บท 36: Chapter 36: Dungeon Chaos!

"Argh!"

Kalika peeked down the corner of the hall leading to the staircase down below. In front of the staircase, Valam stood and waited

"So, they are trying to keep me from going back down, That's so annoying…!" She quickly hid herself back into the hall corner.

"I wanted to get some more of that food they were cooking." Kalika found herself unconsciously drooling a little as the thoughts of the delicious food flooded her mind.

The patter of footsteps is heard echoing the hall, most likely one of the Daji or Florin roaming the halls. Reluctantly forcing Kalika to press on in the dungeon halls.

After a while of sneaking around the halls, Kalika lost the women on her tail. She peeked from the corner, soon scanning the empty hall. Unfortunately, this didn't make her feel easy. After all, she just found out that they could mask their own presence somehow.

"Tch. It's like they want to play a game of hide and seek with me, every time I come here."

Continuing forth, she ventured deeper into the dungeon until she came across another set of stairs that lead upstairs. These were being guarded by Florin.

"Of course." she scowled. "There's no doubt about it now… They're trying to keep me on this floor…."

Kalika once again continued to investigate the dungeon corridors. She activates newly discovered traps, but easily avoids them, finding them repetitive.

Kalika sighed. "At least these traps are a lot easier to deal with… They're becoming predictable at this point. But still, I think I 've seen every nook and cranny of this dungeon. And I haven't eaten in a couple of days."

Suddenly Kalika's stomach growled.

"Uuggghhh… Why hasn't Rhonda come back yet!? I really don't want to go back to that prison. But at this point I'll- ' Kalika's stomach growled even louder.

"Perhaps I should try to steal a bowl of meat porridge…"

-_-

********

Kalika now peeked down the dungeon corner with the prisoner straight ahead. She could see a couple of prisoners loafing around like some of the guards. She cringed upon seeing this.

"Alright the mess hall should just be to the left of this hall I think…"

Kalika readied herself for a fight. "Okay… Here goes nothing."

She sprinted down the hall with complete disregard of the noise she made. The prisoner, hearing her footsteps, turned to find Kalika rushing down the hall.

"Quick! Got get-"

Kalika stepped and hopped off his face, to the shock of the other man. The other Prisoner disregarded Kalika, scurrying down the other hall with a clear objective.

She raced down the hall, and slam opened the mess hall door, stammering and running in. She ran and hopped over all the tables until she found the perfect bowl to steal.

"It's the Immortal Maiden! Get her!!"

Donovan, who was serving food, heard the ongoing commotion. Glancing back up, he found Kalika quickly grabbed the bowl from some poor man. She quickly changed gears to escape with her newly acquired prize.

"What the- What's she doing here!?" Donovan questioned. the meat porridge in the ladle he held, poured out as he watched in surprise.

Suddenly a prisoner arrived, slashing at Kalika's gut!

"I got her!!" He yelled."

Kalika disoriented, buckled down, and ignored the immense pain, opting to continue her escape.

Another prisoner stabbed her back.

Another slash to her arm. She held tightly to her bowl.

out of nowhere, she was cut in her neck.

"D-don't let go! D-don't let go!"

Kalika's vision became hazy and after a while, found a blurry darkness.

She awakes to find herself running out the exit. She smiled pridefully, practically making out of the mess hall. And like the thief she was, she hightailed it, away from the scene of the crime.

Donovan watching, could only stand still in the kitchen, shocked by the utter chaos. Almost all the other prisoners were now chasing after Kalika. He clutched his hands, and dropping the tackle, he followed right behind the other prisoners.

"Hey, where're you goin!??" the old chef yelled.

Kalika dashed through the halls dodging and weaving through as many attacks as she could. She was simply impressed by how many of the prisoners there were that actually wanted to kill her.

She looked back to find many of the other prisoners now chasing after her. And in front of her even more men with Maverick leading the charge.

"Tch! Him!?" She blurted, annoyed.

"I just have to turn that corner into the hall and that should-"

A sword stabbed through her bowl and into her chest. She recognized it as Maverick's sword.

"M…My food…"

The bowl of meat porridge spilled to the ground behind her as she continued to run away.

Kalika looked back up to find Maverick now punching her. She fell to the ground hard.

"Arrghhhhh!!"

The sword in the chest got pulled out causing her to scream further.

"Finally… I had a feeling you'd come out sooner or later." Maverick sliced Kalika's neck.

All the prisoners around Kalika kept their distance from her.

"I messed up."

"Looks like the bitch finally got hungry, didn't she." laughed. "Don't hog her to yourself Maverick."

Kalika resurrected. Her neck got sliced again by Maverick.

This repeated for some time. Kalika being forcefully resurrected. And Maverick's instant slicing of her neck. All culminating in a rhythmic pattern as the crowd of prisoners watched.

Unknown to Kalika Donovan is trying to push past the guards but was being held back. Some of the prisoners watching were starting to get bored with the same attack and death.

