"I'm certain that you'll recognise it," the magi replied. "It will be in a place of honour. If in doubt, bring everything you find. If you don't bring the right one, you can always go back in again." His jest drew mocking laughter from the guards. "Now, off with you. The night is not growing any younger."<br/><br/>Some of the other slaves moved towards the pile of tools, picking up anything they thought might be useful. One or two looked daggers at the guards, but the already knocked and drawn bows prevented any suicidal actions. One by one they started to drift towards the entrance, lighting torches and lanterns from the nearby brazier before moving on.<br/><br/>The first section looked, well, much like natural cave. Rough stone walls led off into the darkness, and the floor was uneven enough to make foot a little iffy at anything more than a walking pace. The group moved carefully in, torches held high for illumination.<br/><br/><div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/9/99/Qadira.jpg)</div><br/>A few of the slaves held weapons like they knew how to use them, most had tucked at least a dagger away. The ones with the torches .. or the ones who had been given the torches .. led the way carefully forwards. The stone walls angled downwards, a fairly gentle slope. After some 30 or 40 yards the rough walls changed, becoming worked stone. Flakes of paint still clung to some, though whatever the mural had been, it was now faded away to nothing.<br/><br/><div class="floatleft">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/2/20/A11839aefc56d467bd25e4abfd7d1fbe.jpg)</div>The cause for that might be the score or so of bodies that lay sprawled around the room. Some bore signs of injuries caused by weapons, others lay untouched, though many had flesh missing. Hopefully it was just from whatever vermin infested the place. Judging by the difference in the bodies, these are the remains of two, perhaps three, different groups.<br/><br/>The other slaves stood quietly, looking the scene over, one mousy young woman near the back making a gagging sound.<br/><br/><br/><br/>“Move on,” the brawler snarled, gesturing with the hammer he held. “They’re dead already, and I’m not wanting to join them. If you see anything useful, take it, but get your sorry arses moving if you want to see the sun again.”<br/><br/><br/><br/><div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/c/c4/Tumblr_op6a9gZqut1qmgrs2o1_1280.jpg)</div>"Settle down Karim," the smaller man said, laying a hand on the others arm. "None of us want to be here, but we'll all stand a better chance of getting back out if we can work together." He turned to look the others over. "I'm Crow. This here is Karim. The only traps we have much experience with are the ones you set out near a water hole to try catching dinner."<br/><br/>He looked around at the group and gave a shrug. "Runaway slaves, you don't exactly have a lot of options out there. Turn bandit, or try and keep your head down and your stomach full."<br/><br/><br/><br/><div class="floatleft">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/d/d9/F0fe5eec26a620ce27ded9388435b04b.jpg)</div>When no one else seemed inclined to announce a knowledge of traps, a dusky skinned woman gave a somewhat theatrical sigh. "I guess that means it's down to me then," she said, looking around. "And before anyone needs ask, yes I was thief, til I got turned in. Could be worse,” she said philosophically, “They might have taken my hands off instead. Not exactly many ways for a woman to earn her coin after that.”<br/><br/>"You can call me Zaina, by the way."