The group decided to spend the next handful of days returning to the depths, dodging the horde of spiders, to explore more of the tunnels and pools they’d neglected on the first run.

  Lynn advocated for the need for a decent map to offer with their report and subsequent sale at the guild. Provided the Temples didn't attempt a claim.

  She also argued that returning to explore them now that many of the dangers were known or removed would help with other things.

  "Face your fears?" Chess had joked, receiving a curt nod in response.

  Chess thought Lynn was more interested in pulling as many enchanted items out as they could and didn't argue. She was hoping to find something good for herself. Something that would help with our impending conflict would be doubly welcome.

  Chess's increased supply of wood made many of the barriers insignificant and the two nights they spent below more comfortable.

  They pulled a handful of minor mining enchanted gear from a few of the pools the first day with the help of Mikel and a few of his friends.

  Lynn kept everyone under an enforced level of caution. Her biggest fear was another encounter with Ghouls, now that they'd learned the habits of the waterweavers. Despite this, they made better time, often running through tunnels they'd previously explored.

  They discovered early on the first day that Heliwrs really disliked water. Whenever the group was forced to swim, they tended to fly ahead or wait on dry ground until Ashley called for them at best. At worst they tried to ride on your head as you swam.

  Chess and Lynn both agreed they were far from a combat-capable pet at the moment. Lynn figured they'd need extensive training for that.

  After the first day, they left the Heliwr in the care of a pair of the young muskrat-kin that wanted to spend more time sifting the silt of the one pool that had rewarded three small charms the first day. Chess walled in a short dead-end for them with a reinforced door so they could retreat if needed.

  "Ashley," Lynn brought them all up short at one point in a bare section of tunnel late on the first day. "When is your next weekly update?" She asked.

  "Tomorrow night I think. Why?" Ashley asked.

  "I've put off a decision that affects you for a while now and I'm sorry. Truthfully I don't have to choose whether to use or sell the spinnerette core yet but we all know I'm likely to take it as part of our deal.

  "What I'm trying to say is I think you should take the Decomposition Core. Your mother and I discussed it, and it suits you best. It could potentially incorporate three of your current pyth so you can retain a free slot. In fact, I'm certain it will likely usurp your Rot without a prompt since they are closely related. You won't lose the ability to level any abilities. It will be good for your coming passive choice. You're likely to level right?" Lynn asked.

  "Yeah, I think so, but what other two might apply?" Ashley asked.

  "Strengthen-Bone which is a common undead drop and I've heard of Harvest being used in some of the death cores," Lynn said.

  Ashley frowned. "I'm not sure I want to lose Harvest."

  "If it does take over harvest, would it count as a heritage slot?" Chess asked.

  "Yes. Though it's unlikely to without a prompt. It wouldn't affect any of her current abilities either other than to require her new core to surpass the old rank before ranking up again. Aside from losing the lost pyth's abilities."

  "What about the passives they currently give?" Chess asked.

  "Cores usually have one powerful passive or two lessers along with their actives. You'll lose what the pyths give in the change."

  "What do you say?" Chess asked Ashley.

  Ashley thought about it as they continued for a time before saying. "I'll take it."

  Ashley held out her hand to Chess who opened her vault and handed it over.

  Ashley plopped it into her mouth without preamble and grimaced in clear distaste for a full minute as she absorbed it.

  "Gah, it tastes like burnt maggots," she whined as she opened her mouth to scrape at her tongue with her fingers.

  "I'm not sure I want to know how you know what burnt maggots taste like," Chess laughed. "So? What does it do?"

  "Did it take another over?" Lynn added.

  The window popped up into Chess's view as Ashley started reading it to Lynn.

  "There is a monk I know with that second passive from one of the food pyths. You'll have to be careful with how much you eat from now on. Your body will process food more quickly but if you're not active enough it could quickly make you excessively fat. At least it did for him. You'll have to find the difference between being empty and hungry. It will take some experimentation to figure out a proper amount. It will be less than you eat now for the same benefit." Lynn cautioned.

  "That's some borderline fat shaming if I've ever heard it. Are you sure your monk friend didn't simply like to overindulge?" Chess joked.

  "I'm just making her aware of a drawback of her ability. She's a growing girl. It will be years before it'll likely matter but it's better she knows and takes steps now," Lynn argued with a frown.

  "Being fat doesn't sound so bad. Fat people survive winter better," Ashley said.

  Chess sighed and rolled her eyes. "It was a joke… never mind. The resistance to infection is huge."

