256
Beetle battle
🪲

You find yourself face to face with a trio of bombardier beetles, who seem to be guarding the way.

"My goodness!" says Kensley. "They are not friendly one bit!"

One of them makes an angry chittering sound. Even though you don't speak beetle you are pretty sure this beetle doesn't like you.

The three beetles turn around in the corridor to face away from you.

"Arthur do you think they're running away?" asks Kensley, tugging on your sleeve.

Suddenly there is a loud popping sound and a steam of superheated liquid shoots out of the beetles' bottoms.

"Duck!" you cry, and you and Kensely throw yourself to one side. The liquid misses you by inches. The stone flagstone bubbles and fizzes where the liquid struck it.

You both pick yourself up off the floor and scramble back round the corner for safety.

"That was too close," you say. "We need to get past those creatures or we will never be able to get down into the dungeon."

You think hard, there must be a spell that you can use. Some spell that allows you to sneak past without them seeing you.

After a moment, a determined look in your eye, you step out from your hiding place with your wand at the ready.