Chapter 22: Ch 22 – Shadows

I stumbled into the room to see where I’d spent quite a few days of my imprisonment. There was no one present outside the cells. Devin’s door was just as closed as I’d predicted. That could only mean one thing. I rushed over to the door and knocked on it, “Hello?”

“...Anna? Is that you? Whats going on out there?” I heard Devin ask from inside.

“There's a battle… Do you know where the key is?” I asked.

“Key… Oh, stand back.” he warned me.

I distanced myself from the door, but rather then just stand around idly while he did what he was going to do. I started looking around the desk that was present. I had good hearing, and I could make out the sound of him shifting around doing who knows what. While he was doing that, I found pages of text that I found oddly readable, not that I had time for that. Tubes of various varieties and stamps and ink. I could only guess, but it seemed like all the communications and messaging had been taking place in this room.

I glanced up at the sound of something breaking, and Devin’s door slowly drifted open. He had his iron ball between his hands, and he grinned at me, “That wasn’t so hard.”

“You could have done that the whole time?” I asked practically incredulous.

“Lot of good it would have done if someone with a sword was waiting for me on this side.” He explained.

“True…” I admitted feeling the incredulity fade.

I gave up my search and walked over to him, “Can you walk like that?”

He nodded, “Walking should be fine. I won’t be running anytime soon though… I’m honestly not sure how to get this off with out the captain, and I suppose there's little chance of that now…” He grumbled.

“I might know someone that can help. But we need to get out of here first.” I explained.

“Alright.. I told you I’d go with you, so lead the way.” He offered.

I grimaced, “I realize I said that.. but the truth is I want you to know I’m terrible with directions.”

He chuckled, “Well, that's unfortunate for the both of us…”

I gave him a grin and lead the way out of the room, and quickly followed the way we usually were taken to the stream. I couldn’t help but want to rush, to put as much distance between us and this camp, and whatever lay south as quickly as possible. But Devin was towing a chunk of iron around that likely weighed more then I did… Scratch that, it definitely weighed more then I did. I wasn’t just being vain! He did his best, but I had to slow my pace and wait for him to catch up numerous times.

I reached out mentally to try and talk to the dungeon, “Dungeon? Are you out there?”

I kept moving after the pause nothing coming back to me.

I wished I’d bothered to communicate with it about its plans, and where it would be searching, or staying. Somewhere out there was a pack of goblins and a fancy rock that was too smart for its own good, and I had no idea where. Probably some cave… Still if I kept trying to communicate with it every so often I might accidentally run into it right?

I made a decision while we moved into the tree line, and ever northward. “Devin… I need to tell you a few things.”

“Oh? You’re hiding some greater secret? Is it something besides how much of a massive slut you are?”

I snorted, “That's not a secret… so yes. The person I know who might be able to help you… well, it isn’t a person.” I tried to explain.

“I… don’t follow.” Devin said back with obvious confusion.

“It's a dungeon.”

“A… dungeon…” He repeated what I said as though it was utter nonsense, then light in his eyes changed to recognition, “Wait, as in a magical labyrinth?”

“Yes… Though its not much of either of those things right now? I guess? It has unique abilities and can use them to do things.” I explained.

“Alright…” He said not quite sure what to make of my words, he at least wasn’t responding negatively.

“That's where I lived before here, in the dungeon. Me and it made a deal that we would work together for the mutual benefit of one another.” I continued.

“Right… I’m not quite understanding why your telling me all this though… Unless… You’re saying that's what you want me to do?” He asked.

“In a word, yes. If you want to be with me, then that means you’ll be working with this dungeon as well. Maybe the real point I’m trying to make is that en-tales whatever else also lives in the dungeon.” I continued.

“Alright… Which of course would be…” He said, clearly coming to some conclusion but not voicing it.

“Monsters. Or at least goblins so far.” I explained.

“So you live… with goblins…” He said more then disappointed.

“Trust me, its not a great situation yet. But we’re working on it. So, for now just trust me?” I asked.

He sighed as he kept following, “Well I’m not going to lie, I had my hopes you were just an incredibility randy house wife…”

I smiled back at him, “That's not nearly exciting enough for me.”

