After their rather impressive display in the arena, both Melly and Clemiticus were shepherded out of the Coliseum and towards a large tower which stood in the middle of the city. As they walked, a crowd of fans followed them, whispering in hushed tones about the bravery of the one they called 'Clemiticus'.

Oh, how little do they know! Melly thought. She was mentally and physically exhausted and incapable of reacting in her normally aggressive way.

"Oh, look! It's the hero of the arena. He is so brave and handsome!"

Melly looked over and saw a simpering young girl. She was fanning her face and giving Clemiticus the eye. Clemiticus turned to the youthful maiden and gave her an all too knowing wink but kept walking. Melly noticed that the fool now had a bit of a swagger in his step.

Melly pictured herself rushing up to the woman and shaking some sense into the idiot girl. However, she sighed and thought better of it. They were approaching the large ominous-looking tower, and she had to keep her wits about her.

The odd old man was waiting for them at the entrance to the tower. For such an imposing structure, the doorway was unreasonably small. There were no windows that Melly could see and the feeling of dread deepened.

"Welcome champions!" the old man announced. "Come inside and claim your just reward!"

"Why, thank you," Clemiticus spoke cheerfully, unaware of their potentially dire situation.

Melly looked around furtively and noticed that the friendly and admiring faces had turned grim. Obviously, they, too, sensed the ill intent of the bald man.

"Come, come!" The man directed Clemiticus and Melly inside through a narrow passageway.

They entered. Immediately, the bright sunlight vanished behind them. The passage was dark and eerie. They followed the old bald man who moved silently further and further into the ominous tower.

"I can't see a bloody thing," Melly complained. She peered ahead down the hall apprehension bubbling to the surface. It was definitely getting darker. She could hardly make out the bald man now. Melly couldn't see his face so she couldn't judge from his expression what he might do next.

"Where are we going exactly?" Melly asked. She could have sworn she'd spotted a glint of armour moving as they passed down an adjacent passage. The corridor was becoming narrower by the second.

"Oh, yes. I am escorting you to our, um, treasure room," the old man replied with an all too obvious air of treachery.

“Um, Clem…” Melly spoke softly, “shouldn’t we get out of here?”

"Nonsense!" Clemiticus the asked the old man, "would you happen to have any boots? These have lost all their durability."

"Really, Clem?" Melly berated him. "Can't you, for once, forget about your damn boots?"

"What? Ouch!" a voice cried out in the dark.

She had stamped on Clemiticuses' foot. Or at least she hoped she had.

It was becoming impossible to see in the narrow passageway. But Melly's other senses were screaming out danger. She was now certain she could hear the muffled sounds of armoured soldiers tramping through the unseen passageways. She smelt the air and could make out the distinctive pungency of torch oil. The air was thick with it.

"Okay, we're nearly there!" the old man spoke gleefully as they finally emerged into a huge, empty chamber. He pulled them along and jockeyed them into position. "Good, good! Now, can you please stand just about there? Yes. Perfect!"

"So. Where's this treasure then?" Clemiticus asked expectantly.

The old man shifted in the darkness towards the shadow of a long wooden shape that resembled a broom handle.

"AHAHAHAHAH! Did you really think we'd let you live after your performance today? Your insubordination will not be tolerated in my town!" the old man shouted. "GUARDS! PUSH THEM DOWN THE PIT!"

Armoured footsteps clattered as the hidden soldiers surrounded them. Flint snapped and torches were lit as the guards lined up in formation. Clemiticus and Melly were hustled between a line of corrupt guards and a gated trap door above a deep dark pit. On the other side of the room was the old man with a lever.

Each soldier hefted a large square shield. The wall of armour surged forwards as the two criminals were pressed slowly towards their doom.

Melly looked down. The two of them were nearly standing on a large square lattice-like trap door. She looked frantically through the gaps in the floor, but she couldn't see the bottom. Only blackness. It must be impossibly deep.

"Seriously?" Clemiticus asked, incredulous. Melly was surprised at the harsh tone in his voice. He was definitely disappointed in the lack of shiny loot. "Not cool bro!"

The old man laughed. "Are you an idiot? Wasn't it obvious I would double-cross you?"

