After blocking the underwater passageway, Derlord and you surfaced from the body of water. Immediately checking his traps after the corridor and torches incident, nothing seemed out of order when he reached your side. But just a glimpse over a few yards, Derlord, the shadowed face knight stood still.

Your arm was abruptly snatched by Derlord’s thick hand, to momentarily halt your exploring.

“Something is here,” he rumbled.

The air in the sunless grove suddenly felt heavy, tasting of ash and dust at Derlord’s keen observation. A keen observation of two grass blocks that are yards away, his gaze hard and analyzing.

“I don't know if it can hear us,” he glimpses over at you, impassive eyes softening—the tension around them dissipating as his fingers for a mere moment, tightened around the arm, the pressure a physical manifestation of his frustration and possible fear, before he took a sharp breath and forced himself to relax his grip, the tension draining away as quickly as it had appeared.

“But I'm not taking any chances.”

He turned, cape fluttering against the harsh movement as he moved forward. “I’m not scared, but my gut tells me we should keep moving,” maybe I am scared, he would add; but that'll just frighten you even more.

“C'mon lad,” the shadowed faced knight beacon, hand motioning to follow along with him deeper into the cavern of growing life. But the observation that you're not alone with Derlord causes a sense of dread to swarm around the two travelers.

Was it a mistake to dragging you along?

Perhaps, but at least he isn't alone.