Exit the Caves

"We obviously can't go on like this," Frederica said. "Let's stop for a moment and, um, adjust our clothing."

This they did, using Astra's knife (which was now more like a sword thanks to their reduced stature). Soon, the three gowns had been sliced into smaller, more manageable garments. There was even enough left over to provide Astra with a makeshift (if somewhat mismatched) outfit.

Satisfied, the quartet picked up their unwanted burden and began to march down the corridor. They had expected to wander the caves for a while yet, so they were pleasantly surprised to find an exit withing an hour or so.

"Sunlight!" Astra said, basking in its warmth. "I'd almost forgotten what it felt like!"

"That was much easier than I'd feared," Berenice said.

"I bet it's the geiss," Paula said.

"How do you figure?"

"I imagine it implanted the exit route in our minds. After all, what good is the geiss if we're still trapped in those caves?"

"I expect she's right," Frederica agreed. "Not that it matters - out is out, as far as I'm concerned."

"Well, I just hope we get this over with as soon," Berenice sniffed. "I want to shed this dwarf form and go back to being my usual self!"

"I'm afraid it may be some time," Astra said. "The Western Dwarves live quite a distance from this mountain." She ignored Berenice's groan and looked around. "In fact, we'd best get started."

1. They took the lefthand path, towards a nearby town.
2. They took the righthand path, towards an even larger mountain in the distance.
3. The took the center path, which lead into a lushly overgrown forest.
4. Suddenly, before they could get started, the chest began to vibrate and hum.
5. Just then, they heard a roar from behind - the dragon had followed them!

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