In the Caverns Beneath

  But we must hurry. The girgoghs'...Lackeys... Will be scouring the planet for your landing party. I believe your entire crew made it back to your shuttles. I've cast a spell of invisibility over the general area where your ships were first spotted. But I may have to lift the spell in order to protect ourselves. Trying to cast too many spells at once is dangerous...And draining. One or both may fail in efficiency. I must focus on what is most important. We must leave now."

  "Okay, fine. But if you try anything...I promise you, I'll..."

  Lilchta silences Aurelia with another passionate kiss. He offers her a wistful smile as they separate. Aurelia finds herself drowning in his gaze, unable to pull her eyes away. Zifawid Lilchta's deep voice cuts through the mental fog, jarring her back to reality.

  "Don't worry. I won't."

  "You just did," Aurelia says with a scowl. "Cut that out. Or you're gonna get hurt."

  "Oh," Lilchta sighs, his expression turning solemn.

  -

  -

  "Where do we go, now?" Aurelia asks, peeking around a particularly large and leaning pile of rusted girgogh parts.

  Ahead, the path splits into four forks. Neither path forward looks very promising, each path leading to the pitchblack darkness of an open antechamber. Aurelia can just barely make out what sounds like machinery whirring from deep within the depths of the hidden chambers. Lilchta steps beside his female companion, pointing to a path off to their left.

  "There. We must go there. Hurry," Lilchta says in a hushed whisper.

  "Why? What's in there?" Aurelia inquires, growing suddenly wary. "And what's that noise? What's going on down there? Is that some kind of workshop? Is that where the girgoghs are made? You're taking me down there to be fodder for your machines, aren't you?"

  "No!" Lilchta says, aggravation getting the better of him.

  Lilchta grips Aurelia's right elbow and yanks her along, heading for the path he had previously pointed at. Wrenching her arm free, Aurelia crosses both arms over her chest. She narrows her eyes and glares stubbornly at her Cthulhu companion.

  "I'm not going a single step further until you tell me why we are going deeper into the complex instead of climbing towards the surface. It doesn't make any sense."

  "We must...," Lilchta swallows hard and glances around furtively. "We must go down into Wispyri's nest. My book of spells is in there."

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  "What?" Aurelia hisses through clenched teeth. "I thought you said you keep it with you at all times? Why does this Wispyri have it? And just who the hell is Wispyri?"

  "The mother of all girgoghs," Lilchta says. "It is from Wispyri that all other girgoghs come. She is their progenitor. Every so often, she goes down into her nest to rejuvenate. The elements on this planet are unique. Wispyri feeds off of them. As I said, all who do not belong to the girgogh race act as their caregivers. We fly their ships, we ensure they always have adequate materials to complete their metalworks, and we do all of the operations they cannot do themselves. No opposable thumbs. Ha. But most of all, we take special care of Wispyri. Her memory core must never be allowed to become damaged. If that were to ever happen...Who knows what might become of the other girgoghs? It could prove disastrous."

  Aurelia takes a step closer to Lilchta, slowly unfolding her arms. For added effect, she lowers her eyelids and her voice.

  "So...No Wispyri...No girgoghs?" Aurelia asks.

  "Well, yes. Basically."

  "And...So we have to go...Down there...To get your book?"

  "Yes."

  "I'm guessing Wispyri doesn't trust the book being out of her sight...While she's...Rejuvenating? Am I correct?" Aurelia prods, calmly approaching Lilchta with every word.

  "You are correct again," Lilchta says. "Wispyri becomes quite angry when she is disturbed during her rejuvenation. On occasion, she has killed...Or ordered to be killed...Those found entering her chamber during such a time. That is why she takes the book. To ensure I cannot sneak in on her."

  "Uh...Okay," Aurelia chuckles. "Why should that matter? You have the spells memorized, don't you?"

  "Well, yes. But Wispyri made me put a spell upon her antechamber. A spell which makes it impossible for me to harm her while she has the book. Wispyri is not dumb."

  "It appears not," Aurelia says, her spirits deflating. "So...How do we get the book?"

  Lilchta smoothly walks up to Aurelia, placing a finger under her chin. Aurelia looks questioningly up at him. Yet, she makes no effort to remove his hand.

  "Not we. You!" Lilchta says, grinning mischievously. "You forget, I cannot harm the girgogh queen. However, an invisibility spell placed over you...Means you can sneak into the antechamber undetected. You can grab the book. And we can leave this planet together."

  "Wait a minute!" Aurelia screeches before lowering her voice. "This was your plan all along. You used me!"

  "Yes. But you have to admit...It was for a good reason. We both want the same thing. You nab the book of spells and return it to me. I rid this world, and the galaxy, of these dreaded girgoghs. We can both go home. A win-win. Wouldn't you say?"

  "No!"

  "No?"

  "No!" Aurelia complains. "I don't like being used. I don't like being lied to. How do I know that what you're telling me right now is the truth?"

  "You don't!" Lilchta says with a weary laugh. "But I want to be gone from this place as much as you do. I wouldn't lie about that."

  Tilting Aurelia's face even further, Lilchta studies her in the dim light.

  "I promise you...I never lied to you. I simply...Left things out. If I had told you of my plan...Would you have agreed to help me?"

  "Maybe. Maybe not. Truth is...You tricked me. And that's not a great way to establish trust. I should leave you here and go back on my own."

  "You'd never make it. Not once I dropped my shield of protection over you. Uiowky and the others would find you. They almost found us once already."

  "What? When? I never saw them. You're lying again," Captain Hilyard quietly protests.

  "Nope. You weren't meant to see them," Lilchta insists. "And they weren't meant to see you. We walked right through each other."

  "Oh. What? You're...That's impossible!"

  "It isn't. Now, let's plan what we do once you have the book."