If there was one unfortunate thing one could learn about party members in a sewer in the dark, it was how fast they were when they were when you were trying to catch up with them.

  “Shae!” he hissed into the darkness ahead as he and Ten struggled to keep up. But the warrior was beyond listening. She charged ahead, short hair flying back and forth as she ran. Twice she turned a corner in the dark, leaving Dean and Ten scrambling behind her with the light.

  “Shae, slow down,” he called, trying not to shout. The last thing they needed was to run smack into the middle of whatever had attacked Finn without a plan. At last, Dean managed to catch up to her, grabbing her arm and turning her to face him. To his surprise, Shae didn’t struggle, but he saw the wild look in her eyes.

  “He’s still alive,” she said, her breath coming in pants. “We don’t have any time to waste; we can still get to him. I can get to him.”

  “I know. But rushing in blindly won’t do us any good. If we’re facing something dangerous then we’ll need the element of surprise.”

  Another shout came from ahead, this one louder and more drawn out. Shae jerked towards the sound but Dean held her fast. The pulse in her neck was racing just beneath the skin, her breath coming faster. It wasn’t like her to panic… and yet. All at once, understanding flooded him.

  “Shae,” he said, softening his voice. “This isn’t the same as that time. It’s different from what happened with your father.”

  Shae’s lips trembled.

  “You don’t know that.”

  “I do.” Dean kept his voice low but firm. He’d seen enough battles to recognize when a soldier was on the brink. Yet he knew that Shae was stronger than she looked.

  “We’re going to help him,” said Dean. “But we need a plan. Whatever took him is strong. It’s immune to arrows at the very least, so when we hit it, we need to be sure we can kill it. Together.”

  Shae’s throat bobbed and for a moment Dean didn’t think she would answer. At last the warrior slowed her breath and looked him in the eye.

  “Okay,” she said. “You take point, and Ten and I follow. But for the love of the gods Dean, we need to move. If Finn dies…”

  “I know.”

  Dean held a hand out to Ten.

  “Follow behind, but give me about ten feet distance. If something charges me, you’ll have time to see it and react. Clear?”

  “Clear.” Echoed the other two. For a moment, Dean was reminded of those early days in the war – back when mankind believed it could still win. But that was then, and this was now. Dean forced the thoughts from his mind as he made his way forward.

  He had drawn his sword, and the weight of it in his hand gave him comfort. Up ahead, Dean could see a small yellow flickering from the distant mouth of the tunnel. It undulated, shifting across the damp stones ahead.

  Dean thrust out a fist in the universal soldier symbol for caution, then realized his friends were civilians.

  “Slow,” he mouthed to them. He made sure they were looking before he tapped his eyes and pointed to the light ahead. Shae nodded, and Dean stowed the light crystal into his inventory. Instantly, the shadows around him became more intense, but the light ahead kept them from being completely enveloped in darkness.

  Bent double, Dean moved forward, his soft, worn boots barely making a sound as they slipped over damp stone. He was drawing nearer now, and the light from beyond seemed somehow brighter. As he reached the mouth of the tunnel, Dean saw a flicker of movement up ahead. He slowed, his grip on his sword tightening as he inched forward.

  Beyond the tunnel was a room. Water roared down from a broken pipe as big around as his body, flowing around the edge of the room and down a distant mossy drain. The ceiling was high, but there were no visible openings. Instead, the source of light came from a single small lantern in the corner. It was by the light of the lantern that Dean saw his friend.

  Finn lay on his side, his chest rising and falling, his only sign of life. His fancy shirt was torn and part soaked with crimson. His friend shifted slightly, and as he did, Dean saw the lacerations along his arms and legs. It looked like he’d been mauled. Finn moaned, the sound slow and rattling.

  “Finn!” Shae burst past him, and Dean made a grab for her. It was far too late. Finn’s head jerked around, and his eyes widened when he saw his friend sprinting towards him.

  “No,” he rasped, his voice echoing. “Don’t.”

  Shae crossed the distance In a few strides and knelt beside him.

  “What happened?” she asked as she looked over his wounds. “Who did this to you?”

