Liam's point of view

Why do the fucking Gods hate me so much? Ever since I returned from chasing the hero, I've been treated worse than a traitor. The other knights shunned me because I came back and the rest didn't. Even though I was an appointed knight, I was forced out of the knight's brethren. It's not like I was allowed to leave the country, or the city for that matter. Instead, I was forced into service for the palace guards.

Seems that after the kingdom has spent all the coin training me, they aren't going to let me just leave. They hit me with the bill for the hours of weapons training and the full amount of the armor and arms I had lost. Now I'm basically a slave carrying a sword and shield. If I tried to leave and escape, a warrant would be issued in my name. When they caught me I'd be forced into a collar and sold off to try to cover my remaining debt.

"King's coming, look sharp." The hiss from the maid makes me force myself to stand straighter. The poorly fit armor clanks as my body straightens. The armor I used to wear as a knight was custom fit to my body, and it was as comfortable to wear as everyday clothes. The armor I had been given by the palace guard's armorer is nowhere near as well made as my knight's armor.

It weighs down on my shoulders where the joints don't fit properly. When I move, it gives off a clank that I can't silence, no matter how much linen I stuff into the joints. The rough chainmail is constantly ripping holes in my tunic, and the straps stretch daily. The leather that is used to hold the armor together had been poorly tanned and leaves a terrible smell hovering around me.

The only good piece of equipment I have been issued is my sword and shield. There was no wiggle to the blade, and it has a near perfect balance. The shield, while made of simple oak boards with a steel rim, is sturdy and well made. I shift the shield on my left arm, bringing it up to cover most of my chest. Tilting my head forward slightly makes the half helm fall down to cover most of my face. I learned early on in my detail to hide as much of myself as I can when the king is coming.

The one time I didn't, the king nearly threw me in the dungeon on sight. It was only the quick words of his advisors that saved me that day. Apparently, the knights were not the only ones who see me as a failure and traitor. When the king learned I was incapable of going after the hero because I swore an oath, he nearly ordered me executed. Instead, he shipped me off to the barracks where the remaining brethren members proceeded to beat me to within an inch of my life.

By the time I could open my eyes, I was in a new set of barracks surrounded by dozens of scrawny men. Most of them looked like they haven't had a decent meal in years, if ever. My heart dropped when I realized where I was.

It was common knowledge that the palace guard has a sect of expendable troops, usually recruited from the slums or low level offenders. This sect was used for the assignments deemed to have a low survival rate. The assignments like prisoner transport through dangerous territories, and hunting monsters they are not equipped to deal with beside hardened knights. They are simple fodder for anything the kingdom didn't want to lose able bodied men to.

There was little chance of surviving long enough to move up in the ranks. Most of the men who were forced into service here survived an average of two years. Lately they have been assigning more and more of them to stand guard in the palace halls. The king's temper had led to more than a few guards being killed for slight infractions. The latest was just this morning, the poor recruit had yawned as the king rounded the corner. The king promptly ordered him flogged and sold into slavery. I have to suppress a shudder as I remember the man's screams echoing through the halls.

I know as soon as the king recognizes me, that the odds are that I'm next. Unfortunately, there is no way for me to avoid it forever with me pulling guard shifts in the keep. The only thing I have going for me is most of the maid staff seem to be sympathetic to my struggle. The women try and warn me anytime the king is approaching so that I can hide myself as well as I can.

"I DON'T GIVE A FUCK ABOUT EXCUSES! I WANT HIM FUCKING FOUND AND BROUGHT TO ME NOW!" I stiffen at the yell coming down the hall ahead of me. The damned hero is still roaming free and the king is growing more and more impatient by the day. Every time a report comes in, his temper seems to get worse.

He passes directly in front of me without pausing. He still is screaming at the crowd of advisors and military officials that are trailing behind him. As the doors to the staging room slam shut, I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. At least for now I managed to avoid his wrath again. From inside the staging room, there is a loud crash which makes me think another tray of drinking glasses has just been shattered.

"You, guard!" I stiffen at the voice before turning to face the barely open door.

"Yes sir!" My voice is level, even though my heart is pounding.

"Go fetch a maid to clear this mess up, and be quick about it!" The attendant closes the door before I can reply. Apparently too worried about being gone too long and facing the king's wrath for it. I straighten my helm so I can see the hall better and take off at a slow trot.

I push open the door to the maid's breakroom, giving it a sharp knock with my knuckles as I do. As I step into the room, I see all the women inside stiffen, then relax as they realize who it is. Barbra, the head maid, stands from her desk and walks over to greet me.

"Liam, good to see you made it through another shift." She smiles as she wraps me in a hug. I feel my face flush as I'm crushed into her chest. I'm not the tallest man in the castle by any means, but Barbra is a full head taller than me. Her dark black hair is just starting to show streaks of silver. The only sign that she is no longer a young woman. I can't count the number of times I had thought about her over my years in the castle. Not that she had ever seen me in that light before my demotion. There is even less chance of her seeing me in that light.

"I haven't finished my shift yet." I somehow manage to pull myself free, hearing several of the other maids giggle as I try and straighten my armor the best I can.

"What happened?" Barbra's eyes narrow and her face seems to fall as she asks.

"The king broke some glassware. I was sent to fetch a maid to clean it up, and told to be quick about it." Barbra sighs and turns back to face the room with a worried look.

"Sable, you go this time. Be quick, be quiet, and try not to make eye contact." As soon as the words leave her mouth, Barbra moves to the closet by the door. She opens it and starts to pull a new set of clear glass tumblers.

