Chương 60: Surprise

Coming around the corner the orange glow from his lantern lit the way, the last several hundred feet had been a bit more sketchy as he had been focused on distance when he dug. The floor wasn't even and the ceiling was low. He spent as much time looking at his feet as he spent looking ahead. The glow of a man's crystal wasn't an odd sight in the tunnels so he hadn't really looked over at it.

He lowered his lantern to the ground as he came close to the end of his corridor not wanting it too close to the dirt and rock that may break it. He would need it to get back in time. If anything having a crystal nearby for light would save the risk and help his team with their quota. When he sat the lantern down and started over to the wall at the end of the corridor he caught the shadow off the edge of a crate. In the extremely dim tunnel he had to squint to make out the box.

As he approached what was clearly a crate his squinted eyes nearly burst from his head. The crate was full of dim crystals. As he picked one up to check it out in the soft green glow he leaned over the edge of the crate to get closer to the glowing chunk on the ground. He got close enough to see a dark, not human looking, clawed hand laying beside the crystal on. Butler was a proud man. He had proven himself a hard worker and only shed a tear when his mother was captured by the slavers.

He wasn't known for weakness even to the guards. So he was just as surprised at the sound he made as he was by the monster that made him make it.

"Aaaayyyiiiiiii" He yelled out before clapping a hand over his mouth and shuffling away from the crate back to his lantern. Pick forgotten he hobbled back to his crew as fast as he could in the dark tunnel. He hadn't made it far before hearing a strange deep flapping sound and then something grabbed him by the back of his loose raggedy shirt and pulled him back.

He reinforced his leg with his single drop of power and kicked out with everything he had catching the thing with a surprised deep growl "HUMPFFF" then he ran without his light source. Without reinforcements he was just as fast as a normal person. But he had made his first drop weeks ago and had not found a safe time or place to practice much. A kick was simple. Running was complicated. Directly after the kick he was attacked from above by a dark shadow of wings and sharp claws.

He threw his hands up to protect his head and swatted at the air. The wind was knocked out of him as whatever was behind him plowed into his back sending him tumbling to the ground. He was scrambling in the dark tunnel for anything. A loose rock, an old pick, anything he could swing instead of his weak empty fists. It wasn't enough. The creature growled and grabbed his hands pulling them behind his back and he screamed "HEL—mmmff" just as the word started the creature grabbed his face muffling his shouts.

It was ridiculously strong as it held him by the arms and face and dragged him back into the darkness. Fighting for his life against the flapping squawking monster that had him in a vice grip.

The sudden wake up was terrifying. A yell woke him but the bird made him pay attention as someone was running away. Blick knew immediately he had to stop the person from returning to the compound and bringing trouble. When he stood for the chase he noticed in the lantern light that it was just a slave by the clothing and lack of coiled rope. That made him relax his attack a bit as he didn't see a reason to kill someone who wasn't a threat.

Grabbing the man's shirt he was shocked by the powerful kick that followed and let his anger get the better of him. Surprisingly his bird companion had jumped into the man's path. He wouldn't risk another kick so he just shoved the man to the ground and jumped on top of his sprawling body. When Blick dragged the man back to the end of the tunnel he realized he didn't have a good way to restrain him and paused to think. The man was not much taller than Blick, but he was a lot skinnier.

He pinned the man on the ground beside the crate "Stay quiet and I won't have to hurt you." He said before releasing the hand covering the man's mouth. The man wisely kept his quivering lips shut as he stared wide eyed up at Blick who reached over for the glowing crystal and brought it closer so they could have a conversation. When the light shown under Blicks furry face with large black eyes the man's eyes exploded with fear and he nearly yelled out before Blick punched him in the head knocking him out cold.

"Ugh well… shit" he looked over at the bird who was hopping closer and chuckled while patting it on the head.

"Good work there friend." Then he reached back and unsnapped his lower back pouch and fed some mana into the berry bush to give the bird a treat. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Butler slowly woke up while rubbing his head with a groan.

"Damn what a nightmare, oh sorry." He immediately lowered his voice thinking it was still night and everyone was still sleeping in the bunks around him. As he slowly came to he realized he was lying in dirt and rock and there was the faint glow around him. He sat bolt upright realizing it wasn't a dream.

"Calm down your safe." Came a deep voice from his right and he snapped his head that direction.

"What the fuck you can talk." He whispered to himself not really comprehending his situation.

"Yes, and like I said I won't hurt you, but I need you to stay quiet." Then the bird let out a soft squawk wanting to be part of the conversation. Both himself and the furry talking creature looked over at the bird for a second before it tilted its head to the side.

"My name is Blick, I assume you're one of the slaves?" Butler took a second to soak in that information before he nodded and responded with "Yes I've been enslaved here for a few years I think. Names Butler. What in the world are you? If we dug into your home underground I promise we didn't know your people are under here." He said while trying to make out any other place the furry man could have come from.

"Ha ha no, I'm from another world. I'm guessing either they wouldn't have told a slave, or the news hasn't made it this far. Either way, I will be leaving soon. I just came to see how many drops I could absorb. I didn't expect to find the compound or any of you. The capital doesn't seem to think anyone is living this far south." Butler lowered his head.

"The cultivators have captured anyone brave enough to make a run for the capital. Some tried to fight back, but we were farmers and loggers, not warriors." He was surprised to find the creature seemed to understand the situation so well. Another squawk had the furry man leaning over to give the bird a handful of something.

"I take it that you have a couple drops already? If you managed to carry this crate all the way down here?" Blick nodded and looked away from the bird.

"Ok look. We both want a safe way out of here right? I've been working on digging out this tunnel. If we can dig another dozen feet or so we should be really close to another tunnel system with its own exit outside of the compound." Blick stood at that and pointed "This way?" Before receiving a "Well yeah but my pick is…" before he finished he was stunned to see the wide set furry man step up to the wall and start digging through the rock and stone at a crazy speed.

He had never seen a cultivator work but he had seen a few of them run or punch someone and he could see the speed in this man's movements. Waiting around for about an hour as Blick dug was nerve wracking. Butler slowly realized he wasn't exactly sure how long he had been down here and if his team had been called back yet. Just as he stood to go ask Blick the tunnel end crumbled away and the furry man tumbled over a rock pile with a "OOF"