  Finn shook his head and the motion seemed to pain him.

  “No time. We have to get out of here before that thing comes back.”

  “Thing?” Shae’s voice wavered for a moment as realization seemed to strike her. At the same time Dean felt the rumble beneath the stones at his feet. From the mouth of the dark tunnel at the end of the room came a sound. It echoed through the chamber, seemingly amplified by the high ceilings and walls. The sound of hundreds of tiny claws against stone.

  “Shae,” called Dean. His friend whirled towards him only to follow his gaze. From the darkness came the gleam of eyes. Many eyes. She stood quickly, hefting her axe, but Dean could already feel the dread of recognition coiling in his stomach.

  “Rats?” she hissed, her voice incredulous.

  But Dean knew better. Rats could be found in many locations and zones across the land. Most were small, only the size of a human hand or foot. Usually, a colony of rats would comprise only one or two dozen, as growth was strictly reliant on environment and temperament. But there were times when rat colonies left unchecked could grow, reproducing at a faster rate than normal. Dean was no scholar, but what he did know was that when colonies reached several hundred in capacity, available resources diminished. That left only two options.

  The rats would devolve into tribal warfare, often culling each other in order to conserve and hoarde more resources. Or….

  Dean was already moving across the floor towards Finn, with Ten closely on his heels.

  “Grab his arm,” he said, stooping. “Finn, can you walk? We need to move now. We can’t stay here.”

  “My legs are alright. I can’t run very fast but I can move if supported.”

  Dean nodded.

  “Good enough.”

  Ten dropped down beside them, taking Finn under the arm and supporting the elf as he tried to rise to his feet. Finn grit his teeth, hissing air through his nose when he put weight on one of his legs.

  “It’s fine,” he said when Dean reached for him. “I can handle it.”

  Shae turned her gaze from the tunnel where a swarm of rats was drawing nearer.

  “I don’t know what the hell that is, but Dean’s right. We don’t want to be here any longer than we have to. I have a health potion,” she tossed it to Finn, who barely managed to catch it in bloody hands. “It’s not a permanent fix, but it should slow the bleeding.”

  Without a word, Finn uncorked the bottle, tilting back his head.

  “Tastes better than that northern swill,” he grumbled. Ten frowned.

  “You take it back.”

  “No.”

  “Come on,” said Dean urgently. He snatched up the lantern that Finn had left in the corner before returning and wrapping an arm around his friend. Finn’s shirt was damp with blood, but despite his injuries, his eyes were determined. He hobbled towards the tunnel they had come out of as the sound of pattering feet behind them grew louder. Shae followed behind them, her eyes wide.

  “I’ve never seen that many rats. Are they what attacked you? But rats aren’t strong enough to kidnap someone.”

  “They aren’t rats,” said Dean grimly. He was no longer keeping his voice down, and his words echoed off the damp stone. “At least not anymore. What they’ve become is something called Rat King.”

  It was silent for a moment, the only sound Finn’s labored breathing as he shuffled along at a hobbling jog. Then Shae let out a shaky breath.

  “Rat King?” she asked, her voice higher than it had been moments before. “Here in Haven? No, that’s not possible. It can’t be. Something that dangerous couldn’t exist in a city this size and go unnoticed. It was probably just an aggressive rat swarm.”

  “No.” Finn’s breathing was labored, but he raised his head to look Shae in the eyes. “Dean is right. This was no ordinary swarm. The way it behaved… the way it moved.”

  He shook his head.

  “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  Dean had, but he wasn’t in the position to explain why or how. Together they retracted their steps as quickly as they were able, all the while the sound of skittering seemed to follow, growing ever louder.

  “We’re not moving fast enough,” hissed Shae. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she glanced between Finn and the tunnel behind them. “It’ll be minutes before we reach the entrance at this rate.”

  Finn coughed, the sound dry and painful.

  “Sorry. I can.. can move faster.”

  “Not without losing too much blood.”

  Dean lifted the lantern, casting Finn’s gaunt face in shadow. From the light, he could see the fresh crimson soaking his friend's shirt. The bleeding had slowed, but it hadn’t stopped. Too much exertion could cause Finn to fall unconscious, and then it would require two of them to carry him. It wasn’t a risk he was willing to take.