"Take these with you to replace the ones the king broke." She turns to face the young maid, grabbing her chin to force her to look into her eyes. "Do not speak unless you have to. If you do, it's 'yes your grace', or 'no your grace'. Nothing else! Do you understand?" Sable nods as Barbara releases her grip.

"Good, now Liam here will show you where to go. Stay close to him and keep your head down." Barbra pushes the two of us out the door and into the hall. With a sigh, I turn and start back towards my post, Sable trailing close behind me.

"Is the king in a bad mood?" Sable's voice surprises me, nearly making me jump. I mentally shake my head to try and clear it before answering.

"When is he ever not mad?" Sable doesn't reply after I speak. When I turn my head, I see her bite her lip worriedly. "Just keep quiet, do your job, and leave. You will be fine."

She looks up at me then, her eyes still filled with worry. She tries to smile at me, but even I can tell it's forced. When we reach the door to the staging room, she freezes. After a moment, I realize she is trying to build up her courage to enter and failing by the looks of it. I know I should just return to my post, but something stops me.

"Do you want me to go in with you?" At my words, I see her relax slightly and look up at me. She nods slowly. With a sigh, I pull my helm down low, adjusting my shield to cover as much of my face and chest as possible. Knocking gently on the door, I wince. I hope the quietness inside is a good sign. The door opens and the same attendant from before sticks out his head.

"Yes?" He looks over me, and then Sable beside me.

"I was instructed to fetch a maid. Then instructed to escort her about her work to ensure she doesn't slack off or waste time." The lie slips easily off my tongue. I know if questioned, Barbara will understand and agree without questioning it. The attendant stares at me for a moment, then opens the door wide to allow us both inside.

"I would suggest you hurry and get out as fast as possible. The king is still in a foul mood." The attendant nods to us both as we step into the room. I give him a gentle nod back, then move to stand between Sable and the crowd of men as she sets the tray on the table and hurriedly begins cleaning the broken glass.

The staging room was named such because it is where the kings planned military campaigns. The heavy wooden table nearly thirty feet squared dominates the center of the room. The most accurate map of the world on a whole carved into its surface. Wooden models of cities and forest lined up with their real life counterparts on its surface. It gives an overhead view of the current makeup of the world as a whole. At the far side of the table, King Marcel is seated in an oversized chair, staring down at the table.

"I don't give a damn where he isn't! I want to know where the bastard is now!" His fist slams down onto the table, making Sable jump behind me.

"Your Grace, we are trying. Unfortunately, his vehicle allows him to move faster than our scouts can follow. By the time we get word of where he has been, he has already moved on three times over." The man who spoke up shrinks back at the king's angry glare.

"So what do you suggest we do then? Should we just wait until he links up with a foreign power's army and comes back leading an assault!? He must be found before he manages to slip across the border!" The king grabs a nearby tumbler full of some golden liquid, tossing it back in one gulp. When he is finished, he throws the glass at the wall behind me, covering Sable in more broken glass.

I hear her whimper as the glass explodes, but she keeps her head down and continues working silently. My shoulders stiffen as the king stares at me for a long moment. Luckily before he says anything his attendant hands him another tumbler filled with the same golden liquid.

"What of the prisoner we captured two days ago? Has there been any new information from him?" The king turns to look at the man who asked the question. Some general from the army who looks uncomfortable at being the center of his attention.

"That's a damned good question! Where are we on that?" The king turns to the only other person who is sitting. The gaunt man is leaned back in his chair, his fingers playing over the edge of a slim dagger. He looks up at the king's words, a bored expression on his face.

"Our initial questioning yielded less information than we hoped for. The amount of arms and armor that is confirmed to have belonged to the knight's brethren leads us to believe he came into contact with the hero at some point. When it became obvious that he was unwilling to talk, we turned him over to the mind flayers. He is still with them now." The whole room shudders at his words, including the king.

Mind flayers are one of the most despised monsters known to man. Telepathic beings that lay eggs in their victims to reproduce. It is a rumor that the king has a colony of them hidden away he uses to interrogate prisoners. Of course, now I'm sure it's not just a rumor but a fact. The king nods his head at the man's words, an evil smile creeping over his face.

"Good then, we should have the answers we are looking for soon enough." He drains his glass, holding it out to be refilled. His attendant fills the glass and his hands are shaking. Just as the glass is almost full, the king jerks the glass away. With a small gasp, the attendant tries to stop pouring, spilling a coin sized drop of the liquid on the king's chair.

"You worthless son of a bitch!" The king drops his glass, backhanding the attendant and knocking him to the floor. The king pushes his oversized frame out of the chair, kicking the young man as he tries to crawl away.

"Do you have any idea how much that cost!? It's worth more than your worthless life!" He continues to kick and curse at the now crying man on the floor. The whole room does their best to look anywhere else but at the king. He always had a temper, but this is a new level. When the king finally stops his wild attack he is panting heavily. His face is a deep red, chest heaving wildly as he sucks in air.

"You, guard!" He points at me, causing my chest to freeze in fear.

"Yes, your grace!" I snap myself to attention eyes locked forward.

"Come here, now!" My breath refuses to come to me as I move across the room quickly. I come to a stop in front of the king, snapping to attention again.

"Yes, your grace!" My voice is calm, even though inside all I want to do is run from the room.

"Kill this waste of an attendant!" He points down to the crying man at his feet. I look down, realizing I know who it is. It's the same man who has repeatedly snuck trays of food to the guard recruits. Who gave a new blanket to one of the men in the barracks when the one issued to him was full of holes.

"Sire?" I hope the king is just doing this to scare the man on the floor. Even though, I know that's not the case. It has become an all to common occurrence now. The king hits me on the side of the head, knocking my helm onto the ground. I saw the blow coming and could have easily dodged it. If I had, the king would have likely ordered my death too.

