The cave swallowed them whole.
A damp chill clung to their skin, the air thick with moss and stone dust. Every footstep echoed off the walls like a whisper in a cathedral, dripping water marking a slow rhythm somewhere in the dark ahead. The smell was sharp, wet iron, old earth, and something faintly sweet from the glowing blue crystal cracks that lined the walls like webbing.
Argent's voice broke the quiet.
"Remember what Borth said," he murmured. "These weapons are primed to take on our elements. Should enhance them a little, perfect for practice."
He turned to Ryn, whose bow glinted faintly in the dim blue light. "Not sure if yours works the same way, but it can't hurt to try."
Ryn nodded, her expression tight. "I'll … do my best."
They continued downward until the tunnel opened into a vast chamber. The ceiling disappeared into shadow. On the ground before them lay a circular mosaic carved into the stone floor, sixteen marble wedges forming a wheel, each inscribed with a sigil that shimmered faintly blue.
Ferric crouched, running a finger along one groove. "Looks like runes or sigils. No idea what they mean."
The blue glow of the carvings painted the walls in shifting light, guiding their gaze forward, to where the path split in two. Two tunnels lay ahead, vast and silent, each promising a different kind of danger.
Argent studied them, frowning. "The smith said the right path on the first level had spiders and ore. Maybe we should've asked what was down the left."
Ferric stood, dusting his hands. "Bit late for that now."
They started to move.
Many crystals jutted from the walls now, their faint luminescence bathing everything in cool tones of azure and white. The space was enormous, high enough that even Ward, towering over them, couldn't see the top. The four could walk side by side with room to spare.
Their breaths mingled in the cold air.
Ryn lingered slightly behind the others, eyes darting between the walls. "I … hate spiders," she admitted quietly. "I'll manage, but if one gets on me..."
Ferric chuckled under his breath. "If one jumps on you, I'll smash it before it blinks."
Ward's shields shifted with a low scrape. "Stay sharp. Caves this quiet never stay that way."
Argent grinned. "Come on, a little adventure never hurt anyone."
Ferric shot him a look. "You literally died two days ago."
"Fair," Argent said, still smiling. "But we already got the first one out of the way, the rest will be easy."
The tunnel widened again, opening into a cavern so large the far wall could barely be seen. The ground sparkled where chunks of ore lay half-buried, veins of copper and iron that look half excavated with chunks torn out of it.
And there, crouched near the ore, tearing chunks out of it and eating, were two creatures.
Spiders, each the size of a man's torso, their bodies made entirely of crystal. Jagged legs refracted the cave light, scattering shards of color across the walls. They were grotesquely beautiful, their faceted bodies pulsing faintly, alive with reflected light.
Ferric exhaled through his nose. "You know," he whispered, "Borth didn't say the spiders were the ore."
Argent's grin widened. "Makes it easier. Smash 'em, get what we came for."
Ward nodded once. "Let's split. Two and two."
The four of them nodded.
Ferric and Argent veered left; Ward and Ryn took the right.
Ferric sprinted forward, chains already coiling around his fists. He leapt, bringing both arms down like hammers to the topside of the spider.
As he focused, the links of metal flickered, tiny, sharp points forming along them, faint but this was his element at work. The effect was small, but tangible.
The impact rang like steel striking glass. Cracks spread through the creature's crystalline shell. Argent slid across the cave floor beside him, giant's axe in one hand, dagger in the other. The blade flashed once then again.
With a flourish of the giant's axe, he carved through the spider's left legs. They snapped clean off, the creature collapsing onto its side with a thunderous thump that shook dust from the ceiling.
The sound echoed far down the tunnel.
Ferric barely registered it. He landed in a crouch then roared in pain as the spider lunged, sinking crystalline mandibles into his forearm.
A creature born to feed on metal saw little resistance in Ferric's chains. The fangs punched through, slicing skin beneath Blood spattered the glittering floor.
"Damned spider!" Ferric snarled, driving his knee into its side.
Argent moved fast. Circling behind, he sliced his dagger downward, and focused.
A thin sheath of light flared to life an inch ahead of the blade, shaping itself into a spectral extension of steel. It hit the spider where it's head met its body, the luminous edge sliced clean through.
