They worked their way back outside.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAEp3nCMRlcL
"Casy bring us back!" Parcival said.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAion8UZgy9g
Who's Casy? Within moments they were all whisked away standing in front of a small home.
905Please respect copyright.PENANANSm5u3R9xx
"Casy, we have her!"
905Please respect copyright.PENANAzYWwKXsL0K
"I'm glad everyone made it out alright," said Casy. He closed the door.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAc037EiZGJe
Parcival put her down while eyeing her. "Can you talk yet?"
905Please respect copyright.PENANAK6yFasPpA1
"No guess not." He turned to Casy. "Do you have any rope?"
905Please respect copyright.PENANAHo9c37jOX9
"What is going on here? What do you need with a rope?"
905Please respect copyright.PENANA5GhOW8SsXr
"Just bring it." He avoided looking her way.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAM4JDfXToXI
Casey's brow deepened.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAKd58pngsQl
"I don't like this, isn't right." He went outside.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAM04YENc3LB
A frightful rattling. He entered with a thick long rope coiled on his arm. He shoved it into Parcival's hands.
905Please respect copyright.PENANA5CzcUu0gAY
"The more she moves the tighter it gets."
905Please respect copyright.PENANAEvjp4blSGW
Parcival wrapped it around her wrists tying it. His face was so stern. Guiding her to another room, he sat her on the bed, walked out locking the door.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAbQr8rzCPNW
She sat there all night, unable to sleep.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAMlqgJ9bnqG
"Kill them." The last command from Kar repeated over riding out all other thoughts. The rope tightened biting into her wrists. She gasped. Any tighter and the bones will break. She moved to the door.
905Please respect copyright.PENANA3eEguiNqdi
It was a struggle to pull free a small dagger in her boot with her fingertips, it took forever but it finally clanked on the floor.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAmniscUrpij
Sitting by the door in a crouched tented position. She picked up and dropped the dagger most of the night. It was exasperating.
905Please respect copyright.PENANATpsA1iHrZe
Unnamed chuckled. As you are "resting" I will take of some energy.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAGYj0wfiymP
What? No not now, I need to get free!
905Please respect copyright.PENANAW2sKRsZ5oD
And then what? Slaughter them all? Have an entire city out for your head? Fool! Like you said before using the darkheart is foolish. You've see that emblem on his shirt. It is best you do not die, it is more beneficial for me.
905Please respect copyright.PENANA49iAvPCAfd
You don't decide what I do spirit. What am I saying? Make it stop! Break this spell, you're a god, right?
Waste of my energy, you have plenty to spare. If you didn't I would have drained you dry weeks ago. Do as I tell you otherwise I'll use less kind methods then before.
Its vines went further under down deep below the skin this time. She fell to her side shaking as he took a great amount. The times before were gentle compared to this.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAQTK2TKC3lr
Arguing along the other side of the door, then the light that seeped from under darkened.
905Please respect copyright.PENANA4X7TXQv7Tl
The morning light streamed in through the window. Come on get it. The sunlight warmed her back, as it did the command ceased.
905Please respect copyright.PENANA9Y0DyVPFOZ
Dust motes danced in the air. It was so quiet. She sat up panting.
905Please respect copyright.PENANA1HygrINeqa
Han opened the door a crack. She scooted back. Coming in he carried a large mug of water.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAWV8kvv4vq5
"How do you feel?" His lip twitched.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAjeWalgFu4A
She sat upright on the floor. His lip twitched again. Just what was so funny?
905Please respect copyright.PENANApcGkY9OLmH
"You mean do I want to kill you both? No." She smiled a little. Ten minutes ago, however ...
905Please respect copyright.PENANAmIjtOjkGQL
He glimpsed at the dagger. Then at her red-rimmed wrists, frowning as he undid them.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAca5bMgxkdN
"Here." He handed her the mug.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAhI9H1BwN6c
That water tasted better than any. So cold. It washed over her parched mouth. She gulped the mug down in short order.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAbxB5JcTGQJ
Bending over she scooped up the dagger tucking it back in a boot.
905Please respect copyright.PENANA959r2Ifd3i
Merryn followed Han into the kitchen.
905Please respect copyright.PENANA23XdVgnZvs
Parcival took a sip of his tea and wrapped his hands around the cup.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAmIqGBiPcX8
Her ears twitched.
905Please respect copyright.PENANANdAAFuwLB1
His eyes peered over the brim. Now, what was he thinking?
905Please respect copyright.PENANAkA70EoCPND
"Thank you." he got up shaking Casy's hand.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAuE3giHlAvo
"Follow me. The caves they start here."
