Darkness: Chapter 7 - Hunger

It shuddered, with anger, anger so loud as to make his efforts at hiding in this place entirely futile. The movement of unused acids in his gut had lasted nearly a day now, unanswered in their calls for nourishment, growing in noisy discontent with each hour. At least, what he considered to be an hour, time was quickly losing its meaning down here. The feasting cannibals had long since finished their meal, skulking off with the lapping of blooded maws back to their own corners to digest and wait...

This place will be fraught with problems...

He considered this, as he sat cross legged atop the ledge looking out into the pitch black of main cave chamber beyond. His eyes found nothing, not a scrap of light. Already he’d begun to become accustomed to using his other senses. Touch, smell and sound would be allies here, his only allies, save for Vrex perhaps.

And I can’t even be sure if he won’t simply kill me in my sleep.

The thought gnawed at him, worse than the pangs of hunger in his belly. Vrex had not moved all this time, while Krogon sat on the far right of the ledge, Vrex remained perched on the far left. Not a word had been passed between the pair, all the while the Blademaster could only think, endlessly.

Focus, consider your options, what do you know?

Well, he knew what they had taken from him upon capture. First they took his swords, then they searched him and removed his daggers, knives and other weapons. His armoured gauntlets too, and even the sandals that bore no other use  were not safe.

No weapons then...

Next they took his waist-wrap, along with his tools and climbing gear concealed within. Smoke bombs, rope, climbing claws and other gizmo’s he had handpicked for just such a tight spot.

They would have been useful now.

That all paled though, in comparison to the true robbery. He didn’t know when or what was done with it, but his iconic wolf mask had been snatched for some unknown fate. He’d rarely ever be seen without it hiding his features, like many Red Blades. Though worse still, they had taken his prayer beads.

The spirits are silent here, they would have been a great boon.

His right hand rubbed over the top of his chest where those sacred orbs had one rested. That those had been removed showed incredible foresight by the dark shaman, as well as intimate knowledge of how a Blademaster gained and tapped into his spiritual powers. It all pointed to one thing...

This was no chance skirmish. They planned it well, and I was the target.

He snorted, realising with disdain with how easily he had been caught.

”You seem agitated, stranger. What has you so riled? Hrm?” Vrex whispered in his cool, coarse tone.

Perhaps now is the time to start asking.

Krogon ran his hand over the moist, cold surface of the rock he sat upon as numerous questions ran through his mind, all competing for priority.

”Why are the spirits so quiet down here?” He asked, at last. Probably after too many silent moments, but the question needed an answered. The spirits were mute, and the earth felt tender.

Vrex snorted, not with disdain but with amusement. ”this whole chamber is one giant wound to them, is why.”

Krogon turned to look toward him, finding on the black veil of the dark and the sound of disgruntled breathing.

”Mala’kal scoured every tunnel, chamber and surface down here with runes of enslavement and agony. The earth itself is a ward, beaten into submission to allow no other spirit a voice or presence...” He finished, spitting for good measure.

Krogon ran his hand over the ground again, his brows furrowing in anger. All Dark Shaman had much to answer for, but Mala’kal was quickly becoming the most intolerable. When his lip had curled enough he pressed on with his questions.

”What of the other prisoners?” He pressed. It was a good question, he’d only seen four, there could be many more in those tunnels leading from this central chamber.

”Them? There be plenty. You already met the pig, the troll I call Drooler. Don’t forget Sela and her son Tirek too, Orcs them. The ogre too... but he mostly just sleeps down his tunnel.”

that was a female and her pup gnawing on me? Pfah, worst still an ogre of all things...

Krogon grumbled, he had a variety of individuals to worry about in a maze he didn’t know and had to discover without his eyes. On top of that he was without his tools and spirits allies.

Patience...

Stone grinded on stone, far above...

Within moments as the groan of rock continued, a bolt of blinding light penetrated down from high above and illuminated the chamber and the rank pool of water at its centre. Krogon squeezed the lip of the ledge tightly under his hands while his eyes re-focused, then his ears became aware that Vrex had moved.

Where is he going?

The other Orc who he now saw for the first time had leapt from the ledge and begun darting toward the water edge, his back turned to Krogon as his muscled body bounded forward with purpose. His hair was long, dark and messy, much alike to his beard. The only clothing he could make out was that of a ripped pair of leather pants more alike to a long loin-cloth.

Splash... and he was in the water, diving head first. Krogon watched eagerly now, trying to fathom the purpose of this sudden burst of energy, there was also the other thing...

Why aren’t the others moving?

Not a single head emerged from one of the dozen tunnels surrounding the chambers walls, nor did a face rise above the numerous rocks or low ledges. Then the answer descended along the beam of light, down from the hole so high above.

Garbage.

A dozen bones, spoiled vegetables and other undesirable food stuffs hit the water sporadically as laughter echoed down from above, chanting and jeering. The cannibals didn’t eat this crap, they had good succulent meat to fuel them and no reason to shun it, no morale or principle remained that held them back.

But Vrex, Vrex clings to his...

The other Orc bobbed, dived, splashed, grabbed and clung hard as he scooped up the discarded meals. As soon as he had entered the water, he had dragged himself back out, wet and panting... dashing back toward the ledge with as much haste as he could muster while the beam of light above shrank once more with the grinding of stone.

As slick wet hands finished grappling their way back onto the ledge and the sound of dripping water pattered onto the stone, Vrex dropped the food at his side and rolled with a clatter something meaty smelling his way.

”Next time, it be your turn. That is how we eat.”