"What was that?" Everyone looked at the server.
"I-I'm terribly sorry. It would seem I bumped into something, but there's nothing here." The monster scrambled to pick up the scurrying food.
A fleeing shadow danced across the wall, and the monster on the throne stood to his feet. "Show yourself."
Gruff rushed across the room while the monsters were distracted. He first reached for the red orb from behind the throne and securely placed it in his pouch. Then, for the second one, light moved across the room, and Gruff swiftly broke the crystal off the scepter.
Marcia's magic came undone. Spears and swords pointed at her, and she raised her arms, "This isn't my cave."
When Gruff placed the crystal orb in his pack, the room went dark, and his vision failed him as he fumbled with his pouch.
"Haste," Gruff zipped across the room, grabbed Marcia by the arm, and headed to the exit.
"We need something to keep them from following us." Marcia pulled out a notebook. Magic flowed through her, and the pages flipped rapidly until the book landed on where she desired. "This one." She pointed.
Gruff squinted at the page, then at Marcia. "Are you crazy?"
"Just do it!"
"Fine, but if Master yells at us later, you have to take responsibility." Gruff stopped at the large doors he had entered through earlier and turned to the group of monsters heading for them. "Get ready to close the doors." Then he spoke, "Black Hole!"
Stones raised from the ground. Gruff and Marcia's feet slipped across the floor, and the monsters fell over one by one before getting sucked into a dark, swirling force. The room lit up once more as yellow rings formed around the darkness. The door to the room closed on the look of horror that filled the monsters' faces.
"Master is going to be pissed."
"Shut up, Gruff. I know what I'm doing." "Oh really? Miss visible."
"You know I can't control my magic as well as you and Jonah."
Gruff felt warm liquid trickle out of his nose, and he cut off his magic. "I can't hold it any longer. Redo your invisibility, and let's get out of here."
"Find them!" The yells came from behind the door.
"How'd they survive that?" Marcia recast her invisibility. "Let's go, Gruffy."
"You don't have to tell me twice."
Gruff and Marcia rushed through the corridors when a voice sounded in their ears. Who used a forbidden spell? Gruff, Jonah?
"Words not spoken now are heard."
It was Marcia, Gruff responded.
Narc, Marcia pinched Gruff. We got what we came for but had a bit of trouble getting out. So, I had Gruff use a forbidden spell.
There was no response, and then Jonah finally questioned them. Are the two of you safe? No one got hurt, right?
Don't be such a worrywart, Jonah. Me and Gruff are just fine. We do have some monsters after us, but otherwise-
"SSSSSSssss-sorry, don't hurt me!"
Marcia and Gruff stopped in their tracks as they looked into the glowing red eyes of a demon. A bone-chilling laugh reverberated through the cave.
"Sorry?" The man grabbed the monster by its scaley neck. "Where is the orb, little snake?"
"Hisss highnesss ha-hasss it." "Wrong!"
Crack! The monster fell to the floor. Its neck at a ninety-degree angle.
Marcia stepped back, colliding with Gruff, and the two fell to the floor.
"Well, where's my orb, you two?"