Ch. 3 Page 24

"We should be trying to find our way back..." Yrag reminded everyone.

"You're not at all curious about what is making this cold?" Serten asked.

"Not enough," Yrag answered. "For all we know there could be an ice monster through there making it cold."

"I think we could handle it..." Murlynd mused. "I have been saving a fireball spell..."

"Well, whatever you boys decide, at least we have this now," Terik said. He had already pried the amethyst stone from the pillar and held it up in his hand.

"Nice work," Yrag said. "Party treasure to be split later, of course."

"Of course," Terik chimed in.

What was that? Praise for prying a gem out of a wall? When he had put himself constantly at risk to find this room in the first place? Tenser fumed inwardly as he struggled to decipher the runes on the magic wand.

"We should at least see what's through here and then we can consider backtracking," Serten suggested, as a sort of compromise.

"Fine," Yrag said. "Let's form back up in our marching order. Terik, you and I will take the lead."

"I can move to the front rank," Tenser volunteered.

"Don't be foolish. Fighters in front, spell support from behind. It's how we've always done this," Yrag admonished.

"Not to mention you're still hurt," Serten added. "Do you need more healing magic?"

Tenser dismissed the offer, but fell back into the middle rank.

Murlynd retrieved his lamp-pole and fell into line.

Terik and Yrag stepped into a tunnel and fanned out to either side...

Ch. 3, Page 23

It was true, there was a definite chill in the air that was not there a moment ago, but it was clear to no one how this portended any threat to them. After everyone looked at each other, it became clear to Terik that everyone still expected him to go through with approaching the trapped pedestal.

Terik knew, as he stepped forward, that it was all his fault that people took advantage of him. With a bossy cousin like Robilar in the family, it just became easier for Terik to be the easygoing cousin. He should turn around and tell them that he was not going to be pushed around like this anymore. He could just point to one of the others and say, "You do this, not me!"  He could take command and boss them around, not the other way around!

But, on the other hand, that seemed like a lot more work than just checking to see if the magical traps were deactivated. Sighing inwardly, Terik reached forward...