The Tunnels of the Howling

Iraliyn and Nevnera later flew them all out of the abyss (including No Name, who had gained consciousness again).

"That was so fun!" Niruk shouted. "I want to do it again!!"

Miriuo slapped him again. "We just escaped a life-threatening situation and you're wanting to do it again?!"

"What? I just thought it was fun..."

"I would've chosen to leave you behind!"

Lila took out the old map from her pocket. "Iraliyn, Nevnera, do you recognize this map?"

They looked it up and down and both started staring at the map to each other and back to the map.

"This map... where did you get it?"

"I found it buried in the ground while planting a sapling.

Nevnera put her finger on the signature at the bottom of the map. "Look at this.

׶

"These seem familiar..."

"These are two of the symbols engraved on the walls of the Tunnels of the Howling at the foot of the Mountain of Lies."

"Can you lead me there?"

"This should be the entrance to the tunnels, right?" said Lila.

"Yes," Nevnera said. "This is the entrance to the Tunnels of the Howling.

They (Lila and Nevnera only) slowly walked into the cave.

"Why is it called the Tunnels of the Howling if it's absolutely silent in here?"

"This is too far from the center. We cannot hear anything currently."

"Um, where do we go?"

Nevnera looked around. She suddenly started walking.

"Wait for me!"

Lila ran after her. After a while, she could slowly feel howling disturbing her.

The two of them arrived in a large cave. In the middle of the cave, there was a pedestal with the symbol ◊ carved on it. Lila gasped.

Nevenra stepped beside the pedestal. She placed her palm on the symbol.

The pedestal lowered into a large pit and revealed a different tunnel.

"What did you do!?" asked Lila.

The howling started to pierce their minds, far stronger than before.

Thin slits appeared on the cave wall and spread all around them. Everywhere except the ground.

While blocking their ears because the walls had started to crumble, and blocks of stone crashed to the floor and created a deafening sound.

Nevnera noticed that the wall in front of them was falling towards the passage down. They had to jump in, now or never. She lifted one arm and pulled Lila into the dark pit. A piece of stone fell onto the opening and it became completely dark.

Revenai flew towards the ruins of an ancient structure. She had nearly escaped death in the grasps of the sorceress.

Her wings were battered, and couldn't make a smooth landing, so she crashed beside a crumbled pillar.

Revenai slowly stood up. The first thing that caught her eye was an arch to a doorway leading underground.

On the arch, there was a strange language engraved on the stone.

She did not know what it meant, but curiosity took over and she went down anyways.

The stairs were dusty and crumbled. Sometimes she would slip and hurt her ankle (her wings were too tired to fly anymore). There were many missing steps.

After what seemed like forever, she reached the bottom of the staircase.

Thankfully, when she was young, she had learned a trick to summon a flame.

With a small 'torch' hovering over her left hand, Revenai ventured down a dark hallway.

On the walls to both sides, she could barely make out strange shapes carved into the stone. There was only one clear.