin' the breakin?" said Red.

Slick pulled a pick-axe from his pack. He handed it to the enormous man beside him.

"Thurg... the wall."

The silent, slow-witted, and frighteningly large outlaw took the tool and sloshed over to where Princeton had pointed. He swung the pick-axe three times... after that, there was a hole in the wall big enough to walk through. There was a dark passage beyond. Everyone climbed up into the passage, glad to finally be free of the sewer.

"What the hell's this thing?" said Red.

"Overflow pipe. Of course, these sewers haven't overflowed in decades, so they sealed it up."

"Where does it go?" said Cole.

"Hmm... that's a good question..."

Princeton dug through his pack and pulled out one of several maps. It was a map of the sewer system. He pointed to their current location... the map showed the pipe coming to a dead end after 200 yards.

"This thing don't go nowhere!" Red protested.

"It ends in a drain," said Princeton. "And the drain goes down... which is the direction WE need to go. Now if you'll follow me-"

"Hold on," Rath said in a low voice. "Let's see if there's anything down there waiting for us..." Rath peered into the dark passage ahead of them. He lowered his head so he could look over the top of his dark spectacles. His eyes glowed with a flickering red light.... then he looked up. "Rats," he said. "Nothing to worry about."

"Let's ALL have a look." Krycek raised both arms above his head and held his hands about two feet apart "Luxis Sverim Inferni!" he chanted. A giant globe of pure white light appeared between his hands. It didn't remain there for long, however. The globe shot down the length of the pipe as if propelled by a cannon, illuminating everything in its path before it slowed... stopped... and affixed itself to the ceiling about 150 yards ahead. Once there, it burned like a lighthouse beacon.

The sudden appearance of the light disturbed several dozen large rodents, who quickly vanished into the jagged cracks in the old brick walls.

"Much better," said Krycek. "Now our mysterious mercenary isn't the only one who can see."

Rath and Krycek exchanged suspicious glances, then they fell in behind Princeton Park as he led them down the well-illuminated passage.

Exactly 200 yards ahead, the pipe dead-ended. However, there was a large iron grating set in the floor. The six foot square was covered in rust, and secured in place with a formidable, but equally rusty metal lock.

"Locked?" said Princeton. "I've never encountered one that was locked before..."

"We can take care of that," Slick volunteered. "Thurg... take care of that lock."

Thurg drew an enormous bastard sword and swung it in a wide, powerful arc. Red, Slick, and Hendrix had to dodge out of the sword's path to avoid loosing limbs.

K-TANG!!

The tip of the sword hit the lock, and the ancient mechanism shattered like a fine drinking glass. Thurg sheathed his weapon, then grabbed one end of the metal grate while Red and Cole grabbed another. Together they yanked the grate out of place and moved it aside. Drayn knelt down and lowered his torch into the opening. There was another rusty ladder attached to the side of the vertical shaft. He grabbed the top rung and yanked it a few times.

"Seems sturdy," he said.

"We'd better secure ourselves anyway," said Cole. "Just because its sturdy on this end don't mean it won't come loose halfway to the bottom."

The men unpacked the climbing equipment and prepared to descend. Hendrix and Cole each donned a climbing harness. Then Hendrix attached one end of a long rope to each harness while Cole distributed climbing clamps to everyone else in the party.

"Torches are gonna be hard to manage during the climb," said Cole. "Everybody should use both hands to climb." He turned to Krycek. "You gonna-"

Krycek gave a bored nod and pointed to the glowing globe that still hung from the ceiling not far away. The globe quickly descended and shot down into the shaft, illuminating it for as far as anyone could see.

"How's this gonna work?" said Slick.

"I'll go first," said Cole. "And Hendrix will bring up the rear. We'll both secure ourselves to the wall as we go, and each of you will clamp yourselves to the rope that goes between us. That way, if something happens to the ladder, you're still secured at both ends."

"And we're supposed to trust you?" said Drayn.

"Nope," said Cole. Without another word, he climbed down into the shaft.

---

They'd been digging for hours. The passage was only wide enough for two men to work side by side, so they worked pairs... each couple digging as hard and fast as they could for as long as their strength would last. Then they rested while the others took their turns. Sutton and the Rune Missionary took the first shift... and, after cycling completely through the other workers, no other team had even come close to matching their stamina. They tried, though... even Voefeld insisted on a turn. Thonia's slaves moved a formidable amount of rock, but Thonia herself decided to leave the menial labor to the men. She, Lara and Dokan watched as the adventurers and workmen chewed through the rock and clay like a giant man-powered machine.

After everyone had had one shift, Sutton asked Dokan if they should stop. Dokan shook his head. The digging continued for a second shift. The ground became rockier as they progressed, and soon the wall before them became solid stone. They kept digging. The second shift made significantly less progress than the first. The Rune Missionary shattered not one, but TWO picks... the tools were simply not sturdy enough to withstand the combination of the rock and the missionary's mighty swing.

They were in the middle of the third shift when it happened. Vithor and Juzh were at the front, digging and hacking at the rock like madmen. Vithor stepped back and swung his pick in a mighty arc... the point cracked through the thin layer of rock that separated them from the other side. Everything stopped. Conversations ceased, snoring sleepers awakened.

Vithor's pick had made a roughly circular hole about a foot in diameter. The rock was less than two inches thick, and a cool, dry air breeze blew in from the other side.

"Well, there she is!" said Vithor.

"It's about damned TIME!" said Zackery. "I thought we'd NEVER stop digging! Knock that wall down and let's see what's on the other side!"

"Wait just a moment, please," said Dokan. The old man squeezed through the crowd and stood in front of the hole. He sniffed the air coming through it, then looked into the pitch blackness beyond. "Torch, please..." he held out one hand and wiggled his fingers expectantly. Someone handed him a lit torch, which he quickly shoved through the hole. Everyone heard it land on the other side, but they couldn't see what its light revealed because Dokan's head was in the way. Finally, he withdrew.

