After Jim awoke, we pulled back. We had wounds, we were sick of the smell, and were in no mood to clean up the mess we made. We left behind the corpses of more than twenty adult troglodytes and half as many children. It would take a while before we could bury them all.

It was already dark outside by the time we pulled back to the level the orks occupied previously. I prepared a hot bath. There was a tub big enough for all three of us. No doubt, it was the one Great Jules used, before we killed him.

We bathed, ate roasted potato with some butter and pepper Jim found, then locked ourselves into the room that was used to be François’ hideout. We were confident that no enemy could break down the secret doors leading into the room without us noticing it, but we still kept watch to be on the safe side.

The next day, the 13th of November, brought ice-cold wind and snow clouds. Thankfully, we had little business outside, and the corridors, especially the lower ones, were still only moderately chilly.

We pilfered through the possessions of the troglodytes, but it was barely worth of our trouble. We found silver, some gold, but nothing else of value.

As it turned out, the treasure of the troglodytes was elsewhere. Following the happy little stream that chattered through the ghastly larder of the tribe, we arrived into a moderately sized cavern, where a gigantic lizard was chained into a corner and snapped at us happily as we approached. The animal was good five paces long, and it had an army of serrated teeth that were as big as my palm.

The critter seemed to have short chains, but we still approached it carefully. Then we saw the chests it was guarding. I whistled.

“The sly bastards! So, this was their treasury.”

“It might not be as well-guarded as they hoped it would be,” said Beldrak. “Giant monitor lizards are not particularly smart, and become inactive for days or tens, if well-fed.”

“Are you suggesting we feed it its erstwhile masters?”

“Why not? We have to dispose of the bodies somehow. This is a neat solution. I doubt even this big beast could eat that many corpses, but if it eats ten, that is ten less body we have to bury.”

Thus, we steeled our stomachs and started to haul dead troglodytes to the monitor lizard. Death did not improve on the smell of the scaly tribesmen, but the lizard devoured them all the same. In the end, it ate twelve corpses and nibbled on the thirteenth before it became too sated to continue.

We left for a half hour or so to explore nearby chambers, and when we came back, the lizard was already sleeping soundly.

“I still refuse to go nearer,” I announced, looking at the teeth glimpsing from the giant mouth.

“Then it is my time to shine again, I suppose,” sighed Beldrak. Using his unseen hand, he manoeuvred one of our hooks into the handle of one chest, and then we dragged the trunk out of the corner to ourselves. The lizard did not like the sound, and it opened its eyes to glare at us, but it still couldn’t muster the willpower to snap at our rope or squash the chest with its colossal paws.

In the end, we dragged out all the crates we could see, and after our combined scrutiny failed to detect any additional defences, we opened them. There still weren’t weapons made by Durgeddin inside, but we obtained a substantial amount of money and some smaller gems.

“Poor beast,” sighed Beldrak. “It guarded the treasure faithfully for so long.”

“What of it?”

“Well, we fed it now, but who will after we are done here? The wee critter will starve to death.”

“It can reach the stream, so it can fish,” I answered. “Maybe the troglodytes didn’t even need to feed that lizard.”

“I doubt it could catch enough fish. Have you seen its paws? Those are not suitable for the job at all.”

“So, what do you want? Set it free?”

“I am considering it.”

“We got rid of the orks. Now you want to set loose a monster like that in the region? What if it takes a liking to human meat?”

“That might be a problem,” Beldrak admitted.

“I think the idea has merit,” said Jim thoughtfully. Of course. You would laugh yourself to death if the lizard gobbled up Beldrak or me when we try to set it free. Would you not?

“Namely?” I asked aloud.

“I would laugh myself to death if the lizard gobbled up Beldrak or you when you try to set it free,” answered the tiefling, completely unfazed. “Also, that would fulfil Trueanvil’s prophecy that his big heart will be his undoing in a totally unexpected way. Two birds with one stone.”

“That is not a prophecy I am in a hurry to fulfil,” grumbled the wizard. “But I still pity the wee critter. Maybe it will turn out alright if we set it free. Maybe it will only hunt wolves and bears, and the humans around here will benefit from its presence!”

We looked at each other with Jim.

“Riiight,” I answered.

“You are far too smart to believe this stupid dribble,” said the tiefling at the same time. “But that’s alright. As long as the lizard eats you first, and I get to see it, I don’t really care how many stupid villagers will it gobble up besides.”