"When I give you an order, I expect you to follow it immediately!" He points down at the man trying to crawl away on the floor. The attendant has almost reached the edge of the thick rug laying on the floor. "Now kill this man, now!"

"Yes, your grace!" Not stopping to pick up my fallen helm, I step towards the crying man.

"Please, don't." His voice is weak as the words slip out between sobs. I draw my sword in a smooth motion, reversing the grip in my hand.

"I'm sorry." I whisper as I drive the point down into the man. The blade pierces him through his open mouth, breaking teeth as it passes through. I wince as I feel the steel in my hand grate on bone. His blood seeping into the rug below him as the light fades from his eyes.

"Good! If you ever hesitate to follow one of my orders again, you will share his fate. Do you understand me!?" I wipe the tip of my sword on the attendants tunic before sheathing it.

"Yes, your grace." I start to bend to collect my helm when the king speaks.

"You look familiar guard, who are you?" I start to stiffen as my fingers wrap around the edge of my helm. I realize I'm going to have to answer him. There is no way out of it. I resign myself to whatever fate awaits me as I set my helm on my head.

"My name is Liam, your grace. I was the only knight left alive from the encounter with the hero." I see anger flash in the king's eyes as he remembers who I am.

"I remember you now, the coward." I somehow manage to keep myself from wincing at his words. I bite back any reply to not put myself in the way of the king's wrath. The king glares at me for a long moment, neither of us speaking. Sweat begins to bead on my head, rolling down my face. The king laughs suddenly and loudly, causing me to jump in place.

“I don't care about that now! Stop wasting my time and get this body out of here before he starts to stink!” He kicks the corpse then turns back towards the table. He sits in his oversized chair and snaps his fingers for a drink. I let out a breath slowly, just happy the king’s attention is off of me for now.

“And while you are at it, get rid of that rug. There is no good way to get bloodstains out you know!” The king takes another glass from his new attendant, downing it in one gulp.

I kneel down beside the attendant’s corpse and drop my shield on the ground beside me. I shift his body to lay lengthwise as I start to roll the rug, his feet just barely hanging over the end of it. The king is yelling something at the table, but I try and block it out. It's better to focus on the task at hand, just keep my head down and get out of the room. As I finish rolling the carpet, I use the strap on my shield to secure one end so it won't unroll. With a small grunt, I manage to pull the rug onto my shoulder. My shield nearly slams into my face when I do.

I nearly reach the door when Sable steps in front of me, pulling the heavy door open. I give her a small nod of thanks as I slip out the door. Sable steps into the hall behind me, closing the door with a quiet click. For a long moment, neither of us say anything. We just stand in the hall staring at each other. A loud crash from inside the staging room causes both of us to jump. The rolled carpet on my shoulders nearly falls with the sudden movement.

“We should really try and get as far away as we can.” Sable nods her head quickly at my words. The two of us make our way quickly down the hall. The silence between us is uncomfortable. I try to think of anything to break the silence. Not coming up with anything, I keep walking in silence beside her. We are almost to the door of the maid's breakroom when I hear Sable sob.

"Are you ok?" I realize it is a stupid question even as I ask. No woman starts to cry as she is walking beside a man carrying a corpse in a rug if everything was ok. I'm about to try and ask what is wrong when the door opens and Barbra walks out. Her piercing eyes look over the two of us quickly, taking in Sable's crying and the rug on my shoulder.

"What happened?" Her voice is calm, but I can hear the anger in her tone.

"When she went to clean up the glass, I went inside with her. While I was there one of the attendants spilled the king's drink." I praise, but sure how to continue.

"The king killed him?" Barbra sighs andwipies her hands on the edge of her apron.

"He made me do it." I shift to adjust the rug on my shoulder, nearly slapping myself in the face with my shield again.

"It was Thomas!" Sable's scream nearly causes me to drop the rug. I turn halfway to try and look at her as Barbra rushes forward.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, child." She tries to console the crying girl as two more of the maid staff enter the hall and surround them. I'm forced back against the wall as the crowd tries to calm the crying woman. I don't know what I should do. Should I wait or finish taking the body to the undertaker? Just as I'm about to leave, Barbra separates from the crowd. She comes to stand in front of me, staring into my eyes.

"Thomas and Sable, they were together." She pauses as I feel my stomach tighten at her words. "Not officially, but they had begun to take walks together when not working."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know." I try and stammer out more of an apology, but Barbra cuts me off with a raised hand.

"There's no way you could have known. Even if you did, do you think you could have refused when the king told you to kill him?" I hang my head at her words. Part of me likes to think I would have refused, but I know if I had, there would have been two dead in that room instead of one.

"I'm taking him to the undertaker now. If you could let his family know so they can make any other arrangements." Barbra nods to me and I start to walk away. Before I make it two steps, I hear a yell from behind me.

"Liam! Hold up there!" Turning I see the watch commander, Captain Jacobson, walking quickly towards me. I force myself to stand straighter, nearly dropping the load on my shoulders as I do.

"Yes, sir!" Captain Jacobson comes to a stop in front of me, glancing over to the maids in the hall. I am just starting to get uncomfortable when he finally turns his gaze back to me.

"Where are you taking that?" He motions towards the rug rolled up on my shoulder.

"I was headed towards the undertakers, sir." The Captain shakes his head softly at my words, raising his eyes to meet mine.

"You are new on this detail, so I'm going to assume that your actions are out of ignorance, not willful disobedience." He seems calm, but his eyes almost seem sad to me.

"Sir?" My head tilts to the side by the slightest bit in my confusion.

