Unchained

Chapter 11

After a while some more members of the brigade arrived. They weren't large in numbers but off the top of her head she would have guessed around 20.

They spoke lowly to each other and mostly steered clear of her and gave distrustful glances her way. She fixed her gaze on the earthen floor of the room. Karav had disappeared in a small group that were opposite the room speaking quietly. From what she could hear, it wasn't in a language she understood.

She waited until finally Abraxes entered the room, he gave a glance her way and then took a few steps in her direction.

"So I will leave a few people here with you, but once we give the signal my people will clear out and you just wait here. Your people will be by shortly I assume." He explained.

She nodded at Abraxes but said nothing.

This was it she guessed.

She would go home back to her normal routine. Knowing that she was lied to about many truths of her kind.

"Abraxes" she called before he started to move away. "Good luck. Thank you for treating me civilly."

He nodded at her, "I've never met a vampire like you. Just try to be different when your older and make good change in the world." He said and he gave a wave as he walked off.

After a while they slowly moved out of the room. Only Keil and two other demons remained. The skinny demon with one eye and another whose appearance was boarish. He had small tusks that jutted out. The latter one having left to patrol the halls.

Ophidy sat and thought of how the meeting would go. She tried to imagine what it would be like. She was sure it would be tense knowing the history between the two parties.

Some time had passed before anything happened.

"It's almost time" the one eyed demon muttered and stood up and walked out of the room. Keil himself stood by the entrance to the room and watched down the hall.

Ophidy waited curiously at what would happen.

She heard a pop in the distance and Keil seemed to have perked up at the noise as well. It wasn't but a few moments later the one eyed demon returned.

"Red, something is wrong." He said darkly, "Where is Morg?"

Red? Ophidy questioned.

The one eyed demon glanced in the hall and called out for Morg, the boar demon. When no response came the one eyed demon groaned, "We don't have time for this. I'll be right back." He disappeared down the hall.

"What's going on?" Ophidy questioned Keil.

The reptile glanced over to her, "Quiet vampire." He ordered, not answering her question.

Suddenly fast steps down the hall got both of their attention. A panting voice yelling "Ruun-" before it prematurely ended.

Keil stood alert and quickly retreated back into the room and shut the door.

He gazed back at Ophidy, "You follow me now." His voice was slightly higher indicating his nervousness.

She nodded, knowing that all she had to do would be to refuse and wait long enough for, who she guessed was her kind, to arrive.

But something told her she needed to help the demons. Something about the dream she had led her to believe this wasn't what the future had in store.

She quickly followed him out of another entrance to the room and into another dark hallway. They made their way down the eerie tunnels. She couldn't hear anything as they made their way silently. Keil made twists and turns in their path.

Her eyes narrowed in on a particular bent door knob as they rushed along and it brought her feet to a halt.

Keil who had taken a few steps but then noticed her absent footfalls he glanced over his shoulder.

"Hurry! No stop!" He gripped.

"Wait, hold on " she muttered, her eyes never leaving the door. She analyzed every feature trying to confirm if that was actually the door from her dream?

"We need to go in here " she finalized, still not glancing at Keil. He looked confused and sneered.

"What?" He said in more of a lizard hiss. "That stupid. We go." He smacked his bo staff on the ground. Not too hard but enough to express his frustration.

Ophidy didn't wait for his approval however and took the few steps forward to the door and grabbed the knob.

She pulled it open, it appeared so dark inside. Keil said a few disapproving words from behind her but took some steps to follow her lead.

Once in the room she could see a small hatch in the ceiling in the corner of the room.

"There." She pointed.

Keil looked up and he seemed a bit curious but still annoyed. "How you know that!" He exclaimed.

But he didn't wait for her response, he quickly shut the door behind them and went towards the hatch. He pulled a nearby table over, there was no ladder to reach so they would need something to help them up.

Keil stood on the table and outstretched his arms to grab the hatch door.

He was just a few inches too short. He gave a few jumps, his fingers brushing it once before he fell back down on the table.

Ophidy stood trying not to look at him, her lips pulled tight trying not to smile at the suddenly unexpected funny sight, despite the circumstances they were in.

"You try." Keil grumbled and hopped off the table.

Ophidy obediently climbed up the table, she wasn't much taller than Keil but just enough the tips of her fingers touched the hatch and she pushed and shoved. She could tell the heavy weight of earth lay on top and as it moved bits of dirt started falling through, straight onto her.

She had to sputter her lips to clear some dirt from her mouth.

Finally she moved enough of the hatch door but she had another problem when she realized her eyes began burning. The bright shine of the sun came through the opening she had just created. She stumbled slightly, too focused on the sudden pain in her eyes.

Keil tried to help balance her but she fell off the table and on top of him.