Whispers From Below

Chapter 43

Getting to the outer ring, watching people come and go from the shadows, I was able to find them going into a tiny door in an alleyway.

Taking my chances I climbed down carefully from the building not wanting to jump off and break my ankles. A group was walking in so I crept behind them, down a brick staircase. It came to another door, this time with a guard.

Walking up confidently, they stopped me holding up a massive hand that could definitely squish my head. "No Weapons." I unsheath my sword without argument and handed it to the man.

He was ginormous with a green hue, tattooed and had a wicked underbite with broken tusks protruding from his lips, a type of orc literally the coolest person I'd ever seen.

He was studying me, smirked, then opened the door. "Have fun, Erembour."

The underground, the first time I'd ever been. The room was a large circle, tables and bars scattered around and a deep pit right in the center. Everyone was yelling and cheering, fist fights breaking out in every corner.

Strumpets sat on many of the men's laps and danced on the tables. A crowd pressed against the fence of the pit throwing things down at whatever was down there.

Pushing my way through and looking down into it, the ground was loose chalky clay, the walls of it had iron bars all around. Cages for creatures which you could just make out the shadows of them prowling around. The crowd was watching two men beat the crap out of each other, blood, sweat and muddied clay covered their faces.

"Oi who let a damn child in here?" A loud voice came from behind me, his hand crashed down on my shoulder spinning me around, another orc, this one a hue of purple and his tusks in tact. Seemed like he had a better dentist.

He started laughing "looks like we have another Erembour wanna be." I had noticed a few people with masks, though I didn't think they were trying to be me.

"Speak boy!"

Had to make sure I didn't cause a scene, getting out of here was going to be a challenge if I pissed anyone off, others started turning to me, "wait, that actually is him! I remember it 'cause I shot 'em. He is supposed to be dead."

Looking at where the voice came from, it was one of the men in the warehouse, but he was Rylands man, he should be on my side.

"You're tryin' to tell me that this fuckin' thing is Rylands second man?" He reached for my mask, my reflexes kicked in quickly.

My right hand reached and grabbed around his neck giving me leverage to pull myself up, and reach my leg up around to put it on the back of his neck. Allowing the back of my knee to cling snug to his neck. Pushing myself up onto his shoulders more and quickly slamming my hands and feet down on his back shoulders, dropping him to the ground swiftly.

Standing above him as he was completely taken back and quite pissed off. Those around us were either silent or laughing their asses off, "yes, this fuckin' thing is the second." I said while crouching to the orc leaning my face closer to him.

"Get 'em in the pits!" He commanded from the ground, those around me picked me up and threw me over before I could even fight back. I bounced hard on the clay ground with a huge thud. Well at least I'll be able to get out some of my pent up aggression. Looking at the cages, the creatures were baring their teeth, growling and pacing threateningly along their cages while another thud came behind me.

The man from the warehouse jumped in, "let's finish where we started."

He took out knives from his pockets, no weapons allowed my ass I should have known. Next time I'll hide daggers or something. Though I still had a few tricks up my sleeves too.