905Please respect copyright.PENANAiiHvjaRCRL
Parcival stood stretching his hands, his fingertips brushed the thatched straw ceiling.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAW54YvRunve
Walking down the short hallway Casy pressed his hands into imprints in the wall. Red glowing runes appeared framing the entrance. The wall rumbled and slid to the left.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAAdFf0TvZqK
Water dripped inside. Shaking now, with clasped sweaty hands, she scooted over toward the threshold. What if there's a cave in? We'll suffocate.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAGGQuroCbMx
Parcival leaned into the entrance whistling sharply.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAr5jRZukzBg
A creepy whistle. Pieces of it came back to her. A shadow two eyes just like the other day, and like the first time all those years ago.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAeaKAH58Gco
"Time to g—" Parcival's lips thinned and his brow deepened for a moment. He let go of the edge of the cave entrance.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAVQla0H4Oq9
"What is it, do you see something?"
905Please respect copyright.PENANA8jlxMrz5Ss
"No," she attempted to swallow, but her throat struck.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAeVfQhy4SGP
Parcival walked over and pulled on her wrist.
905Please respect copyright.PENANADfGGRaNLek
"You don't have to if you don't want to. Though if you could it would be twice as fast."
905Please respect copyright.PENANA4sjU5pgH2s
Her cheeks cooled as did the rest of her body.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAGZpsC7R10p
"No we need to hurry." She nibbled on some loose skin on her lip. "If there's a way around?"
905Please respect copyright.PENANA7jOTVMz98U
How to do this? It wasn't proper to be so upset over this. She straightened her shoulders and attempted to look normal, whatever that is. Her ears twitched.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAzDYryXXPT6
"Well, we'll need to see."
905Please respect copyright.PENANAPHGl6xEM31
She wiggled her fingers in a series of strange gestures. A small glowing globe emerged, at first just a mote. It gathered energy growing in size to that of a small globe.
905Please respect copyright.PENANALOfSVuUspL
Parcival coughed.
905Please respect copyright.PENANARcFcunICLq
"How did you do that?"
905Please respect copyright.PENANAJbF5jBMO6i
She tilted her head. "A magi taught me."
905Please respect copyright.PENANArdQ2hgrVbo
Raising her hand the globe raised with it. Part of her still wanted to run out of the room screaming. She breathed in and focused on making it brighter. Parcival's face glow caught her breath just for a second. She stole a quick glance. He didn't appear to notice, or wasn't showing if he did.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAKdQq7Kijyw
He started talking, but it was hard to concentrate her thoughts like water in a bowl spinning.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAIfzAJqVIpS
His voice cut though again.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAS8khhJyDGY
Parcival turned and went inside. "Coming?" he held out a hand.
905Please respect copyright.PENANA6mPOZ3kF7K
She froze in the chair.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAkwTee4k8tt
She got up and made her feet go to him. The fingers on his hand wrapped around hers. He squeezed them before moving on.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAR7qmIF8JMm
She smiled a little. A person like this was rare, have been too hard on him. She straightened her shoulders. All the more reason to ditch them soon.
905Please respect copyright.PENANApI8rSqrGLc
"Just move, it'll become easier if you keep going," Han said.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAx7EsD3R5hm
A passageway further down opened into a great cavern. The light ball streaked off ahead, illuminating the area.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAY8mNRwIoMr
Every corner and edge glowed, the shadows pulled back as the globe circled the area above them. Before them on the left far-off to the other side, there were several bridges. The encroaching shadows pulled away from the light.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAIX0RuzjQ7K
Ladders reached up from the bottoms of pillars leading to even more bridges, these connected to more ledges, and linked to several flat-topped stone pillars. Some rocks looked like wasp wings. She jumped back a step.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAf1ZRYYNr2p
"Keep looking straight ahead."
905Please respect copyright.PENANAfXbEacoFuB
"Right. Ahead."
905Please respect copyright.PENANA9Hqxtq3QY0
A large tunnel with glittering rocks, was at the end of the bridge. She let go of his hand and gripped the rope. Exactly like that day, when it all started. Mom should have listened to you.
905Please respect copyright.PENANA5Dug4pVGUf
The scars had faded some, but were still fairly visible, she drew a sleeve down covering them again. That crystal bear could've, but it didn't. Why? She rubbed her arms.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAoaDjB9g41P
"Merryn?" Parcival snapped his fingers in front of her. "Come on let's go."
905Please respect copyright.PENANAJcL47tuW3R
Cold sweat drenched the back of her undershirt. She clamped her jaw as a whine tried to squeak out. Not today. Come on stop it. There's no way. I can't. I won't. What if another is in there? She pulled in rappid breaths through her nose.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAyx7g7cCvCR
Parcival placed his hands on hers.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAeKpZa1ZlHW
"It will be fine. Look I'll go ahead and show you."
