Chapter 9: The Strife in the Sewers

I awake next morning, groggy and still tired. I put on the usual, my cloak, a pair of brown pants, and the chest-piece the Swindler's Guild hands out. I walk out of my room, practically dragging my feet across the ground. "Hey Sam, did you sleep well?" Mika asks. "Do I look like I did?" I reply sarcastically. Mika looks offended, her eyes drooping slightly. "Sorry, it was a long night last night, and I'm really grumpy..." I say, apologizing indirectly. "No worries, we all have our bad days!" Mika retorts, cheering up slightly.

 

"So what do we plan on doing for breakfast?" I ask, trying to lighten the mood a bit. "You want breakfast? I mean, I'll make it, but no one else is awake, and it's like... a little after dawn," Mika replies. "Oh... I'll wait then. In the meantime, what did you do yesterday?" I ask her. "Ah, well, I worked with the church for most of the day, so nothing much really happened besides handing out fliers and doing other rookie business," Mika says, dodging the answer she knows I expected.

 

"I figured... but what did you do when you got home?" I say, trying to sound as clueless as possible. "Oh... ah... well... bah, fuck it, you know that cowgirl you saw me with before you guys went to the bar? Yes well I took her home and had... you know... a little fun with her..." Mika blurts out, blushing mildly. "I figured, you went to bed covered in those silk straps... didn't know you were one for bondage," I reply, chuckling as her face changes from shyness to one of regret. "Damn, I thought I told her to clean it up," Mika mutters to herself. "Oh wow, inviting her over for bondage play, then demanding she cleans the mess YOU caused? Damn Mika, you're a cold one when you're horny!" I say, laughing as the kitsune tries to take back what she said.

 

Mika and I continue to talk about yesterday, and it seems Mika is very involved in the church work she is given."Why exactly DO you want to learn holy magic?" I question. "Well, most of it involves helping your allies, and I feel that I'm not good enough combat-wise, so instead of being useless, I can help you guys when you're in trouble," Mika answers. My head perks up slightly when she says 'useless.' "Useless? You can strike enemies with lightning or freeze them with ice magic for Gods sake! That isn't at all useless!" I say, trying my best to encourage her.

 

"Thanks, I don't know... maybe I'm just going through something? Holy magic just seems so... peaceful, you know? Being a priestess seems so calming, I guess I just want a piece of that pie," Mika continues. "Wait... you aren't thinking of abandoning the guild for a church... right?" I ask, concerned with her loyalty. "Heavens, no, it just might be a good fallback if anything ever happens that demands I can't be in the guild anymore," Mika explains, her ears twitching slightly, as if they were annoyed by something.

 

"Group Alpha-7, new report for ya!" a voice says, interrupting our chatter. "Coming sir!" I shout as I get up from the table to go to the dorm's entrance. The door opens, and the guild's post deliverer, a dwarf by the name of Vincent, stands before me. "Here ya go Sam! Have a nice day!" Vincent says as he leaves the doorway to deliver mail to the other groups. "Hmm... I don't want to open this until everyone is awake," I say aloud. I go to open Berta and Marc's door, but certain sounds stop me before I even touch the knob. Is that... squelching? Are they seriously fucking in the morning?! Fuck, I'm going to do something about this!

 

How does Samuel go about this?

 

A. Open the door and act surprised

B. Open the door and act rude

C. Go open Eryne's door first, it might avoid awkward conversations and scolding if they stop before he enters

 

>A. Open the door and act surprised

 

Deciding I might as well get this shit over with now, I open the door and put on the most innocent face I can muster. What I see doesn't really surprise me, it's just Berta giving Marc a blowjob. "GYAAH!!! Geez Sam, knock much?!" Marc shouts. "Waah?! C'mon guys, right now?!" I shout back in protest. Berta completely ignores the current situation, continuing her sucking on Marc's seemingly small dick. "Berta, cut it out! It's barely between dawn and noon! We've got shit to do!" I  say, trying to get her attention.

 

"Oh please, just leave us be, it's been a long time since I've seen Marc, can't you just let us enjoy what little time we can spend together?" Berta says, taking Marc's dick out of her mouth. "I'd understand if you did it later, but it's just morning! Life isn't just about sex! And didn't you two bang enough last night?" I respond quickly. "Don't interfere, just go already. This really doesn't concern you," Berta replies. "It does concern me! We just got a mission report, and I'm sure some sort of new mission is going to be included. Just hurry it up and get your asses moving, got it?" I say. "Fine, just go," Berta says, as her mouth looms over Marc's dick once more.

 

I close the door before Berta can begin once more. "Oy, I've got to get these fuckers in check, we can't be in the midst of a mission and fucking like rabbits at the same time... unless the mission calls for that," I think to myself. I let out a sigh, then approach Eryne's door across the hall. Luckily, she isn't masturbating like some lewd morning-sex lover, and I tell her to meet us in the main room for further orders. She hastily gets up, still probably intimidated by me after last night, and gets ready as fast as she can.

