"You're alive!" Sutton exclaimed.

"As alive as I was BEFORE," Rath replied. "Minus the worms."

"But I saw you jump in the lava! You were dead!"

"Glad to have you back," said Dokan. "I took the liberty of safeguarding these...." Dokan handed Rath his shades. "I figured you'd want them back if your gambit was successful, and I didn't want you to have to kill anyone to get them. Some of Park's men seemed rather interested in your belongings."

"Thanks." Rath snatched the odd spectacles out of Dokan's hand. He slid them onto his face, obscuring his glowing eyes.

"Wait," said Sutton. "You KNEW he was coming back?"

"I suspected his intentions, although I had no idea as to whether he would succeed or not. I'm pleased that you did."

"So, what'd I miss?"

"Mushrooms," said Sutton. "Big hungry ones."

"Saw those."

"How'd you get past?" asked Krycek.

"They're slow. I'm fast." Rath looked around at the group and noticed a few people missing. "You weren't stupid enough to try and FIGHT them, were you?"

"Well..." said Sutton. "THEY started it!"

"We lose the Amazon?"

"She's out scouting ahead."

"Too bad."

Rath walked to the far side of the camp, drawing stares from those who were still awake.

"Hey!" said Red. "HEY YOU! You're DEAD!"

Rath ignored him. He found what he was looking for: Princeton Park. Park was asleep, laying on his back and snoring loudly. Rath nudged him with his foot. Park mumbled incoherently and snored even louder.

Rath knelt down and put his face close to Princeton's. He tapped the sleeping man on the forehead. Park's eyes snapped open.

"huh? who? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!-MMMPH!"

Rath clamped his hand down over Park's mouth, silencing the loud and rather annoying scream.

"Just letting you know that I'm back."

Princeton nodded emphatically.

"Good. Go back to sleep."

Rath stood and adjusted his spectacles.

"What's everybody looking at?" he growled. "You act like you've never seen a man come back from the dead before!"

---

The other members of the party greeted Rath's return with either relief or suspicion. Princeton Park was overjoyed. Red and the other rogues were less than pleased. But, after everyone accepted the fact that Rath was really Rath... that he wasn't going to turn into a walking fungus and devour anyone in their sleep... the journey continued normal. Or as normal as it COULD be.

Rath resumed his place at the front, using his heightened senses to scout the area ahead of them. Thonia was not far behind, and, as usual, the two of them exchanged hardly a single word.

There was another day and night of uneventful marching. The only development of interest was a change in the rock that composed the cave. The grey granite gave way to a darker, unknown type of stone that neither Princeton nor Dokan recognized. The surface was smoother and slightly reflective. Krycek's light-globes created odd, shimmering highlights all along the passage, giving the impression that something was moving up and down the walls.

"It's nothing that's ever been seen on the surface," said Princeton.

"It has no magical properties to speak of," said Krycek. Princeton used a tiny pick-axe to try and collect a sample. The stone proved exceptionally hard, and it took several swings to dislodge even a tiny chip of rock. Meanwhile, Dokan secretly scooped a few loose stones from the floor and stuffed them into his pocket. Lara observed him and immediately claimed a few stones for herself.

"You never know what might come in handy," Dokan mused. Just then, Rath slowed down and made an announcement.

"We're close to something."

"Close to what?" Park inquired.

"I don't know, but I can smell it." He took a deep breath. "Something old."

"So what does 'old' smell like, eh?" said Red.

"Everyone on your guard." Rath kept walking, but at a much slower pace. A half-hour later, everyone knew what he was talking about. It was a thick, dusty scent that hung in the air all around them... the smell of something that had died and decayed away long ago. Something that had spent so many centuries in the ground that it no longer reeked of death. There were other scents mingled in with it... faint whiffs of a hundred different things that all spoke of ages long past. From this ancient mixture, a few newer, more pungent odors stabbed out at the senses... ephemeral taints of fresh decay and decomposure danced in the air, toying with those who had senses sharp enough to detect them.

"Like walkin' into a mausoleum," said Zackery.

"An old torture-chamber," Rath corrected. "That's what it smells like. Almost exactly."

"I don't like it." Zackery drew his sword, as did the other fighters. Rester loaded his crossbow and held it ready.

"Watch for traps," Dokan warned. "I suggest we take it slow and easy through here."

"If we slow down any more we'll be going backwards!" said Princeton.

"I wonder what we're gonna run into THIS time," said Rester.

"As long as it isn't mushrooms."

"Or worms."

"Or bugs."

"Or giant fire-breathing liz-"

"Shhh..." Rath motioned for the others to stop walking and remain silent. There was no sound. Nothing moved in the darkness ahead or behind. They waited. "There's something ahead," said Rath. "Just out of sight... can't see it."

Thonia moved first. She took a few steps, then stopped. Took a few more steps, then stopped. She turned back to Rath and nodded.

"Using our own footsteps as cover," said Dokan. "I heard it, too."

"That means it's smart," said Krycek. "I could shed some light on the situation..." With a wave of his hand, Krycek sent one of his light-globes hurtling down the passage ahead of them. There was a flurry of motion as something reacted to the light... something huge, with large ears and leathery black skin. It looked like a two-legged, wingless bat... a bat with long arms and a huge, gaping mouth. It crouched against the wall not twenty yards away.

"Oh, yes," said Park. "Yes, yes, yes... we are certainly close now..." Princeton began rummaging through his pack, looking for something.

"What is that thing?"

"Carrion Digger," said Dokan.

It crouched in a corner... unafraid... and studied the group with its tiny eyes. Then its thick lips peeled back, revealing multiple rows of dagger-like teeth. Thonia crouched down and grasped her spear tightly. Rath's long hunting knife was already in his hand. The Rune Missionary crept toward the front of the group in preparation for battle. Every weapon that the party had was pointed at the creature, but it didn't seem to care. In fact... the creature ended the stand-off not by retreating, but by exploding toward the group with fangs bared and clawed hands extended.

"The Kill is MINE!" Thonia bellowed. She leapt into the creature's path-

"Necloo Pliniz Chenewnym!!" Princeton Park's voice shouted with uncharacteristic boldness.

The attacking creature reacted as if struck by a bolt of pure fear. Its tiny eyes grew so wide that they seemed on the verge of popping out of their sockets. Its claws left shallow scratches in the hard black stone as it skidded to a halt, and quickly reversed directions. Then, screeching like an animal caught in a predator's jaws, the thing bolted down the passage, leaving a trail of fairly strong urine behind it. The creature's frenzied, terrified cries were audible for several more seconds before they finally got out of range.

"...what the hell?" Red exclaimed.

Thonia spun and glared at Princeton.

"YOU RUINED MY HUNT!"

"Actually," Park replied with a cocky lift in his voice. "I think I just saved your Missionary friend the trouble of stitching your intestines back together once that thing finished ripping you to pieces."

"Men have been TORTURED TO DEATH for less!"

"Go ahead and try it," Rath warned. "If you think you can get through ME."

"See," said Princeton. "I knew she was going to be a problem. Kill her, Rath."

"If she forces the issue, I will."

"What the HELL just went on here!?" Red demanded.

"I spoke to the creature in Cthrain," Princeton replied. "It reacted just as the one on the surface did. I scared it away... you may all thank me later."

"Thank?" said Dokan. "You've done us no favors, Princeton. Because of you, every creature in these caves is now aware of our presence."

"And they're all terrified of the Cthrain. They won't be bothering us. We have a clear path straight to the city, now."

"Good," said Drayn. "We should get going then."

Rath walked further ahead of the party, losing himself in the darkness for a few moments and then whistling for the others to follow. He stayed out of sight, scouting ahead of Krycek's light in order to give the others advanced warning of anything that approached.

"I don't like this," said Dokan.

"Nor do I," Krycek responded. "What manner of creatures were these Cthrain if the mere sound of their language can instill such fear?"

"That's not all of it," said Dokan. "These creatures... they have senses like every other animal. Sight. Hearing. Smell. Some or all of them are surely more acute than human senses."

"Your point?"

"These creatures mistake us for the Cthrain... yet surely they must KNOW that we are not. They must know that we're just humans"

"That creature's fear seemed genuine."

"It was."

"So perhaps the Cthrain were human. There are no physical descriptions of them. No one knows what they looked like. If the creatures think we are Cthrain, then the Cthrain must be human."

"That's a simple explanation," said Dokan. "But I think that this is one of those rare instances where the simplest explanation... is incorrect."

"What makes you think that?"

"Nothing. Everything. Intuition."

