We all want to improve and be better. Through out our lives we learn more and more. We never stop learning and improving. We will never be perfect, but many say its the journey in itself that's worth living.

The cavern would have been almost pitch black at this point. Not that it wasn't always at least a little dark. Only the occassional creepy-glowing mushroom could be seen here. Thankfully Sarah's fire made the concern irrelevant, though the shadows it gave off made her jumpy. Jessica was farthest to the back and sometimes she felt vunerable from here. She would look behind herself every minute or so to make sure nothing was sneaking behind to get her.

Thankfully she woke with her favorite wedge sandals, which were flat and so she had been able to run easily. Jessica was begining to feel the back of her heel a bit raw however, which would develop into blisters. That sweet-heart Alex should be able to heal her though, she made a note to ask him to do it next time they stopped. He was the only one, of the trio with her, whom actually understood a delicate girl like her wasn't made for fighting monsters. The fact he was tall and handsome didn't hurt either.

-'I'd probably go crazy with just Sarah and especially with that jerk Eian.' Jessica thought, she quickly peeked behind herself again.

The constant danger had left her on edge and Jessica was thankful she had no make up on her face or it would have been ruined. She could see clearly all three from back here. Sarah was just ahead of her, with her slightly outdated fashion sense and mish-mash get-up of leather, though given the circumstances the latter could be forgiven. Alex's muscular tanned back could be seen right after Sarah and she got a look at his short hair with messy curls. Eian was vanguard and was hidden beneath his shabby leather get-up. With those three in-front she had at-least a modicum of safety.

"We need to try to get Jessica to kill something." Sarah said to everyone, causing Jessica to feel dread.

"I can't kill one of those things!" Jessica said feeling slightly hysteric.

"She's right Sarah, those things are too dangerous. You could harm it because of your fire, but she doesn't have that luxary." Alex argued, bless him.

Didn't she see how much trouble they all had with that last one? Eian thankfully kept his foul mouth shut.

"Calm down. Both of you. I know that, but I mean we should try to be on the look out for something easier. Maybe an Iguana or a bat." Sarah explained, making her feel slightly better.

Jessica let out a small breath of relief. The Iguanas weren't so bad, the bats we ugly but if they were hurt she could manage. She still didn't like the feel of the spear-tip sinking through anything's flesh, sometimes it made her want to vomit. She wasn't some blood-thirsty barbarian from the stone-age after-all.

-'Ugh now I remember what I ate.' Jessica thought feeling a little sick.

If she were honest, usually it was the worst when they encountered something new. After something was dead infront of her, she felt reassured they could die and it wasn't that bad. She couldn't handle the unknown. When they encounter the human-goblins it wasn't so bad, because they looked human dressed up in leather. The regular goblins were tiny so they weren't so scary anymore either.

They continued onwards slowly, careful nothing would ambush them. They encountered a few bones littered about of both animal and those weird eyeless skulls. The mushrooms became more rare untill there wasn't anything left. Soon the tunnel split in two: slightly to the left and the other went straight. Sarah said to keep going straight to 'map out the layout properly'. Jessica didn't care this gods-forsaken place was hell.

Soon after the tunnel curved a little to the right and the floor became harder. The space in the tunnel began to reduce untill they only had space for a single arm to properly stretch. Jessica began to feel claustrophobic.

"Careful. I can't throw fire here or I might catch one of you." Sarah said told the boys.

"Fuck just what we need." Eian mumbled, he did that alot.

A minute passed, suddenly a howling began.

"Shit another one incoming!" Eian shouted, though Jessica couldn't see what with the other two in the way.

Alex and formed up behind Eian, spear pointing foward. Jessica heard a collision of flesh on metal and visibly saw Alex and Eian pushed back. Fear spiraled out of control in her belly and she trembled as she held her long-spear and the dagger. She could hear the creature howling in rage or pain.

"Try to stab it through an opening!" Sarah screamed, Jessica looked and Eian wrestling to hold his shield his spear was missing.

Alex was spearing at the monster constantly, through openings on the right around Eian, as Eian was being banged on the sides of the wall. One armed Sarah guided her own spear and send stabs the monsters way occasionally from the left. Alex sent a final stab and Jessica heard the howling cut off. Eian went fowards and pulled his spear out of the monster.

"My tattoo's blinking again. But my spirit hasn't stopped glowing yet." Alex said suddenly.

"Eian give Alex the leather on your left fore-arm. He'll wear it so he doesn't choose one of the other two by mistake. Alex careful while putting it on." Sarah lectured, which sounded like a good idea to Jessica.

They did as instructed. Jessica felt a little jealous, she wished she could give orders too. They had to almost step over the remains of the dead blind-dog-eared thing to continue, which was creepy. The cavern widened slowly till Alex and Eian could walk side by side comfortably. The ceiling was still a bit low though.

"Much better." Eian remarked, and she agreed silently.

"Yes now I can help better now, Jessica hold my spear." Sarah commanded, Jessica took the spear and Sarah created two separate fire-balls.

Eian still led foward as he was more durable, and a little expendable. She felt a little bad for thinking that though. Another howl came from them about a minute or two later.