 

Eventually, we all stand in the central room, even Marc, who has not seemed to want to leave yet. I open the letter, unpinning the sticker in the middle.

 

"Dear Alpha Group-7,

        I am very pleased with your progress! Your last mission was very successful, and has lead to some developments that I will attend to within the week. Because of this, I will not be able to tell you this in person. A group of Lamias living in the sewers, who self-identify as the 'Tunnel Snakes', have been running an underground ring. They do many things, such as smuggling people, fight clubs, sexual warfare, selling narcotics, and many other things that would otherwise not involve us. However, the king has recently been very annoyed with their activities, and have sent out a detachment known as 'Foxhound' to stop these intruders. Foxhound is not just one group, but a group of guards who have been trained to fight back and capture the scaled hooligans, having been given a dog-morph to "sniff out" them. The thing is, the Tunnel Snakes are more adept in the sewers, and have been capturing, raping, and murdering these detachments. This caused the king to set out a bounty on the snakes, one-hundred and fifty-thousand gold for the leader... dead or alive. This is a hefty bounty, and judging by how well your group fights, I want you to do whatever you can to either kill the leader, or persuade her to stop the assault.

 

                                                - Lucius von Gangrel"

 

I finish the letter. Berta and Eryne seem somewhat excited, practically jumping up and down with glee. Mika looks extremely hesitant, but I ignore it. After all, she's hesitant about anything new. "Marc, I think it'd be best if you stayed here another night. I don't want you coming with us, only to be stabbed in the throat, but I also don't want you cleaning that dust-heap until we're all with you, got it?" I tell the Elf. "Sure, thanks by the way... and sorry for this morning..." he replies. "It's no problem. So gang, let's get ready and get going, we'll meet by the sewers at noon, understood?" I say to the rest of the group. "Got it!" they all shout back.

 

We all settle down in the central room as Mika makes breakfast. The smell is heavenly, a mixture of bacon, eggs, and fresh-baked bread rolls. "Mika, it smells delicious in there!" Marc shouts. "Thanks!" Mika yells in response. Everyone but Mika, who decided to eat standing up,  sits down at the table. Breakfast is served on a ceramic platter, and it couldn't have been more divine. The bacon was absolutely great, and the eggs were cooked to perfection. The bread rolls were great too, but paled in comparison to the two aforementioned foods.

 

As the meal is finished, compliments are sent Mika's way, who sheepishly accepts them. I make my way out the door and out of the guild. I aim to get Deniece sharpened, and maybe do something else with Lunra and Solus. The sewer is also a confusing place, so I'm going to need a map or at the very least, directions. Supplies are also a necessity, and maybe some new armor wouldn't kill. We did nab a shit ton of cash after the previous mission, and even after we split the differences, we were still left with a load of gold, so why not spend a bit more?

 

Around noonish, I have done about three of the things I aimed for. Deniece was sharpened, and for a hefty price, I made Lunra have a slight chance of paralysis, while Solus was almost guaranteed to burn within two hits. I also loaded up on a few supplies, like food, canteens for water, and a torch. I don't even know why I grabbed the torch, what with Mika's fire, but a little back up never hurt. I did get directions from some beggar, who had probably encountered the slithering scoundrels before, but they were vague. It takes another hour, but eventually, we are all gathered around the entrance to the sewer. With a gasp of air, I push the thick metal covering away, and make my way inside the filthy chasm.

 

Light shines down into the sewer, although it barely penetrates the darkness contained within. "Hey Mika, got any spells to light this place up?" I ask her. "Yeah, how about a wisp? They're sentient and aren't just limited to my hand. They're also pretty bright too!" Mika explains. She mutters some sort of language I don't understand, but the slimy walls of the underground light up as the wisp appears.

 

"Aaaawww! It's just a cute little ball of fire!" Berta says, adoring the little guy almost instantly. Berta clears her throat, acting like what she just did never happened. We walk down the corridors of the sewer, following the directions the beggar said to me as best as I can. There seems to be no life here, as if everything was just still. There is no light indicating the presence of anybody, there is no life to be seen for ages, and the tunnel seems never-ending.

 

Suddenly, Eryne notices a movement in the water next to me. "Sam, watch out!" she shouts, as the blob rises to my side. Noticing the mass of slime towering beside me, I quickly flip away from striking distance of the goo. I unsheathe my rapier, ready to fight this damnable abomination. "*Yawn* I'm still tired... and hungry. Oh! Food! I'm going to take one of you guys!" the blob says, the tip of the top morphing into a women's face.

 

A green Slime-Girl appears!

 

Samuel is using Deniece

Sam has 2 BP

 

What will Sam do?

