You make it..into a trap!!

After running for a long while, not sure if you're being followed or not, you take a set of stairs down into the side of a technological wall where you doubt many people go, and sure enough the bottom is empty. Unfortunately the door leading into the structure won't open and you imagine without some sort of futuristic key you're probably not getting in.

You try to lay low, and after a minute you hear a figure, presumably your hunter, run past. "Phew!"

Suddenly, the door behind you opens up and a tentacle wraps around you, before you can do anything you're pulled in and the door slams shut behind you.

...

...

...

.

.

.

*drip*

*drop*

.

.

"Hello?" You call into the pitch black, your voice echoes far more than you were hoping it would, and with no reply except the drip drop of some far off leaky pipe. The tentacle responsible for your capture appears to have retreated.

"What in the world have I gotten myself into?" You wonder, wishing Sarah were here... Amongst the knee deep slime with you, at least then you wouldn't have to die alone.

You feel bad for a moment, wishing Sarah would die with you so you wouldn't have to die alone..rather selfish.

That's it! Sarah! You rummage in your pack and try to find the horn she mentioned, eventually pulling it out, you blow as hard as you can, the whole place shaking in response to the vibrations traveling all around.

...

...

...

Nothing.

You can't blame her, this place looks like it was sealed up tight, not a speck of light and not a single helpful living thing judging by the silence all around you.

You fiddle with the horn for a bit, unfortunately there's no 'volume' dial. Typical of medieval technology. You begin wading around the place, exploring for something, anything.

You feel something brush up against your leg.

"Ohhh nonononono I don't like that!" You say in response.

To that you get a poke.

"NooooOO I don't like that at ALL!" You start wading around faster, looking for some dry land, or rather, feeling... You can't see a thing.

*Gggrrrroooooaaaaannnnnnn*

That's a sound you wish you didn't hear.

*Sploosh*

You imagine something just entered the water, probably hunting you now.

You decide it's probably about time you pull out the knife, you're not going to make it much farther if you don't get ready to defend yourself, not that you imagine it'll help much.. How would anyone reach you anyway?

You rummage around some more in your pack and pull out a knife.

Probably more use for comfort than self defense, you're sure the creatures here have night vision and you sure as hell don't.

You feel something slap your chest.

"Oy!! Stop that!" You say more to calm yourself than to demand it refrain from slapping you. It doesn't move.

Wait a minute..

You grab it, it has some branches coming off of it.

A tree? Maybe a vine? You don't care, it's a way out of the slime, that's what matters.

You begin climbing, moving your limbs around to grip whatever it is, making it a lot higher than you thought you would.

There, at least now you get to die alone from starvation rather than becoming some swamp monster's snack!

..Not a reassuring thought, I know, but it's something.

"Hey..I know I'm probably alone here but if anyone's listening...Is anyone there?"

*Drip*

*Drop*

.

.

.

"Figures." You try to get as comfortable as your can, sitting in a relatively flat spot with slime dripping down your legs, hanging onto what you decide is probably a vine for support.

"I always wondered how it felt to know you're going to die and just sit there... Thinking about it. Not being able to do anything but knowing it's coming one way or another." Your voice echoes, reminding you of Thomas, you wonder where he's gone

*Drip*

*Drop*

.

.

.

"I don't even know who I am.. How'd I die so quick?"

*Drip*

*Drop*

"I should have hugged {s}, God I wish I had hugged {s}. Now I'll never know what it feels like."

*Drip*

*Drop*

"Maybe I should just give up, I'll probably get knocked out if I fall... Maybe drown or get eaten..." More echoes.

*Drop*

*Drip*

*Dripdropdripdrop*

Whatever abomination had plunged into the water is now resurfacing, you think, probably disappointed that you made it out. Maybe it's finding a way up this very moment.

"Hahaha... What silly things you think about when you don't consider ****. What silly things you think about when you don't know it could all end the next second. I was worried about such useless things."

*Dripdrop*

*Dropdropdrip*

Dunno what those sounds are.

"I love you {s}, for the small amount of time I knew you, you were nice to me. I'm sorry I was so stupid."

.

.

"Maybe that fortune teller was right, I shouldn't give up..."

.

"I wonder if some deity is watching me right now, thinking how silly it is that I've done this to myself."