The beast barreled into Eian and they fell to the floor. Alex stabbed at the monster, as it grabbed Eian, by the waist. Eian put his shield between them and the beast lifted him off the ground. Jessica felt fear, Eian wasn't going to die was he? Its bashed him on the ceiling and threw him to the left. Jessica screamed. Alex stabbed at it, but the creature pulled the spear free of its arm and threw it to the right.

"Jess give Alex a spear!" Sarah screamed.

Jessica threw a spear and Alex missed the grab. Sarah emptied both fire-balls at the beast it quickly caught fire and rolled on the ground. Sarah summoned another fire ball. Eian stabbed it in its upper-spine out of nowhere. It began spasming and he stabbed it again. It dropped dead.

"Well. That sucked balls." Eian said rubbing his shoulder.

"Eian how're you?" Sarah asked with worry.

"You okay man?" Alex asked, and Jessica wondered how he was still alive.

"Yeah. Kinna ducked to take the blow on my back. Still got my head a bit though." Eian explained.

"Come over let's heal you up." Alex said quickly.

"Sorry to say. Your fire-balls don't kill them fast enough yet." Eian said truthfully.

"True, but at least it distracts them from tearing you guys apart." Sarah argued testily.

-'Wow Eian, real smooth' Jessica thought, though she supposed taking a crack on the head might make anyone dumb.

"Wow. Wow. I'm not saying it doesn't help. I know my element won't help us much for a while now. It's just you know I hope you can flash-fry them soon. Like 'BAM!' and they're dead." Eian placated her.

"Don't we all." Sarah replied calmly.

Alex patched up Eian and everyone gathered their equipment. Sarah remade both fire-balls. Another tunnel veered off directly to the right and Sarah said they take that one. The tunnel paved up soon causing them to feel excited.

"You think it leads to an exit?" Jessica asked with hope at the idea of seeing the sky.

"Yeah!" Alex agreed.

"Could be. Only one way to find out." Sarah said neutrally.

"Can't be so easy." Eian said, which made Jessica want to punch his face.

Another howl was soon heard and Jessica felt fear again, how many of those things were there? Eian braced himself again as he absorded the initial barrel-impact, he was pushed backwards and fell on his back. Alex had already surrounded it and quickly stabbed at its side, eliciting another enraged howl. Sarah emptied both fire balls on it setting it alight; while Eian was down and its howls were terrifying. Eian stabbed it in the nether region, as he was on the floor. Its screams were mind-rending and it fell to it knees, tearing the spear from it groin. Eian scampered backwards on the floor.

"Wait people! Jessica kill it!" Sarah screamed, Jessica stared at her like she was crazy.

She looked at the howling flaming beast and it begun to get up. Alex stabbed it in its neck and pulled the spear back. It began to gurgled on its blood. It held its neck and fell to its knees once more.

"Hurry! Jessica! Aim for its head!" Sarah shouted.

"Don't worry Jess I'm here." Alex reassured her

Tightening her guts Jessica dropped everything save a long-spear and approached. Alex was there near the beast. She took aim and stabbed through its burning blackened skull. It went still. Jessica's tattoo begun to blink and she quickly selected Mind and felt the brain-freeze sensation atop her head which melted into her cranium, it felt rather pleasant by the end.

Soon the tunnel ended in a broken down doorway, which led to a small room with no other exits. Skeletons of tiny people or what could be goblins, were strapped down on restraining tables. The skeleton of a bat was organized neatly on display. Shelves lined the walls with beakers and vials, filled with vile substances. A single table in a corner held few tomes, though only one was larger and important looking. Mini-burnt out torches and candles lined the area.

What really took Jessica interest was a restraining table whose straps were torn. A single skeleton lay on the floor before it and judging from its condition its skull seemed to have been squashed. Near one of its finger bones was a single valueable looking ring. A strange fore-boding two foot-long staff lay beside it, the upper-most foot of the staff was thorny and it held a miniature horned-goat skull atop with pitch-black gems as its eyes.

"This is creepy." Eian said staring at everything.

"Yeah man." Alex replied.

"Screams evil wizard. Doesn't it?" Sarah said observing the skeleton.

"Question is. What are those things?" Eian said looking at everything from the staff to the ring.

"I'm not sure its healthy to use them." Sarah said looking at them.

"Well we can't leave it here. And that fellow had to have used them before." Alex said.

"He might have cursed them. Never seen any magic movies with evil wizards?" Sarah argued.

"I can heal myself. I can try them on." Alex declared, which made Jessica worry.

"Don't be stupid Alex. Those thing could kill you fast enough to not matter." Sarah argued.

"I agree with her Alex. We can't mess with those things." Jessica said.

"He can't have expected to suddenly die. What does it matter if someone else uses your things after your dead? You don't need it." Alex argued.

"He's got a point there." Eian said curious about the ring himself.

"Don't be absurd. If you all want we can ask one of our guides about magical artifacts. If they say its too dangerous we dump them, till then I'll carry them." Sarah relented.

Sarah grabbed what remained of the wizards robe and wrapped up the staff and ring in it without touching them bare-handed. Eian suggested they stuff the books in too and Sarah said it was dumb since they were in languages they didn't understand and would probably get wet somewhere. They took one last look at the room and left.