Instructions: Go along the tunnel.

Alexia followed the little green man's instructions. The tunnel was harder to traverse than smooth stone floor. When the tunnel didn't seem to end, Alexia started wondering if she was heading along the correct path. What if the little green man had lied?

The pampered lifestyle of an aristocrat had left her with little strength or stamina. She had to take frequent pauses when a simple farmer girl could have reached the end a long time ago.

After an eternity the came to the end. The instructions told her that there was a hall ahead, but "thread lightly or you will awaken the King". She was almost at the end! Just across the hall should be a door, and pass that and several slight of stairs would be a small hole to the surface. It was that close!

Carefully she climbed from the tunnel into the adjoining hall. It was a massive chamber that her crystal couldn't fully light. Walking across the hall, she felt exposed, like there was something watching her from the impenetrable darkness. Panic building, Alexia started to quicken her pace, until she was running at full speed. She could already see the large wooden door, rotting from neglect and fungus.

"Well well well. Who do we have here?"

The voice made her blood freeze. She stopped in her tracks. Whatever spoke was behind her. Slowly she turned around, and saw a large figure standing in the middle of the hall. He was taking large confident strides towards her. There was a regal aura to the man, but the fact that he was here and wasn't in rags meant that he wasn't an exile. And that meant he was a denizen of this darkness.

"I don't usually get visitors at all. Especially not one so beautiful."