.

"It must be really funny from up there, staring at the human equivalent of a lost cat that's stuck in a tree, hanging on for dear life, waiting to die. You know my future, don't you? Just waiting to see what happens, doing nothing about it."

.

.

*Sigh*

"Well I lasted longer than I thought I would, not exactly sure what I'm waiting for..."

*Drip*

.

.

You grip what feels like a small stick of a branch and tear it off the vine-thing, breaking off a piece and dropping it.

.

*Splash*

.

.

.

There was some formula about gravity, you remember, you could probably find out how high you are based on that...

.

Not exactly useful.

Suddenly the vine you're sitting on starts moving, something is shaking it!

"Whatareyoudoing whatareyoudoing!!?" You can't help but exclaim, knowing exactly what it's doing. It's picking it's version of fruit off of a tree, shaking it so it's food will fall.

.

You end up falling, all the way down into the sludge.

.

*Splash*

.

"Daniel, Daniel is that you?"

.

.

"Daniel!!"

A familiar female voice rung out against the slime covered walls.

...

She manages to pull your subconscious body out of the water, carrying you all the way back to tent city, time passes as medical shamans visit you and do the best they can, eventually you're left to rest for several days, then, a miracle to some yet of no surprise to others, you wake up.

...

"Wh- what happened?" You tried to open your eyes and found them really sore, probably swamp water. Memories slowly pour in from the hallway and the events leading up to now.

"Daniel!!" {s} is sitting next to you and leans closer.

"You got caught by the wing, I'm sorry I- I left you, and..I completely forgot to tell you about the Wing's Wrath..I'm an idiot, I'm so sorry!" She stutters desperately.

You finally manage to open your eyes and see her, {s}. Her beautiful face staring back at you with a concerned expression. Visible only courtesy a single candle bathing the room in a dim glow. You notice she's not wearing any armor now, just a simple medieval blouse and skirt.

"Y-" you try to speak but your throat prevents it. "W- Ter"

Her eyes went wide, "Oh God that's right! Water! Hang on, I knew I was forgetting something!"

She got up and disappeared through a tent flap in a hurry, by what you could make out it leads to another room in the same tent. Waiting for your savior to return, you looked out the tent window in wonder.

The stars twinkling, a distant tune of peaceful strings playing on ancient instruments to faint acknowledgement of those yet to fall asleep.

You smile, hoping you won't drift off before {s} returns.

"You came for me?" You manage despite the dry throat, hoping she can hear you and the conversation will prevent a premature visit to your dreams.

"I heard the horn blast, I knew it was you...the elders looked as though I'd grown a third limb when I tried to explain, they couldn't hear it. I felt a draw, knowing you would be where you were. I'm not sure how, but I ran straight there without stopping once. I don't-" her voice is cut as she steps back through the flap "I don't know if.. If you would have made it if I had arrived a moment later." A tear rolling down her cheek, you want nothing more than to comfort her.

She hands you a canteen nearly overflowing with sparkling water, it could have been the swamp water you nearly died in for how desperately you wanted a drink. You devour the substance as quickly as you can, laying your head back and closing your eyes, feeling the fluids trickle down you system.

"Thank you {s}"

She's knelt by your side, you reach your hand out and touch her cheek, wiping her tears away.

"I thought you had died!" She barely managed, more tears rolling down her cheek.

"I'm so sorry, I.." you search for words, she looks into your eyes with that guilt stricken face. Your heart practically snaps in two.

"I thought I was dead too, without you I surely would have been.." Now it's your turn to tear up.

"You saved my life..I..I don't know how I can thank you enough for that."

More tears.

She hugged you and you hugged back.

"Next time I bring you to an unfamiliar dimension, we travel together." She says, her hands on your shoulders, her face looking down into yours through her flowing hair. She looked unbelievably cute like this, and you couldn't help but smile.

You squeeze her small frame into you and she embraces you in return.

"Thank you {s}"

You loosen your grip a little so she isn't **** to press herself into you.

"Thank you for surviving as long as you did, I..l-like you..I mean..I wouldn't want you to die, I.." she searches for the right words, cheeks reddening.

"I understand" you say and hug her, hoping it simplifies things.