  "Agreed," Lynn nodded. "What did it remove?" She asked Ashley.

  "Rot and it's asking if I want it to take Strengthen Bone."

  "She can keep them separate?" Chess asked.

  "Yeah, though if she doesn't combine them now, she'll have to wait until she gets enough to rank either it or her core up or get it removed manually if she changes her mind. It will stay a separate pyth, and she'd have to choose where to apply future Strengthen-Bone pyth when she takes them if she doesn't combine them."

  "I'm gonna keep them separate," Ashley decided.

  That night Chess received her weekly update and reached all the way to level 8 and well into level 9 with the 100,000 exp from her crafting firsts alone.

  With it came a whole host of welcome windows granting perks from her crafting.

  The actual effects were a mixed bag though useful in certain situations, but the stat bumps were a welcome boon that left her dizzy as the world flooded her with magic to effect the changes.

  I should attempt to talk Ashley through making a few things to get some perks. These boosts would be better for her than a few skill points after a first for me.

  The boost to her inventory pyth from the increase to her mind stat was a pleasant surprise when she opened it.

  They spent what time they could relaxing at night, and the constant daily activity helped immensely with the trio's spirits, keeping them from dwelling on the worst parts of the past few weeks.

  It didn't go unnoticed how the normalization of the tunnels took the looming edge off of them and muted the fear the first delve had elicited. Chess had to admit to Lynn that she had been right about her feelings in general, after the first day.

  As predicted early on the second day, Ashley received her weekly update and reached level 6, promptly giving Chess the window and reading it aloud to Lynn.

  The moment Ashley had finished reading the choices Lynn had spoken firmly. "Deep Dwarven Vitality, no contest. That's one of the best dwarven racial abilities or so I've heard. I've also heard people lamenting not taking vitality passives when they were younger because they increase the time you stay young and vital. I intend to take one if it's ever offered to me."

  "Are you sure?" Chess asked.

  "Yeah, it may take a lot to rank up, but it is worth it."

  "Okay, I was thinking it or Cats Grace anyway," Ashley said.

  "I choose Deep-Mountain Dwarven vitality," Ashley announced then shared the information from the floor where she'd dropped as it took effect.

  "Freya's sweet titties that's awesome!" Chess proclaimed.

  "See?" Lynn said.

  Early on the third day, they'd made it back to the original helium-filled cavern and Chess's garden despite periodic stops for the muskrats to dive some of the pools and stops to fight a handful of undead they found in other tunnels—including another Ghoul in the same tunnel where they'd encountered the first one.

  They'd even stopped to loot the first ghoul now that its miasma had faded. It had given a few doses of Rot pyth, nine-doses of Harvest and Binding pyth, and one new pyth that was a first for Chess. 17 doses of Fermentation pyth.

  "Fermentation is likely one of the needed pyths for decomposition to rank up. If I'm right, its four are; Fermentation, Rot, Strengthen Bone, and Preservation, given its granted abilities," Lynn had explained.

  "That's good to know. Now we need to figure out what amber takes." And my wooden gem, Chess thought.

  "Hopefully they're all fairly common or in low demand." Lynn nodded her agreement. "You both have powerful abilities associated with it, and the sooner you both get it to rank three or four the better."

  Chess and Ashley nodded.

  The rest of the day was spent refilling the stagnating pool with water and making it back to the nearest balcony.

  The whole time they were in the tunnels they never encountered any sign of their pursuit which once again reinforced the notion that the time dilation was in their favor.

  They'd discussed setting traps, but Lynn had knocked down the idea, explaining they'd likely rot before anyone came and that she had asked what the muskrats did with their dead.

  She'd been informed the only real thing of importance they held from their dead was the taking of teeth by the keepers. Usually, they dumped the bodies off the side of the island after the keepers locked their memories in their charms.

  This had excited Lynn and she and Chilkuy had had a long discussion about the care and maintenance of undead pits.

  The plan was for the tribe to dump their dead into the tunnels and harvest them for pyth from time to time to keep them from growing too numerous and wandering out.

  To help with this, Chess built a thick wall with a large grate door in it in the main tunnel out of the tunnels to keep the dead in.

  A little time was dedicated to harvesting more berries from Chess’s brambles, filling a few pails, before the team set up to rappel down into the waterfall's basin below.

  Lynn and Ashley had spent an afternoon exploring the falls from the other side and found a small area where the water hit a large outcropping of stone near one of the edges and figured it should be more than safe for them to pass through.