 

A. Switch to Solus and Lunra

B. Jab at the girl

C. Assume a defending position

D. Allow Berta and Eryne to fight alongside you, although considering the amount of space, they may only get in the way

E. Use skill (Mimic, Lightning Leap)

 

>B. Jab at the girl

 

I quickly thrust my sword at the girl. The blade sinks in, but does not seem to do anything useful. "Oh! This meal wants to fight back! That's exactly what I need! Dinner and a workout!" the slime-girl happily cheers, as if the stab had tickled her. "Is this a joke to you? Just get out of our way, we don't want to bring any harm to you," I say sternly to the blob of slime, pulling my blade out of her body. "Heh, so commanding! How cute! I think I'll take you back home! I bet your semen tastes great!" the girl replies. I ready my sword once again, but jabs and slashes aren't going to do anything... what are slime-girls weak to... heat?

 

What will Sam do?

 

Sam has 3BP

A.  Switch to Solus and Lunra

B. Defend

C. Use skill (Mimic, Lightning Leap)

D. Attack again

 

>A. Switch to Lunra and Solus

 

"Aha! You slime-women are weak to flames? Right? Well have a taste of my daggers!" I yell as I sheathe Deniece and draw Lunra and Solus. "Pfft, like your puny little shivs are going to do anything," Eryne says mockingly. I ignore her and run at the slime girl. I jump up and stab her with Solus. "Heheh, it did nothing! Your 'final resolution did nothing!" the gooey girl says. "Shit! It was only like a 70% chance and it fails me now of all times!" I think to myself. I try my best to pull out the blade, and eventually free the dagger, but the slimy woman lashes out. Her arm strikes me, and the arm begins to shift around my waist. "Gyaah!" I shout as her arm hoists me into the air.

 

Oh no! Sam's done for at this point! It's time for desperation!

 

What will he do?

 

A. Stab! Stab as many times as you can into her arm!

B. Accept defeat you fucking pussy

C. Lightning Leap! Free yourself, then stab that wench in the heart!

 

>A. Stab! Stab as many times as you can into her arm!

 

In a panic, I begin stabbing her tendril repeatedly with Solus. She yelps in pain as the searing metal melts her arm, and lets go of my body. My heart is pounding furiously and my legs feel like jelly. I can only think what would've happened had I not began stabbing. I feel dizziness approach, and slowly fall over. The last thing I see before I pass out is Eryne talking to the slime girl.

 

Samuel has won!

 

Samuel gained 45 exp points!

 

I awake to Berta cradling me in her arms. I get up, spazzing out in her grasp, slightly embarrassed by the babying. "Wha- what happened?" I ask, calming down a bit. "You passed out, probably because of the sudden force of your panicking," Berta replies. Eryne approaches, arms folded. "Well Sam, the slime agreed to lead us to where she believes the Tunnel Snakes are," she says. "Oh... that's uh... that's great," I sputter, still a bit shaken up. "Sam, you okay? Do you want any magic to calm you down? I think I know a spell that can help," Mika asks sincerely. "No, I'm fine... thank you though," I respond.

 

I make sure to keep my distance from the slime girl leading us, so I stand in the very back. "Wait!" Eryne shouts. "I... I think I hear someone! Mika, shoosh the wisp!" she continues. Mika clasps the wisp, and it dissipates inside her hands. Darkness surrounds us, although a faint light can be seen coming from a corner. "Heh, those ----- stand a ch--," I can faintly make out a voice say. "Yeah, we'll ------- and ge------- --ward!" I hear another one pipe up. These people don't sound friendly whoever they are, but I can definitely tell they aren't Tunnel Snakes... their voices are snide, but not evil...

 

"*sniff* *sniff*... someone else is here! There is definitely someone in this room!" I hear a voice shout loudly. "Quiet you! You'll give ourselves away!" I hear the first voice say, followed by a sharp 'bang', which leads me to assume the first person hit the third speaker. "These people don't sound nice... it would be wise to draw our weapons," I whisper to Eryne. "Hold on, you never know down here," Eryne replies. "You say that like you've been down here before," I whisper back. "Shut up, do you want to get caught?" Eryne says, shutting me up.

 

"Where are they mutt?" a new voice says. "Uhh.... uhhmm... around that corner!" a femanine voice says. "Guys, our cover's blown, let's just get this over with!" I suggest. "I'm going with Sam, no use in hiding," Berta agrees. "Hey, slimy, get in the back... we'll take it from here," Eryne says. The Slime-Girl understands, and stands directly behind me. "H-Hey Mika... think you can get that wisp lit up again?" I say tensely, nervous due to the slime girl's presence behind me. Mika nods, and light comes to the area once more as the wisp awakens.

 

"There! That light! It's them!" the second voice says. Footsteps clatter against the ground as a group of four appear from the left corner of the sewer. "Hey... wait... it's just a bunch of idiots who got lost in the sewer!" the second voice says, his seemingly deep tone turning into disappointment. "Bah, we should kill them for the trouble!" the first voice says. At the utterance of that line, everyone draws their weapon at once. I unsheathe my rapier, Berta draws her longsword, Mika summons a fireball to her hand, and Eryne equips her falcata. "What was that hair-brain?!" Eryne shouts at the first person, who appears to be a sort of female wolf monster.

