Closed.

The walls of the cave crushed in close, as though the rocks were squeezing her to death. Her shoulders rubbed against the walls and just when she felt that she could not got any further, the path branched again. A very tight tunnel led to the right, one that Dhea had to chance of squeezing through. A slightly wider one went to the left, and sure enough two stones were stacked in front of it. Dhea could only follow that path.

After shuffling through the darkness for some moments, her lungs filling with the smoke of the torch she carried, she heard an echo further into the cave. The path was getting wider. A couple more steps ahead the sound echoed again and soon enough the light of the torch fell on a small, frail shape behind a boulder. A young Orc girl was hiding in the shadows, stacking the stones into dozens of little towers.
- Call out to her.
- Look around.
- Cast a spell.

Dhea spoke softly to the Orc girl. She wasn't sure that this was Tia or that it wasn't an illusion of some kind, as the rumours of demons still lingered in the back of her mind.
"Hey...are you Tia?"
She shuffled closer, but not befofe casting a spell to sense danger.

"Shh!" The orc girl motioned quickly for Dhea to remain silent. But her words were already echoing through the chamber. Something rumbled deeper into the cavern, a response to her disturbance. "Oh no, it's awake." The girl whispered, then clamped her mouth shut. The rumbing deepened.

Dhea's spell revealed to her that there was no danger from the orc girl in front of her, but that something was approaching from the darkness of the cavernous chamber. And it was coming fast. Tia quickly shuffled behind Dhea, finding a secluded spot to stay out of sight.

- Ready your blade.
- Ask Tia something.
- Cast a spell.
- Run.

Dhea cursed softly under her breath, before shifting her stance. She was already tempted to grab the girl and run, but she felt that fighting whatever was in the darkness could help the village above.
She readied her blade, but readied herself to throw a fireball at whatever came at her.

"What did I just wake up?"
Dhea didn't turn her head, or even adjust how she was standing.
"Is it that demon everyone was telling me about?"

"Yes." Tia murmured from her hiding spot.

The thundering grew louder and soon specks of dust and little pieces of rock started chipping from the cavern's ceiling and falling all around Dhea. Whatever was coming was very big. As if to give an answer to her fears a growl sounded very close now. There was a scrabbling sound of claws on a rock and the cavern was filled by a large creature, now in full view.


A manticore, terrible and huge. It howled in bloody rage. The earth shook and Dhea's torch flew down to the ground, rolling over the rocks. More rocks fell, bigger ones, from the tunnel behind her, making it now too narrow to pass. The only way out of the cave was out front, from where the creature came.

- Look at the creature.
- Fight the creature.
- Cast a spell.

Dhea's eyes went wide and she gaped at the beast. For a moment, her senses fled, screaming that she should too. With a shaky breath, she swore under her breath.
"Fuck me..."
Without even flinching, she threw a fireball at it. She then took a step back and used her magic to protect herself.

She readied her blade, just waiting for an opening.

The maticore growled as it the flaming ball hit its torso. Its fur caught on fire for a brief moment, fouling the air with the terrible stench. The creature howled and rolled on the ground, extinguishing itself. It was much smarter than expected.

As Dhea made a protective barrier around herself she felt the strength leaving her slowly. She had walked so much that day and had been through too many events. And now her spells were taking a toll on her. She did not have much time before collapsing senseless. This fight needed to be done quickly. The manticore was on its feet and approaching her now, though carefully, learning something from experience. Dhea's barrier would last her for the next two blows, providing she was quick enough. To kill the manticore she would need one very strong blow to hit home or two minor ones.

- Roll to attack (Difficulty 20, Bonus 6)
- Drink the Blimberry potion to heal.
- Cast a spell.

Dhea shook her head, darting away to drink the Blimberry potion. She could find more later, even rest more often if she had to, but not before leaping forward to attack the beast.

She aimed for its eye.

-Rolled 25

The Blimberry potion made her feel significantly better. With newfound vigour she went for the first attack. As the manticore sensed her going at tit, it reared, flapping its pair of leathery wings.

"It's scared." The Orc girl announced. "You might not believe it, but you've gotten it scared." Her tone is filled with optimism.

The manticore snarls as if understanding, mouth peeling back to reveal a jaw filled with too many sharp teeth. Dhea lunged at it, aiming for the eye, but the manticore's face was too distant now. Her blow missed and caught the creature on the hind leg. The manticore snapped its jaws in anger, the pincer on its tail swinging to hit her, but it bounced harmlessly away from her barrier. With a backhand strike, Dhea managed to land a slash across its tail, very deep, almost slicing the pincer off. The mantore screeched terribly, recoiling, its wings folded about her body protectively. A precise hit was all that Dhea needed.

