June returned moments later. "The path is clear," June said. "At least for the first hundred meters."
Erik nodded, and the group moved.
…
…
…
The group navigated through the tunnels and caves for some time. Each time they came across an intersection, Erik blocked the paths Amber and the others told him were not those bringing him to the underground city.
By blocking all side routes, he would prevent the bugs from ambushing them or cutting off their path.
This meant relying on a single escape route, which carried its own risks. If the bugs destroyed Erik's blockages, they would be forced to confront them in the narrow tunnels if the group had to retreat.
The confined space would limit their movement and force them into close-quarters combat, making it harder to use their abilities and face huge numbers of bugs at the same time.
There was only a path, after all, and it would bring the monsters stumbling into the tunnel directly to them.