 

"Oh, well... armed idiots," the wolf girl says. "Hmph, we have no need for meddling with these obviously lower-class cretins," the third girl, who wears a black cloak, as well as black and red garments. "You... you're a vampire... aren't you?!" I say, feeling my knuckles tensing. "Ah, you figured me out fast, how could you tell?" the girl says nonchalantly. "Let's just say I don't have a good history with you blood-suckers, is that enough?" I spit out in disgust. "My, my, quite the tongue for such a peasant," the girl says, putting her hand on her hip.

 

"Shut your mouth! You higher succubi have done nothing but corrupt the land! I don't need to take anymore of your lip!" I shout in unrefined anger. "*Sigh* If it's a fight you want, then you'll have it! Draw your weapon you trash!" the vampire says, her sword in one hand, and ice in the other. "Fine then! Prepare for defeat!" I shout, drawing my rapier in one hand and Solus in the other. "Sam! Now is not the time for this!" Mika shouts. "Shut up! This is my fight! Let me have it!" I yell back.

 

Vampire Succubus appears!

 

What will Sam do?

Sam has 2BP

 

A. Use skill (Mimic, Lightning Leap)

B. Wait for her to attack

C. Attack with a thrust from Deniece

D. Stab with Solus

 

"You should be ashamed, fighting royalty at first sight!" the Vampire taunts. "You should be embarrassed! Royalty crawling in the filth of the sewers! Actually... your kind belongs here, it suits you quite well!" I retort in frustration.

 

>Combination A/D (-2BP)

 

With fury pounding through my veins, I jump into the air. I flip once I hit the highest I can go, and fall into the direction of the vampire. I hold Solus out in front of me, hoping for the blade to drive into her. The blade connects, and sears through her flesh. "Hnng... heheh, that... tickles!" the girl says, her face alternating between pain and laughter. I stand in shock as she actually laughs off the pain. She lashes out, her chilled fist connecting with my face. I stumble backward, but her assault continues. She uses the blunt end of her sword to bash into my chest, causing me to spurt blood onto the ground. I kneel on the ground, rapier driven in to help support me. She stands above me, her sword pointed at my face. "Do you submit, you unworthy scum?" she states, her face looking deathly still. "N-Never!" I shout.

 

What do we do?

 

A. Try and strike her wrist to disarm her

B. Jab at her feet so she trips

C. Give in

D. Spit blood in her face to shock her, then attack

 

>B. Jab at her feet so she trips.

 

Making a hasty decision, I pull Deniece out of the ground and strike her right foot. With no time to react, she quickly grabs her foot, hopping up and down. I get up as fast as I can, and while she's only on one foot, I bash my elbow into her stomach. She coughs, then falls to the ground. I point my rapier directly at her face. "Are YOU ready to submit?!" I ask snidely. "I would die before I gave into such bold tactics!" she shouts in response, blasting cold magic into my face. I drop Deniece and grip my head, flinching and cringing at the frozen blast. I take my hands off my head, only to see the vampire getting ready to swing her sword. I move to the side as fast as I can, but the tip of the blade slashes my left arm, ripping through the cloth and slashing through my flesh. "GYAAH, you bitch!" I shout in response to the pain. I draw Lunra, leaving few options ready at my disposal.

 

What will Sam do?

Sam has 1 BP

 

A. Slash with Lunra, hoping RNG gods smile upon him and deliver paralysis

B. Slash with Solus and burn the wench

C. Grab Deniece and get back in the fray

D. Parry (Seriously? Try parrying with daggers m8)

 

>A. Slash with Lunra, hoping RNG gods smile upon him and deliver paralysis

 

Taking Lunra in my wounded left hand, I dash towards the vampire. I know how low the chance of stunning her is, but I have to take the chance! She assumes a blocking stance, and I slide around her, my face inches from hers. I duck around to her left, and deliver a slash to her lower calf. I jump back as fast as possible, only to see vampire still standing. "Ha, such a wea-" the vampire says before she is cut off by herself. Her body betrays her as she falls to the ground, utterly paralyzed. I sheathe Lunra and Solus, and walk over to pick up Deniece. I grab hold of it, and walk towards her. My presence looms over her, then I slam the blade into the ground. The blade is mere centimeters from her head, and I can see the fear in her eyes as they tremble.

 

Samuel has won the battle!

 

Sam has gained 100 exp points!

 

Samuel is now level 4!

 

Samuel is now level 5!

Sam now has 3 BP at the start of battle!

 

I sigh in relief as I draw Deniece from the ground to put her back in her sheathe. As I do, the wolf girl runs up to me. The next few moments are hazy for me, but I can only remember a brute force hitting my right cheek, then the impact as I hit the ground.

 

I awake once more, finding myself in the arms of Berta again. "Ugh... dammit Berta, if you baby me every time I get knocked out, it isn't exactly going to improve my image," I say. "Oh shut up Sammy-Boy," Berta says playfully. I look over and see Eryne has the wolf-girl restrained, while the vampire has recovered from her paralysis. The dog-girl, whom was the one who sniffed us out in the first place, lies near the wall, with what appears to be the third member, who looks to be an extremely strong wight carrying a sword larger than Berta's on his back, that is sitting next to her, petting her ears.