"Anyone killed on the palace property is taken to the third level of the castle dungeon. That is where they are turned over to the staff and forgotten about." I hear Sable scream out a choked yell at the Captain's words. My own back stiffens at what he says.

Everyone knows the third level of the castle dungeons are home to the monster tamers. Adventurers are hired by the king to capture and train monsters for some unknown purpose. Over the years, it has gone from a small group of people and monsters, to a giant collection of bloodthirsty monsters barely contained by their trainers. The horde of monsters underneath the palace require huge amounts of meat daily to feed. Their food has to come from somewhere. It started with meat the butchers could no longer sell, as well as monsters that had been killed close by. Then the king started feeding them the bodies of condemned prisoners. The rumor around the castle is that now the king doesn't bother having them executed first.

"Sir, he wasn't a criminal." I try to plead for the attendant's body. Had it been the king in front of me, I wouldn't have tried. I figure I may have a chance with the Captain. The Captain eyes flicker between the rug on my shoulder and my face. He glances over to the crowd of maids in the hall before looking back at me.

"I didn't ask if he was a criminal. I told you to take his body to the third floor of the castle dungeon. The same orders I had been given and now have been passed on to you. If you have a problem with the orders then tell me now." His voice is hard as he is speaking to me. His eyes never leave mine, even as his hand drops to the hilt of his sword.

"No sir, no problem. I'll take the body there." The maids are shuffling Sable into the breakroom as I speak. When the door slams shut behind them, I can still hear her sobs. The Captain steps close to me, his mouth nearly touching my ears as he whispers to me.

"I don't like it either, Liam. You need to know that. When I give you an order, you must follow it immediately. The king has ears everywhere in the palace. I can't protect you unless you follow my orders." The Captain leans back as his head tilts towards a darkened archway behind him. I stare at the shadows for a second, confused. One of them separates from the wall and disappears back the way I came from. I feel my eyes widen in shock as I realize I had been followed.

"You have your orders, now go!" The Captain gives me a firm slap on my unoccupied shoulder, his hand resting on it for a moment. Then without another word, he turns to leave. In the corner of my eye, I can just see something tucked under the edge of my uniform on my shoulder. As I turn to start down the hall again, I slip the folded parchment from my shoulder into my pocket.

It takes no time for me to reach the stairs that lead to the dungeons below the castle. Unlike all the other corridors in the castle, this one is dimly lit and full of shadows. The main entrance to the dungeons is outside of the castle. The entrance inside is more of a backdoor than anything else. I nod to the guards at the door as they start to open it for me.

The thick door is bound in iron, and it opens with barely a sound as the door swings on well oiled hinges. Even without the timbers cut specifically to brace it shut, it looks like it would require an army to bust down. Not that anyone could fit an army in the stairs behind it. If any invaders planned to use this as an entry point into the castle, they would be out of luck.

The steps behind it are steep with a sharp curve right at the top. It's impossible for more than two men to walk up them at a time, much less an army charging up them. If they somehow managed to make it to the door, it would be nearly impossible for them to break down. There would be no room for anyone to swing a hammer or a battering ram in the small space. Any blows that someone could deliver would be ineffective against the enchanted iron and heavy wood of the doors.

All of that would depend on someone making it as far as the stairs that lead to the castle. Stairs are only accessible from the third and lowest floor of the castle's dungeon. The dungeon that is now full of monsters bound to the service of men paid for by the king. Anyone who might think that it was a simple task to slip by them and up the stairs would soon realize their mistake. Over the last week alone, there is a rumor that one of the men managed to drag a harpy in. That wasn't even the worst monster that is supposed to inhabit the dungeon.

I suppress a shiver at the thought of what waits at the bottom of the stairs. With a small nod to the two guards, I make my way down the dark and narrow steps. The first turn nearly knocks my load from my shoulder. I barely catch myself on the wall before I go tumbling down the steps.

"Fuck Liam, pay attention!" I curse to myself as I look around to make sure no one saw. The two guards are still staring straight ahead, showing no sign that they saw anything. I appreciate their pretending, but I know that they have to have seen me. I shake my head and take a deep breath before starting down the stairs again. I nearly fall another five times going down the four flights of stairs. By the time I reach the bottom, I'm out of breath and sweating from the steep stairs and turns.

"Another pile of food for the beast?" The voice from behind me nearly makes me scream in surprise. I turn to see one of the adventurers hired by the king leaning against the wall. He had been in the blindspot created by the rug on my shoulder, allowing him to get closer to me than I would have liked.

The adventurer is dressed in rough leather armor covered in small metal studs. The armor leaves his arms and shoulders bare. A wide belt holds several large pouches that is wrapped around his waist. A rough looking coil of rope is slung over his neck and down under his arm. His dark hair is cut short, barely out of his face and brown eyes.

"Don't sneak up on me like that!" I turn back around and my eyes scan over the cages of monsters filling the room. "Especially not down here."

"Ah, don't worry about it too much." He slaps me on the shoulder as I feel the rug being lifted from my grip. Before I can complain, someone hands my shield to me, then they disappear with the rug on their shoulder.

"Wait, what?" I see the adventurer from before is still beside me, arm still on my shoulder. He starts to laugh at my confusion, giving me a small shove.

"So you ever been down here before, boy?" Before I can answer, he starts to guide me deeper into the dungeon. "Let me show you around. I think you will be impressed by what's down here." Before he can get me any farther away from the stairs, I pull myself free.

"No need for that, I need to get back to my post." I try and start back up the stairs when I feel him grab my arm again.

"What, you're not afraid of monsters, are you? It's fine, they are under control. Hell, we don't even have to cage any but the meanest of them. Most are more than happy to wait on you guard boys to bring them their dinner." When the adventure tries to get in front of me, I shove him to the side. I take the stairs up two at a time to try and put distance between him and me.

