Page 42 of Monster Lover
“This was my best suggestion, but we have not found the wizard and must continue.”
Daemona shook her head. “If we have already lost Harlin to this curse, how can we overcome Ghul Tark himself?”
“The Swamp is getting to you—it causes despair. We must rise above it. Someday we shall overcome his darkness. Only by continually striving can we reach that place. Please, let’s head back and find another way to restore Harlin.”
Daemona reluctantly agreed, and they turned about to start back the way they had come. They all felt eyes watching them, and soon enough the terrible chittering and squeaking they had heard earlier became louder.
“Bats?”
“I hope so.”
The chittering came closer, echoing off the cavern walls in disorienting waves.
A patch of darkness appeared to be moving. They drew their weapons, but realized the futility of it in half a heartbeat. Their lanterns revealed hundreds of gleaming red eyes. A horde of greedy rats was swarming toward them. There was no way they could possibly cut down such a tiny yet endless throng. The chiseled teeth of the tiny monsters snapped furiously.
“Run! Back the other way!” ordered Ghul Lykos.
They ran as fast as they could in the uneven darkness, but the river of rodents flowed on behind them with snapping teeth and starving squeals. Here and there one of the rats would falter and the mass would flow over them like eddies in a torrent. The very air now stank with the fetid odor of the rats.
A sheer cliff ended their flight. They were trapped with a river of black water rushing far below.
“I always thought I would die in a glorious fight against some magnificent infernal monster, but now we are doomed by lowly rats,” snarled Ghul Lykos.
Like stars in some infernal night, the eyes of the horde glimmered against their lanterns.
Daemona pondered porting, but she couldn’t see anything beyond the rats. She couldn’t go beyond them and there was nowhere else in sight; she risked porting into stone if she blindly went.
“There is one chance,” said Ivy.
“What?” both Daemona and Ghul Lykos asked.
Ivy gripped them both and fell backward off the cliff just as the surge of rats charged them.
Cold water slapped them and stole their breath. Daemona struggled and could only just make out the features of the cavern as they were carried along. Being a Succubus, she knew she could see better in the dark than her two companions, but even she was hard-pressed to gain equilibrium in the turbulent waters. She was worried for Harlin in her satchel, but daren’t look for him lest he be swept away. Ghul Lykos and Ivy looked to be nearby, holding onto each other for support as the water made all of them careen through the narrow abyss.
Then a rock dashed her in the head and all went completely black.
Chapter 13:
Daemona’s eyes blinked open in delirium. A figure with a horned helm was standing over her. All she could see was the dark shape of the man outlined by the glowing orb in his hand and then eternal blackness behind.
“Greetings, little Succubus. Welcome to my abode,” he said, sounding friendly enough. He extended a hand and helped Daemona up from the cold, lapping waters. “I trust you know these other two as well.” He gestured to Ghul Lykos and Ivy. “They have already introduced themselves.”
They were pulling themselves from the dark river. Daemona could see bruises on their faces as well as lightly bleeding gashes. Her own skull was throbbing, and she guessed that had the same bumps and bruises. “I am Daemona.”
“I can take care of those hurts, though it seems none are too serious,” said the strange man.
“Who are you?” she asked. “Are you the wizard I’ve heard that lives here?”
“Me? No, I’m no wizard, just a healer who became trapped in a gloomy dungeon.”
“This is a dungeon?”
“I think so,” said the man. “I haven’t been able to find a way out.”
“What is your name?” Daemona asked.
He pondered a moment and scratched his beard. “I don’t know.”