Find the hatch.

The forest becomes denser as your party proceeds forth. A deer trail is all that allows you passage between the trees and underbrush, and all you can hear is the crunching of boots, and the noisy songs of birds chirping away in the canopy above. Your feet are damp, there are bugs in the air, yet with your trusty magic blade at your side, you can't help but feel at least a little bit excited. Whether you've been given some sort of confidence booster shot from the Trial of the Erotrain, or it's because you haven't done any true RPG adventuring in quite some time, you don't mind slaying a few monsters and looting some treasure, especially if it ends with Gobiidae becoming your ally. While on the run from the law, the more people on your side the better.

Fortunately, the location isn't far. Like they said, it isn't the distance that left this location unfound for so long. It's almost completely grown over, and it would take forever to explore every inch of this forest. The villagers don't seem like the adventurous type either. They probably only venture out here to hunt and to gather.

"There," Amara speaks up. She gestures her quarterstaff towards the foot of a nearby tree.

Niki digs away roots and leaves to reveal a rickety wooden door leading straight into the ground. "Good eye. This has to be it, right?" She reaches down and grabs hold of a metal handle, but it doesn't budge.

"Snow knows how to pick locks. If only she was here," Eva says.

Then Niki yanks her arm back, not only breaking the hatch open, but splintering it to pieces. A small part remains hanging on its hinges while the rest crumbles into chunks from her clenched fist to the forest floor beside her. "I can pick locks too."

"That isn't the same thing!"

She snickers. "It worked, didn't it? I'll go first. And look, there's light coming from inside. Think that means someone's home?" Without any further delay, she steps her foot down on the rung of a ladder trailing down the passage wall. She starts to descend.

"Wait for me. If someone's home, that means we should be cautious," you say before following behind. You stare down the tunnel, which looks to be forty-feet deep at least. Like she said, there is a dim light coming from the bottom. You just can't make anything else out. "Just don't run off," you whisper.

Eva comes down next. Her tiny skirt does nothing to keep your upward gaze from absorbing the full, captivating view of her perky butt tightly squeezed by a pair of white and blue striped panties. Her ass bounces ever so slightly with each rung she climbs. You shake your head, however, and peer downward. As great as it is to stare to the heavens, you need to make sure you aren't descending to hell.

Amara comes after her, and after a few moments, the four of you step foot in the entry way to a rather large room.

It's a surprise that such an expansive room could exist right beneath the forest. The walls must be incredibly sturdy. That seems accurate, as the stone walls and ceiling are actually enforced by striped of metals. The floor consists of smooth, white stone tiles that have been aged with time. Four thick columns help keep the room together as well, though despite that, there's still enough room for a whole dinner party in here, and it's illuminated both by a large magic orb hanging above, as well as several smaller ones along the walls. There's only one door, and its present on the opposite end.

The strangest things present are the various boulders laying around on the floor. Some are large, while others are more like rocks. There are no chunks missing from the ceiling, however, so they had to have been placed here on purpose. Everything actually seems rather intact besides that mess. It gives you an uneasy feeling.

"I wonder what it is this room is used for," Amara asks quietly. "Or who would live down here. Perhaps the lights are merely still on from ages past."

"Well, there's no use standing around." Niki proceeds forward with her mace and shield at the ready. When she moves near one of the smaller rocks, she looks down and gives it a kick with her foot. "Who leaves stuff like this all over?"

It rolls to the side, but then halts to reverse direction. It begins to rock back and forth, like an egg about to hatch. Then another joins in. And another.

"Uh oh." You draw your blade. It glows a very faint pink, but no matter the power it absorbs, it's a strong sword to wield. You notice each of the boulders is now starting to move, though you aren't sure what to do besides wait for them to make their move.

Eva backs into you with her wand pointed out. "Is the enemy... rocks?"

Amara bumps into your other side and grips her staff tight. "They are congregating."

She's right. They're starting to roll towards one another, not in the direction of your party.