Chapter 85: Chapter 85

There is a gentle patter of two old leather boots against the stone, the only sign giving credence to the presence of the coming thief. The room is bright and decently lit from the warm hue of the industrial machinery flowing with magma and viscus goo. Hammering sounds ring out as part of the ambiance as the great-works continue their thrashing in order to fulfill whatever grand design they were made to do by their progenitor.

 

  As I stare into the darkness behind us, high up on my perch on the shoulder of the giant metal golem that is patrolling the room, I wait, my eyes never leaving the shadows. As I stand there and watch, I realize how fortunate I am that she always seems rather impatient for a thief of all things. She rarely sticks to the shadows and stalks and hides and waits in an ambush. Usually she just full on charges out at me. Brashness and a lack of patience seem like bad traits for a thief, but what do I know, I’m just a rat. Isn’t that right, golem-friend? I squeak.

 

The golem doesn’t respond, it just continues walking forward and ignoring me. Ouch.

 

  Now I see her though, I see the shadow in the doorway, just there where the light of the room stops reaching I see her dark-green figure hustle in through the side. I see her enter the room, sticking to the wall but moving fast, her eyes scanning everywhere. Her gaze shoots up to the golem and I duck down quickly holding my breath in panic. Did she see me?

 

I wait a second and then carefully peer over to look at her again.

 

Huh?

 

  As I stare over, out over the back of the golem towards the thief who is now looking away again I see her doing something I have never seen another adventurer do. Except the hero, but I don’t really count him as an adventurer. He’s the hero, you know? It’s just different. Don’t ask me why or how. That’s just how it is.

 

But no. She’s… looking at a menu?

 

  She has a menu, my rat eyes are sharp and I can see it clearly even from this angle and height. Even from here I can tell her dainty little elf fingers are swiping over the glass pane in the darkness, scrolling through some… list. Some wall of text.

 

One little problem though. I think her menu is in Elf? Elfish? Elven? Eleven. Elfan? Uh.

 

Elf language. Yeah. It doesn’t look human. Not from here at least.

 

I guess that makes sense? I remember my menu was goblin once or twice and then human once or twice. Weird stuff. So, I guess hers is in uh… you know what, let’s just call it Elf-Speak. Yeah. That sounds like something I would say.

 

Something else about her menu bothers me, something obvious but I can’t quite place my finger on it. Not that I have fi-

 

She taps an entry on the screen. The line lights up and she looks around the room quickly, swiping the menu away just as fast; her head snapping as if surprised to find something out.

 

A second later she sees me, clear as day. I see her.

 

I raise a rat paw to wave, not really sure what I expect. I don’t think she’s amused. Dang. Uh.

 

I squeak loudly, trying to get my golem friend’s attention. Its massive head turns to inspect the source of the noise, I squeak again, not really sure it can understand me. But at least the noise is making it look. Sure enough it turns to face the darkness behind us where-

 

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Uh.

 

Where there is nothing.

 

The golem looks at me curiously. Awkward. I squeak, I swear she was just there a second ago!

 

As the golem turns back forward to continue its pathing, I can’t help but feel a little judged as its stone-cold expression passes back over me.

 

  Where did she go? I stare out into the room, running from shoulder to shoulder looking for the elf. She didn’t have any arrows left, right? I should be okay. Right? My vision darts through every corner of the room, over every inch the lava illuminates. Or was it magma? I’ve gotten it mixed up again, guy. You understand.

 

  There! I squeak as I see the shadow shifting along the far wall, as I see the two narrow eyes watching me from the darkness. The wet eyes. Squelch-squelch. She has nice eyes, you know? They- No! Focus. Focus. The golem turns its head to look in the direction I squeak towards and… uh… oh. She’s gone again.

 

I look back to the massive metal face somewhat embarrassed. No really, there was someone there! I swear!

 

I can almost hear the sigh as it turns back to face forward and keep walking. Damn it. I just had to jinx it, didn’t I? Thief-girl is never thiefy I said. Never sneaks around I said. Great.

 

  Huh…? There! I see her again now, sneaking up from behind and I squeak to alert my compatriot once again. The golem just keeps walking, the metal groaning with a strained noise as if it were telling me it wouldn’t fall for it a third time. The creature I know as the thief-girl breaks into a full sprint now, I can already see her reaching for the dagger on her belt.

 

All of my frantic squeaks don’t really bother the golem anymore which seems to be doing its best to ignore me.

 

The familiar sensation of time slowing for my own perceptions comes once again, coming as naturally to me now as breathing, as drinking. As-

 

  I scurry to the side as I see her spring into action not a meter behind us. As I see her jump off of the ground and stick a boot onto the golem’s back and then another to propel herself higher; to reach me. I leap, just in time as the dagger scrapes out, running along the bronzed shoulder of the construct with a screeching cry. Sparks fly out, showering down to the ground like falling stars, leaving a deep cut in the metal. Some dagger you got there I think to myself as I land back down safely on the other shoulder, my sense of time returning to normal. Before she falls, she places a boot on the golem's back and kicks herself off to safety.

 

  The lumbering construct now turns over to face behind it with an angry groan, with a droning that reminds me of the ambient roar of the deep waters in the dungeon. In that swinging motion I barely manage to hold on as it turns about-face. Two large metal eyes lock onto the thief’s, now finally they have seen each other and honestly, I can’t help but feel a little vindicated, you know?

 

  Leaning forward the golem roars a vicous roar and charges forward towards the thief-girl, building up a frightening speed as it sets to motion. She ducks out of the way, shifting to the sides as if the shadows themselves had wrapped a hand around her frame and pulled her to safety just as the massive creature barrels past her. The room shakes as we move, resounding crashes hammering out with each heavy step; the stone floors beneath us crackling under the intense weight of the machine as we crash against the wall.

 

She makes her move and surges forward again before the golem has a chance to turn around, repeating the same move as before. Her boot kicks off of the side of the golem which leaks green-water, as she propels herself higher, as she aims for the sole weak spot on the giant.

 

As she aims for me.

 

I leap.

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