"Widen this hole, please," he said.

Sutton grabbed the pick-axe from Vithor's hand. Everyone stood back, and Sutton swung the tool in a mighty arc. One blow was all it took. The wall collapsed outward, and the light from the group's torches spilled out into the cavern beyond.

The passage was tall and wide, with walls of greyish-white rock... quite a change from the cramped confines of the carrion digger's trail. The floor and walls were relatively smooth, worn away by the action of some ancient underground river. There was no sign of any river now, though. The air was dusty and dry... just breathing it made a few men thirsty.

"Watch that first step," said Sutton. He pointed down. They had broken through the wall at a height of about ten feet from the ground. The roof of the cave was five feet above their heads.

"Afraid of heights, Mr. Sutton?" said Dokan.

"No I- HEY, DON'T!"

Dokan had calmly stepped off of the edge and landed below them with all the skill and balance of a cat. He turned around and looked up.

"Don't what?" he said.

"Nothin'. Never mind."

The men lowered their equipment and climbed down, except for Lara, who jumped just as Dokan had. Thonia and her slaves brought up the rear.

"Where the hell are we?" said Zackery. "What IS this place?"

"The remains of an old waterway," Dokan replied. "The river that runs through Montfort is believed to have been underground during prehistoric times. Part of a network of underground rivers that converged near where Bephal stands now. The creature's tunnel has taken us below the city... below the sewers and the Undercity... and into the tunnels where those rives once ran."

"How far is that?"

"Very deep," said Dokan. "And we will be going deeper."

"Which way now?" said Zackery. The swordsman looked up and down the passage. It was impossible to tell one direction from another... both were equally dark and mysterious.

"There is a slight incline," said Dokan. He pointed to his left. "This way leads downward. "

"I don't feel no incline," said Juzh. No one else felt it either, but they didn't question Dokan as he led them further into the caves.

---

About an hour into the descent, the team reached the end of the rusty ladder to which they'd been clinging. The shaft went on into the darkness below, but the ladder's convenient hand and foot-holds were no more. Hendrix and Cole continued as if nothing happened. With a hammer and a powerful arm, Cole drove climbing spikes into the shaft wall at regular intervals. The others used the spikes to aid their descent and, bringing up the rear, Hendrix removed the spikes and passed them down the line back to Cole. Their progress was slow, but steady. Slick complained almost constantly, but Princeton Park displayed an uncharacteristic tolerance during the difficult climb to the bottom.

"You look a man who's done this before." said Krycek. The mage was climbing just below Park.

"One doesn't get to be an exploratory archaeologist without climbing a few rocks," said Princeton.

They reached the bottom almost three hours after they'd began their descent. The shaft ended in a long tunnel with brick walls leading off in both directions. At first glance, the construction was similar to that of the sewer they'd just left... but the masonry was much, much older. Ancient layers of dust and cobwebs coated everything around them... coating the cobblestone floor like a thick blanket. The air was eerily still.

"Okay," said Slick. "We ain't in the sewer no more... so, uhh..."

"This is part of the Undercity," said Princeton.

"Hey, hey!" Slick protested. "YOU said we'd be having no parts of this Undercity thing!"

"And we won't. This tunnel skirts around what is commonly known as the 'Undercity.' It was part of their waterworks. See here-"

Park unfolded another map, this one was covered with notes and corrections made in Princeton's own handwriting. He pointed to a line on the very edge of the map.

"We'll be following this tunnel around to here. From there, we can access the caves that surround this area. If we keep going down, we SHOULD find the remains of the great river that once flowed underneath our feet. That's what the creature was looking for."

"You've got it all figger'd out, eh skinny-boy?" said Red.

"Of course," Princeton sniffed. He looked up at the shaft they'd just descended. "Somewhere very far above is us the VonSinterbourne estate. We've just bypassed the creature's tunnel... taken a small short-cut that only someone with the proper maps would know about. Our competition is probably still up there somewhere."

"Just don't get us lost down here, doc." said Slick.

"That will never happen," said Princeton. He tapped himself on the forehead- "I have an excellent sense of direction. Follow me!"

Princeton started walking. Red grabbed him and yanked him back.

"Ahem!" Red grumbled. "According to that map you just flashed, we should be going THAT way." Red pointed in the direction opposite from the way Park was going. Park consulted his map-

"Oh. Quite right. As I said... follow me!"

Park started off again, this time going in the right direction. The tunnel ran for over a mile... over a mile of dusty bricks, cobblestones, and occasional patches of mold. There were no rats or insects. No bats, no bugs, nothing but quiet emptiness and desolation.

"This place is depressing," said Cole. "Like nobody's been down here for ages."

"I wonder what kind of treasure we'd find layin' around in a place like this..." Red mused. "Gold don't rot, ya know!"

"This place isn't nearly as deserted as it seems," said Rath. He didn't bother explaining what he meant. The group kept moving and eventually reached a large circular chamber with a high ceiling. There was a rusty metal door imbedded in the wall... the door was closed and locked tight with a strange wheel-mechanism on its face.

"Thurg... the door," said Slick. Thurg grabbed the wheel. He grunted and strained for almost a minute... the wheel wouldn't budge. Red, Cole, and Hendrix joined him, but even their combined strength was unable to open the door.

"This thing is stuck good!" said Cole.

"No, not stuck," said Krycek. "Enchanted. I see faint traces of magic... a very old and intricate spell, but still strong enough to keep this door sealed."

"Can you undo it?" said Princeton.

"Of course."

The outlaws stepped back as Krycek approached the rusty door. He stared at it for a while, then moved his hands in the air in front of it. He traced complex designs and patterns with his fingertips...

...nothing happened.

