Bob bounced from its position and made a happily gurgling noise. “Yes, Bob, it’s been a while. Listen, I need a favor from you, we need you to distract some people for a moment while we get out.”

Bob nodded enthusiastically, bouncing on its little thin legs.

“But,” Leonidas said, “no eating … or breaking.”

Bob nodded happily jumping towards the opening in a lively fashion. As Bob entered the corridor its smile expanded well past its body. Its own size grew five times its normal size and dozens of protrusions jutted from seemingly every inch of its frame. Letting a terrifying shriek it lunged towards the oncoming pursuers who screamed horrifyingly at this creature.

Leonidas turned to Cid. “That should give about ten minutes.”

“Ten?”

“Bob tires easily.”

“Won’t he get hurt?” Hypatia asked.

“Bob has no organs, nervous system or brain. Plus he can meld back into the earth when he’s bored. He’ll be fine.”

“Doctor,” Cid said, “remind me never to get on your bad side.”

“You speak to me like I’m somewhat smart, so you’re fine with me.”

“Fair enough,” Cid said turning to the others, “well let’s not tarry more than needed. Wolves, move out.”

“And the flagellants?” Benkin asked.

“You lot can follow us, if you want, and someone—”

Jeanne already used a force control spell to manipulate the lock open and gestured Galbert to follow them. “Come on,” Jeanne said, “I don’t think you want to stay when … they’re done.”

Galbert began making his way, trying to gain his footing as Jeanne held out a hand. “Come on,” she said to him as she helped him up.

Moving away into the tunnel away from Bob’s rough housing, The Wolves began to see elaborate imagery of people and structures from an ancient village growing in size and prestige into the city above them. As the light from behind them dwindled in the distance, they could see ancient creatures from old stories of centuries long past.

“What is this?” Kveldulf asked.

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“Probably a prehistoric collection of tales and myths. I’d bet good money this was the basis of few stories you heard of as a child, Jeanne.”

“When we’re done escaping the locals, we can come back and enjoy the images later.”

“I’d love to jot these images down,” Hypatia said in fascination.

“Wouldn’t mind enjoy the artwork,” Leonidas said as he admired the artwork.

Jeanne kept looking behind them, bringing up the rear of the whole group. She held her hammer in her hand and felt the warmth of her left hand as she kept the hand ready to ignite a fireball at a moment’s notice. She didn’t like the sounds of their feet, masking any signs that someone might be following them.

Jeanne spotted Maeryn looking at her. “You all right?” Maeryn asked her.

“Just nervous,” Jeanne replied.

“Don’t worry,” Maeryn said, gently tapping Jeanne’s arm with her fist. “I can hear if something’s coming up.”

Jeanne pressed her lips together.

“Not a fan of being underground?”

Jeanne shook her head, “Not really.”

“Same here,” Maeryn said. “I can’t stand being in small spaces.”

Jeanne smiled as she let out a soft chuckle. She turned and saw an image which made her stop in her steps. “What on earth is that?” she said aloud.

The others turned a creature, snakelike in nature. Dressed in colors of gold and brown rings pressed together. Four gangly limbs jutted out of the body, several joints giving it the sense it could bend in a manner most unnatural. Curved teeth poked from the sides of the mouth and stretched downward, holes and chunks missing and still retaining a terrible sense of dread simply looking at them.

What caused Jeanne to stop in her step were the eyes. Piercing red wrapped around a slit iris. There was an absence of any empathy in its gaze. No sense of compassion or lust of life’s greatest sensations. It was cold, harsh, unyielding in its apathy and gave Jeanne a cold shiver up her spine. For a brief moment, she felt as if she was looking at herself, a creature bereft of a all forms of compassion and humanity.

Living for the sake of living. Killing for the sake of killing. Nothing more, nothing less.

She felt the tug on her arm and saw Maeryn holding her arm and looking at her with worried eyes. “What’s the matter?” the elf asked her.

Jeanne shook her head. “Nothing,” she said. “It’s nothing.”

“Come,” Cid said, “we should get going.”

Once they arrived to a long section of tunnel, the young flagellant pointed to an indentation along the wall. “Here,” he said to them, “we can get out through here.”

“We aren’t allowed to let outsiders through there,” one of the other flagellants said.

“Do you wish for those of the cardinal to find us?” the young flagellant replied.

None of the flagellants responded and the young flagellant pressed the indentation in and slowly a doorway opened to the side and he gestured The Wolves to follow.

“Come,” he said, “before the others find us.”

As everyone crossed the threshold, the young flagellant closed the doorway behind them, led guided the group up a flight of stairs, leading up to the first floor of a neatly kept and pristine cobbler shop. Tools, bits of leather, spools of thread placed in organized shelves resting on a wall left of The Wolves. “I noticed your locations are vary in condition?” Silvius said.

“We believe if we don’t adhere to one manner to living, those who wish us harm will not find a pattern to find us.”

“Then what of those that had been discovered?” Jeanne asked.

“The cardinal and his spies have their eyes everywhere,” the young flagellant said somberly, “and he is eager to see us crushed under his heel.”

“You thought trying to bring back an ancient religion to the people would not have brought out such a response?” said Silvius.

“We seek no more than to find an understanding of the world which gives us purpose and meaning. It is not our burden such things do not lie within what many consider gospel.”

“I think this is enough theological talk for one day,” Cid said before turning back to the flagellants. “Please inform your leader that we’d like to have a word with him.”

“He is not one who entertains an audience,” Galbert said.

“Tell him a sin of long has come,” Jeanne said. “And it will come either with his cooperation, or with his blood on its fists!”

“How eloquently put,” Cid said.

“I will relay the message,” Galbert said, giving Jeanne a concerned look.

“Then I think we shall bide you all an evening,” Cid said. “I’m fairly certain your people know where we are at. Everyone, let’s head back.”