Cake or DEATH!

Chapter 15

The situation turned into a stalemate after they killed one particularly slow bandit. The rest were retreating deeper into the mine. As they went, the ground became increasingly uneven and littered with small stones.

Under the circumstances, Bell could only advance so fast carrying his unwieldy door shield. With the archer still in play, the rest couldn't close the distance even if they felt brave.

"What the fuck?" Kell asked the air or possibly the gods. Down the tunnel, something was coming that looked strange. It was like thin threads of light moving fast.

"What are you-" Jules, who was behind him, asked. Kell pointed, leaning around as far as he dared. That was when a fire suddenly broke out along with a strange hissing scream. He squinted before going pale.

The fire was a man whose clothes had caught fire. As the flames spread, they illuminated his form better, but he didn't roll or try to put himself out. The man was obviously dead, making it all the more terrifying when two lattice-works of glowing cracks peeled off from the flames and continued coming closer.

A deep baying split the air as the two creatures dashed forward. Sleek dog-like bodies were revealed, and the soldiers froze in place. They could only watch in horror as the pair of creatures descended on the bandits.

Despite all the trouble they'd suffered, the soldiers would have warned them if they could have. They still felt an instinct to band together with their own kind against a monstrous threat.

The strange scream rang out again, agony mixed with a whistling sound. This time Kell knew it wasn't the product of the man's throat. Where the creature bit him steamed, the hiss of ruined flesh joining his screech of pain.

A higher, more playful baying split the air. Having finished their grisly work, the two creatures moved to either side of the tunnel and sat down. They looked like obedient hunting dogs at that moment, and the men felt a collective shiver of fear.

Slowly something was advancing between the hounds. Something vaguely human-shaped but seen only in outline against the dull light of the beasts. All that stood out from its form was a general impression of femininity—that and green fire flickering where eyes should have been.

"Surrender," came a hissing voice from within the darkness. A voice that sounded alluring and wrong. As if one's lover and mother were somehow speaking at once. Alone in the dark with only the fire of burning bodies and the hounds to see by, the soldiers stood frozen.

The ones of weaker spirit knelt almost immediately. The rest edged back, wanting to run but afraid to turn their backs.

"Kneel," She hissed, voice soft but filling the tunnel. The hounds stood then and growled, which was enough to convince the more courageous to comply. Only Bell remained standing.

The hounds advanced a step just to halt at a gesture from the shadow woman. Bell threw the door and ran but only got a few steps before tripping.

"I'm interested in information, not your lives," She said. Bell hit the ground without covering his head and was knocked out. The woman let out a sigh but didn't sic the dogs on him or anyone else.

"As I mentioned, you're all in luck. So let's make a deal, shall we?" She continued. Her words offered a way out, but the soldiers only felt despair. Stories with creatures who wanted to make deals never ended well. At least not for the humans in their experience.

"I suggest you all consider my offer seriously. It's a chance to heal your wounded and save your lives," she added, sounding exasperated.

The soldiers awaited an offer to be made only to yelp in fear when glowing white squares appeared before them. They'd only heard of such things in religious texts as the way gods communicated with mortals. Despite that, none of them felt they were dealing with a holy being.

[Offer]

[2 Healing Potions, Small]

[150 silver Coins]

[In Exchange For]

[Keeping Secrets]

[You will not disclose details of what occurred in the mine after your fight with the bandits ended. You may mention encountering monsters, but it must be vague. You cannot say anything about (Name Pending), known to you as "The Woman." It is suggested you say you ran once the monster appeared.]

[Accept: Yes / No]

Several soldiers accepted without reading, hoping to hasten their inevitable end. The rest were reading or trying to get someone literate to read it to them. Disbelief was the general mood as they went over the offer. Like divine communication, potions were the province of stories, not real things.

In the end, they accepted as much because of curiosity and greed as fear. A hundred and fifty silver coins wasn't a small amount, especially to have all at once. As soon as the deal was done, leather coin purses and strangely shaped bottles appeared on the ground in front of them.

"Take the coins, and drink the potion to heal your wounds," the woman commanded. Everyone obeyed about the coins but most didn't drink the potion and pocketed them.

"Oh, he can't drink because he's unconscious… Wake him up, and some help the one dying in the back—the blond one with the arrow sticking out of him. If you're confused," she explained, sounding annoyed. Several heads turned. They'd forgotten about Elim but could see his chest still rising and falling.

Anders helped Bell to wake up and accept the deal. The big man actually took one of the potions and drank it in a moment of confusion, thanks to his head wound. The rest of the soldiers watched in awe as the wound closed almost instantly. In the end, the only trace of the head injury was the blood it had already shed.

"Moving on," She said, humming to herself as a hand went to her face.

"Since you're all being so cooperative. I'd like to test a few things," she said after a longer pause than before. Her words managed to reignite the soldiers' terror. This was the sort of thing the stories talked about. They all feared what heinous thing she might demand of them.

"Well… Give me a set of your clothes and equipment," She replied. That brought a long confused pause. The soldiers tried to figure out why she either wanted to rob them or just see them naked but couldn't. A growl from one of the hounds convinced them it didn't matter.

"Oh, wow, that's not-" She started. She gave up when shirts and pants started landing in front of her. The soldiers continued stripping, too busy and flustered to take notice of her protest.

"Ooookay, that happened," She said, sounding annoyed. The soldiers looked at her fearfully, unable to understand how complying could make her mood worsen. Despite that, it also gave them hope her next order might be to put their pants back on. The tunnel was cold and drafty.