- Roll to attack (Difficulty 20, Bonus 6).
- Cast a spell.

Dhea snarled. For a moment, the kind and gentle woman faded into an angry warrior fighting for her life. Her eyes darkened as she leapt forward, her blade whistling through the air as she bellowed.
If her parents could see her now....

-Rolled 26

In the darkness of the cave it was hard to fully read the creature's movements. It felt like forever waiting for her knife to hit the flesh. The manticore dodged left and right, swiping with its claws, but backign away slowly. It was visible now that it was frightened, perhaps it had not faced a sorcerer in a long while. After all Goblins were not much of a threat to it. Dhea continued her relentless barrage, making the manticore hit the wall, unable to spreat its wings, unable to dodge.

Dropping her weight, Dhea chopped a heavy swing at the vile beast. Her knife blade seemed to almost be possessed - finding a way inbetween the manticore's sweeping claws, through its thick hide and down to its ancient, cruel heart. For a moment it howled loud enough to make the walls of the cave shake again... and then everything went quiet.

The only noise in the chamber was the hammering of Dhea's heart as she sheated her long knife and the quiet breathing of the Orc girl, who at some point moved to stand beside her. "Thank you." She murmured, before tugging on her sleeve. "This way." And she took off to the front, past the manticore's body and into a tunnel. Dhea picked up the torch to help light the way, even though the girl seemed to be able to see well in the dark.

--

The Orc girl led through another maze of tunnels, confident, not stopping to consider which way to go. She must have been exploring. Finally they emerged in the first cavern, underneath a hole through which they could see the night sky.

"Heey! Father!" The Orc girl called and soon enough the basket was dropped down.

- Let her climb first.
- Climb first.

Dhea looked at the young girl, knowing that her father must be so worried about her. She stepped aside to let the girl climb in first, but swiftly followed suit.

The girl hopped into the basked and it quickly rose up, the Orcs working on the rope. A couple of moments passed and the rope was not tossed back. Dhea could hear the voices from up above, the Orcs talking. Then finally the basked dropped down again for her.

Back on the surface Tia was talking to her father about Dhea's bravery in fighting the foul beast. Proseus, hearing how close the beast came to hurting his daughter, scrunched up his face, throwing a grateful look in Dhea's direction.

"You are our hero." The Chief spoke grasping Dhea's hand in his.
"I'm glad you are back!" Yan fluttered from his shoulder back to Dhea, snuggling against her cheek.
"Please, join us tonight. We will have a great feast in your honour!" The Chief grinned.

- Go to the town.
- Continue your journey.

Dhea grinned, her free fingers stroking Yan's back. She met the Chief's gaze, before nodding.
She felt it would be rude to deny them this simple thing. And she also was hungry, so such a great meal would be wonderful.
"I would be honoured to join you tonight."

The Orcs went in ahead, leaving Dhea to follow along with Yan happily chirping on her shoulder. After a while they came back to Torrepani and the Chief urged Dhea to visit the local healer. The pincer of the manticore was venomous and he did not want to take any chances with their newfound hero.

As Dhea emerged from the healer's house and into the streets of Torrepani she was met with a sight far different than the one she saw that afternoon. The streets were alight with torches and lamps, flowers were tied to every rooftop and strips of colourful fabric hung between the houses. Bands of Orcs are dancing on the streets, gathered around bonefires, singing, drinking and generally having a great time. There were so many of them in the streets that Dhea had to shoulder her way past a couple of groups to get to the tables set with all kinds of delicious meat and fruit. The Orcs gave her cheerful, yet hard, slaps on the back as she passed by and Yan wore an amazed grin.

Proseus had set aside a room in his household for the two of them to rest for the night and recuperate from the long journey. The night was still young and Dhea had nothing to worry about for that brief moment of respite, before the perils of Khare.

- Eat and drink.
- Dance.
- Mingle.

It was beautiful.
The joy, the decorations.
Dhea was in awe at the sheer difference from only a few hours before. With a blindingly ecstatic grin, she undid her hair and started to dance.

She felt free and safe and happy. She could let her issues be settled on the morrow. At that moment, she was simply enjoying herself.

She would get food and drink later.

As soon as Dhea entered the fray of dancing bodies, Yan started twirling on her shoulder, a couple of times almost sliding off. The Orcs clapped with the music and moved in a very rowdy yet enticing manner, it was difficult not to dance along. She could not understand the words of their songs, but it was clear that they were happy, everyone wore a big smile after all. A hand found her in the crowd, grabbing her by the wrist and then Tia appeared in front of her, dancing with the rhytm and giggling.

