Fortunately, Paladin Henk hadn't hidden the item too carelessly or too far away. So after the close encounter with the mind flayers, the group had at least made it to their destination—without further danger or running into any more monsters: the ruins of Dolunbud's hanging city.
However, although this part of the Dungeon had far fewer monsters and inhabitants than the area they'd just left, its environment was much more treacherous than the city where the mind flayers lived!
Looking down, they saw dark-red lava slowly rolling through the ravines below like underground rivers, giving off scorching heat and the stench of sulfur. Poisonous fumes, so foul they made them want to vomit, filled the sweltering air, leaving them feeling as though they were about to suffocate.
And with the agony of being roasted by the heat, the moment they arrived, they all found themselves sweating profusely. They could hardly bear to stay even a moment longer.
Besides the heat, the poisonous fumes, and the terrifying lava, enormous chains hung motionless from the ceiling of the vast cavern. The floating islands looked like huge boxes, connected by countless chains and suspended over the magma. The group had never seen anything like it, and they couldn't help staring in amazement.
Because if a chain suddenly snapped, or even a small problem arose at one of the connection points, anyone on those floating islands would surely fall into the lava and burn to death, right?
In any case!
Edgin, Holga, and Simon made a rough estimate. Given the horrifying temperature of the lava below, they'd last at most three seconds if they fell in. Not a second longer.
"Everyone!"
"This is Dolunbud's hanging city, our destination."
"I'm sure you've all seen it..."
"In this underground world, life is fragile. One wrong step