The Descent

I returned to the camp just as the first wind stirred through the skeletal trees, dragging the morning haze behind it. The girls were already packed and waiting. Karlach stood confidently near the fire, her new straps hugging her body in a way that felt less like armor and more like intention. The glint of polished buckles drew the eye across her tight frame—bold and glowing. She posed idly as she chatted, one hip cocked with a cheeky expression.

Shadowheart stood beside her, she wasn’t exactly shy—more like... practiced. Watching, absorbing. She looked calm, even awaiting But the way her eyes lintered on me? Longer. Softer.

Lae’zel, of course, looked about two seconds from growling. Arms crossed, weight shifted, her foot tapping faintly like she’d already decided I was late before she even saw me.

Karlach waved with one arm raised high, grin wide. “There he is!”

Shadowheart nodded more subtly. “Welcome back,” she said, quiet but affectionate.

Lae’zel’s eyes narrowed. “You’re late.”

“Well.., I found something cool,” I said, already knowing what was in store for us.

“We don't need more useless delays,” she replied, already turning slightly toward the road. “We should be moving. The creche won’t come to us.”

“It’s not,” I said. “I think it’s important. Come on, just a short detour.”

She sighed, long-suffering. “Every step away from our goal is another day our skulls slowly cracks open.”

“And every step without preparation is a step into failure,” I countered. “This might be worth it.”

[Lae'zel: Approval -1]

Reluctantly, with a few more glares and a lot of side-eye, the party followed me through the remnants of the ruined village. We passed the crumbling houses and overgrown garden plots until we reached a small circular clearing where an old stone well sat half-sunken in moss and rot.

The girls looked around, unimpressed.

Karlach tilted her head. “So. What are we looking at?”

Shadowheart studied it with a skeptical expression. “Doesn’t seem magical.”

Lae’zel crossed her arms. “This is what we followed you for? A hole?”

I stepped forward, flicked a small gold coin between my fingers, and let it fall into the well. It spun, caught the light—and vanished. No splash. Just the faintest metallic plink far below.

“No water,” I said.

Karlach raised an eyebrow. “And?”

I shrugged. “I have a feeling. Adventure’s down there.”

“That’s your feeling?” Lae’zel’s voice was acid. “We’re chasing feelings now?”

I gave her a look "You should know by now I have a good intuition,"

"T'schk!" Her usual sound of disapproving acceptance.

Shadowheart looked at me. “There’s an echo. It goes deep.”

Karlach leaned forward, peering over the edge. “I’m game. Never been one to say no to a mystery pit.”

I smiled and turned to Shadowheart. “We’ll need someone who moves well in the dark.”

She gave a small, knowing smile. “I can guide.”

Then we all turned to Lae’zel.

She gave a a even sharper "T'schk!" and stared at the well, jaw clenched. “If you die, I won’t mourn. But if this wastes my time, I will drag you to the creche by your hair and make you beg for mercy from Vlaakith yourself.”

“Deal” I said.

With the party aligned, I moved to the edge of the well and peered into the abyss. It was darker than I expected. Not just the absence of light—but something older. Hungrier.

I gripped the rope and eased myself over the edge.

Sliding down came naturally. The stone was worn smooth, as though others had passed this way before. Heat built above me, and I looked up. Karlach followed, a few paces above, her skin glowing in the dark like a living torch. The metal of her buckles clinked faintly with each movement. The rope curiously not getting burned.

Shadowheart came next, silent and elegant, and finally Lae’zel, efficient and controlled in her descent.

The further we dropped, the more the air changed. Cold, damp, and tinged with rot. After a few long minutes, my boots met soft earth. I stepped aside, helping guide Karlach down behind me. Her flames lit the chamber—revealing stone walls cracked by roots, and a floor littered with scattered bones, dried mud, and long-abandoned tools.

Ahead, the cave split three ways.

Massive spiderwebs draped across every visible surface, thick as sails and clinging like cobwebs from a nightmare.

Karlach opened her mouth to speak.

I held up a hand, lowering my voice. “Quiet. We’re not alone.”

Everyone crouched.

We moved as one, slipping deeper into the dark, following my meta-mindmap of this place, mimicking thoughfulness and careful consideration.