In a few minutes they were all standing outside watching Dulrak thump his staff along the ground as he slowly walked parallel to the back outside wall. He was on his second pass when his staff made a hollow thump. Dulrak tapped the ground slowly, outlining the shape of the stone covering. “Might not be the tomb’s entrance, but it’s something.”

Working with Lund they were able to raise the slab up and over to reveal a dark hole. Mery sent a dancing light down the hole, and they saw about 8 feet down, the floor. Dulrak lay down and leaned his head over the edge. “No enemies lurking, no spiders. It’s oddly empty, I think.” He stood and dusted the sand from his shirt. “But there’s only one way to know!”

Lund jumped down first and before he could speak, Mery slid off the edge and into the hole. She took a moment to conjure a second dancing light and had them bob waist height. She took a few steps away from the shaft and then popped her head back. “No traps - at least none I can see.”

Lund held up his hands. “Alice, step down; I’ll help you.”

To Peck Alice said, “You go on for a little bit. I don’t think you’d like it down there.” She sat at the edge, leaned out and grasped Lund’s hands. He said, “Take it slow. Use my leg, if you need.”

Although she wasn’t graceful about it, a moment later Alice was standing beside Lund and Mery. Isa looked at Dulrak, who was about 6 inches shorter than her. “I’m probably OK to jump down. Are you, I mean should I….?”

Dulrak peered into the hole. “It’s a drop, alright. I don’t know why I thought there’d be a ramp.” He looked around. “I have rope, but nothing to tie it to.”

“I can hold it,” Isa said, with more confidence than she felt. “And Lund will be there to help.” She leaned over. “You catching this?”

Lund’s face grew alarmed. “He’s jumping? You’re jumping? Wait a moment!”

“That’s an expression. We’re going to use rope. Just be ready.”

“For what?” Lund strained his neck looking up at them.

“To catch him,” Isa mouthed silently.

“Ah, yes. Right.”

Isa grasped the rope in both hands and put her weight on her back leg. Dulrak sat on the edge with the rope around his waist. “I hope getting out is easier,” he said and slipped over the edge.

Isa was immediate yanked forward, but she didn’t lose her feet. Her arms felt like they’d been yanked from her sockets, but almost immediately the strain was gone. She trotted to the edge and peered over to see Dulrak in Lund’s arms. “That could have been worse,” said the dwarf.

Isa easily hopped into the hole, and the group was reunited. They were standing in a low hallway, about 8 feet wide and 8 feet tall. Isa was facing a stone wall, and as she turned she saw that there was only one direction to travel. With some shuffling they had their marching order: Mery, Lund, Alice, Isa, and Dulrak.

Isa gave a nervous laugh and said, “If you’re an evil dwarf, will you go ahead and kill me now so I don’t have that hanging over my head?”

Mery shushed her from her spot at the head of the column, and Isa shrugged. To Dulrak she said softly, “For real, I don’t particularly want to die.”

“I’ll go ahead, and you can be at my back.” He brushed past her and winked. “You’re not a happy killer, I hope. Smile and smash.”

Mery sent a small ball of light to hang near Dulrak so that Isa had some dim light to watch her step. They’d gone about 10 feet down the hall when the reality of their situation truly sunk in. A chill zinged up Isa’s spine, and she tried to suppress the urge to turn around. She told herself that there was nothing behind her, which lasted until she heard the hissing. As she turned around something hit her leg and fell off. It was a beetle, and then Isa saw a mound of writhing, shiny, dark beetles moving toward her. Individual beetles popped up from the core like popcorn kernels exploding in a hot pan.

With a grunt of revulsion Isa brought her staff down on the swarm, smushing several of them under the metal-capped end. Isa had the wherewithal to say, “Wrath” as she jabbed down and her staff glowed with its now familiar silvery green light.

In the brighter light Isa saw the swarm pull back as if to retreat, but then as a mass, the beetles surged forward and covered Isa’s right foot. Before she could blink they’d reached her knee.

She let out a cry and slammed her leg against the wall. Most of the beetles fell away, but Isa knew that she’d bruised the crap out of her knee. The movement caught Dulrak’s attention, and he stepped forward and pointed his index finger at the beetles. A fine mist sprayed out but seemed to fall short of the swarm.

Several beetles flew up, landing on Isa’s hand. She felt a stinging, and as she flung them off, her staff’s light died. Isa had broken the spell by taking her hands off the staff. “Damn it.” She brought the staff down on the beetles, crushing another few dozen.

Dulrak stepped closer to the swarm and tried to spray them again, and although the swarm was noticeably smaller, whatever he was spraying, it didn’t seem to stop the insects.

Isa felt a hand on her shoulder, and Mery pushed past her. “Oh for heaven’s sake.” She stomped on the beetles, crushing them under her heel. “Not the last we’ll see of these probably, but a boot’s as good as a blade against such as these.”

“Thanks,” Isa said as she reached down to rub her bruised knee.

“Did you get hurt?” Mery touched Isa’s knee. “Let me help.” She muttered a few words, and Isa felt a cool wave pass through her leg as if she’d waded into a river on a hot day.

“Everything alright?” Alice’s face appeared over Mery’s head.

“Spot of bother with some insects,” said Dulrak. “All fine now. And Isa healed!”

“Healed? What happened?” Alice squeezed past Mery. “Isa?”

“They came from behind, just this wriggling mass of….”

“Can I get some light up here?” Lund’s voice came through the dim darkness.

He was standing in front of a round door. It was covered in strange, blocky runes. In the center was an etched face, black lines on a silvery metal.

“Check for traps,” Alice whispered.

“The spell?” Dulrak smiled.

“The act.” Mery stood with her hands on her hips. The hole they’d used to enter the hall was a distant smear of light, so Mery set 4 dancing lights to illuminate the door. After a few minutes she nodded. “Alright. I’m done, and I could be wrong, but I think if we touch the silver plate it will open the door, but--” She swatted at Lund’s hand which had started toward the centerpiece. “But a trap will open at our feet, too. I need some reach.”

“I can give you 10 feet with a javelin,” said Dulrak.

Everyone stood back while Mery reached out with the spear. When she pressed on the silver face, the tile in front of the door did not move. The door did, and as it moved to the side more beetles poured out of the widening crack. “Ah shit,” said Mery. She pulled out her short sword and slashed at the insect swarm. As before they hopped and clicked but none of them had reached Mery.

Alice tried to shoot a bolt of frost at them, but she missed. Isa used her sacred flame spell, hoping that lighting up a few would harm them all. “Magic over might! That’s the way,” Dulrak said.

“If you don’t have magic, try a really big sword,” said Lund as he stepped toward the swarms. When he’d finished his swing, he stepped over the swarms so that he was on the other side of the doorway.

The beetles hissed as both Alice and Dulrak hit them with magic. Alice with her frostbite spell and Dulrak with his poison. “That’s it,” said Mery. “We’ve got them running now.”

But just then, as she lunged forward with her sword, Mery slipped and slammed her hand into the wall. Isa heard the bones crack as Mery’s dancing lights extinguished. “Careful!” Lund said as he swung his sword again. The blade passed through the heart of the swarm and suddenly the few remaining beetles scurried into the deep shadows.

Dulrak held out his palm and a small lick of flame appeared. He held it close to Mery. “You right smashed your hand, didn’t you?”

“Yeah,” Mery held her right hand to her chest. “But in a moment I’ll be good as a restrung fiddle.”

Dulrak’s small flame seemed to shrink as Isa’s eyes adjusted and the size of the room became evident. Lund lit a torch and held it high. “Look at this place,” he said. “This is no simple grave.”