Still, we pressed on, even as we pressed closer together almost shoulder to shoulder with our lights dwindling in effectiveness. I was almost stepping on the back of Jax’s boots as he continued to lead us.
I felt the pace slow as the light cast by his torch shone no more than about two meters in front of us. By Earth standards, we should have been able to see at least a good five or more meters in front of us, baring physical obstructions. Sounds of distant shuffling and scraping echoed around us that sounded like it came from the darkness rather than our own group.
“Hold!” A hissed whisper came forth from the vulpine. “We are not alone. Increase the output of your spells to what you can handle, for the count of three on my call.” Unsheathing his blade, the others within the group echoed his actions as they too pulled out their weapons. For those already holding them, I could hear the creaking as they gripped them tighter amidst the dark surroundings.
“Go!” He called out. A brighter glow of light sprang forth from the group better illuminating our surroundings a full four meters away.
“Hisss!” “Skreee!” “Shhhew” A series of dismayed sounds sounded out from the darkness and shadows previously unseen, retreating in surprise from the burst of light.
“HUmAn!” A scratchy and haunting voice echoed out from the surroundings. “WhY dOeS tHoU TrEaD WiThIn oUr dOmAiN?!” The voice certainly did not sound like a normal sentient humanoid, despite it speaking our language.
Surprisingly, the Vulpine stood his ground, despite the creepiness that I was more than ready to be done with. “We seek communication with the leader of your hive!” He called out.
Silence reigned for a moment before distant whispers echoed around us. Then the voice spoke again. “OuR MaStEr iS NoT aBlE tO SpEaK nOw. YoU WiLl CoMunE WiTh uS.”
Shifting about uncomfortably at the words, the Vulpine further spoke. “Very well. We are here seeking out those that have been stealing away the children and young adults of the above ground areas. Are you responsible for these actions?”
“wE SeEk sUsTeNaNcE AnD oUr mAsTeR SeEkS fLeSh tO rEsToRe HiS bOdY.”
*Gasp! * *woooo* Sharp intakes of breath and gasps could be heard among the closely grouped patrollers. “This is a dungeon!” The hissed tone spoke volumes of fear. I don’t know who spoke, but I could feel a shifting of those in the group as they all reflexively shifted so as to form a compact circle with Steven and myself pressed into the center. They all pressed hard shoulder to shoulder, facing outward as if to block any other entry into the circle of light that they created.
With authority in his voice, the Vulpine called out, “You and your master are inside the confines of a city that does not welcome your kind. If an agreement can be made, we can allow you in the dark of night to leave the premises of our home, and establish yourselves elsewhere. What is your reply?”
Silence mostly reined as faint whispers in the darkness echoes out. Then the voice spoke again. “We ArE sO HuNgRy. wE HaVe NoT HaD sUsTeNaNcE fOr So LoNg. LEaVe ThE tWo iN yOuR mIdSt WhO fELt OuR ToUch FiRsT AnD wE WiLl AgReE.”
I shivered at the request, as I knew that it was speaking about Steven and me. I began to hear softly spoken words muttered among our group as if they were whispering to each other, but I couldn’t understand what they were saying. Maybe they were discussing the practicality of such a move.
*Sigh* I should have known that the half-gold wouldn’t be that easily earned. If sacrificing six days of my time was the price to pay for getting the rest of these men out of here, then I figure it was worth the favor that it should earn with them. And so, I spoke up. “I offer up myself as a willing sacrifice to allow the others to leave!” Steven shuddered from his position at my back as if shrinking back from what I volunteered for.
Then the vulpine also spoke up as if this had been preplanned. “We also offer up sacrifice trainee Steven as the second requested sacrifice.”
I felt the shivering body of Steven slump to the ground. ‘Did he just pass out from fear?’ I asked myself.
*Hisss!* *SKree!* Sounds of appalled dismay at our response echoed out from the surrounding darkness.
“We ChAnGeD oUr ReQuEsT. LEaVe tHrEe sAcRiFiCeS aNd YoU mAy lEaVe.”
More indecipherable muttering echoed out from among the tightly grouped patrollers before the bear-man Bartholomew himself spoke up to respond. “That is unacceptable!” His deep guttural voice echoed far into the surrounding darkness. “You initially requested 2 sacrifices which we were willing to give, but now you increase the request?!? We will not agree to this!”
“iF YoU CaN NoT aGrEe ThEn AlL Of YoU WiLl StAy!” The voice screamed back.
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“Patrollers!” I felt the shoulders around me tense up in response to the Vulpine’s voice. “Up the ante!!”
What in the world did he mean by that? Suddenly everyone appeared to take action as brilliant light shone forth from the group banishing a great majority of shadows from the vicinity. Each of the patrollers that originally had small candles of light now shone with a light equal to the torch light spell from the leaders. In addition to that, the leaders themselves and the singular patrolman that also had the torch spell let loose with a far brighter light. A shout of “Mage Light!” Rang out from his mouth.
