The next couple minutes were a blur of fists and fur. Due to the narrowness of the hallway, the two were fortunate that the kidnappers could not rush them all at once. On the other hand they also had limited room to maneuver so they would need to be careful. As the bear man rushed Ak’Ka Shaa caught enough of the conversation to finally catch what was happening. Ursain was a were bear, and Ak’Ka was his victim. Vulcana was right after all, she had indeed been cursed. They were lucky that she had not gone through her initial change while they were working their way out. Perhaps she was too injured still to have it begin. Either way, her injuries may be more than the typical healer could remedy now.

As Ak’Ka rushed and grappled with her attacker, a pair of Kobolds rushed him from the back while the Gnoll from earlier attacked him in front with some sort of rope. If they wanted money, they would need to be captured alive and preferably undamaged. Shaa was under no such limitation. He turns his back on the Gnoll and faces the two oncoming Kobolds. He tries to summon a wall but only gets a sharp pain up his arms. Damn it, he was gassed! He knew he was pushing himself too hard and the constant magic use had finally taken its toll. With no items and no magic, he would have to depend on his considerable hand to hand combat abilities to survive.

As the first Kobold attempts to stab him directly with a sword, Shaa slaps his hands together and catches the sword by the flat of the blade using an ancient martial technique. With a twist, he wrenches the blade out of his hands and down to the floor. The Minotaur kicks the Kobold squarely in the chest, sending him flying into his companion. The two try to untangle themselves from each other as Shaa can feel the Gnoll approaching from behind him. He starts to turn but then a lasso wraps around his hand and pulls tight. The big Minotaur grabs the rope and yanks as hard as he can, pulling the Gnoll forward and in range. Fefnar muk! The Gnoll cursed at the fighter in his own language. Shaa grabs him before he can escape and hog ties him with his own rope. 

The small distraction is enough for the Kobolds to get back on their feet. The one he had disarmed, pulled a small dagger from a sheath on his leg. Playing with knives is not good for your health. Shaa quips, closely watching the Lizardman. This time, instead of rushing, he elects to throw the dagger at his face instead. Shaa ducks out of the way but it throws him off enough for the second Kobold to rush him with a spear and stab him in the side. Shaa manages to grab the shaft of the spear to stop it from going too deeply but he can feel the little bastard got him good. 

The Kobold pins him against the stone wall continuously putting pressure on the spear. Shaa is holding on trying to do everything he can to keep the Kobold from running him through completely. Suddenly, the second Kobold is behind the first and they are now both pressing the spear in an attempt to skewer him. No, no no, this was bad. He twists as hard he can. Using the Kobolds own force against them, he manages to twist enough the break the spear in half.  The two Kobold lurch forward and slam into the wall while Shaa backs up, the head of the spear still lodged in his side. He grunts in frustration as he coughs up a bit of blood onto the stone floor. Well, that’s not good.

They had to get out of here. They were holding their own so far but between the lack of food, injuries, fatigue, curses and everything else, they were not fighting on an even playing field. If they didn’t do something else, it would only be a matter of time. But he had a plan, if only… Vulcana…ugh…you said the room with our stuff is close right? The little fairy nodded, worried about her poor Minotaur. She couldn’t remember the last time he was in such a bad way. We..we have to get there. If…I can get …my bag….it will…all…be….alright. 

The kobolds stand back up, the one retrieving his dagger. Shaa breathes deeply trying to focus on the fight in front of him. He can hear Ak’Ka raging on the side. At least she was still going, that was good but who knew how much longer she had. Suddenly, the Kobold with the dagger rushes him, the dagger pointed down for a downward strike. Shaa knelt low and waited for him to come. He would have to time this just right. The Kobold leaps into the air to being the dagger right into Shaa’s face. The shrewd fighter ducks even lower to avoid the strike and then straight up, impaling the Kobold onto one of his horns. The angry minion howls as Shaa shakes his head back and forth, deepening the wound. With a final push, Shaa dislodges him from his horn into a heap on the floor. The other Kobold hisses with hate and venom over the sight of his fallen companion. Serves…you right. He says with a low gasp.