As I reach the third flight of stairs, I pause and lean against the wall chest heaving. I look up the stairwell, then down to make sure I am alone. There is one torch, cackling away from right above me. The light from the torch barely illuminates the landing I'm on. It leaves the stairs on either side shrouded in dim light. Not seeing anyone, I let my bead rest against the wall, tears forming in my eyes.

I slam my head back against the wall, feeling the sharp pain as my head connects. I wince and slam my head into the wall again, the dull thud echoing in the stairs.

"How the fuck did I end up like this?" Just over a week ago, I was a respected knight in the kingdom. Now, here I am, caring corpses into a dungeon to be eaten by monsters. I wipe the tears away from my eyes as I slide down the wall. I sit on that dimly lit landing and fight back more tears. All I had wanted was to make sure my mother and sister were taken care of. Now, I'll end up dead at a madman's whim.

As I sit there, something pokes me in the side just above my pocket. I wince slightly as I dig around for whatever it was that stuck me. My fingers wrap around the folded piece of parchment the Captain gave me. I look around again to see if anyone is watching as I start to unfold it. The parchment is thin, almost see through from the number of times it has been scraped clean. The words written on it are in a simple blocky writing, as if someone purposefully wrote them not to look like their usual writing.

Stay out of trouble, keep your head down, and follow every order. When the time comes to run be ready. There are people that will help you get out.

I had to read the note three times before I finally understood it. Somehow the Captain of the guards was also sneaking people out of the kingdom. My eyes scan over the stairs on either side of the landing again, looking for any movement at all. Not seeing any, I read the note again and feel a sliver of hope start to rise in my chest.

I know it's considered treason to desert the guards. If I stay, it's only a matter of time before I end up dead. Even if I have to flee Dolus, it might be my only chance at having a life. I lift the note to the torch above my head, watching as the flames consume the parchment. I turn the paper in my hands quickly, letting the flames completely consume it before I drop it to the floor. After a few seconds, all that is left is a small pile of gray ash, which I spread out with the toe of my boot.

By the time I reach the top of the stairs, I have to fight to keep the smile off my face. After the days of fear and anguish there is finally a sliver of hope. Hope that I can get away from the madness before it kills me.

The guards at the top of the stairs give me a small nod as I walk past. The door closes behind me, and locks in place. I make my way back to my post outside of the staging room as quickly as I can. I barely slide into position when the door to the room flies open.

"I dont give a fuck about excuses!" The king's voice roars out of the room as something flies into the hall. "I want to know how his fucking weapons work!" More of the items fly through the hall, striking me in the chest before falling to the ground. I look down, seeing several small brass colored tubes laying on the ground beside my feet.

"Your grace, all we know for sure is that his weapons leave those strange tubes behind. They have been instrumental in following his trail as well as we have." One of the crowd of people from inside races out of the door, dropping papers and hurriedly picking them up. As soon as his arms are full again he runs down the hall. The sight makes me think that the king ordered him somewhere.

"I know all of that already! What I want is new information! Like where in the seven hells is he going!?" I feel myself wince at the kings yell as I try and disappear into the wall behind me. Just as one of the attendants is about to shut the door, I hear a calm set of steps coming down the hall.

"Hold the door." The voice is calm as it speaks, yet for some reason sends a chill racing up my spine. The man walking calmly down the hall is one I've never seen before. He is dressed in matching dark brown pants and tunic, a slim belt at his waist holds a long dagger. His hair long but neatly styled and braided down his back. He is clean shaven, giving him the appearance of someone one who spends a lot of time worrying about such things.

Trailing behind him on a short leash is a giant of a man. At first glance I was sure the man was leading a bear instead of a person. As they get closer, I can tell that it is just a man. Huge as he is, he is covered in cuts and bruises, limping on one of his legs as he struggles to keep up. As the man goes to enter the staging room, I step between him and the door.

"I'm sorry, I can't allow you to just enter the room with a prisoner." The man stares at me calmly, his eyes seeming almost amused as he stares at me.

"Oh, and why is that?" His voice sounds almost humorous as he asks his question. It makes my back stiffen as he continues to stare at me.

"I'm afraid rules are in place for such things. Before a prisoner can be brought before the king, they must be securely bound, or under an escort by either a guard or a knight. I am sorry, but he will have to stay out here." I feel sweat rolling down my back as I continue to speak. Something about this man is scaring me. I'm not sure if it is his eyes or maybe the way he hasn't quit smiling the entire time. Something in the way he is acting is putting me on edge and making me nervous.

"I may not be a knight, or a guard, but I believe I have this man handled. So why don't you step back, before I step you back." The man's smile never waivers as his voice gets harder. I want to step back to my post, but I know I can't. The rules of the castle and of prisoners have been drilled into my head countless times. First by the knights brethren, then by the king's guards.

"Sir I'm sorry, but I can't allow you inside without an escort or him being properly secure." My voice waives for a second as I see his smile slip for just a moment.

"Fine! Then you escort the prisoner inside." He tosses the end of the lead towards me. I scramble to grab it before it hits the ground, stammering out to the man.

"I, I, I, I don't think I would be the best option to guard the prisoner, sir." The man doesn't listen as he walks into the staging room.

"Doesn't matter, you have delayed me enough. So hurry up now." The prisoner starts to follow him through the door, dragging me along by the end of the rope. I barely manage to stumble to a stop without falling as he suddenly stops. The man is leaning over, talking to the gaunt man who is still playing with the edge of his blade. The gaunt man smiles at the younger mans words, turning to face the king.

