Niruk had let Avalash’em lead them, this time. They were in the same part of the Dungeon that Gildean had gotten hurt in last time, so Niruk had decided to stick to being right next to his fiance for the time being.

Touko chattered idly to her floating pet, commenting on the cracks on the walls and little plants growing through them. The constant buzzing of her voice was calming. Niruk tried to keep his worry subtle, eyeing Gildean from the corner of his eye. The white and golden courser was holding their head down, ears turning every once in a while to listen to the environment.

Suddenly, there was a hoarse nicker from one of the grated walls. The ivory skull of a courser slowly pushed through, striped teeth clattering unsettlingly.

Galatea. Galatea. It was whispering, eyes on Gildean.

Touko gasped, stopping in her tracks. Her pet did a worried circle around her head. Niruk immediately stepped in front of Gildean, ears pinned back.

“You-” Niruk started, gritting his teeth at the creature.

There was a sharp bang, almost like someone kicking a sheet of metal. The skull flew across the hallway, and Avalash’em shook his back leg from the impact. The kick had been so strong it forced the jaw off from the skull and cracked the cheek.

The faint glow in the creature’s eyes dimmed away from the skull, and the shadowy body dissipated behind the gate.

Everyone else stared at Ava in shock, but the large heraldic just shook his head to release some tension. He turned to look at the rest of the party.

“Well? Let’s keep moving.”