"Anything you care to share?"

"If you think back upon the creatures we've encountered thus far... most of them were- wait..." Dokan stopped walking and looked back. He and Krycek were at rear of the group; there was nothing behind them but darkness.

And something else.

"We are being followed," said Dokan. He remained silent for a few moments, allowing Krycek to hear the unmistakable sounds of footsteps. Heavy, clawed footsteps that were attempting to blend in with the party's own.

"How'd they get behind us? We've passed no branches or side tunnels-"

"The creatures dig quite well."

"Through solid rock?"

"Just one of those creatures was strong enough to give our Missionary friend quite a challenge. There's no telling how many we're dealing with now-"

A shrill whistle echoed from the darkness ahead of the party. It was Rath's warning. Everyone stopped.

"Apparently they're in front of us as well."

"Cornered."

Rath jogged back into view.

"Lots of 'em," he announced.

"And behind us as well," Dokan added.

"Let's get it on, then," said Red. "It's been a while since I killed somethin!"

"That won't be necessary," said Park. "I shall take care of this." By now, several huge shapes were approaching from the front and rear. No longer attempting to hide, the carrion-diggers lurched boldly down the corridor. At first there was just one... then two... then more appeared behind those, and still more behind THOSE. Their grotesque forms completely filled the passage ahead and behind. They stopped a short distance away. The creatures stood motionless... silent accept for the heavy hissing of their breath and the occasional clicking of their claws against the stone. They all reeked of the carrion on which they fed, and they watched the party with tiny, hungry eyes.

"uhh..."

"There sure are a lot of them."

"Never fear... Park is here." Princeton took a dramatic breath and opened his mouth to speak to the creatures-

"Voensurs hifumo polsoqu nopraiy, stoscynf!"

The words didn't come from Park. They came from the cluster of monsters in front of the party. The creatures began shifting around... moving to the side to make room. The carrion-digger that lurched out of their midst was enormous. It's gait was more upright than the others; its height easily exceeded nine feet. It was wider and more muscular, and the hideous collection of skin and fangs that was its face seemed somehow older... more intelligent. The thing paused in front of the of the creatures, who closed in behind it to form a solid wall of ugly.

"Voensurs hifumo polsoqu nopraiy, stoscynf!" the creature repeated. It barked the words like orders from some angry general. It was impossible to glean their meaning, but it was clearly not happy.

"...uhhh..."

"SAY something, Park!"

Princeton rummaged through his pack and produced his voluminous book of notes. Flipped through the pages as the monster before them began to growl.

Thonia moved toward the creature. The thing watched her approach, but did not back down. However, the creatures behind it began to push forward, ... their claws wiggling and clicking eagerly.

"Hifumo Threcloh!" Park shouted.

The creatures all backed way, even the large one took a few quick steps back... its tiny eyes grew wide, and the rate of its breath increased.

"Nadalex phersutl!" Park continued.

The creatures made a squealing, sucking noise that sounded like a gasp. All of them except the king dropped to the floor, prostrating themselves before Princeton Park. Their leader lowered its head and backed further away.

"Zhaeowseau Vuja Yuthiob Cthraini Slucurfem Nohuui! Darsdik azzir!" Park said in a demanding voice.

"...Oquom eggeh tyquu. Uxylluvu sezie darsdik..." the king muttered.

"Park, what are you saying?" said Krycek.

"I think I told it that we were its masters, returning to our home in the city."

"You think?"

"I chastised it for blocking our path, and it just apologized for attempting to...uhh... something I couldn't translate."

"EAT US, maybe?" said Sutton.

"Hmmm..." Park studied his book. "You may be right..."

"Ask it where the city is," said Red.

"That wouldn't be wise," Dokan cautioned. "If we were really who Park SAID we were, then we'd already know where the city is, wouldn't we?"

"Oh. Yeah."

"I think I can get around that," said Princeton. "Squytulcyw Carthehi Xomufi! Tchuttynt Kygoyuw Cthraini Orof Pyku. Brizyn Ruquoo Azzirit Eroz."

The king motioned to his subjects. All of the creatures to the rear of the party backed away into the shadows and vanished. Half of those who stood near the king did likewise.

"Where are they going?" said Rath

"...Paaark, what did you say..."

"Umm... I demanded that they escort us to the city. An entourage, of sorts... witnesses to our triumphant return and all that."

"Half of 'em vanished," said Rath. "Where?"

"Wrikennom gaeozoi sceprirn?" Park asked.

"Fuqyduorv Teahad Streushuu Cthraini Tcheentaa," the king replied.

"He said they are going to prepare a passage for us."

"I don't like it," said Rath.

"Galau," the king grunted. He and the other creatures walked away slowly.

"He says for us to follow him."

"Should we?" said Sutton.

"I don't see why not," Park replied. "Don't worry... we're perfectly safe."

"...famous last words..." Krycek muttered.

Princeton Park strutted to the front of the party and walked after the creatures. Rath and Thonia were right behind him, and the others followed.

"They're still back there," Dokan whispered to Krycek. "Behind us. There are at least two of them following."

"I don't trust this."

"Spread the word... be ready for anything."

"I don't think we can BE any more ready, old man," said Zackery.

"Look there-"

The party passed a side-tunnel branching off of the main passage. Two creatures stood there, watching the group as they walked. The scene was repeated several more times over the next few minutes... more and more tunnels appeared, turning the once-simple cave into a maze of dark corridors. And out of each corridor, one or more of the carrion creatures peered out at the strange procession.

Dokan counted them silently as he memorized the surroundings.

"How many so far?" said Sutton.

"Creatures? Close to forty now. More than we can ever hope to fight if this goes bad. WHEN it goes bad."

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

"And they all look rather healthy," said Krycek.

"Yes, I noticed. There aren't very many animals in these caves... these carrion eaters should be on the verge of starvation. In fact, they should have starved to death centuries ago. I wonder what they've been eating?"

"Hey," said Sutton. "These things AREN'T hungry, and you see that as a PROBLEM!?"

"Yes," said Dokan and Krycek.

Soon, the hard stone walls and floor gave way to a kind of rocky soil. Some walls were coated with a thick dried mucous that some of the party recognized as the substance excreted by the carrion creature in Montfort. The scent of age and decay became stronger. They began to pass large open chambers with interiors that were hidden in shadows. The light from Krycek's floating globes penetrated only a short distance, but it was enough to see dozens vague, lumpy shapes clustered together against the walls. Krycek wanted to sneak off and explore, but Dokan convinced him otherwise.

"This whole thing will go bad soon enough without you intentionally angering them."

"You're probably right," Krycek replied.

"Oh, I KNOW I'm right."

"I wonder what those things were in there."

"Hopefully we won't have the opportunity to find out."

Meanwhile, Thonia had slowed her pace to fall in with the rest of the group. Rath didn't look too upset at her absence. She made her way back to Lara, then pulled her aside.

"Our paths are about to part, little one. I inform you as a courtesy."

"You're leaving? Where-"

"You remember our arrangement, yes? I have found the creatures that I wish to hunt."

"But..."

"Once we pass from this place, I will return to hunt these things. You may join me if you wish."

"No. I have to stay with Dokan."

"Then you must insure that none of these fools interfere with my hunt... especially the one named Park. Once we part, our arrangement is terminated... I will kill anyone who intrudes upon my hunting ground."

"But, these things are intelligent... you can't just hunt them down like animals..."

"It is what THEY do, is it not?"

"I... well... that doesn't mean-"

"Hey!" Rath called. "Something's going on up here!"

The carrion-diggers had veered off into a side tunnel, and then waited patiently for the group to follow. The tunnel was short, and it emptied out into an small chamber, where two huge piles of dirt and rock loomed on opposite sides of a passage leading to the opposite wall.

"Rath, stop!" Dokan ordered. "Nobody move! Park, ask them why we've left the main passage!"

"Qetapud Ra-" Park began. But suddenly... a development that surprised no one EXCEPT Park... the section of the floor beneath the party gave way. The room and part of the hallway was a trap. The carrion-diggers leapt aside at the last instant, their short but powerful legs propelling them across to the large dirt-piles. The party wasn't quite so fortunate. They fell down a short shaft into a flat-bottomed pit. Men and equipment landed in an uncomfortable pile, and almost immediately, dirt and rocks began to rain down upon them.

"They're burying us!" Krycek shouted. "Climb out quickly!"