 

"I'm just going to say this now, you only beat me because of the stun, got it?" the vampire states. "Yes I know, but I still won anyway," I respond sourly. I look at the wolf-girl who knocked me out. "You seem to play dirty, you filthy fanged mutt," I say, spitting at the ground below her. "Yes, thank you for noticing. I was afraid I couldn't let you do that, so I played by my own rules. I bet you want to hit me back reeeeaaal bad, dont'cha?" she says, smiling at the end of her sentence. "Please, it wouldn't be worth my time," I say, causing her expression to go back to neutral. "No need for restraint Eryne, you can let her go," I add.

 

Eryne lets go of the wolf, and she smiles as she walks past me. I stare straight ahead, ignoring her. "What's your name bub?" the girl asks. "Samuel, what's yours," I retort. "Aries, but don't bother, I doubt we'll even see each other after this anyway," she says. "I doubt it, I'll be after the vampire if anything else. What are you guys even doing down here anyway?" I ask. "Well, we're part of Foxhound you see, we're hunting those dreaded snakes," Aries says. "I'm guessing you guys are after the bounty too?" she adds. "You'd be right, now let's go our separate ways, before I change my mind about that slugging, got it?" I say. "Whatever 'Sam'. If we happen to meet up with the Tunnel Snakes, lets team up. First one to get the leader, claims the reward. I have honor, so don't expect me to betray you. C'mon team, and you too mutt, we still have snakes to find," Aries says, finishing her little monologue.

 

Aries' group eventually makes their way past us, most likely preferring a path to the snakes that won't involve us encountering again. "Well, the came in from the left corner, so let's take the right corner," I suggest. "Sounds like a plan," Eryne says as she begins walking. With no opposition, we all follow her. "Wait... where's the slime girl?!" I say with sudden realization. Coincidentally, a blob appears by my side, causing me to flip out and fall down. "GYAAH! Don't scare me like that!" I shout as the girl shifts back into her usual form. "Oh... sorry... did I scare you?" she asks sincerely.

 

"N-No, I just tripped on my own," I reply sarcastically. "Lighten' up Sam, you're just still frightened because you almost became her snack slave," Eryne says. I stop talking, knowing this will only lead to more arguments. As we're beginning to turn right, Mika speaks up. "Hey Sam, I forgot to ask. Are you hurt from your previous battle?" she says. "Hmm, yeah, a little bit, why?" I respond. "Oh, well, I know a little healing magic to help you silly!" she retorts playfully. "Here, just stand still... let me see... oh my... she got you pretty good in the chest, didn't she? Well I can help that!" she rambles, studying me intently. Her hands glow white as she touches my chest. Relief spreads through my body, and I can honestly say I've never felt so relaxed before.

 

"All better!" she says, taking her hands off of my chest. I sigh, knowing I'm only going to get that sort of attention if I'm wounded again. "Hurry up you two! It's a damned sewer! Not a hospital!" Berta shouts. I realize we're pretty far behind, and run to catch up with them. With no warning, a piercing shriek penetrates the silence of the chasm. It isn't near us... so it must be the other group! From what I could tell, it sounded like the dog-girl! "Eryne, it's Aries' group! Should we go help them?" I ask.

 

What does the group do?

 

A. Chase after Aries' group

B. Ignore them and continue on our own way

C. Find an alternate path! It may be quicker, but we risk getting lost (50%)

 

>A. Chase after Aries' group

 

Dammit, I don't want to, but I know we have to follow them," Eryne says. "C'mon! Let's make haste!" Eryne adds, as she begins running to the site of our previous encounter. We all run as fast as we can to catch up with Aries and the gang. I look around and notice the slime girl is nowhere in sight, not that it matters, she'd probably end up getting in the way. "There, there's a path-*huff*-way down there! That's probably where *huff* they went!" Berta states.

 

We make a sharp turn down the thin passage way. I can just barely make out a figure up ahead... no wait! Three figures! "Hey!" I shout. I hear a voice say "Oh, it's them." We stop right behind the wight, who is walking in the back of the group. He stares into the distance, as if he doesn't even notice us. "What the hell happened?!" Eryne says, trying to catch her breath. "The damned slitherers appeared, and they snatched away the girl that was given to us for the assignment," Aries says. "Whatever, it's not like she was part of the group anyway," she adds.

 

"How could you?! You just gave her away?! Do you know what they do down here?! It's all rape, drugs, and murder! That's a life, and you just surrendered it without hesitation!" I rant, absolutely furious with Aries' uncaring attitude for the girl. "Pipe down Sam, you've already caused enough trouble," Eryne says. I feel my blood boil. "Tch, fine, but don't think I forgive you," I say, hiding the rage in my voice.

 

"Yes, well, her life was forfeit when she agreed to do this assignment. She knew the risk and she took it," the Vampire girl adds. "Sadie, I am no one to question your judgement, but it would be wise to stop talking. This man is passionate about the girl, and she was technically part of our group, therefore, we should help them find her, as well as stop the criminal activity in these sewers," the wight says, speaking his mind.

