Gary
He knelt before her and still towered over her. His hands were huge as they held hers and she tilted her head in curiosity. What was he doing? When he tore off a piece of his loincloth and wrapped her wrists together, she understood. But it didn't keep her stomach from churning in dread. *It's not real,* She told herself. *Just pretend it's a game.* 

His look was apologetic before he shoved her forward and into view. She stumbled a little, but caught herself from completely falling. Her amber eyes widened as she looked towards the Orcs, then she quickly lowered her gaze. She didn't want to appear to be challenging anyone. Ves shivered violently. A game. It was just a game. She wasn't really a slave, bound for something terrible. It was all pretend.

The trio spoke briefly as the Kobold stood there trembling. Then finally the Goliath led her forward and around the next corner. There he knelt once more and freed her hands. She rubbed her wrists absently although she wasn't hurt. She lifted her gaze towards him and spoke quietly. "What did you say to them?" Did she really want to know? Probably not. Yet she asked anyway.

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Toney
*He looked down at her and spoke plainly. As he spoke he saw her rubbing her wrists, so he took one into his large hands and began to softly prod it with two fingers, attempting to massage any constriction in her wrists.* 

"I told them I had chose a prize. Being their favored fighter brings... Perks. However I have never once acted on them. Instead I ask for spoon. Or bucket. Or wash tub." *He looked at the floor as he spoke.* "Are you hurt?" *His voice had a hint of concern and behind his bushy, untamed brows, he kept his eyes on the ground.

He felt guilt for using her that way but it was the only way to get past them. He would not make the same mistake as before...* "I told them I was taking you back to your cell, we have time but not much."
Gary
She tensed a little as he touched her wrists, but slowly relaxed after a moment. She studied him closely even as he stared hard at the ground. Her tail twitched back and forth as she gently placed her tiny hand on his. "I'm not hurt," She whispered softly. "Please don't worry about me. We should keep moving before they realize they've been fooled."

What kind of "Prize" Was she going to be? Ves tried not to think too hard about it. She took the Goliath's hand in her own and gently pulled him down the corridor. They had to keep moving. There was nothing for it now but to continue forward. There was one goal: freedom.

The smell was growing stronger. It was a stench of decay and rotting flesh and it made Ves queasy. It was also getting darker the further they traveled. Occasionally they would pass by a lit torch, but the tunnels they were headed for had no reason for the light. They were a mass grave, where the bodies of those fighters who didn't make it were carelessly tossed. Ves was not looking forward to wading through corpses, but what other choice did they have?

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Toney
*He allowed her to take him by the hand and lead him into the darkness. His breath was shallow and quickened by the dark around him. His hand tensed up as they lost the light of the torches. He knew what was ahead... His foes.

He knew this was going to hurt, they usually tossed the broken swords down here too. He had to be careful, lest he finds himself trapped in mountains of bodies. They eventually approached the small barred entrance. Luckily, they never locked these doors, since it was just a makeshift compost pit. He could practically smell the maggots deep in his eyes, forcing a tear from his working eye from the smell. He looked down to Ves.*

 "This is it, we have to move through that. There may be broken swords, bones, teeth... Ve careful. Be brave." *He once again said that to himself more than her. Regardless, he didn't want his savior to bleed out on a broken blade...*

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*He decided that he would go first, if something was to cut his skin, he would be able to warn Ves. He didn't like the idea of going in the dark. He hated that idea. His mind was currently roaring at him to leave now before it's too late... But if he went back he'd die in this hell, like Solaire. She wanted him to leave, she truky did... He prayed that he didn't come across her decaying beauty in this pit of corpses.

He lowered himself to his hands and knees and began to shuffle forward. The stone floor scraped his knees and He bumped his head as he entered but... He knew he had to do this. Once he had crawled in enough, he began to breathe solely through his mouth, beckoning her to follow him.

"Come. Sooner we do this the safer we will be. Fight above nearly over. I'm supposed to be next." *He pointed to the ceiling with a look of discomfort.

Ursa then turned to look before him; rows and rows of bodied piled on top of each other were in various stages of decay, the smell magnified by the heat. The fresh ones were in various stages of agony, their faces frozen in pain, eyes half faded. Some even uncannily looked like his blind eye... The more decayed ones were partially rotted away, revealing bone and other offal within.*
Gary
The smell grew stronger and more pungent and Ves lifted her free hand to cover her mouth and nose. The stench was sickening. She could feel the Goliath beside her tense up as they moved beyond the light. Was he afraid? Did he share in her fear? What did he have to be afraid of? Ves shook the thought aside. Even though he was big and strong, he still had the right to be scared. The Kobold knew that fear was universal, even if some people did not care to admit it.

As they approached the entrance, Ves had to pause and wait for her stomach to stop churning. She nodded solemnly in response to the Goliath's words. "I'll be careful," She promised. "I'll be brave." She got the feeling now that he was talking to both of them when he spoke those words.

