The soldiers leaned heavily on their weapons, sweat dripping from their brows and mingling with the ichor that coated their armor.
The cavern had fallen eerily silent, but the air remained tense, as if it was holding its breath.
Every one of them was exhausted, battered, and worn from the fight.
The bodies of the fallen humanoid Trilobites lay scattered around them, their twisted forms steaming in the dim, phosphorescent light of the cave.
For a moment, the soldiers allowed themselves to rest, to catch their breath.
But Lyerin's voice broke through the heavy silence, calm and commanding. "Move. We're not done here."
They exchanged weary glances but obeyed, following him deeper into the labyrinthine caves.
Each step seemed to echo for miles, their footsteps mingling with the faint dripping of water.
The air grew colder as they pressed forward, and an oppressive darkness seemed to press against the edges of their vision.