"Hmm. I don't believe I've ever encountered this kind of magic before. It is very dark... this spell was not woven by human hands, that much is certain."

Krycek tried again. This time his hands moved more rhythmically, as if directing an orchestra. He chanted arcane words along with the smooth, flowing movements. The door's wheel began to glow with a bluish-white light...

...but nothing else happened.

"Interesting," said Krycek. He scratched his chin for a moment, then frowned and shouted at the door: "KRU-LK'ATHOG!"

The wheel suddenly rotated a full turn. The door unlocked with a "KLUNK" so loud that it dislodged several layers of rust from the metal surface.

"About bloody time!" Red grumbled. He grabbed the door and pulled. The rusty hinges protested loudly as the door swung open, revealing a murky blackness beyond.

"Hmmm..." Even before Krycek could illuminate the dark passage with his glowing globe, Princeton Park leaned through the doorway and thrust his torch ahead of him. That was a mistake.

-click-click-clack-click-

"What's that noise?" Park mused. "I can't see anything..."

"Neither can I," said Rath.

-click-clack-click-clicky-

The strange clicking noises got louder... and closer... and much, much faster...

-clickity-clackity-

"Step away from the door Dr. Park." Rath's arm clamped down on Princeton's shoulder and yanked him back just as the creature emerged

"REEEEEEE!!!!"

It was a human skeleton... dead and completely stripped of flesh, yet still very animated... and angry at being disturbed. It held an ancient rusty longsword in one hand and a dented rusty shield in another. The fleshless jaws hung open and, even without lips, lungs, or vocal cords, the thing unleashed a horrid high-pitched screech that sent liquid chills cascading down several spines in the group.

"RRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!"

"AIEEEEE!" Princeton squealed as he backpeddaled to a safe distance. The living skeleton raised its sword and charged the nearest man... which, unfortunately for it, was Rath.

WHOOOSH!

Rath ducked and the sword passed over his head. He then rushed the skeleton, colliding with it and grabbing it with both hands. He lifted the creature by the ribcage and pelvis... then threw it into the closest wall.

CRACK!

The creature slid to the floor in a jumbled heap of bones... then it quickly sorted itself out and rose to its skeletal feet. Holding its shield in front of it, the thing charged Rath again with sword raised. Moving like a fleeting shadow, Rath dodged to one side and then the other as the skeleton slashed at him. He spun away, and the skeleton twisted and tried to slice him with its sword. Rath stepped inside the arc of the swinging sword and grabbed the skeleton's shield. With one hard yank, the shield came free... along with the skeleton's left arm. The bony appendage wiggled back and forth in the air as Rath spun out of the skeleton's range. He managed to pry the fingers loose, but by then one of the other members of the party had gotten bored.

"Ah, ta HELL with it-"

Red hefted his enormous double-bladed battle axe. The skeleton was distracted by Rath, and never saw the murderous outlaw running up behind it. It raised its charge in preparation for another charge when-

KRACK!

Red's axe severed the thing's spine and dislodged several ribs, all of which fell to the floor in a loud, dry clatter. The skeleton had no face with which to display emotion, but its jaw fell open in a reasonably good approximation of surprise. The thing turned around... or at least it tried to. Red's next strike shattered its left femur. Now with one leg and one arm, the thing hopped backwards before Red could strike again. Apparently it had forgotten about Rath, who calmly walked up behind it and snatched the skull away from the neck.

The skeleton fell to the ground, but the bones continued to flail back and forth.

"The skull," said Krycek. "Destroy it!"

Rath turned and threw the skull at the wall with all his strength. The cranium shattered into a half-dozen pieces... and the other bones stopped moving immediately.

"Well, that was entertaining," said Cole.

"Is it dead?" Princeton asked. He was doing a very good job of hiding behind Krycek.

"It was dead to begin with," said the mage.

"That explains why I couldn't see it in the passage," said Rath. "No heat signature."

-clickity-clackity-clickity-

"Sorry to interrupt your little chat," said Cole. "But I don't think it was in there alone."

Krycek cast a spell and a ball of light shot down the passage-

"Oh, I wish you hadn't done that," said Princeton. He stared at what the light had revealed.... skeletons... DOZENS of skeletons... all rushing toward them like an tidal wave of the undead.

-clickity-clackity-clickity-

"SHUT THE DOOOOORRR!" Slick yelled. He, Cole and Hendrix each threw themselves at the door... and were within an inch of closing it when the skeletons thundered against it on the other side. The door burst open with such force that Slick went flying. He struck a wall and was stunned. Cole and Hendrix both drew their weapons as the army of over thirty screeching skeletons flooded into the room.

"AAAAAAA!" Princeton screamed. "WE'RE DOOMED!"

"TO ARMS!" Drayn yelled. The mercenaries drew their weapons. Outlaws did likewise. The living and the dead clashed in a fury of clanging weapons and cracking bones. Unlike most undead creatures, the skeletons retained their reflexes and skill after death. The fought like living creatures... rusty weapons slicing the air in complex lunges, parries and blocks. The only difference was that they did not feel pain and they did not get tired. Cracked and shattered bones meant almost nothing to them. But then, the thieves and mercenaries of Park's party were not easy prey.

"Ah-HA!" said Drayn. He, Boris, and Williams lined up and fought as a team to keep the creatures away from Krycek and Park. Drayn had managed to get past a hasty block and knock one skeleton's skull off of its neck. The creature stumbled and collided with the skeleton that Williams was fighting. Their bones became entangled, and the resulting tug-of-war between the two was as humorous as it was grotesque.

Thurg's huge bastard sword demolished three of the skeletons in one swing. The heavy weapon and Thurg's incredible strength was a devastating combination, resulting in a shower of shattered bone fragments every time he struck. Not far away, Red's battle-axe cleaved one skeleton from the top of its rib-cage to the center of its pelvis. Two more skeletons charged. Red sliced at the closed creature... it blocked and rushed forward with its shield held before it. The impact knocked Red backward toward the other skeleton.

