Imprisoned...

Riding in the carriage for about three hours while sat next to the dwarf guy gave me a horrible headache, since he smelt like he was eaten by a dragon and spat out, and if that was true, I wouldn’t be surprised.

Surprisingly, I did get at least an hour of sleep which made a huge difference on my energy level.

I kept thinking about that note, what made her change her mind?

Our eyes met each other, I quickly looked to the sky, too flustered to maintain eye contact.

Should I say something? But that guy beside her keeps giving me a dirty look.

We all rock back and forth as the carriage comes to a stop.

“Alright, this is your stop, Goodluck in- uhm whatever you said you were doing.”

We all got off the back, and the party of three started heading down another path. I took out Circe’s book and the arrow pointed slightly off the trail we previously were on. Before I could start running, a warm and soft feeling touched my hand.

I look over and it’s the elf girl!

“You need to rest.”

She spoke softly but sternly.

“Sorry I can’t, I—”

“Remember the note?”

She’s right, I do owe her.

“Oh, yeah… What would you like?”

“…For you to rest.”

Asking me to rest? Why? I don’t have anything of value to steal; does she want to kill me?

“You’re looking for siblings, correct? And you haven’t slept in days, correct?”

“…yes, to both.”

“Alright, follow me then.”

She let go of my hand and spun around so her back was facing me.

I was suspicious of her, but I don’t think creating an enemy is a good idea, she also could help me find Corban and Circe.

She started walking away, and I followed.

We travelled down a trail into a forest; it wasn’t dense but there were enough trees that I couldn’t see past a kilometre. We eventually got to a small camp, there was a fire with a pot boiling water, and a couple of logs where the two men were sitting on.

Throwing small bits of bark into the fire, the Dwarf spoke.

“Good, I thought you were gonna run away.”

“What’s that suppose to mean?”

“She didn’t tell you?”

I look to the girl; she smiled and winked at me.

“She convinced us to let you temporary join our party, we need some help with a dungeon close by, in exchange we will let you rest and give you some food when you leave.”

I guess this is what you owe me meant.

“Sure, that sounds fair.”

It wasn’t, risking my life for some sleep and food wouldn’t what I would call fair, but preventing someone from following me and bringing more danger to Corban and Circe, it sounds pretty good currently.

“Pikla, you invited him, you keep watch.”

She nodded, and both men looked at each other and walked away, I assume they went to sleep, but I must keep my guard up, hopefully it doesn’t impact my sleep.

“Hey, who are they?”

“They’re like… friends”

While saying that she had a dead pan face.

“So, your name is Pi—”

“No.”

I raised my eyebrows.

“So, is Pikla a nickname?”

“You could say that, but its more of a— inside joke.”

Now I’m suspicious of her, this whole party dynamic is super weird I need watch my back when we get to the dungeon.

“So… What’s your name?”

Should I give her a fake name? My first name isn’t that rare, but…

Wait, yeah! I’ll make my name the same as my favorite comic book…

“I’m Dragoon…”

I tried not to act excited to talk about it, but she looked at me and turned her head like a confused dog.

“That’s a, interesting name…”

I tried to brush it off.

“Yeah, I get that a lot, heh.”

We stared at each other in silence for a bit.

…

“My tent is other there; I will be first watch.”

She started walking in the opposite direction of the two men and I followed; we ended up at a small circular area where trees and bushes were cleared out.

In the centre there was a brown tent that only had room for one person at a time, she gestured for me to go inside, which I listened.

Smelling like cinnamon, I laid down on the one small pillow in the corner.

“Sorry, I don’t think I got your name?”

Kneeling over, she smirked.

“It’s Renata.”

And closed the tent door.

She knew! Renata is Dragoon’s partner in the comic, or was it a coincidence?

I should have told the truth, who knew she read the same comic as I did.

Actually… she’s the first person I met who read Dragoon…

I close my eyes and instantly fall asleep…

“Hey…”

“Hey!”

“HEY!”

I sat up to the dwarf yelling in my ear.

“Yeah? Yeah! I’m up, I’m up.”

Rubbing my eyes, I crawl out of the tent with the sun glaring into my eyes.

Renata, or the elf girl never woke me up, or was I out of it to the point that I couldn’t be woken up, who knows.

Standing outside the tent was the dwarf with a pissed look on his face, that was probability what he looks like all the time though.

This time he had a battle axe that was the same size has him, beside was the tall boy holding a staff with a blue gem a the top.

Right when I was about to look around for the elf girl, she got beside me and tapped me on my shoulder.

“You didn’t wake me up.”

I told her.

“You needed the sleep.”

I don’t understand her…

We walked for about 30 minutes and ended up at a run-down temple of some sort, vines wrapped around the pillars of the entrance which had magic runes carved into it, or what I assume are magic runes.