  “Listen,” said Dean, thinking quickly. “Back there I thought I saw…”

  He trailed off, eyebrows drawing together as he heard the sound of skittering claws redouble. This time, though, the source of the sound had shifted. It wasn’t just behind, as it had been before. This time, it was coming from ahead of them.

  “No,” he whispered, his eyes widening. Shae whirled towards him just as Ten and Finn slowed to a painful halt.

  “What? What is it?”

  Dean’s pulse was racing.

  “They cut us off! The swarm must have split. We need to go back, now.”

  For once, the warrior didn’t argue. She slipped a shoulder under Finn’s other arm as the three of them turned back the way they had come. Hundreds of tiny eyes gleamed in the dark ahead of them. The way way back was blocked.

  “Damn it.” Dean shook his head, cursing himself for being so reckless. He hadn’t seen it before, not in the fray and desperation to find Finn. It hadn’t been a coincidence that they had found him where they were. The swarm had captured Finn and it would have had more than enough time to consume him. But host swarms were more intelligent than most beasts. Finn hadn’t gotten lucky in his struggle. He had simply been bait.

  “Come on!” shouted Dean. “We can’t afford to stop moving. Remember the path that split from the main tunnel a ways back? If we hurry we might make it.”

  Finn grunted.

  “Leave me, I’ll only slow you down. I don’t want my friends dying on my account. Not like this.”

  “Shut your mouth,” said Shae firmly, gripping her axe in one hand when she steadied him with the other. “We aren’t going anywhere without you. Dean’s right, if we hurry, we might make it. But we need to move now.”

  Their going was slower than Dean would have wanted. Every step seemed to pain Finn now, but to his credit, the half-elf never gave up. He half-hopped, half-jogged as he struggled to keep up. Dean ran several paces ahead, the lantern swinging in his hand and making the shadows dance. Minutes. They had minutes before the swarm would morph. When that happened…

  “There’s a ladder here,” Dean called back to his party. “Finn, are you able to climb?”

  Finn’s head was lolling a bit, but his eyes still managed to focus on Dean.

  “Can.” He grunted simply, and Dean nodded.

  “Then you go first. Shae and I can use leverage, but we’ll need you up top to pull.”

  Ten grunted his agreement and, with acrobatic speed, scaled the ladder to the upper tunnel above. He lowered himself on his stomach, reaching out his arms towards Finn. The sound of skittering was growing louder, and above the sound, Dean could hear a soft, incessant hum. His skin prickled.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  Finn stumbled towards the ladder, his eyes determined even as he panted from the effort.

  “Don’t overdo it,” grunted Shae as she and Dean helped to support his back and lower body.

  “This will be a lot harder if you pass out.”

  “Noted,” wheezed Finn, and Dean thought he saw the shadow of a smile. His throat squeezed. Finn might be an idiot at times, but he was a good friend. In a way, he felt responsible for his party's well-being.

  Maybe because I’m the one here with the most experience.

  Finn was on the final few rungs when the rats rounded the corner. They swarmed towards the light, skittering along the floor and walls at an unnatural pace.

  “Gods,” breathed Shae as she turned to look. “There are hundreds of them. Maybe a thousand.”

  Dean didn’t answer. Instead, he bolstered Finn, giving him an almighty shove on his backside that sent him straight into Ten’s arms.

  “Mind the goods,” muttered the half-elf as Ten grabbed him by the shoulder and hauled him up and over. The rats were drawing closer, and Dean could hear the hum rising behind them. He knew what that meant.

  “You next,” he snapped to Shae. “Now!” His barked order seemed to break Shae’s spell. She shook her head as if only realizing she had been standing there. Then she gripped the ladder and began to climb. At the center of the rats, deep within their shadowed masses, Dean saw a form begin to rise. That humming sound intensified, rising in pitch until it became a howl. One that penetrated through his very core. Moments later, his mana sense flared a warning.

