Chapter 9: The Labyrinth

"You tell me to leave?" Baphomet laughs, slamming his axe into the wall and shaking dust and debris from the walls and ceiling, "Do you wish to die so soon?"

Elayne looks around for feathers, but doesn't see any on the ground. Not far past the demon lord is another turn in the tunnel where they may be.

"Ah, but there are so few toys left to play with in this maze," he says in his rumbling voice, "So I shall enjoy playing while I have you in my domain. Now, why have you come here?"

It's a tense moment, but Aelfric manages to stealthily move past Baphomet and is nearing the next tunnel.

Baphomet takes a couple of steps forward, clearing twenty feet in the blink of an eye. A smile crosses his bull-like face and he smacks his axe on the ground, "Now, little wizard," he says to Seftan, "What makes you so brave? Do you really think that you could harm me in any meaningful way?"

Aelfric continues moving and doesn't spot any danger in the immediate area. Creeping up the the next tunnel, he peers around and sees a large chamber ahead. The ceiling arches sixty feet overhead, bristling with stalactites that drip water onto stalagmites rising from the uneven and broken floor. Here and there between the stalagmites, several statues of winged humanoids are set in poses of suffering and anguish. Some cover their faces, while others claw at them. Others reach toward the ceiling, their faces twisted into expressions of longing.

Aelfric doesn't have any trouble collecting the feathers he needs and takes a moment to peer around for danger or treasure. He's just about to give it up for lost when he sees a small crack in the wall with something wedged inside of it, but he can't tell what it is from here.

As Aelfric moves closer to the wall, he sees that the object stuck in the crack appears to be the hilt of a sword. It may be wedged in too tightly for him to pull it out with his Mage Hand.

Baphomet chuckles, "I can smell your fear, girl. You are brave to stand before me like you are, weak and fragile," he says, taking another step forward, "I respect your bravery and so I will allow you to leave with your lives. Go. Now. Before I change my mind."