Chương 72: Fumbled

"So… who are you people?" Lamb did not wait for anyone else to move. She grabbed the blanket at the back of the cart and pulled it away, revealing the Black Mask prisoner beneath it. She grabbed him by the collar and lifted him up, causing the man's eyes to widen behind the gag. The prisoner started shaking his head, but stopped as soon as Lamb pressed her sword against his neck.

"Back off," she said.

"Or I kill him." For a moment there, none of the Black Masks moved, and even the Red Mask only stared at the hostage. But then, a whistle whispered in the air. Enel quickly moved beside Lamb and extended his hand. Lamb was quite confused at first, but then saw the arrow in Enel's hand. But the arrow wasn't in front of her face, no… it was flying toward the hostage. The cavern went quiet for a moment, and Lamb's eyes turned toward one of the bridges above them where the arrow came from.

The Red Mask's head turned slightly toward Enel. He did not say anything, but his shoulders slowly started to tense. Lamb continued to stare at the one who shot the arrow, then at the hostage she was holding.

"Useless," she muttered before knocking him out with the hilt of her sword and throwing him off the cart. Enel watched the hostage roll across the stone, then sighed as he began stepping down the cart and removing the black mask from his face. He pulled down his hood, and his golden hair slipped free and fell over his shoulders as he looked around the carved cavern. Lamb jumped down after him, while Guinevere untied Tiny and followed.

Even though they had been discovered, Guinevere still refused to remove the black robe covering her dress, clutching her mask as if attending a ball as she looked around. Bernard climbed down last and immediately scampered behind the cart.

"Please," Enel said while raising both his palms.

"Forgive my companion, but we are not here to fight. We wish merely to speak with Valir." Several of the Black Masks looked at each other, then started laughing at him.

"Do they really think the Lord would even spare them a glance?"

"Who do these people even think they are?"

"Let us just get rid—" Their words and laughter stopped instantly when the Red Mask raised his hand.

"And why," he asked, "would the Lord speak with you?"

"I was hoping he would be magnanimous enough. We only have a single question about the Veil." The Red Mask stared at him for a moment, then slowly tilted his head.

"You trespassed into holy land, disguised yourselves as acolytes, and even wanted to fool Valir by offering someone so impure?"

"What the…" Tiny glanced at the others.

"Is he talking about me?"

"You have no right to speak." The Red Mask glared at Tiny.

"You want us to believe you came here without ill intentions, when you cannot even be honest?"

"Honest?" Lamb spat on the ground.

"You dare even utter that word, huh? Fucker."

"Hm." The Red Mask only glanced at Lamb before turning his focus solely on Enel.

"You may ask your questions in the afterlife." Enel looked at Lamb, and she had already lowered herself into a stance. Her eyes once again moved across the cavern, then to the bridges above, then back to the Red Mask.

"Most of them have no Breath," she said quietly.

"The ones who do are only at First Depth. The red one is trouble." Tiny blinked at her words.

"How… do you know that without that… Breath device thing?"

"I can feel it."

"You can feel it…? You can do something like that?"

"Yes."

"You're lying." The Black Masks began to spread around them while they spoke, clenching their weapons hard. The ones on the bridges moved to block the passages above, while several others drew their bow. Stolen novel; please report. Enel was about to step forward, but stopped as he looked at one of the tunnels.

"What is it?" Lamb muttered.

"Children," Enel answered.

"I hear them crying and calling for help." Lamb's grip tightened around her sword. Enel turned his focus back to the cavern. The Red Mask stood between him and the tunnel, and the Black Masks had almost finished surrounding them.

"Lamb."

"Yes, M'lord?"

"Can you do it?" Lamb glanced around. A smile crossed her face as her eyes swept over the surrounding Black Masks, but it quickly faded when her gaze landed on the Red Mask. She gulped, but still nodded.

"I can." Enel looked at her for a moment, then nodded back.

"Do not lose." The curve on Lamb's lips returned at his words. The Red Mask, however, was not as amused.

"You do not seem to understand your predicament." He scoffed as he walked toward Enel. The Black Masks behind him tensed, but the Red Mask only lifted one hand and placed it on Enel's shoulder.

"Child," he said.

"You are in Valir's—" Enel placed his palm against the Red Mask's chest, and before the man could finish his words, he flew. He flew through the cavern like a stone thrown from a catapult, slamming into one of the carts hard enough to completely shatter it before violently rolling across the ground and striking a pillar. The pillar shuddered under the impact, sending a tremor through the bridge it was supporting. Several Black Masks stumbled and nearly went over the edge.

Well, a few did fall, barely catching themselves on the guardrails. Dust burst, and several Black Masks could only stare at the cloud to see if their superior was alright. Enel turned to Lamb.

