Balin held up the black torch, its golden flames illuminating the passage inside the Mind Flayers' nest.
The passage walls were made of thick chitin, which reflected the torchlight.
The instant the old Dwarf drew the Mind Ripper, the entire nest seemed to shudder.
The tremor came from every direction. Then faint sounds of smashing traveled through the walls.
The sounds were muffled, but their source could not have been far away.
"That's coming from the Common Room and the Guard Room." Klauthsura raised its right hand, an Acid Sphere forming in its palm. "It seems the Elder Brain still had to leave a few servants behind to keep the Colony running. And now they're wreaking havoc."
The acid sphere shot out and struck a chitinous door in the passage to the left. The black shell rapidly softened and collapsed under the strong acid, releasing pungent white smoke.
"Follow me." Klauthsura turned its head. "The Transformation Chamber is ahead. We can take a detour through it to the Prison and release some test subjects..."
"We should be looking for the Elder Brain!" Recalling the model of the nest he had seen earlier, the old Dwarf interrupted loudly. "Go to that 'Rest Pool' or whatever it's called, kill that big brain, and that damned dragon!"
"Patience, Balin."
Klauthsura unleashed its psionics, blasting the acid-corroded door away with Psychic Power. Shattered chitin scattered everywhere, leaving fine scratches on the walls.
"I've already activated the interference array. The nest guards gathered at the Psionic Nodes can't use teleportation spells. It will take them time to reach us."
"So we still have time. We should use every opportunity to improve our chances of winning."
Klauthsura stepped through the doorway, its tone assured.
"There are quite a few test subjects in the Prison with psionic