Editing Menace Under Otari (section)

=== The Hidden Path ===
The fires have revealed that one of the stacks of barrels was used as a barricade to block a path. There is another path as well, however, our heroes decide to see what waits beyond the secret entrance now revealed. The smell of stagnant water hangs in the air. Spike asks Rhus to toss them over the barrels, which he obliges. Jerrick attempts to climb over, but his foot goes right through one of the barrels and Rhus helps him out. Spike weakens the barrels and Rhus works on breaking them down. There is water on the floor. Jerrick, still a little bitter at the indignation checks down the other path. 

The stone room exudes an eerie chill, its stagnant air heavy with moisture. Ancient walls, slick with damp, enclose the space. Amidst the gloom, a mermaid fountain stands as the room's heart. Carved from stone, the mermaid's tranquil visage is frozen in time, her once-flowing waters now just a memory. The chamber, colder and damper than any other, hints at tales untold beneath its depths.

Jerrick recalls the story of the dangerous pirate sea captain of mermaid lagoon and a shanty comes to mind.<blockquote>Of many a-dangers are found at sea,

Beware the sirens' deceptive plea.

Fellow sailors, heed my cry,

Stear clear of their lullaby.


Oh, Mermaid’s Cove, so dark and deep,

Where sirens sing and secrets keep,

Tread lightly, sailor, heed the sound,

Lest the mermaids drag you down.


The waters shimmer, the moonlight gleams,

But beneath the waves, a danger teems,

Their voices sweet, and for you they yearn,

But from their grasp, few ever return.


Oh, Mermaid Cove’s, so dark and deep,

Where sirens sing and secrets keep,

Tread lightly, sailor, heed the sound,

Lest the mermaids drag you down.</blockquote>Unnerved by the memory he looks back and notices Rhus coming towards him. He grunts and tells Jerrick the path is clear, and something about a "fire rat." Jerrick notices the path is a bit flooded, but nothing too drastic. The path splits revealing a small ledge where the pool of water gets deeper and the other what looks like a shrine with a creature glowing as if made of flames. It is indeed a fire rat, better known as a cinder rat.

Rhus simple gestures to the rat and says "fire" then gestures to the water at their feet "Water". The party nods in understanding at the plan. Spike climbs on Rhus' Shoulders to get a better line of sight. There appears to be four alters, all but one has orbs of elemental energy. Once is an orb of what looks like swirling mud, another appears to contain swirling clouds, and the last is an orb made of flames that the cinder rat observes with great interest. Rhus creeps closer with Spike on his shoulders. Once in position, Spike launches their crochet needles and angers the rat while Rhus taunts it and they retreat into the water. As the rat comes closer, it hesitates at the edge of the water, but continues carefully and bites Ruby. The poor cactus Leshy is in pain as the fire elemental bites down. Seeing his friend in pain, Jerrick rushes forward and hits the rat with an axe. Rhus joins Jerrick and Ruby and kicks the cinder rat, breaking its grip on Ruby and knocking it deeper into the water. It writhes in pain as the water reaches up to its underbelly and seems to douse some of its body of flames. Ruby gathers cold elemental energy and blast the cinder rat, dousing its flames further. The rat scurries away in panic manages to swim to safety, trying to lick its wounds and relight its flames. It releases a cloud of steam, concealing it. Spike uses an illuminate spell on the rat to relight it, burning off the steam, it is surprised by the assistance. Before it can react, Spike hurls crochet needles through its body. As the throws of death take the cinder rat, all that is left is a small pile of ash.