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If you can’t be pestered to read this or the disclaimer skips the following paragraphs below.As you can tell, I use uk spelling, and would like a beta, I will attempt to reread this and correct gramatical errors, though I'm having enough trouble with the formating as it disappears when I pasted it into the post, so for now I'm omitting it.
If you can’t be pestered to read this or the disclaimer skips the following paragraphs below.


Right you should know the drill by now, insert standard disclaimer here; I don’t own any rights to DK DK2 or if it actually comes out (please god may this game be created soon) DK3, .Blame/ praise bullfrog for the game.
They created the games; and these characters invaded my brain. I’m thinking of charging them rent since their not inclined to leave just yet. The ramblings below are produced through my strange imagination, playing DK way to much and excessive coffee consumption. I have never made any money off this and never will.
Updates may be few and far between, and chapter lengths will vary between drabble and god knows what. You have been warned .Reviews are voluntary but very much appreciated thank you.




Chicken, noodles and rock n roll.
Wormholes, doorways, portals, there are many names for these gateways. They’re strange capricious things are they not.
Do they choose where they lead us or is it set in stone: does the traveller decide. Perhaps though manipulation a portal can lead you anywhere you wish to go; and perhaps a portal may lead you where your feet should not tread…

An imp like any other, the pick digs deep into the walls; all is silent but for the gentle scraping of earth. Gold is what is sort however; sometimes there are things more valuable than gold.
The imp has no name which it uses it’s self .No imp truly does, only that which was given to it by the dungeon.
It allowed itself a small chattering snigger; for all the warlocks’ powers and logic this simple fact they could not fathom.
Stones and mortar, rock and earth that was all the ‘higher’ creatures saw to this place: besides the rooms they slept in and the chickens they gorged themselves on.
He swung the pick harder against the crumbling rock face; a large crack resonated throughout the lone corridor.
There was more to a dungeon that met the eye; the imp strayed into dangerous thoughts.
How could they not question, though perhaps they could not. If this place was a mere fortress why did it need a heart? They no longer questioned why they could no longer stray upon earth that had not been claimed by the dungeon, except when defending the realm.
Another cackle burst forth, while the imp may have been the lowest life form within these walls, more disposable than the chickens. He possessed more knowledge of the place they served and it’s respective master than any warlock may hope to find.
A library was all very well, but what was writ within those unholy places was what was permitted. Why do they never question where the books and ancients tomes came from.
It was a laughable thought, a library was built and books were added some even researched and wrote by the creatures that dwelled within.
But more knowledge was there, within those walls these was ever brought or writ.
A final blow brought more earth in to view to dig this room would take may hours. A pleasing thought, while his kind toiled deep within the dungeon area he enjoyed hard earned freedom.
Or conceivably she: another strange thought. Why had it never occurred that it might be a she.
It had no relevance previously and would have even less now. What ever the course; it was no matter. For now it would be a he, he’ll try being a she tomorrow.
Ideas dimmed, its arms sagged heavily, moving slowly and methodically. The claimed area must be drawing near, letting forth a curse the imp fought back, swinging harder and faster in desperation. Trying to keep his mind active.
A few more hours, just a few more, that all he wanted. A deep craving gnawed its way to the surface.
This time he had even chosen a spot half way across the map; so far from his dungeon that it could no longer feel the throb of the heart. Or the minds of the others bound to servitude.
The heroes must have lasted less time than hoped. Idly he his mind wondered to the battle. How many were dead, how far had the vengeance of the slaughter progressed.
Bile rose in his throat; confirming what it had already expected .He could sense it, other imps drew close now, claiming the land as they came. The world began draining of it’s colour, and a red hue spread canvassing the landscape.
He could feel it strongly now, the pull of the dungeon. He could access answers to all of his questions through the hearts link to every creature.
Four creatures lay dead on the floor of the abandoned fort.
All had been wounded to one extent or the other; the battle had been short but bloody. All that was left was the hell hounds scavenging amongst the corpses. His mind flowed outwards to another imp it’s clawed hands wrapped around the arm of a mistress. Blood oozed freely from her wounds as she was dragged to the lair.
