Expectations. We usually know how an encounter is going to go down for us. If your friend threw a lousy party last time, he's probably gonna throw another lousy one this time. If a series has been good and exciting for ten seasons, we expect it will continue to be so. If world war three hasn't broken out since I was born, I'm not expecting it tomorrow. The problem is we are always operating on incomplete knowledge so while we can expect somethings. We can never expect everything.

Sarah blinked and opened her eyes, her helmet and lether armor was gone. She found herself laying on the bed of gold. Back exactly where she left off last time, but alone. Sarah noticed the cave ceiling was high up and sported multiple silver chandeliers bejeweled and reflecting light.

"My. My. Little spark. Eager aren't you?" A sensual voice said full mirth, it sent icy-electric bursts down her back.

"Ah!" Sarah said feeling a flush coming to her face.

"You have probably not even enjoyed the fruit of my gift and here you are again, wanting more." The creature's voice whispered enticingly by her ear.

Sarah turnt and saw the lovely fiery-creature inches away from her face, staring at her with those remarkably lovely cat-eyes. Something in her chest beat erratically and she felt herself devolve into almost complete-primal lust. Staring at her lovely figure, Sarah felt faint and light-headed, unable to look away from those lovely lips, pink erect nipples and sheen sweat trickling down her perfect-curves. The creature stroked her cheek loving.

Smiling the creature sauntered away from Sarah and each step was hypnotizing. Sarah stared at those hips swaying, with what could be drool leaking from her mouth. She stared at her tail as it flicked side to side, driving a surge down her belly. Blinking Sarah realized the creature sat down on a throne of gold.

"Better?" The creatures sensual voice dripped like honey, snapping Sarah out of her fudge.

"What? Why? What are you doing to me?" Sarah felt bewitched, by its beauty.

"Men cannot be within my presence without feeling my aura." The womanly voice said.

"Thats....Can't you do something about it?" Sarah implored.

"Little spark. You act as if I stole from you. My aura is a central part of my being." The creature said.

"Aren't you a dragon?" Sarah asked unsure and feeling slightly desperate.

"Dragoness." The dragoness proudly puffed up, which gave Sarah a magnificent view of the dragoness' breasts.

Sarah breathed in and out attempting to wash away the surge of passion which nearly overcame her. Sarah felt her own nipples respond to the provocation, standing taunt at attention. She bit her bottom-lip hard, attempting to seize control of her body.

"Can't you please change to a more dragonic form?!" Sarah beseeched, feeling as if she were losing her mind.

"If you desire little spark, but you will dissolve into a puddle of bliss staring at my splendor." The dragoness lectured, obviously enjoying her discomfort.

"Never-mind!" Sarah spewed out, she imagined if it was any worse her heart would explode, along with other more embarrassing possibilities.

The room went silent.

"Questions? Little spark? You can't, not have those." The dragoness started, startling Sarah for a moment.

"...Y..Yes... I'm Sarah. What's your name?" Sarah asked meekly, breathing slow.

"Call me Adara, it's what one of my favorite mortals once called me. Dragon names are long and reserved for family, it also means more or less the same thing." Adara answered as she looked away, as if to a distant memory.

"Fire. How do I use fire?" Sarah asked in a brief moment of clarity.

"For now your fire comes from your breath, which you must desire. You can breathe it into your hands and condense it into a ball for a while, which can be thrown. Careful not to burn your clothes, I hear humans are always adverse to that." Adara taught.

"Is... IS there anything else you can tell me?... To benefit me or my group?" Sarah asked as she mastered some tenuous semblance of control.

"Yes. In the short time you've been away, I have in-fact thought of what advice I could give you." The dragoness faced her again and performed a lovely smile.

Sarah didn't trust her voice to ask a simple 'what'. She shivered in what she hoped was the possibility of answers and not something else. She felt conflicted, half of her wanted to jump and kiss that beautiful work of art, the other wanted to run away in complete shame and never return.

