We hurried down the tunnel while I kept half an eye on the beast’s tracks. The tunnel was definitely big enough for the size of the beast. It was reassuring that I was likely correct in my assessment of the creature.

  We didn’t encounter any resistance as the tunnel opened up into yet another cavern, where I couldn’t see the edges or the roof. The pace we set, a fast walk, was not an issue for me to see the tracks. I was surprised to see a slight glow to them, which eased my strain. Maybe I had gotten better at this, like the skill leveled up or something.

  “Company ahead!” snapped Druzzik. A heavily armored squad of kobolds blocked our way, waiting for us to approach. I couldn’t tell from their stances whether they were hostile or indifferent. The second one concerned me more.

  “Identify!” ordered the closest kobold.

  These kobolds were not only better equipped, but bigger in stature than any other kobold we had encountered.

  Druzzik spoke up first. “Druzzik of Emberveil Tribe. Heretic. Friends of Tribe. Adventurers.”

  The Cinderclaw nodded slowly, almost nonchalantly, as if the information was of little concern. “Emberveil, not enemy. Not friend. Adventurers on quest?”

  “Important quest. Druzzik on quest, too. Searching for Great Dragon.”

  “Heard of Druzzik. You mad. Great dragon gone. Clutch gone. Only vengeance. Mole people must pay for destroying clutch!” All four of the Cinderclaw kobolds shook their weapons in the air and let out a horrifying, guttural, hissing noise.

  The lead Cinderclaw narrowed their eyes, sizing us up. “Adventurers and Heretic may pass. Kill mole people. Bring proof to leave.”

  Druzzik bowed, and they let us pass. It was one of the weirdest things I had seen, but it made a certain amount of sense. They didn’t care about anything but killing the mole people at any cost. Even letting anyone in who would willingly kill for them. I didn’t want to think about having to fight them on the way out.

  The tracks led us on a meandering path through the massive space of the cavern, as if the beast were searching for something. Then it led us to the cavern wall, where another tunnel opened up into the cavern we were in. There was a stench emanating from the tunnel — an earthy smell of musk, unwashed fur, feces, and urine. It was a stronger smell than the rodent or ferret cages in a pet store mixed with that of an animal barn full of pigs unable to move around or clean themselves.

  “Finn, are you sure the trail leads in there? Please tell me you were just a little curious about the smell. I get it; it’s really awful, and you really had to know what the hells it was,” Jerseil said. He did not look anymore comfortable than Druzzik, who was rubbing his nose fiercely.

  “Sorry, guys, this is it. I wish it weren’t.” I replied apologetically. “It really is bad.”

  “Get over it. It’s just a smell,” Harper barked. “I’ve had to crawl through worse.”

  And she was right. The longer we stood there, the easier it got. No way I’m going to let any of these mole people get close to me, though. Fuck that!

  The smell worsened as we entered the cave beyond the tunnel. It was kind of a cul-de-sac opening up into a larger area. There were bones and other offal everywhere here, and I stepped carefully over and around as much of it as possible. But it didn’t enter the main area. Like the mole people had made piles of it to discourage entrance into their area.

  “Huh, I think the smell is coming from those piles. Maybe it isn’t the mole pe—” I stopped, watching the piles move and get up. What I thought were piles of trash were instead the monsters we had wanted to avoid. There was no time wasted in talk or intimidation. They just attacked us.

  Harper, who had been bringing up the rear, was in the middle of them. Her rapier moved quickly, slicing and stabbing the creatures with a look of distaste on her face, giving lie to her earlier stoicism. Druzzik bashed the skull of one of them and threw up in facing the owner of such a powerful stench. I couldn’t attempt to use my Chain Lightning spell with the two of them so close to the mole people.

  I cast Poisonous Shot. Thirty-four of the glowing green bolts oriented on the remaining mole people before launching themselves towards their targets and using up all but four of my mana points. I still wasn’t sure what the mechanism was for how they chose targets independently, but it was a glorious sight to see the creatures sprout the green bolts and get thrown back from me. The buzz I got from it was nice, too.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Harper barely dodged one flying backward and sliced it open from throat to crotch as it passed by her. It hit the wall, howling in pain, and feebly attempted to push its guts back into its abdomen. It almost succeeded before dying.

  That’s when I noticed the hacking cough of someone throwing up next to me. Jerseil, bent over, had emptied his stomach and looked a paler green than usual.

  The mole people were dead except for one, and they stunk worse than before. The one still hanging on to life gave a keening cry before slumping over. Similar cries sounded in the distance.