  “Run!” he shouted to the others, his voice barely carrying over the sound. In seconds, he was on the ladder, his heart pounding as he rose one rung at a time. The wood creaked beneath him, and he prayed to whatever god was listening that it wouldn’t break on him.

  Come on, come on, almost there.

  A hand reached over the edge, and Dean clasped it, allowing Ten to pull him up and into the upper tunnel.

  “I told you to run,” he said. “But.. thanks.”

  Ten nodded cooly.

  “We out of harms way now. Rat no climb ladders.”

  “Normal rats don’t climb ladders,” said Dean, breaking into a jog.

  Shae’s jaw dropped.

  “You’re shitting me?”

  She didn’t stick around to find out. As the howl grew louder behind them, they began to run. Or at least, they tried. Finn was exhausted, but he made an effort to keep up, using Ten and Shae as arm supports. Dean forged ahead with the lantern, checking and double-checking their path. The scarce moonlight from a few holes above told him they were close to the surface, but if they wanted to make it out alive, they needed a swift exit.

  “There has to be a grate,” he groaned, casting his eyes around for any sign of it. But up ahead, all he could see was more darkness. After a while, their footsteps started to echo, and his stomach lurched. His lantern light glanced off of stone. It was a dead end.

  Dean ground to a halt, his heartbeat slamming in his ears. Had he miscalculated?

  This can’t be it.

  He sprinted towards the wall, even as he heard Shae’s cry of dismay behind him. The wall itself was smooth, less mossy and damp than the others. Moments later, it became clear why. A gentle breeze wafted through a small crack, bringing with it the smell of clean air.

  “Here!” he said, raising his lantern. “The wall is weak. It looks like a shitty patch job. If we work at it, we should be able to get through.”

  “We don’t have time,” Shae pointed behind them where the rat swarm was rising over the ladder. The howl grew in intensity, and Dean fancied he heard triumph in it. The swarm was guaranteed their meal. But Dean had never been one to lay down and take his fate.

  Quickly, he ran a hand over the crack, feeling some of the loose bricks budge beneath his touch. A thin layer of dust showered down, followed by mortar debris. It could work, but he needed ot buy time.

  “Finn!” Dean turned towards his friend and saw the elf slumped against the wall. A hand was pressed to his side, but at the sound of his name Finn’s eyes met his.

  “I need you,” said Dean.

  “Dean, he’s barely conscious!” Shae’s face was drawn and pale but Dean wasn’t looking at her. He held Finn’s gaze, firm and unwavering. After a moment, Finn nodded once.

  “What do you need me to do?”

  “Do you still have your bow?”

  “In my inventory.”

  Finn reached into empty air, and a moment later, he withdrew his hunting bow. The white string was smeared red with blood, but the bow itself was unharmed.

  “How about arrows? Did you keep any in reserve?”

  Finn’s smile was pained.

  “Only two. It’s not nearly enough.”

  “It’s enough for what I need.”

  Then he raised his voice.

  “Ten, I have a favor to ask.”

  The monk narrowed his eyes, and Dean suppressed a grim grin. He already knew what was going to be asked of him.

  “This blasphemy,” he said dully, rooting around in his inventory. Karoka is nectar of gods.”

  “It’s also a highly concentrated combustible liquid, so hand it over.”

  Ten grumbled as he produced the bottle he’d swiped from the table. He grimaced down at it, and, with a pained expression, he handed it to Finn. The elf gave him a weary salute.

  “Your sacrifice will be remembered.”

  “Still blasphemy,” muttered the Monk as he turned and began striking at the wall. The bricks shuddered, several moving in place as dust reigned down.

  Dean dropped to one knee, tuning out the howling as he set himself to his task. He knew what he had to do and knew the cost of failure. He checked the oil cache in the lantern, nearly sighing in relief when he saw it was still two-thirds full. Turning his blade over, he tipped the lantern, careful to pour the thick liquid onto his blade.

  It was all about precision. The oil was highly flammable, and what’s worse, its ability to sustain a lit flame would mean that it would be almost impossible to get off. He couldn’t afford to spill any on his skin and clothes.