“Great…” he chucked shaking his head, “What have I gotten myself into…”

I tried to reach out to the dungeon a few more times, so far nothing. Some five more minutes passed as we walked. I was a bit frazzled by the walk and the smoke off in the distance I kept seeing when I glanced back through the leaves. It was so easy to just keep going. My body wanted to move, to push on faster, and get out of here. My own eagerness pressed me forward, and I put a bit too much distance between myself and Devin who was following.

“Hey… Wait up… this thing is heavy…” Devin said as I turned to look back to find him struggling to match my pace.

I couldn’t help but feel strange at it, I’d always been the slow one who was ready to pass out. Still I also wasn’t the one lugging around a giant ass iron ball. I sighed reminding myself that we’d barely gotten started and that this was going to get harder.

I opened my mouth to call back to him, but before I could do anything, a hand wrapped around the throat. The grip was strong, and I could feel them dig into my throat without mercy. I tried to call out, tried to speak, but there was simply no room for anything, all that I could produce was soft creaking sound.

“Look what we have here…” A voice spoke. A voice… that sounded a familiar. I’d heard it several times…

I twisted and looked up barely able to see a familiar archer staring down at me. He turned and looked towards Devin who stared back at him.

“You…” Devin said obviously recalling the man as well.

“Yes… me!” The man snorted as though either of us really had a clue. “Honestly I expected soldiers to be the first to flee in this direction. But I suppose someone opened the cages? What a waste of time.” He mused.

Devin took a step forward, and as he did the archer’s other hand came up, raising a very long knife to my face.

I couldn’t help but stare at the sharp tip that was looming dangerously close to my face. I’d run out of breath, and was quickly filling with panic. My hands came up to grab his hand on my neck as though realizing it, the archer relaxed his grip just a bit and I wheezed in a breath with effort. He wasn’t making it easy though.

“I’d rather not damage this one… Imagine how much fun I can have with her, you won’t mind will you?” The man asked tapping my cheek with the flat of the knife.

“Why…” I wheezed a question out, it was hard enough to breath, and even harder to speak, so even if I’d wanted to say more, I only managed the single word.

“Why? You don’t know much about this kingdom do you? Why would you? Your a tiger kin, from some backwater tribe. I bet you fuck the wildlife for fun… Maybe that's why you're such a massive cock slut? You like taking it from beasts?” He asked obviously amused by his own banter.

“No…” I croaked.

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He chuckled, “Well that's a relief, I don’t fancy shoving my cock the same place as some animal.”

Devin was the next to speak, “Why are you busy stopping us? Shouldn’t you be worried about… Who ever is attacking?”

“Of course not, since I’m working with them. Honestly it took them long enough to show up. I’m here to pick off stragglers.” He grinned.

I reached out into my mind hoping for an answer, “Dungeon… Please… are you there?”

Nothing…

“It hurts…” I protested.

“Yes… well we’ve got a small problem here don’t we? If only I had something to tie you up with, somehow you’ve even lost your shackle…” He noted with a tsk-ing sound. Then he glanced to Devin, “And the thief is with you… Still, this shouldn’t be so difficult.”

He threw me to the ground with a rough movement. I struck the dirt and rolled, I turned up to see him rushing toward Devin.

I didn’t know what to do, would Devin live? Would Devin die? I needed to… I needed to do something! I just shouted the first thing that came to mind, “Stop and I’ll suck your cock!” Why the hell was that the first thing that came to mind!?

The archer stumbled, unfortunately it wasn’t such a massive mistake that he suddenly died, rather he just came up short half way between me and Devin. He of course didn’t turn away from Devin, “What the hell are you talking about women?”

Did I have a clue? Hardly… still only one way forward, “If you hurt him I’ll bite it off if you ever put it in my mouth. But if you let him go… I’ll treat it like my own personal god.” I offered.

He glanced back at me for the briefest of moments, “And why should I trust you? You think I’d ever stick it in your mouth while you might bite it?”

“You put it in my mouth the other day.” I scoffed.

“While you were passed out.” he snorted.

