The party continued, after the joke had been cracked neither Dacite nor Darling had said anything else. Halfway across the bridge, however, Flake froze. Their large ear could hear the faintest crack and-!

Before they could finish, a low rumble echoed from the depths below. The wood beneath Flake’s cracked.

Cass's heart leapt into his throat.

 "Move! Now!"

Flake didn’t need to be told twice. With a quick, fluid motion, they leapt across the cracked section of the bridge, landing with a soft thud on the other side. The wood beneath them trembled but held, for now. Dacite, halfway across, steadied herself, her eyes locked on the weakening bridge.

"Darling, go now!" she ordered, her voice sharp, leaving no room for arguments.

Darling nodded, forcing himself to keep his eyes on the path ahead, not the drop below. He moved quickly but carefully, his usual bravado gone. Behind him, the rumbling grew louder, the cracks in the bridge widening. As soon as his feet hit the far side, the wood beneath Dacite gave way.

With a gasp, she leapt forward, only half her body on the edge of the remaining bridge. For a moment, she dangled over the abyss, her weight threatening to pull her down. 

"Dacite!" Cass yelled, rushing forward.

Flake was already there, quick as ever, pulling Dacite up with a grunt of effort. "We’ve got you," they muttered, straining to hold her until Darling joined in. Together, they pulled her back onto solid ground just as the remaining section of the bridge collapsed into the abyss with a deafening crash.

“That was too close”

They had made it—barely. But as they looked ahead into the depths of the dungeon, they knew the worst was still to come.