Brix is already in motion when Myrla calls out. His tiny gnome feet patter on the stone as he rushes to Wadi. He drops to his knees and slides the last couple feet up to the side of his dying companion. Pulling a vial from his handy bandolier he pops the stopper and waves the vial under Wadi's nose. The Druid coughs and his breathing eases. A groan indicates that while death has been staved off for the moment more work needs to be done. Taking out his medicine kit Brix starts bandaging and treating Wadi's wounds.

Wadi gains 6 HP.

Inge rushes over to hold Wadi gently in place as Brix applies the... smelling salts (? Inge does not know) to the nature walker and proceeds to provide him medical treatment.  What was it that thing that took over Hunteros called him?  Dawnchaser?  That sounds right, but I have never been called Helstrom...  It was almost like he knew us.  And whoever this Prana is, probably the voice inside our heads...

"We should stick together.  I don't know if whatever took over Hunteros (may his memory honor his ancestors) could only do that because Hunteros took off and got separated.  If it can just do that to any one of us at any time, then it's been nice knowing you all..."

Her look turns somber as she thinks on the dragonborn.  May your steps be light and game plentiful wherever the afterlife takes you, hunt-brother...

With Wadi on the mend Brix goes into his kit and retrieves a bottle of "Philbin Firewater"

"Shall we drink to the fallen?"

He pours a shot into a small cup

Wadi will defently join in the drink. "To Hunteros."

After recuperating, drinking to a fallen friend, and checking for the supplies, they continue onwards. They look a little bit weary and tired, but there is a sense of purpose in their gait. This monument had claimed one of their own and the strange entity that took over Hunteros only added to the dangerous mystery of the monument. They have to see this to the end.

Walking toward the door to the east, they are greeted with a strange sight. The room that was filled with sand and dust is gone. In its place is total darkness. Not even the inherent night vision some in the group have can pierce the darkness. The door frame also appears to have been replaced with a more ornate one. A plaque hangs atop the frame, reading: "To see into the unknown, the uncharted darkness beyond the ken of normalcy, to see beyond rationalities, to find the meaning of what had been, and to grow; such is the purpose of prajna."

Glad to see her childhood friend recovered, yet wistful about Hunteros, Inge joins in the toast with gusto, savoring the shot of Brix's "Philbin Firewater."

(Edited to add):  as Inge tilts her head back to drink the shot, the stretch suddenly causes shooting pains through some of the burned tissue on her neck from the battle with not-Hunteros, and she quickly reaches to the cart to chase the shot with a Potion of Healing (7 hp healing).

Upon rousing with the others after the rest, she is taken aback at the darkness in the room where she had charged the mephits.  Darkness which resists her darkvision.  She squints at the plaque uncertainly, glaive hand as if it might attack her (or she might need to attack it).

"I don't know what any of that means.  I like the idea of growing, though.  Becoming massive as the mountains, like giants in our clan myths."

Myrla joined the toast. Not that she cared for the spirit but experience with non-elves taught her that it’s easier to go along than to refuse. 

“I believe they’re referring to a more subtle form of growth, Inge. Perhaps they mean growing mentally, learning from past experiences. It’s like growing into the wisdom of the giants of old, or that is what you meant?”

She follows Inge, her shield equipped and Rapier drawn, into the darkness.

As Brix packs up the bottle and cups he realizes that Inge and Myrla are about to step into the blackness. He yells, "Wait!! Not yet!" He grabs the rope that had been sitting neatly coiled by his gear and runs towards the pair. Knotting one end around Inge he then attaches each explorer to the line using a small loop connected to their waist. ( Like a rope carabiner and we should state a walking order.Brix will take a middlw position.) This allows the anchor line to slip freely between those attached allowing it to automatically adjust for height and distance between explorers.

Wisdom of the giants!  That sounds neat! 

"Yes, ah..." (cough), "sure!  That is what I meant, Myrla!"  Inge makes an awkward attempt to recover gracefully from her own confusion while Brix makes pragmatic use of rope to secure their entrance into the darkness.  So happy I am here with companions smarter than me!

