Ennil pulled the two of them back as a large purple mound fell to the ground, bringing with him parts of the ceiling beams.

Miaze and Rosie appeared in the dim emerald light on the far side of the purple ooze. “Keep away from the thing, It’ll eat through anything.”

“It’s Black Pudding!” exclaimed Ennill recognizing it even in the dear dark.

The ooze bubbled upwards forming a variety of shapes, orienting on Ennill. Juniper reacted first sending her dagger flying into the creature. The ooze moved from the force but didn’t appear phased by the attack. The dagger was simply enveloped into the creatures constantly moving slime. It reoriented on Juniper and lunged foreword sending three blobs threw the air.

Juniper shrieked frozen in fear. The purple blobs missed flying right past her and at the wooden shelf. Opening her eyes she saw the blobs slowly eating away at the wooden planks and jars of preserves.

The group backed away and the ooze stood still. It’s mass constantly moving in place as if trying to determine who to attack.

“I don’t think it can see us, just react to our movements and detect us by our warmth,” whispered Cryallai. The ooze oriented and shot several more blobs in her direction. Cryallai used magic to phase out allowing them to pass harmlessly through her intangible body.

Ennill nodded and looked in the direction of the blobs. Each blob was slowly making it’s way to the ceiling.

Cryallai shifted her eye to Miaze. The tall muscular elf was born to be a warrior. His face was long with brown hair and eyes, it was unnerving to see such a strong man so nervous about a threat. It sent a cold shiver down her spine.

A smile flickered across her face, “Use that flame spell.” she whispered.

Ennill shook his head which caused another glob to be shot in his direction. The glob flew over his shoulder and landed with a sticky thump onto the floor. “I don’t think….”

Cryallai stared into Ennill’s green eyes, “Now!”

Ennill looked into her blue eyes and gave a single firm nod. Stepping towards the Black Pudding he put both hands in front of him, “Sunburst” The individual flames formed by each palm coalesced together to form the sunburst. The Black Pudding lunged foreword towards warmth and before it made contact the sun burst sending searing flames over it’s black slick body. The creature squealed in pain as it’s body began to bubble unnaturally.

The flames ran along the floor and walls until they burned out. It’s warmth broke the cold air drafting in from the other end; and it’s light cut the darkness allowing Cryallai to draw in more of her surroundings. The ceiling, in places, was broken and trying to cave in. The pudding continued to boil and Cryallai smiled, “You did it!”

She looked at Ennill who stared at the pudding with concern.

“What’s wrong?” asked Juniper grabbing a piece of burning Debri as a torch.

Rose growled for a second then whimpered and she slunk backwards. Miaze held his sword defensively and withdrew, “We should take this time to get out of here.”

“Why?” asked Cryallai annoyed at their lack of enthusiasm in their victory.

“Ever let pudding cook for too long on the stove?” asked Miaze.

Before she could ponder his words the Black Pudding’s bubbles began to pop sending out tiny fragments. Ennill lunged in front of Cryallai letting the blast strike the back of his cloak.

Cryallai tried to see over his broad shoulder but Ennil grabbed her exposed shoulders, “We need to leave.”

Cryallai and Juniper nodded and headed the way they came. As they turned a corner they felt the earth shake bringing them to their hands and knees

“Was that the pudding?” asked Juniper terrified.

“If only it was,” replied Ennill. “The climax of this energy storm…”

“We’ll be buried alive!” exclaimed Cryallai as she stared at the staircase only feet from them. She tried to stand but the earth shook again forcing her back down. Dust and dirt trickled down from the damaged ceiling above them. They could hear a crash some distance behind them.

“Do you think Miaze escaped?” asked Juniper

“Let’s focus on us for the time,” suggested Ennill.

Cryallai could sense concern in his tone and gave a firm nod. Looking at the stairs the saw the last shake had dislodged them slightly. “We don’t have time to mend the stairs and I don’t have a spell to climb that height.”

“I can solve our staircase dilemma it’s our proximity to it that I have a problem with,” replied Ennill.

The ground shook again making moving difficult. Cryallai could feel the earths tremors through her bodies nervous system. Every time she raised an arm or leg she couldn’t put it back down properly until the tremor stopped.

“one…two….three….” mumbled Juniper as she slowly crawled towards the staircase. “one….two…thr….” she stopped in the middle of the word.