With wide eyes she watched him move forward and drop to his hands and knees. At least she didn't need to do that: she was small enough to squeeze through. She did wish she had shoes. She had leather wraps around her clawed feet, but they wouldn't protect against discarded swords. After he had passed under the low gate she followed quickly after.

Her steps were light and stealthy. Of course he would be next to fight. They would notice his absence immediately and the alarm would sound. They would look for him... And her. She was seen with him and they would know. Ves fought the trembling that threatened to chatter her teeth. She wouldn't freeze up in fear. She would keep going.

Ves tried not to look at the bodies, but it was impossible. They seemed to be everywhere. Faces twisted in everlasting pain and blank cloudy eyes stared at her. Mouths lay open in silent agonized screams for help. It was too late for these poor souls. But it wasn't too late for her Goliath friend. She could save him at least. It was pure coincidence that he was the one she chose to attempt to lead to freedom, but she didn't regret the decision. She stood by her beliefs.

Swallowing hard to keep herself from vomiting, Ves began to maneuver around the lifeless people and the carelessly tossed weapons. It was like walking through a pit of needles. One wrong step and she would be cut to ribbons. Luckily, Ves was a creature of stealth and was used to picking her way through obstacles. She only hoped her new friend was doing as well. 

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Toney
*Ursa was struggling. He had seen gore. He had disemboweled lions and wore intestines as garters for the savages above. He beat a man to death with his own severed leg. But this was something else. He gagged on the stench and tried to focus on ahead. If he could get through this, he was free. He could be at peace.

He winced as he felt the inevitable slash of a gladius sword against his thigh. He quickly picked up the discarded weapon. Thankfully, it was fresh and only covered with his blood. Perhaps one of his mercy killings? Ursa threw it aside with an echoing clink. He paused, waiting in case that single sound spelled their doom. It was in that silence he heard the creaking of the pit. 

He immediately looked to the ceiling as a light began to open up a good story above them, casting a light over Ves. The klaxon horn sounded, signalling the death of a fighter. That was the chute where the bodies fell from.* "Move in front. Now!" *He made a hushed yell to Ves a body at that height would seriously hurt her frail form. He pressed himself against the wall of flesh with a sickening squelch, lukewarm viscera painting his back as the flesh of a corpse, as fickle as paper mache, peeled away on his scarred back. It was a small gap, but enough for her to squeeze through.

The sound of the body being thrown from above could be heard as the poor sod hit something against the stone walls. It was coming. And Ves needed to act fast!*

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Gary
Light flooded the chamber suddenly as the ceiling above opened up. It hurt her eyes and once adjusted, she wished they hadn't. The light only served to illuminate the horrors around them. But there was a more immediate problem. A body was about to be dumped. And she was right below where it would fall.

She darted forward and through the gap her companion had created. In her rush, however, she felt something slice into her thigh. She let out a soft cry of pain, but the sound was drowned out by the cheering crowds above. 

Ves managed to get out of the way just as the body hit the ground with a disgusting *Splat.* Gore splattered out from the corpse, and the Kobold felt her stomach churn once again as blood splashed across her tiny frame. She was breathing hard, her little heart pounding like a drum in her chest. It had been a close call. Any slower and she would have been beneath that body and likely too injured to continue. 

The light began to disappear as the chute was closed once more. Only then did she pause to look down at her thigh. There was a shard of metal sticking out of it and the pain made her shudder. She knew better than to pull it out just yet. Opening the wound might make it bleed worse and if it had hit a major artery, she would bleed out in minutes. Hopefully that wasn't the case, but she had to be careful.

"A-Are you alright?" She stammered as she looked up at the Goliath, looking him over for injuries. 

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Toney
*His eye widened when Ves narrowly avoided a crushing end. Maybe that was why she was fretting over him. His face was stoic, still up until this point. Now, his bushy, unkempt brows were raised and his eyes widened to the point the claw scars hurt from the strain over his inept eye. His torso was covered in blood, an eyeball slowly peeling off of his skin, dropping to the floor with a sickly splat.

In his mind, he swore she would end up like her. He almost swore he saw Ves crushed... Her voice was muffled in his panicked ears. It was only when she began to look him over did he snap back to reality. He stared over at her, taking a deep breath.*

"I am fine. Are you?" *He sat down against the flesh and looked at her intently, he was scanning for any wounds. Unable to see her thigh in the dark.* "Can you move?" *His words were slow, methodical, between each heaving breath as he calmed himself. Specks of blood had gotten into his wild and thorny beard and brows. He was unharmed beside the pain in his back, which throbbed like a thumb trapped in a stable door or bowstring.*

"Ves?"