"RRRAAAAA!!"

K-K-KRACK!

The second skeleton went down. The tall, somewhat thin unnamed outlaw had shattered its skull with a single blow from his longsword. Red regained his balance and engaged the first skeleton in deadly combat while the other outlaw marched across the chamber, dispatching skeletons as he came to them.

"WHOO-HOOO!" he bellowed. "Now THIS is what I call FUN!"

At that exact moment, Rath was in mid-air... a leaping roundhouse kick dislodged a skeleton's skull and sent it flying into the chest of another creature. When Rath's feet touched the ground, he went into a spinning back-kick that propelled the headless skeleton across the room.

Meanwhile, another five skeletons emerged from the hallway. These were armed with spears, which they immediately lifted and aimed at the various combatants. Rath reached down and grabbed the rusty shield he'd removed from the very first skeleton. He spun completely around... twice... and released the shield, throwing it like a giant discus.

WWWWHOOOSH!

Three of the spear-throwers exploded as the shield went through them-

K-TANG!

The shield rebounded off of the wall, passed over Red's head, and sank into the chest of another skeleton... distracting it long enough for Cole to crack its skull open with his sword.

The remaining spear-throwers turned toward Rath and launched their weapons. Rath dodged one of them, but the second caught him. The rusty metal point pierced his flesh and cracked several bones as it lodged in his right shoulder

"UNGH--RRRRRR!

Rath grabbed the protruding end of the spear and yanked it free. Blood and flesh coated the tip... but the wound was already closing as the flesh regenerated. Rath's eyes burned a fiery red behind his spectacles. His normally pale skin flushed red. Rath snarled like an angry beast, revealing teeth that were rapidly elongating into very non-human fangs. The snarl became a growl. The skeleton that had thrown the spear was looking right at him... then it suddenly turned and ran back into the passage from which it had come. Rath was right behind it. A few seconds later, the skeleton's bones came flying back out into the chamber... one at a time.

Despite these victories, the creatures still outnumbered the explorers two-to-one. The mercenaries were now being overrun. Cole and Hendrix were under assault from four skeletons. Thurg had found an opponent skilled enough to dodge and skirt around his powerful sword... Thurg fought the thing while yet ANOTHER skeleton hung from his massive back and tried to dig its bony fingers into the flesh of his throat. Slick huddled in a corner, trying to remain unnoticed. Red was surrounded. So was the unnamed fellow... although he seemed not to care. A group of five skeletons gathered in the center of the chamber and charged toward Krycek and Park.

"FALL BACK!" Drayn yelled. "We'll find ANOTHER WAY down!"

"No!" Krycek yelled. "There is nothing wrong with THIS passage, so we will NOT be abandoning it."

"Do something!" Park screamed. "Use your magic!"

"I intend to." Krycek pointed at the floor in front of the charging skeletons. "Lith liquae terrim ext!"

Suddenly, the floor beneath the skeletons turned to mud. Their feet sank into it down to mid-calf, then the floor quickly returned to its natural cobblestone state, resulting in six trapped skeletons. They tried to yank themselves free; one succeeded in detaching its leg at the knee and falling over, shattering its own skull on the cobblestone. The others hissed and screeched in rage.

"WHOA!" Williams yelled. "GET HIM!"

One skeleton had slipped past the line of mercenaries protecting Park and Krycek. Hissing like a snake, the thing charged toward Krycek with not one, but TWO rusty swords twirling and slashing like a whirlwind of death.

Park, still hiding behind Krycek, screamed like a little girl.

Krycek drew his sword and waited. His eyes narrowed as he studied the skeleton's rapid movements. When the creature reached him, Krycek launched into a series of blocks and parries that perfectly matched the creature's attacks... almost as if he'd fought the thing a thousand times before and knew every move in its repertoire. He countered every strike, and exploited every opening. Krycek didn't slash or hack with his blade; he jabbed the sword's point into the skeleton's exposed joints and separated the bones with incredibly precise movements. The creature was in pieces on the ground in exactly seven seconds. Then the mage retrieved one of the creature's rusty blades. He held it in his hand and pointed it at one of the skeletons that Drayn was fighting...

"Acceleratym Impulsae-"

The sword flew from his grasp like an arrow. It impaled the skeleton through the skull, removing it from combat. Krycek repeated the spell with the other rusty sword... one of Williams's opponents fell with a blade through its skull.

"REEEEEE!" The skeleton clinging to Thurg's back screeched as Slick snatched its skull and ran away.

"I got it, I got it!" Slick yelled.

Thurg threw himself against the wall, crushing the headless skeleton between his back and the stone. The skeleton let go and staggered around the chamber while Slick cracked the thing's skull open by smacking it against the floor.

Then Rath waded into the fray, swinging one skeletal femur in each hand like twin clubs. The long leg-bones shattered skulls left and right. A sword-wielding skeleton rushed him. Rath spun to one side and threw a kick that shattered the creature's lower spine. The skeleton fell away in two halves... the lower half collapsed into a pile of bones while the upper half continued to swing its weapon in an almost comical attempt at revenge. Rath kicked its head off. The skull shattered against the wall and the skeleton went still.

"Now what?" said Drayn. He, Williams and Borris had dispatched all the skeletons on their side of the chamber. The outlaws, however, were still undersiege. "Should we help 'em?"

"Hmmm..." Park considered it for a moment.

"HEEEELLLLLPPPP!!!" Slick yelled. The con-man was being chased across the room by two armed skeletons.

"I suppose we should."

