"GAHHH!" The three screamed as they rocketed through the tunnel, being yanked along by Rion's water spheres wrapped around their hands.
The Wyrm's spew of lava chased them like a wolf chasing a sheep, furious and unrelenting.
Ezra turned back, watching as the wave of fire drew closer.
"Rion!"
"IM WORKING ON IT!" Rion screamed as he focused everything he had into one goal: pulling those water spheres.
He felt something pop in his shoulder, but it didn't matter. Better his shoulder be ruined than his entire body be burned to a crisp.
He felt tears welling in his eyes the entrance was so close. Sticky sweat clutched to his face as the heat grew stronger, the lava creeping closer and closer.
COME ONNNNN!
Suddenly, the three burst from the entrance, and Rion wrenched them to the left with one final pull. The water spheres instantly burst, sending the three sprawling across the ground.
Immediately after, the lava poured out the tunnel like water from a cup, spilling across the cavern floor before slowly hardening into volcanic rock. Red cracks and creases ran along its surface, still glowing with heat.
Ezra slowly got up and turned toward Rion.
"Good looks. You saved us."
Rion gave a wry smile trying to look confident.
"D-don't m-mention it."
Maria laid on the ground, staring up at the ceiling while still clutching Marie.
"It's one thing after another with these monsters," she muttered.
Suddenly, a low growl echoed from the cave...
As if awakened from a long nap, the Wyrm slowly emerged. With every step it took, the volcanic rock beneath its feet steamed.
It had a short neck and a thin head, with sharp, sinister eyes. Its torso was rather wide, while its limbs resembled those of a frog. Its scales were colored black and bright red, fitting for its status as a magma Wyrm.
Slowly, each member of Lost Keep took their stance.
Ezra's eyes darted between Maria and Rion. Usually, in times like this, a leader would call out, "Ready!?" or something of the sort. Hell, Ezra had done that himself when fighting the Riamo.
But this time?
Even he wasn't ready.
"You guys—"
Without hesitation, the Wyrm bared its jaws and slammed its head down, taking a massive bite out of the volcanic rock it had just spewed out.
Then it flexed its throat, made a gagging sound, and—
"Look out!" Called Maria.
Again, another wave of lava spewed out, flying across the length of the cave in a thin line.
Being prepared this time, the three were able to leap out of the way and circle in on the beast.
Ezra, Maria, and Rion looked at each other. At the same time, they shouted:
"Let's go!"
Ezra smiled to himself.
This was the point of a party.
When he couldn't bear everything alone, he always had them, always.
Ezra reached into his pocket and threw a nail into the air.
Then, he raised his hammer.
And hammered it home.
(And thus, Lost Keep's adventure continues…)