"Focus on survival. Become stronger. Risks are foolish as you are now. Advance with care and under no circumstances rush towards the unknown unprepared." The Adara lectured.

"That's all?!" Sarah attempted to close her eyes, but failed.

"There are no short-cuts I'm afraid. When you are stronger I will have more advice, but I do not want to give you information which could lead to rash actions." Adara answered slowly with some semblance of sadness.

"Please anything else can help..." Sarah begged.

"Do not plan on escaping soon. Now hush little spark. If you want any chance of survival follow me." The dragoness got up and held out her hand to Sarah.

Sarah grabbed her hand and once more thought about the last fiery kiss, her knees suddenly felt weak. Somehow she followed along as the Adara guided her away. Anxiety, desire and fear all writhed in a tangle within her belly. They approached a brazier of green-fire, and soon they were before it. Sarah felt no discomfort despite being near what should be unbearable heat. Within the brazier was a miniature-burning green-sun atop a burning pentagram.

"Stretch your hands towards it. Command it's powers to obey you." Adara whispered in her ear, positioning herself behind Sarah, holding her waist.

Sarah felt her mouth go dry, as those mounds pressed against her back. She slowly stretched her hands towards the emerald flames and gazed unblinkingly towards center. Her eyes dilated fully and she saw herself in it reflected at the center. As if in a trance Sarah beckoned the emerald flames to approach with her mind and will.

Sarah blinked and just like that she was back. The image of green flames burnt in her mind and soon she felt their heat emerge from her chest and spread through her body warmly. Now that she was free of Adara's influence, she breathed a lungful of relief. She was never going to get used to that.

"So?" Jessica asked looking hopeful at her with blue-eyes.

Her close proximity spooked Sarah and she jerked. Eian and Alex let out a short bark of laughter. Which sent a flame to her cheeks. Sarah put her hands on her face.

She quickly detailed what little information the dragoness told her.

"So it was a dragon." Alex said with a sad smile.

"Thats not whats important! She said we wouldn't get out anytime soon!" Jessica was wide-eyed and hysteric, she got up and begun to pace.

"I was begining to suspect that." Eian said rubbing his eyes.

"No answers." Sarah sighed sadly.

"That doesn't mean we won't ever get out. There's hope as long as we're alive and I'm here to keep us alive." Alex declared, to which the others looked at him.

"Well in that case lets get to work." Sarah said smiling lightly at his enthusiasm.

"Right. That means I gotta become a better meat-shield." Eian sighed but felt glad Alex reminded him he wouldn't just drop dead from a scratch.

"Nonononono." Jessica was still pacing, mumbling to herself.

"Jess calm down please." Alex called out to her, she stopped and sat down holding herself.

"Well at least she's full of energy." Eian smiled finding it a bit funny and Sarah snorted a small laugh.

Alex went to talk to her and Sarah got to cooking the rest of the meat. Eian crammed as much as he comfortably could into his belly. Alex followed Eian example. Jessica was quiet and looked miserable.

"Well I gotta get stronger let's go kill something guys." Eian said.

"That's the spirit man." Alex was glad morale was up.

The got up and followed the tunnel deeper as it begun to descend. The mushrooms were scarce on this part of the cave and so it was pretty dark. Sarah breathed a small patch of red flames and held it in her hand to provide more light.They discovered the tunnel ended in a short drop about five feet. Eian and Alex dropped down and then helped the girls by catching the equipment, the cooked lizard-meat, then catching them. Sarah warned them to be careful, if something caught them unawares it would be hard to climb back up quickly.

"Guys I think I heard something up ahead." Eian warned them suddenly.

"What is it?" Jessica asked afraid.

"Sounded like it might have been a scream." Eian explained.

"You think someone is in danger?" Alex asked worry clear on his face.

"We can't rush in. We have to move slowly. We come first." Sarah ordered, which clearly conflicted Alex.

They continued foward for about five minutes till Eian spoke again.

"Stop." Eian suddenly said, Sarah felt herself shiver at his tone.

"Dude what is it? " Alex asked concerned.