905Please respect copyright.PENANAT9vABP2WIi
He stepped away.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAuRH9zrzfsP
"Stay!"
905Please respect copyright.PENANASOlK7RdD93
He half turned his face winking before heading to the tunnel entrance.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAgQQUUXyQ0O
Han patted her thy. "See it's fine?"
905Please respect copyright.PENANAOePfnaMAUF
She glared at him.
905Please respect copyright.PENANABDOvoX6ROA
He drew his hand back, eyes wide. "Sorry!"
905Please respect copyright.PENANAGr5LrPqaEK
Blurrrg. She shook her arms out. Uck! Usually some touching was alright, but not here!
905Please respect copyright.PENANAVc0vmIDkn2
He went and sat on the damned rock. Crazy both of them. She stood there until her legs burned. She let go, but kept watch of the tunnel.
905Please respect copyright.PENANA4J7wtaB5h2
At the end of the bridge she crouched down, tying a boot lace. Her fingers bloched any attempts to knot it. Doesn't matter. The area still spun so she played with it for a few minutes.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAlxfd4ihVae
When she sat down Han raised a brow yet kept quiet.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAZTyyrO1XvD
"Let's make camp here, and proceed in the morning." Parcival pointed to a flat area off ahead, to the right of the sinister tunnel.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAhL9VuCwyNg
She slipped off her pack and sat cross-legged.
905Please respect copyright.PENANABy5B2WmnbV
Taking some dry wood out of his pack, Parcival had a crackling fire minutes after.
905Please respect copyright.PENANA5APrkETW8h
Han sat on the other side writing in small fat book, dipping a quill pen into a inkwell on the ground. How old fashioned most used ink well sticks now, they broke less then those glass inkwells did.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAfJho2dr95h
"What are you writing?"
905Please respect copyright.PENANAgmI65yXaBS
He looked over the top of his spectacles.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAf3scgDKPGt
"The history of the word, mountains and such."
905Please respect copyright.PENANAVq9iWQQ9aW
"How long have you been working on it?"
905Please respect copyright.PENANAIToLq6512b
Opening a pouch she brought out a thin braided leather cord, then reached back for her hair and tied it.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAqh4XQb3po2
"For quite some time now."
905Please respect copyright.PENANAiP7zo2qmt8
A sharp crack behind.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAPUxHssYxTB
She jumped and spun around. A stone from the ceiling splashed into the waters below. She scanned the area before relaxing again.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAl6digO425K
"Don't worry it's nothing. You should catch some sleep while you can." He stretched yawning.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAZbfakAA5tk
"I'm not sleepy."
905Please respect copyright.PENANASqxRMV6oAB
"Mumm-humm." He went to sleep, snoring soon after.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAZuTOySYXoD
She scooted closer to the fire. It only happened to be closer to Parcival. He lifted an eyebrow and smirked. She toyed with a tie on her chest armor.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAcmqMyDqaHQ
Never had many friends, stayed in the temple until of late. Even after leaving it to train not many people were there, except for my magi.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAyFwvPYsMiw
Wonder how he's doing? His mustached grin was infectious, can't help but smile back.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAomkjdTeoK0
She yawned. These men seem honest. Too much so. Maxwell is sure to hurt them at some point.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAYEhWMtbw5I
She took her daggers out, then drew out a cloth from a pouch; cleaning them. The red Adapt had imprinted them with hidden runes. She reflected the light, the runes shimmered blue and red dancing from tip to end.
905Please respect copyright.PENANA5oQp0JAEL0
Red had showed how to use them to heal instead of harm. The only problem with that was it transferred the injuries to the holder. And only one time, after that they'd shatter. Have to be a complete loon to use that spell.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAS4jtnjZjWh
The fire died down to embers. That must've been all the wood s there wasn't any nearby. Another yawn.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAAEvJf8eF9Y
####
Later that night a noise jolted her out of a half-doze. What was it? Fell asleep. Idiot! A moaning echoed in the tunnel. She swallowed a shriek. Stop that, your an adult now. Her daggers sang out of their sheaths.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAy17mykSBhy
An humanoid outline came to focus. It struggled with something in the darknesses. It leaped out into the water with a splash.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAYePfGZ25sW
She shook Parcival's shoulder. He bat away her hands.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAbE52n9sWz5
It stepped closer. A furry arm with long fingers and yellow claws showed in the light. It screamed like a banshee before running away its footfalls fading.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAquLKCGaOLs
Parcival bolted up. "Meeff wha—"
905Please respect copyright.PENANAlMH5yF9e4A
He coughed clearing his throat. He clutched his chest.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAQYNE5mslf4
"Why did you scream? You nearly gave me a heart attack"
905Please respect copyright.PENANAHbbcBk353Z
"I thought I saw something." Was it really there? Hard to be sure. Better not say anything just yet.
