Lucky screeched. Her cry mingled with the hideous sound of thorns scraping across stone. Pivoting on his hind-legs, Reaper reared to aim his crossbow. His nose pressed the button with practiced precision. It was the only reason his iron-tipped arrow struck the heart of a vine through the wrangling mess of its body. The pursuing vine tore free from the wall. He allowed himself a small, triumphant smile as it uselessly wriggled on the floor before bolting when another crawled around the corner.

“Reaper!” Thunderstepper bellowed from the front. “Are you alright?!”

“I am! Just keep hacking at the vines,” Reaper panted. He was already catching up with the rest of the party, galloping down the hallway at a speed that would break a normal Courser’s leg. He could not afford to slow down. “Just keep running!”

Turning into a cursed undead had its advantages and not needing to breathe as much was one of them. At his side Lucky followed. The black cat was just as nimble as her owner. That was a good thing, as speed was their key to escaping the reaching vines after they torched the room. But right now the reason did not matter. Escaping those vines was what mattered.

As the only archer of the party Reaper had taken the rear. With Kaiage and Helissent running ahead of him and Thunderstepper leading the charge the party had a quick pace. The old adage of "mares in the middle" made tactical sense, given the dangers they faced. Reaper and Thunderstepper were nobles from lines bred to endure and protect. Kaiage had the map that was guiding them through this labyrinth and Helissent kept a wary eye out for more traps and hidden foes.

It was better this way for another reason. Reaper in the back meant he could keep an eye on the group while also dealing with other problems. Namely, the tome was acting up. The cursed artifact chained to his saddlebag rattled incessantly as his hoof touched the hallway. Its malignant energy pulsed like a living thing, emitting faint, malevolent whispers. And like most entitled cursed artefacts the tome hated monsters, living beings and most especially the fact that Reaper dared to focus on anything but it. Parasitic and selfish though the artifact might be it had its uses- particularly in the dungeon.

But even now, as the vines pursued them, it clamored for Reaper’s attention. It kept tugging at the edges of his mind like a spoiled child. He gritted his teeth. He would not allow that bitter thing to miss a shot. His family- his party depended on him. He would-

Suddenly, a clattering door snapped Reaper out of his thoughts. Ripped away from the tome’s whispers once again he shook his head to clear it. He spared the cursed object a small, resentful glare and turned his focus on keeping the rear guard up.

Kaiage held Sizzel higher up. Her serpent was pretty good at looking for traps. While Suneater and Peak, who were Thunderstepper’s wolf and Helissent’s golden hound respectively, kept their guard up. The two canines worked together like a well-oiled machine. Closer to the door stood Thunderstepper who finally had enough. The noble Courser shoved it open with a powerful push of his shoulder and the group spilled into the space beyond.

For a moment, silence replaced the chaos of pursuit. But as Reaper stepped into the corridor he immediately felt the shift. The air grew heavier as the stone walls loomed closer. It felt as if the corridor sought to squeeze the life out of them. The faintly glimmering carvings on the walls seemed to pulse with a malevolent energy, whispering of the humans who had once ruled this place- humans who had long since vanished.

“It’s a trap!” Reaper shouted. He turned around, hooves clattering on uneven stone- but the open door had shut and the lock was closed. No amount of kicking worked to open it again. “It’s locked. We have to keep going.”

“Shit.” Thunderstepper said. He had taken the lead again. His ears kept flicking as he scanned ahead. Behind him, Kaiage’s usually irrepressible spirit dimmed as she hugged the map tightly to her chest. Even Sizzel coiled nervously around her neck, hissing softly. Helissent and Thunderstepper pressed on but the golden hound Peak paused, growling softly while Suneater’s hackles rose in warning. “It’s definitely a trap. Keep your guard up, everyone.”