However, the mage's words proved easier said than done. The dirt walls were inclined inward toward the top of the pit, making them nearly impossible to scale without equipment. Some, however didn't need it. Almost as soon as she touched the ground, Thonia made a leap for the wall. She grabbed hold of the rocks and started scrambling for the top. On the other side of the pit, Dokan and Lara were doing likewise.

But the creature's weren't merely content with burying them alive. While six of them shoved dirt down into the pit at phenomenal speed, two more grabbed the rocks from the soil and began hurling them down at the captives.

"Look OU-" Zackery's warning was cut short when a fist-sized boulder struck him in the upper chest, shattering ribs and sending him flying into the wall. He collapsed, blood drooling from his mouth.

"We need protection!" Krycek raised his hands to cast a spell, but had to dodge a flying stone. He threw himself to one side, and the rock meant for his forehead sailed over his shoulder. But a second rock caught him by surprise. All he saw was something coming toward him, and then darkness.

"The mage is down!" Rester fired arrow after arrow up toward the rim of the pit. Each shot was a hit, but the missiles all bounced off of the creature's tough hides without doing much damage.

"Aim for the joints!" Sutton cried. "They've got armor just under the- WHOA!" Sutton ducked as something flew past him-

KRUNCH!

Seerig, one of Thonia's slaves, flew backward... his twitching body flinging blood in all directions. He'd been struck in the face, and his skull had shattered like a cheap dinner plate.

"SPREAD OUT! GIVE THEM MULTIPLE TARGETS! KEEP MOVING!" yelled Rester. He let one arrow fly, the shaft sank into the elbow joint of one creature. The thing howled, tossed the rock it was holding in its other hand, and then backed away. Two more creatures took its place, and the hail of deadly stones increased.

-CRACK!-

Malyk swatted one stone away from Sutton with a swing of his staff. He dodged another rock and sprinted toward where Zackery lay.

"BEHIND YOU!"

Malyk grabbed Zackery and carried him off. Three stones whizzed past him, missing them both by mere inches.

"ARRRGH!" Rester cried. He'd been struck in the arm, and now a shaft of shattered bone protruded from his arm just below the elbow. He kept moving, still dodging missiles as his life's blood poured out.

He nearly tripped over Princeton Park, who had curled up in a little ball on the ground. The steady flow of dirt from above had almost buried him. Rath grabbed the screaming man's leg and pulled him out before he was lost completely.

"KEEP MOVING!!" Rath commanded. "I'll help out up top!" Rath shoved Park aside and began climbing up the wall. He only got a few feet before a speeding rock hit him in the lower back. Rath slid back down to the ground... then started up again, only to be dislodged by another blow, this one to the left shoulder. "Dammit!" he exclaimed as his shattered shoulder eased back into place.

Then the creature's turned their attention to the climbers who'd almost reached the top. They started digging around the edge of the pit, destabilizing the wall where Dokan and Lara hung. The wall collapsed, sending them both tumbling back down to the bottom amid a storm of loose dirt and rocks. The Amazon was a bit faster. One hand clutched the edge of the pit just as a creature lifted a rock and prepared to bash her brains out. In a sudden burst of speed and strength, Thonia yanked herself up while swinging her free hand-

-CLINK-

Her long hunting knife pierced the leathery skin of its lower chest, but it rebounded off of the layer of bone just beneath. The Amazon hadn't been expecting that, but she reacted so quickly it was as if she knew it were going to happen all along. The blade sliced downward across the thing's abdomen to its crotch, where it punctured a fleshy lobe that looked suspiciously like a reproductive organ. The thing screeched in shock and dropped the rock it was holding. Thonia swung her legs up onto the edge... she turned her own momentum into a leg-sweep that knocked the creature over the edge and into the pit below. Two more creatures had already seen her and were charging in her direction. She snatched the boomerang from her belt and hurled it. The bladed edge slid harmlessly across one creature's armored neck as Thonia shrugged the harpoon from her shoulder. She aimed and fired-

K-CHOOM!

The metal tip impaled a second creature through the stomach and sent it flying backward. The next creature slashed at her. Thonia ducked and spun while reaching out and snatching the returning boomerang out of the air. With a twist and a slash, she sliced the carrion-digger across the gut. The blade bit deep, leaving a harmless gouge across the creature's armor. The carrion digger reared back and spat a stream of thick liquid onto Thonia's face. The mucous immediately hardened in place, completely sealing her eyes, nose and mouth.

"MMMPGH!"

Something slammed into her and knocked her back... she staggered, teetering on the edge of the pit for an instant before she finally topped over.

She hit the ground hard.

"GRAB HER!"

"KILL THAT THING!"

Half of the group grabbed Thonia and began chipping away at the rock-hard mucous on her face, trying to free her before she suffocated. The other half surrounded the still living carrion-digger that had preceded her into the pit. They were intending to kill it, but they needn't have worried. A steady pelting of rocks knocked the creature back away from the group. The thing howled in pain and frustration, but its brothers above kept hitting it... driving it back.

"PROTECT THAT CREATURE!" said Dokan. The old man had just managed to pull himself out of the pile of dirt that had landed on top of him. He had Lara by the arm and was pulling her out as well. "KEEP IT ALIVE!"

"WHAT!?!?"

"IT'S OUR TICKET OUT OF HERE! PARK! TELL IT TO START DIGGING THROUGH THE WALL!"

Princeton Park shouted something, and the Rune Missionary took a position in front of the creature, using his staff to deflect as many of the deadly stones as possible. Dirt flew away from the wall as the creature dug, its long arms moving like a massive engine of claws and muscle. The thing didn't care about the others in the pit with it... it just wanted to get out. In seconds, it had carved an alcove out of the wall. Then the body of the creature that Thonia had injured with her spear fell into the pit. It was dead, but not from the Amazon's attack. It's head had been cracked open, and its lifeless body tossed down with the humans.

"CANNIBALS!" said Sutton "THEY'RE GONNA EAT THEIR OWN KIND!"

By now, the living creature had dug the beginnings of a tunnel into the wall.

"GRAB THE WOUNDED AND FOLLOW THAT THING!"

As dirt and rocks continued to fall from above, the party backed into the tunnel after the fleeing carrion-digger. Menth and Sutton had managed to slice a thin hole in the hardened mucous over Thonia's mouth... at that point she pushed them both away and began tearing at the substance with her bare hands. Krycek and Zackery were unconscious. Rester was still on his feet, but just barely.

"MOVE! MOVE! MOVE!"

"TELL THAT THING TO DIG FASTER, PARK!"

The party huddled in the tunnel and looked out... dirt and rock piled up over the entrance, sealing them in. They still heard the creature's frantic digging ahead of them. Fortunately the thing was larger than a human, and the passage it created was large enough for them to move through. Those who were able, used their swords and bare hands to plow through the dirt that the creature left in its wake.

"Keep moving!"

"That was a close one!"

"We aren't out yet!"

"What if that thing turns on us!"

"We KILL it and finish digging OURSELVES out-"

"Stop talking; you're using up all the AIR!"

Suddenly there was the sound of collapsing dirt, and a gust of fetid air rushed into the tight passage.

"He's THROUGH!"

The creature had dug through the wall of another chamber... it scrambled for freedom, but as Rath and Malyk emerged, it turned and ran back toward them with fangs bared.

"Help the others," said Rath. "I got this." He dropped to a crouching position, and when the carrion-digger leapt, Rath darted forward... twisting and slashing his knife in an upward arc across the leaping creature's chest and belly. The slash would have opened the thing up from throat to crotch, but the blade encountered resistance just beneath the skin. The thing hit the ground, already spinning and lashing out. The claws racked across Rath's back... a fatal blow that Rath shrugged off with a stumble and a grunt.

"The creature is armored!" Malyk warned. "And much faster than it appears!"

"And you're a bit LATE with that information," Rath hissed.

"The joints are weak!"

The carrion-digger slashed. Rath twisted to the side and blocked the attack with his knife... driving it deep into the thing's wrist. He yanked the blade down and out, severing half of the wrist's veins and tendons with clean, swift cut.

"ARRROOOO!"

Rath ducked under the creature's reflexive slash and stabbed upward toward the monster's head, aiming his blade at where he thought the neck-joint would be.

"BULLSEYE!"

The sharp weapon found a soft spot just under the chin... Rath shoved the blade in to the hilt. The creature convulsed and sputtered as it choked on its own blood. It grabbed Rath by the shoulder, but the mercenary twisted the blade still protruding from the thing's throat. He yanked the blade out and drove it back in again... stabbing it twice more in rapid succession. The creature coughed blood into Rath's face as it fell back. Rath watched it twitch and gurgle for a few seconds. When it went still, he removed his knife from the thing's neck.

