Marbles: The Hawk Who Refused to Die a Virgin

Chapter 22. Is There an Opposite of a Reconciliation Chamber?

"Alright we are not going to lose an opportunity to take down a god while we're down here," said Lucy as she lead the party up through the tunnels outlined on the shrimp's thin stone map. "I'm taking us to the mole people first, to see what they say. Then we're finally getting out of this place."

They formed a single file line while walking through the narrow the tunnel: Lucy with Jezebel on her shoulder, Opal with Marbles perched astride his shoulders, and finally a morose Languin, who you could say had relinquished his position as leader of the party, just as you could say that Judas had relinquished his position as an apostle.

Aside from Lucy's initial plans, they spent the next six hours walking in total silence. It was so uncomfortable for Opal that he would rather have been actively pursued by some predator rather than being stuck behind a furious Lucy, who stamped through the caverns at a breakneck pace, and ahead of a sadsack Languin, who he could actually hear kicking rocks, crestfallen.

They eventually found a small chamber where Lucy simply unrolled her bedroll on the ground and then went to sleep. Opal built a small fire while Languin set up his clatterlight traps. Opal kept catching Languin staring sadly at at a sleeping Lucy.

"You're so fucked dude," said Opal. "Tell me about it," said Languin.

In the morning as they were preparing to leave, Languin stood looking around the campsite, confused.

"I appear to be missing a tripwire from one of my clatterlight traps," said Languin. "Has anyone seen one?"

"Why don't you just wish for one?" asked Lucy.

"Lucy," said Languin, a pained expression on his face, "perhaps you and I could adjourn to a reconciliation chamber, as Opal and I had done earlier."

"Hey Opal," said Lucy. "Do you remember when you and Marbles would take walks so that Languin could transition from metaphorically fucking us all so that he could literally fuck me?"

"Yes," said Opal. "I mean, I wouldn't like, phrase it that way but I know what you're talking about."

"Do you mind taking another lap?" asked Lucy. "For old time's sake?"

"Oh sure," said Opal. "Marbles you ready buddy?" Opal stuck his right fist down by his side and extended two fingers but even Marbles had figured out that Languin was about to be in a world of shit.

"Dude I would rather fight two giant cave centipedes than witness what's about to go down here," said Marbles, hopping along after the gnome. Jezebel stayed perched on Lucy's pack, which was on the ground. She was staring up at Languin.

Tears were streaming down Lucy's cheeks but her voice remained... pretty even, considering.

"OK Languin this is not a reconciliation chamber," said Lucy. "A frustration chamber? A humiliation chamber? A how dare you risk our lives on this vain and selfish ulterior motive that may have doomed us all down here forever chamber? Maybe."

"Lucy, I honestly thought that the river could also help us get out of this cave as well," said Languin, possibly maybe half succeeding in convincing himself. "In caves you are always looking for a path, avoiding dead ends. Rivers are a great source for these paths."

"That may be so," said Lucy, "but Languin, you have to admit to me that the lamp was your top priority, even above our survival, and above making it out of this cave."

"It is true Lucy," said Languin. "I would do everything in my power to keep you safe, but I was always making my way towards that lamp."

Jezebel screeched, which caused Languin to flinch.