You encounter a fork in the dungeon marked by two doorways. Above one, a face in the rock smiles. Above the other, a face frowns. Both begin to speak, and in their craggy voices try to convince you to go through the door beneath them.

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The party managed to grasp onto a nearby exit once the slope became gentler and slowed down their pace, allowing the Coursers to escape their sticky predicament. 

Although now that they were on stable ground, their coats and manes were a mess, sticky and gooey from the residue of… whatever substance that was earlier.

Hiraeth took out an emergency hairbrush from Aelin’s bag, beginning to brush the hair of each research group member, starting with Phainon, whose mane was the most injured and it took her quite some time before it looked presentable. It looked… alright. Yeah. Let’s just keep it at it.

Aelin was the least trouble, and with R’yaženka… It was no surprise that Hiraeth spent a little longer by the white mare’s side, her spotted nose gently brushing against her girlfriend’s ear, whispering words that were dedicated for her beloved’s ears only.

After a longer while, the sticky incident having slowed down their journey through the dungeon, they were once again ready to continue further, the symphony of their hooves clicking against the hard floor echoing through the passages as they walked.

The corridors were mostly clean now, without any uncomfortable surprises on the way, which the research group was definitely thankful for… If another layer of goo got into their manes, they’d probably turn around and leave the dungeon, too frustrated to continue their research. Who’d want to get slime remains on their precious notes after all, right? 

They soon arrived in front of a fork, branching out into two ways. A door on the right, and a door on the left, both guarded with faces carved into rocks above, yet contrasting. 

“Oooh, adventurers! Come on in, my way leads through the safest corridors of the dungeon!” The happy face spoke, trying to entice the adventurers into choosing the right door, instead of going through one of its neighbour. 

“It’s lying. My path is what guarantees the most gold and fame once you return to the surface! The other is an ugly liar.” The face with a frown tries their hardest to bring the Coursers to its side instead, competing with the smiley face. 

“It’s like in those stories told for hundreds of years.” Hiraeth scoffed, moving her head up high confidently. “The one that’s smiling is trying to lure us, and then probably have us killed. There's no way there exists a perfectly safe passage in the dungeon.” The piebald mare added, not trusting of the smiling rock. 

“So we should choose the other one?” Aelin asked, tilting her head to the side, looking between the two carved rocks, and her companion. 

“I don't think it’s that easy.” Phainon’s voice rings out, as they take a step closer to the group. “Promises of gold, treasure and fame seem like a siren’s call of the dungeon. I wouldn't trust it either.”

“Phainon’s right.” R’yaženka finally spoke last, swaying her long tail behind her. She had a thoughtful look on her face, fuzzy eyebrows furrowed in deep thought. “For me, the frowning one is the one we shouldn't choose. It preys on adventurer’s greed for fame and riches. I wouldn't be surprised if all the chests in that passage were mimics.” The researcher sighed. It's not like she trusted the smiling rock either, it didn’t seem trustworthy at all… Or maybe they were all too suspicious, unable to believe that the dungeon would want to help them on their own accord? 

“But maybe… there's a secret, third way.” The white mare added in a quieter tone, glancing at her group. Maybe they should take a longer look around before making the choice? It didn’t seem like there was any other way, but… Maybe there’s a small, but big enough crack in the wall that they could use to their advantage and try to make their own choice, one that would be right?

If not… well, guess they’ll just take the risk and gamble their lives, choosing the (still smiling) door on the right. That’s what the life of researchers was all about!