A gust of air escaped the temple smelling of death and decay.

The dwarf pushed me towards the entrance.

“You first.”

“Sure.”

These supplies better be worth it.

I got to the pillars, each one had a repeating outline of a square with a smaller square attached to the bottom.

Looking into the cave I can only see darkness, but I’m not going alone.

“It’s clear!”

All three of them entered the temple with me, we walked on the cracked stone floor with the occasional mushroom on the edges.

Water dripped from the celling, which hit my head multiple times.

I look back and see the dwarf and the tall kid.

“Where's the elf?”

The dwarf replied

“She decided to stay back.”

I didn’t think much of it.

Later on we kept walking down this long corridor, I couldn’t see the end.

Behind me I heard some whispering, it sounded like the dwarf was mad at something, perhaps there was supposed to be a door leading somewhere else than this straight path to nowhere!

I looked to my left and saw a wooden pillar, this was the first pillar that was not stone, suddenly I felt bloodlust.

I jump back as the dwarf swung his axe at me, he completely missed me but hit the wood pillar.

Shit.

As I jumped back the floor beneath me collapsed a metre in both directions.

I don’t understand, what do I have that’s worth killing me for?!

The elf girl… I thought she was, I liked her…

Flailing my limbs I got close to the wall on my right, focused my aura and—

“AGH”

I was launched back as a green glow stopped my punch from breaking the wall.

I fell for about five seconds when a arrow pierced through my left shoulder.

Elf girl! What the hell!

Then the tip of the arrow extended out tightly holding on to the back of my shoulder, I was then yanked up stopping my fall.

The arrow had thin rope connected to the end, which I used to climb up, as I got to the top the dwarf was screaming in rage.

“YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO POISON HIM! OUR DEAL IS DONE, AND YOUR FAMILY WILL DIE.”

I got to the ledge and climbed over.

The elf girl let go of the rope and offered me a hand.

Standing up I—

“AH!”

She pushed the arrow through my shoulder and placed it back in her quiver.

“I could have done that.”

Ignoring my remark, she said without looking away from the two.

“You owe me again… Now pick one.”

I smirked.

“The dwarf, I have some personal issues to sort out.”

“He only has his battle axe and no other abilities that I know of, except for the runes.”

“Got it.”

I charged towards him, jumping over the collapsed floor I concentrated my aura into my right fist aiming for his head.

It slammed against his battle axe causing him to slide backward as the pommel of the axe dug into the ground, and I kept my pressure.

Running after him I winded up another punch, but this time his battle axe lit up green.

It was covered with the same runes as the trap!

I didn’t have enough time to pull my punch so as I hit the axe I was shot back against the wall, parts of stone fell to the ground.

Quickly I got up, nearly got hit by his axe, and threw a counter right hook which he dodged by jumping back.

There's no way I’m getting past his axe, I might need to sacrifice my left arm just so I can get at least one hit.

This time he dashes at me, swinging the axe left and right, which I dodge. He then swung downwards I moved to the side, but he rotates the blade horizontally and cuts my chest.

Then he swings the blade at my left side, I dodge the best that I could, but it landed in my forearm.

I sent a quarter of my aura straight to the gash, as he tried to pull back the axe didn’t budge.

Perfect! I was betting everything on that, good thing sending my aura there would latch onto the axe.

Using this opportunity, I swung around and kicked the left side of his head with all the force I had. Instantly he was knocked out, I released the aura in my arm and the axe fell.

I turn around and see the kid moving his hands in a weird manner, like he’s playing the piano.

Down the corridor the elf girl was fighting a bunch of people, a lot of them were rotting? There were a few skeletons too… was I about to be turned into one of those?!

Running over to the kid, I got into a low wide stance and winded up my right hand, which I landed a haymaker into his liver. He fell to his knees in pain, as I slam a knee into his chin knocking him out.

The people by the elf girl collapsed all at once, then she dropped to her knees.

I ran over, jumping over the hole once again and saw she was crying.

Was she injured? I don’t see any blood… Internally?

“Are you—”

“I-I killed all these innocent people… and you were going to be one of them…”

I stared with confusion, then I remembered the dwarf said something about poisoning me.

“I thought… I thought they would kill my family if I disobeyed them… but last night I spied on them, and turns out, they were killed in the raid when I was captured…”

“Hey—”

“Then you came! You were looking for your siblings and I thought… maybe… maybe you would understand? You would forgive me… I just…”

I was in shock; she had been manipulated by these people for I don’t know how long.

Was it pity? Was it because I owe her? Was it my selfish desire to get to know her and maybe…

I wanted to help her; I want to help her.

I put out my hand.

“Damian.”

She looks up.

“That’s my name, Damian.”

She smiles.

Taking my hand, she stood up and looked into my eyes.

“I’m Lyra.”