Oram was designated at deciding which direction they went and he suggested that they stick to one wall. Chichi nodded her head, approvingly. That made good sense. When he asked her about where they were, she glanced back slightly. "I do not think so, no," she said, thoughtfully. "It seems zat we haf walked further. But remember, zese caves, they move. If we stood here, in a month, zey will not look the same. I am able to always know, what is the direction we are facing. What is the distance we have come. Zat is what makes me a guide. We draw ze map, to try and understand what, if anyzing, it stays the same. And to make quick get out if needed, or find alternative, if needed."
They discussed the blood on the walls, the cacophony of smells, the strange wind-currents. There was no doubt that they were moving and clearly working well. Chichi looked at Yeva and gave a slight half-shudder. "I do not like spiders. If one is here, we vill kill it so it is knowing very much that it is very dead."
They kept moving, as per Oram's direction and they found themselves in a large cave - the tunnel opened up and they could all see the glow of lava. As they walked, carefully, forward with Darius at the lead, they saw the cavern. It was roughly circular and there were small geysers which looked like mini - volcanoes around the room. In terms of exactly how "mini" these were - each one was the size of a small hillock. Lava spouted upwards out of them, flowed down them.
Around the cavern there was also a stream - but it was unlike any normal stream - this was a stream of slow-moving lava.
Chichi looked at the cavern and said "I do not believe zat...."
But what Chichi believed - or did not - they would never find out.
It started as a slight rumble.
Just for a half of a split second, that was all it was.
Later - should later happen for them - they might discuss how important it was to note that the rumbling came from beneath them. That, as the spirit above fed into the divine energies, as the earth and the water and the air mingled in howling chaos, the fire beneath joined.
But those were considerations for later. Much later.
In that moment, the ground beneath them started to shake and, within seconds, the whole place was undulating. Of course, being underground, that caused some issues as fissures cracked in the ground and stone and earth and debris was loosened from above them. So, it was a moment of trouble for them and yet, they spotted things which might help.
Yeva There are two other exits from this cavern - the one on the left (which you'd follow if you are following Oram's 'stick to the left' technique) has wind blowing from it - and there is the sound of liquid flowing from there, too. saw one thing, while
Darius the "mini volcanoes" are cracking open noted another and
Oram the lava-stream (which is flowing in the direction you were walking) speeds up significantly . However, everyone there saw - and heard - the collapse of the tunnel which had led them here. Debris was falling from above - they were all in danger of being hit by falling rocks.
Chichi's eyes widened as she looked around. Her face suddenly turned ashen grey and she said "Zach! Zach is hurt." She looked at them all with fear in her eyes. "Can ve help him? Can ve? We can not let him die, not here in ze dark!"
Which left them with three choices..... go forward, leave if they could, or help the guide if they were able.
That was the moment they were in as Cold found them.
.......
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