This was there chance. Shaa could start seeing the others get into position to make their move. Ak’Ka! Forget that dude. This way! Shaa puts his a head down and uses another secret fighters move that floods his body with adrenaline. It’s a one shot maneuver but, if it worked, it just might save them. Filled with energy, Shaa bursts with double his normal speeds and plows right through several more Kobolds and a goblin, trampling them as he goes. He runs blindly, blood pouring from the wound in his side. He finally manages to stop against an old wooden door. Vulcana jumps excitedly, this was it. But it was locked.

Shaa Looks around only to find a singular terrified goblin who was too scared to even move. Apparently left behind to guard the door. Shaa saw he had a key fob at his side. If his plan was going to work, he needed the door in tact. You..give me the key. The poor goblin just stood there, gobsmacked and shaking. He did not have time for this, he could already hear footsteps coming, hopefully Ak’Ka. GIVE ME THE K…KEYS. He says with a decidedly annoyed tone. The goblin was now even more terrified and frozen in place. Shaa grabs the key and hauls it all up to the lock, goblin and all, and opened the door. He tosses the goblin off to the side and opens the door. There on the table is a non descript leather bag that smelled of earth, sweat, and one snarky Minotaur.

---

Steel Catch
Iron Grip
Horns
Adrenaline Rush

Fire Fairy

In the heat of battle Ak’ka couldn’t pay much attention to what Shaa was doin’ but she could sure as hell hear him fighting. She thought she caught sight of the minotaur tryin’ to use more of his magic, coming up on empty reserves, before deciding fuck it and grappling with a gnoll and some kobolds -

Didn’t get the chance to watch much more of it ‘cus Ursain had already recovered, slamming himself into Ak’ka with the force of a cannonball. Ak’ka fell to the ground with a grimace, the bastard’s claws rakin’ down her arm where she’d barely managed to protect her face from getting maimed. Claws tore through ice and skin like paper, but caught on the ice-reinforced bone like it was hittin’ steel.^[1]

Ursain struggled, a growl low in his throat that Ak’ka matched, a match of willpower - and neither was willin’ to give. She could feel his breath and spit in her face as he spoke. “Give up, brute. Lie down and accept your death on your back like the dog you are.”

His scarred, grizzled face went slack as Ak’ka wrapped her second pair of arms around his torso - and instead of pullin’ away, dug her arms deeper into his claws with a roar, and rolled them over so she was the one pinning him down and not the other way around. She grabbed the clawed hand embedded in her arm at the wrist, pulling it out of her arm with a grimace of pain - gettin’ her own blood over him, too. She was fightin’ on empty here, nothin’ left in her but willpower. No tricks, no more spells. And with the Beast poundin’ in her chest, begging to be let free, to fight, to kill, she had to fight not to lose control, too.

So there was only one thing she could do.

Takin’ his arm at the wrist, Ak’ka raised it in the air, and made the bastard smack himself in the face. And again. And again. “Why are ya hitting yerself, man?” She demanded. “Why are ya hitting yerself?”

“Stop - these - childish - games - and - die - cur!” Ursain bit out between slaps, his face lookin’ more shriveled and haggard the more it was obvious even partially transformed, Ak’ka still had the upper hand. And she’d die before she lost to anyone, much less some mangy, flea-ridden uppity bastard who’d toyed with her and turned her even more into a monster than she’d already been.

Too bad she’d forgotten about the necromancer bitch.

