Escape

"So, would this have been a good time," Qovakrisstia Darkhair questioned the wizard from her huddled position on the icy floor, "to have brought that bottle of yours?"

Arbiddance chuckled as he looked her over for remaining signs of frostbite. "Perhaps, but I really didn't want to take a chance on losing it... so I left it behind. In hindsight, I guess we handled the dragon well enough."

"You handled it," Hern said as he returned to the cave. "Fire and ice... fire and ice..."

Qova was helped to her feet. She checked out all of her joints and decided she was fit to go. The three walked back out into the central cave.

"What makes me hesitate," Arbiddance said as they examined the well shaft both up and down, "are two points. One, once we get to the top, if we're in the right shaft, we'll have to destroy the door to get out... the door that you secured from the other side. New steps will have to be taken. Two: who knows what we'll meet on our ascent, so be ready for anything when we go up."

The wizard stretched out the carpet and stared at it quizzically. "That's two Ak'Kori magical relics we've found in this complex, yet the construction is unmistakably Anayari. Hmm."

Hern re-appeared with two bags filled with coins from the dragon's lair secured to his shoulders. The three kneeled on the carpet and the wizard triggered the magical word. Silently, the carpet rose to about two feet in the air.

"I'm freezing," Qova said. "Make it quick."

Arbiddance mentally guided the carpet over the well shaft. Hern felt a jolt of vertigo that quickly faded and then re-appeared as the carpet slowly ascended the shaft. He had just a few seconds to scrape a mark on the side of the shaft to identify this level for future visits.

Past several levels they went... caves, a tunnel, a wide chasm, a few rooms... one occupied by some very surprised trolls, until they reached the familiar collapsed room. The carpet drifted to the side and settled down on the rubble across the floor.

"We'll use it again to get to the door," Arbiddance said. "But first, how will we get through it?"

"Float us up there, and I'll bash the hinges," Hern replied. "Just be ready for a possible falling door once the hinges are loose."

In the process, the door did not fall, being tied to the opposite wall, but the fighter was able to pry the door out enough to give them exit.

Returned to their lair... Hern started a fire and the three collapsed around it.