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[howandwhy99]

Telling the foolish humans to keep their mouths shut, Cyrus moved to the second doorway. Time seemed to be rushing by and he wondered when an orc guard would be checking in on them. Opening the second door, he was faced with another problem. The gnoll in front was very tall and looked very angry. “Simple enough”, thought Cyrus. Cutting the heads off the humanoids, he counted only three blood-splattered humans when he finished. He gave them the same warning as the first two. Then he led each off the slave chain and shut back the door and locked it. Ordering the brawny human to help, the orc guard’s body was dragged back into the first jail cell and that door was closed and locked as well. “Okay. We are getting out of here. But you have to listen to me. Don’t say anything. And maybe we’ll be all right. Now hold hands.” Cyrus led the five humans up the stairs. They were breathing as loud as forge bellows in his ears. Coming to the corner he spied around into the darkness.

Darius killed one orc by smashing its mouth in with his hammer. The other two stopped howling and raised their shields with the cracked skull emblem upon up to their faces. Dram pressed his attack clashing swords, while a second orc retreated in fear back down the tunnel. Darius bent down to examine Dalin. Thor’s healing power had already been given to another that day. “BEN!” Darius expected a whole patrol of orc troops through the darkness at any moment. Fortunately, Father Ben’s form appeared first. He put his hands on Dalin’s body and started praying. A golden healing light transferred from the priest’s body to the broken fighter’s. Dram was in a lather as he began pummeling the last orc with his torch hand. Dazing it, he ran it through with his longsword. Then Dram swiftly turned back, picked up Dalin’s body, and ran off into the magical darkness. Darius led Father Ben out as the cleric groped around to see. Dram had left with the only torch.

Outside in the entranceway, Igor was trying to convince people to hop into his backpack. Dram dumped Dalin’s body inside and Ben was pushed in after it. Others started following them. Kayla came back running from the hillside. She said to Darius, “The dwarf has returned. He is running up to the top of the hill. And he is leading five naked men behind him.” “Good for him”, replied Darius. “Let’s get out of here before anyone else dies.” Igor asked Kayla why none of the orcs had attacked since he had begun guarding the entrance. He could still hear dozens of orcs howling. The team could not have killed but a handful of them. Kayla suggested the orcs might be scared of the dark. It seemed silly to Igor, but Darius the Dwarf agreed with her. The funny man giggled uncomfortably.

Moving out of the cavern and onto the hill, the rest of the group climbed into Igor’s sack. Only he and Holly were left. They ran as fast as they could southward up, over, and down the other side of the hilltop. Cutting a quick path back to the left, they eventually reached the Greenwillow River again. After a short hike, they reentered the Quasquaton cave and removed the party only after reaching the tunnel’s collapsed end. Father Ben had bandaged Dalin’s body while in the bottom of the pack and now he poured two doses of healing juice down the man’s throat. According to Ben, Dalin was still alive, but hovering on the edge of death.

Having spent the night out in the woods, plenty of daylight was left to travel. Father Ben suggested moving Dalin to Keep Margrave as quickly as possible. Though his friend was in dire shape, Ben believed the cavern might actually continue to collapse. “And we can use Igor’s sack. I’ll ride along inside, while the rest of you walk back. You know, to watch the body.” The others agreed. Their three scouts, Igor, Holly, and Dram, led them down the hill and back to the remains of Outpost Xavier. Igor brushed their tracks away as they walked. Upon reaching the road, Holly walked alongside in the brush again. The rest took their chances on the road, but were fortunate as no other travelers were met along the way.

When they came within sight of the Keep everyone began climbing into Igor’s pack. Holly asked if she could stay outside the town again. She preferred to rest in the woods. Darius agreed to it. Alone, Igor snuck along the hillside surrounding Keep Margrave. He found the secret tunnel he had explored without Mouse’s knowledge. After crawling for what an entire hour, he exited into the basement of the supply store. Once inside the temple he pulled the others out. They were all relieved to be home. As night fell, some left to attend to their proper duties and chambers within the Keep. Dram and Mirel stayed with Dalin as he slept the rest of the evening. Father Ben meditated in private. Igor slipped off to attend to his own agenda. The day’s heat cooled as the sun set and the stars came out for the night.