  With her new confidence in the equipment and with the assurance of a watery landing less than 60 feet below, Chess had no problem rigging it up and descending to the water after throwing a few lengths of wood down.

  Once down, she pulled one of her floats close and waited for the others to join her. Lynn copied her and rode the line all the way down, whereas the muskrats—and to her dismay, Ashley—lowered to about halfway before unhooking themselves and kicking off the wall to swing out then letting go with a whoop.

  Chess let herself smile it off after a moment. She had to admit to herself, once you were about halfway down, it was evident how deep the water was at the base.

  The swim out and back to the village passed slowly but uneventfully, and they reached the village well before dark.

  Ashley’s pets and their other helpers met them for dinner that night to trade and compare their finds.

  The muskrats had managed to pull a few more minor mining rings and beads from the pool but nothing the team was interested in. Chess had better already and mining really didn’t appeal to her as a career.

  Lynn facilitated the trade of some of the minor enchanted items they found themselves, including a second pair of pickaxes in exchange for more rolls of finished silk cloth, a half dozen silk shirts, pants, and simple robe-like dresses made specifically for Chess and Ashley, a few dozen spools of the thread, and as much rope as could be made before they left.

  "It turns out more than a few of the women have one of the silk-creating pyths to a high rank. So, we aren't stressing their supply in a significant way. Apparently, the main requirement for its production is an excessive intake of food. And with the amount of spider meat available at the moment," Lynn explained with a shrug.

  "With the way you're bargaining anything and everything but our pyths for any of the products you can get, I assume silk is rare?" Chess asked.

  "Yeah but that's not the only reason. I've never heard of watertight silk before or dyes that hold their color like these… so, if there's anything else you're open to trading?" Lynn asked.

  "That explains those pails you wanted. We could part with the gladius? I want to keep its scabbard though. You already traded the mining helm and any of the mundane metal items you had on you. You could trade the two crossbows. I have an idea for an improvement and I was thinking we could each use one anyway," Chess said.

  "That will help. We may as well get what we can. With your increased inventory space we have the room too," Lynn nodded.

  "That's another thing. I need to build a stairwell and second level in there. It's needlessly tall right now," Chess said.

  "Well in that case why not empty it out before you do that?" Lynn reasoned.

  "Okay," Chess said and got to work.

  Other than the handful of mining boosting items, they'd found two items at the bottom of the stagnant pool after sifting through the silt that Chess wanted for herself and had said so.

  Both Ashley and Lynn readily agreed since they'd both personally made out like bandits already on the delve.

  Chess studied the matched pair of enchanted hoops again, while the others shifted through all their gear that they had spread out on a large table that Chess had crafted.

  "True-silver is one of the best enchanting mediums in existence. There are people who'd kill for that much of it. It may be safer to sell them," Lynn cautioned.

  "But I think I like them. Besides I'm a noble lady. Aren't the commoners supposed to be envious of me?" Chess threw back her shoulders and strutted with a wide smile.

  Both Ashley and Lynn snorted in unison.

  "Fine be that way," Chess laughed and retook her seat.

  There was another problem with the whole thing she needed to consider. She'd never had her ears pierced before. Ashley has healing, so it shouldn't be so bad. It would be better if I could hide them, hmm.

  "How many enchanted earrings can you wear in each ear?" Chess asked Lynn drawing her attention away from sorting their finds into 'keep' and 'trade' piles.

  Lynn frowned for a moment. "Usually one in each ear like normal is safest. Though I suppose you could get away with more if the enchantments don't overlap and break down, or you know, interact violently. Just like your hair charms. Those earrings should be fine since they were likely made by the same craftsman."

  "Uh," Chess coughed. "If it says earring does it have to be worn in the ear?"

  "Those don't say they require an ear, only that they pierce your skin. Why? Where else would you put them?" Lynn frowned.

  "I just thought maybe it might be better if they were out of sight...You know what? Nevermind," Chess coughed.

  "Want to pierce my ear for me?" she asked the skunk-kin woman.

  "I guess so, though I don't see the point until you have the stats to use them. What are we using?"

  Chess pulled one of the bolts from her vault and unscrewed the arrowheads before turning its end into a razor-sharp needle and handing it over. I wish I knew what a piercing tool looked like.

  Lynn sidled up beside her and took the needle in one hand and Chess's small earlobe in the other.

  "Wait," Chess held up a hand to stop her. "Give that back I don't think it's thick enough."

  Lynn smiled but did as she was asked.

  Ashley giggled.

