Chapter 10: Camp

Blissful sleep, lovely dreams. Silvia was sitting on her mother’s lap under the shade of a big tree, birds flew away from the tree as she laughed. Her mother smothered her with kisses for not paying attention. Little Silvia laughed and giggled. She cast her gaze at her loving mother, her mother’s silver hair tickled her nose as Silvia looked up. This was a memory of the time Silvia had little arms and feet; She was back in the farm where she grew up in.

Her mother’s sweet voice murmured above her head as she read a story for her out in the open sun.

“The great dragon loomed over the city of man, protecting it from monsters that wished to harm it.”

Her mother continued to read to her about Monsters and dragons, Godlike behemoths and Angelic creatures created and made by the one true god, the creator and the maker of the world, the all powerful being. Her mother’s long hair bristled her cheek and Silvia laughed and smiled and wondered.

The world around her goes dark and Silvia breathes deep. She woke up,

“One true god, what a load of horseshite.” she mumbled to herself.

Silvia gazed at her raised right hand as she raised it up to the light; the dim orange light illuminated outside was enough to let her see that all her fingernails were missing.

She examined her fingers, her left too had no fingernails.

Silvia sat up. Her head ached and her legs started twitching, her right leg most of all. Silvia groaned. Her muscles were sore and her body creaked in displeasure; side effects of overusing lifeforce. She looked at her bootless legs and again, the same thing as her fingers; her right leg didn’t have fingernails.

Silvia continued to scan herself, she was a mess. Cakes of blood have hardened everywhere on her, some of it, hers. Her hair was soak and tinted to an unnatural red, she wanted to wash even if she knew that the red tint of it wouldn’t come off. Her skin itched from flakes of dried blood. Someone had taken off what was left of her armor and placed them neatly to the side, with her gauntlets, a boot and a sword gone, her armor looked like an incomplete set. To the side, Fresh set of clothes were placed near her bed roll.

Scanning her surroundings, Silvia was in a tent; next to a sleeping girl. A little witch slumbered under a heap of robes; she was slumped on a tent pole while she dozed; a book about healing open on her lap.

Her head leaned on an ancient oaky round staff squishing her drooling cheek, saliva drizzled out of her lopsided mouth down unto the open book.

Silvia smiled. Milanese, you silly witch, you care too much.

Outside the tent sounds of shouting men and women clamored around. Silvia could not remember how she ended up back with her companions. She pulled off the sheets that covered her and quietly changed and rid herself of her red tinted clothes. She then crept, towards Milanese closing the sticky book on her lap and putting it away. She gave Milanese a quick peck on the cheek and then sneaked off disturbing the sleeping girl no further.

Silvia pulled away the tent fabric. It was dark outside and not a single star was out, not even Luna. Bright Torches were strewn around the camp. They were the only light source keeping the unnatural blanket of darkness away. She kicked off dirt as she stepped out, chilly winds blew away her messy red hair, further disturbing her bleary eyes.

Contrary to the night, the large camp around Silvia bustled with activity. It seemed that not a single one of the adventurers were asleep. People around worked hard. Healers and helpers took care of the wounded patching them up as best they can and then sending them away to do more work.

Tanks, Strong arms and heavy weights carried and stacked crates that were filled with valuable materials and items from the dungeon.

Crossbowmen and archers surveyed outside the camp looking for potential dangers.The camp was alert and very well defended.

“Silvia! you’re awake!” She heard a voice from her side. Before she could turn to look the attention of the adventurers around was upon her. Adventurers in armor looked then clamored around Silvia as they started jabbering all at once, overlapping each other in a mess of words. Silvia was only able to pick out a few.

“You did great! You cleared enough to let us advan-?” One started.

“Did you bring any loot?” Another interrupted.

“Got any idea *clamour* the eternal torches are out?”

“Silvia why’d you run off?”

“Found any secret passages?”

“You brought anything for us?”

On, and on it went, Sylvia’s head started to throb. They vied for attention, asking for info or treasure or anything they could have to have even have the slightest advantage, unfortunately she didn’t have the willingness nor the ability to give anything away.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Usually she would give out things she didn’t need; that usually kept her fellow adventurers away and happy, allowing her more freedom but this time she came back empty handed. Silvia was about to yell at everyone to shut up but then a tall man stood between Silvia and the crowd. The noise of the adventurers faltered.

“Calm down guys, can’t you see how tired she looks?” A familiar voice towered over the crowd. The rowdy adventurers grew quiet.“Go back to work and leave her alone, you can talk to her again after she rests and shift’s are over.”

There were annoyed looks and deep scowls but nevertheless they Followed their leader, the adventurers slowly scattered and went back to work. The man, Marcus, turned to face her.

“Silvia, you alright? You look like you’ve eaten bones,” he stated with a frown.

Do I look as bad as I feel? Silvia hadn’t had the opportunity to look in a mirror.

“I’m fine, Marcus,” Silvia answered.

