As their vision returned, Cromus, Ush, Kaazz, and Athas found themselves standing in a tunnel bathed in an eerie blue glow. The walls, floor, and ceiling were coated in thick layers of coral, jagged and smooth formations intertwining like an intricate maze of stone and sea life. Scattered among the coral were countless seashells—some cracked and worn, others polished to a pearlescent sheen as if they had been deliberately placed rather than left by time. Some jutted upward, their razor-sharp tips lying in wait for an unlucky misstep.

  Strangest of all were the peculiar plants lining the tunnel. Their long, vine-like stems coiled around the coral, ending in bulbous, bioluminescent drops that pulsed in shifting hues of blue—some deep and rich, others pale and wavering like moonlight on water. Their glow cast rippling reflections across the walls, giving the illusion of liquid where there was none.

  Athas moved cautiously across the coral, his claws clicking against the hardened surfaces as he sniffed at the shells and plant life, his tongue flicking out rapidly. Everything here was foreign to the asalisk, and his movements were more deliberate than usual.

  “This… is weird,” Ush muttered, stepping forward cautiously.

  Kaazz knelt beside one of the glowing plants, his fingers barely brushing against its stem. "Feels like… algae, but it’s dry. And the glow…" He trailed off, watching the light pulse in response to his touch, shifting slightly before stabilizing once more.

  Cromus glanced behind them, but the entrance was gone—no rippling portal, no sign of the cavern they had just left. Only the long, endless tunnel stretching ahead. He exhaled sharply, grip tightening around his weapon. “Alright, eyes open and stay sharp. Dungeons always have something nasty lurking in them.” His voice was steady, but there was a note of caution beneath it.

  As if responding to his words, a faint, distant sound echoed through the tunnel—a slow, rhythmic drip of water, followed by light, deliberate taps of movement against the coral-covered floor.

  Kaazz’s head snapped up, eyes narrowing. "We’re not alone."

  Cromus flexed his fingers around his sword hilt, his expression hardening. “Wouldn’t be much of a dungeon if we were.”

  Cromus had to admit, with the way the light reflected all around them resembling water it was beautiful. as he moved forward, he paid attention to everyone's step, his own even though he was trying to be quiet his steps left noise, Kaazz fairing a bit better, but Ush lived up to her class of complete silence.

  As they made their way deeper, there had been no noise, no issues. As Cromus went to step between some upright shells as he had done many times already, Athas rushed out ahead of him biting down on the plant holding the light. Cromus stepped back as what he thought were sea shells, clamped down revealing they were teeth and a mouth.

  The creature rushed out of the ground as if it was water itself leaving no trace of a hole or anything showing it was once buried in it lying in wait.

  Athas let go as the creature shook its head trying to fling off the little guy. when it's thrashing stopped that is when Cromus was able to get a good look at the creature.

  Its head was that of an Anglerfish attached to a human like torso covered in fish scales, its lower part had one of a mermaid. It used its arms to drag its body on the land, the movement a bit unnerving. as it looked at the group eyes focused and jaw agape Cromus used Identify.

  Angler Merwoman

  Level: 5

  These creatures, similar to the fish they resemble, lay in wait for unsuspecting prey to get close enough, lured in by the light on their head, or simply coming too close to its mouth, they attack.

  “Thanks Athas.” Cromus said his sword at the ready as he eyed the creature. Before he could act, Ush was beside it, her dagger finding hold in the creature's gills.

  It cried out and pulled away from her attack, webbed hands with claws lashing out where Ush. But as soon as the creature started pulling away Ush retreated. With the attack the Angler Merwoman had her back to Cromus who charged forward.

  As he closed in Two more of the creatures launched at him from the walls mouths opened wide sharp pointed teeth aimed for him. pulling back aiming to swing both enemies out of the air. A small fireball slammed into the one on his right in the mouth slowing its momentum and knocking it off course, Seeing this Cromus swung full force at the one still flying at him catching it in the shoulder, the scales proving tougher than originally thought the blow not cutting in but forcing it to the right into its companion.

  The two Angler Merwomen tumbled together in a heap of tangled limbs and tails, hissing as they scrambled to regain their footing. Their milky, oversized eyes flicked wildly in all directions, adjusting to the sudden burst of movement.

  Cromus didn’t give them a chance.

  He surged forward, driving his blade downward toward the nearest one, aiming for the softer flesh near its gills. The creature shrieked, twisting unnaturally at the last second, narrowly avoiding a fatal strike. Instead, Cromus’s sword scraped across its slick scales, sliding off.

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  Fast. Faster than he expected. Before he could correct his stance, a clawed webbed hand lashed out, raking across his forearm. Pain flared, but he gritted his teeth, pivoting away just as Ush darted back into the fray.