  “Dean, this won’t work.” Shae’s voice was panicked, but Dean didn’t look up. Instead, he stepped forward, counting his paces to about ten feet. Then he dumped some of the remaining oil in a line, striding from one wall to another.

  “We’re running out of time!” said Shae, the panic in her voice evident. This time it was Finn who answered.

  “Let him focus,” he said. “Dean has a plan, and I can’t explain why.. But I trust him. I get the impression he’s done this before.”

  “Less talk, more do,” snapped Ten from behind, and Shae reluctantly turned back to the wall. The sound of bricks grinding resumed as the two of them worked at loosening and prying them free, one by one. It wouldn’t be fast enough. Out of the darkness, the rats swarmed forward. They were less than a hundred feet away now, and Dean could see the gleam of their eyes in the shadows.

  The dark, hulking shadow moved among them, coming forward like an ominous wave. Dean could feel something from within it – a throbbing core of dark power. Not just essence… demonic essence. But how? It would have to be a worry for another time. Right now, he and the others just needed to survive.

  “Here it comes,” he said, his voice echoing. “No matter what you see or hear, don’t stop. Getting through that wall is our only chance.”

  “I may be injured, but I won’t let you go down alone.” Finn shifted against the wall to look at him. “I can’t, Dean.”

  “Don’t be stupid,” Dean’s words came out as a growl fueled by emotion and adrenaline. “Nobody is going to die today.”

  The tide of rates swelled like a wave at sea, and Dean grimaced as the stench hit him. Stink, rot, and carrion. A smell he’d come to associate with anything related to demon kind.

  I wish I had a shield.

  Readying himself in a fighting crouch, Dean reached deep within himself for two things. The first was his mana sense, which he spread about himself like a blanket of awareness. Within moments, he could feel the swarm before him. But what’s more, he could see them. Tiny centers of pulsing energy that seemed to congregate within the center of the swarm. From his sight, he could see they were dinged a deep blood orange.

  The second thing he reached for was his trait.

  “Timing,” said the voice in his head that always sounded too much like Charlotte. “Remember what Captain Ripley said. When you’re on the back foot in a battle, timing means everything.”

  Before him, the wave of rats swelled, rising beyond the height of a normal man. The wall coming at him was terrifying, and Dean gritted his teeth to hold his resolve. Not yet.

  He could see the individual rats now. The teaming bodies running over and around one another with frantic intention as they surged towards their meal. Dean raised his sword.

  “Now, Finn.”

  There was a pause. Lit flared from behind him and Dean heard labored breathing as a bow string creaked. He was banking everything on the timing, but somehow deep down, he knew he could trust his friend. Milliseconds ticked by, agonizing as the squeaking cacophony of rats grew into a howl. He could see their eyes now, some black as pitch and others red with demonic power.

  Fear gripped him. That stupid human emotion that he had learned to tame all those years ago.

  You're going to die, said his subconscious. You’re going to be eaten alive. Oh gods, you’re going to die.

  But Dean only gritted out a smile.

  “I’ve already died once,” he muttered as he stared down the swarm. “What’s a second time?”

  A bowstring twanged behind him. For a moment, nothing happened. Then he felt the impact as an arrow pinged off his sword. It whizzed away into the darkness, but not before the flame along its shaft ignited the oil. Flame burst forth along his blade, and Dean let out a war cry as he dropped to one knee, lowering the flames to the oil.

  Fire surged along the ground, licking high as the line of oil caught. The wave of rats panicked, deterred he knew by both the sudden blaze of light and the fire itself. The swarm lost momentum as some of the rats attempted to flee. Dean gripped his sword in both hands, ignoring the heat. Then he swung it.

  His sword met only minor resistance as it sheared through the wave of rats in front of him. Blood and oil sprayed, and where the droplets of oil fell, they ignited. The howl became a scream as the wave of rats shuddered. Then the swarm retreated.

  “It worked!” shouted Finn. The effort cost him, and Dean winced when he heard a series of pained coughs.

  “Not yet,” he said. “The Rat King hasn’t fully revealed itself yet. This is only the-“

  His words were cut off as a howl split the air. The swarm was back, but this time it was larger. A giant funnel of rats burst out of the center, and from within them, Dean saw what he was looking for. A larger pair of glowing eyes. One that belonged to a rat many times the size of the others. That rat would need to be his target.