The instant the blade began to slide out, the creature sprang to life, raking the claws of its uninjured hand down Rath's chest. Rath ignored the injury... blood flew from his blade as he spun... blade met flesh, Rath drove the knife into the creature's right ear. It went in unimpeded... stabbing through the auditory canal and the thin layer of bone behind it until it reached the thing's brain. The creature went limp and fell.

Rath looked down at his shredded, bloody clothes.

"Damn," he said.

"GRAAAAAAA!!" The creature roared as it leapt... blood literally spraying from its throat.

"Oh, you've GOT to be KIDDING ME!!"

"DUCK!"

Rath ducked, and a huge bolt of bluish white lighting arced across the room from the Rune Missionary's staff. It transfixed the creature in mid-leap and threw it back into a far wall. It slid to the ground and lay there.

Then it moved-

KA-CHUNK!

Red's enormous battle-axe cleaved the thing's forehead before it could carry out whatever new attack it had in store. Red yanked the axe out and inspected the blade, which had been severely dulled by its trip through the monster's skull.

"Survive THAT," Red spat.

The creature's hand clamped down on Red's ankle.

"DAMMIT!"

KA-CHUNK!

Now the creature had a giant "X" on its forehead, through which most of its brain was visible.

"I think its dead now," said Red. "Hey, THURG! Come cut this thing's head off!"

"Where ARE we?" said Sutton as Menth and Borris pulled him up into the chamber. They were in one of the large rooms that they'd passed earlier. There was one opening leading out into the main passage. The walls of the mostly cylindrical chamber were packed with strange objects that resembled huge pods or seeds. Each one was larger than a man, and shaped roughly like a giant egg. Their surfaces were slick and oily-looking, yet dry to the touch. It was the mucous that the creatures excreted... the same mucous they used to coat walls and trap prey. There were more than four-dozen pods, all shoved against the wall and held in place with more mucous. There were also fragments and empty shells where some pods had been broken open and their contents removed. There were claw marks and dark stains on the walls and floor near the broken pods.

"Eggs..." said Drayn. "Damned thing dug us right into their egg-chamber."

"If these are eggs," said Dokan. "Then they weren't lain by the creatures that WE'VE seen. Look at the size..."

"I think we should be going now, thank you very much," said Princeton.

"I agree," said Rath. "The wounded?"

"I can walk," said Zackery. After treatment by the Missionary, he, Rester and Zackery were all up and mobile. The were sore and tired, but their wounds were completely healed. Thonia had removed the rest of the mucous from her face... along with a layer of skin. Her face was flaming red from the irritation.

"Then lets get going before-"

"ETAS MYHAXA!"

"Oh, hell..."

A passing carrion-digger had spotted them in the chamber. It shouted an alarm and stormed into the room, bearing down on the first person it saw. Unfortunately for the creature, it was Thonia. She met the creature head on, driving her large hunting knife straight into its eye-socket. Then, with one hand on its throat and another at its crotch, she lifted the heavy creature and slammed it into the closest wall-

CRACK!

Where the impact shattered a pod, releasing its contents.

"See, I TOLD you they were eggs!"

Another carrion-digger joined the injured one on the floor. The second creature was either dead or asleep. The one that Thonia had been fighting screeched and clawed its way out from under the second creature, then came after Thonia again. She let it come. It tried to embrace her in a bear hug, but she was around its back before it even knew she'd moved. A fierce kick to the small of its back had no effect, other than to get the thing's attention. When it turned around, Thonia avoided its clumsy slash and snatched her knife out of its eye-

"ARREEEOOOOOOO!!!"

CHUK!

-then buried it briefly in the OTHER eye. She yanked the blade out and backed away. The thing howled, then began to circle her... blindly sniffing her out. When Thonia went for the kill, it reacted to the sound and the scent... slashing at her throat. Thonia twisted away from the claws. The creature spun to slash again-

A volley of small, arrow-shaped firebolts seared into the creature's back. Krycek's hands still glowed from the spell, and when the creature turned toward him, he fired another round of magic missiles into its chest. They all made deep, scorched pits in its flesh, but they did no real damage. Krycek fired two more bolts... one into each eye. The arrows of fire penetrated straight into its brain. A foul smoke that reeked of burning flesh poured from its ears, eyes, nose and mouth. The creature fell, its brain cooked inside its skull.

Thonia was outraged.

"YOUR INTERFERENCE WILL NO LONGER BE TOLERATED, MALE!"

"Sorry, you were just taking too damned long. You want to kill something, why don't you start on THAT one-" Krycek pointed to the second creature... the one freed from the egg. It had began to stir. It staggered to its feet, then crouched weakly in a corner.

"It's sick. Hey, look-"

"Not sick... asleep!" said Dokan. "These are HIBERNATION pods! And that means..." Dokan started looking around at the broken pods and the stains on the floor. "...dear gods..."

"Well somebody KILL it before it finishes waking up!" said Park.

Just then, the unmistakable sound of claws and thundering footsteps rumbled down the hallway.

"They're COMING!"

Rath rushed to the doorway and looked out.

"Both directions. We're trapped," said Rath. "There's only one way out of this room, and they're coming right at it. Everybody get ready for a fight."

"How can we fight all those THINGS!!?"

"Keep killin' 'em until they stop coming through the door. If you've got magic or weapons, use 'em. If not, then your best bet is to just stay out of my way."

"I'll block the door," said Krycek. "That'll buy us some time." The mage began casting a force-field spell.

"PARK! Your book!"

"Wha-"

"NOW!" Dokan grabbed Park's book of notes and began frantically scanning the pages.

"Talking didn't work before," said Rath. "What makes you think it'll calm 'em down NOW?"

"Oh, I don't want to calm them down..." said Dokan. "That's the LAST thing we need..." He looked up and shouted at the creature that had emerged from the pod. "ETAS! Squuwe Uzodlaxo Shehdaqu!"

The creature, still sluggish from its hibernation, suddenly snapped to attention... rigid with fear.

"Esersdiho Queaudgaiq!" said Dokan. He pointed to the cracked pods. "Esersdiho Goecac Reltib Qowoqui!"

The creature's eyes followed Dokan's finger. It sniffed the air, and looked at the stains and marks on the ground.

"THERE!" Said Krycek. A shimmering barrier appeared over the door. "I don't know how long it'll hold. By the time they make it in here we'd better have a good plan for NOT getting eaten."

"Khazu Brylsypp Ngompiqu!" Dokan continued.

"Esersdiho..." the creature responded. It looked around and began growling... not at the party, but at whatever Dokan as saying.

The creature's outside reached the room and tried to enter. There were dozens of them, all attempting to cram their grotesque bodies through the one opening. Krycek's barrier repelled them, but they didn't stop coming. They pushed harder, and scratching at the force-field with their powerful claws. Their grunting and growling filled the room.

"Come ON, old man," said Sutton. "Quit TALKING to that thing."

"Don't be an IDIOT!" Dokan snapped. "Don't you see what's going on!? The creatures we've seen should have STARVED to death long ago... but they haven't! They've been EATING! They've been keeping themselves alive bey eating THESE!" Dokan pointed to pods... to the claw-marks and bloodstains on the ground... "The king has been eating his OWN SUBJECTS... ripping them out of the pods and tearing them apart while they were too weak to fight back!"

"Egads!"

Krycek's barrier began to glow and crackle under the non-stop assault from the outside. More creatures had arrived to lend their claws to the effort...

"Esersdiho Queaudgaiq!" Dokan shouted to the creature. "Your king has betrayed you!"

"Queaudgai!" the creature howled.

"Well, you've pissed it off," said Rath. "How does that help us-"

"BREAK OPEN THESE PODS!" Dokan ordered. "ALL OF THEM! AS MANY AS YOU CAN! NOW!"

"ARE YOU INSANE!?!!?" said Park.

"He's right," said Krycek. "If we start a big enough fight between them then we can slip out in the confusion!"

"But what if they ALL just decide to eat US!"

"We're going to be eaten anyway, Park... it really doesn't make any difference!" Krycek drew his sword and swung it at the nearest pod. It cracked opened, and a hibernating carrion-digger tumbled out onto the floor. The thing began to stir immediately, and had gotten to its feet after only a few seconds.

"ETAS!" growled the creature that Dokan had been speaking with. It began slashing the pods open as well. One by one, the creatures emerged. Dokan shouted at them in their language as the creatures outside finally abandoned the blocked doorway and started digging through the wall... creating a new opening.

