Deeper into the Nightmare

"Mysterious." Eritrea said. "Is this the Dragoness' laboratory? I would've never dreamed she had such an elaborate set-up."

"There must be something we can use here!" Velus said, rummaging through the objects on a table. "Magical items, or scrolls or some such."

"Put that stuff down, you fool!" Eritrea yelled. "You want to set off a trap?"

Suddenly a trio of slavering, hideous little troll-creatures emerged from under some rocks.

"Humansssss" one of them hissed, rubbing his hands together. "Fresh meat for the Missstresss..."

"Gah!" Velus said, startled as he drew his sword. "What the hell are you?"

"We are the Dragonesss' loyal bodyguardssss..." another troll hissed. "Do not make the missstake of underessstimating usss, humanssss."

"She nearly had us flayed for letting the girl essscape." hissed the third one. "We must prove our ussssefulnessss to her..."

"Back off, you little... uh, trolls!" Eritrea said. "Our quarrel is not with you. If you don't want to get hurt, that is."

With a "Hup, Ho, Yea!" the trolls jumped on each other's shoulders to form a totem pole of sorts. It swayed dangerously as the trolls grinned, hissing at them.

"This is ridiculous." Velus said, taking a step forward. "I'll give them a good thrashing and send them on their way..."

"Velus, be careful!" Eritrea suddenly yelled, her brow furrowing. "I sense an odd energy at work here..."

The top troll raised his head and opened his mouth. His torso suddenly began to writhe and distend, as if something was trying to break free... and then six monstrously long, slimy spider-like legs were extending out of his mouth. The bottom two trolls laughed insanely as Velus stepped back, suppressing an urge to vomit. The spiderlegs touched the floor with a metallic clack, and then the main body of the creature began to emerge from the troll's mouth.

"By all that is holy..." Velus gasped. "What is this thing?"

"Don't come near it!" Eritrea said, drawing her sword. "We don't know what we're dealing with, so we have to be careful!"

1. "Right!" Velus nodded.
2. "Hell no! I'm taking that thing down!" Velus yelled, preparing to charge.

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