Chapter 87: Monster of the Halls
"Okay... here’s the deal," she began, her voice carrying the weight of leadership.
Everyone sat or stood quiet, waiting to hear what Lara had to say. Jonas leaned against the wall, his massive arms crossed over his chest. Kay remained standing, his hammer within easy reach. Jake perched on the edge of a chair, fingers drumming silently against his knee. Arthur and Aziel exchanged glances, both acutely aware that they were the newcomers to an established team.
"We have about 2-3 weeks left of food if we’re frugal," Lara announced, her expression serious as she laid out a rough inventory sheet. The flickering light from the lanterns cast shifting shadows across her face, emphasizing the lines of concern etched there.
She gave Aziel a pointed look that made him squint and smile awkwardly, clearly remembering his voracious appetite from their previous meal. A soft chuckle rippled through the group, briefly lightening the mood before Lara continued with her briefing.
"In this next week, we will move from room to room as a group," she stated firmly. "We will never separate or go into a different room alone unless absolutely necessary. Understand?"
She looked around the room, making eye contact with each person in turn to ensure her message was received. The gravity of her words hung in the air—in this place, separation could mean death. One by one, everyone took turns nodding to her command, acknowledging the seriousness of her instruction.
"During this week," she continued, "we will no longer be looking for totems in these rooms... we will be looking for anything and everything." her gaze piercing. "One must know thy enemy. There has got to be stuff we can use to help us, even in the slightest, so that is what we’ll be keeping an eye out for whilst we travel from room to room."
Arthur, feeling slightly confused by the vague directive, raised his hand as if he was a student in a classroom. The gesture felt awkward, but he wasn’t sure how else to interject into the well-established dynamic of Lara’s team.
"Uhm... who exactly is our enemy?" he asked, his voice betraying his uncertainty.