"Hey, my father has something to give you!" She shouted over the sound of singing and let her to the side to where Proseus stood, nodding his head as they arrived.
"Haha, hero!" He let out a content sound. "It's been a while since we had a feast this size! I hope you like it. But, I still have a debt to pay." He fumbled around the pockets of his colourful robes and pulled out a sack of coins and a key. "Take it, please." He offered both items to her. "Wherever you are going, you will need to pass through Khare and you will need the gold for that. And..." He smiled a confiding smile. "... a secret. That is the key of the south gate of Khare. Don't show it to anyone and don't tell the Orcs gave it to you! Use it well and may the cravens of Khare never lay an eye on you!" He patted her on the shoulder, almost knocking her in the process. Yan tumbled and caught by the edge of her sleeve, then flew up to Chief's arm, chirping. The big Orc laughed merrily.

- Eat and drink.
- Leave the party.

Dhea looked at the key and the gold, and she smiled at the Chief again.
"Thank you. You didn't have to, but thank you."
She inhaled softly, before turning to the food. She was thirsty and her stomach rumbled faintly.
With a still large grin, Dhea fell upon the food and drink.

Times like these made all the fighting and gloom easier to deal with.

There were too many meals available for her to be able to decide what to eat, so she sampled them all. All kinds of tasty meat and fresh fruit, bread still warm from the over, and wine and bear aplenty - made for a wonderful meal and the best she had since venturing out of Analand. It hadn't even been a full week since she came through the Cantopani gate and met her first trouble with the Elvin, but it felt like a terribly long journey already. And she was just starting. Analanders did not go to Khare, it was a dangerous city with all kinds of people, none of them very benevolent. She would need to be at her best once she passed those gates and the Orcs had given her the chance for that now.

With a filled belly and sated thirst, she was enjoying the music, waving at the Orcs who still greeted her with respectful nods and loud remarks, Dhea was walking through the streets of Torrepani when a whistle caught her attention. Turning to follow the sound, she saw a glimpse of a stranger disappearing around a corner of a house, just out of the lit road. It was an Orc, but one that she had met yet.

- Follow the Orc.
- Go to sleep.

Dhea was curious.
It would likely be her downfall, but she felt that it wouldn't be tonight. The Orcs wouldn't harm her, not tonight, not with the celebration going on.

She tilted her head with a grin, before following the mysterious Orc.

She turned around a corner following the stranger only to be grasped by the wrist and pinned against the wall as soon as she made her first step to the darkness. With her back hitting the wall, air escaped her lungs and she was forced to let out a groan. Strong hands held her arms to the side, not allowing her to move, as she was met with a quite wild gaze of the Orc.


He leaned close to her neck sniffing through his mask. "You smell different." He spoke, words slightly muffled, voice rumbling. "Magic, or something. You bring good luck."

- Struggle.
- Say something.
- Be still.

Oh my gods....
Dhea's eyes were wide as she felt and heard this strange Orc. She tried to take steadying breaths, so she wouldn't freak out. No matter how physically attractive he was, she didn't know his name and he was currently smelling her.
"Mhm...who...who are you?"
She regained her voice and a little of her mind.
"And why are you sniffing at me?"

"Shank." He answered shortly, not letting go of her. His hands moved just so he could bring her arms up, holding them pinned above her head with one hand. With his free hand he grabbed the knife at her hip, then flung it aside, the blade embedding in the ground. "Your scent drew me." He said. "Don't have the little creature with you. Good." Suddenly he flipped her around, her front pressed to the wall now, as he removed the bow and quiver from her back, also flinging it to the ground. Thankfully, it was not damaged.

- Protest.
- Remain silent.

"My scent?"
Dhea almost flung her head back to connect it with his nose. Though, knowing her height and the fact that this Orc was currently disarming her, she wouldn't be successful.
"And what the bloody hell are you doing?"
She didn't raise her voice, but anyone could feel the indignation and anger coming off her in waves.

"I like your smell. You bring luck. I want both of that to rub off on me." He said plainly like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Perhaps it was an Orc thing, since this sort of courtship was no exactly common in Analand. The Orc turned her around to face him again, his face closer now, his red eyes staring at her impassively. "I'm going hunting and I need good luck. Otherwise I'll end up like Esh." His free hand cupped her chin then, holding her firmly. "I want you. Tonight." He was not beating around the bush.

- Refuse.
- Accept.
- Try to escape.