Dokan continued yelling in the creature's native language. At first, the newly-awakened carrion-diggers were frightened... then confused... then angry. They snarled and growled... some of them at the party, and some at their brothers who were busily digging their way into the chamber. Portions of the wall tumbled inward. Chunks of rock and earth fell to the floor. Long claw-tipped arms reached into the room. The holes widened quickly.

More creatures awakened from their slumber and were swayed by Dokan's words. They saw the cracked pods and the claw marks. They smelled the blood. They saw their brothers outside... brothers who were remarkably healthy and well-fed. But they also saw the huge buffet sharing the room with them. The carrion-diggers had been asleep for a long time... now they were hungry. Starving. Should they fight... or should they feed?

The answer came as the wall broke open with a rumbling thud. Monstrous creatures poured into the room, joining the large group already growling angrily at the newcomers. There was no pause... no moment of silent shock or confusion. The creatures that Dokan and the others had freed surged forward in a vicious wave of leathery skin and bony claws. The air became alive with shouts and growls and squeals as some creatures slammed into each other while others growled and spat in their guttural language. The creatures just entering the chamber were taken by surprise. They'd been expecting resistance... but nothing like the angry horde of their own brethren that greeted them. Claws and teeth tore into thick skin... flaying it open to the bony armor that lay below. But the weapon of choice for both sides seemed to be the large rocks that they snatched from the floor or plucked from the walls. They bashed each other with stones, each creature seeking to crack the skull of its traitorous brothers before his own skull yielded to the battering it was taking.

It was perhaps ten seconds before either side paid any attention to the party. The humans had no choice but to stand and watch the carnage unfolding between them and the room's only exit. Attempting to flee would take them right into the middle of the very fight they had orchestrated.

"Perhaps your plan worked a bit TOO well, eh Dokan?" said Krycek. "We're still trapped."

"Speak for yourself," said Red. "I'm goin' RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE!"

The short human raised his axe and charged. He shouted a battle cry, but his own voice was lost in the howling... not the howling of the combatants, but the angry roar of the carrion-digger king and his entourage. Twelve of the largest, most foul-looking creatures stormed into the room and literally tore through the carnage, throwing the still-battling carrion-diggers to the side.

"Payenez Hasiv Immuh!!! Uchag Qilli!!" the king bellowed. He pointed one clawed finger at the party... specifically at Princeton Park. "ETAS! Uchag Navak Qilli IXE!!"

Half a dozen creatures charged the party, while the other continued to subdue the uprising. Red's foolish rush for the door put him front and center for the assault. The first creature leapt at him. Red ducked and rolled forward... the creature sailed over him, landed, and kept on charging, leaving Red for the others. Red rolled to his feet, already swinging his weapon as he came up.

-KLANG!!

The axe drew sparks against the carrion-digger's armored chest. It cleaved the rock-hard exoskeleton in two. Black blood gushed out, but the creature hardly noticed. With the axe still buried in its chest, it slashed at Red, who avoided loosing his head mostly by luck and fast footwork.

"HEEELLLPP!"

The first creature caught a lightning-bolt to the face, knocking it backward and dazing it. Zackery, Drayn and Borris surrounded it and hacked at it with their swords... which mostly just bounced off of the creature's scorched hide. Thonia, Malyk, and Rath ran past them to meet the coming onslaught head-on.

"CLEAR A PATH FOR THE OTHERS!" Rath ordered. He and Malyk rushed the creature that was about to decapitate Red. Rath shoved Red out of the way as Malyk charged-

"DIE, DARK THING!!" Malyk rammed the creature like a runaway carriage... driving the pointed end of his staff right into the small unarmored area near the creature's gut. Rath grabbed Red's axe and yanked it free an instant before Malyk let loose with a lighting blast from his staff.

"ARROOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" the monster howled as Lord of the Rune's power charbroiled its organs from the inside.

Rath made a running start, then suddenly twisted and threw Red's axe... the weapon flew across the room, tumbling end-over-end-

Whoosh-Whoosh-WHOOSH!

KRUNCH!

-before finally cleaving a carrion digger's face right down the middle.

"Hey, That's MY AXE!" Red protested.

"Well, stop whining and go GET IT, then!" Two creatures converged on Rath from two different directions. He dodged with inhuman speed... causing the speeding monsters to crash into one other in an almost comical display.

Meanwhile, Thonia loaded the final harpoon-tip into her spear-

CHOOM!

She fired it through a creature's neck. The impact carried it back across the room, where the harpoon weapon impaled it to a wall. The creature was by no means dead, but it was quite stuck. Thonia tossed the now-useless weapon away, and by the time the next creature reached her she was ready to fight it on its own terms... claw to claw. The Amazon popped the metal claws on her gauntlets and literally threw herself at the thing. It slashed... she ducked, spun, ducked again... and then struck. Her claws nearly flayed the creature's face right off of its skull even as the creature ripped open the front of her thick armor and dug furrows into her skin. She tore herself from the creature's grasp, widening her wounds even further. She glanced down at her injuries and laughed.

Two more creatures came at her. She let the first one reach her... she grabbed both of its wrists while using the heavy creature's own momentum to force her to the ground. She planted both feet on the creature's chest and sent it flying behind her as she completed her backward roll. She rolled to her feet and reached for her knife. She dodged to the left of the second creature. It twisted around to catch her with its claws, but Thonia was already striking... she drove her blade into its left ear while deftly plucking both of its eyes out with a single slash of her own claws. But while she was going that, yet another monster was about to remove her spine with a well-placed swipe-

fffFFFTHAAZZZZ!!!!

Malyk's blast knocked the thing out of the room and into the hallway beyond.

"AAIEEEEEEEEE!" Princeton Park screamed in his characteristic 'frightened schoolgirl' voice. The creature that Thonia had flipped away had landed almost on top of him. Actually too frightened to run, all Princeton could manage in his own defense was to point at the creature while jumping rapidly up and down in one place. "KILL IT! KILL IT! KILL IT!"

Princeton was just about to have his throat removed by the carrion-digger's claws when Krycek appeared... seemingly from nowhere. The mage leapt onto the huge creature's back and clamped his legs around the monster's waist. He held his hands on either side of the creature's head, mere inches away from its bat-like ears, while chanting furiously.

"Micravus Projectum!" he shouted. Krycek's hands suddenly flashed white-hot, and thin streams of fire shot outward from his palms... right into the carrion-digger's ears. The monster instantly went rigid... then it began to shake violently as boiling-hot blood and urine poured out of multiple orifices. "LOOK OUT!" said Krycek. He leapt off of the creature and crouched on the ground behind it just as-

KRUUP! Hissss....

The creature's skull exploded into several hundred steaming, sizzling chunks. Scalding-hot blood flew in all directions as the carrion-digger's headless body toppled. Krycek scrambled away from it just before it would have landed on top of him.

"Can you do that to ALL of them!?" Slick demanded.

"If I could, we wouldn't still be here fighting, now would we?"

"Here comes another one!"

"WE'RE DOOMED!"

Princeton's cowardly cry was more accurate than anyone wanted to admit. The creatures were too hard to kill; all the party could hope to do was injure them enough to discourage further attack... and the creatures seemed as difficult to discourage as they were to dispatch. They shrugged off even severe wounds as if they were nothing. Were the majority of the creatures not fighting amongst themselves, the party would have been overrun instantly. But even their own internal strife didn't stop some of the monsters from seeking an easy meal. The efforts of Thonia, Rath, and Malyk kept most of them occupied. The air came alive with war-crys and bolts of lightning. Malyk tried to keep the creatures at a distance with his staff while Rath and Thonia attacked those that made it past him. It was a loosing battle. The creatures were too fast, too strong, and too hard to put down. They waded through multiple blasts of lightning almost unharmed. And in close quarters, Thonia's claws and Rath's blade could do almost nothing to hurt them. It was all they could do to keep the monsters focused on THEM and not the rest of the party... and that didn't worked nearly as often as they would have liked.

