As the party descended they began to hear the sound of water trickling. Coming out of the side of the wall was an ornately carved fountain. It spouted water so clear that it was nearly invisible.

“Weird.” Shaynen remarked. He looked up and spun around in a circle. “I wonder if we’re beneath the spring. Right? Cause we’re delivering the seed to this pure spring. I wonder if we’re beneath it.”

“No, we’re too close to the entrance. If this was the spring we’d have seen it from above ground.” Odelia shouldered up beside Shaynen so he stopped spinning. Shaynen shrugged.

“I have no sense of direction underground,” He said. “Or above ground for that matter.”

“Maybe it’s just a big ol’ fountain of demon pee.” Odelia shrugged. Earning a snicker from the party. Haagut inspected the fountain, nothing about it was trapped. Shaynen carefully put his hand into the water, partially expecting it to be hot but it was pleasantly cool.

“Weird,” Shaynen wiped his hand off on his pants. “Maybe it’s just a normal non-magical drinking fountain.”

“What if we drank from it?” Haagut asked.

“Nah, I’m good.” Cleatus said hastily. Shaynen looked at Haagut thoughtfully.

“You want to?” He asked.

“I’m tempted,” Haagut smiled mischievously. “Kinda thirsty.”

“Here.” Cleatus shoved his waterskin into Haagut’s hands. The smile dropped off his face with a disappointed frown.

“Nah, I’m okay.” Haagut said softly and handed the skin back. Odelia shooed Haagut and Shaynen after Cleatus down the descending hall. The hall ended with another rough cut archway that entered a large room with a low ceiling. Cleatus held out an arm to stop the party.

Inside the room was a strange looking deep red creature. The creature had a gelatinous look to it, with weird faces pressing and disappearing through the ooze walls.

“Oh!” Haagut said, Cleatus quickly clamped a hand over his mouth. Cleatus quietly held a finger to his mouth and shh’d Haagut. Haagut nodded and Cleatus removed his hand.

“That’s…” Haagut said quietly, shaking his head.

“Gross.” Shaynen grimaced. Haagut nodded in agreeance. The only other hall beyond the cavern had small flickering lights and the sound of guttural arguing.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Odelia said quietly. “I wonder if the color is indicative of what it’s weak to…”

“Mm, no.” Shaynen shook his head. “I’m almost positive that’s not how it works. Least not with that thing.” Haagut leaned forward past Cleatus’ leg. Staring into the faces intently, trying to gauge what the creature was thinking.

He stared into the void of the eyeless face. The longer he stared, the more prominent the features of the face became. It pulled him in, his mind drifting away from his body. At the very edge of his mind he became aware of a presence. A presence that was only very vaguely aware of his. It was waiting, poised and ready to pounce on whatever came within it’s range.

Haagut jerked and stumbled back. Falling back onto his behind.

“Haagut?” Shaynen asked.

“Don’t stare at it. It stares back.” Haagut pulled the hat of disguise down to hide his eyes. His hands shaking.

“Oh. Oookay,” Shaynen nodded slowly. “Should we-”

“The void… it stares back…” Haagut continued making the party uneasy.

“Right. So. Should we take our chances with the weird grinding sound?” Shaynen started backing away from the arch. Helping pull Haagut back to his feet as he did.

“He’s just a chump. We could take him,” Haagut said confidently. Shaynen started ushering Haagut back.

“Sure he is, now let’s just go this way.” He said gently.

“Yeah, I don’t want to pick a fight with something sentient,” Odelia agreed and turned around. “Sounds like whatever’s in the room after this is arguing, which likely means sentience.”

“Right, so we’ll take our chances with the weird sounds.” Shaynen said. “Let’s just back on up…”

“I’m down with weird sounds,” Odelia nodded. Cleatus turned last and brought up the back of the party. On the way up Haagut paused at the fountain. Odelia and Cleatus paused but Shaynen was already too far ahead to notice they’d stopped.

