AWESOME RITA VS THE COLBATS

{"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."}

Rita led the way through Sagstone Mountain, her steps sure despite the uneven, jagged path. The further we went, the more the air thickened, carrying deep caves' damp, mineral scent. Ralph trailed just behind me, silent but alert, his hand hovering near the hilt of his blade.

The tunnels twisted and narrowed, forcing us to press close to the walls. Shadows clung to the edges of our torchlight, flickering over the slick stone. The silence was unnatural; there was no wind and no distant drips of water, just the sound of our breathing and the steady crunch of our boots against loose gravel.

Then, we stepped into a vast chamber, and the scent hit me first,sharp, pungent, thick with the staleness of death. Bones. Piles of them, scattered in heaps, some small and splintered, others long and thick, from creatures far bigger than us. They were old, brittle, and untouched for who knew how long.