  “We have to go!” I yelled, grabbing the no longer vomiting Jerseil by the upper arm. Harper helped Druzzik, and we left at a run. I was glad the tracks of the beast were glowing now, because I had to watch ahead. The glow didn’t disappear even though I wasn’t focusing on it. Ahead, the sound of bare, clawed feet increased in volume. Five more mole people were coming at us. I drank down a mana potion and hit them with my Chain Lightning spell, killing all five.

  I’m loving these lower-level enemies. Like I’m actually able to do something! I thought as I ran on. The glowing tracks led us more towards the right, and into another group of alert and agitated mole people. This time, knives flew past Jerseil and me. The lead mole people fell as more knives flew into their fellows behind them.

  “Keep going, don’t stop!” yelled Harper.

  On we ran, me in the lead with Jerseil, now more accustomed to the smell, running beside me. Druzzik and Harper brought up the rear. We heard more keening in the distance, but not coming toward us.

  It didn’t seem like we were being followed. Yet.

  That worry stopped when we came to an opening in the wall. This one was different. There was a glimmering boundary covering the entrance, similar to a soap bubble. I could see the tracks entering, and thousands of tracks of mole people going up to the barrier and moving back and forth in front of it. Like they had continually tested it for years.

  “We have to go in there,” I said. “And I don’t know if we can cross that barrier.”

  “Does it look like the mole fuckers can go in there?” Jerseil asked, face still pale.

  “No, they can’t get through,” I replied.

  He stepped forward. “Then I’m going in there, even if it kills me.”

  The barrier bent inward before pushing back against Jerseil, not letting him through. “Fuck! I just want to be free of this horrible smell!” he cried out.

  “Maybe Finn needs to go in first, as the quest holder.” Harper said. “Finn, go ahead.”

  I stepped up to the barrier and put my hand out to touch it. My hand went right through, like there was nothing there. Well, isn’t that something? I stepped through into the cave beyond. More of an antechamber. The air was clean and free of the stench.

  The rest tried to follow, but the barrier stopped them. Them, the stench, and any sound. I stepped back through and almost gagged. “Oh, goddamn it! Grab onto me.”

  They each grabbed onto me — Harper and Jerseil an arm each, poor Druzzik my left leg. I started moving through the barrier, feeling resistance for the first time. I struggled to push through, pulling my friends with me. We collapsed onto the floor in a pile and just breathed in the air.

  “How did you know that would work?” asked Jerseil. He breathed deeply of the fresh air.

  “I don’t know. After I stepped through, I just… sort of guessed.”

  “You fucking guessed? Finn, you beautiful bastard. I thought I would die from the stench alone!” Jerseil exclaimed. “I would kiss you, but I’m pretty sure you need a bath.”

  Harper laughed, soon joined by the rest of us. “Let’s not do that again if we can avoid it.”

  I got up, looking around the small cave, preceding a tunnel into what I assumed was a larger cave. The barrier looked the same, and I hoped it would continue to hold the mole people out. My face fell as I remembered that we would have to go back out there, needing proof of our kills to pass by the Cinderclaws. I think I’ll keep that to myself for a bit. Don’t want to ruin the moment.

  There were some carvings on the walls in a language I couldn’t read. I stepped up closer to get a closer look. “Druzzik, are you familiar with this language?” I asked.

  He came over and looked at it, his eyes widening. “Yes, Finn. Is familiar.”

  “Can you tell me what it says?”

  “Never learned. Sorry. But Uncle might,” he said.

  “Well, I doubt he’d come here anytime soon. Anyone have paper and charcoal?”

  “Oddly enough, I do,” Jerseil said. “What do you need it for?”

  “Just to get a rubbing of these carved words. Druzzik’s uncle might be able to translate them.” I answered.

  “Sure, you can borrow some,” he replied, handing me a few sheets and a chunk of charcoal.

  I took a rubbing of the carved words, Druzzik watching fascinated as the strange words appeared on the paper with my rubbing the charcoal on the paper, pressed to the wall. It took me eight sheets to get all of it, and I numbered each one, with some overlap so I could put it back together.

  “I don’t know if this will help, but I’m pretty sure it’s a clue. To what, I’m not sure. But I would like to know more about this place and what happened,” I said.

  “It is probably a recipe. For mole burgers or chicken wings,” Harper muttered. “Though the barrier should hold, I don’t want the mole people to see us in here and block our way out.”

  I nodded and carefully put the rubbings in my backpack. “Right. I’m ready to find the lair of the beast.”

  “And I, for one, am ready for a nap!” said Jerseil, followed by an enormous yawn.

  “Druzzik think sleep good. Find beast first. Finish Finn’s Quest. Finnish Druzzik’s quest. Then home and feast!”

  We entered a bigger cave. Something crunched ominously under my boot.