“Yes,” smiled Dyer. “What happened? I can understand the trainees being overwhelmed, but you and Xorenth are seasoned warriors. And you have Kor’kron guards here as well? How were all of you taken down and this far up the chasm?”

“It was a surprise to us,” replied Bagran grimly watching the Kor’kron guards pick themselves up as Kiade, Silver and Faultye tended to their wounds. “We had just sent in another group of trainees. Xorenth had summoned an observer demon to follow them but a lava plume destroyed the demon just as the attack started. As we struggled to get a new demon summoned we were caught by surprise with our guard down. We never thought whatever was down there would come this far forward. I never saw what it was but I will tell you this; whatever it was, it was very hot. Like living lava.”

“Living lava?” questioned Dyer. Suddenly an image formed in his mind of the attacker and a look of dread came on his face. He was about to speak when he felt a blast of warm air come from deep inside the chasm. Everyone turned to look and see what was going on but Dyer already knew what was coming.

“Kiade, get a barrier up quick!” Dyer yelled. “Everyone else into standard formation.”

The team of heroes quickly got into a defensive pyramid formation with Japarc and Linnarina at the point. Dyer grabbed his bow off his back and pulled back on the string ready to fire as one of his worst fears came around the corner.