"Yes sir. CHARRRRGE!!" the mercenaries stormed across the chamber. Borris and Williams helped the wounded and surrounded Red. Drayn rushed to assist Slick. Meanwhile Rath was cracking skulls near Thurg. The battle ended in another few minutes. Shattered bones and rusty weapons littered the chamber floor. The explorers escaped without a single fatality, although there were some serious injuries. Fortunately, both Princeton and Hendrix knew enough first aid to bind the wounds and get everyone back on their feet. Except for torn clothing, Rath didn't have a scratch on him. The spear-wound, and a few smaller injuries were completely healed.

"Next time, let me or the mage be the first one to open any strange doors," said Rath.

"Of course," said Princeton. Princeton looked tired, even though he hadn't lifted a finger during the fight except to hide his face when danger loomed. "Next time you'll be the FIRST to go."

"Well let's get movin,'" said Red. He wore bloody bandages on his upper arms from numerous sword-slashes. He still held his heavy battle-axe as if it were made of balsa wood. "We gots some treasure to find..."

---



Quite some time later, Dokan Maxwell and his crew were still making their way through the network of ancient tunnels far, far, far beneath Montfort. The size of the passages ranged from almost impassible to enormous. They kept moving, using Dokan's keen sense of balance to decide which tunnels lead further down into the dark unknown. Often the incline was too slight to even be noticed by the others, but Dokan lead them constantly downward without fail.

"I think its time for a break," said Sutton. "It's been almost a day since we broke through that wall."

"Exactly 18 hours," said Dokan.

"Yeah, like I said..."

"We move on," said a voice from the rear of the group. Thonia moved forward; everyone stepped out of her way and let her pass. She stood before Dokan, but addressed her words to Lara. "We seek prey... the hunt will not be delayed because of the laziness of your males."

"Hey, how many shovels of dirt did YOU lift back there, eh?" said Sutton.... from a safe distance out of Thonia's reach. "We're worn out, and so far all YOU'VE done is stand back and watch everyone else work!"

"We will continue for a short time more," said Dokan.

Thonia sniffed and nodded in agreement... then she frowned.

Then Dokan frowned.

Thonia knelt down and put her ear to the ground...

"We are not alone," she said. "Something moves in these caves. Not far."

"Hmmm..." Dokan put his ear to the wall and listened. "Sounds suspiciously like footsteps... but I don't think they're coming from this passage. Perhaps there is an adjacent one."

"Footsteps of WHAT?" said Sutton. "Another one of those carrion things?"

"We have defeated this evil before," said the Missionary. "And we shall do so again."

"The creature is MINE!" spat Thonia. She stood and glared at the Missionary.

"Of course it is," said Dokan.

"Yeah, we can be on our way while it's busy ripping HER guts out. No need to risk OUR hides," said Sutton.

"Cowards." Thonia called for her slaves. "Seerig! Egry! Pientrov! Bring my supplies!"

The three slaves followed behind Thonia as she proceeded down the passage.

"Good riddance," Sutton yelled after them.

"The idea was to keep an eye on her," said Zackery.

"Don't tell me we're gonna follow her," Sutton groaned. The rest of the party fell in behind Dokan and went after Thonia. "Damn..."

---

"How deep are we going?" said Slick.

"So deep that any units of distance with which you are familiar will soon become meaningless," Princeton replied.

"Huh?"

"Very, VERY deep."

"Ohhh."

After their encounter in the Undercity, Princeton had lead them down into a system of rocky caves. He guided them with a carpenter's level, which he placed against the ground outside every branch in the tunnel. They always took the passage with the steepest downward incline.

"We've been down here for hours," said Slick. "And no gold yet."

"I imagine we're still very far away from the city," said Princeton. "Our journey is still in its infancy. Although we may encounter some valuable mineral veins along the way."

"Fine by me," said Red. "As long as there's GOLD and JEWELS waitin' at the end of this thing."

"And more of them skeletons," the unnamed outlaw said with a chuckle. "That was fun."

Rath and Krycek were walking on either side of Princeton Park. Rath raised his hand and signaled the others to stop... then he put his ear to the wall.

"We got company," he said.

"Wh-what is it?"

"Don't know. You keep moving... I'll run ahead and scout it out."

Rath jogged ahead of the group and vanished into the darkness.

"A very intriguing fellow you have there," said Krycek. "Tell me... what do you know of his talents?"

"He comes highly recommended." Princeton shrugged. "Better at what he does than most."

"And what exactly is it that he does?" said Drayn.

"Let's find out," said Krycek. "Wait one minute, and follow me."

The mage walked off into the darkness after Rath.

---

Some distance ahead, of both parties, the two tunnels merged into large chamber with a third, larger tunnel leading away from it. Thonia was the first to arrive. She paused at the chamber's entrance and waved for her slaves to keep back. She threw her torch into the center of the chamber and watched the shadows dance.

She prepared her weapons. Thonia held a long spear-like weapon in one hand, and her boomerang in the other. The spear's shaft was thick with tribal designs carved into its surface. It had a wicked-looking barbed tip. The boomerang had a razor-sharp blade running down its side.

Thonia stepped back into the passage so that she couldn't be seen. Then she listened and waited.

Rath caught the unmistakable scent of fire... and flesh. Human... female... There were other human scents, too. Distant, but still nearby. He approached the end of the tunnel and paused at the entrance to the large chamber beyond. There was larger tunnel not far ahead, and yet another one to his left. A torch burned in the center of the chamber. Rath paused for a moment. He heard Princeton and the others not far behind him. Whoever or whatever was in here, he had to deal with it before the others got here. Rath slipped the spectacles from his face and tucked them into a coat pocket. He slid a long, sharp hunting knife from the sheath on his belt. He crouched down... then stepped into the chamber. He pressed his back against the wall and slid around to his right. The other passage came into view. There was someone standing there... the heat of her body giving away her position as clearly as if she were holding a torch. She was pointing something at him...

Ka-CHINK! HISSSssss....