Despite the best efforts of the party's fighters, hungry carrion diggers made it past them to feast on the main party itself. Zackery and Borris charged into the first creature's path, but the carrion digger knocked Zackery aside, then grabbed at Borris. The skilled mercenary twisted out of the way at the last moment. Zackery hopped onto the creature's back and tried to drive his sword into the creature's neck while Borris kept its attention focused away from the others. Meanwhile, Krycek sent a few magic missiles into the advancing horde with no effect. Next, he began casting a whirlwind spell, but a carrion-digger reared up ahead of his suddenly, spoiling his concentration. The creature slashed at him. Krycek drew his sword made a series of dodges and feints as he retreated. He studied the creature's movements, then dodged to one side-

"Momentus Impulsae!" he shouted. The sword flew from his hand as if fired from a giant crossbow. It pierced the small unarmored joint just below the neck. The creature gurgled and spat as it stumbled backward into the path of another charging monster. Krycek reached out for his sword; the blade withdrew from the creature's throat and flew back into his hand just as yet another monster came up behind him with a rock held high... ready to crack the mage's skull open.

"LITH GRAVITAS MULTIX EXPONENS!!" Krycek blurted while pointing at the rock. Suddenly, the relatively small stone's weight increased by a factor of 1000. It slipped out of the creature's hand and landed on its head-

KRACK!

Both rock and skull shattered, although the skull made a much larger mess.

"I always wondered if that spell would come in handy..." Krycek muttered to himself.

"AARRGG !!!" Krycek turned just in time to see Sutton and Menth go down before an advancing wall of carrion diggers that had made it past the fighters. "HELLLPP!"

"CHROMATIX EJAC!"

A spray of multi-colored light erupted from Krycek's fingertips and enveloped the heads of the monsters. The light did no damage, but it distracted them just long enough for Sutton to scramble to safety. It was too late for Menth. His chest was ripped open, and most of his organs lay on the ground beside his corpse. Thurg charged into the fray, swinging his huge bastard sword at the first of the confused creatures. The rogue's blade rang out, and sparks flew. The sword bit deep into one creature's throat, cracking the hard bone that protected it and nearly severing the head completely. But 'nearly' wasn't enough to kill it. It slashed at Thurg, who took the deadly claws down his right arm. Thurg didn't seem to notice that his arm had been flayed open almost to the bone. He yanked his sword free and struck again, this time removing the creature's head from its body. The other monsters shook off Krycek's spell and all charged him. Drayn arrived and quickly pulled Thurg out of their path.

"GATHER TOGETHER!" Dokan shouted from somewhere in the confusion. "STAY TOGETHER AND FIGHT AS A GROUP!"

"Its no USE! We have to get OUT OF HERE!"

"GET READY TO RUN! KRYCEK, I NEED YOUR HELP!"

Dokan appeared out of the midst of two angry creatures... stepping out from between them as if they were motionless statues. Both monsters slashed at him, but Dokan somehow managed to be just out of reach of their claws. He danced around them... reaching out to touch each one briefly as he twirled past. They leapt after him... then suddenly collapsed and went still.

"Quickly!" said Dokan as he ran toward Krycek. Dokan was holding a small metal box. The box held five small needle-like objects...

"Mushroom darts!"

"I figured they'd come in handy... although I didn't realize how SOON. I've only got five left, but it should be enough to help clear a path to the door... with your help."

"Say no more! Momentus Impulsae!!"

The four darts flew out of the tiny box and zipped across the room toward the exit, where Rath and Thonia were trying... and failing... to prevent the creatures from surrounding them. Each dart sought out the soft flesh of an unprotected joint-

-thip-
-thup-
-thwap-
-thip-
-thwip-

The five creatures closest to Rath and Malyk froze... then fell.

"EVERYONE CHARGE! MALYK, CLEAR US A PATH!!!"

Malyk swung his staff in a horizontal arc as a stream of angry lightning crackled from the pointed top. Several creatures dodged away from the blast, but others didn't... they found themselves flying backwards with hot lightning eating into their flesh.

"RRRUNNNNN!!!!!!" Dokan ordered. Everyone charged toward the entrance. Creatures closed in on both sides to stop them-

"CHROMATIX EJAC!" Krycek stunned several of them with a color spray. Thonia plowed into another creature and drove it into a wall, clearing even more space for the party to retreat from the chamber.

"GO! GO! GO!" shouted Rath. His clothes were no more than tatters, and his blade was bloody, dull, and bent. "EVERYBODY OUT!"

"GOTCHA!" said Red. He had paused to remove his prized battle-axe from the face of a carrion-diggers corpse.

"GRAAAAAAAA!!!" another creature roared. It caught Egry... snatching him up and ripping him in half not two feet away from Red.

KRRAACK!

Twin blows from Red and Thurg backed the creature up enough for them to dart through the entryway with the others. Lara and Dokan were right behind the. Lara veered away at the last instant. She went to the corpses that Krycek had felled with Dokan's mushroom-darts... she deftly plucked the deadly missiles and rejoined the mass retreat. Thonia, Malyk and Rath were the last ones out. The last HUMANS... with the exit of their intended meal, the carrion-diggers ceased their fighting and united in one new common goal: Catching their food before it got away. The room quickly emptied as the roaring, snarling monsters streamed into the hallway after the party.

"RUUUUNNNN!!!!!!" Princeton screamed. "OUT OF MY WAY! OUT OF MY WAY! HEEELLLLPPPP!!!!"

"We can't outrun them!" said Rath. "They're too fast!"

"WE FIGHT, THEN!" said Thonia. Her armor hung from her body in tatters and dripped blood onto the floor. She didn't have Rath's accelerated healing, but she was just as ready as he was for more combat. So was Malyk.

"We use this hallway to our advantage," said Rath. "Slow them down long enough for the others to escape!"

"TASTE THE ANGER OF ANGELS!" The Rune Missionary cried. His staff lit up the passageway with multiple blasts of holy wrath. The carrion-diggers squealed in pain... but they kept coming.

"KEEP GOING!" Rath shouted to the rest of the party. "WE'LL HOLD THEM HERE AS LONG AS WE CAN!"

Dokan ushered the party down the corridor. Just before they vanished, Krycek cast a light globe above the three fighters to illuminate their combat. All they saw was dozens of carrion diggers bearing down on them. Malyk impaled and electrocuted the first creature that reached him. But by the time it fell, three more had come around it. Rath and Thonia took them on, grateful that the passageway prevented the creatures from surrounding them. Claws of bone and metal clashed. A dull knife sliced leathery skin and jabbed into whatever soft spots it could reach. A mystic staff slashed and cut like a razor-sharp sword, pausing only to blister inhuman opponents with bolts of lightning. The creatures endured the assault and surged ever-forward. They would not die easily, and even a wounded creature attacked with the strength of five men. Blood, both human and non-human, splattered the walls and formed pools on the floor.

"FALL BACK!" Rath commanded. The fighters fell back several yards, then stood fast to renew their combat. A few more creatures fell. Most of them got right back up again. They fell back further still, and the slaughter continued. They were fighting not for victory, but to hold the deadly horde as long as they could. The creatures charged suddenly... and they fell back yet again. Malyk cleared the way before them with his staff... but the respite lasted only a second before the creatures re-grouped and charged. Another retreat... another stand... more blood. The creatures gained more ground. The humans kept fighting.

"THERE!" The Amazon pointed to a side tunnel that branched off of the one in which they fought. "The others have had ample time to escape... now I must take my leave! Fight well, males, and glory will await you in the afterlife!"

Without another word, Thonia stepped back, lit a torch, and darted down the other passage.

"SHE LEFT! THAT BITCH!"

"The Amazon is many things, but a coward is not one of them," said Malyk.

"Doesn't matter... fact is, she's GONE and we've barely put a DENT in these thing! GET THAT ONE!"

Malyk sizzled the creature to which Rath pointed. It fell back under the electric assault, and the creature behind it stepped around and charged Rath.

"COVER ME!" said Rath as he leapt onto the creature's chest. Malyk blasted the closest carrion-diggers back into those coming up behind them... all except for one. Rath's blade jabbed into its throat, penetrating the unprotected joint. The creature's black blood spurted. Rath leaned back... fangs sprouted from his mouth and instant before he clamped his teeth down over the wound. The monster clawed at his back and arms, but the wounds closed almost as fast as they were made. Rath's body began to bulge and transform as he sucked the creature dry. Shredded clothes fell from his body, revealing not the pale skin of a human... but the dark fur of a beast. The carrion-digger convulsed and tried to pull free, but Rath's grip was suddenly like iron. His already large body swelled with inhuman power. Claws sprouted from his hands. His face elongated into a fang-filled predator's snout. Rath inhaled the last of the creatures blood... using his super-powered lungs to create so much suction that the carrion-diggers heart and vascular system imploded. Rath stepped back and flexed his powerful body. His eyes glowed like red lanterns. He drew the foul air into his inhuman lungs and howled like the unholy thing that he was-

"RRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR!"

