The morning was crisp and quiet. The sun was just a pale promise behind the mountains. Alex and Saeko stood before the entrance of a new dungeon. This one was called the Caverns of the Echoing Depths. The entrance was a dark crack in a mossy cliffside, smelling of damp earth and old stone.
They didn't need to talk about a plan. They just looked at each other, nodded once, and stepped inside.
The first room was a wide cave. The ceiling was covered in thousands of soft blue glow-worms. The light was dim and peaceful. But from the shadows at the edges, giant centipedes with shiny black shells scuttled out, their many legs clicking on the stone.
Alex raised his hand. A small, warm orb of light appeared above his palm. He tossed it gently into the center of the room. The blue glow-worms dimmed. The centipedes, confused by the new light, all turned toward it.
