Your path is completely blocked by what seems at first to be a smooth boulder. Upon further inspection, it is the shell of an enormous snail. What do you do?

Madoc trotted through the dungeon, as Sol cawed. Madoc came to a halt, sniffing a large boulder that blocked the path. Sol flew off of Madoc’s back, and with a sigh, Madoc began attempting to push the boulder out of the way. He shoved his weight against the thing several times, until finally, “Screw you.” Madoc panted, the boulder didn’t even move an inch. Sol came back to witness, well nothing. Sol began making a sound, almost like he was laughing at Madoc. “You can find the way out of these caves yourself.” Madoc growled, Sol paid no mind and continued laughing. 

At the sound of a bellow, Madoc quickly grabbed the shiny metal sword that rested on his shoulder. With his mouth on the hilt, and his eye on the path before him, he was ready for anything. Except what actually happened. 

The boulder began to move behind him, before he realized what was going on, the snail’s head was facing him. 

“Who dares to cross me?” The snail’s voice boomed, echoing in the relatively empty dark halls. The snail opened its mouth, large enough to swallow Madoc whole. Before Madoc could turn around and slash his sword, he was already inside the snail. 

Madoc awoke with a jitter. His fine legs trembled as he was coated with thick gooey slime. Sol was laying face down next to Madoc. Madoc huffed at him, and nickered. Sol woke up, and tried to fly, but fell down. Madoc had no idea where they were, let alone how to get out. With the hilt of the sword still in his mouth, he decided it couldn’t hurt to slash something. 

He threw his body weight into the sword, the sword lodged in something. Red thick blood poured out. 

“What, how are you still alive?” The snail screeched, the strength of its voice vibrating everything around Madoc and Sol. “I am Madoc, and I serve the throne of the king!” Madoc screamed, and threw his weight into another blow. The mark was indeed true. The blade rang as it tore the snail’s stomach. The snail let out a loud cry. With Sol marching behind him, Madoc jumped out of the creature’s stomach.

Madoc and Sol were between the snail and its shell, with just enough wiggle room to squeeze through. The snail continued crying, and as Madoc and Sol slipped past, it tried to attack them once more screaming, 

“You are no general, you are a monster!” The snail tried to bite Madoc, but between it’s lack of teeth and Madoc’s sword, that didn’t go so well. Madoc threw his weight against his sword once more, and drove it into the snail’s heart. The snail paused for a moment, before it flopped over. Madoc pulled his sword out of the it’s heart, and spoke, “You may be right, and I may be a monster, but I certainly am I general and serve the throne.” Madoc spit, and headed off with Sol on his back.