  Dean drove his sword forward, slashing and cutting as the wave lurched towards him. The smell of burnt fur filled the air, but no matter how many rats he seemed to cut down, more took their place. The flames along the ground were beginning to wane. When they went out, he’d be surrounded. A dozen rats managed to jump the flames, landing on him and sinking their claws and teeth into his flesh. Dean ripped them off, stomping some and crushing others in his gloves. Their bites stung, but with so few, they couldn’t do him any real harm. Not yet.

  Chancing a glance backwards, he saw that Ten and Shae had managed to prize a small hole free, one big enough to fit an arm. Ten was pounding on the bricks with slow, controlled motions, and Dean could see his fists were scraped and bloodied. He needed to hold on for a bit longer.

  The swarm retreated again, this time flowing in a dark circle as they squeaked and called. Dozens of bloody rat bodies littered the ground. Some burnt, others hacked by his flaming sword. He had barely made a dent in them, and from beyond the tunnel he could see even more swarming up the ladder. The dark circle of rats seemed to grow, splitting into smaller circles which surged towards him. Dean’s mana sense caught something. A glimmer of orange-red glowing eyes.

  Monster Class: Rat King

  Tier: Unknown

  “There you are,” hissed Dean. “Come and get me, you bastard. Take the bait.”

  The wave surged towards him yet again, but this time the attacks were split. Dean managed to dodge one, hacking downward with his blade to scatter them. But as soon as he scattered, one another appeared. Dean grit his teeth as several rats leapt onto him, clawing and biting at his arms. His cloth armor was slowly being shredded, and he could see his armor stat decreasing. Time was not on his side.

  From within the swarm, he could still see the glowing eyes watching him, waiting for.. something.

  It needs to think I’m vulnerable. It will never expose itself otherwise. Not like this.

  Dean closed his eyes for a brief moment, willing his racing heart to calm. He could play the injured bird. After all, he’d done it before.

  Another column of rats burst from the ground, bringing with it the stench of rot. He raised an arm over his face to protect it and braced himself. The wave hit him full on with more force than he expected. He stumbled, nearly losing his footing as the stifling weight of rats enveloped him. He could feel the press of their bodies, the pain of dozens of tiny teeth sinking into him. The smell was revolting, and his stomach roiled even as he struggled to stay upright. His cloth armor was in tatters, and he could feel blood welling from the fresh wounds along his arms and legs.

  As if at the scent of blood, the swarm seemed to relish. Dean felt the sword in his hand shudder, almost in response with blood lust of its own. The overwhelming urge to strike, to cut and rend his enemies, almost overcame him, but Dean knew he had to hold his ground until the Rat King revealed itself.

  Seconds passed. He could hear the sound of his friends shouting, but Dean could only hope they would heed his orders.

  Keep going. Getting through the wall is our only chance.

  It was getting harder to breathe. The rat bodies pressed in on him, so thick he could hardly see. Then.. something changed. As one, the rats seemed to collectively slow, their relentless attacks pausing. Though he couldn’t see it with his eyes, Dean sensed the presence of the Rat King. Its core burned with demonic essence. It wasn’t strong, but it was unmistakable. Somehow, the rat swarm in the sewers had become infected. And that infection had spread.

  The sea of rats smothering him parted, and out of the darkness came a hulking figure. It was the size of a large dog, with front teeth that had sharpened to points. It’s matted black fur was thick and shaggy, and it’s beady eyes seemed to fix on Dean as it lurched forward. It opened its mouth, and the howling sound was so shrill that Dean had to fight the urge to cover his ears.

  Intimidation huh? Two can play at that game.

  Dean searched within himself, looking for the power he’d summoned only once before. Heat surged through him, not from the fire but from within himself. His eyes burned.

  Trait Active: Killing Intent. Duration 60 seconds.

