The Call of Curiosity (Part I)

As the Mimic Queen, I’ve feasted on countless foolhardy souls, but lately, their trinkets and baubles no longer satiate me. My once insatiable appetite now yearns for knowledge of the outside world - its secrets, wonders, and mysteries. It’s almost as if some dark force whispers to me through the etchings left on those cursed books they bring down here.

One such book, bound in leather, caught my eye. Its pages held tales of faraway lands, of cities built high above the clouds, where dragons roamed free instead of cowering in dungeons. These words ignited a fire within me; I longed to witness such marvels myself. But how? My limbs may stretch, but they cannot carry me.

Then it came to me – the perfect plan. There was a rumor of a party of mages passing nearby, seeking rare magical reagents. They might have what I need, and perhaps, in return, I could offer them the ultimate treasure: my own wisdom of the labyrinths below.

I prepared carefully, adopting the guise of a pristine chest overflowing with gold and jewels. Soon enough, the quintet stumbled across my lure, greed shining brightly in their eyes. With a well-timed burst, I swallowed two whole, while the others fled screaming. One, however, stood his ground, his arcane powers blazing. He fought valiantly, yet he too fell victim to my irresistible allure.

With my prize secured, I plotted our course to the surface. Little did he know, he had just embarked on a journey that would change us both forever…