Thonia's spring-loaded harpoon shot across the chamber with frightening speed. Rath threw himself forward and to one side. The harpoon hit the wall behind him, chipping off a large piece of stone. He caught a glimpse of something in the air and-

SPLATCH! THUD!

Thonia's boomerang sank into his chest... hitting him with enough force to throw him back against the wall. Rath sank slowly to his knees as the Amazon marched towards him. She drew a knife with a sharp, twisted blade and a serrated edge. She prepared to bury it into the top of Rath's skull.

Suddenly, Rath grasped the end of the boomerang and pulled it out of his flesh. He swung it in a tight arc at Thonia's midsection, slicing a deep gash in her armor. Rath's other hand was moving at the same time... his blade sought the delicate flesh of Thonia's now-exposed midsection, but Thonia leapt back into a spinning hook-kick that knocked her boomerang out of Rath's grasp. Rath and Thonia began a deadly dance of thrusts, slashes and blocks... each going for the same vulnerable spots. Rath's quick reflexes got him past Thonia's defenses several times, but her armor was tougher than it seemed. He went for her exposed areas... her neck and her sides, which was exactly what Thonia wanted. She moved like an animal... quick and strong, almost without warning. She twisted away from Rath's attacks and responded with strikes of her own. Her serrated blade sawed through the flesh of Rath's arm and nearly sliced his hand completely off. She spun, ducked under his next slash, and kicked out at Rath's legs. He jumped back, and so did she. Rath charged. Thonia threw herself to the floor, rolled and came up in a crouching position... with her boomerang in her hand. She threw it before Rath even knew it was there. It was headed straight for his forehead-

There was a sudden flash of light that blinded them both... a bolt of energy knocked the boomerang out of the air. Krycek burst into the chamber with his sword drawn. He tried to circle around to Thonia's rear, but she heard him. Still half-blind from the flash, she leapt into the air and threw a wild kick, which Krycek easily avoided. He moved to strike... then quickly withdrew as Thonia's knife came within an inch of his face. He knew instantly what had happened; Thonia was tracking him by sound an scent. If he'd continued his attack...

Rath's eyes had recovered from the flash after only a split second. Just as Krycek was avoiding Thonia's blade, he made a running leap for the woman's back, intending to thrust his blade into the back of her head. With lightning quickness, Thonia threw a fierce spinning back kick, planting her booted foot in the center of Rath's abdomen. Organs ruptured, and Rath's stomach burst. The mercenary went flying backwards, blood spewing from his mouth. He hit the wall as Krycek circled the Amazon, his eyes studying her every movement.

"Who are you?" said Krycek.

Rath's eyes blinked open. He started to stand.

"I wouldn't be doin' that, If I were you," said Rester. He and Zackery stood in the chamber's entrance. Zackery's sword was drawn. Rester had his crossbow pointed at Rath's forehead. Juzh and Vithor, also with weapons drawn passed between them and flanked the tunnel's exit.

No one moved for several seconds. Thonia's vision cleared. She was clearly annoyed at the intrusion. As was Rath.

"Put that crossbow down before I make you eat it, spit it back up, and eat it again." said Rath. He wiped the blood from his mouth.

"Come get some," Rester replied.

"What's going on here?" said Dokan. He stepped into the chamber. Lara and Sutton were right behind him.

"These males are about to pay for their foolish attack," said Thonia.

"It was YOU that attacked ME," said Rath.

"A preemptive strike. The male's intentions were obvious. He reeks of magic and things unnatural..."

"You don't smell too good yourself, lady," said Rath.

"Who ARE you people!?" Dokan demanded.

Krycek eyed Dokan and Lara.

"I am-"

At this point, any attempt at diplomacy died a loud, screaming death as Red, Thurg, Cole, Hendrix, and the unnamed outlaw burst into the chamber with weapons drawn. They didn't bother ask questions... they just attacked.

"DIE, YE BASTARDS!" Red screamed. Even as he was deciding on who he wanted to kill first, Juzh and Vithor moved to intercept him. Rester released his crossbow bolt. It hissed through the air, and missed Rath entirely. Rath had already leapt out of the way. He streaked across the chamber toward Rester and Zackery. Rester stepped back and drew his sword. Zackery prepared to strike.

Thonia and Krycek began a fast-paced combat, with Krycek's sword facing Thonia's long knife. Krycek had the advantage of range, but Thonia moves were frighteningly quick and powerful. The Amazon's fighting style was completely alien... the only males who'd ever seen it were on the receiving end of it... and they usually did not survive the encounter. Krycek narrowly avoided the first few strikes, but as he studied her technique, Krycek began to anticipate the attacks and the vulnerabilities they created. The fight quickly became even, with both fighters picking up small wounds in rapid succession.

Thurg, Cole and Hendrix charged Dokan, Sutton, and Lara. Sutton drew his sword and rushed toward Hendrix, while Lara drew a small knife from a hidden pocket under her belt.

"Put that thing away," said Dokan. "The only weapon a real thief needs is a sharp mind."

"But-"

Thurg swung his bastard sword. Dokan calmly ducked under it, twisted to one side and delivered a series of finger-jabs and nerve pinches to various places on Thurg's arm and chest. The movements were so quick that even Lara's keen eyes had trouble following them. The effect, however, was painfully obvious. The lumbering outlaw froze as if paralyzed... then toppled over like an unbalanced statue.

"THURG!" Slick called. The con-man took a few steps into the chamber, saw all the carnage, and quickly withdrew to the relative safety of the passage.

Dokan then ducked under the 'sneak' attack by Cole. Cole took a step back-

"You're fast for an old man."

"One doesn't get to BE old by being slow," said Dokan.

Red battered Juzh and Vithor with his attacks... it was like it was raining battle-axes. Juzh took a blow to the shoulder; Red's axe nearly severed his arm. Juzh went down, but Vithor screamed bloody vengeance and attacked with renewed vigor. He drove Red back...