“You think I didn’t know that was you? You think I couldn’t have snapped your pecker clean off if I wanted too?” I asked far more fiercely then I felt. That wasn’t something I’d really ever want to do, but he didn’t need to know that.

He eyed me more skeptically, really trying to weigh his thoughts on the matter this time.

Behind him I saw Devin take a few steps forward.

Then the sound of grass rustling turned the archer’s attention back to Devin and Devin lunged for him. I panicked and stood as fast as I could, rushing towards the two men. For what? I had no idea… I just… had to do anything.

The archer lashed out with the long bladed knife, once, twice. I saw sparks as Devin manged to either dodge or parry the blade with the ball of iron. He was clearly at a massive disadvantage.

I didn’t know what I would do, but I put one foot in front of the other and pushed forward.

I watched almost as if in slow motion as Devin had to lean backwards as the blade came for his throat. Leaning backwards with the ball he toppled backwards, having to roll to prevent himself from dropping the ball on his chest. But the motion did mean that the ball rolled to the side.

The archer twisted the knife around in his hand, and stepped in kicking Devin squarely in the chest.

I watched as Devin grunted, but his arms grabbed the archers boot. Then he twisted, the archer lost his balance, and he came crashing down to the hard ground a moment later. The knife flew to the side and bounced off the side of a tree vanishing into the half shadows of the forest. Meanwhile the arrows in the man’s quiver scattered around them.

Devin twisted around trying to get over the archer.

The archer however kicked this way, then that way, kneeing Devin in the face in the process.

The archer half on his feet, twisted to look for his knife, but it only took him a split second to realize it wasn’t within reach, instead he reached for an arrow on the ground.

I crashed into him from just as he found himself staring right at me, and no doubt I homed in on the only thing that seemed to be on my mind these days.

One hand pulled down his pants, the other hand reached between his legs, and I grabbed, and squeezed.

The archer tumbled backwards with me in the same motion, and he let out a long horse sound as he instinctively tried to breath in at the pain, it came out awkwardly.

I pushed myself up and off of him, driving his head into the dirt a second time as I sat up on top of him.

“Bitch…” he groaned as his leg came up around me from the side, and in one incredibly smooth motion I was swung to the side and he was suddenly on top of me instead. That… was kind of hot.

He looked down at me, his face a snarl and then for only the barest of instant I saw his eyes widen, then an iron ball smacked him in the face.

The Ball rolled past him in mid air being pushed by Devin. They separated after an instant, and I could see that his face had been basically flattened into itself his nose was particularly scary and all notions of sexiness scattered from my mind. He fell backwards with a thud.

A moment later Devin was over us, and I watched as his boot came down on the archers face, once, twice, and I looked away before the third time. Which was good because it sounded just a touch too wet even me.

Devin glanced down at me, blood trickling down one arm, “You alright?” he asked.

“Yeah… are you?” I asked suddenly realizing that I needed to breath.

He nodded gripping his arm.

I decided to scamper out from under the dead man and I rushed off towards where I was pretty sure his knife had gone.

“Anna!? Where… What… What are you doing?” Devin asked with decreasing concern as he realized I wasn’t rushing off into the woods.

I found what I was looking for and grinned back at him, “I found it!”

He grimaced, “Ah… his knife.”

“What?” I asked as I walked back over to him as he managed to lift his iron ball once more. He sounded haggard, his breath was deep, he seemed uneasy. I didn’t know how much of that was from the fight, or from the walk, but I could tell he was running out of steam.

“It’s… I just wish I could use it properly.” He explained.

“I can use it…” I insisted.

“Can you?” he asked obviously skeptical.

I grimaced, “Maybe… I can poke things…” I said realizing that perhaps my ability to skin small game animals did not translate to combat.

“Trust me… hide it if you can. If someone sees you with that weapon they’ll assume you can use it. And if you can’t, you’ll be dead before you have the chance.” He said grimly.

I nodded, spending a few moments pulling the sheath for it from the man, it had its own cord, and I looped it around my neck so it hung under my poncho. It wasn’t the best, but it wasn’t obvious either.

“Are you alright?” I asked noticing Devin was leaning against a tree.

“I… I’m having a rough time… but I’ll manage.” He said standing up a bit straighter.

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