Free D'Mok Revival 1: Awakening by Michael J. Zummo Page A

mountain.
    Illumination pods along the walls provided ample light as the three of them moved through the bowels of the caverns. The air grew cool and clammy, heavier and danker with each step. Some sort of occasional glimmer along the wall caught Mencari’s eye. At first he discounted what he thought were natural deposits of a fluorescent substance. Perhaps noticing Mencari’s glance, Ine pointed to one such spot and said, “From the creatures. Leave ’em as they move.”
    Lady Weun stopped and examined the spot. A dry, scratchy shrill echoed around them. “Sounds like crystals sliding against one other,” she said.
    Ine’s body noticeably stiffened. “That’s what we heard when we ran into ’em the first time.”
    He darted over to a storage cavity carved into the rocky wall, retrieving an additional pick, like the one he carried. He gave it to Mencari saying, “The beasts are crystal . . . not indestructible.”
    Mencari tried a few half-swings, getting used to the makeshift weapon. After a moment, he said, “One wrong blast from my hand-phaser could bring this place down. So this is probably a better option here.”
    The scratching grew louder, until a blue-and-silver glow emanated from around the corner. Ine cautiously crept forward and peeked around the edge. “That’s one of ’em!” he quivered in a hushed tone.
    Lady Weun and Mencari joined him. In an odd glow ahead, a huge spider-shaped creature that was easily twice their size was skittering about. Strangely, it looked as if had been carved from the very mine walls themselves, made of the same shiny crystal.
    Ine looked back, desperation on his face. “We have to get past it to get to where the other men are.”
    Lady Weun looked at Mencari. “We need a plan.”
    He took another quick look at the spider, took in the eerie luminosity that seeped from a pattern of light blue-and-silver crystals on its body. Its crystal appendages clicked when they touched the ground, making the sound they’d heard before. The beast’s movements were slow, which was to their advantage. But its every action appeared precise. It did not look like a weak or uncertain creature, but rather like one stalking its prey.
    With nowhere to conceal themselves, they retreated back the way they came, checked their weapons, and waited for the creature to approach.
    When it rounded the corner, its long stony fangs bared, Ine and Mencari hefted their picks.
    Its bulging diamond-like eyes locked on the intruders; it hissed and bared a second set of fangs, ones previously tucked under the first. These appeared made of gems, as did its strange eyes.
    “I’ll need some space to throw my crystals,” Lady Weun whispered while she pulled a few more gems from her pocket. “Attack before it gets close!”
    Mencari and Ine began a forward charge, yelling and swinging their picks. The creature spat a mist of liquid. As the substance tumbled through the air, it turned milky white and spread like a web. They skidded to a stop, preparing to slice through it. Lady Weun threw a light-blue gem that shattered and released a gust of air, causing the web to fold in upon itself and stick harmlessly to the cavern wall.
    The creature scuttled up to Ine, lashing out with its razor-sharp legs, but Ine blocked the attack using his pick. Mencari flanked the beast, striking one leg with his pick, deeply fracturing it. As the beast turned to Mencari, Ine bashed another leg, cracking through the appendage. The limb shattered into tiny blue gems and silver beads as it crashed to the ground.
    The creature shrieked and spat the sticky liquid at Mencari, coating his chest and arms and gluing his arms to his sides, then swept his legs sending him crashing to the ground. Ine bashed another of its hind legs. It turned to retaliate, as Ine taunted it, trying to draw its attention away from Mencari.
    Mencari began to shudder madly. “Burning! It’s burning!”
    Lady Weun grabbed one blue crystal and a light-gray