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Gary
"I can walk," She said quietly through chattering teeth. "We should... We should keep moving." She wanted out of this place. It was making her sick. The stench of fresh blood mixed with the rot and decay seemed to overwhelm her keen senses. And the pain in her leg only added to her nausea. 

She took a deep breath through her mouth. She could taste the fresh coppery blood in the air. Sweat trickled down her brow and she was pale, though it would be difficult to tell in the darkness. She knew she had come close to dying and their escape wasn't yet over.

"Come on. We're almost there," She whispered, reaching for his hand through the blackness. She gave his hand a little squeeze as she began to move again. She limped along now, a little less stealthy, but still mostly silent. Secretly she was worried about her leg. She wasn't exactly certain what was stuck there, but she knew it needed to be removed and thoroughly cleaned and bandaged. They just didn't have the time right now to do all that

A *Squelch* Sounded from nearby as a bloated corpse opened up and maggots spilled out. Ves hoped she'd never have to do anything like this ever again. 

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Toney
*He nodded his head and, for some reason, allowed her to take his hand in hers as they moved across the bloody landscape. His heart was a fast, irratic pace: Thump-Thum-Tha-THUM-Thum-Tha-THUM. He noticed she was limping... His stomach dropped. She had been hurt by moving ahead.

"When we make a break for it. I will carry you." *He said, conviction in his words. He knew she needed some medical attention. He would have to help her or get her help himself. He covered his mouth, swallowing back vomit as he watched the bloated corpse open up like a squashed fruit. He stopped for a second, his eyes stung from the smell and his back was aching. He felt something wriggling on his skin. He suppressed the dreaded thought as he pressed on.

Something caught his ear, something ahead... It was echoing and unclear but he knew that tone anywhere. A cawing. He used his free hand to rub his necklace. 'Please, Shrike. Guide us.' he said in his head. Round one of the more empty, yet blood soaked passages, a flash of red could be seen.* "Follow the light. We will be out of here and on the last stretch."

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Gary
"A-Alright," She stammered when he offered to carry her. She wasn't going to argue. She was grateful for the suggestion. Even without an injury she would be slower than him, simply because his stride was that much longer. Ves knew she weighed very little and was unlikely to slow him down very much either.

"Follow the light," She repeated as they finally left the main chamber where the pile of corpses lay rotting. The corridor was still soaked in blood, but they were at last leaving the thick stench behind them. Was that a hint of fresh air? They were almost there! Ves felt her heart leap into her throat. 

The cawing of birds made her long ears twitch. The light was getting closer and closer. Just a few more steps and yes! Finally! Fresh air hit her as her eyes adjusted to the brightness. They had made it out of the pits. But the danger wasn't over yet. They still needed to get far away from there. The alarm would sound at any moment. Was it time to run?

Eyes darting back and forth, Ves searched for signs of any guards. None seemed to be patrolling this area at least. "We should go further into the city. I know of a place where we can lie low. An old stable where no one goes. We can rest there." To move meant they would have to step out into the sunlight and into a clearing. It was probably the most dangerous part of this venture. The guards on the walls above them might be paying attention and they usually had crossbows. This might be the end of their journey. But Ves was determined. They had come this far. They would go a bit further still.

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Toney
*Ursa followed her to the mouth of the corridor. He could see the light. It was blinding, all he saw was white bright light. And then a flash of red. A corvid flew down and looked at them. It was no ordinary bird. It had swirling tattoos over its body that glew a slow, yet pulsing red with eyes to match. It squawked at them, at Ursa.

He smiled as it hopped up towards them. Reaching a finger out and making the motion of stroking its head with a curled finger. It tilted it's head towards the gesture, even though no contact was made physically.*

"Shrike will help us, won't you?" *The bird replied in kind with a short but fast bob of it's head, twice in a rapid succession. It then flew off and began to squawk loudly above, the sound of clattering could be heard and annoyed grunts from Orcs as they tried to cease the incessant noise.

It was then that Ursa dropped down and offered himself to Ves.* "Direct me. I shall run for us."
Gary
Ves looked in surprise as a bird swooped down and squawked at them. But the Goliath seemed to know the creature. He even reached out to pet the raven, though no actual physical contact was made. The bird didn't appear to be a normal pet. Was it a familiar perhaps? She was no expert on the subject, but it seemed it might be. 

She would have to ask later. For now she moved to climb onto the Goliath's back, wrapping her arms around his neck so she could hang on. Her grip was tight, but not tight enough to choke him. She felt a sharp pain in her thigh as she moved into position and cringed. Luckily she was behind him by then and her expression of pain could not be seen.

"Alright. See those buildings over there, the ones with the red rooftops? Head in that direction. The stable isn't too far from there. We'll take the alleys and avoid the main streets. I don't know how far they'll go to search for us." It probably depended on his value as a slave. If he won fights frequently (and it seemed he did) then they would want him back. He would need to lie low for a while.

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