"Sire, I have just received word from one of my subordinates. I believe you would like to hear about it now." The King pauses in his rant at his words. He turns to face the giant man before looking over the prisoner then me. As his eyes meet mine, I see a scowl form on his face.

"What news might that be?!" The newly arrived man smiles at the king's words. He steps forward, bowing deeply to the King.

"Sire, my name is Artuis Vong. I am the lead interrogator at your Verish facility. This man was left in our care two days ago because he had information you wanted. I am pleased to say that all the information he had is currently in our possession." My eyes glance up at the tall prisoner as Artuis speaks. His face is covered in a wild beard, almost hiding his lifeless looking eyes.

"Well, what did you learn!?" The arms of the King's chair creaks as he leans forward. Giving the impression that his bulk is about to make them snap in protest.

"This prisoner, Grizz, did indeed run across the hero you summoned." Artuis pauses as the King starts to clap his hands like an amused child.

"Excellent! Now what else did you learn?" His chair groans as he leans forward, his fingers dancing excitedly over the edge of the table.

"He met with the hero outside of Rivertown in an old storage barn. There he passed on a map as well as a slave for a guide. Apparently, the two of them cut a deal to get slaves out of Dolus for a long time to come. Then they separated while Grizz here..." He pauses, slapping the prisoner on the shoulders. "... contacted the next link in the underground. They are headed to Shevel to meet a contact there."

"What are you doing wasting time coming here for then!? You should be on the road to Shevel to cut him off there!" The king's yell makes me flinch again, hiding behind the taller prisoner to keep out of his sight. Artuis just chuckles at the king's yell, smiling at him as he continues to scream.

"There's no need for that." The king pauses, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"And why is there no need for that?" Artuis waves his hand back toward the prisoner, halfway turning his head to glance at him.

"The prisoner here, he sent the hero and his party straight into one of the underground's links we have already compromised. The hero is meeting with one of my agents who the underground believes is working for them. I have already sent word to him with instructions on how to proceed. I know the route they are taking out of Dolus, who they will be traveling with, and which checkpoint they will try to pass through. All you need to do is move your men to intercept them anywhere before the border."

The king's smile widens as Artuis continues to speak. He breaks out into a deep laugh as he finishes talking. The sound of the king's laughter fills the chamber, making me shiver.

"Which checkpoint will they try to pass through?" The question comes from one of the generals still standing around the table, looking uncomfortable. The king doesn't seem to hear the general's question. He is still laughing loudly to himself. Artuis turns to face the general as the king's laughter takes on a shrill almost piercing note.

"They will be passing through Braxton. My agent will have them traveling with a merchant member of the underground. This way we can collect the hero and get rid of a thorn in Dolus's side in one move."

"A great idea! Move all available troops to Braxton at once! I want the hero taken alive, kill the rest! That includes the merchant and any slaves traveling with them. As soon as the hero is collared, bring him here to me! Then I'll make him pay for turning his weapon on me!" The king starts to giggle to himself, muttering something I can't make out as the room springs into action. The men around the table start to talk loudly amongst themselves as they plan. There is talk of troops and distances, also of supplies and time.

"What should we do with the prisoner, Sire?" The gaunt man in the chair looks up towards the prisoner as he continues to run his fingers up and down the edge of his blade.

"What's that?" The king seems to jump in his seat as he turns to face the man. "Simon, what did you just ask?"

"I asked what we should do with the prisoner. After the mind flayers got through with him, I doubt his mind can recover. So what do you want done with him?" Simon sighs after he finishes speaking, the blade in his hand disappearing in the blink of an eye.

"I don't care. If you have no further use for him, then send him to the dungeons. There is always a need for more food for the ones on the third floor." I wince as I remember coming from there just now. Simon waves his hand to Artuis who takes the end of the lead from my hands. Before I can move out of the way, he is walking past me and leading the prisoner out of the room. I try and back out of the room before anyone notices me. I make it almost to the door when the king yells out.

"You coward, stop right there!" I freeze, slowly turning to face the King and straightening my shoulders.

"Yes, Sire?" The king pushes himself off the chair, waddling over to stand in front of me. I try to remain calm as he glares at me. My mind is already going over every possibility of what could happen. All I can picture is myself joining the prisoner on the third level of the dungeon.

"You have seen the hero up close, have you not?" I stiffen as the image of the hero standing over me flashes in my head.

"Yes, Sire! I was as close as you are to me from him." The king smiles at my words.

"So it's fair to assume that you would recognize him easily?"

"Yes, Sire. I don't think I will ever forget his face. It doesn't do any good, Sire. I am unable to follow him now."

"Oh, you won't be following him. You are to accompany the elites of the brethren to Braxton. When the hero finally arrives, you will be waiting on him to provide a positive identification. Gather your gear and report to the Knight's Commander immediately." He leaves me no chance to respond before walking out of the room, attendants trailing behind him. The rest of the men in the room continue arguing over the logistics of moving men the way the king wants.

I'm still standing in place near the door when a hand lands on my shoulder. I turn my head to look up at the man behind me. Commander Tiver smiles down at me as I turn to face him.

"Commander, Sir. " I hurriedly salute him. I haven't seen the Commander since I was forced from the brethren.

"Enough of that Liam, walk with me." He turns and starts walking quickly away. I hurry to catch up, moving from an easy jog to a fast walk as I reach his side. For a long minute, neither of us say anything. Just as the silence gets uncomfortable, Tiver begins to speak.

"I never wanted to run you out of the brethren." I nearly stumble at his words. As far as I had known, Commander Tiver didn't even know my name.

"Sir?"

"The king wanted your head when you came back. I was the one who convinced him you could still be useful. I'm also the one who convinced him you could identify the hero. If this works out, I may be able to get you back in the brethren." I'm silent for a moment as we walk, finally I ask the question on my mind.

