Commander Liam

We began making our way up the staircase to the next floor. Erika stopped suddenly and wiped the sweat from her brow. She then let out an exhausted sigh.

"Can we take a break for a second Mr. Skeleton? I need to catch my breath."

"There’s no time for loitering, girl. We have to keep moving.” I said, sternly.

"Please, just a few minutes. I’m exhausted. You wouldn’t happen to have any water would you?" Erika said with a tired look.

"Fine, you can have a five minute break, but that’s it, and no I don’t have any water."

“That's fine I guess. I just hope we can find something to drink soon. I’m dying of thirst."

She sat down with a slight look of relief. She looked up at me as if something occurred to her.

“You know what, Mr. Skeleton. I never asked what your name is?!"

"You can just call me Arno." I said.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Arno!"

She smiled.

"Alright, time’s up. Let’s get moving again."

I proceeded to nudge her up to get her walking again.

✨✨✨

At the top of the stairs, we stepped through a corridor that led out to a very bright chamber. Erika covered her eyes as she entered until they adjusted to the brightness.

The room had what looked to be an indoor farm field. There were a variety of crops being grown, such as: corn and potatoes. An artificial stream ran down the center of the room, which was lit by magic crystals that glowed almost as bright as the sun.

This floor's primary purpose was growing food. It was essential for Lucian's survival. Unlike his undead thralls that don't need to eat, Lucian was like any other human. Since he chose to cut himself off from society, he established this indoor farm in order to fully be “off the grid”.

"Let's try to avoi-."

Erika completely ignored me and ran over to the stream.

"Thank goodness! I thought I was going to die!" She exclaimed while cupping her hands to drink.

"Hurry up! We don't have time to waste. Someone could come by any sec-"

A rustling noise came from the corn stalks beside Erika. Suddenly a puff of smoke filled the area. When it cleared she was surrounded by a group of skeletons pointing their weapons at her.

There was a rough sounding voice that came from behind the group surrounding her.

"Oy, if it ain't me old lad Arno!"

It came from an unusually short skeleton. He wore a bright green beret and a dark green cloak, as well as a plaid kilt. He had his broadsword drawn.

"We all tought ye was dead laddy. We heard Zombie Minotaur was released and ye seal with the Master was destroyed. But what do I find? Ye be alive trying to help the tax collector escape!"

This was Liam, he was the boss of this floor. His height was about as short as his temper. When he was alive, he was apparently an army commander that later became a mercenary.

"Oh, it's you, Liam. How about you just let us though. That way there doesn’t have to be any trouble." I said.

"It be COMMANDER Liam, for the hundredth time! And don't be tryin’ to weasel ye way out of this one, laddy. Ye be a traitor." Liam said, almost seeming giddy.

Liam has always hated me with every fiber of his being. For whatever reason, He desperately wants to be Lucian’s favorite thrall.

"What is it you wa--,"

Erika suddenly interrupted me by blowing that stupid whistle around her neck.

"What's the Lass trying to do?"

Liam looked confused.

"Apparently, she thinks it will signal the authorities or something." I said.

" But we be deep in a dungeon?" He responded.

Eventually her face turned red from being out of breath and she stopped.

"Ok...as I was saying what is it you want, Liam?" I continued

"I'll be the one askin' the questions lad."

He walked over to me and held his sword up to my face.

I remained quiet, refusing to speak.

"I be only askin’ tis once. Who be the lassy."

I could help but laugh.

"This girl slipped by your floor completely undetected. I thought you were the high and mighty leader of the third floor. It seems you've gotten lazy."

"Impossible ye must be fibbin'. Nothin' gets past my men!" Liam responded.

One of the skeletons surrounding Erika naively spoke,

"But boss, what about earlier, when you called us all from our posts for that meeting about staying on our guard for tax collectors?"

"Quiet!" Liam snapped trying to shut the skeleton up.

I couldn't help but laugh at him once again.

"What ye sni-"

Erika started blowing the whistle again.

"Someone take tat annoying ting!"

One of the skeletons pried the whistle from her hands.

"Hey, give that back!" She protested.

He was starting to get irritated. I need to figure out how I'm going to get us out of this? He continued to press me.

"Ye still haven't answered me question. Who be the noisy lass?"

I want to avoid giving Liam as much information as possible. If he finds out that I'm deserting my post, it'll be even more trouble.

"Thanks to your slip up, I ended up catching her in a trap on my floor an-"

Erika cut me off.

"Yeah and then Mr. Arno transferred this seal thing onto my hand, so now I'm like his master or something. Then a big cow monster attacked us, but we dropped a metal cage on it, and after that we came up here."

... Couldn't this girl take a hint? I was going to make up a story to convince him that I was escorting her out on Lucian's order. So much for that, now that she told him everything.

Liam gave me a death stare.

"So ye is a traitor after all! I ought to execute ye meself."

"I doubt Lucian would be happy if you killed his favorite undead." I said, arrogantly.

"Let me tell ye somethin' lad! The only reason ye was made final boss was because ye were buddies with Master Lucian in life. If it wasn't for favoritism I'd be second in command just under the master himself."

I definitely struck a nerve. His jealousy was definitely eating at him.

"Do you honestly think I care about being the final boss? It’s nothing more than a meaningless title."

"Ye know what you *BEEP*! Tis is why I have a problem with ye. While I actually am here *BEEP* doing real work, ye is just lazin' around all day down stairs... And another ting..."

He just went on and on and on in a curse filled rant about everything he hated about me. His rambling lasted for at least fifteen minutes straight.

"... And last of all, ye be the most arrogant *BEEP* I've ever had the dissatisfaction of knowing!"

He hated me even more than I originally thought. I won't even deny many of the things he said, I couldn’t help how vastly superior I was compared to the other thralls.

"Is that all?" I said in a taunting manner.

"*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*... That's it! We will settle tis once and for all in a one on one duel. Ye can use ye fancy magic or whatever, but no cheap tricks. Tis shall be an honorable fight between men."

If I could use magic right now this would be an easy victory, but Erika is still out of mana. I would have no choice, but to take him on hand to hand.

"I'll agree to this duel. Where will it take place?" I said.

"We'll use the training room down the hall. My men and the lass will come too. They will observe the match to make sure it is fair and square."

We all began walking over to the training room. Despite being a captive, Erika was chatting it up with Liam's underlings.

"Wow you guys sure grow a lot of food. Why do you need so much? Mr. Arno told me that skeleton's don't eat."

One of the skeletons spoke up,

"Master Lucian isn't undead like we are. So he gots to eat, unlike us. We make sure he has more than enough cuz if he starves to death we all die."

"This Lucian guy is really lucky to have thralls like all of you."

She continued shooting the breeze with the skeletons all the way to the training room. She was being held against her will and yet she was trying to make friends with her captors. I will give it to her, she was definitely trying to make the best of her situation.