  Chess took it back, expanding it a little and making it hollow so it could remove some skin for the thick ring to go through. She dipped it in the small pot of water boiling over the fire before returning it to Lynn. Then she made a second one and gave it to her also. "One for each," she explained.

  Lynn once more readied herself only for Chess to stop her again.

  "Don’t be a baby. This is nothing compared to being stabbed in the arm," Lynn sighed.

  "I know," Chess rubbed at her scarred arm for a moment before continuing with a shake of her head. "It's not that. I don't want it in the lobe. I want it here." Chess pinched a place about halfway up in line with her ear canal on the inside of her right ear.

  "I want it so the loop stays close to the ear," she explained.

  "That's a strange place for an earring," Ashley said.

  "It's cool," Chess countered.

  "Okay, ready?" Lynn asked. Chess nodded then stilled.

  "On…" Lynn didn't finish speaking instead thrusting the needle through Chess's ear followed quickly by one of the earrings.

  "Oh, that wasn't so bad. No worse than the first line of a tattoo," Chess murmured to herself.

  "You have tattoos?" Ashley asked incredulously.

  "Uh? Not anymore?" Chess shrugged at her daughter.

  "Okay," Lynn dragged the word out. "Want to turn around for me?"

  "What are you doing? I said ear. Make the next hole a little above the last," Chess said.

  "Alright," Lynn set up again "Read…" she didn't finish the word before the second needle was in then out and was Lynn threading the second hoop through.

  "Good," Chess breathed a sigh of relief before turning to Ashley. "Mind wasting a heal on it? It's late so it will reset soon."

  "Sure," Ashley smiled, checking out Chess's new piercings before using the spell.

  "Try to direct the spell as we discussed," Lynn coached Ashley as she started her spell.

  Chess saw her daughter nod from the corner of her eye.

  Once Ashley finished her cast, Chess ran a finger over the small loops in her ear. I wish I had a mirror to see.

  "How do they look?" she asked the others.

  "Fine, it's a strange placement," Lynn shrugged.

  "I think I like it," Ashley said with a smile and a little bounce.

  She likely wants some herself but where would be best with her cat ears? Chess thought.

  "Well, while I'm at it, I may as well equip this," Chess mused, pulling the bracelet of the monkey from her vault and laying back on her bedroll. "You said it would knock me out for a bit?"

  "Maybe, as much as half a day. Depends on your magic tolerance," Lynn explained. "When you're done with that take those 15 doses of Totem pyth. And you have some harvest to take as well," she turned to Ashley who nodded.

  "Okay," Chess said and slipped it on her scarred arm. Her world went dim for what felt like a second before returning.

  "That wasn't so bad," she said, sitting back up only to find the tent empty and dark.

  "Oh, hmm." Chess rotated her new bracelet for a minute before picking up her vambrace and flexing her magic to incorporate the new item so they wouldn't rattle against each other.

  "What are you naming them? Chess asked Ashley as they sat petting the trio of Heliwr later that night.

  "They haven't earned names yet," Ashley explained with a fond smile. "But hopefully they will soon."

  "Well if you want any help, let me know," Chess said and ruffled her daughter's hair before giving her a sideways hug.

  "How are you holding up?" Chess asked when Ashley returned the hug.

  "Good… better," Ashley said with a firm nod, leaning back to meet Chess's eyes. "The dreams were really bad before we went back into the tunnels, but they seem less...bad now? I think butchering spiders helped a lot also."

  "That is good," Chess said, shifting the cat from her lap. "Don't hesitate to talk about it if you feel like it. It doesn't have to be with me."

  "Okay," Ashley murmured against her chest.

  "You know, music helped me a lot when I lost Kira then my dad. It's a good reason to scream your feelings to the world without anyone looking down on you for it. That and sometimes other musicians are better at finding the words for what we're feeling than we'll ever be," Chess said, giving Ashley a squeeze.

  "Will you teach me?" Ashley asked a minute later, pulling back from the hug to meet Chess's eyes.

  "Sure," Chess smiled. "I don't think Sprig will mind you playing her."

  Chess stood and retrieved Sprig from outside and returned to her spot holding out the guitar for Ashley before summoning one for herself.

  She taught Ashley how to hold a guitar properly before spending an hour showing her a few chords then having Ashley practice them to get a feel for where her fingers needed to be.

  "Will you play a song for me? So I can try to see the chords," Ashley asked eventually. Chess figured the girl's fingertips likely hurt and chuckled.

  "Sure. I was the same way when learning my chords. They get boring after a while. I'll have to teach you a few simple songs like Gramps did for me. Frankly, I'm surprised you lasted this long."

