Watching from above on its perch a Raven's glass eyed gazed over the group below it. The loud snores of the men echoed in the silent woods. The knight on guard was asleep leaning against the tree Em had climbed. The bird silently flew over towards where she laid and stared at her face. It slowly began to creep closer to her, before it gently started to shift the collar of her tunic out of the way.

Seeing the edge of the diamonds around her neck it gave a strangled squawk when she snapped its neck. The bird withered into dust in her palms. Glancing down at the men below her she grew uneasy. Clutching the necklace in her hands she breathed out in relief to feel it still there. Slowly pulling it out she gazed at the dark gem.

It was a large dark green heart shaped diamond. White jewels of starlight encased it and made the chain. It had no weight to anyone but her. She felt the pulse the diamond echo through her palm. Clutching it in her hand and breathing out she put it back under her tunic to keep it hidden from sight.

It was an overcast night yet the map inside Dastan's booklet was catching alight. Em watched with a frown from her branch as the inside of Dastan's coat began to glow. Quickly climbing back down she started to shake him awake. Dastan's reflexes were quick as he pinned her beneath him with his sword to her throat.

Em tried hard not to show the shock in her eyes as Dastan took a moment to realise she wasn't a foe. Realising their close position he drew back allowing her to sit up and rub her neck. Before he could even ask what was wrong, the book began to speak for itself. It magically jumped out from his inner pocket, the pages flew open to the map.

Large runes began to draw themselves across the page. Dastan struggled to read them and was about to wake Edvard for help when the page began to decipher itself. The runes curved and rewrote themselves until it was legible to Dastan.

"Beware the beasts who guard the way. Many men don't see the light of day. Look for the tunnel robbed of light. The portal to Asreldion is out of sight."

Almost as quickly as they had moved, the runes vanished before the map expanded in the caves. A clear direction for them to follow. Feeling an uneven thump begin to shake the tree's they closed the book. The stones on the ground would jump or roll as the thuds grew closer. It was enough to wake the men as they quietly armed themselves, remaining close to the ground. A black shadow began to make its way in direction of the caves. It wasn't until it reached the entrance where the light shined upon its face were they aware of what awaited them.

"It can't be! They were destroyed in the war." Em hissed in shock.

"What war? We've been at peace for hundreds of years." Dastan snapped back in her direction.

"The last great war between Zal-Kath and the King of Asreldion." Em snapped back wondering if they knew any history. Rolling her eyes at their ignorance, she wondered if they were actually aware of what this journey would encounter.

"Well, obviously they weren't, otherwise how else would they be here?" Gwaine remarked harshly in her direction. His sword pointing in the direction of the beast. Em growled deeply not appreciating his tone towards her. Part of her wished she would just snap her fingers but she knew she couldn't. She wouldn't allow herself to use her magic for pure dishonest satisfaction.

"They were destroyed Sir Gwaine! But it seems his power is growing." Em snapped but then trailed off in her own thoughts. Edvard watched her curiously as her eyes seemed to speak for themselves. Em had been there when they had been destroyed. She even lead the front lines beside her father in the war. The last great war, a war that held many consequences and ruin.

"Whose?" Dastan questioned oblivious to the glazed look in Em's eyes.

"You still haven't answered the question. What are they?" Edvard questioned placing a hand on her shoulder. It brought her out of her memory as they all crouched down against the ground as the tremors started once again.

"Ttarmek!" Em whispered, a shudder running down her spine. Ttarmek were giant creatures who resided in the mountains. Myths said they had once worked in the forges for the Gods before they were cast out for trying to steal magical items.

"TTar-what? Do you mean trolls?" Dastan questioned struggling with the pronunciation.

"Trolls? HA! Ttarmek make trolls look like infants! No these are creatures of the mountain caves" Em scoffed rolling her eyes.

"Well, we can take on one of them. Surely it can't be that hard" Gwaine confidently offered with a small smirk on his face.

"I admire your bravery Sir Gwaine. But that is a suicide mission. If it took a whole division of the Asreldion army to defeat one Ttarmek, what makes you think you can do it with a mere handful of men?" Em quickly informed shaking her head at his stupidity. Gwaine was fuming, smoke would be pouring out his ears if it could at Em's insult.

"I'm sure there is more than one. It's just a matter of figuring out where it is" She muttered as they started to hear and feel the uneven thumps along the ground once more. It soon fell silent as they frowned wondering what had happened before a loud cry shouted behind them. A soldier had been squished under the Ttarmek's large foot.

"Well, I think we've found them!" Dastan shouted out as four pairs of hands grabbed hold of the group. Squished up together the two Ttarmek merely grunted and groaned to each other. They weren't very well educated creatures. Em knew they could count themselves lucky they weren't being squeezed to death as they all squirmed trying to get free.

One by one they were pushed into a web of green goo that was spread between several trees. They all scrunched their noses in disgust hating how heavy they felt. The tree sap was strong and had been woven together for the very purpose of holding prisoners.

"Don't make sudden movements!" Em warned. Ttarmek's eyesight wasn't the greatest. Quick movements tended to draw their attention as everyone went as still as they possibly could. One very determined soldier refused to listen to his commander's warnings. Instead, he continued to grunt whilst slicing at the bonds that held him glued. Catching the attention of the nearby Ttarmek, it grasped him tightly in his fists almost squeezing the life out of him. They watched in horror as the creature raised him to his mouth and bit him in half.

Em gasped horrified covering her mouth and hiding into the chest of the man beside, who just happened to be Dastan. Dastan closed his eyes trying to close out the crunch on the man's bones against the creatures teeth. He felt sick, unable to watch as the Ttarmek finished him off.

They all started to squirm once again in an attempt to be free. They cried in protest when another soldier was plucked. Only this time he was being tugged between the two Ttarmek. Em was quick to send a bolt of energy through the sap causing them to drop ungracefully to the ground.

"QUICK!"

They all scrambled to their feet trying to take advantage of the occupied Ttarmek. They ran into the caves of the mountain, scrambling over bones and skulls from their previous meals. They had no light and knew by the thumping of the ground that their extra time was up. Dastan was quick to noticed a crack in the stone before shoving the others towards it.

One by one they all slipped through the crack standing on the other side catching their breaths whilst the storming feet went in another direction. Panting they took a moment to breathe before they gazed around the small room they had entered. It seemed that others people had come through here as a skeleton or two lay across the floor.

The room was filled with weapons of every kind. Jewels were scattered along the ground causing the men to slowly inspect the treasure. Em walked over towards one of the fallen soldiers recognising the dragon crest on the worn clothing. Shaking her head in pity to see a fallen soldier she glanced to see a long wooden box beside him.

Blowing away the dust and ripping open the old latch inside rested a long silver sword. It had a dragon handle, the head at the base, with the wings at the grips. She frowned at it, trying to remember where she had seen it before. Tying it to her waist she noticed a matching bow hidden in the lid with a quiver of arrows.

She knew this soldier had tried to protect these weapons till his dying breath. Without wasting a second thought she grabbed them and joined the others. Sunlight streamed from above, but it was too high to reach in an attempt to get out.

"What now?" She asked as Dastan wished the map would guide the way.

"Look at this!" Edvard called out as they all made their way over towards the wall. It had strange markings on it, but before anyone could react, the floor beneath them collapsed downwards. They all shouted in surprise as the floor is really a giant trap door.