After making their way down a couple of the steps, the great big ol’ door above them slammed shut with a big loud WHAM! Qaeron and the squirrel were now separated from Mushpuff and Co. Who knows what may happen up there? We’ll reconnect with them later. Hopefully nobody dies!


    It soon became apparent that it was very dark in the tunnel everyone was now in. In order to light their way, Plagiarize had to shoot blasts of fire in front of them using his Fire Gem.


    The interior of the pyramid was quite old and musty, and the surfaces were all covered in vines and plants and stuff. The fire shot by Plagiarize occasionally singed these vines, but they never really caught fire because that would be highly inconvenient. Everyone literally just finished escaping from a big fire, and it would be rather annoying and repetitive for that to happen again.


    Upon reaching the bottom of the staircase, everyone found themselves in a large room. This room, despite its size, was almost entirely empty. Scattered across the floor was some gold coins and some cobs of corn.


    “Looks like somebody must’ve looted this place,” stated Mushpuff.


    “Probably those pirates who stole the pyramid in the first place,” replied Snorter. “This is probable all that’s left of the Corn Wizard’s vast treasure.”


    Plagiarize continued blasting fire everywhere, lighting up the room. The room continued to disappoint everyone with its emptiness.


    “Well, this was a complete failure,” said the human. “I suppose we oughta go back now.”


    Everyone else agreed, and they soon found themselves heading back towards the stairs. But that was when a voice spoke some words from the darkness behind them.


    “Oy, wait!” spoke The Voice.


    Plagiarize whipped around while still blasting out a great big load of fire, nearly burning the source of the voice to a crisp. Luckily, the capybara to whom the voice belonged  jumped back in shock.


    “Oy, ya nearly burnt me up, ya idiot! I oughta blast you for that, ya absolute lump of coal.”


    This capybara wasn’t your average capybara, you see. For strapped upon its back was a ginormous deadly-looking gun of ultimate destruction. Mushpuff and Hoofa stood at the ready with their Yalmton Bracelet and Barrel Gun.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    “Who the hell are you??” asked Plagiarize.


    “I could ask the same thing, ya wad of lamb.”


    “Well, it’s a bit of a long story. It all started a--”


    “I don’t care one piece of cheese for any long stories,” said the capybara. “Give me the short version, eh?”


    “ Collecting artifacts for the purpose of defeating cows,” said Bird.


    “Very well,” said the capybara. “Then I will give you my story. Short. I’m Chris. I was with a gang of pirates. We stole this pyramid and took it somewhere remote. Went inside, ransacked it, realized we couldn’t get out. The rest of us died, I got a necklace that extends life at the cost of speeding it up perceptually. I don’t know how long it’s been, but it seems like about 5 hours.”


    “Well, I regret to inform you that it has actually been around 30 years,” said Klumpkrump.


    “I don’t care about anything other than getting out of here,” stated the ‘bara. “I’ll give you a share of the treasure.”


    “Very well, then!” said Plagiarize. “Come right this way!”


    The gang led the capybara up the stairs and to the great big door from whence they came, which was conveniently closed. Plagiarize knocked on it.


    “Hello? Anyone out there?”


    “Did you really not leave anyone up there to guard the door, ya sack of curds?” asked Chris the capybara.


    “No, no, I assure you, we left a bear up there to guard it.”


    “And a particularly evil squirrel,” added Hoofa.


    “You left an evil squirrel to guard the door? How stupid are you?”


    “No, the bear was guarding the door and the squirrel. As in, sitting on him.”


    “Well, wherever they are, they certainly aren’t there anymore! Oh, I’m gonna be trapped in this pyramid forever!”


    “Hey, at least if we don’t manage to get you out, maybe the pyramid will fall apart naturally in, like, a few hundred years, and you can walk on out!” This comment from Hoofa did not lift Chris’ spirits.


    “How will I see my family then?” asked the capybara.


    “Don’t worry,” said Plagiarize. “You can still visit their gravestones.”


    Chris the capybara groaned and sat down against the wall.