"Do not lose," he repeated. Lamb stood up straight and struck her fist against her chest, then raised the back of it to her forehead.

"As you command, M'lord."

"Are… are you forgetting about us, M'lord?" Tiny spoke as he stepped back. Enel looked at him, and somehow, despite everything, smiled.

"You are First Depth, right?"

"Wha—" Tiny's eyes widened.

"Why does everyone keep saying that?! It is simply not—" But alas, Enel vanished before Tiny could argue further.

"The… small one is First Depth?"

"Be careful. I do not think he is, but he could be hiding it." Tiny turned toward the Black Masks, who started whispering amongst themselves.

"No. No, I am not! Please do not be careful of me! I am very, very weak!"

"Are we all just going to keep talking?!" And that was when Lamb lunged. She moved through the cavern, reaching the nearest Black Mask before he could even raise his flail. Her sword flashed, and the man dropped. Another tried to strike her from the side, but Lamb kicked him in the chest hard enough to send him into two others. And the chaos ensued. The arrows snapped through the air, with the Black Masks shouting from the bridges, and the ones below rushed at Lamb and the others in waves.

But of course, Lamb met them all with her sword and her teeth bared. As for Tiny, well, he did not wait to run. He grabbed Guinevere's wrist and dragged her away.

"This way!"

"I was observing."

"What are you even observing, our death?!" A mace struck the ground where they had just been standing, cracking the stone. Guinevere glanced at the small mark it left, then finally allowed herself to be pulled along.

"R-run!" Tiny screamed, and several Black Masks chased after then.

"Oh, no you do not!" Lamb saw that and immediately lunged toward the pursuers, cutting one down and slamming her shoulder into another. A third tried to slip past her, and Lamb caught him by the hood, dragging him back.

"I kept complaining that there were no monsters to kill," she said, driving her sword through the man's leg and throwing him aside.

"Turns out I was wrong." Another Black Mask rushed at her, but Lamb only lowered her stance and breathed out.

"There are plenty of you here." She moved through them swiftly at first. She was right—most did not have Breath at all. They had no answer to her as she danced like a wolf through their formation, cutting them down one by one. But still, there were many of them. And somewhere, behind the dust, the Red Mask woke from his own gasp. Tiny and Guinevere ran through one of the side tunnels, their footsteps echoing off the stone walls.

"T-there!" They moved to a corner, and then another… only to find themselves in a storage filled with crates.

"It… it's a dead end!" Tiny stopped, panting as he looked around. Guinevere remained calm, however, and immediately pulled her hand free and walked toward the crates.

"M'lady…?" Tiny whispered.

"What are you doing? We need to go. This is a dead end!"

"Go where?" Guinevere turned to look at the passage, and several footsteps echoed from the shadows.

"S-shit," he whispered as his face turned pale. He looked around, then pointed behind one of the crates.

"M'lady, please hide—" Before he could finish his words, however, he realized Guinevere was already gone.

"I…" Tiny whispered when he saw her hiding behind one of the crates already.

"I… will protect you." Guinevere glanced at him and only blinked in response before rustling her dress.

"What are you—" The footsteps grew louder before Tiny could even ask what she was doing. He swallowed and turned toward the passage just as three Black Masks entered the storage room. And without even hesitating… he dropped to his knees.

"Please!" Tiny raised his hands.

"Please, I surrender!" The Black Masks stopped approaching.

"I… I am not with them," Tiny quickly said.

"I was taken. F-forced, actually! I am from Valir's Crescent! Please… I-I can show you where the lady is hiding!" Behind the crates, Guinevere froze but remained completely silent. The Black Masks looked at one another.

"He… really does not have Breath," one of them said.

"T-they said that to bluff!" Tiny said.

"I… I am very weak, M'lords! I am no—Gkh?!" One of the Black Masks lunged and kicked him in the stomach. Tiny flew back and struck the wall, then dropped to the floor hard. His body curled, and vomit spilled from his mouth.

"W-why…?" he stuttered.

"Tch… Pathetic." Tiny's eyes watered as he tried to breathe. He subtly glanced toward the crates, where Guinevere was still doing something with her skirt. She pulled something out of it, something long and dark. Tiny shook his head, pressing one hand against the floor as he whispered. The Black Mask who kicked him frowned and stepped closer.

"What are you saying?" Tiny continued to whisper.

"Are you praying?" The Black Mask gritted his teeth.

"The only words of prayer here should be for Him." Tiny glanced at him, but continued to whisper.

"What?" The man crouched, leaning closer. Tiny also tilted his head just enough for the man to hear. [... mother. Volley.]"Huh…?" The Black Mask blinked, and gazed down… …only to see a word sink into the floor beneath Tiny's hand.