<div class="floatright">(http://i.imgur.com/bwHSomM.jpg)</div><br/>Kirsta nodded once,<strong>"I'll admit, when I was planning for this, I trained in self sufficiency.  The danger of working with others is a bit too great, or so I thought.  But when I was hit with that sleeping magic I had my doubts about my plan.  Even coming across that pack of gobbers, more than I'd seen in one spot before, had me nervous.  But you aquitted yourself quite well and between the two of us, we did fairly well I think.  It would not be disagreeable to venture with you further.  However every step we take in my direction puts you further from the Fiend.  Of course if we were to travel this direction, it might put you closer striking distance to others if you were not set on the Fiend as your only choice, just your first one?"</strong><br/><br/>Kirsta considered it for a few moments and nodded her head,<strong>"If you're willing to continue along this path, I'd welcome your company and more importantly, the second set of eyes.  Let us hurry, I do not wish to spend time in this place during night."</strong>As if on queue, a far off sound resounded through the passageways from behind them, something that sounded partially like a screech of metal on metal combined with an animal's howl.  Kirsta shivered once and said,<strong>"I can't even imagine what that was, let's hurry."</strong><br/><br/>The pair moved off towards Kirsta's chosen counselor, away from the dark hallway that led to the Fiend.  They moved swiftly, but alert, and more than once one of them spotted a trap hidden in the floor or walls, easily avoided once spotted.  Zerxel even reached out and grabbed Kirsta's outfit, stopping her a mere footfall from the edge of a pit trap.  Triggering it showed that the human had been one step from tumbling into a ten foot deep pit, with a light blue slime creature filling the entirety of the bottom.  Kirsta thanked Zerxel and they moved on avoiding the pit that would have likely taken Kirsta's virginity, at the least, had Zerxel not spotted it in time.<br/><br/>The strange noises behind them seemed to get louder as the light from the torches dimmed, and it was with some relief that they made their way to a new chamber.  Kirsta stopped at the entrance looking in at the room.  Sand filled most of the room, with several broken platforms jutting upwards of solid stone.  Across the way a single door appeared to be the only exit.  In front of that door a statue stood.  There seemed to be no movement, but Kirsta pointed at the archway that they stood in.<strong>"How much do you want to bet that iron door slams down into place behind us as soon as we enter the room?"</strong><br/><br/>Zerxel looked up even as an eyebot flitted upwards to notice the heavy iron slab set in the archway, obviously ready to drop into place as soon as the contestants entered the room.<strong>"We could backtrack and see if there's another..."</strong>Kirsta started to say, just as a bestial roar filled the passage behind them.  Whatever had been hunting them was getting closer, much closer.<strong> "Hmmm maybe not.... what do you think?"</strong>