"Why would you help me?" Commander Tiver stops walking after a step. I come to a stop as well, turning to face him.

"Where does your loyalty lie, Liam?" He stares at me as I start to answer. "Before you answer with a lie, know if you do I will cut you down here." His eyes are cold as he speaks and in that moment, I'm sure he is serious. I think for a moment my eyes flickering to the shadows around us before I answer.

"My loyalty is to Selena and Dolus, Sir."

"Interesting choice of words. Dolus, not the king?" He tilts his head at me as he speaks.

"The king's word is law in Dolus, but my oath was to the kingdom, not the King." I'm aware my words could be seen as treason, but they are the truth. The Commander nods his head slowly.

"Keep that in mind as you head to Braxton." Commander Tiver starts walking again, forcing me to hurry to keep up. "Here's where we separate." We come to a stop at the main entrance hall of the castle.

"Sir?" I turn to face the Commander, confused at where I need to go.

"Head to the royal stables, report to Sargent Vixar. Stay close to him, and keep your head down. That's all I can tell you for now." He walks away, leaving me standing by myself. After a second, I shake my head to clear it, then head to the stable at a quick walk.

As happy as I am to escape the castle, I can't fight the fear I feel. Once again, I am going after the hero, who already said he would kill me next time. On the other hand, I would be on the border. Maybe I could escape over it before anyone knows what happens. I have to shake my head as the thought enters it. What I told the Commander was true. My loyalty is to my Goddess and my country. I can't turn my back on either.

Jim's point of view

I take a deep breath as we finally make it above ground. Alexis had carved a passage out away from the town above us. So we came up in the woods fairly close to where we left the truck. Sarge runs ahead of me as I'm staring up into the night sky.

"Hey boss, we moving tonight?" I catch myself, chuckling at his question.

"Yeah Sarge, we will be moving on tonight. Alexis said when she severs her connection to the dungeon itself, monsters are going to stop spawning. So everyone is going to know the dungeon core is gone. Little bit of luck and they will just assume we died down there. No one will be looking for us." I reach down to scratch Sarge's ears as he walks back to me.

"How long till she severs the connection?" Shiva bounds up beside me, wrapping her arm around my waist as we walk. She is joined on my other side by Thea who shifts Shiva's hands to rest her own on my waist.

"According to her, she will still be able to maintain it for about another mile. After that, she will have to sever it or it will start draining her." Jacob slips past us, moving almost silently through the trees.

"He's finding the truck." Shiva leans her head against me as we walk.

"It's such a nice night for a walk, you know." I tilt my head back, staring up at the stars through the tree tops.

"On nights like this, we used to go into the Grove of Voices. We would meditate around the trees there and try to hear the spirits of our ancestors." I tilt my head back down to look at Thea as she speaks.

"So you would just meditate all night?" Shiva pokes her head around my body to look at Thea.

"Not all night. I was never good at meditation anyway. I always ended up watching the fireflies as they danced." Thea bumps my hip with hers as we walk, causing me to nearly stumble into Shiva.

"Easy there." I can't help but laugh as Shiva starts to bump my hip to knock me into Thea. "That's not going to work when I'm expecting it." I grin as I move my hip at the same time as Shiva's, making the redhead growl as she nearly stumbles.

"No fair!" Shiva starts to pout as we walk, making me grin again.

"Shiva pouting, didn't expect to see that." She pulls away and punches me in the chest as she stalks ahead of us.

"I don't think she likes to be teased." I have to turn my head to catch a glimpse of Vaunea walking behind us.

"No, she really doesn't." I nearly jump as Jacob comes walking out of the trees beside us.

"Fuck! Can you make some noise next time!" I feel my heart rate start to settle back down as Vaunea and Thea laugh at my outburst.

"Truck's that way. About a mile, maybe a little less." Jacob points back in the direction he just came from, then shifts his feet looking nervous.

"Something wrong?" Jacob sighs before looking at Thea beside me.

"I wasn't going to say anything in the dungeon, but I feel like we need to talk, alone." I eye the smaller man before shrugging.

"That's fine with me." I turn my head to look down at Thea. "You mind taking Vaunea to the truck, while I send Sarge after Shiva?" Thea tilts her head curiously at me so I explain. "Shiva is currently walking away from the truck." I point in the direction she disappeared, making Thea laugh.

"Ok, but don't take too long or I'll send Vaunea to find you." I chuckle at her words, knowing she wouldn't need to. Ever since the bridge between our mana was made more permanent, I can tell exactly where she is. I assume she can do the same to me, but I don't know what kind of range it has. As Sarge and the women disappear into the night, I turn to face Jacob again.

"So what did you need to talk about?" In my head I'm sure that I'm about to get the older brother/ex-boyfriend speech. The one where he warns me of the consequences of hurting Shiva.

"Shiva has a lot of pain in her past, and a lot of trust issues because of it. Please don't abuse that and just use her. I don't know if she would recover from it happening again." I blink in surprise, not expecting that to have come out of Jacob's mouth.

"Wait, so this wasn't where you tell me if I hurt her you're going to kill me?" Jacob laughs quietly at my question.

"She is a big girl and can take care of herself. Also she is a better fighter than me. So if you hurt her, I'd be more worried about her hurting you than me."

"Good to know. Anything else you want to tell me, or should we head towards the truck?" Jacob shakes his head slowly.

"No, everything else I would tell you, but it's not my place too. If I were you, I would ask Shiva about her past, but that's your call." Jacob turns and starts to pick his way through the trees. "Come on, the truck is close."