Some had escaped the slaughter, once they realized the battle was lost the heroes had ran for the portal. Leaving their comrades trapped within the fort, to face the wroth of the keeper’s army alone. The order went out that prisoners were to be taken. Their unconscious forms now lay in the prison; awaiting transportation to the torture chamber. Another strange an unwelcome though occurred, mercy might be an option for those poor souls. If the door to the prisoners was left slightly ajar an escape may be feasible. If nothing else they would all die in the attempt, the keeper would not waste precious mana healing those so near to death.
Dejectedly he remembered the mindless state he would return to once his foot was set upon claimed land.
The link broke suddenly, the veil of red lifted from it’s eyes the recognisance party had been attacked.
He felt their essence return to the heart from which it came.
Heavy footsteps thudded upon the dirt, his ears pricked to the unfamiliar voices.
“A dead end ….You lead us down a dead end! we’re cornered like rats. What have you got to say for yourself wizard.”
Noises of a scuffle echoed down the corridor, whatever the were they were human.
“Well speak damn you. What reason did you have to sentence us all to death? Where’s your great power now. Fight damn you. Why, why did you do this?”
Curiosity was not a skill cultivated by imps, though the more he strayed and stayed away from the heart the less like the ‘others’ he became. Unexpected pleasures arose from these new indulgences. Cautiously he sled his gold sack to the ground, silently manoeuvring with the shadow he edged closer to the disturbance. Curiosity without caution was only cultivated by the dead.
A young man charged at the aged wizard to be flung against the corridor wall.
“If I am going to die because of your arrogance I will see you pay for it before I meet my end” His stance changed as the wizard’s breath became ragged.
Drawing a sword clumsily with blood soaked fingers the young warrior advanced. The imp eyed him warily: neither had appeared to notice his presence, yet.
The wizards life force was almost spent he stared up at the warrior terrified eyes glued to the sword.
A deep thunderous sound made the small earth clods jump distracting the warrior, staring down the corridor he began to tremble. Rhythmically the thump grew louder; fear held the humans in place, a bile demon approach and a large high level one at that. Its wide girth almost blocked the passageway off completely.
These two low level humans stood no chance, wounded and weak they no longer had the strength to fight .With no where left to run the wizard sank to the ground; his sprit was as broken as his leg; slumping against the make shift wall the dead eyes stared into nothingness. No longer fearing death merely waiting apathetically.
The imp smirked pleased at this, that one would die easily. Good, let that ravenous keeper and its overseeing master get as little satisfaction from this fruitless conquest as possible. These lands held nothing of worth its people were poor farmers, grateful of the scraps the were left.
The young man tightened his grip and stood tall fire dancing in his eyes. The imp watched silently as he wiped the dust from his face. This one would not break so easily into death the imp mused. As a prisoner this one would grow to see things from a different angle; as the dungeon and pain slowly ebbed into his mind.
The imp cackled to himself, working out his escape
“Go left” The words had left his mouth before he thought of them.
The young warrior spun around finally noticing his presence; rising his sword higher he charged
“I won’t be hunted and dragged back for your master’s amusement, I’ll die here”
“What are you deaf boy or just idiotic?” The smirking grin spread across his face, four hundred years had given his tongue a razor edge when dealing with stupidity.
“I mean besides just being human, I know your kind can’t be that stupid,” The warrior stopped in its tracks, unable to fit this new behaviour into his way of thinking.
The imp could read his face as well as it could read the dungeons intentions.
‘Why isn’t it running, imps don’t speak well they laugh and cackle as they drag the dead .Wait did that thing insult me. It’s a dumb digger, a broken servant, a dirt eater how dare it ’
He had seen enough humans to know how to mock them, manipulating their minds could be so easy. He contemplated how to stay away from the torture chamber after he lost his mind once again. He shuddered against the memories, he had memorised far too much of the humans there.

“I said you deranged babe. GO Left stu- pid pup-py” the slow extenuated drawl turned the humans ears a burning red, that comment had struck a nerve. He had never really had a personality before; and was finding he quiet enjoyed it; maybe he would find a way to mine the outlying gold permanently. It couldn’t be too hard.

He decided upon one last insult, time was short and these humans went such interesting colours.
“Shouldn’t you be at home with your mother .It’s way past your bed time”
As he screamed in defiance the warrior flourished his sword; waving at as he did left no doubt he barley knew how to use it.
“I’m going to kill you and you mock me? Are we so little a threat the you then”

The imp glared coolly, the demon was slowly approaching deliberately. There was no need for it to hurry not with prey as injured as this.