“No, you aren’t. You’re as pale as a skeleton. ” His forehead creased with concern.  “Go back to your tent, you deserve a break.” He lead Silvia back to her tent.

“Hold on Marcus, I have to tell you something first!”

“It can wait, right now you need rest.” He opened the tent, urging her back inside.

“This is very urgent, rest can wait,” Silvia stated.

Confused Marcus stared at her. She stared back. Silvia held her gaze until Marcus relented “It seems important. Alright, what is it?” Marcus said as he ran his hands back through his hair. “I guess it’s about why the eternal torches are out and your untimely return?”

Silvia’s eyes went wide, Eternal torches? Eternal torches in the dungeons?

“Aren’t we outside? Where are we?” Silvia asked. Pressure was building up in her chest. Dread came to her as she started to realize where she really was.

“Since you pretty much did a swell job in clearing away most of the danger, We moved the main camp inside the dungeon. Currently we’re in the 3rd level of the dungeon” Marcus said.

Silvia was freaking out,  They were still in the dungeon. She bit her lip as she tried not to show panic. Why the mullocks did I think I was outside?

As if reading her thoughts Marcus replied. ”We’re in a wide area and it’s pretty dark to see the walls but it feels like we’re outside right?”

“We need to leave.”

“What?”

“This dungeon, it’s not safe. It’s too dangerous,” Silvia said, her voice a little too high as how she intended it to be. Her eyes darted the darkness surrounding the camp looking for signs of impending doom - nothing, no signs, just adventurers continuing in their tasks.

“Are you kidding me, Silvia?” Marcus said, clearly baffled “All dungeons are dangerous!”

“This dungeons different,” Silvia said. She did not know if the wall of flesh would follow her but the dungeon right now is not a safe place to be in. Silvia spotted an orange light out in the dark, in the distance slowly nearing the camp. “We have to go.”

“Silvia, you know we can’t. His majesty has ordered us to complete this dungeon and even if the darkness is slowing down the expedition, it’s gonna take a while to retrace our path back. It’s much better to press forward.” As the orange light neared, it revealed that a gaunt ragged old scout carried it somehow advocating a dark omen to Silvia. Silvia gazed back at Marcus.

“I’ll go, I’ll retrace the path.” Silvia turned but Marcus stopped her in her tracks, her legs almost buckled at being halted.

“Silvia, come on! I know you’re already spent, I’ve seen you like this before. It was years ago but believe me I still remember it! Whenever you look like this I know that you’re about to-”

“Marcus,” Silvia cut in. He stopped.“Listen to me,” Silvia whispered. Her voice was so slow and quiet Marcus had to lean so that he could hear it. “There’s a monster deep in the dungeon, a monster so large it could swallow the whole camp in one moment, it was able to beat me without effort, at all.”

Marcus took a while to take in the words before a troubled look surfaced. “Well, that changes everything.” his voice was low and grave, “ I’ll talk to ending the expedition with the others then.”

Silvia sighed in relief. It was a good thing Marcus listened, the stubborn man wouldn’t even think to leave this wretched place until it was absolutely impossible to finish it. Marcus knew that nothing would be able to defeat Silvia in the dungeon, but if something did beat her then it was time to pack up and leave. If they didn’t they would all probably perish or at the least suffer a fate worse death.

Thinking back, from the pure horror show that Silvia faced; she wondered how she was able to get back at all. Silvia’s memories were a little fuzzy. Silvia looked at Marcus, she stared at the troubled captain trying to work herself to ask.

“Marcus?”

he looks up. “Yes?”

“How was I able to get back to the camp?”

“Yes well, I assumed that when the lights went out something might have happened to you. So, I sent all the scouts out and after a while one of them found you at the end of the 3rd level unconscious. They picked you up and carried you to this tent.” Marcus said

“How long was I out?”

“Around an 4 to 5 hours after you were brought in.” Marcus answered. “Like I said, you barely got any rest. So yeah. Anymore things to know? or things I should know about?”

Silvia tried to recall the last bits of her memory before she passed out, “One more. Was there anyone with me while I was unconscious?”

Creases on Marcus’ forehead deepened. “Yes, there was a girl. The scouts brought her along with you.”

“Is she alright?” Silvia inquired.

“Silvia, worry about yourself fir-”

“Is she alright?” she insisted.

Marcus sighs.“Yes, she’s fine. she’s resting in a tent. The way she looks-” Marcus abruptly stopped then continued. “I do wonder how she got there in the first place though. You think she got carried by a Minotaur? Maybe even a Shlime?”

“I don’t know, she was with me after I woke up in th-the-” Silvia bit her lip inciting a raised brow  “Nevermind, where is she?”

“She’s in the tent behind yours, she insisted on sticking close to her saviour,” Marcus answered, brows still raised.

Silvia gave him a long dead look.

“W-what?” Marcus stammered

“Thanks Marcus.”

“Well...glad to be of service, take a rest before you talk to her. She seems a little out of it.” Marcus waved her off.

“I will! Just as soon as I talk to her.” As Silvia walked to the tent, Marcus scratched his head.