There was a blur of motion before Ak’ka was thrown off of Ursain, a hand wrapped around her neck that was far too strong for how dainty it was. The half-Orc was hoisted in the air, claws diggin’ into her throat. The vampire’s face was contorted into a snarl, like a porcelain doll that had been smashed and the pieces put back together to turn that smile into a frown. She said nothing as dark magic gathered in her arm, burnin’ the flesh of her neck where it touched, ‘til Ak’ka couldn’t breathe, couldn’t shout, couldn’t let out so much as a sound while her flesh boiled.^[2]

She couldn’t feel nothin’ but the hurt, the burn. That was just fine. It wasn’t the pain Ak’ka hated but the numbness. Pain meant she was still alive, still kickin’ - still good to fight another day. The vampire wanted to drain her energy? Ak’ka wouldn’t let her. With two extra arms, the Bonegrinder summoned the rest of her strength, her rage, and lived up to her name by grabbin’ the vampire at the elbow and snapping it in two.^[3,4]

The vampire released her grip on Ak’ka with a scream, the orc hittin’ the ground on her feet, no thoughts in her mind. Just adrenaline. She heard Shaa call her name, only half-aware of her surroundings, and the smell of blood. Someone was hurt. Could’a been her, could’a been Shaa - probably both. All she knew was that she had to follow him. She sprinted after him, her vision too tinged with white and red to see but able to follow the trail of blood. Ursain and the vampire sprinted behind, clearly neither expecting the two stubborn brawlers to make a retreat, no matter how tactical it was.

She found Shaa at a door, goblin in hand. He lobbed it in her direction - Ak’ka caught the creature, barely waitin’ a second before whirling around, lifting her leg, and pitching the creature with all her might like a boulder right at one of the two shadowy figures pursuin’ them.^[5] She heard a THUD, didn’t have time to see who got hit before ducking into the room. And there it was - next to her bag, propped up against a wall, her tree. Ak’ka didn’t have much in the way of things or weapons, but she was running out of firepower. With a cry, she sprinted, grabbing her bag first, where she kept her rations.

“Shaa!” She shouted, tossing a piece of jerky to him. Wasn’t much but they needed all the energy they could get. Footsteps pounded down the hallway, their pursuers after them. She grabbed her tree, steeling herself. If those assholes thought she’d just lay down and accept her fate, they were wrong. She didn’t have much, but their things were probably just they needed to turn the tide.

Time for the final assault.

---

1. Iron Grip
2. Toxic Touch - Vamp Necromancer
3. Bull’s Strength Tattoo
4. Juggernaut’s Fury
5. Improvised Weapon

With Ak’Ka in the room and his bag in hand, Shaa burst out laughing. It was the first time in days he had anything to actually laugh about. As always, everyone underestimated the Minotaur. They saw the muscles, the horns, the scars and thought. “ He’s just a big mindless brute. Hit him hard enough and he’ll go down” And they would try. Over and over again they would try and Shaa, more often than not, would come out on top. The reason? Nit the muscles, the size or even the magic. Shaa’s greatest weapon was that he was so damn unpredictable. 

It’s ok, it’s ok, put your ..tree down? We have already won. They just don’t know it yet. I just need one thing. Shaa reaches into his bag of the infinite and starts fishing around. Hmmmm gauntlet no…boots no….sandwich. Oh that’s where that went. But no. Oh here we go.

He pulls out three items. The first is a janky looking pair of dice. The second is yet another more cheery looking bag. The final item is a worn key. Wanna see something cool? 

Shaa rolls the dice on the table and reaches into the bag, pulling out a small item. gU6oV2|Y He takes the item, opens the door a crack and quickly throws it into the hallway. The door closed again, Shaa takes his key, puts it into the lock, turns it and opens the door wide. In front of them, is a passageway into into another stone tunnel. But this one, has the smell off fresh bread and moss coming from it. It’s a passageway, straight to Shaa’s home. Grab your stuff and walk through. Our friends are about to have a very bad day. With the two on the other side in Shaa’s home, he shuts the door behind them, leaving the chaos about to unfold hundreds of miles away.

Welcome to my home. Granted it’s still underground but I have a ton of food, a lot more stuff we can use to patch you up and we can leave whenever we want. Come on, let’s get you sewn up properly this time and some muffins in you. How do you feel about Kala berries?

---

Meanwhile, back at the prison.