 

Sadie's face changes to shock. "Sebastian, I don't think you've said as many words as that in your whole life! Regardless, I am your master, and my judgement is final... we will save the girl AND stop the scum!" she says, alternating her tone throughout the sentence. The wight smiles, the ends of his grey, stitched mouth showing what a cold, lifeless body can only assume is happiness. Something tells me there is more to this man than one can see at a glance...

 

"Alright, well... we've both lost our guides, so let's just head straight forward," Eryne says. "Agreed, but we must do so cautiously. Those wretched snakes appeared out of nowhere when they caught the girl," Aries states. We begin walking forward, keeping all sides checked, even the ceiling every now and then. Mika and I walk together, with the wight walking to her right, as I stand by her left.

 

Mika looks at Sebastian, who takes notice of this. He smiles in her direction, not just a fake smile, but a passionate smile. His eyes are closed and his face looks truely happy. "You aren't an ordinary undead... are you?" I ask bluntly. "Sam! That's a bit rude," Mika says, her face blushing slightly. "Oh no, it's quite alright. I'm a wight, or basically, a zombie. I have been kept alive for many generations, and have pledged my allegiance to Sadie's family for as long as I can remember. I've been kept alive by her family's highly advanced magic, and in turn, I protect them with my life," Sebastian explains.

 

"But... you express emotion more than any other ghoul I've seen. Hell, better than some 'alive' people for that matter," I say. "Yes, well, when you've been serving a family of vampires for centuries, you tend to be a bit more... advanced... when compared to other undead," Sebastian says. "Hmm, I guess that makes sense. You do seem to be a nice fellow, and you certainly have my trust," I tell him, making sure he knows I can depend on him.

 

"Thank you, the feeling is mutual," Sebastian responds. "If you two are done lusting for each other, it would be nice if we could get back to the problem at hand," Sadie says. I look forward, and notice a fork in the sewer's path. "Well, which way should we all go?" Berta says.

 

What should the group do?

 

A. Go left

B. Go right

C. Split up; Sam's gang goes right, Aries' goes left

D. Aries' goes right, Sam's goes left

 

>A. Go left

 

"Let's go left, left is always right if you ask me," Aries says. We start our trek down the left path. "This place gives me the creeps... why would anyone want to live down here, let alone do business?" Mika asks. "Most likely for security, no normal guard is going to go down here on a whim... that or the sewer is their natural instinct's decision," Sadie responds, showing disgust in her voice at the end of her sentence.

 

The path seems to go on forever, stretching out in one direction. "Gods, how do they find each other down here?" Berta complains. Most of the group seems exhausted as of now, besides Sebastian, Eryne, and I. "It's all about pacing guys, the faster you go, the more tired you get. Just walk at a slow, comfortable pace, like me," I say. "Oh *huff* shut up," Sadie says, shooting me a glare. Geez... bitch... I was only trying to help...

 

Suddenly, a group of snakes fall from the ceiling! "Fuck! Now of all times?!" I shout, drawing Deniece from her sheath.

 

It's a fight!

 

Sebastian draws his long sword from his back. The enourmous blade seems big enough to cleave a mountain in two, and judging from his face, it seems like he would try if he could. He assumes a fighting stance, his sword at his middle. "Hurricane Slash," he says, before a colossal vortex appears from his sword. The whirlwind rips through the entire mob of Tunnel Snakes, sending most of them flying. The whole group flees in terror, running in the opposite direction of the wight.

 

(Left was ambush, right was direct path to Tunnel Snakes)

 

"Woah Sebastian!" I yell in shock. I figured he was one of those "hidden badasses", but I definitely was not expecting this. "What, are any of the group members hurt?!" he asks, his tone changing almost immediately. "No, idiot, he was just shocked at how easily you took down the reptiles," Sadie says. "Oh, it was nothing, you should see me when I'm trying!" he says, scratching the back of his head at the end of his sentence. Remind me not to piss him off...

 

We continue down our path, figuring we've gone too far to turn back. "So how come you didn't intervene during me fighting Sadie?" I ask Sebatian curiously. "Well, that was Sadie's challenge, not mine. Plus, if she wanted to have called for me, she would have," Sebastian explains. "Besides," he says, looking both ways before whispering into my ear,"Sadie needs a good beating every now and then," he adds, him and I chuckling at the end of his whisper.

 

"What are you two giggling about?" Sadie asks sternly. 'Uhh... Nothing!" Sebastian says. "Yeah, I just uhh... thought I saw the breast of one of the snakes as she ran away!" I add. "Pfft, typical men," Aries mutters under her breath. "Why not instead of thinking of cleavage like a bunch of horny teenagers, we get back to the mission at hand!" Eryne suddenly shouts. "Man, why is everyone on my back today?" I think to myself.

