A Draining Experience

“So now what?” Zhustin was looking over the bodies of the dead hydrodaemons, and staring out over the dark waters of the subterranean lake. Much of this level of the Well of Demons was still unexplored, and every new cave seemed to hold new terrors. They could see a cave mouth in the wall of the cavern opposite them, and another atop some cliffs just to their south. Far to the south, beyond another pair of islands, they could see a broad beach with a large open area beyond it, but any more detail was lost in the darkness.

Daemons!

Everyone on the strip of beach peered into the darkness of the cave warily. They’d just landed here, after defeating the ghost of Emperor Ito, and they had no idea what might be waiting for them inside. Zhustin climbed up the bank of gravel and cast a Light spell into the new cave. To their relief, nothing roared out at them. The cave was large, but with a lower ceiling than most of the other chambers they’d been through down here. The ceiling had the requisite stalactites, but the floor was mostly coarse sand. Zhustin cautiously moved farther into the cave, sending his Light spell into its far reaches, but saw nothing. Behind him, he could hear Sandru and Sandoval climbing the bank and following him.

Possession is Nine-Tenths of the Law

“Well this isn’t good,” Sandru grumbled, as he eyed the wall of solid stone that now blocked their only escape from the cavern. The ghost of Emperor Ito had apparently escaped, casting a spell on his way out that left them trapped in his underground throne room. “I’ve got it,” Marie assured him, and sure enough, her Dispel Magic caused the wall to vanish. Everyone readied their weapons and spells, but the vast cavern outside was empty. Marie flew out, her Invisibility Purge still active, but she found no sign of the fleeing Ito.