This greenery is just what I needed. The trees here are even larger than the ones I once lived in. The largest I found took over two hundred paces to circle. It brings to mind the saying “Alls well that ends well.” We overcame an exhausting trek, a hazardous cavern, and a very dangerous foe today.
When we left the laboratory we went straight back to the chest mimic. It was excited to see us again until it saw Kevin with us. They squabbled and bickered back and fourth about the only thing they could, Kevin had a name and that made him better. The focus was more on us when we told him about the coins. We still had fewer than he had asked us for but we were able to talk him into a different exchange to make up for it. He wanted a name of his own to thumb Kevin's eye with. Simultaneously we all said “Chester”. To be honest I'm a little concerned that we all came to the same answer so quickly separately. He was more than satisfied though, and after dumping hundreds of golden coins into his dark maw he coughed a small silver ring with a skull painted on it into my hand.
It spoke but was quick to say that it was no mimic. His name is Lancey, a skeleton key. He explained that he ate fingers, and when he ate he produced a key. However he cannot create a key from a hand that has less than five fingers and only one key can exist at a time. There were plenty of fingers in the barrels and we tested his power. The finger melted off of the dead hand into a rectangular form. It's gelatinous and soft. We tested it on a pair of shackles in the laboratory. When squished into a lock it becomes solid making a reusable key. I suspect the shackles are somehow enchanted, so I brought the with me. The others aren't convinced of it but they'll see. We also took the time to bring along several more hands for more keys. I hope we find a use for them sooner rather than later, the stench of rot is going to drive me crazy.
Further along the trapped corridor we found that the explosion had triggered or destroyed a number of other hazards. Blades that were embedded in the walls laid shattered on the on the floor and a swinging log covered in spikes fell from its chains. After easily defeating Viktor's security we came to a circular room with six giant wine casks. They must have been built in the room. They'd seen far better days in the past, only one of them still had its tap. The others were broken allowing whatever they contained to flow freely out leaving faded red and brown stains trailing further into the cave. Eric tried to pour a drink but only more of that slime dribbled out slowly, disappearing before he even could have taken a sip. There was a small closet but the only things inside were more bodies and for whatever reason a mop. Zanvar made a good point about the trail that I would have never thought of. So far every time we've found this slime it's been so unstable that it evaporates. If we assume that all these casks were filled with it, and that the trail was left by it, how did it flow?
Following the stains lead to a winding stone bridge across a much larger pit than the last, one so large that I couldn't see where it ended or began. A feeling of isolation began taking hold of me. I suppose it might be why I started to quicken the pace. It's ironic that I come to a place literally named “The Abyss” and I'm so unsettled by what would accurately be described as an abyss. Along the bridge we passed barrel after barrel wafting more decay into the air. There was a gap that was small enough to hop across that avoided three barrels. I tried to take the short cut but it was an even worse mistake than stepping on that trap.
I had slipped off the edge with my front foot, meaning I only jumped with one leg. I'm a bit tall, so I was able to still reach forward and grab on to the other side. There I was dangling, only a bit scared. I could still pull myself up, but then I felt something so cold slide across my finger tips that it burned. A blob of red slime ran down along my arms and settled on the back of my neck. I could feel it begin turning, boring into me like some kind of parasite. I screamed and clambered to be on something stable. I lost consciousness as soon as I felt my feet touch something again. The next time I opened my eyes I could only see Few's soot covered hair. She had burnt the slime away and forced me to drink a potion while Eric used the last bit of his healing abilities to repair me. I can't think of anyone I've met that I would rather have with me than these friends. I hope to repay them for all the grief I've caused today. Zanvar says there's still a mark on the back of my neck from either the slime or Few burning it. I'll have to grow my hair a bit longer to cover it up.
A wall came into view. It was shaped like a mound with its own entrance. The bridge continued into it. I peeked in, my eyes hurt from the dim light flowing in from the exit. However, in the exit was a much larger red blob like the stopper in a bottle. It was agreed that I would stay back with Few while Eric and Zanvar take the fight directly to it. We ambushed it with everything we had, only when Eric brought holy light to it did we see the purple pox all over and inside of it. The faces were easy to see on it's blubber. Many birds, snakes, squirrels, rats, and other animals were there but many more were of people. I assume that we're carrying around the hands of some of them. It shook flinging globs of itself off. Those small globs began to move and attack on their own, surrounding Eric and Zanvar. They were easy to dispatch individually but the main slime took the opportunity to attack.
It rolled away from the opening to the second level. It was like the sun had been covered and suddenly when you looked at it the cover was lifted. Few and I were far enough around the wall to remain safe but Zanvar and Eric were swallowed by the tidal wave of ooze. It continued on its path. It stopped when part of it was hanging over the edge of the walk way. It tried to push my friends through its body and out to what I would think is death. Few's fire made solid patches where ever the landed and I aimed to hit those. My arrows weren't being especially useful until I did that. Zanvar and Eric continued swinging and swimming inside. Again it tried to shake them out but they were tenacious and strong. It wasn't long before it could no longer hold itself together. It became far less viscous, evaporating and dribbling over the side. Zanvar and Eric weren't much worse for ware even after such an experience. Together we looked out to the next challenge we'd face.
We stood in the mouth of the cave overlooking a canopy of trees as far as I could see. There were far more animals than there were on the first level, flying above and scurrying up around the trees. Even after all that we'd been through we wanted to climb down to the forest floor before calling it a day. It was short compared to the mountain we'd just descended but this was all vertical. It was a real test of our endurance, one that we all eventually failed. The day we'd just had was too much for anyone to make the entire climb without slipping. None of us were injured too badly, Zanvar fell apart again but he was fine otherwise. All these leaves block out whatever is shining so much light down here. It will be easy to sleep. Few seems to be resting fine, perhaps she won't fall ill? I've asked Zanvar to keep watch over her. While I require much rest he cannot sleep even if he wanted to. He shares my concerns for her health and said he wouldn't take his eye off her. She woke up once and asked him to shine it somewhere else.
Source for the image of the skull ring is https://www.thegreatfroglondon.com/product/smallest-evil-skull-ring/ If I was in the market for a ring with a skull on it this would be the one I'd buy. Source for the image of the slime is https://www.warcraftpets.com/wow-pets/magic/oozes-and-slimes/blood-boil/