  Her dagger flashed in the dim blue light, sticking multiple times deep into the gills of the creature Athas had originally bitten. The Angler Merwoman choked out a guttural gurgle, its body convulsing before slumping onto the coral-covered ground, twitching once before going still.

  Kaazz didn’t hesitate. His fingers curled, and vines erupted from the coral itself, writhing toward the remaining two creatures. One managed to twist free before the vines could fully ensnare it, but the other wasn’t as lucky—Kaazz’s magic wrenched it to the floor, pinning its arms to its sides. It screeched, thrashing violently as the vines tightened.

  Cromus turned toward the freed one just as it lunged.

  This time, it didn’t aim for him.

  It went for Kaazz.

  “Shit!” Cromus pushed forward, trying to intercept, but the creature was already airborne, mouth stretched wide, rows of jagged teeth gleaming in the dim glow of the tunnel.

  Kaazz barely had time to react—his hands were still outstretched, maintaining his spell on the other Angler Merwoman.

  Then Athas struck. The Asalisk launched from the side, slamming into the creature mid-air. His powerful jaws clamped down onto its shoulder, twisting his entire body mid-roll to throw it to the ground.

  The creature screeched, slamming a clawed hand into Athas’s side, but the asalisk held firm, his tail coiling around its lower torso, holding it in place.

  “Good boy, Athas!” Cromus praised, stepping in and bringing his sword down in a powerful arc.

  His blade sliced clean through the creature’s throat.

  Dark, briny-smelling blood sprayed across the coral, and the Angler Merwoman fell limp, its gurgling cry fading into nothing. Athas released his grip, flicking his tongue and shaking the taste from his mouth, his claws scraping against the ground as he backed away.

  The last remaining one, still bound in Kaazz’s vines, let out a shrill, warbling cry.

  Cromus grimaced. That wasn’t a normal death wail.

  Cromus ran to it, his sword raised high swung down finding purchase in its gills cutting its head off cleanly. The deathly wail still echoed through the tunnels as it was cut off abruptly.

  As the last Angler Merwoman’s head hit the coral-covered ground, an eerie silence fell over the tunnel. Cromus exhaled sharply, stepping back and rolling his shoulder, blood from the earlier scratch still stinging. The briny scent of their foes' spilled blood mixed with the damp, stagnant air of the dungeon.

  Kaazz, still tense, slowly uncurled his fingers, causing the vines to retract. The bioluminescent plants lining the walls pulsed again, shifting from deep blue to a sickly green, rippling outward down the tunnel.

  Cromus clenched his jaw. That couldn’t be good.

  Kaazz straightened, wiping his hands on his tunic. "That call…" he muttered. "It wasn’t just a scream. was it?"

  Cromus grunted in agreement. "No. They—they were alerting something."

  Athas flicked his tongue, tasting the air, before hissing softly. His claws dug into the coral beneath him as his body tensed, coiled—ready to pounce.

  A deep, reverberating sound rumbled through the tunnels.

  Not like the screeches of the Angler Merwomen.

  This was low. Deep. A thrumming bass that vibrated through their bones.

  Kaazz and Ush exchanged wary glances.

  "That… doesn’t sound like one of them," Ush murmured.

  Cromus adjusted his grip on his sword. "Nope." He looked ahead toward the still-pulsing green glow, which seemed to beckon them forward, deeper into the unknown.

  "Whatever it is," he said, "we either find it, or it finds us."

  Silence fell over the group for a brief moment. Cromus sighed, muttering under his breath, “Here we go.” He said casting a spell, topping off his health.

  Before he headed down the tunnel further he heard Ush. “Cromus one second, I would like to use my points.”

  “Points? you leveled?” Cromus asked, and she nodded. Checking his character sheet he noticed he received 840 experience from the fight, thinking back to when he was level 2 he had to have 900 or something like that to level so it made sense she leveled.

  “I am close as well, only 800 more experience points before I hit level 5.” Kaazz said walking up a smile on his face.

  Cromus shared the smile, if that is how much they gained from the first encounter he could only imagine how much more they could gain from this.

  “Ok I am ready to go.” Ush said moving up next to them. Cromus eye’d her her footsteps were even harder to notice giving Cromus an idea where her points went.

  “Alright, Kaazz I don’t know if we told you, but level 5 is where you will get some pretty knew choices, unless your broken class keeps you from it, I recommend before you go through that we make sure we make it a safe place and giving you time to make the choices that are best for you.” Cromus said.

  Kaazz took in Cromus’s words, nodding slowly. “You’re just making me more excited.” He folded his arms, a ghost of a smile flickering across his face before his usual stoic expression returned. “Though I know I might get disappointed.”

  Cromus smirked. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. First, let’s keep moving.”

  With a final glance down the tunnel, he exhaled and stepped forward, leading the group deeper into the unknown.