"Sounds interesting. Count me in." Rex flashed two friendly rows of teeth.
Juster glanced at Rex's outstretched hand and said with disdain, "Put away the poison powder in your palm. I stopped pulling that trick when I was eight."
"What a shame. I was hoping to use it to threaten you." Rex withdrew his hand.
After that brief exchange, the three of them confirmed that none of them was a good person, and all three were refreshingly honest about it.
Rex, Juster, and Aetheran began their escape.
Deep underground, the darkness felt solid. Low growls and shrieks drifted through the caves from every direction, occasionally punctuated by a piercing scream.
"Should we go over there?" Rex looked toward the source of the sound.
Ai continued walking, his face expressionless. "Anyone screaming that badly will be dead before we get there."
"But leaving someone to die... Forget it. I'm tired of pretending to be a good person." Rex shrugged, ignored the scream, and followed him.
A rush of heavy footsteps suddenly came from ahead. The three immediately spread out, held their breath, and gripped their weapons.
Soon, a squad of low-ranking demons appeared in the murky cave. Fiery patterns across their bodies flickered ominously in the dark.
"Get ready to fight!" Rex growled.
Juster and Aetheran nodded and set aside their schemes. A betrayal now would leave none of them alive.
Gifted with Darkvision, the demons spotted them first and charged with a roar.
The three rushed forward together and plunged into a fierce battle with the low-ranking demons.
Rex's swordsmanship was superb. Every swing left a wound several inches long, and he held the front line through sheer skill. Juster used his talent for deception to create one illusion after another, throwing the demon soldiers into confusion. Ai had no