Instinct causes her to close her eyes as she enters the darkness which her darkvision cannot penetrate.  She reaches out instinctively with her other senses, listening for movement, or to the echoes of their footfalls against walls or other surfaces, sniffing for scents, feeling the nature of the ground beneath her feet.  She remembers her clan elder's calm words as Inge had listened, the young hunter, ever-eager to learn.  

Nature never deceives us.  It is only we who deceive ourselves.  Perhaps this is part of the wisdom of giants Myrla speaks of!

Inge's Perception in the darkness:  24 (Natural 20)

tethered to Inge, Myrla follows her every step though intending to shuffle forward carefully. She is unaccustomed to actual darkness and it does make her feel very uneasy. Is this how other races see in the night? How disturbing! She suddenly realizes how very much she is used to rely on her sight as the primary sense. Her other senses are strained in the unfamiliar environment. (Perception: 18, or 17 if at disadvantage)

Milo will join the toast, as well as raising a glass to Prana as thanks for helping save us from instant death. He will enter the darkness last, not because he doesn't want to enter, but because he will be walking backwards to make sure nothing is sneaking up behind them.

The first step into the mysterious darkness is the most jarring. There is a stutter in Inge's heart when she realises there is no certainty that the ground will greet her when she steps into the room. For all she knows, she would just fall into an endless pit, never to be seen again. But, firm ground welcomes her first step into the darkness. Another step and she becomes more firm in her movement. On the third step, she begins to see a silhouette of an archway about ten or so steps in front of her. Apart from that, she can see nothing else in the room, even her hands and body. If not for the rope connecting them, she also wouldn't be able to know that Myrla is there with her. 

Behind Inge, Myrla becomes a little disoriented as the darkness surrounds her. It is unusually quiet -- almost unnatural. No other sound besides her and Inge's footsteps and their breathing are audible in the dark room. Once or twice she swears she can hear sounds propagating from another place in the room, but a moment later everything remains quiet. On the third step into the room, Myrla sees the same silhouette of an archway about ten or so steps in front of her. 

Outside the room, Brix, Wadi, and Milo see the rope pulled taut as Inge and Myrla disappear into the room. A moment later, the rope stops moving entirely, but the sound of footsteps continues to be heard from within the darkness. 

{{A question that I forgot to ask: did you bring a lit source of light into the darkness? And who's going next after Inge and Myrla?}}

Brix said middle so will be going next. Then it will be Wadi then Milo

Quote from Swiftgale >>

Brix said middle so will be going next. Then it will be Wadi then Milo

 Confirmed. As as far as I know no light source is lit.

(Myrla’s hands are occupied with shield and rapier. Also she’s not used to need a torch and didn’t think that that would help.)

Confirmed. Wadi will be last in the parade. 

As soon as Myrla sees the new archway, the words at the entrance echo in her mind. Prana is at the end of this doorway, perhaps? She presses forward towards the silhouette of Inge against the illuminated doorway. She pulls on the rope behind her to prompt whoever was following her to keep moving. Was it Brix who came after me? “Inge, do you see the light? You think that’s where we might find Prana? I’d rather get out of this darkness.”

(Milo said, he’d cover the rear, so that would make Wadi the second last)

Inge too, accustomed to relying on her darkvision has not lit any light source, eventually re-opening her eyes.

"The archway?  I saw it almost right away.  Didn't you?  Nothing else to see or hear in here, anyway.  Dunno about Prana, but yeah, let's go."

Looping the end of the rope around her wrist and hefting her glaive, Inge continues toward the archway.

{{Noted that Inge and Myrla have crossed the archway. I'll get back to you later. I'm going to assume that the other three haven't stepped into the darkened room yet, so this is what you three will see.}}

To the three who remains behind, the rope suddenly goes slack and drops to the ground. Brix, who is holding the rope, pulls it to see that it has been severed cleanly with a very sharp blade. The sound of Myrla's and Inge's conversation can still be heard beyond the darkness, but it is getting farther away. 

"Well they are still alive at least as I hear them. Hopefully we don't have to dodge a sharp blade. I didn't hear them scream at any point though. Shall we go fast?"