Zackery's sword hadn't touched Rath's lithe form once before Rath disarmed him with well-placed kick. Zackery fell back just as Rester charged. He swung his blade... Rath grabbed him, picked him up, and tossed him across the room like a bundle of dirty laundry. Zackery's arms appeared around Rath's chest... Zack had him in a bear hug from behind. Rath thrust his head back sharply; his head collided with Zack's forehead. Rath broke the man's hold, spun, and delivered a powerful punch to Zack's throat... or at least he WOULD have if the Rune Missionary hadn't grabbed Rath's hand and lifted the man up off of the ground by the arm.

"Do not make me injure you," said the Missionary.

Rath's free hand was already grasping his knife. He slashed out at the Missionary's throat-

"URK!"

The knife fell to the floor. Zackery had recovered his weapon and used it to impale Rath from behind the instant before Rath would have slit the Missionary's throat. Zack twisted the blade back and forth in Rath's body.

"NO!"

The Rune Missionary dropped Rath, then shoved Zackery aside. Rath rolled away before the Missionary could grab him again.

"This violence serves no purpose!" The Missionary's voice boomed. But as loud as his voice was, no one seemed to hear it.

"THIS is for me BROTHER!" Vithor shouted. He stood over Red, who was on the ground, bleeding from a deep wound on his side. Vithor's blade came down-

CLANG!

Drayn's sword met Vithor's in mid air. Krycek's mercenaries had joined the carnage. Drayn and Vithor fought... but Vithor was grossly overmatched and had to back away to keep from being cut to ribbons.

"I'm coming!" Sutton yelled. Having rendered Hendrix unconscious, Sutton charged Drayn. William's intercepted him with a quick slash across the chest. "AAAAH!! Sutton stepped back and looked down at the fatal wound. "...but...but..."

Sutton fell... right into the Rune Missionary's arms. The Missionary hauled him to safety, clamped both huge hands over the wound and began chanting the words to the healing prayer. William's advanced on them with sword drawn-

"NOOOO!"

Jeris, Manth, and Voefeld... Sutton's friends and fellow workers, swarmed all over Williams. They were armed with picks and shovels. Williams managed to give Jeris a deep, painful wound before Manth and Voefeld put him on the ground and proceeded to beat him to a bloody pulp.

Meanwhile, Cole was dancing with Dokan... Cole's sword slashed and hacked and swung mighty arcs... yet never came close to Dokan. It was like fighting air. Suddenly the very angry anonymous thug joined the attack. Now with TWO swinging swords to avoid, Dokan backed away...

"Come, Lara-" Dokan nodded the other entrance to the passage, where Princeton Park was peeking out at the carnage. "We need to have a word with that man."

"But what about them?" Lara pointed to the charging outlaws.

"Just follow my lead."

The two thieves waded into the hail of sword-strikes... ducking, dodging, twisting and spinning to one side or the other. Somewhere along the way, Dokan delivered another volley of nerve-pinches that dropped Cole like a basket of bricks. The other outlaw had an encounter with Lara's foot. The little girl ducked, spun, and kicked him in the crotch... very hard. Lara and Dokan continued toward Princeton, leaving two outlaws rolling around on the ground behind them. They skirted around Thonia and Krycek, who were still engaged in mortal combat.

In a matter of seconds, Krycek had incorporated all of Thonia's movements and attacks into his own style. Now, HE had the advantage... he had her moves memorized, AND he had the longer weapon. Thonia knew it... and if she didn't know it, she found out when Krycek's sword nearly severed her throat in an exact copy of a complex attack she'd used early. She barely avoided the attack by leaping backwards at the last second.

"You fight like an Amazon!" she spat. "How DARE you!"

Krycek just smiled.

Thonia stuffed her hand into the gauntlet that hung from her belt, then leapt at the mage. Krycek stepped aside and slashed just as Thonia popped the three, four-inch spikes on her gauntlet-

KLANG!

The metal spikes trapped the sword. With a twist and a yank, Thonia snatched the sword from the surprised mage's grasp. The sword clattered to the floor. She spun away from one of Krycek's perfect imitations of her kicks. As she came back around, she retracted the spikes... and then two-inch claws sprang from each fingertip. Krycek didn't see the weapon change... he prepared to block a punch from the spiked gauntlet, but instead Thonia came at him with a deadly slash to the throat-

Rath collided with Thonia just as Krycek realized he'd been fooled. The collision knocked Thonia back. Snarling, she twisted and slashed at Rath. Her claws opened his chest at the same time Krycek completed his spell. Thonia turned toward the mage, and the shockwave struck her full-on. The combined blast of light and kinetic energy carried her across the room and slammed her into the wall with enough force to stun her.

"HELLLP!" Princeton Park yelled as a very unhappy Dokan Maxwell bore down on him.

Both Rath and Krycek were there in an instant. The four men... Park, Krycek, Dokan, and Rath, stood toe to toe... face to face.

"Cease this foolishness AT ONCE!" Dokan demanded.

"Are you making demands, Mr. Maxwell?" said Park. "You're in no position to demand anything."

"Your men attacked us for NO REASON!"

"Just like your Amazon," said Rath.

"Enough people have been hurt," said Dokan. "Stop this nonsense and let us talk this out like civilized human beings!"

"Why?" said Princeton. "Of what possible benefit could that be to me?"

"Of what benefit would it be to kill each other in this cave!?"

"More supplies," said Princeton. "No competition for whatever we find in the Cthrain city-"

"You won't REACH the city!" said Dokan. "Even now, half of BOTH of our teams are in dire need of medical attention."

"I agree," Krycek added. "We must stop this."

"Who's side are you on?" said Park.

"The side that gets me to the city," Krycek replied. "The Amazon may have started this, but your criminals made it worse."

"Criminals?" said Dokan.

"MY criminals!?!" Princeton protested.