One of the other irritated prisoners approached Maverick. "Hey c'mon. Give us a piece of the action too-"

Maverick instantly beheaded the man, his gaze dead serious like no other. Maverick was like a predator, defending its prize for others that would prey on it like vultures.

Prisoner's loyal to Maverick started to step up, forming a line between him and the other prisoner that had planned to kill Kalika. He swung his sword again killing Kalika

"This girl is mine."

SHINK

"Anyone else that has a problem with this can either leave or die."

Hearing Mavericks' words spooked the prisoners there. somewhere started to become sickened by the sight and left.

"I…"

SHING

"I…. can't…"

SLASH

"STOP IT!!!" Donovan attempted to push through several of the Mavericks men. He punched and kicked his way through his men.

"That idiot soldier." a prisoner muttered.

"Yeah, what's he doing?"

Maverick just glanced over before slashing once again at Kalika's neck. "You again?" he mumbled.

Kalika resurrected once again, shortly after the sword got stuck through her chest, making her scream in agony.

"The last time you tried to help the Immortal maiden you were just fortunate the Imperial wall stepped in to help."

Donovan broke through opting to punch Maverick. This was met with a punch to the gut by maverick himself.

He inched himself close to Donovan's warm whispering. "Don't expect any help this time. Because he won't be returning any time soon.

"W-what do you mean!!!??"

Before he could do anything, Donovan got punched square in the face.

Kalika Glanced up to the scene before her. "T-the new guy again? W-what's going on?"

She then glanced back to her chest to find a sword sticking out of it. Without hesitation, while everyone else was distracted by the one-sided beating, Kalika removed the sword from her chest. She died and was revived shortly after, and using this golden opportunity started to escape.

Maverick now held Donovan by the throat. Donovan punched Maverick several times, but that got weaker with each punch. "Is this all you got? Pathetic!"

Donovan was slammed into the wall, coughing up blood as he did.

"MAVERICK! SHE'S GETTING AWAY!" one of his men shouted.

He ignored the man, putting more attention on Donovan right before him. Prisoners seeing this, riled up, trying to break through the line being manned by Maverick men. The whole situation started to become more chaotic.

Eventually the prisoners broke through the line, running past Maverick and Donovan as the fought. All to chase after Kalika.

Kalika peeked once again behind herself seeing not only the horde of men chasing after her. Not only that but also catching a glimpse of Maverick choking the life out of Donovan on the ground. All the while could only Donovan punch back in vain.

The scene became even more chaotic as some of the guards attempted to intervene but quickly became overwhelmed by the sheer chaos surrounding them. Prisoner pushing on prisoner, Guard trying to push through while trying to maintain an order already lost.

She turned away seeing this. "He'll be alright…"

"Don't let her get away!" one of the prisoners yelled, his voice practically being drowned by the chaos in the hall.

"He'll…" The memory of when he tried to help her resurfaced along with that time, she was able to laugh because of him. He was someone she barely knew. Even so, she thought about the Heroes of Prophecy, asking herself, what they would do. It wasn;t even a question to her.

"He's so annoying…"

To the shock of everyone Kalika suddenly halted and turned back around running towards the horde of men.

"I think she's lost her mind now or somethin!" a prisoner jokes.

"Who cares, let's kill her."

Kalika slowly started to approach the side of the wall. "Alright I've done this plenty of times in those corridors. It'll be like dealing with those traps!"

"Hey, what is she doing???"

They all watched as Kalika ran up across the side of the wall, confusing most of the men there.

"I can't afford to make any mistakes from here!" Kalika braced herself, leaping from the wall and over the head of the other prisoners. Some of them continued to watch, befuddled by the situation.

"What are you doing!?? Get her!!"

Kalika stepped on the face of one of the men watching her. She kicked off hard using him like steppingstones, followed by another man, then another, all until she finally made it past the horde of prisoners!

Kalika continued to race away from the men. Her heart was beating much faster. "T-that was close!"

"Hey Maverick, The Immortal Maiden's coming back."

"Eh?"

Kalika pushed past Maverick's men. "Hey get her!"

Kalika hopped and grabbed onto Maverick. She clutched his neck with her arms holding him tight. Maverick Released Donovan from his grasp, turning his focus back to Kalika. He grabbed her trying to force her off him.

Right before being pulled off, she bit his ear, biting a piece of it off. Maverick cried out in pain as she grabbed Donovan and ran! spitting out the piece of the man's ear as she did.

To everyone's shock she easily dragged Donovan's limp body down the corridor. The prisoner that chased her earlier continued their pursuit running past Maverick once again.

All the while Maverick simply held the side of his ears in shock. "How did she…"

Back with Kalika, Donovan started to regain consciousness. He looked back in confusion, shortly after losing consciousness again upon seeing her.

Some of the prisoners chasing her started to become much more exhausted chasing her down the hall. Some even started to collapse.

