Moonlit Adventures

Chapter 3: Pit of Fire

Nyleiah slithered through the cavern, going back the way she came.

Dear god, I hope I have enough time, she thought frantically.

She heard voices up ahead that belonged to Fynn and Hali. They still hadn't advanced any further down the cave. Morphing back into her normal self, Nyleiah faced them with a worried expression.

"Woah, where did you come from?" Fynn jumped, surprised at her sudden appearance.

"I don't have much time," Nyleiah rushed to explain, "Whistle has been captured by a cult of kobolds who's about to cook them in a pit of fire. We have to go save them."

"Whistle's been captured?!" Hali exclaimed, a concerned look now on his face.

Nyleiah nodded, "Stay here for now, I'm going to go get the others and fill them in too. Then we can all go together."

She rushed towards the entrance of the hole, noticing a rope had been dropped down. Nyleiah started climbing it, using the rope to help on her way up.

As she shoved her way out of the hole, Nyleiah spotted Barry and Remoa sitting together nearby. They both looked at her as she stood up, brushing the dirt off her pants.

"Nyleiah," Remoa got up from where he was seated, "where is everyone?"

"Listen, I don't have time to fill you in right now. Just follow me and I'll let you know on the way."

Nyleiah waved at them to follow her, and then started her descent down the hole once more. Since she wasn't in rattlesnake form this time around, it was a bit more difficult. But because she was physically in good shape, she made it down without any trouble. She only used the rope to help steady her if she needed it.

Making it to the bottom, Nyleiah looked behind her. Remoa and Barry were in hot pursuit. They got to solid ground and joined her, Fynn, and Hali.

"Okay, you going to tell us what's going on now?" Barry asked, taking a step towards her.

Nyleiah cleared her throat.

"Whistle is in big trouble. Down those tunnels, in a large cavern, there's a cult of kobolds and a pit of fire. The pit of fire has a pole in the center of it, where Whistle is chained to. They can't get out. There are probably around 8 kobolds currently present from what I could see," Nyleiah explained.

"Alright then, let's move." Hali said, advancing down the corridor.

"Let me take the lead on this one," Nyleiah interjected before he got any further, "I know the way to the big cavern. Remember, we have to be stealthy."

Hali stepped back, letting Nyleiah take the lead. Remoa and Fynn were just a few paces behind her as they wound through the endless tunnels. They took care with their steps, hardly letting themselves make any noise.

As they turned a corner, Nyleiah stopped the group. She turned around and put a finger to her lips, signaling them to be silent.

She looked around the bend, where a small cave was tucked into the wall.

On her first journey through the tunnels, Nyleiah hadn't noticed it before. But now she could see the two kobolds rushing around, busy with some device that was laid down on a table in the center.

I wonder what they're making? She peered closer at the device, not able to clearly see what it was since it had a cloth hung over it.

Realizing too late, Remoa had crept in front of her and was now in the line of sight of the two kobolds.

She watched in vain as they turned around at what seemed like an agonizingly slow pace. She saw their eyes widen, and one of them turned towards a horn sitting next to the wall.