The body dropped to the ground, it's head still clamped to Ferric's arm.
He yanked it free with a grunt, shaking it loose. Where Argent's blade had struck, faint white light lingered in the cracks before fading away.
Argent standing up and looking to Ferric, "You good?"
Ferric glanced at his bleeding arm, then grinned. "Been worse."
On the other side of the chamber, Ward charged. Electricity shimmered faintly along his shields, tracing delicate veins of light that pulsed with each step.
He slammed the right shield into the spider's head, a spark arced through its body, brief and bright.
He swung the left, another crackle. Sending ripples of gold shimmering through the spiders crystalline body.
The creature twitched, stunned for a heartbeat.
"Ward! Right side!" Ryn shouted.
She pulled her bowstring, focusing. The air trembled around her arrowhead, earth gathering, shaping into a compact block like a stone mallet.
She released.
Ward dove aside as the arrow screamed past. It hit the spider's carapace with a sound like breaking glass, punching a fist-sized hole straight through. The creature reeled, staggering.
Ward pressed forward, slamming his shields again and again, each blow sending faint shocks dancing across its body.
Ryn nocked another arrow. Again the earth gathered, denser this time. She released. The shot hit true, tearing another hole through the spider and embedding itself deep into the far wall.
The cavern trembled slightly with the impact. Tiny pebbles skittered across the floor. None of them noticed.
Ward grinned. "Nice shot!"
"Again!" Ryn said, drawing back a third arrow.
But this time, the spider moved differently. It scuttled sideways away from Ward, avoiding the arrow and darting toward the sound... toward Ryn.
Ward's eyes widened. "No! I messed up..."
Lightning flared instinctively around his feet, propelling him forward. He ran faster than he ever had, but not fast enough.
The spider closed in, legs clattering against stone.
Ryn stood her ground. She didn't flinch or take a single step back.
She drew her final arrow, breathing slow. The cave seemed to quiet around her. The mallet-head of earth formed again, larger, denser, faintly glowing in a pale blue light, her second element had instinctively found its way out.
When the spider was only a few strides away, she let arrow loose.
The arrow hit square between its eyes. The mallet of hardened earth shattered on impact, the force punching straight through the creature's skull and bursting out the back.
The spider collapsed mid-stride, skidding to a stop just in front of her boots.
Ward stopped beside her, panting. The arrow, earth mallet shattered, clattered somewhere behind him, embedding in the far wall with another deep thunk. The vibrations echoed faintly through the ground.
He exhaled. "Remind me never to underestimate you."
Ryn smiled, lowering her bow. "Don't worry. You won't get the chance."
The four regrouped near the center of the cavern. Ferric was still clutching his arm, a strip of cloth tied around it as a makeshift bandage.
Ward leaned on one shield, catching his breath. "Not too bad, I guess. Strong little things, though. Every time I hit one, it pushed back like a damn ox."
Argent crouched beside the fallen creatures. "At least they are the ore. Makes things simpler. Smash 'em, grab the shards, we're done."
Ferric grinned. "Music to my ears."
They set to work, Ward and Ferric swinging, breaking the crystal bodies into smaller chunks. Each hit sent sharp, ringing vibrations through the stone.
The sound was constant, hammering, shattering, echoing.
Argent and Ryn crouched near the fragments, gathering the glittering pieces and slipping them into their runed pouches. Each shard glowed faintly as it vanished into the runic space inside.
Ward lifted his arm for another strike, sweat gleaming on his brow. "You know," he said, "this feels way too easy."
Ferric laughed. "Don't jinx it."
Ryn straightened suddenly, still holding a shard of crystal. Her head tilted slightly, eyes unfocused.
"Guys…" she said softly. "We need to hurry."
Ferric paused mid-swing. "What are you talking about?"
Ryn closed her eyes, placing a palm flat against the ground. "The earth. It's… moving."
Ward frowned, glancing down the tunnel. "I don't see or hear anything."
Argent stood beside her, axe ready. "What do you feel?"
She hesitated, then her expression changed. "No. It's too late."
The last echo of their hammering faded, leaving only the sound of dripping water, and something faint, deep below, shifting through stone like the rumble of an approaching storm.