The Unlikely Hero

Chapter 6. Yet Another Mission

I woke up only later and I felt as if I had banged my head into a wall a hundred times. It was spinning and hurting like crazy and as I sat up, pain shot across my entire body and my limbs.

"Whoa, take it slow, girl!" A familiar voice boomed over me and I glanced sideways to see the dwarf Jill leaning towards me. "You ok?"

I nodded, ignoring the pain and the dizziness, which was slowly going away. Slowly, but surely.

"You gave me quite a scare there, girl," Jill shook her head. "One minute you're standing and grinning at me and the next one you're down on the floor unconscious."

"What... happened?" I whispered.

"You tell me," the dwarf scoffed. "You simply passed out!"

I furrowed my brows in thought, trying to recall something from the depths of my mind. "I... I was flying... I think."

"Flying?"

"Yeah... there were clouds... and mountains!" I glanced at Jill in wonder. "I was... flying?"

"Uhuh," she cocked one brow and sighed. "Well, girl, here's a penny for your thoughts: your flying hobby lasted whole three hours!"

My eyes widened and I jumped on the bed I was lying on, "WHAT?!"

"Yeah, so you'd better get going or your magician will leave for good."

"Darn it!" I jumped down from the bed and almost tripped over a dark mass of soft skin and sharp spikes.

"Grah," it growled and jumped up, rubbing against my leg. Surprised, I bent down to pet Totto.

"It's really attached to you, you know," Jill noted grimly. "Kept guarding you all the while you were out."

"Wow," I scratched behind its ear affectionately. "Good boy, Totto, good boy."

It growled in response and I smiled. That hell puppy was growing in on me.

"Anyways," Jill grumbled. "If you're fast enough, you should be able to catch up with that magician in the miners' camp. He's headed there now."

"Really?" I turned to Jill and beamed a smile at him. "Thanks' a lot, Jill! You're a life savior!"

I shot up from the ground, letting go of Totto, "I'm off, then!"

"Hey, wait up!" Jill stopped me and gave me a doubtful look. "Do you even know the way out?"

I thought for a moment and then shook my head. The dwarf sighed and mumbled something under her breath. Then, she whistled and to my surprise I saw little flying bugs circle around her.

"There, my little friends will show you how to get out," Jill said and the bugs flew off towards the exit of the room.

"Your friends... are bugs?" I cocked my brow and Jill glowered at me.

"You wanna be out or not?"

"I do, I do!" I exclaimed and grinned. "Thanks', Jill!"

"Yeah, yeah, just go already, lass," she grumbled. "And don't forget to come back next week! I need you to train the hell hound."

I nodded and was about to go out, but Totto rushed after me. So, I bent down to him, "Totto, you stay here for now, ok? Auntie Jill will care for you until I'm back."

The demon dog let out a whine and wagged its tail affectionately, following me again. I shook my head and pointed my finger at it, "Stay, Totto. Stay."

It whined some more, but this time stayed back and so I waved to Jill once more before I ran out of her little secluded base and followed the glowing bugs or, perhaps, fireflies, whatever it was. My head was back to normal and all the dizziness was gone. I felt like I always did and so I pressed on across the mines as fast as I could. I was already late on my assignment, after all. Well, better later than never, as they say.