The deep caves of the Farset region were a dangerous venture even for the most experienced of adventures. For an intermediate like Ix it was just about as close to a living nightmare as possible. The jagged rocks, deep pits, inky darkness, and permanent dampness that seemed to permeate every inch of the place made it hard to move and navigate and sent a klutz like her scrambling for her bearings more than once.

Thankfully she had had a master adventurer like Saeldur there to catch her when she fell. Literally.

“Thanks” she muttered as he helped her up from another spill. The ground they were on now was more or less level, some sort of path that was long out of use, but it was full of cracks that were hard to see in the pure black of the dark.

They had, of course, conjured up a source of light present in one small summoned beast that glowed a bright blue from the center of its body and the dull white light that came from the crystal atop Ix’s own summoning staff. Still, it wasn’t much. They’d learned from previous escapades that disrupting the darkness too heavily could have rather dire consequences and they were hoping to avoid any such happenings on this excursion.

The both of them were of the traditionally magical mindset and so didn’t often bring things like flashlights on their trips, nor guns, but as something to their left scurried rather noisily along unseen Ix almost wished they did. Saeldur was less worried, he had far more faith in things done the good old fashioned way than did his apprentice, he figured as much and knew she would come to rely on it more with time.

They continued on steadily after her first little trip, the lights bobbing about them with their steps. They were illuminated only slightly but one standing nearby might have been able to see their basic features, could perhaps see Ix’s clear milky blue eyes and her white blond hair, probably would have seen her mildly tan face but not the small crop of freckles that covered her nose. Her light blue tunic, fit rather snug to her petite body for a change, might have also been visible along with her rust red all-purpose bag but the brown pants and leather boots would be more or less lost as they tried to keep their light off the ground.

Saeldur’s silver hair, down to his hips now and tied low, would be a sparkling shimmer in the dark and his one visible eye, a bright honey gold and oddly catlike in its glow and the size of its dilated pupil would also be visible. His barely tanned skin might appear lighter than is in the dull, blue light and the rest of him would be lost to the world as his garbs were thick and black, draped over an apparently broad body. It would also be apparent that they were at a mildly significant height difference, he 6’7 and she 5’6, a little over a foot dividing them.

They seemed to be an odd pair, the two of them, wandering quietly through the darkness together, eyes locked forward, though they probably should have been above. Both were concentrated on the task at hand, on the thing they were after, on their treasure. Treasure… Such a nice thing.

Ix wondered though what exactly they were after, Saeldur hadn’t explained fully and she really was curious… Whatever it was it had to be magic. She let her thoughts wander and linger on it but didn’t have too much time to stay with it because suddenly, something large and reptilian fell from the ceiling of the cave. Saeldur drew back quickly away from it and toward the wall, dragging Ix with him.

She bit down a startled scream, knowing it was possible that the thing hadn’t seen them, and scooched father into her mentors grasp. The reptile seemed to miss them, its large body heaving as it righted itself, it had crashed on its side, and continued on only to bring forth another multitude of crashes and then finally, silence.

Cautiously they moved on, the reptile had fallen into a deep pit it seemed. Its tail, still twitching, stuck out of the inky darkness. Ahead Saeldur could see their goal, a little shine just beyond the gap here.

“Almost” he said softly, looking to Ix.

“We’re almost there?” she asked, wide eyed and mildly excited. For a woman of twenty two she could at times be a bit childlike.

“Yes… we just have to pass this” he waved forward.

“What are we getting? What kind of treasure?” she asked curiously. She always asked for a briefing before the collection if she didn’t get one before.

“No treasure just yet… It’s a map… of sorts” he gave a gentle laugh at her slightly flustered face.

“A map?”

“Of sorts” he laughed.

“Right… well… let’s get it then!” her voice echoed as she spoke up and he pressed a finger to her lips.

“Shh” he told her softly. “Let’s find a way through that… How about you try a spell?”