"Not to me!" Clemiticus yelled and turned to Melly in defence. "Was it?"

At that moment, his normally cocksure face looked a bit like that of a five-year-old who had his ice-cream taken away.

"Come on, it was super obvious," Melly said, breaking the news.

Clemiticus shelved his pride and turned back to the old man. "You won't get away with this! The loot will be mine!"

The old man rolled his eyes. "There is no loot, lad! I'm tired of this! Goodbye!" he laughed once more and pulled on the lever.

Melly shut her eyes, bracing herself for the inevitable fall.

But nothing happened.

The old man scowled. He pulled the lever again.

Nothing.

"Ooohh! Who's an idiot now? Embarrassed much?" Clemiticus laughed as he treated his tormentor to an over-the-top celebration dance. "Should've just given me my reward. You know this is karma - right?"

The old man's face screwed up with rage as he pulled the lever again and again.

"Damn thing work, why don't you!" he yelled.

Clemiticus took Melly by the arm and abruptly moved over the pit to stand beside the desperate bald man. Melly glanced down and was glad to be off the trapdoor. The sensation of vertigo she'd experienced while over the pit had been overwhelming.

"It was a good plan!" Clemiticus said truthfully. "However, you might want to check your trap door once in a while."

"Guards!" the old man ordered, and the silent soldiers charged forwards. They bore down on Melly and Clemiticus with grim determination.

"Oh, look!" Clemiticus pointed to the lever. The torches of the guardsmen had moved close enough and had illuminated the shape of the mechanical device. Melly looked down at the cogs and gears of the lever. With all the time she had spent in her father's workshop, she could clearly see there was something not right with this device.

"You need to slot in this part here," Melly instructed, as she flicked a cog into place.

Click.

The device whirred into action, and a myriad of voices behind them all screamed at once. Melly only had a second to look behind her to see the group of soldiers collapse into the pit as they all scrambled on top of each other. Even the ones to each side who would have been safe were pulled in by others who desperately clutched at any type of purchase available. Even if it was their fellow soldiers.

The mass of flames, shields and steel collapsed into the infinitely dark hole with a chorus of blood-curdling screams. "Nooooooooo!!!!!"

"Whoops." Melly chuckled in the darkness. "Sorry 'bout that. My dad's a tinkerer, and I guess auto-fixing gadgets run in the family."

"You damned fools!" the old man screamed and lunged for Clemiticus' throat.

Time slowed, and Melly could see the scene despite the darkness. In that instant, she could make out an insane bald man lunging mid-air at the irritating simpleton. If she didn't do something, she was certain they'd collide and both be sent tumbling down into the pit, lost forever.

Quickly, Melly mentally weighed up her options.

Pro, the two men would both be in the pit. Pro, freedom. Pro, no more of Clemiticus and his absurd quests for boots. Con, no cure from Fredreek’s curse quest. Con, no financial compensation for her destroyed home. Con, probable outcome of getting lost in these damn dark halls.

"Uggh!" she grumbled as she reached a decision. With one leg, she kicked Clemiticus out of harm's way all the while leaning forward and grabbing the bald bastard by the robes.

The man gave out a muffled groan, then collided with the hard ground.

Thunk.

All three of them narrowly missed the empty void, and Melly kicked the lever back into its closed position. The trapdoor shut with an audible clunk and the scene dissolved into silence once more.

"Who the hell are you, and what is your problem?" Melly demanded, slapping the face in front of her.

"Ow! I'm Clemiticus. What was that for?"

She turned and scrambled over to the other shape in the darkness. She repeated her question and slapped the other face hard.

"Ow, still me!" Clemiticus shouted. "Why do you keep slapping me?" he continued as he grabbed her hands.

"Mwahahaha!" the old man rumbled as he scrambled to his feet and raced off to the side of the chamber.

"Grab him!" Melly yelled as she fought against Clemiticus to chase after him.

A secret door had opened up. Sunlight flooded in and blinded them momentarily. Melly glimpsed stairs. The bald man's white cape disappeared as he raced through the door all the while laughing maniacally.

"Go! Go! Go!" she shouted.