RAVEN'S GAMBIT

Elowyn Mosswhisper rifled through the gear and garments of their fallen enemies when her fingers caught on a ridge in the wall. With a curious press, a hidden mechanism clicked, and a narrow stone door cracked open.

“A passage,” she whispered.

The party moved through the tight corridor, which curved sharply and descended until it connected back to the raft chamber, where Elaren Duskroot, Trix Vorn, Shino of the Whispering Leaves, Tessa 'Quickfingers' Vell, Kael 'Fingers' Vire, and Taya Vex still waited.

After somber greetings and recounting the fallen—Marcus, Brock, Tavrix—the group gathered again. Despite their grief, there was still more mountain to survive.

They headed south down the dim corridor. It ended at a sealed door. Hachiro opened it cautiously.

Light—not from torches or lanterns but unnatural and sourceless—poured out onto them. Before them stood a vast chamber, shaped like a descending spiral of iron terraces, concentric rectangles layered like the pits of some forgotten arena. Each terrace was encased in transparent, magically-reinforced iron, forming a corridor around the room. A single chute at the southeast corner led from one terrace to the next. The air felt heavy with enchantment and unseen menace.

Strange creatures patrolled the lower levels, obscured slightly by the thick glass-like walls.

“We’ll need to work together to survive this,” Hachiro said grimly. His hand rested near his daisho blades.

“All but Marcus and Bran,” Kael the Ember-Eyed muttered. “They’ll catch up.”

“We’ve one coil of rope left,” Theron Blackroot added with a crooked smile. “Sure it’ll help us somewhere after we need it.”

Before they could plan, Theron hefted Whelm, the warhammer vibrating with contained power. With a shout, he slammed it into the transparent wall.

A thunderous ring echoed in the chamber. The wall cracked—but barely. Whelm rattled from his hands, flung by its own rebounding force.

“Dammit,” Theron hissed, recovering the weapon.

“No more shortcuts,” Hachiro said. “Those who can’t swim—stay here. The rest of you, with me.”

Without hesitation, he dropped feet-first into the chute and vanished.

One by one, the rest followed.

Splash! The party dropped into a salt-filled watery terrace, submerged immediately in a strange tank-like space. Creatures swam in the depths.

Some panicked.

Theron, Elowyn, Seren, Kael, Elric, and Kaelen struggled to the surface, gasping. Others managed better.

“There’s no chute here!” Elowyn called, struggling to tread water.

Tessa pointed. “Opposite corner!”

Hachiro scanned the depths. “We swim. Stay together!”

The party pushed forward. Then they saw it: two massive shapes, cutting the water like sharks.

“Hammerclaws!” Elowyn shouted.

Beneath the water, the monsters turned with impossible speed. Steel-like claws glinted.

Hachiro dove, slicing into one Hammerclaw with his katana. Theron sent an Eldritch Blast that burned the beast's carapace. Elowyn invoked Entangle, and kelpy strands tangled the second creature.

Lin of the Whispering Wind and the mages launched frost and magic missiles into the fray.

The swimmers surged toward the exit chute, but the entangled creature released a Sonic Pulse.

It blasted through the water in a deep, vibrating wave.

Dr. Elias Finch and Tessa ‘Quickfingers’ Vell took the full brunt of it. Both fell limp, blood spilling from their ears.

Others were wounded: Elaren, Taya, Kael “Fingers.” Seren pulled Taya along. Shino helped Elaren swim.

In the chaos, Hachiro was clamped by a claw, but stabbed deep again, freeing himself.

Theron blasted the first Hammerclaw to a burst of black blood and bubbles.

The second broke free of the entangling vines. Everyone launched attacks—rays of frost, magic missiles, short swords. But the Hammerclaw was fast and cunning, darting between spells and blades.

Then, tragedy struck.

The monster’s claws found Jahari 'Duststep' Malek. Both claws pierced him at once, and the rogue fell still, drifting in the red cloud.

Thalia stabbed it. Theron blasted it. Magic missiles slammed it from all sides.

The Hammerclaw spasmed—then fell still, twitching before going belly-up.

“Swim! Go now!” Hachiro bellowed.

One by one, the party paddled to the chute. They dropped down into the next terrace—dry, safe for the moment.

Wet. Bloody. Fewer again.

But alive. For now.

And the mountain was still far from done with them.

TO BE CONTINUED...