The morning sun hadn’t yet risen when they stopped.

“This way,” Mekelson guided them.

“You’ve been here before?” Kreet asked as she hopped down, slapping Kevin’s hand away again absentmindedly.

“I have,” Mekelson admitted. “But don’t you remember? You used to live here.”

“Not outside. The only time I’ve ever been here, I was in a covered cage.”

“Well, before we go on, let’s take a look at that map,” Mekelson suggested.

“Do you think we may have gotten here before them?” Karl asked, worried but thinking clearly.

“Not likely. We lost time at Ka'Plo’s shack.”

They looked at the map and Kreet showed them the landmarks she recognized.

“What about this area. A lot down there,” Karl pointed out.

“I don’t know that area. We never went there,” Kreet said.

“Why not?” Cleric Quint asked, donning his helm.

Kreet shrugged. “I don’t know. We just stayed away from there. We mostly stayed in these upper areas.”

“You can bet we’ll need to go all the way down,” Mekelson said, putting on his own helm. “That’s where the big beasties always lurk.”

“Mekelson,” Kreet said as they approached the mouth of the cavern, “Be honest with me. Did you ever kill a kobold here?”

He looked back at her through his visor. “Probably,” he said.

“Well, I hate you. I just want you to know that,” she said, not sure if she was serious herself.

The sound of his laughter within his helm was strange. “Oh hell, I know that already! You’re not going to stab me in the back though, are you?”

Karl answered for her, “Mekelson, she’s a Cleric of Pelor. She’s not going to do any backstabbing.”

“Hmph,” he grunted. “She was a Cleric of Pelor. Who knows what she is now?”

Kreet knocked on his armor and he turned to look down at her. “I am still a Cleric of Pelor, and don’t you forget it… Tank.”

The big man nodded while Kevin looked around the mouth of the cave.

“A lot of footsteps here. Different types, but there’s something big with them. Yup, they came this way, and recently.”

“I don’t hear anything,” Quint said.

“Let me go in first,” Kreet suggested. “No light, no sounds. Just to make sure the entrance is clear. I’ll be right back.”

They all agreed with that plan and Kreet the Kobold entered the caverns that had once been her home stealthily and alone.

———————————

She soon returned to the group.

“No one around nearby anyway,” she declared. “Kevin, how many do you think there were?”

“Hard to say. 10 maybe? No more than 20. Plus that something very big.”

“The demon,” Karl said, though they all knew that.

“Look, guys… I do appreciate you bringing me along,” Kevin said, looking nervous. “Really I do. But demons… And these caves, the floors are stone. I can’t track anything over stone.”

The Paladin Quint put his hand on the young man’s shoulder. “Wait for us at the wagon, Kevin. Kreet, how extensive are these caverns?”

“Big, Master,” she replied. “The scale on the map is in miles. It will probably take most of the day to reach the depths, and that assumes we go straight there.”

“Well, wait as long as you feel able, Kevin. If something comes out of here that’s not us, you’ve got the horses. If you’re not here when we get back… well, we’ve got our legs.”

“I’ll be here,” he said forlornly.

Kreet walked up to him and gave him a hug. “Kevin, it’s not for every man to be a hero. Some of us are born to be support. There’s no shame in that.”

Kevin knelt to bring him to her level. “Sorry Gator. I’d go with you if I thought I could. But caves… I can’t. I’m not good in dark places.”

Kreet took his hand and held it to her cheek. “I’ll owe you a table dance, you perv.”

“I’ll hold you to that!” he said, giving her hand a kiss and heading back towards the wagon.

“Just the four of us then,” Mekelson said.

“Come on, Victor,” the Paladin replied, using the Knight’s first name, “You surely didn’t think he would do us much good did you?”

“Never know what can swing the tide of battle. No help for it though. Let’s go.”

Karl retrieved a small mace from his pack and spoke an incantation at it. The weapon began to glow, though it gave off no heat.

“Ah! Nice magic young man!” the Knight said as they began to walk into the darkness.

“Continual Flame,” remarked the Paladin proudly. “I taught him that.”