A crowd had gathered in front of the door. The evil vampire and her werehenchman are front and center. Come on out my dear. You are in a closet with no where to run. You are becoming such a nuisance I will almost settle to selling your hides as rugs. I will give you to the count of three. One , two…

Before she can finish counting, the door opens slightly and a beach ball is tossed out into the hallway. The entire group looks confused. This? This is your great plan? This is just pathetic. Suddenly, the beach ball rises into the air and ignites into a giant blazing mini sun. Although not as sensitive as some vampires to the sun, the heat from the ball, concentrated in the hallway, starts to roast them all alive. Suddenly everyone is scrambling over one another trying to escape the heat wave. The smell of charred flesh fills the hall as the bandirs scream and run for cover. The door itself soon ignites. ( again) and the entire hallway starts to burn and fill the place with smoke. Enough to alert the very cranky guards from above.

---

Loaded Dice
Yasakas Summer Beach Bag- Beach Ball
House Key

Link to Shaa’s House
talesofcharon.proboards.com/post/19156/threadhttps://talesofcharon.proboards.com/post/19156/thread

·

It was time for them to kill those sons of bitches who’d trapped them in this damned place. Ak’ka held her tree in a white-knuckled grip, ready for them to come barrelin’ through the door and light them up with a mouthful of pine needles - she glanced over at her companion, the man she might die side by side with here…

And then he burst out laughing.

“The fuck?”

Has the madness already gotten to him?

“Oi, keep yer head in the game, man! I can’t carry both of us outta here against a vampire and a werebear.” She shouted, but Shaa didn’t seem mad. He seemed confident - like someone who’d just been granted a pretty nice hand in a game of cards from fate, and had every intention of winning. Confused, but not wantin’ to get in his way, Ak’ka relaxed her stance, the fires of her rage dying and giving way to confusion while she watched Shaa start shufflin’ through his stuff.

“… Unless you’ve got some kinda insta-monster killer or something to suddenly transport us outta here and somewhere else, I dunno how a couple’a trinkets are gonna help.” She admitted, honest - but Shaa seemed to know what he was doing. He threw some shit in the hallway, shut it again. And when he opened the door, Ak’ka opened her mouth to protest. But the scene on the other side of the door wasn’t the hall and two angry assholes, but some place entirely different.

At first Ak’ka thought it was another hallucination, like the bear’s roaring. But Shaa could clearly see it; and she could smell baked goods and the earth, not stale stone and rot. “Holy shit.” She breathed. “Alright, I’ll eat my words. God damn.”

She only regretted that she wouldn’t be able to stick around and see the looks on their faces when they realized they’d been duped. And rip Ursain’s throat out from his neck with her bare hands, but she trusted whatever Shaa had thrown at them was gonna give them as much of a bad time as he promised. Didn’t matter in the end. Ak’ka wasn’t the type to run away but if these assholes survived, then she’d just come back and haunt them ‘til they wished they hadn’t. When she was healed, pissed off, and ready to inflict karmic retribution. Right now was the time of survival.

With a triumphant laugh, she followed Shaa through the door, lettin’ it shut behind them. Freedom. At last. Felt pretty damn nice.

She shuffled behind the minotaur, adrenaline finally fading now that she was no longer in constant danger. The jerky she’d scared down was nothin’ in comparison to the smell from this dude’s house. Ak’ka let out another laugh, probably half-delirious her damn self at this point, but she couldn’t help it. After all that, and it had been a magic house key that saved their asses. Gods.

“Man, you could feed me shit right now and I’d be happy.” She laughed, swaying on her feet while she followed him. Stopped for a moment, the smile sliding off her face.

“You saved my life, Shaa. Not many folks who’re able and willin’ to do that. But you did, when you probably could’a just left me. Orc-kin ain’t much for friends and we ain’t the most sociable, but I owe ya one. For real.” An actual life debt. “You call on the Bonegrinder, you’ve got support, you hear me? Whenever, whatever you need me for.”

Then she wobbled on her feet and almost passed out herself. At least she could do so triumphant, and safe.