Carrion diggers rushed down the corridor toward them. Rath grabbed the dead creature's arm in his massive clawed fist. He twisted and pulled... the huge armored limb came free with a *snap.* Rath kicked the corpse aside and swung the severed arm like a club, bashing two monsters with one swing. Malyk impaled a third. Rath met the forth creature's charge head-on. The carrion-digger's claws raked down across his massive chest, but Rath never flinched... and the claws left no wound behind. Whatever damage they had done was healed before the attack was finished. Not so, for the creature. Rath grabbed its head between his hands and twisted it around 180 degrees. The thick bones protecting the neck shattered. Before he could do anything else, three more creatures slammed into him. Their claws ripped at his flesh. Rath grabbed one monster's jaw and detached from the skull with one powerful yank. He shoved the severed jawbone into a second carrion-digger's face... driving the dead monster's fangs and teeth into living one's skull with enough force to pierce the brain. The third monster tried to rip out Rath's throat. Rath bit its hand off and then back-handed the creature so hard that the its skull shattered. The bones in Rath's fist shattered as well, but they were healed less than a second later.

Unconcerned and unafraid, the carrion diggers continued their suicidal charge into the lycanthropic meat-grinder that was Rath. At first he tore them apart easily, but more and more of them came... faster and faster. Rath had charged into their midst, and now they surrounded him. For ever one that he so much a scratched, three more were ripping at him. As strong and fast as he was, there were simply too many. They couldn't hurt him... yet... but their sheer numbers made it almost impossible to fight. He had no room to move... they pinned his arms... lifted him off of the ground... chewed and gnawed at his flesh while others started to swerve around him and continue down the hall toward the Rune Missionary. Malyk stepped forward and blasted them away one at a time, clearing a way for Rath to retreat, but it was no use. The things filled the passage for as far as either Malyk or Rath could see.

---

Thonia's armor was in ruins. She slid it off of her body and crept down the passage naked, armed only with claws, a torch, and a small pouch of equipment that had escaped the carnage with minimal damage. She didn't know where she was going... but she knew why. And she knew what she would find when she got there. She tracked it the same way that its kind tracked her... by scent. To everyone else, all of the creatures smelled the same... foul and dusty. But no. Not to her. Not to the Huntress.

She found her prey in the first chamber she came to... probably the ONLY chamber in this branch of the tunnel. He was there waiting, surrounded by two of his guards. They were waiting for her. They'd no doubt smelled her approach.

"GRAENAL!" the king howled. He pointed a long, curved claw at Thonia. The two guards moved to destroy the intruder. Thonia backed out of the room. The opening was so small the large creatures could only exit one at a time. When the first one emerged she darted past the entrance and sliced the thing's abdomen. One claw snaked into the small crevice where the thing's armored plates joined, and Thonia quickly opened its gut. It's blood gushed out onto her already bloody gauntlet. The wound wasn't fatal, but the creature stumbled and fell to the ground nonetheless... poisoned from the tiny mushroom-spine that Thonia had attached to her gauntlet. The spine had broken off in the carrion-digger's gut, but Thonia had another one tied to her other set of claws. She used it when the second creature came for her. She ducked, twisted, then raked her claws across the side of its face. The wound drew only a small trickle of blood, but it was enough. The carrion-digger staggered away and Thonia entered the king's chamber unopposed.

"Vithieug Jiantraaq Felavu!" the king spat. The huge creature lumbered toward Thonia.

"Come and claim your prey... if you think you are worthy."

The king gave a room-shaking roar. The ground vibrated from its thundering footsteps as it charged. Thonia threw herself to one side and ran past it. The creature swiveled and slashed at her as she passed. Its claws missed her by less than an inch. The king turned and lunged. Thonia's claws sliced a flap of skin off of his left arm and carved a painful groove from his wrist to his elbow. He reached for her with his other arm. She spun on her toes while slashing at his waist. He twisted suddenly and rammed his bony elbow into the side her head. Thonia fell and slashed at the king's hairy ankle as she rolled past. He lifted his foot and brought it down hard, but Thonia had already rolled away. She got to her feet and immediately blocked the king's claws as they sliced toward her face. His other hand came for her abdomen. She grabbed his hand and forced his wrist downward. The powerful bones and muscles were made to be strong in one direction for slashing and digging... but when forced too far in that direction, they became excruciatingly painful, much like a human wrist.

The king howled in pain and yanked his wrist out of her grasp, gouging her palm and forearm in the process. Thonia backed away, but not quick enough. A powerful slash barely grazed her throat, but the glancing blow opened her flesh and sent blood pouring down her chest.

---


"BACK AWAY!" Malyk shouted. "IF WE STAND TOGETHER WE CAN STILL HOLD THEM!!" Rath didn't respond... the blood lust was too great. And even if it weren't the creatures had managed to pin him... one was having great success trying to gnaw his hand off while several others were eviscerating him. A bolt of energy knocked two of the creatures back. Malyk ran to Rath's side and slashed another monster across the chest. Rath growled and slashed/bit/ripped his way free of the remaining carrion-diggers. One creature spewed a stream of mucous right into his face... he ripped the rapidly-hardening substance away, along with several layers of fur and skin. He grabbed the offending creature and the one next to it, then bashed their heads together so hard that they both cracked open like watermelons.

"BACK AWAY! FALL BACK!" said Malyk. "TRY TO UNDERSTAND! THERE ARE TOO MANY TO FIGHT YOUR WAY!"

Something in Rath's mind latched onto Malyk's words. Rath backed toward Malyk, then grabbed the closest carrion-digger, lifted him up and tossed him into the approaching horde.

Something roared behind them. Rath spun and swatted a creature away just before its claws reached Malyk's back. There were more of them... about a dozen of them came streaming out of newly-excavated holes in the walls. The creatures had tunneled AROUND them! Not only were they now surrounded, but untold numbers of the things went galloping down the passage after the party.

"WE HAVE FAILED!" said Malyk. Rath roared something unintelligible as the creature closed in from both directions. "UNLEASH YOUR FURY, FRIEND!" said the Missionary. "DELAY THEM LONG ENOUGH FOR ME TO END THIS!!"

Rath went mad. There was no sound other than the howling and roaring and the cracking of bones. He swung his fists and claws in all directions, destroying whatever was foolish enough to step in his path. Meanwhile, more and more of the carrion diggers entered the passage behind them. Rath barely resisted the urge to charge into them. He was not here to kill... not any more. He was here to protect. He had to hold them back... keep them back just long enough...

Malyk used his staff to clear a brief buffer of empty space between him and the coming onslaught, then he tossed his weapon and dropped to his knees. He folded his hands before him and began to shout words that came from his very soul.

"For the Lord of the Rune is a kind and gentle Lord, but he is also the Master of Wrath and Ruin. Let evil fear his gaze, and fear more the power that flows from his hands, for the Flames of Righteousness are in his eyes... and that which burns in the hearts of stars also doth burn within Him..."

The air around Malyk crackled and pulsed with power that was not there before. Rath's fur stood on end as the power began to build...


---

Her veins and windpipe were intact... but it had been close. And she could still bleed to death. The creature had taken her by surprise. Not only was it stronger and faster than it looked, but it was stronger and faster than any of the other carrion-diggers she'd fought. The thing came after the wounded Amazon with a vengeance. It brought its fist down toward her head. She stepped back away from the blow, then circled around warily. It threw itself at her... short yet muscular legs propelled its powerful body toward her. Thonia spun away, and the giant carrion-digger hit the wall behind her head first. It wasn't even stunned. It crouched for an instant and sprang after her again.

Thonia spun to the left, then suddenly changed directions. She slashed as the creature went past... a vicious blow that carved up the king's face and removed his right ear entirely. Despite the blood, the wound was superficial and ineffective. The king's arm came around in an upward slash meant to disembowel her. Thonia's clawed gauntlet shot into the king's exposed armpit. The arm was a moveable limb... there had to be a joint with exposed nerve and tendons. Thonia found that joint, dug her claws into it, and ripped it out while snarling into the thing's ruined ear.

"AROOOO!!"

The king threw its body into her and knocked her away. Thonia never lost her balance. She dropped to a crouching position and paused to see the effect of her attack. The king bounded after her, with one arm limp and bleeding at its side. Black lips peeled away from the king's teeth as its jaws sought Thonia's throat.