 

We aimlessly wander around the crypt for a few more minutes. "Uh, guys, the wisp is getting anxious... it means something BIG is about to happen..." Mika says, trying her best to comfort the flailing flame. "If that's the case, everyone draw your weapons. Any "suprises" appear and we'll flesh them out and kill them before they can even react," Aries says, her voice hinting a trace of excitement.

 

Aries seems to use a pair of short-sickles for her weapons, which I find odd considering they look like something that belongs on a farm. I shrug it off, thinking her backstory is none of my business. We continue our forward trek, walking cautiously and looking both ways every now and then.

 

A light flickers in the distance. Faint moans and screams can barely be heard in the distance, and from what I can tell, we have a lot cut out for us. The cracks of whips and lewd shlicking can be heard as well, implying that dominatrixes and succubi might be here too. We turn the corner and see a giant wooden gate. "Look, over there... it's a little passageway!" Sadie says, pointing her finger at a small tunnel imbeded above the door, hidden almost perfectly from sight.

 

What does the gang do?

 

A. Sneak through hidden passage

B. Charge in, weapons swinging

C. Aries' group goes through the gate, Sam's goes through the passage

D. Vice-Versa

 

>Combination A/C

 

"I've got it!" I say. "Aries, your group will stay here and wait. Our group will take the hidden passage and give you a signal when we reach a suitable spot. When you get the signal, open the gates and let hell break loose," I explain. "Not a bad plan... I respect a worthy tactition, but you better have the firepower to back it up," Aries says. "Alright, well, we better get on it. The longer we wait, the more slaves get tortured and broken," Berta says. "Agreed," Eryne adds.

 

"Hey Mika, got any spells that can get us to the passage?" I ask the kitsune. "Let me do it, Mika will be to busy getting up there anyway," Sadie interrupts, already casting whatever spell makes us float. I suddenly feel weightless, and begin trying to get myself up to the small barrier blocking the passage, but only end up flailing my arms in desperation. Eventually, I open the barrier and climb inside, as I'm followed by Mika, then Berta, then Eryne.

 

"Alright guys, I say we head over to the opposite side of the gate, that way both of us can raid from different diretions. The sudden attack will cause them to panic, but they will eventually fight back... if not, immediatly. It would be wise to get rid of the guards and other miscellanious threats first, but once you discover the leader, chase and apprehend her. Whatever you d to her before the group catches up is fine, just as long as she isn't dead," I explain as we crawl through the ducts. "Sam, I don't mean to interrupt, unless you were already finished, but we're at the other side," Eryne says. "Oh... well let's signal them then," I say as I begin waving my arms to and fro.

 

This is it; this is a true test...

 

I see Sebastian literally burst through the gate as the bottom-half is torn like paper to his sword. Aries soon follows, running in with her sickles behind her. Sadie walks slowly, probably scouting for the leader. I kick the hatch below me, and drop through the opening. I fall for a bit, then hit the ground rolling. Mika drops as well, hitting the ground softly, as if she were a cloud. Berta lands with a rough pound to the ground, while Eryne follows.

 

Screams rip through the air almost immediately, although it's mostly the Tunnel Snakes. The slaves are too mentally broken to react to the burst of noise. I do hear one familiar scream though, coming from my west. "Eryne, cover me, I'm going to go rescue the girl. Make sure Berta goes for the leader, and let Mika... do whatever she wants. Just watch my back, okay?!" I command. "Got it, HEY BERTA," I hear her say before I run to my left.

 

What I see horrifies me. The dog-girl is chained to a wall, with only a rocking horse grinding her pussy back and forth. A ball-gag is in her mouth and a blindfold covers her eyes. Whip marks are all over her body, and the culprit stands right in front of me. The girl is a succubus, and she smiles an evil, sadistic smile. She is dressed in black leather bonds around her breasts, legs, and arms, nothing covering her waist or abdomen. "You heartless cunt. You'll pay for torturing the innocent," I say as I draw Deniece and point it at her. "Oh will I? Come at me then!" she taunts.

 

A Succubus appears!

 

What will Sam do?

 

A. Use skill (Mimic, Lightning Leap)

B. Defend/Parry

C. Attack

D. Try to untie the girl first

 

>A. Lightning Leap

 

Wanting to finish this as quick as possible, I quickly leap into the air. A tingling feeling runs throughout my body, and soon reaches my blade. Deniece is suddenly surrounded by electricity, and I can feel the power surging through me as I dive to the ground. I strike the Succubus, who flys back several feet. She is not done however, as she staggers back up to the ground. "Leading off with *gasp* a powerful move eh...? Well, how about this?!" the sadist says before she dashes with inhuman speed. I feel pain spread in my right ankle as her whip strikes me. I fall to the ground, clutching the wound. she suddenly towers above me, lowering herself to my height, and leaning in mere centimeters from my face. She grasps my chin and moves in for a kiss, mashing her tongue into mine as she holds my head. She pulls away, leaving a trail of spittle from her mouth to mine. "Hmph, such a cute boy too... I could make you my slave if you wanted," she teases.

 

Sam's lust is 32/100

 

What will Sam do?