“It’s not a dead end; there is an opening down the corridor and left. I’ve just dug it; run in there now and it won’t find you, better hurry though .You have one minute till he sees you”
Dumb struck the human dived past into the make shift hide out.
“Keep your breathing low pup. Their sights not so good, neither’s their hearing, not with those things in there ears. But one false sound will echo .So don’t even move”
And to himself, he muttered “Pray to the gods that this thing is still dense enough to assume that all this blood came from your friend”
……………………………………………………………………………………………



The sickening crack echoed though out his mind, the bile demon had decided that there was no hurry to kill the wizard, he clearly wasn’t going anywhere. Not with a broken leg and his spine snapped at any rate.
It was taking far too much pleasure in mutilating the body for his tastes.
Killing heroes was all fine, but by the dark gods had it ever learned to stop hitting something after it was dead. That was just a pointless waste of energy, and it wasted a good corpse. The vampires preferred whole meat not mince.
With the impacts of each Morningstar have no more effect the bile demon began to lose interest.
Looking around expectedly it was suddenly less happy.
“Take corpse back, Hunger. No hatchery want food cannot get to food” its deep slur almost made it appears drunk.
He fervently hoped that if it was indeed drunk. It would collapse in its own lair. Dragging that carcass seamed less appealing then the trip to the graveyard. At least the corpse was lighter, and didn’t smell half as foul.

Wrapping a hand around the wizard’s remains he groped for the head. He purposely dragged the corpse backwards to cover the bloody tracks of the adventurer hid nearby.
“Food, want food. “Thankfully the bile demon was too busy wailing about its hunger to question an imp’s action. Slithering its bulk towards to dungeon; complaining loudly of its empty belly with each lift of its bulk.
Tallying a moment longer he watched it exit the corridor towards the expense of water.
“You still alive back there. If you are I’ll tell something .Move; and fast, but don’t head straight for the portal. A guard rooms just been built. The eleven archers manning it will be fresh enough to shoot you before you see them. “
He didn’t feel the need to wait for an answer either the human would move and hide. Or tomorrow there’d be another offering for the vampires.

Dragging his feet and passenger to the graveyard was an easy task, though he wished a bridge had been built in his absence, at least then his feet would be dry.
Desires, wishes, wants all of these had been alien to him. Some were no pleasant but others…..He found these strange needs comforting. It was a sure omen that he had his own mind and thoughts.
When this process had started to occur awareness to ‘needs’ had baffled him. He had never before noticed how much complaining the other minions did.
The water grew deeper he could no longer run across the surface, the mud squelching beneath him.
Complaining had become a luxury, a daily rant to keep him sane. Or insane; had this awareness ever happened to an imp before?
If it had the imps in question must have kept quiet as possible about it, or wound up in the sacrificial pool.
Rebellion was not tolerated within those walls, the slightest hint of deviation. He shuddered as a lone ghost floated past. To die was one thing, to transform and be trapped forever here.
They did not remember what they once were, or who. Having just gained a personality he was loathed to lose it now.
The closer he came to the heart the more of what he had become to call himself slowly ebbed away like a tide. He had grown to hate this feeling, the knowledge that by the time he reached the shore he would no longer remember the thoughts he’d once had.
He would even forget how to think, and become an empty shell again following orders.
To slow and mindless to dodge the kicks that were thrown his way.
Tomorrow he would stay away longer. Remember gold outside to mine. Must mine, beyond the others.
Remember.
………………………………………………………………………………………………