905Please respect copyright.PENANA79ZoOftef2
"Come sit over here." He patted the ground next to him.
905Please respect copyright.PENANANlomteVkHo
"I'm just fine right here." Lay with you? Ha!
905Please respect copyright.PENANAtPNIeYOg8N
She scooted away. Should smack him one for that. She chewed lightly on her leather collar. Gerr ....
905Please respect copyright.PENANAAkjglfqA5X
"I didn't intend it that way. If you want to get cold that's your problem."
905Please respect copyright.PENANAwXByo2LAnc
"Noses held to high to see—grumble." He murmured something else, then laid back down facing away.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAD23ewX8fDw
Humans. Jez.
905Please respect copyright.PENANARPfYItO0u8
In the morning she followed him into the next cavern passageway. This became another tunnel that went on for twenty feet. It had no rocks thankfully. She raced past as soon as the light showed at the end.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAz9LUzFhkk1
She bounced on the pads of her feet. Sweet air. No more walls. She resisted an impulse to spin around. She grinned, then joined her hands in a soft clap. Alright.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAnYwwTuFAHv
"Wait here."
905Please respect copyright.PENANAdG95m5CdlL
Walking up ahead the pathway it wound up like a kink along the mountainside. This way was shorter, but the path could crumble at any time. She bent and dug under the snow to the raw earth.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAg7veHl03eb
A handful of the dirt crumbled in her hand. Even in this cold it's treacherous. There should be an inn a few miles west. She nodded. Yea, even better can ditch them there.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAHBTYVI5iPi
She came back to where they were sitting. "It's not safe, it's too icy."
905Please respect copyright.PENANA4MsFGYggF7
Parcival took out a water pouch sipping from it.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAueG7SSQpRT
Now, how to get them over there without raising suspicions? Got it. Human females tented to complain often, that should annoy them.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAI8kQz5D2Yf
"I want to sleep in an inn. It's been days since I smelled clean sheets, and had a cold ale. Time for a break."
905Please respect copyright.PENANAdFV3jfPju3
"That sounds good." Parcival sat up.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAcItdGO3PcI
Can't believe he agreed so readily. The right side of her mouth twitched. Hea.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAp90SVFm5Et
"I think a village is near."
905Please respect copyright.PENANA15kpn4cK1F
Taking out the map she checked it. Ah, I know I'll take them the long way they won't want to keep going after that. No reason why I can't rest for a few hours too. Besides so sick of eating dried meat. The growing stomach didn't improve her mood.
905Please respect copyright.PENANACx9yaTIeV5
"It's over to the west, just past that clump of trees."
905Please respect copyright.PENANAWtqz48xZXL
She rolled the map back up and placed it back into her pouch.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAeutWKkwMlN
"Lead the way."
905Please respect copyright.PENANAS2BVsLjoRu
####
Several days later fine strands of dry webbing crisscrossed over the pathway. She cut through it with her daggers, the sticky threads stuck to her fingers as she pulled them off the blades edges. Not good, this is so not good!
905Please respect copyright.PENANAdBSzwzw0tE
"Are you certain this is the right way?" Parcival said.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAGxm5WWc8uN
"Yes." It's just longer, didn't count on spiders being here. She looked around. Damn it, this is bad.
905Please respect copyright.PENANArwIX5CzJl5
Parcival pulled strands of the webbing off of his sword while walking.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAbrmHqrrwVT
"The village isn't much further now." Still, this webbing wasn't here last time. There appeared to be an increase in the nocturnal creatures, she kept the thought quiet for now.
905Please respect copyright.PENANARc9jb6wQAp
A scratching behind almost made her jump out of her boots. She whirled around daggers in hand.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAPoXIC5Blwb
Parcival jumped back. "Quit it! Are you trying to impale me?"
905Please respect copyright.PENANAKv10KCXz5t
"Sorry."
905Please respect copyright.PENANA7RUo6xRLkj
It was getting darker. "Walk faster we need to make camp."
905Please respect copyright.PENANAAQEXn1bl6d
A sliding sound above. The hairs on her arms stood up. Ordain it!
905Please respect copyright.PENANA33zjz4QUVU
Poison dripped onto her forehead and started to burn. Always in the trees sneakier than a serpent.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAVVWRk3VCm7
"Run!"
905Please respect copyright.PENANAWziQQ3Fl5z
Parcival and Han froze.
905Please respect copyright.PENANAp81tUsbRRa
"No, don't look for it you ninny's, just move!"
905Please respect copyright.PENANAjRqITIPgBB
ns3.144.97.63da2