" Mmm. I don�t like this." Nanith said nervously as he looked up at the dragon in its attack stance. " If that awaits us behind this door then we are better off trying to confront the rats."

Aramil cringed at the thought. " No. I'd rather face a dragon than those vermin."

Roslyn interjected with short temper. " It doesn't matter what danger we would face. We need to avoid battle all-together and eliminate the traps as we go. Nanith, " the druidess waved impatiently " ...check that door for entry."

Nanith quietly looked around the interior of the hall before tenderly approaching the door. After a few seconds, he looked back and pointed. " It would seem that we need a key to enter." His expression was so expectant that he might have supposed the team somehow acquired it.

Aramil glanced over to the dwarf " Oktavianus, any chance that the key would of been in with the skeletons?" The cleric drew a blank expression and tugged his stubby fingers through his coarse, red beard. Before the dwarf could answer, a sudden movement of rocks drew all eyes over to the southern wall!
Immediately all weapons were drawn and the archer stepped in front of them. Even after a minute of silence, everyone's eyes moved across the dusty stone searching for the cause.

Nanith, unfazed with hands on his hips, pondered the reptile's open mouth which contained the keyhole.
" Anyone willing to stick his hand into the mouth of a dragon? Not everyone at once!" he grinned throwing his hands out at the feigned onrush. The poor jest was ignored by the party. Their attentions were drawn away by watching Vrai. He held strange double daggers and stepped fluidly to the back of the room. The archer scanned this way and that but the source of noise was not discovered.

Gailwind suggested " Maybe the unsteady foundation...."

SCREECH!!! A giant grey thing leapt out of the left corner of stones right toward the chest of the mercenary! With the true instinctive reactions of a killer, Vrai sliced the air cutting through the dire rat's entire pointy face. The thing plopped to the stone floor wriggling around until Vrai squashed its head with the heel of his boot. All were in shock and awe watching this display unfold and come to an end just as suddenly.

" Archer of Pinedroi, never would I question your true prowess again! You are fabulous!" riled Oktavianus with a new insight " While I still question your motives by staying with us, I'll be the first to fight any that say you must leave!"

Vrai laughed uneasily, a bit distracted by nothing in particular. " They crawl underneath these floors. I hear their shifty feet. We will never be safe anywhere in this canyon..inside or out."

Aramil shuddered and looked at the ceiling with a 'why me' expression.