บท 82: Tunnel diving

A few days after they started their preparations, Leo and Iris led a small team of dwarves down into the labyrinth. Their goal was to travel a ways down the route to Asdarge, and ensure no monsters were present to threaten the caravan. Any that were present were to be eliminated. They took a separate path down until they were on the labyrinth, and Leo saw the underground space for the first time. It was a giant tunnel that looked to carved from stone, and not a natural formation.

{this is the tunnel under Tirdaral, if we go this way it'll take us further to the east. Down there a ways is a branching tunnel that goes further south. We want the other way to go north, if needed well also block up other branching tunnels to prevent attacks.} Leo nodded, but hoped they wouldn't have to do that in order to properly use the tunnels later.

He then led the way forward so that he would be able to detect any movement ahead, and Iris took the rear for the same reason. He listened to the directions he was given and they went forward for the next couple hours. They gave themselves a whole week to scout the tunnels, and planned to make use of it. After walking for several hours, they decided to take a break and the dwarves rest. While Leo and Iris were the muscle, the dwarves were the navigation and it wouldn't be very good if their navigators got lost from being tired. Not long after they started going again, Leo called a halt,

{I hear something up ahead, Iris come up here and give me a hand it sounds big.} Iris quietly moved up and together they moved forward until they saw what was ahead of them. Leo was looking at a giant snake at least five feet around and fifty feet long. It was slowly moving around as it seemed to be looking for food. Leo's eyes started glowing at the challenge, and Iris started getting a bit excited as well. They both knew they couldn't leave the snake alone for the future, so they got ready for the fight.

{if I'm correct, the hood probably means it's venomous. But it could also something worse that we have to avoid, So just avoid whatever comes out of its fangs. I'll go for the distraction and you attack it's body to wear it out.} Iris nodded at his words, knowing that as the stronger one Leo was better suited for the distraction. He then charged forward after a brief breath, and started the change. He quickly threw off his cloak and fur grew out all over his body. The snake noticed him instantly and lunged forward for its next meal.

As it opened its mouth to swallow him, Leo reached out his hands and grabbed the upper and lower jaw while planting his legs to stop the snakes lunge. As he slowed it down, Iris appeared behind it and started slashing with her daggers and left deep gashes in its hide. The snake pulled back its head out of Leo's claws and wailed in pain at its wounds. It turned to Iris and bared its fangs as it prepared to spit. She swiftly left from the spot and when the spit hit the ground it started melting a hole in the stone.

'Acid spit, I figured as much' Leo thought to himself, and he leapt at it with his claws bared and sank them into the snakes scales. It then turned back to Leo and tried to coil around him, just to experience Iris slashing her daggers across its spine when it's attention moved from her. It suddenly lost feeling in its body past the slashes, and for the first time started getting scared. The snake then tried to run away, but after losing its mobility wasn't able to. Iris sank her daggers into its skull after it started to give up hope, and killed it instantly. Leo changed back and looked at the beast they killed, and wondered if it tasted good. As he was wondering this the dwarves came over after ensuring it was dead, and he asked,

{hey, are we able to use this for provisions? If so we can have a feast tonight and preserve our other food.} the dwarves didn't seem to know how to respond, as this was a beast that had plagued most of their attempts to use the tunnel in the past, and Leo and Iris just killed it with what seemed like ease. After confirming that it was edible, they continued on with the labyrinth exploration for the next well before returning to the surface.