 

A. Attack

B. Try to take her whip, or at least disarm her

C. Defend

D. Submit

 

>B. Try to take her whip, or at least disarm her

 

That whip is going to be my downfall. I'm going to have to get it away from her if I plan on winning! "I'd never submit to demonized scum like you," I say, before spitting straight in her face. She wipes the saliva from her face, looking at it, then back at me before reaching for a back-hand slap. I kick her stomach before she gets the pimp-slap off, causing her to stumble and fall on her ass. We both get back up, weapons rearing to go. I run at her, causing her to assume a defensive position. She suddenly changes, and lashes her whip out at me. I catch the lengthy stream with my left forearm, reducing the pain it would have caused if it actually hit. I pull my arm towards me, causing her to stumble forward. I use the hilt of the rapier to bash her wrist, causing her to scream in pain and drop the fetish weapon. She stands, armed with only what her body will give her. She rips her breast-covers off, exposing her chest to the sewer air. "How do these suit you, mad man? I've always had a thing for crazies," she taunts, trying to rile me up.

 

What will Sam do?

Sam's lust is 37/100

Sam has 2 BP

 

A. Taunt back (this is basically a given combo-option)

B. Mimic/Lightning Leap

C. Attack

D. Submit (why am I even putting this anymore?)

 

>C. Attack

 

"The one who rips off her top calls me crazy... what a day I've had today," I mutter to myself before sheathing my sword. "Tell you what, you give in, I'll show you mercy and let you live... with some precautions of course. You continue, and I'm going to have to get rough," I tell her, as her face turns to that of confusion. "Mercy? You've obviously never been domm'd before have you? How about we start today?" she says as she runs up towards me. "Fine, I warned you," I say, as I pull my fist back and punch her square in the jaw. She falls like a board, utterly KO'd by the strike.

 

Samuel has won!

Samuel has gained 75 exp!

 

I regain my composure, doing my best to calm down. Lust attacks are far more dangerous than regular attacks... I'll have to keep that in mind. I untie the dog-girl from her bonds, helping her off the wooden horse that tortured her. I take off her blindfold and discard her ballgag. When she sees my face, I see her tail begin to wag. "Oooooooooh thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!" she says, giddy with excitement. "Relax! I want you to avoid all this trouble and stay close to me, got it?" I tell her. "Got it, I'll be right behind you!" she assures. I turn to the succubus, lying on the ground. I quickly shoot out about five ribbons to restrain her... for later...

 

I look back to see most of the gang still fighting. Aries is fighting some eye-patch wearing lamia who has a katana. Eryne and Mika are both fighting off groups of the lizards, while Sebastian is comfortably alone, probably due to his sheer power that practically radiates from him... Berta and Sadie are both gone however...

 

What do we do?

 

A. Look for the two, they may know where the head-snake is

B. Fight

 

>A. Look for the two, they may know where the head-snake is

 

"Eryne!" i shout to the dragon-girl. "What?! I'm kinda busy here!" she responds, fending off one of the attacking lizards. "I'm going to find Berta and Sadie, as well as the bitch who runs this place. Make sure everyone is okay, got it?" I tell her. "Whatever, just make sure she doesn't get out of here!" she responds, slashing at the snake. "Right," I assure her as run through the only corridor in the room.

 

I run as fast as I can, occasionally tripping on some of the rubble left on the ground. It's obvious that whatever place this was, no one took proper care of it. The walls are murky and damp, and the floor is littered with puddles, trash, and pieces of stone. I begin to tire out, but I press on. Scum like her will not get off scot-free, I'll make sure of that.

 

I suddenly spot Berta lying on the floor. "Berta!" I shout as I slow down near her. I kneel to her level and pick her up by her head and abdomen. "Berta, you alright?" I frantically say. "Looks like the tides *huff* have turned..." she says weakly. "Dammit Berta... you scared the shit out of me. I'm glad you're okay though," I say as I put her back down. "Sadie continued her pursuit, but the snake-bitch hit me in the hip with her sword," she explains. "Got it, I'll run back and get Mika once we've caught her," I tell her as I get up to begin the chase once more.

 

"Good luck... Sammy-Boy," Berta mumbles before passing out.

 

My legs are burning, and I can almost feels my calves pulsing. "I... *huff* can't go on *heave* much longer," I complain to myself. A light flickers in the distance, and I can hear the sounds of metal clashing. "Sadie!" I say with renewed vigor. I run and approach the light, drawing Deniece from my sheath. I slow down until I finally stop at a doorway. Sadie is fighting a slender figure, who moves so fast my eyes can barely keep up.

 

"Sadie!" I yell before charging into the fray. "Wha-," she says before the snake trips her legs with her tail. The snake women strikes, her sword goes straight through her abdomen. The vampress coughs up blood before falling onto the cold ground. "SADIEEEEEEE!!!" I shout in desperation, not believing the scene that just unfolded. I stare into the lamia's eyes, who coldly stares back. "You... you BIIIIIIIITCH!!!" I scream before charging at her.