"I hear something.... mumbling?" Eian said, as if he wasn't so sure.

"What is it?" Jessica fearfully.

"Sarah can you throw some fire ahead? I can't see very well." Alex asked.

"Okay. Hopefully this kills it." Sarah said as she condensed a ball of fire and chucked it like a baseball.

The red-light shot foward and Sarah saw it illuminate a humanoid shape bent over further ahead. Whatever it was, it moved away from the flames and attempted to receed into a patch of darkness. It seemed to drag something along.

"What was that?" Jessica said from behind fear evident in her voice.

-'Hopefully she doesn't pee herself.' Sarah thought to herself, feeling her own bladder tigthen in apprehension.

"Fuck! That's definately a monster. Bet?" Eian asked to Alex and Jessica became more frightened, Eian was clearly uncomfortable in the lead position.

"Lousy bet man." Alex replied dryly.

"Whatever it is, approach carefully and together." Sarah ordered remembering Adara's warning.

"That's what the movies always say, before the first idiot gets eaten." Eian mumbled.

Eian approached it cautiously, shield-foward and speared pointing at it. Alex was right next to him approaching the same way. Jessica had her long-spear pointed at it as well, but stayed a bit behind with Sarah. Sarah prepared another red fire-ball. It got up as Eian approached and they could see the whiteish skin on its human-back, it was bent over another human figure.

Suddenly it sprung around and attacked howling inchoherently in rage. Eian lunged his spear catching it in it's human-like chest. With one of its four arms, it grabbed the spear pushed it out and then pulled Eian foward and shoved him hard enough to send him flying a few paces backwards. Alex attacked almost exactly the same time as Eian, but the spear only lodged lighly in its arms drawing blood. Two arms send a punch towards Alex's shield resounding hard and sending Alex staggering sideways, with his shield arm flailing.

Jessica seemed incapable of screaming and panicked. Sarah chucked her fire-ball at it, catching its chest. The fire-ball pushed it back slightly and fire spread quickly, it screamed but only partially caught fire. Charging foward it ran towards Jessica and Sarah. Sarah attempted to prepare another fire-ball, but she knew it was too close.

Alex barreled into it's side and they both went down on a tumble. With inhuman strenght it pushed itself off the ground and sent Alex backwards, his spear was still imbedded in its side. Having recovered Eian charged again stabbing its vunerable side, then jumped a bit back to dodge its retaliating swing. Sarah threw another ball of flame at it and it completely caught fire. It howled and dropped to the floor attempting to put it out. Sarah ordered Eian to hurrry and Eian took the chance to stab it in the skull.

Sarah went and examined the creature. Jessica watched it fearfully. It had no eyes, hairless dog-ears, along with its abnormal four arms. Apart from that it could have been a bulky albino-human. Upon further notice, they saw it had been eating another of its kind, just before they approched. Its partly eaten guts were stretching outwards, from a hole in its belly. Its neck was clearly twisted in an unnatural position.

"Cannibalistic monsters. Just fucking great." Eian declared.

"It looks fresh, the one we killed must have just killed it." Sarah observed the body.

"I think it cracked my arm. How're you dude?" Alex said and he seemed to heal himself.

"Well my poor ass is never gonna be the same. I hate to say told you so." Eian said, to which Alex snorted.

"Ugh! Shut up Eian!" Jessica barked.

"Shhh... We don't want any more of them." Eian said evily, which cause Jessica to scream at him incoherently.

"Eian dude, lay off man." Alex asked.

"Yes Eian, you're not helping." Sarah said.

"Fine. Geez. Sorry." Eian said to Jessica and she calmed down.

Eian checked his tattoo under the leather and selected Body once he saw it blinking. He was ready for the spike of lightening from his heart and its subsequent spread of adrenaline.

They checked the bodies for anything of value, but came up empty. Sarah believed they were solitary creatures, due to them being cannibalistic. They couldn't decide what it was and decided to proceed with more caution. If they encountered more than one they would retreat and try to find another path.