"Thank you, Daniel" she hugs you back, this time pulling her whole body into the bed with you.

Your heart starts beating faster, aroused and relaxed at the same time.

Gazing out into the night sky, embracing your beautiful heroine, you wonder what your future holds. Are those distant stars other doors in the great hall or do they lead to entirely different realities where there might be no stars at all? You begin to imagine what possibilities lie outside your little bubble in reality.

{s} begins to breath deep, she's fallen asleep in your arms. You hope you'll get to travel to those other worlds with her some day.

With that thought filling your mind, you snuggle into her form and dream about exploring faraway places with her.

...

"Mm-m...mm-m...m-m-m...m-m-m.."

You wake up to {s}'s humming in the other room and the incessant chirp of birds in the distance.

Getting up, you find a canteen full of water on the table next to you.

"I'll be spoiled before long with my hero serving me." you whisper to yourself with a chuckle.

You catch a glimpse of her form in the other room as she passes the door, still humming away some pretty song.

You take a swig from the container.

You yawn and stretch, about to head into the other room to join her when you hear a "psst".

You look around the room, not sure where it came from but sure you heard it.

A moment passes..

"Psst! Over here!"

You look over and see a familiar figure, hilariously out of place for the times, Thomas peeking into the tent.

"{T}? What are you doing here?" You walk over to the window, keeping your voice low to match his.

"Look, Daniel, I'm in trouble here, they're following me, I've got to get out of here!"

"How did you even get in here?" You ask, remembering the key {s} had to access this dimension.

"I've got a trick or two up me sleeve to get in places I've got an interest to visit, unfortunately I haven't got one to get back out!" He looks around, nervously trying to avoid being seen.

"What do you want me to do about it? And why did you want to get back here in the first place?"

"{s} has the key! I need that key to get back to the hall, and you seem to be on good terms with her..." He gives you a wink at this.

"Your were watching us last night?" Your voice threatens to alarm {s}.

"It ain't like that! I happened to catch a peep a little before she awoke, that's all, couldn't help but notice you two were sharing a bed!" He says the last part in an accusatory tone.

"Remind me to scan the property for top hats and monocles next time." You say, shaking your head.

"So what, you want me to get her to give you a key to the portal?" You say this a little louder than you meant to.

"Keep your voice down!!" {T} squeals and looks around with a dreadful expression. "And no, she'll never give me that key, you've got to get it from her and then pass it back to me without her knowing!"

"And why would I do that?" You say with a raised eyebrow.

"Wellll eh..what wouldn't good friends do for one another?"

"You want me to lie to the person who saved my life so you can take her key and go off on other inter-dimensional trouble-making ventures for the sake of 'good friendship'?"

"Well when you say it like that it sounds almost malevolent! It's just a quick favor, one friend to another, little lie, then I'll be out 'a your life for good!"

"Sorry {T}, but you'll have to find another key or ask her directly." You were about to shut the window.

"Wait! Before you go-" he smiled a smile you weren't used to seeing on that face, mischievous, almost.

"You should know, that canteen's contents weren't entirely good old H2O..." Maniacal might be a better word.

You suddenly felt a churning in your stomach. "What do you mean?"

"Ohh you know..." His smile grew "just a little something in case you didn't want to help out an old friend, enough to kill but not for a while..."

"YOU POISONED MY DRINK?!?!" This didn't come out as a whisper.

"Too loud you idiot! Now she's bound to come in, look, if you want to get your little antidote-" he waves a flask full of red liquid, "-then find me at the elders' council, bring the key, 'round about sunset. And don't dare tell anyone about this little arrangement of ours or you're friend..what's her name? {s}, was it? Will find not only a dead lover, but a dead family as well. Don't disappoint me Daniel."

And with his hurried evil speech given, he ran across the street and disappeared into the city of tents.

You sat, astonished, for a moment, before you noticed {s} looking at you curiously from the doorway.

"How much did you see?" You grew hopeful for a moment.

"I heard something about a poisoned drink and came in to see you glaring out the window, what have I done to deserve this?" She looked genuinely hurt.

You really wanted to tell her the truth, but you knew the lives of her family were on the line...could you really stand to spend your last moments telling {s} that her whole family could have been saved if you had kept your mouth shut and tricked her into giving the key away?