Epilogue

Shaa and Ak’Ka spent the next couple weeks in Shaa’s home recovering. For them, that mostly meant eating, sleeping, playing games, arguing over the best way to disembowel an enemy and other nonsense only fighters would understand. When it was clear that AK’ka was good to travel, Shaa packed her some food for the road and escorted her to Thunderhoof village where they parted ways. Shaa didn’t have that many orc friends but, by the end of it, he certainly counted Aka’ka as one of them. What a strange world Charon had become.

After their good byes, he settled on a charter to take him back to Sol City. He didn’t like leaving lose ends and there was one more small bit of business he had to deal with. A promise that he made, to a lonely voice in the darkness.

Not having a lot to go on, he lucked out and found an archivist that, for a hobby, tracked all of the prisoners in the Citadel. Due to prisons secret nature, the archivist had special permission to keep the records with a certain understanding on how they were to be used. As it happened, the old part of the prison was way past any rules of secrecy so the archivist had no issues helping Shaa track down the mysterious “Daniel” 

As it happened, there were only two Daniels it could have been. The first, an elf prince who had gotten on the wrong side of his uncle but was eventually released. The second, a thief who had stolen several articles from a well known family in town. His only known relative, a sister named Diane. There was only one small wrinkle.

It was near the end of the day and Shaa found himself in an old cemetery on the outskirts of town. After nearly an hour of searching, he finally found the old headstone he had been looking for. The inscription read. “Here lies Diane Skyguard. Beloved wife, mother and sister. May she find rest.” The dates on the stone were over 100 years old. Kneeling on the ground, Shaa digs a hole in front of the grave. He takes the slightly scorched letter that he had been carrying for weeks and puts it into the ground, covering it again with dirt. I hope you find each other Daniel. Shaa was finally able to relax knowing that he had done all he could. It was sometimes, all that could be done. He looks up and watches as a pair of birds fly up into the evening sky. He keeps watching until the night comes on and the small birds vanish into the distance. 

Didn’t take long for Ak’ka to reach a new enough normal after breakin’ free from that hellhole. That was the thing about being a warrior - you had to be passionate enough to put your entire heart and soul out on the battlefield, and you had to be thick enough to leave it behind. Her injuries were pretty damn severe, but nothing as bad as the new change she was dealin’ with. Every time she got even some semblance of mad, the Beast reared its ugly head, threatening to take control. It only took her so long to heal from the scar and the other injuries because most of her waking energy was spent shoving that morherfucker down.

Ak’ka didn’t fear death.

But maybe she did fear the inevitability that her actions weren’t her own. That she’d be helpless to the Beast. And one day she’d be a bear just as mindless as that bastard who’d left her with a gnarly scar and a new necklace made from one of the teeth she’d knicked from him in the battle. A reminder not to lose herself, maybe.

She didn’t really do well with all that introspection shit, though, so she’d just call the fang and the scar battle trophies and call it a day. Besides, Shaa was a pretty damn nice host, lettin’ her stay while she was getting back on her feet. He had a lot of interesting insights and experience from his years on the road. King’s Valley was a pretty turbulent place, not too different from the life she lived in the World’s Crown. Orc raids and horse tribe raids seemed pretty similar. They had more than a few conversations on the best way to disembowel assholes.

By the time she was well enough, Shaa saw her to Thunderhoof where they both went their separate ways. Vagabonds weren’t meant to stay in one place long. People like her n’ Shaa were meant to wander. She had no idea what he was off to do, though he kept insistin’ something about finishing something important he had to do - and Ak’ka wanted to head back north. Call it homesickness or whatever, but somethin’ was tugging her back home, and she was ready to obey. The shit in the Citadel left her feeling weaker than she’d like. Ak’ka was used to working alone, but it was an awakening that she wasn’t the biggest fish in the pond. And if she was gonna keep survivin’, she had to get better. Stronger.

First she had to wrangle this bastard beast under control. Figure out how to fight again without it wanting to take control. Then maybe she’d figure out this Fighter’s Guild thing.

One thing was for certain.

Ak’ka wasn’t gonna let no one fuck with her ever again.