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.Of course, that one will have to keep an eye on all our food, and supplies.Would you consider performing this important service for us? I don’t think any of these other ‘dimwits’ could handle that.”For a moment, he though that the little blue creature would argue, but Newt quickly reconsidered the prospect.“Well, okay, but you’ll have to tell me all about what it’s like in there.I’ve always wanted to go in, but never really had the time in my busy day before.”“We promise!” answered the prince.“Wait with the horses, and we will see you very soon!”“Good-bye!” called the dragon, already heading toward the saddlebags.The prince turned to his friends.“Be careful,” he cautioned.“And be prepared for anything!”Robyn and Daryth took burning torches and followed Tristan into the tunnel.The passage widened enough immediately that Tristan and Robyn could walk side by side in the lead, while Daryth followed them and Pawldo brought up the rear.The little halfling walked carefully backward, keeping an arrow nocked and ready.As Tristan walked deeper into the tunnel, he felt his feet sink into clutching mud.The stuff came up to his ankles, making each step hard work.In several places a pool of chilly water spread across the tunnel, splashing as high as his calves.Pawldo was forced to hold his bow horizontally at shoulder height.Soon the thin rays of light filtering in the tunnel entrance disappeared behind them, and they advanced by the dim light of the flickering torches.Fortunately, the tunnel was straight, and the footing even.Looking around, the prince saw that the tunnel was supported by a network of overhanging roots, many as broad as oak limbs.Occasionally a creeping tendril draped from the ceiling or wall, but for the most part the framework seemed quite secure.Soon they entered a larger chamber, where the tunnel walls fell away to the bare limits of their vision on either side.The room seemed to be a good ten paces wide.The far end was lost in darkness, and water covered the entire floor.Rank smells seemed to rise from the stagnant pool.It smells like death, thought the prince, or maybe not quite death, but close.No sound stirred in the tunnel except for the quiet sloshing of their feet moving through the water.“Oh!” Robyn uttered a sharp cry and fell.The prince turned to see her slip downward as if she had stepped into a deep hole.Water splashed as he grabbed her arm.Sputtering and splashing, she managed to regain her footing on the lip of the underwater hole.Somehow she had kept her torch out of the water during the mishap.“Look out!” hissed Daryth, and the prince saw the flash of a scaly body in the center of the pool.Whatever it was, it swiftly disappeared underwater.For seconds the room was absolutely silent.The only movement was the steady growth of the rings of ripples on the water’s surface.They spread outward, sloshing against Tristan’s legs.Still there was no sign of their maker.Suddenly a gaping mouth, bristling with white teeth, burst from the water at Robyn’s feet, followed by most of a scaly body.She lurched backward as Pawldo released his arrow and Tristan stabbed with his knife.The prince felt the blade bite home, but the creature immediately vanished under the water again.Pawldo quickly readied another arrow as Daryth pulled Robyn back.The Calishite brandished his torch, moving toward the hole.For a moment the chamber resounded with no sound other than their heavy breathing, which rasped with fear and excitement.Tristan felt the thrill of challenge tingle through his body, and had difficulty holding his blade steady.Again, water exploded before them and a large body rushed toward Daryth.Scales gleamed in the torchlight, but Tristan could not tell whether the monster was reptile or fish.Limbs that could have been fins or feet thrashed through the water, and those vicious teeth drove toward the Calishite’s face.Pawldo loosed his arrow instantly and saw it lodge in the monster’s neck.Tristan hacked mightily with his sword, opening a deep gash in its head.And Daryth brought the torch around in an instinctive effort to ward off the attack.Light flared in the dingy chamber as the torch rushed through the air and plunged into the monster’s mouth.The smell of seared flesh spread through the air, and the creature whirled around frantically in the water.A final thrust of its huge tail knocked the prince headlong, and then the monster was gone.For long moments they waited, slowly catching their breath.“Is everyone all right?” asked Tristan, recovering his feet.“I think so,” replied Daryth.“What was that?” asked Robyn, trying unsuccessfully to suppress a shudder.“I don’t know,” admitted the prince.Like Robyn, he felt a nameless, crawling horror in this place.He wanted very badly to run into the light of the sun, but instead he gestured forward.As Daryth climbed carefully to his feet, he spoke, his eyes wide.“I’ve heard of things that live deep in the earth, half fish, and half serpent.They are used by the mountain sultans of Calimshan to guard their most priceless treasures and the secret passages of their palaces.They are large and fast… and mightily evil.Their fangs drip with venom.” The Calishite paused, remembering something unpleasant.“I almost met…” His voice trailed off and he looked up, as if suddenly remembering his surroundings.He shook his head and remained silent.Not certain whether he wanted Daryth to say more or not, Tristan led the group as they carefully picked their way around the hole that had caught Robyn unaware.She carefully probed the ground before them with her cudgel, and they soon waded through the large chamber into the shallower water of the tunnel.As they continued through the long tunnel, the prince noticed that the floor had begun to slope a bit.The water flowed around their feet toward the large chamber behind them.Then, for several minutes the water level decreased steadily, until soon it had dropped to a small stream running down a gutter in the center of the tunnel.With some relief, they walked upon dry ground again, and their progress quickened.Soon they reached an apparent end to the tunnel, as bare dirt walls capped the passage before them and to either side.“This looks like a dead end,” said Tristan, inspecting the walls with his fingertips.“We might have known that Newt’s solution would have a drawback.”“Hold on a minute,” cautioned Daryth.“Give me a boost.” Looking up, Tristan saw that they stood below some kind of drainage pipe.About four feet in diameter, the pipe appeared to go straight up, outdistancing the range of the torchlight.The prince lifted his friend to his shoulders so that the upper half of Daryth’s body extended into the pipe.He grunted in pain as the Calishite climbed to his feet, resting muddy boots against each of the prince’s ears.“This doesn’t look too bad,” grunted Daryth, his voice echoing from the pipe.In moments he found a handhold, and his feet disappeared into the pipe after him.“Stand back” he warned, as mud and unidentifiable muck fell from the pipe to splash upon Tristan, who had been looking upward in amazement
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