"You sure do end up in weird situations, you know that?" Alexis flashes from the leather pouch on my belt as she speaks.

"Yeah, but at least it's not boring most of the time." I chuckle lightly as I keep following Jacob through the trees.

"I need to sever my connection to the dungeon now." I pause my walking and open the pouch to look down into it.

"Alright, I'm ready." I start to move my mana close to my skin, stirring the air gently as I do. I can feel the moment when Alexis severs her connection to the dungeon behind us. She starts to grasp out for a new source of mana, latching on to the tendril I extend towards her.

"Oh, this is perfect!" She flashed a bright neon pink as she speaks. "Are you sure you can maintain this for a while?" I nod my head as I start to walk again.

"Yeah, honestly I could push this much energy towards you faster if you wanted. Maybe even a larger flow moving a little slower. This isn't draining me at all. It's like my mana is recovering as fast as I'm expanding it." I see Alexis flash through several different colors as I walk, making me think she is thinking hard about something.

"You mean you are literally recovering your mana as fast as you're giving it to me?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure. I mean I don't feel any draw on my pool right now. With the techniques from the crystal, it's pretty easy to feel my pool and how much is left in it. Right now, it still feels like I'm topped off and have excess rolling off of me."

"How overpowered are you!?" Alexis's yell nearly causes me to stumble over a root at my feet. I barely catch myself before I crash into a tree.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I could establish a full floor of a dungeon on the power you are feeding me. Then you say your mana is replenishing itself as fast as you are using it. That's an unheard of amount of power for one person. That's the kind of mana pool you would expect from a huge group of mages!" I slow my walk, tilting my head to the side.

"Huh, I knew my pool was larger than most, but that's kind of crazy." I shake my head as I pick my pace back up again. The idea of being that overpowered compared to the average person here is a little intimidating. On the other hand, half the country is chasing after me. Being overpowered leaves me in a better position than being underpowered. My thoughts run back and forth over Alexis's words as I keep walking.

"Are you sure you are still going the right way?" Alexis's words draw me out of my thoughts, causing me to look around.

"I mean, yeah. I may have lost Jacob, but Thea is already at the truck and she is this direction." I raise my hand to point ahead of me as I keep walking. "Vixi is with Vaunea, can't you tell where she is?"

"No, I can sense that she is ok, but I can't tell where she is." She flashes dimly as I keep walking. In no time, I step into the clearing around the truck. Everyone is standing around the truck, chatting quietly as they wait.

"Been waiting long?" I can't help but grin as Jacob sighs.

"You were right behind me, how did you take so long to get here?" I slap him on the shoulder lightly as I walk around the truck.

"She had to sever her connection to the core. It took a little longer than we thought." Sarge is laying beside the driver's side door as I walk around.

"I don't think I'll fit inside the cab like this anymore." I lean down to scratch his ears as he stares up at me.

"It will be alright, boy. I think you will fit when there's just one person in the cab. Till then, you can lay in the back and relax. I know you like the wind, don't you?" Sarge stands up, shaking himself as he stretches.

"I do like the wind, but I would rather ride with you in the cab." I feel his disappointment through the bridge as he walks towards the bed of the truck.

"Alright everyone, let's load up. We have a long way to go before we stop." Vaunea looks confused for a moment, then Thea grabs her arm and guides her to the bed of the truck.

"Shiva, you guide Jim. We will ride in the back, then we can switch in a couple hours." Shiva nods before hopping in the cab. Jacob looks between the cab and the bed before sighing and climbing into the bed. I unsling my rifle, laying it behind the seat as I slide into the cab.

I look into the bed, everyone seems to be settling in. Vaunea looks confused, but she is propped up against the toolbox with her legs stretched out in front of her. Jacob looks around the crowded bed, seeming to ask Vaunea something. She nods to him and then he settles in beside her, leaning against her.

Huh, maybe he likes taller women? Thea seems to have laid down, using Sarge as a pillow. Shiva scoots into the middle seat, laying her head on my shoulder as I start the truck.

"You alright?" I put my arm around her shoulder after putting the truck in reverse. I turn my head to look behind me as I ease the truck through the thin brush. Hitting the road, I shift into first and start to move forward down the road.

"Just a lot that's happened in the last few days. Head right when we get to the fork this time." I nod my head as I guide the truck down the right hand road.

"Any regrets?" I glance down at her where she is curled up against me, making it hard for me to shift without moving her.

"None." Shiva shakes her head, then turns her head to look at me. She starts to smile as I look down at her, glancing at the road every few seconds so we don't crash.

"What?" Instead of answering me with words, she kisses me. I can barely see the road ahead of us past her hair and ears, but at that moment I don't care. Her tongue slips into my mouth, distracting me from the road ahead of us for a moment. I feel a moan slip out of my throat as she starts to move into my lap. A loud thump pulls us out of our trance, and I jerk the wheel barely avoiding hitting the tree we had been driving straight towards.

"If you two can't keep your hands to yourself, I'll make Jacob ride up there! Understand!?" I laugh quietly as Thea yells and she slaps the cab of the truck again, making another thump echo in the cab.

"We get it, I'll behave!" Shiva moves to sit against the door crossing her arms as she does. Thea moves away from the cab, laying back down in the bed. I can't help but laugh a little as I keep driving. Somehow even with everything that's happened, I can't help but smile. Life may have taken a turn I wasn't expecting, but it's been a hell of a ride so far. The night is still young as we move farther and farther away from where the dungeon had been. I can't help but look over at Shiva, and into the bed at Thea and Sarge. I traded my chance of going home for these people. For a moment, I wonder if it was worth it. As I see Thea turn in her sleep, burying her face in Sarge's fur, I know. Yeah, it was worth it, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.