  "Yeah, please. That would be nice. Could you play something new?" Ashley asked.

  "Sure," Chess nodded and thought for a moment before deciding. She played a few chords then went through it a few times in her head to try and translate it before pulling out one of her wooden note slabs and writing it out phonetically in Brastian.

  "Okay this song is a little dark," Chess warned before she started to play.

  "Bury all your secrets in my skin…"

  By the morning of the fifth day, even Chess had to admit to herself that she was dragging her feet. We've had too much time to consider what we will likely need to do the moment we step through that portal. No one ever talks about how hard it is to motivate yourself when you know what you have to do but don't have the heat of the moment as an excuse.

  She'd made them each a pair of lighter crossbows, going so far as to embed skystone in their stocks and bodies, which allowed them to feel solid yet be light in their hands. They even slow-fell if you let go of them, a neat trick Chess had fun with.

  She and Lynn spent most of a day testing and tweaking the crossbows so they were as powerful as possible while still being able to draw them with their belt loops.

  Chess had also spent considerable time increasing the mass of the bolts she'd made for them by filling the shafts with ground skystone. She and Lynn sacrificed the rest of their leg armor and Chess's mace so she'd have materials for more heads, fins, and the bit's needed for the crossbows. Replacing the lost armor with thickened redwood.

  All three spent at least an hour each day on target practice with the deadly devices.

  Chess also spent time each day experimenting with her new abilities. Her most significant discovery was that if she played with the sustenance passive on her wooden gem in effect while sitting in the sun for half an hour, Ashley and Lynn tended to eat noticeably less throughout the day. It was hard to pin down just how long she'd have to play for the full effect or if with Ashley it was her new reluctance to overeat at Lynn's prompting.

  Chess spent any free time she had making more small figurines from scrap bits of wood but had yet to feel that same surety she had when making the falcon so she couldn't bring herself to waste more precious items on trying to form more charms. At least not until we figure out a living situation. If it feels right I'll try again but in the meantime, I'll leave off, she told herself.

  "We should leave soon. If we do this any longer, I feel we'll talk ourselves out of it," Chess greeted Lynn when she joined her at their fishing spot on the sixth morning.

  "If anyone deserves what's coming, it's that lot," Lynn said, an edge of bitterness in her tone while taking the free silk and wood folding chair Chess had left for her.

  Chess had been disappointed she'd not gotten a creator's boon for the creation.

  "I know. I just… I worry about Ashley stepping into it with us. She hasn't had to kill a person before, and she is still so young."

  "She's a blooded warrior now," Lynn said.

  "Killing real thinking beings is different."

  "I… I know. I'd argue the Ghouls, but they're basically undead." Lynn sighed and took her own fishing rod from where Chess had laid it and baited the hook with a small worm. "At least we'll likely have the element of surprise."

  "That doesn't help how I feel. Besides, there are upwards of what? Eight? Armed bandits in that cavern."

  "Potentially more," Lynn allowed while casting her line out.

  "See? It's a clusterfuck whether we're contemplating cold-blooded murder or dropping into a group that greatly outnumbers us. Half of which may not even choose to be there. You've hinted at how slave armies operate with those bloody collars and bindings." Chess pointed at the band around Lynn's neck with a thumb.

  "It's possible," Lynn agreed. "But it's more likely they're Canfree soldiers pretending to be bandits. And they have a different way of growing and training their people to be loyal. Slave armies have their downsides after all.

  "This whole thing has Duke Canfree's fingertips all over it. Hell, the band that trapped us in here is run by his bastard, and he's always coveted the Heel. This could be all part of some larger plan," Lynn added.

  "That's one bastard I wouldn't hesitate to put in the ground. He's the one shit-stain I don't need to think too long or hard on. Him or his little toady, Raff," Chess murmured her cheeks flushing red with renewed anger at the hopelessness she felt in his hands, what Raff had done to Ashley, and at what he'd orchestrated for Kan and the others.

  "Caldur and Serus may still be alive. You said it yourself, the bandits were asking him to surrender," Lynn said, reading Chess like a book.

  "I know," Chess sighed. "None of this makes it easier to move forward. In fact, it just sounds harder now that it's out there in the open."

  "We could ask Ashley to stay here until we return or she reaches her majority. We could attempt to deal with them then reenter the rift," Lynn suggested.

  "Uh, no. It's a thought but I don't like that at all. She may even resent us if she's forced to wait years for us here without knowing if we're even still alive.