"H…How is she still this fast?????" the prisoner stopped, wheezing. "And how does she have so much energy??"

Kalika turned the corner of the hall with a separate trapped hall straight ahead. She rushed headfirst activating a fire trap.

She barely made it through with Donovan a little burnt. Everyone still following, stopped. They all watched as the clear trap spewed out fire from its unknown origins.

Pissed by the outcome, some of the prisoners with dagger started throwing their blades at Kalika to little effect. This only serves to leave cuts on her arms and stomach. Not that she cared about it much now.

With nothing else to do, they all glared back at Kalika, leaving the premises. They all started to murmur about her and Donovan, finding Kalika's actions weird and strange.

Kalika sat herself on the wall across from Donovan. All the while the fire spewing and her stomach growled once more, reminding her of her failed expedition. She sighed, disappointed.

After a while of sitting back on the wall Donovan finally awoke. He looked up to find Kalika in front of him. "Y-y-you!??"He started clamoring to the wall. Sweating more profusely. He looked around quickly.

"We're inside the booby-trapped dungeon," she said. "Just give me a moment and I'll help you out."

Donovan can only look on, a little stunned. "W…What happened?"

"I had to get you away from that brute. Just be glad you're not dead."

"SO I was saved by… The Immortal Maiden?"

"KALIKA! MY NAME IS KALIKA! Not Immortal Maiden!" Kalika sighed frustratedly. "Honestly, I just hate that name."

Donovan jumped upon seeing Kalika's glare. "And another thing! Why do you keep butting in!?? Not that I'm complaining, but do you have a death wish or something??? This is the second time you almost got killed!"

Donovan looked away shyly. "It's just… What they want us to do to you…That… It isn't right. I-I just can't stand by while other people are being trampled on. Especially if they're defenseless. It's just… That's not justice."

A clear silence hung between the two. all broken as Kalika sighed again.

"An Idealist, huh…?" Kalika took a deep breath. "Your chivalry will be the death of you if you keep trying to help me."

"O…Okay…"

Kalika began to feel awkward again as they both became at a loss for words again.

"B-but… If you really want to help me… Just leave some food in one of these dungeon halls or bring me food after hours."

Kalika then gave a depressed, concerned look. "I… Haven't eaten anything in days, and I seriously considered eating a piece of that brute's ear."

"O…Oh…" Donovan could only look on awkwardly. "S-sure… I don't mind passing along some food…"

In that moment the Fire trap finally ceases, helping to put the awkwardness to a close. "Alright, looks like it's safe for you to pass back in." Kalika got up gesturing for Donovan to stay close.

" Okay." Donovan followed her lead approaching the trap. "I-Is it really… Safe."

"Just make sure you run through really fast. Then you should be fine."

Donovan gulped, a little nervous. He backed up, readying himself just before taking off into a sprint and barely making it through the trap

"Whoa!" He felt his hair getting singed by the fire.

"Good work. And see you around, new guy." Kalika

"I-it's Donovan." he yelled back.

Kalika paid little attention, instead she focused on avoiding upcoming traps ahead of her. He kept watching through the spewing fire, with thoughts of Tilus and what Maverick said about him.

"Where are you Tilus…?" Donovan said to himself.

********

Lillian awoke in the shabby village home with Lucius sitting by her side. his chest bear with it bandaged all around, reading a book.

"L-Lucius? When did you get here??"

She noticed the bloodied bandaged with a huge dent in his chest. "What happened to you???" She became worried, attempting to force herself up. a pain surged within her, making her flinch.

Lucius stopped her and leaned her back to the bed.

""Don't worry about me, this is just a flesh wound. I just have to rest a little longer and I'll be fine."

"But how did this happen to you?"

Lucius looked away. "Remember that report I sent regarding those strange weapons the Celestine army had?"

"Vaguely. Yes."

Lucius closed his book at the moment. "Well. It looks like the confederate army somehow got their hands on these supplies. Whether they've been saving them or somehow got them in a shipment recently I can't say. Regardless, we will have to rethink our approach to conquering this last city."

Lillian became disappointed. "I see… So, we're gonna be stuck for a little bit aren't we…"

"Yes… But since one more of their Generals are dead it only leaves two more left to deal with. So, you did a good job." He smiled much more fondly at her. "Aside from that I heard you dealt with some strange creature."

A flicker of doubt filled Lillian's eyes. "It called itself an Angel… I'm not sure but,,, I think the General I killed... Somehow summoned it...."

Lucius got up, setting the book down and grabbing something off a nearby shelf away from Lillian's view. "Did he use this?"

Lillian examined the horn before her. "Y-yes. He used that I think, he blew into it for a second. then after that...."

Lillian found Lucius becoming more serious, as though the situation became much more dire.

"Is… Something wrong?" She asked.

"Listen Lillian. What I'm about to tell you has to stay between us."