Into the belly of the beast

The dwarf imparts what he knows, which isn't a lot just that they've progressed deeper into the bathhouse. With that in mind I leave him to die in peace and continue going deeper into the bathhouse, I walk out of the main atrium, and begin checking room to room, most rooms are empty the occasional body in one and a couple have frightened workers or patrons that I give advice to and leave them be.

I begin to check the hallways, and as I walk down a suspiciously body free hallway I get a sense of dread, "why was the carnage absent here?" I think to myself, the logical answer was that no fighting happened when they walked through here but I couldn't help but feel that there was a more concerning possibility. My fears where not dumbfounded as I turn a corner only to have to duck as a wild swing of a curved blade threatens to decapitate me, thankfully Quinaras training sessions had paid dividends for me. I stagger back and raise my sword as a elven soldier advances blade in hand and ready to finish the job. I didn't recognise the man, his sharp features and pencil moustache foreign to me, so it was safe to assume he was a member of the guards working for snake eyes. "Hey I'm not your ene-WOAH!" I say as a dodge another wild swing, it was clear this guy did not want to talk this out, "well at least I tried" I think before bringing my sword in an upwards slash only for it to be met with his blade in a perfect parry.

We do a deadly dance, circling each other in the hallway as we both make quick blows at each other neither proving effective as I was too quick on my feet and the elves skill in sword fighting made him able to parry my blows effortlessly. I swipe with a quick strike only for the clang of steel on steel to echo through the hallway, we were truly at an impasse two equally matched fighters. I try and keep my head focused in the fight but I couldn't avoid worrying about Quinara and when I hear a woman's scream in the distance, my blood runs cold and sweat drips down my neck as I fear the worst. Quinara had once told me about how panicking would be my undoing in a fight, yet despite knowing the trap I still fall prey to it as the elf takes my momentary distraction to slash low. "ARGHH!" I cry out in pain as the bite of steel cuts through my thigh, the curved blade cuts deep and my stance falters as I drop to one knee. My crimson blood streaks down the assailants blade as he wrenches it free from my leg and prepares to land the killing blow. Time slows to a crawl as it dawns on me I had to act now or I would be just another body amidst the many others. I couldn't die, not yet and not here, my most pervasive thought is how it would break Quinara to know that she warned me about this specifically; she told me how dangerous this would be when she forbade me from coming with her. Using all my strength I lunge forward with my sword in a reckless last stand; fortunately the gods clearly were on my side as my sword hits directly into his abdomen. We clatter to the floor together as I follow through with the motion tackling him, I wince in pain as blood gushes from my open wound on my leg.

I focus on my breathing as I lay atop my impaled attacker, he groans as the last vestiges of life leave him. I pull my sword from him and sheath the blade, mentally preparing myself for the task of getting up. I gather my strength then attempt to get up, "FUCK!" I cry out in agony as I crumple under trying to put weight on my wounded leg, I couldn't stand this was bad I needed to get help and fast if I didn't want to bleed out here. I begin to crawl back the way I came, I needed to make my way to someone, ideally Quinara but seeing as how I was limited in my mobility I figured it wouldn't be smart to try and find Quinara when I could crawl to the entrance and get help there.

The crawl is excruciating, my leg throbbing with pain with every movement, but I knew I couldn't give up and die so I press forward. As I crawl I hear the most relieving sound I could hear, Quinara, "your source was bad, like really bad Jaime" she says presumable to the elf who came in here with her, I couldn't see her but she sounded like she was getting closer. "Yeah I know, there wasn't meant to be so many guards. But the jobs done you'll get your passes for you and your partner" a voice replies, this was confirmation Quinara had been honest with me from the start, guilt fills me as I didn't trust her and it had gotten me here bleeding out in a bathhouse. "Job's done!? Marcos, Jyx and Greyson are dead! They're fucking dead!" Quinara rages, furious at how this job had gone from bad to worse, and I was about to make it catastrophic. "QUINARA!!" I yell out she was closer now and surely would hear me, "Huck!" She calls out back. I hear the rush of her footsteps approaching as she rushes to me, "Huck! Gods what happened!" she says rushing to my side, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I didn't listen to you" I blubber wanting to apologise to her. "It's fine runt, it's fine come on" She says lifting me, her companion soon joins us, "Quinara, you ok?" the elf asks, seeing me bundled in her arms and the blood leaking from my leg he just nods "get him out of here, I'll make sure you get your cut" he tells her. She mouths a thank you and then cradling me in her arms begins heading to the exit, being careful with the slick floors, "I'm really sorry" I apologise again "I just need you to know in case I die" I explain tears welling in my eyes. "Hey runt you're not gonna die it's a cut to your leg silly" she says trying to reassure me but her face says the truth, while she was right a wound like this to the leg was easily survivable, if I didn't get medical attention it certainly wouldn't be.

Quinara bursts out of the bathhouse doors into the cool night air, "shit what happened!" I hear a familiar voice call out, I see from the corner of my eye Royce approaching us with concern. "Who the fuck are you?" Quinara asks rudely, unsure if this ratkin was friend or foe. "That's Royce. he's a friend" I explain to her not wanting her to lash out at him, her gaze softens and she begins walking "he got in a fight, I need to get him to a doctor" Quinara says panic in her voice, "I know there's one like twenty minutes from here so I gotta run." Royce catches up to her "he's not gonna last that long he's lost a lot of blood" Royce says, Quinara glares at him but he continues, "my ma, she's good at fixin' people up, it's a ten minute walk follow me". Quinara looks down at me, I can tell she doesn't trust this guy she just met but she's running out of options, "lead the way".

The journey to Royce's is a blur for me, I can't help but this about how this is the second time Quinara has had to carry me in her arms to safety, "just hold on runt" Quinara says soothingly, tears streaming down her face as she followed Royce. By the time we reach their home I was delirious having lost so much blood, I notice that their house was proportionately sized for ratkin the door only being around four foot tall. Royce raps on the door and a shorter ratkin in an apron with greying fur around her muzzle answers the door, "Ma my friend needs your help" Royce explains gesturing to me, the ratkin takes one look at me "boys, I need your help!" She yells back into the house, next thing I know at least ten other ratkins come out "boys carry your brothers friend and put him in the backroom on the bed" she instructs and they get to work Quinara passes my body to them and working together they carry me through the door and into the house. As they carry me in I see Quinara get on her hands and knees and try to follow me "hey you're not gonna fit!" a feminine ratkin says to Quinara "I'm not leaving him" she says as I'm brought into the room and no longer can see her. Next thing I hear is a crash and a scream "MA THE ORC JUST BROKE THE DOOR OFF!" The ratkin calls out, "gods, go help your sisters deal with her" Royce's mother tells him as I'm placed on the bed. Royce leaves to help deal with Quinara and his mother gathers some medical supplies from under the bed I'm resting on, my legs stick out from the edge of the small bed but I was in no position to complain. She pulls a needle and thread out "this is gonna hurt... A lot" she warns me, I nod "just do it" and with that she begins sewing my wound shut, I scream in pain which no doubt makes Quinara more agitated in the other room. I try to hold on but a combination of the pain and the blood loss means long before the job is done I find my vision fading as I pass out, I can do little else but hope that Royce's mother was able to do enough to make sure I wake up again.