  "I hate to say it, but you're still collared, and we may need her healing and extra shots." Chess stared out over the beautiful landscape and newly-risen sun then sighed into the prolonged silence.

  "No. We leave today," Chess decided a few minutes later and stood to reel in her line.

  "We've taken the time to prepare as best we can, with what we have, already. Let's take a few hours to gather everything and make any last-minute trades then just go," Chess added as she summoned her vault and stored the chairs, rods, and small stringer of fish.

  "Yeah, alright," Lynn nodded with her mind evidently elsewhere. "I'll tell Ashley, and we'll meet at our tent to dismantle it."

  If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

  Chess paused at Freya's altar for a few minutes.

  Taking a few random pyth, the stringer of fish she'd caught that morning, and a small lock of her hair she laid them into the bowl between the Heliwr's paws.

  "A little something extra for the successful charm and for seeing us safe this long, Freya," Chess said, nodding towards the items and laying a palm on the altar.

  About thirty seconds later the now-familiar rainbow of magic swirled in the basin and turned the items to white ash.

  She watched until the magic faded before turning and almost running over the ancient muskrat kin elder who stood waiting behind her.

  "Hey," Chess said awkwardly.

  The elder raised one of her knobby hands to grip an ancient charm hanging from her left breast before speaking. The tiny figure of a fish looked almost petrified with age.

  "Have little of tongue," the keeper greeted Chess in a silky smooth language that Chess was surprised she understood. Must be wood elven.

  "Your child teach many child her tongue. This good for people. Bridge maybe no so good." The old head nodded slowly but never took her gaze from the bowl on the altar and the small pile of ash there.

  Chess didn't know what to say so only nodded in return.

  "If give memories to spirit, she give more words?"

  "Maybe?" Chess said the new language was smooth and silky on her lips.

  "Good, good. You leave today," the elder stated with a firm nod.

  "In a few hours," Chess nodded back. Lynn must have found her on the way back.

  “Change hard.” Chilkuy said carefully. “Bad, stand in front. I too old,” The old Muskrat-Kin shrugged one shoulder and turned from the altar to rest a hand on Chess's shoulder for a moment.

  "Was going to give this to spirit but maybe give to you be better. Speak to spirit of us in future. Safe travel," she said and handed Chess a small Heliwr fur pouch before turning and picking her way down the bluff, her ephemeral staff tapping a steady beat in the soft earth.

  "Uh, you too?" Chess said to the elder's back.

  "That was strange," Chess murmured and opened the pouch to look inside.

  Holy balls, score! Chess did a fist pump before tying it to her belt with a wide smile.

  She took another look out over the sparkling lake with its islands floating above before turning to follow in the elder's wake.

  "Ready?" Chess asked her companions as they stood outside the stone circle on the small floating island, adjusting their gear for a final time.

  They each had a loaded crossbow in their hands with their spares, cocked and loaded, hanging from lanyards against their breasts.

  Lynn had her spear in the crook of her left arm while Ashley had hers fed through her fingers, ready to drop the moment they were through. Both had their shields strung on their backs with a mace on a loop on their belts.

  "Remember time will even out as soon as I step through, for a handful of minutes. Don't tarry. If they're still there, we'll be expected. Choose your target and don't hesitate," Lynn reminded them.

  Both Chess and Ashley nodded.

  Chess had made a point of taking a proper bath in the lake that morning, using a bit of lye soap that Lynn had scraped together and felt better than she could remember in weeks. She and Ashley had braided each other's hair into a tight rope down the center of their backs, instead of the rat's nest they'd been in for weeks.

  Instead of a shield, Chess had Sprig slung over her shoulder, ready to use the vines she knew filled part of the target cavern if the opportunity arrived.

  "Okay," Lynn said and with a deep breath raised her crossbow to her shoulder then stepped into the stone ring, disappearing in a blinding flash of green light.

  Ashley commanded Dent to go next, then she and her gaggle of Heliwr followed on his heels.

  Mikel and a few of his friends were there to see them off, and Mikel received a quick hug from each of the three before they stepped into the ring and disappeared.

  "Take care of yourself. If you or your descendants ever decide to leave this place, try asking for us at the delver's guild in Portheel. We still owe you for your help," Chess had reminded him, pressing a small ironwood grizzly bear figurine into his hands when it was her turn before following the others through. She'd embedded a small piece of skystone in its densely swirled center so she could identify it in the future.

  Chess's Status

  Enchanted Equipment:

  Ashley's Status

  Enchanted Equipment:

  Two versions of the same song: First is the original