Manticore I

Manticore I

Merrick the Hawk coughed as though he would spill half his lungs onto the straw. With each hack, his face reddened and his body shuddered violently.

The thief pulled himself unsteadily to his knees, waiting for the fit to pass. He took a quick glance at Wurhi. Youalright over there?

Wurhi the Rat sniffed, wiping her nose and remaining tears on her ruined sleeve. Am now, she grunted sullenly.

Good. He groaned, rising slowly to his feet and giving a ginger touch to his side. Think that bastard burst half my ribs. Must be metal bricks in those shoes of his.

The Zabyallan shook herself and stood to examine their prison. It rose high above their heads and stretched to a width that would have stabled several horses. The great hole proved far too vast to serve as a prison for merely one pair of thieves. She glanced about it in suspicion. Why would-

Sniff.

Her nostrils flared as the sour reek of decay wormed its way in.

Ugh! she grimaced. Were not the first ones here!

Whatre you on abou-Argh! The Hawk recoiled.

A tangle of discoloured skeletons lay piled against the pits wall with a veritable nest of rats swarming through the bones. From the heaps size and sheer number of skulls grinning from its confines, the pit must have held a dozen captives at one time.

She approached the bones with caution; mouldy straw squelched beneath her bare feet. She could not help but imagine what filth lay beneath, as rodents skittered from her path to burrow back into their bedding.

Halting a few paces from the bones, she crouched. A lot of these have been chewed on.

Merrick groaned. You think they got some beast down here with us?

Wurhi peered at a thick thigh bone, noting the rough indentations that ran its length. One spot made her recoil. Ugh. Theres a tooth stuck in that one. II think its human.

Oh, balls. Merrick moved beside her apprehensively. He sounded sick. They damned well ate each other!

Shit, shit! She stared up at the cross-section of logs above. Each spanned thicker than a strong mans arm and lengths of hemp rope bound them together cross-ways. A ramp in the stone spiralled up the pits side, forming a wide path where one could walk - or be dragged - to the top.

They would never be able to lift the logs: the stones weighing them down looked massive enough to crush Wurhi into a red smear.

Merrick let out a sardonic chuckle. A hole in the ground. Merrick the Hawk unravels any knot, picks any lock, undoes the most devilish traps and what finally does him in? A bloody hole in the ground!

Wurhi snorted in accord. She had been right when she first saw the pit; none of her skills would help here. Damn all demons and gods!

With grinding teeth, she snatched the chewed thigh bone and heaved it into the logs above.

Thwack!

It rebounded to land with a revolting squelch in the straw.

Thats helpful. Merrick kicked the bone away. Do that a time or two and maybe the guardsll get pissed enough to come stick us with spears. Might spare us from all the fighting and tearing at each other when we get hungry enough.

The Zabyallan threw him a withering look before climbing onto the ramp.

Wooden boards covered its surface to provide solid footing while - beneath them - the earth was packed hard enough to support an oxens weight. Shit. She touched the walls. The ramps dirt, but the walls are stone. She glanced to Merrick. Check the floor.

The Laexondaelic thief looked down upon the filthy straw as though it were hot coals. If you want to root through that unwholesome mess, go ahead. Ill not be touching it. Probably full of fleas and maggots.

She blinked at him. How long do you think itll be until that big, mange-bearded bastard comes waddling back to feed us to those lion-man-scorpions? You being squeamish now?

If Im dying, Im dying with clean hands.

She finished her tale by laying out their encounter at Gergorixs Tomb and their quiet journey to Laexondael by river. -after that, it was just drinking, feasting and gambling for months. She shook her head. We had it good. I shouldve left that damned jewel alone.

Aye, Ive been wishing that too. He snorted. But Id been watching that rich boy for months. Bloody months!

Why?

Cause he was the easiest mark Ive ever seen! He threw up his hands. Look at him! The boy prances about with two reeds rattling about his skull and acts like hes richer than the Emperor of Cymorillia! Did you know the bastard shoes that big horse of his with gold?

She snorted. Youre lying.

I swear on my fathers grave! Little pissantd probably wed that bloody beastie if he could!

Thats some love - letting gold get pounded between dirt and hooves. Once again, she wished she could break that boys nose. And what do you mean he acts like hes rich?

Ooooh, thats just the thing, Rat. He gave a dark chuckle. I paid some folk. Had them ask about: his familys well off and old but not half as rich as he makes it look. They got lands and jewels, sure, but theyre not the bloody duke. And since his mother got murdered, hes been throwing around silver like its water. Foolll empty his family coffers in months, so I thought it better to get the prize while there was still a prize to get.

No way. Then hows he got a horse like that? The damn thing looks like it should have an emperor on its back! And he shoes it in gold!

His ma. Merrick tapped the side of his head. She was sharp, from what I heard. Knew how to wield the family fortune proper and keep it going. Of course, she spoiled her boy worse than milk left out in summer, and now shes dead: nothing stopping him from getting robbed buying a hundred horses like tha-

Wait! She held up a hand. Listen!

What?

Shhh!

Merrick fell silent.

Somewhere toward the caverns entrance movement sounded. Low voices muttered. Rocks shifted. The thieves looked at each other. They silently crept up the ramp to the pits mouth and tried to peer through the bars, but the logs were bound too close for either to slip their heads through. Instead, they listened with held breaths.

Thnk. Thnk. Thnk.

Footfalls treaded up one of the ramps.

Scrp.

Bound logs were dragged back in place and the anchoring rocks soon followed.

Bloody piss, you think its those lion things?

Wurhi sniffed the air. NoI only smell humans.

He gave her a look as though she had three heads, but she gave no heed. Footsteps approached their pit, the closest walking with a heavy tread.

A familiar face appeared at the hole, wearing an evil smile. Well, Ive got some good news for you! Berard chuckled through his beard. A clot of wolf-masked cultists framed him, all with vicious bronze spears clutched menacingly.

Scrp.

Grunting, downcast slaves moved aside the stones and shifted the bound logs.

The thieves tensed for an opportunity, but a pack of cultists moved to block any possible escape. They filled the top of the ramp and levelled their spears toward the two captives.

Good news is you might get to live today! The giant man stepped forward with bags in his hands. If you come with us quiet, the Sacred Alphas deemed you get a chance for your lives. You resist, and we will skewer you right here and now. He looked down at them with a hunger that made Wurhi shudder. Well start with your feet and work our way up. Make it last.

We wont trouble you! Wurhi blurted. She glanced at Merrick, who nodded quickly.

The big man sighed. Too bad. No sport. Bag em.