[Cari/Lawrince/Yals/Lucc]

Yals had moved up to help track, but the envoy stayed near Alexandrin,
Lucc and Cari, who was at the moment concentrating on keeping up a warding
against whatever might be waiting in the dark.

"Not even the rats look real healthy living in here," Yals commented, and
pointing towards one that scurried away - its fur the color of jaundice.

"Shouldn't we be staying quiet or something?" Lawrince asked; his torch
revealing a pale and worried face. With his free hand he pulled from his
pocket a kerchief, which he held to his nose against the stench of decay.

"I think he knows someone's here," Lucc said.

::And I'm just wondering what's taken all these months to start
decomposing,:: Cari added, ::Given time and weather and rats most
everything should have been bone by now.::

"Thank you," was all the envoy said.

---

[Fillip]

Fillip picked himself back up - after falling over _something_ in the
hall. He decided to call the something a "rock" and not feel around;
instead he cursed the fact that fire burned along the cuts in his hands,
particularly when he had to press his palm to the dank wall in order to
feel his way along.

He kept moving forward, despite the nearly overwhelming stench, since he
would be just as lost going back as he would be going forward.

The cold rock beneath his wounded hand at least gave the illusion of
stablity in his dark world. The cool rock sometimes easing his pain....

Beneath his hand he felt something moist and moving, and a fresh blossom
of decay assailed his nostrils. Fillip screamed and stumbled back, and
back; until he fell over a pile of debris, and after that he scrambled
back on his hands and knees.

---

[Eric/Lovvorn]

Eric stopped suddenly.

"What was that?"

"What was what?"  said Lovvorn.

"I heard a scream.  We're close."

"I didn't hear anything..."

Eric ignored him and continued down the path.   A secondary
corridor branched off to the left; Eric took it without hesitation.

"Eric, are you SURE you heard a real scream... maybe this
STENCH is so bad that you can HEAR it!"

Eric ignored him.  He held his blade firmly in his hand, his eyes
narrowed, his gait became quick and sure.  He had an odd,
blank expression on his face...

The quarry was close... and soon their prey would be both
a murderer AND a victim.


[Cari]

With Alexandrin, Yals and Lucc protecting the envoy Cari felt free to move
forward, with a torch in one hand and a blade in the other. ::Leave enough
of him to answer some questions,:: she sent to Hood.

Her main focus was still on the wards, since the fluctuating magical
fields were taking their toll. Though she kept one containment matrix
ready - in hopes of having something to present to the Guard so they would
have a nice explanation to give the public.

As they came around the corner she saw, out of the corner of her eye,
something moist reflected in the torchlight, and held the flame higher.
::Interesting,:: was her only comment as the reason for the stench was
revealed.

Whether the original spell had been flesh to stone, or stone to flesh, it
was obvious that the casting had gone wrong - for one entire wall was of
putrescent flesh, though the occasional face or limb gave hint that it
might have started off as a flesh to stone that backfired.

Lawrince made a gagging sound, and turned away - holding his stomach.

[Fillip]

The sound of voices echoed through the crushed dungeons, and drew Fillip
out of the labyrinth of broken cells and bones. He moved towards the sound
and soon noted the flicker of torches. At first he felt relief and joy at
seeing other people, but then he began to wonder at _why_ anyone would
wander these accursed halls. Adventurers at best. But he decided that with
his luck he had stumbled on the den of thieves or cultist.

He picked up the nearest stick, which felt far too slick to his touch, and
crouched amongst the rocks, hoping they would pass on by.

[Eric/Lovvorn]

"Ooo, look..."  Lovvorn walked over to the flesh-wall and studied it up
close. The stench and grotesque horror of the thing seemed to have no
impact on the jovial mage.  He found one of the face-like projections and
smiled at it.

"Isn't magic wonderful,"  he said to the face.  It wasn't quite clear
whether he was being sarcastic or not.  "I simple MUST learn that spell.
You wouldn't happen to remember it, would you?"

The decaying face remained silent and motionless.

"Didn't think so.  Oh, well..."

Lovvorn returned to the group and fell in line behind Eric.

The group rounded a corner, and Eric signaled everyone
to stop.   There was total silence save the light hissing
of the torches... but they were too close not to hear any
footsteps.

He was hiding.

Eric's eyes traveled over every dark place in the corridor
before them.   Every shadow or crevice large enough to hold
even the smallest human recieved his undivided attention.
He studied his surroundings like a predator...
Watching for movement... listening for the unmistakable
sound of hushed breathing.   When he was satisfied that the
quarry wasn't in range of the torchlight,  Eric walked a few
 more feet and repeated the process.  Watching...
listening...

[Fillip]

The silence in the cell folded around Fillip like the pitch-darkness that
filled the ruin.

He could hear the faint movement in the halls beyond, and felt the
tightness of terror gripping his throat as he realized the group was
moving towards his hiding place. What did they seek? Did they know an
intruder hid in their dank temple of horror?!

Fillip could easily envision dark-robed acolytes, ravaged by whatever fell
this place, seeking their quarry for a sacrifice. His fingers ached with
tension as he gripped his weapon; he thighs ached from crouching amongst
the rubble. And he wanted to squint his eyes shut - to hide from the
phantom lights that danced in his vision due to the absence of light. The
tiny scrabbling of rats feet over stone drew his attention in the
direction of the sound, and he bit his lip until he tasted blood - to keep
from screaming when another rat brushed against his foot.

With pounding heart he waited......

Until the vision of Denlira's ravaged face seemed to float again in front
of his face, and Fillip screamed out, "I loved you!!"

And fled into the hall.

[Eric/Lovvorn]

*I love you?* thought Lovvorn.  *Now THAT's an odd thing to
be shouting in the middle of a dark whatever-this-is...*

"There he is!"  Lovvorn pointed to the vague shadow that appeared
near the edge of Eric's torchlight, and then vanished down the corridor.

Eric Hood started after him... walking at a sure,  leisurely pace that
nonetheless took him quickly down the corridor behind the fleeing
shadow.

[To be continued.]