The darkness rapidly retreated, revealing several reeling shadows that fell low to the ground, forming puddles of inky blackness. A singular pale creature about the height and form of a man, with tight skin over its gangly skeletal form, stood not more than 3 meters from the group. It shielded its too large black eyes from the suddenly blinding light with bone thin arms.
*Gasp* “That’s a corporeal Shade!” The tone of fear within the voice in the random patroller gave out to additional gasps of surprise and concern among the other patrollers.
Jax and Bartholomew both reached into the pockets and starting chucking out handfuls of glowing stones. Shattering upon impact they released bursts of light.
“BeTrAyErs!” The pale creature screamed out. “YoU TrIcKeD uS!”
“You lied first!” Roared Bartholomew in response to the claim. “You never intended for us to leave, only wanting more time to surround us.” Then speaking to the group, he yelled out. “Patrolmen! Tactical retreat!”
As a whole group we began stepping away in haste with Jax the Vulpine leader walking backwards to maintain his watch on our rear. Two of the soldiers had grabbed ahold of Stevens arms, which hung limply by his unconscious side. Despite the coordinated steps, I could see small gaps opening along the formation. Fear grasped at my heart as I worried that something might get through.
I looked towards what I believed to be the shattered remains of light stones, as they left a tangible glow of light further into the cave.
Along the walls, torn remnants of children’s clothing dyed with blood and smaller length bones, gleaming an eerie white lay scattered about. Like the faint and aged remains that one might see laying in the bleaching sun, left over from a brutal attack on a safari tour group by a vicious pack of hyenas.
I didn’t appear to be the only one who saw those bones and clothing as several gasps could be heard among the patrolmen.
Our surroundings appeared to shiver in fury, and the incorporeal shades, as if given an unshakable command, began throwing themselves at our group. Flashes of shadow and light fought between our two groups. Despite the obvious damage they were inflicting upon themselves through exposure to the light, the shades continued to come.
Some of the spell lights grew the slightest bit dimmer with each shade that impacted our ambient circle of light. The patrolmen were getting drenched in cold sweat, as they fought to escape the cave with their lives. I felt completely useless amidst this chaos. I knew I had to do something, even if it proved futile.
Without any real faith in its efficacy against these bodiless creatures, I pulled out one of the slime bottles and threw it at the ground where one of the shades was getting ready to pounce on us. The intentionally fragile bottle shattered instantly upon impact with the ground. The resulting acid from the bottle splashed over the rising puddle that was a pouncing shade.
*SKREEEE!* The initially angry tone, turned to one of pain? I couldn’t be certain, but as the shade continued to rise above its position on the ground, big chunks of its body appeared to be missing. Even now, as it leapt at the group, it collapsed inward on itself! Laying broken and impotent on the ground it continued to scream as if in pain and anger. *SKREEEEE!*
Jax gave me the barest of surprised glances seeing this outcome. “Do you have any more of those?” he asked in a hurried voice.
Grasping my belt to make sure I hadn’t lost anything, I then answered. “two of expected similar strength, and a third that should prove stronger.”
“Okay.” He nodded his head in thoughtfulness. Ideas appeared to race in his mind before he again spoke. “Can I have the strongest one?”
Without complaint, I handed over the pouch with the advanced slime core acid. Getting a quick nod in thanks, we continued our shuffled retreat.
Steven began to show some minor signs of awakening, but still he needed to be dragged along. The two patrolmen holding his arms, appeared just about ready to dump him there as their faces showed dread at the surroundings, illuminated by the torch light spells that they still had going.
I couldn’t be sure, but I felt like the mostly stone walls were transitioning back to the dirt pathway, that we saw for the first main part of the cave entry.
As if sensing our impending escape from their clutches, the shades became far more daring and began tackling us in droves. Wave after wave of darkness swept our way as these creatures seemed careless of throwing their existence away in favor off weakening us that much more. First one of the patrolmen appeared to stagger in weariness as his torchlight went out. Then more followed suit as we slowly gained ground. I thought I saw the entrance itself with a faint light shining a fair distance away, but I couldn’t tell for sure.
It was at this moment, that something new happened.
“Aghhhh!” Screams of anger rang out from the front of the formation where Bartholomew was closest to the cave exit. Behind him I saw 2 corporeal shades with their signature pale bodies and overly large black eyes rushing into our formation. One of them slammed into the two soldiers that held Steven, knocking him loose.
*Ayeeee!* He was sent flying and screaming while he left the confines of our protective circle.
The second pale body rushed at me with abandon. Although I now had both of my last 2 slime bottles in each of my hands, the creature was much too close for me to react in time. “Not on my Watch!” I heard the yell of Jax roar out behind me as he threw the acid bottle at the skeletal creature. *GRHEEEE!* The splash effect was devastating to the creature as it howled in rage and pain, stumbling off into the darkness as it missed me as its target. I and a few of the surrounding soldiers unfortunately got a small dose of the acid splatter which caused smoke to rise from our burning skin. “Ugh!” The pain was like a hundred fire ants focusing on just that small area on my right arm. I almost crushed the slime bottle I was holding in my right hand in reaction to the pain.