Chapter 40: Four horns
It's looking for us, Irwin thought as he kept still. How can it even fit in here? Shouldn't it be too large to enter these corridors?
The steps moved further away, slowly turning soft. Daubutim moved his head close to Irwin's, who looked up in worry. If he made any noise…
"That's a dead-end," Daubutim whispered so softly Irwin could barely hear it. "It will return this way, so stay quiet."
Irwin nodded, and they waited. A few minutes later, the thudding returned, stopping a few feet beyond their door.
"I will find you…" the voice came again, intense hatred and anger seemingly echoing through the walls and door.
Irwin remained quiet, holding his breath, relieved when the footsteps moved away.
A few minutes later, they were gone, but Irwin didn't dare move. He looked at Daubutim, who had a hand up, and shook his head. They waited for a long time, longer than Irwin thought they had, before the thing showed up. Finally, Daubutim nodded.
"That was over an hour. It should be gone by now. Let's get out of here."
Irwin nodded, and they got up. A quick listening later, he opened the door, afraid of seeing a massive bird-head. There was none, and as he looked through the hall, he saw none there either. Deep gauges sat in the stone floor tiles, and scrapes around the walls ran all the way to the top as if something too large had forced its weight through.
If it shows up, I'll blast it, Irwin thought as he swallowed at the thought.
They snuck to the corridor, only a few steps away, when a soft sound came from the path that led back to the larger area. Irwin froze, staring at the end of the corridor, his heartbeat skyrocketing. A shove in his back sent him stumbling into the corridor, but not before he saw the Bablibon's horrible head poke across the balcony edge.
"The fat-one was correct… so sneaky. Perhaps I'll let him live till last," the demon bird's voice sang behind him, followed by a burst of soft laughter. "Now! Either show me where the portal is, or I'll eat you alive, starting at your feet!"