A spinning slash removed one of the king's eyes. An identical move sought to claim the other, but the king was too quick. Powerful jaws clamped down on Thonia's hand. Thonia yanked her hand free of the gauntlet just before the creature crushed it. He tried to grab her, but with only one working arm, the move was clumsy and easily avoided. Thonia darted behind the creature and grabbed a handful of its filthy, matted hair. She ripped the clod of hair right out of his skull. The king spun, swinging his arm in a reflexive back-hand strike. Thonia ducked and slashed... slicing both lips cleanly off of his face. She resisted the urge to strike again. Instead she backed away before the creature could retaliate.

The king glared at her with its one remaining eye. The gaze shifted briefly to the doorway, then back to Thonia. It growled deep in its throat. It shot toward her, then veered suddenly and made a dash for the exit. Thonia threw herself onto the king's back and secured herself with both legs and one arm. She raked her claws across his face, peeling off long ribbons of flesh with each slash. Blood splattered everywhere as she shaved his head down to the bare skull underneath... leaving only the one eye. Then she lifted her fist and made an imperceptible motion with her wrist-

SHLING!

The claws retracted-

Cha-CLACK!

-and three, four-inch spikes sprang from housings on the back of her fist. Thonia drove her fist down into the exposed skull

-KRUCK!

The spikes cracked through the bone and pierced the brain beyond. The king staggered, but didn't fall. He aborted his run for the door and headed for the nearest wall. He turned and slammed into it backwards, crushing Thonia between his rocky armor and the wall. Thonia felt something pop, and a painful numbness oozed through her body. The king stepped away and rammed the wall once more. Thonia pulled the bloody spikes free of its skull and drove them in again.

-KRUCK!

And again... and AGAIN... Her fist came down repeatedly, sending fragments of bone and chunks of gore flying back into her face. The top of the king's skull was a gaping hole. She punched through it, impaling the carrion-digger's brain. She pulled out and did it again. She retracted the spikes... then reached in with her bare hand and crushed the surprisingly small organ in her fist. She grabbed a fist-full and wrenched it out.

The king collapsed without so much as a whimper.

Thonia rolled off of its corpse and lay quietly. Her lower body felt trapped in a queer, uneasy state between excruciating pain and total numbness. She could move her legs, but it hurt. There was a pinched nerve somewhere in her spine. She knew she could not rest long, but even the few moments she was going to allow herself were cut short. The fight was over... the battle won..

...so why were the walls shaking?

And who was shouting?

Something was happening. Thonia didn't know what or why, but the mere sound of it drove her almost to the edge of fear. She started pulling herself to the doorway. Then she got on her knees and crawled. The sounds grew louder... and crawling wasn't fast enough.

She pushed the pain out of her mind, and got to her feet. Her first step almost put her back on the ground... almost. She took another. And another...

---

Malyk's voice was deeper and louder than it should have been... and it grew more so with every word he spoke. It was as if the wind and thunder of a raging storm was speaking the words alongside him.

"...let all that exists fear the Lord and His fury, for all that exists can be brought to nothing. What is now full can be burnt away by His wrath. And just as his Holy Disciples are one with his Will, so they are also one with Power..."

Malyk's body began to glow. It was not an aura... no, the light came not from the air around him, but from the man himself. His skin glowed. His robe. Every fiber of his being became a conduit for an otherworldly light... a bright and terrible light... a light as filled with terror and dread as the blackest, most sinister darkness imaginable. The carrion diggers saw it and ceased their attacks. Rath looked upon it, and something within him trembled. Malyk's prayers grew louder. His words shook the walls.

".. DEAR LORD, HEAR YOUR HUMBLE SERVANT'S PRAYER. EXAMINE MY HEART AND FIND ME WORTHY TO SERVE AS AN INSTRUMENT OF THY TERRIBLE WRATH. I IMPLORE YOU! FILL THY VESSEL WITH THEY WRATH SO THAT I MAY SMITE THIS EVIL THAT HAS SO OFFENDED THEE!!!"

The terrible light glowed brighter... and brighter... Malyk's body ceased to exist as it was. It wasn't emitting light... it WAS light. A million billion lightning-strikes all condensed into the shape of a man. Pure energy. Power Incarnate... a Force so great that to behold it was to look into a fragment of Creation itself. It throbbed like a living thing, humming and crackling and sending out waves of fear all around it.

The carrion-diggers grew restless. They began to stir. Some backed away. Some came forward... both reactions driven by uncontrollable fear. The glowing dynamo that was/is Malyk lifted its head.

"...cannot hold long..." it said. It turned toward Rath, who was as transfixed as the creatures he'd been fighting. It stared into Rath's eyes. Suddenly the thick cloud of rage and hunger pulled free of Rath's mind... snatched away by some force so that he would understand what was said next... so that he would abide the one, single word that Malyk spoke:

"...Run..."

Rath was gone. Driven by some force that he couldn't comprehend, Rath turned and bolted down the passageway. He shot past the carrion-diggers... moving so fast that he didn't even feel their claws as they grabbed at him. He didn't stop to fight. He couldn't. He had to run. Whatever stood in his path became part of whatever floor or wall was nearby... shoved aside or just run OVER. Rath tore through the darkness, his inhuman limbs carrying him faster than man OR beast...

...and behind him, the carrion-diggers finally snapped free of their thrall. They saw the light. They saw the Missionary. They knew. They knew that they had to destroy It. They came charging down the passageway toward the still-kneeling figure. The first few reached it... their claws lashed out... too late....

The sound was so loud that it could not be heard.

The carrion-diggers closest to It never knew what happened. They felt nothing. They saw nothing. In less than an instant, they were gone... vanished... broken down into composite atoms that were THEMSELVES shattered into ephemeral fragments. Those were the lucky ones. The creatures further way saw what came for them. A wave of something that defied their comprehension... a roiling, deadly mixture of light and heat and force and magic and a dozen other forms of energy that would never be understood by mortal beings. The wall of Divine Power slammed into them... went THROUGH them... and ate them alive as if every cell of their bodies had been dipped in acid. The walls melted around them. The floor rose up and crushed their disintegrating bodies against the crumbling ceiling. Chambers filled with hibernating creatures became lakes of evaporating flesh... then in the next instant the chambers themselves ceased to exist. The explosion raced down the network of passages, consuming everything it encountered, including the passage itself.

Some distance away, a group of humans were already running fanatically when they heard the frenzied footsteps of something approaching them. They turned to look. They couldn't tell whether it WAS ONCE a man our was in the process of BECOMING one... but the thing shouted at them in words they understood all too well.

"RUUUNNNNN!!!!" Rath shouted. His lycanthropic form was already reverting back to human, but he didn't stop to notice. "RUNNN!!! MOOOOOVVVE!!!!"

The ground began to shake, and they saw the wall of orange flames roaring down the passageway behind Rath. The sight and sound of it was like a glimpse into hell itself... it could not be described by anyone with even the tiniest mote of sanity in their soul. The party doubled their pace. Rath passed by them as if they were standing still. He flew past his employer, Princeton Park, without stopping. He slowed down to snatch the girl, Lara, into his arms... and then he was gone.

"RUNNNN!!!" he called out to the others. He needn't have bothered. Tired though they were, pure terror drove their tired limbs with almost inhuman vigor. But then the ground began to tremble under their feet. The trembling turned into violent hammering convulsions that literally ripped the walls, floor, and ceiling away from each other and dumped the entire party into a dark and terrifying free fall. Above and behind them, the explosion destroyed the place where they'd just been... it expanded to fill every crack and crevice... then destroyed those cracks along with anything living or dead that rested within them. Incredible heat washed down over the party as they fell. The darkness became so bright that it was like staring into the sun... and then it became dark once more.

...and they were still falling.

Were half of the party not deaf from the explosion, they would have heard Krycek shouting his spell. Their rapid descent slowed, and when they finally hit bottom it was with no more force than a fall from a low rooftop. Painful, but not deadly unless one was unlucky.

No one moved or spoke for a long time.

"....uhhhgh..." Princeton Park moaned. "Ohhhh, the pain... the pain..."

"Is everyone in one piece?" said Dokan.

"Yeah... if you're dead, speak up now... " Red replied.

"Lara?"

"I think Rath broke my fall."

"Get off me. Now."

Krycek mumbled a few words, and his light-globes reappeared around the party. It was when they appeared that the party first realized that they didn't need them. They could see. There was a dim, bluish-green light emanating from... somewhere.

"My gods..." Princeton gasped. He pointed off into the distance.. into the plainly visible distance. His bony finger trembled as, for once, he was without words. "...it's... it's...it's..."

Everyone turned to look. Everyone saw it.

"Gentleman," said Dokan. "I do believe we have arrived."

[To Be Continued]