Hunted

Act-III: Who's there?!

'By the devil...!' thought Roland. He searched frantically for it. 'What's the matter boy?' said Richard pushing forward. 'It's nothing sir' said Roland hastily. He had lost it. He couldn't believe that he had lost it. It was perhaps the most precious object that he had ever owned. Owned. That wasn't even true. It was something he had to look after for someone else, someone special. It was a symbol of longing. 'Stay sharp now' said Richard. 'Yes sir' said Roland snapping back to the present. Roland and Commander Richard were now walking through a narrow passage, lit only by their torches. 

He thought nothing could surprise him more than the hell hounds, but finding the entrance to a hidden corridor was the highlight of his time in the catacombs. They had been walking for a long time now or at least it seemed like a long time to Roland or perhaps it was his growling stomach which was causing time to slow down. 'We'll stop for now'. Said Richard, halting and sitting down on the dusty floor. 'Maybe he read my mind'  thought Roland 'or heard my growling stomach'. Roland sat down beside his Commander. Both the templars opened their ruck sacks. Roland did not like what he saw. Dead stinking rats, slimy earth worms, and any other creatures they could find in the dark. Richard selected the fattest rat amongst his collection and ran it through his sword. He then roasted the animal over his torch and began biting at it.  

Roland, who wasn't very keen on today's menu, was trying to derive inspiration from his Commander. After finishing up their meals, which was not as bad as Roland thought it would, the templars packed up and continued into the corridor. Without any map or the sky to navigate the two men relied on instincts, which were urging them not to get mauled by beasts from the nether world. Not that they had any real options at the moment, they could not go back and there were no deviations in the tunnel, it seemed to stretch on endlessly. Roland was having a hard time concentrating, not that he had succumbed to physical fatigue, it was really hard not to think about the cross, not to think about her. "The lord is always watching", these words chimed through his mind. Once a man was deemed a Templar he was to let go of all his earthly possessions, he was sworn to a life of poverty and a life of celibacy. He was god's sword and shield. Breaking any one of the seven hundred rules that were set by the first seven knights who founded the order was met with swift reprimand, stripping of Knighthood, imprisonment or even death. Roland had found a way around, a loophole. He wore a cross around his neck which did not violate any rules and was also a keepsake from his life before he became a Templar. Maybe losing it was what one would call "divine retribution". No. He could not afford to be distracted lest he be dragged down to hell. 

The two Templars pushed on. The darkness was now deafening. Their torches did not help much. Roland took comfort in the fact that he was with one of the most experienced knights in the entire Christian world. His Commander walking in front of him was perhaps the only thing keeping Roland calm. 

As they walked on, the walls, on either side of the tunnel seemed to be covered in moss. The Templars picked right up on that. 'Sir...' stared Roland 'I see it boy' said Richard curtly 'There must be water nearby and there seems to be a fork up ahead' Roland squinted down ahead and saw nothing. The Templars advanced and the fork became apparent to Roland. They halted at the fork. Richard raised his torch and examined the path on his left and then proceeded to do the same for the path on the right. 'This way' said Richard hoarsely, taking the path on the left. Roland also deduced this to be the best choice seeing as the path on the left had thicker layer of moss growing on the walls. They had been out of water for quite some time and a drink of water would be like a piece of heaven right now. 

The two men were now jogging as the scent of wet stone intensified. The tunnel turned a sharp left and opened up into what looked like a reservoir. Roland could tell that it was a reservoir because the light from their torches was reflecting of a large pool of water on to the roofs of the catacombs. 

Roland now stood beside his Commander and took a deep breath. 'Water. Finally! I thought......' Roland broke off mid sentence. A very warm chill ran down his spine. Someone was breathing down at the back of his neck...