Beware the Naylmo

JP with Alexis, Gonyaul and Winteroak:

Gonyaul tiptoed out of the tunnel into the enormous cavern. There was no Naylmo to be seen still and he let out a soft sigh of relief. He had a little bit more time to build up the nerve.

The luminous plants provided enough light to get a sense of the cavern’s magnitude. His jaw dropped silently. It was an impressive sight and he longed to enjoy it, but knew they weren’t here for sightseeing.

Gonyaul finally bit on the man’s ramblings. “How is you know much about darkness?”

The man turned to Gonyaul and was about to speak. For a heartbeat the light from his torch and shadows lent him an infernal aspect. He opened his mouth to reply but another sound spoke in his stead. Thin, as if barely carried by the stale air of the huge cave. The shell of a human sound. A man wailing, where no man should be.

“What the ifrinn?”

Alerted Alexis stepped a bit past Gonyaul and Tar both, listening and looking for the source of the sound.

‘No one has come her in a long time, my ass. What is it then today? Visit-the-creepy-cave-holiday?’

“Where’s that coming from?”
She whispered.

Tar shivered listening to the long wailing sound. "They bring prey here. Keep them alive as long as they can to feed on fresh meat..." He whispered back...
"It's coming from his nest." He said pointing while putting his torch out. " There, near the centre of the mausoleum."

It was a good thing Gonyaul was covered in black, because he went white upon hearing Tar’s comment mixed with that awful wail. He froze in his tracks and then had to force himself to continue his next couple of steps.

“They?”he mumbled, barely audible.

He thought the room was empty, but upon closer inspection, he could see the nest in the center. His courage wasn’t fully stretched for the task at hand but he was out of time for warming it up.

Alexis put her torch out as well.

She looked at Tar, wondering if the man had heard other victims wailing before while he braved the caves.

Turning her attention to the more pressing matter, she pulled out her sword and began to make her way slowly and stealthily to the nest.

No time like the present.

Gonyaul followed the brave Alexis. He left the unnecessary gear just inside the narrow tunnel and brought the climbing gear with him. He had been prepping it as they were walking and had it assessable to put to creative use.

His imagination was magnifying what they were about to experience, because they had yet to see this creature. Was it comforting, or not, to know they weren’t going to get killed instantly, but instead get a long time to contemplate life as they get eaten little by little? That wasn’t helping.

A huge roar cut across the silence, bringing the wailing sound to a stop. It echoed and bounced from the halls of the cavern. Deep and low, made by what you assumed had to be a large beast.

Tar signalled for you to follow as you stepped among the ancient tombs and ruined crypts of the cemetery.

He simply pointed into the room, perpendicular to the way they had originally come.

The dust that hanged to their steps formed shadows across the lanes of luminescent light between them, like steam in low morning sun. Tar spoke no more about the dark.

He seemed he was trying to lead you in a wider arc deeper into the heart of the chamber.

Alexis let Tar take the lead. He was the one familiar with this terrain, after all, however he had managed to escape the dangers of the caves so far.

The roar that accompanied their silent approach was bloodcurdling. Alexis wondered if they were about to bite off more than they could chew.

But this was still their best shot to gain a guide who might make finding Tarmen and Voah the slightest bit less impossible.
… and a part of the mercenary wondered if that person wailing could still be saved.

It left her stride unwavering, despite the rising dread.

Gonyaul’s stride wavered as the roar hit him like an ocean wave and he braced for the impact. He took a hard swallow to try and add moisture to his dry throat.

He started exercising some deep breathing to help calm himself down. It would hard to act and think if his emotions were too amplified.