Haagut sniffed the water, it had a slight mineral smell to it. He put his hand into the water and let it run over his palm. It was nice and cool and felt wonderful in contrast to the summer heat. The fountain’s spout was a higher than he was, built for people just a few inches taller than his halfling form. He pushed up against the fountain and leaned into the water. Taking a mouthful.

The water had a sweet taste to it; the nice cool feeling travelled all through his body. It brought a relaxation into his bones and he drew out a breath. Feeling better than he did since entering the cave. The psychic presence in his head melted away.

“Huh, that’s good to know,” Haagut stepped back and clapped the rock dust off their hands. He shrugged. “Maybe it is just water.”

“I’m telling you, it’s demon pee.” Odelia said. “I honestly can’t believe you drank it.”

“But guys! If you drink this, it.. It. It makes your brain stop!” Haagut said rapidly. Cleatus snorted and covered his face with his hand.

“It makes your brain stop?” Odelia asked. Though her tone was offering Haagut the clarity to try picking new words.

“Yeah, I’m gonna have to pass on that.” Cleatus laughed. He passed by Haagut and headed up the rest of the way up the hall. Odelia sighed and shook her head.

“Haagut, you don’t have to worry about the water stopping your brain.” She said with a falsely sweet tone. “You didn’t have one to begin with.”

“Hey! I have a brain, thank you very much!” Haagut squared up but wasn’t even half of Odelia’s height. “And I do some great things with it!”

“You just drank mystery liquid out of a wall that’s tainted with demons and monsters,” Odelia pointed out.

“It’s water.” Haagut insisted. “And it tastes great.”

“I dunno man,” Odelia shrugged and scratched at the back of her head. “You eat rats so…”

“You ate a couple too!” Haagut jabbed a finger at her knees while bearing the not quite as sharp halfling teeth.

“Whoa now I never claimed to have some sophisticatedly refined pallet.” Odelia shrugged carelessly. Haagut smacked both his hands onto his face with a slap.

“That ooze thing was peeking into my head. But now it’s not.” Haagut said. Pulling his skin down frustratedly. “Not after I drank the water.” Odelia stared at Haagut but rolled her eyes and shrugged in defeat.

“If you say so,” She said. She had to bend over to reach the fountain that was made for someone at least a foot or more shorter than her. She took a short sip of the sweet water. The weight of the dark and damp cave lift off her shoulders. She nodded slowly.

“Ight. That’s not bad.” She said.

“Right?!” Haagut said excitedly. Odelia smiled and chuckled. She made little finger guns and pointed them at Haagut. He flinched and checked his body all over for any wounds. Odelia crossed her arms quickly.

“What the hell is that?” She snapped.

“I’unno. You do magic” Haagut said. Odelia scoffed and turned to head up the hall shaking her head.

“What would I do with my finger? Just cause I did it once, doesn’t mean I’ll do it again.” She shook her head, ranting on as she stomped against the wooden beams in the ground.

“I don’t know!” Haagut defensively ran after her. “I don’t know how your magic works!” Odelia marched into the main chamber with Haagut right behind.

“Haagut, don’t you do magic?” Shaynen asked.

“Yeah, but not like her!” Haagut pointed. Odelia scoffed.

“nOt LiKe HeR…” Odelia mocked. Cleatus sighed deeply. Disappointedly.

“Oh, grow up,” Odelia snapped at him. Storming passed toward the archway in the corner. Shaynen stared at Cleatus with a raised eyebrow. He shook his head.

“Just let it go, kid.” Cleatus said quietly. “It’s not worth the fight.” Odelia crouched down against the wall. Haagut walked up behind her and gave her a brief tap on the shoulder. Odelia glanced over her shoulder for a second and nodded. Steadying herself against the wall and making sure her footing was sturdy. She slipped through the arch and looked into the room.

The first and only thing she saw was a grey skinned stone giant. Ambling around the room aimlessly. Immediately, Odelia slipped right back out of the room.

“It’s a stone giant,’ She said. “We’re not going that way.”

“But that’s the only other way we can go,” Shaynen pulled out the map, inspecting it and writing more notes upon it.