Fortune firmly stepped on the graven tile with the strange loopy markings and the whirr of the machine picked up. Ancient gears ground against each other, and the wall in front of the party started to shake and vibrate. Flecks of decaying stone and dust were tossed airborne as the formerly flush stones parted.

Terrence shouldered past the rest of the party, not pausing for even a moment. Fortune rolled her eyes, and looked to Sovereign in askance. Who’s idea had it been to invite this hotshot anyway? She flicked her tail, but stayed her tongue. Not wanting to waste any time, Fortune followed closely on the heels of the more experienced dungeoneer. She might not know much yet about this strange underground, but she didn’t want to miss a chance at glory.

Just through the newly opened door the footing suddenly changed. While before they’d been standing on engraved stone, suddenly there was sand. The sudden give was a little surprising, and for a moment Fortune didn’t look up. Until she did. She gasped. A colosseum of sorts had been hidden for time untold behind that door. Its seats were populated with unsettling creatures made of shadow, beckoning the party on wards. And below, on the sand, a ghostly Courser charged in circles.

Terrance seemed ready to charge ahead and face this new threat, but Fortune was less sure. She looked back to the other party members. Could they find a way around this? 

–

As Terrence shouldered past, Sovereign returned Fortune’s look with a scowl. Sovereign wasn’t particularly thrilled to be in a group at all, but this was the rare time he knew he couldn’t make it on his own. Fortune was at least tolerable. Terrence was not. Fortunately or unfortunately, blame for inviting the hotshot fell squarely on Fetch’s shoulders. 

Fetch didn’t seem to pay the three of them any mind as she trotted in after Terrence. She did a happy circular trot through the sand, gasping giddily, “Sand!” Fetch had perhaps been a mistake, too. Her attention span had proven frustratingly ephemeral. 

“Pay attention,” Sovereign snapped, entering the arena last.

“Pay attention,” Fetch mimicked, without mocking. She came to a rest facing the ghost, finally focusing.

The sight of the tattered courser made his stomach swoop uncomfortably. It looked intangible. How could they fight that? He hoped these hired horses were worth their weight in coin.

“Ready?” Sovereign asked the crew.

“The iron kettle whistles!” Fetch cried, which seemed affirmative.

–

The eerie shadows beckoned the party inwards. Fortune felt like turning tail and running, but forced herself to walk calmly after Sovereign and Fetch.She gave her allies a nod, and then turned to face the ghostly coursers. Except Terrence was already there.

The two horses galloped in increasingly small circles, locked in a duel. Fortune flattened her ears. “We’d better help him!” She burst into a gallop, trying to close the distance as quickly as possible. The whole situation made her feel deeply uneasy, but she wasn’t about to let a party face a threat alone.