  The Rat King slowed to a halt, it’s body growing rigid as Dean stared it down. All at once, the teaming rats around him halted their movement. Dean shoved a hand beneath himself, pushing slowly off the ground as he held the Rat King’s dark gaze. The giant rat shuddered, its teeth gnashing as it fought the pull. Dean could feel the resistance almost like a physical pain, but he didn’t let up.

  “Finn,” he called, his voice cracking. “Now would be a good time.”

  For a long moment, Dean wasn’t sure if his friend had heard him. The Rat King was fighting now, and slowly, painfully slowly, it seemed to be gaining the upper hand. Dean saw it’s tail twitch, followed by several claws.

  It’s resisting me. Is it the demonic essence?

  “Finn!” Dean called the Rats for leg began to shift.

  “Working on it, boss man.”

  The response was soft but strong. Dean heard the clink of something from behind, followed by the monk's pained groan. A bottle arced through the air, clear liquid shining in the light of the dying fire. Dean waited for a moment as the bottle reached it’s peak. Then, as it began to drop, he turned and ran.

  The instant he broke eye contract with the Rat King it screamed it’s triumph. The howling resumed, loud and agitated like a hive of angry hornets. The Rat King lunged towards him, and that was it’s mistake. As the bottle began to drop from it’s arc something shot out of the shadows.

  The fire arrow hit the bottle head-on, shattering it instantly. Spirit sprayed across the tunnel, coating the rats and more importantly, the Rat King in highly flammable liquid. Then that liquid caught. The roar of fire was so powerful that Dean felt the blast of heat from thirty feet away. He ducked, covering his head with his arms as the heatwave hit.

  Rats screamed. The air began to fill with the smoke of burning fur. Up ahead Dean could see the whole in the wall, now large enough for a small child to slip through. They were almost there.

  “Pull,” grunted Shae, heaving at a heavy stone brick with all her might. In seconds, Dean joined her, adding his strength to hers as he ripped at the brick. It came free with a grinding crack, bringing with it the debris of old crumbled mortar.

  “There!” said Dean. “That should be enough. “Finn, you need to go first.”

  The half-elf limped towards them, using his bow as a cane.

  “I can wait-“

  “No!” Dean snapped. “Go. Go now!”

  Without another word, Finn gripped the edges of the brick, turning his body sideways as he crammed himself into the crack. He began to inch forward. It was slow and shuffling, but within moments, he was able to reach the other side.

  “What do you see?” called Dean through the crack.

  “There are steps leading to a grate.” There was a rattle of metal. “It’s open!”

  Dean’s heart leaped. They had something they didn’t have moments ago. A chance. Shae was the next to go, flattening herself into the crack and muttering curses as she pushed herself along.

  “I shouldn’t have had a double helping of the veal, so help me gods.”

  Behind Dean, the light of the fire was dying down. He could hear the shrieking rats beginning to recover. With nothing between them and their prey, it would be a matter of seconds. Ten slipped into the crack after Shae, his body wedged tighter than the others. The monk pressed his palms flat against the stone, using the leverage to inch himself along. Dean stepped forward, glancing over his shoulder as he moved for the exit.

  The Rat King’s eyes were burning with rage. It shrieked, furious that its prey was getting away. As if in response, the remaining rats threw themselves into the fire, dousing it with their bodies as their brethren ran over them like bridges.

  Dean grimaced as he shoved himself into the crack. The weight of the stones was oppressive, but it certainly beat being smothered to death by rats. He pulled himself along, cursing allowed when his tattered cloth armor seemed to catch on a bit of jagged stone. Up ahead the monk had managed to get through and Dean could see the moonlight streaming through the grate.

  Freedom was close. But the further into the crack he went the tighter it seemed to wedge him. Deans struggled, shoving with his hands and feet to propel himself further along.

  I never thought I’d miss being scrawny, and yet here we are.

  The sound of rats grew louder until the sound blotted out everything else. Dean’s pulse was slamming in his head as he managed to free one shoulder. Close… he was so close. Then hands closed around his arms. His three friends grabbed hold of him, pulling him up and out of the crack.

  “Didn’t think we’d leave you?” asked Finn? His smile was exhausted, but he looked better than he had. “Come on. Let’s get the hell out of here.”