"Both parties are at fault here," Krycek continued. "And both will pay the price with a reduced chance of reaching our objective. We can correct that right here and right now."

"Listen to your wise friend, Mr. Park," said Dokan. "Continuing this fight will end BOTH our expeditions, and cost the lives of innocent men."

"...well..."

While Park was still considering it, Krycek turned toward the center of the chamber and cast a spell. Suddenly an incredibly loud, ghostly shriek filled the air. The ear-splitting sound seemed to be coming from everywhere at once... all combat ceased, as all the combatants were busy covering their ears to fight. However, those in Krycek's immediate vicinity were spared the ill effects. The noise lasted for a few seconds, then ended.

"...ouch..." someone moaned.

"This debacle is OVER!" Dokan shouted.

"Stand down!" Krycek added.

There was a lot of moaning and cursing, but no one seemed willing to take up arms again.

"Thank you, Mr..."

"Krycek. I don't suppose you have a healer among your group?"

"As a matter of fact I do." Dokan pointed out the Rune Missionary, who was busily seeing to the wounded. Dokan wasn't at all surprised to see that the Missionary was dispensing his healing magic without regard to who had been fighting on what side. William the seemed to be in the worst condition from multiple blows with pick and shovel. The Missionary had him up and on his feet in just a few seconds.

"Ahh, a member of the Brotherhood of the Rune," said Krycek. "Very good to have around... very powerful magic. Priest or Missionary?"

"Missionary," said Dokan.

Krycek raised and eyebrow, but said nothing else about it.

"I assume you'll be turning back now," said Princeton.

"You know what they say about assumptions," Dokan replied. "We have no intention of going back. Not yet."

"Do you even know where you are going?"

"Do you?"

"Of course!"

"Have a map all drawn out, then, do you?"

"Well...umm no. But neither do you!"

"We have men, magic and supplies... exactly what YOU have. Neither of us has an advantage over the other."

"I disagree-"

"Nevertheless, we can go a lot farther if we join forces than we can alone."

"JOIN you!?!" Princeton protested. "Why!?"

Rath leaned over and whispered in Princeton's ear:

"He wants us close so he can keep an eye on us. Not a bad idea, especially considering how he handled those outlaws over there."

"Hmmm..." It took Princeton a second to see Rath's point. There was less likelihood of trouble from the outlaws if they were grossly outnumbered by people who could handle themselves in a fight. And not only that, a larger team increased the chances that any single individual... like HIMSELF... would be hurt if there problems on the way. And there WOULD be problems; Park had been on too many expeditions to think otherwise.

"There IS the problem of the Amazon," Rath said aloud. Thonia was just recovering from Krycek's blast. When the Rune Missionary approached her, she threatened to kill him... apparently she didn't take kindly to magic.

"She's not technically WITH us," said Dokan. "She's hunting more of the creatures like the one we found in the ruins. If she finds signs of them-"

"She'll track them right to the Cthrain city," said Princeton. "Which is where WE are going."

"Exactly."

"She put a boomerang in my chest," said Rath.

"You don't seem that much worse off for it," Dokan replied. All of Rath's injuries were healed. With the exception of torn clothes, he looked as if he'd missed the fight entirely.

"She's trouble," said Rath.

"Yes, but she is PREDICTABLE trouble," said Dokan. "And trouble with a high degree of usefulness. We can expect her to run off and fight the first large, dangerous animal that she sees... which, of course, saves US the trouble of having to do it ourselves."

"Will your people go along with this?" said Krycek. "Combining the teams?"

"Of course they will," said Dokan.

---

"HELL NO!" Sutton shouted. "KEEP THOSE PEOPLE AWAY FROM ME!"

The idea of a combined expedition was not well-recieved by either side. There was lots of shouting and finger-pointing... and fights almost broke out at several points in the discussion. However, Princeton Park was sold on the idea... mostly because it increased the chances of his own survival... and Dokan refused to take no for an answer. Krycek and his mercenaries agreed, and so did Rath. In the end, none of the other opinions mattered. The two expeditions formed a 'loose alliance'... which basically meant that since they were traveling the same direction at the same time, they might as well not try to kill each other... and maybe help one another out if the need arose. There was no one person in command; Dokan lead his team and Princeton lead the others (with a lot of help from Krycek and Rath). The Amazon and her slaves belonged in neither group, and she swore... rather loudly... that she would kill the first person that tried to interfere with her hunt.

With that established, the teams rested for a few hours before setting off once again.

The passages led them deeper and deeper. The temperature began to drop, as was expected this far from the surface. Donning fur coats and thick blankets, they continued... moving ever downward. Eventually the downward path branched off from the larger main tunnels. The passages became smaller and more cramped. Sometimes tunnels had to be widened with magic and muscle-power in order to allow the group to enter. The incline became steeper. Much steeper.

After forty-eight hours, they came to a collapsed section of tunnel. The workmen, aided by a 'soften rock' spell from Krycek, made short work of the impediment. They expected to find more tunnels beyond... instead, they found something else.

The cavern was huge. The roof was several hundred feet above their head. Enormous stalactites pointed down at them like giant fangs. In the center of the cavern was a gigantic hole... a great vertical shaft well over a hundred yards in diameter. No one could see the bottom, and when Dokan tossed a rock over the edge, the stone kept falling for what seemed like forever. Not even Rath's sensitive ears could detect the stone's impact at the bottom... if there was a bottom.

"I'll be damned..." said Sutton.

"The Devil's Mouth..." Red mused.

"I believe this is what our Carrion Digger was looking for," said Dokan. "The passage to the Cthrain city."

"Passage, hell!" said Sutton. "This thing goes STRAIGHT DOWN!!!"

"No one said the passage would be horizontal," said Dokan. "Break out the climbing gear, gentlemen... I think we've reached the beginning of our journey."

[To Be Continued]