Adrian: Baldur's Gate

"Hssssssss."

It was a giant, green-plated insectoid, like a preying mantis. And it was spitting acid into Kagain's face.

He ducked, and the acid went down the back of his armor, and scorched Viconia's boots. It burned and sizzled.

Both Viconia and Kagain reconized it at once.

"Ankheg!" Kagain bellowed it, Viconia yelled it. They spun to either side. Magic missiles from Xzar and Edwin pummeled it. Arrows and bolts from Coran and Adrian pierced it. Safana lurked around in the shadows, trying to get behind it.

Kagain and Viconia closed in, hammer pounding, axe chopping. They hurt it, but not enough. Then it sunk below the dirty cave floor.

"Well, that was charming," said Adrian.

"It's not done! It will be back!" Viconia warned.

Sure enough the ground erupted beneath Adrian's feet, and it rose beneath him, making him it's unwitting and unwilling rider. It wasn't too happy about him being up there, either.

Safana stepped out from behind it, and buried her blade in it's back. It whipped around, stirking her with a pincer, knocing her into the cave wall. She slumped to the ground.

Adrian finally got his sword out, and shoved it down through the Ankheg's head. It slumped, wailing as it died.

Adrian yanked Safana's blade out of it's back. Coran picked up Safana, she was limp in his arms. "Unconscious," he said, simply.

"There'll be more," said Viconia.

"This is a nest," Kagain agreed.

Adrian grit his teeth and made an angry noise.

More of them indeed, six more, but the treasure trove was well worth it. Xzar was chuckling over the wand of fireballs even now. Adrian of course, was more impressed with the gold.

Coran bent over the corpse of a young man in the pile. "It seems this farmer lad ran out of luck."

"Was a foolish male, to challenge them," Viconia sniffed.

Likely he had no choice," said Adrian. "Leave him here, it's a good a grave as any."

They nodded, the reawakened Safana rubbing her aching neck as they walked away.

Coran eyed the body a moment, then sighed, joining the others.

The boy's body remained in the darkness.