Thanos breathed deeply drinking in the air with sweet relief; everything was a blur, a green light glowed softly in the gloom.
The only sounds to be heard were the distant drips of water; echoing in the darkness.
A silence that both comforted and terrified him; his eyes darken and grew heavy. In his near sleep state he sagged against the wall, his fingers loosing grip he clattered to the floor exhausted.
“Why had he come here?”
“I volunteered for the friggin army; why else would I have come”
“Well if you can call a sword point voluntary…….. “
“Blood loss that was it! I’m just going delirious as I lay here dying that’s all… I wish.”
He could no longer tell when these conversations had come about; only fervently wished to be rid of them occasionally.
“I know you realize that I can hear that. If you can't think anything nice”
He smirked at its mock impression of his mother’s phrase, a reminder of someone they both missed.
“It is a great honour to serve the realm in times of dire need.”
Its tone turned angry “Oh really? So a surf digging the crops in the field to feed the nobles fat bellies wasn’t service enough?" its voice snorted in his mind, snappish at the suggestion "The lack of pays just as bad either way”
This spectra, tormentor of his thoughts had never given reason for its continued presence. It had settled slowly watching, gradually making it's presence known. In the beginning he had raved at it, denouncing it evil, chanting and praying for salvation. It dimmed to silence for a time, bored with his efforts it had claimed, but he was never quite sure why.
Though the silence did not last for long.
Over the year’s fear of this presence slowly abated, but fear of its exposure had not.
What could be wrong with sheltering this spirit he reasoned; all it did was talk: it wouldn’t stop talking.
He often wondered why it chose his head to reside in.
“You need to shelter within a house” it had stated, “well so do I”
It was harmless enough, for the most part.
He doubted the ‘good men’ around the village would see it as such. This phantom presence would have him seen at best mad, or at worse evil and demonically possessed.
The penalty for either of these scared him worse than the creature itself had.
The spectra claimed itself old, having seen the rise of men and beasts above the surface and below. It would tantalize him with tales of kingdoms rise and fall; of battles and far away keeps.
He had no reason to disbelieve this yet. For all its knowledge, it questioned everything like a child would. It spoke as though observed these things from a distance, never a part of the story always just beyond it.
Jokingly he commented that his madness at least made some use of its wits, and more use of his. Leaving fragments of skills etched on his mind, a song long forgotten, an instrument, part of a language. Every bit received like an after thought.
Gifts it called them one day, and rent the next.
He could no longer fathom what this creature’s goal was or even what it was with it tales and observations.
“I try to make you think, and to keep both of us intact. Which I’m better at doing than you are.”
It appeared and departed at its own will. Enjoying life: or more accurately his life, with great enthusiasm.
He was often bemused by his shoulder devil, and wondered if its counter part would ever show up.
For all of his annoyance at this present intrusion he welcomed the entity, at least he reasoned he would not die alone. A small comfort others would not have.
Though, as all it desired to do lately was argue with him; perhaps some silence within his own head would be favourable.
It had continued its conversation despite being ignored.
“Do you remember what they ate up at the keep? We never get to eat the like of that, but why stick the feathers back on the bird after removing them? Waste of time might as well just eat it whole. You should have stole it and made a run for it last night on gate duty. Staying to do your duty, brilliant idea.”
He could never describe this voice it shifted like the tides, but was dogged enough to demand an answer.
“Every man is needed to defeat the evil keeper, he loots our town, burns our homes”
“Oh and the Lords of the manor never did that…… By the way where is your brother now?” sarcasm dripped from every syllable
“Your lords are no better”
“Stop it .He protects us from this evil”
“Oh, it’s ok that the greedy taxes drain supplies and people to the point of starvation”
“Is my stomach all you think about?”
“Only because you wouldn’t entertain my notions with the local girls. What’s wrong with me enjoying a few pleasures? Food, fighting, but you won’t let me have the third one”
“The keeper is evil in every sense of the meaning.”
“Depends on your point of view though doesn’t it? Didn’t you once call me evil, and how many times have I saved our neck. It’s not like she would have protested what did you call her .Village barrow or something of that ilk, all I asked was that you go to her and say-”
“We are not going into that conversation again”
He could feel it sulking, but there were something’s that he would prefer not to have suggestions or a running commentary in his head for.
“I know you found her appealing, spent all night staring at her. So she has a husband, not like he should care much .Probably as dead as the others out there.”
The consequences of its mercurial character had lead to some dire situations in his youth; amusing to the creature but often painful for him.
“The foul demons that serve him are proof of his evil “
“One of those creatures just saved your life; rather unexpectedly at that, something to investigate. Imps are slaves; they can’t display independent rebellion…it looked familiar.”
The voice tempered off lost in its own thoughts
“It offered Raxos up as a sacrifice”
“Like you weren’t about to kill him anyway”
“I wouldn’t have I could never kill. “
“Then what do you call what we did in battle, lucky shot by the way.
You need to guard your right side a little more while I’m fighting.
Unless you like this pain, I’ve known a few creatures with that temperament. It’s not uncommon really, but I’m not sure I want to share it “
“They deserved to die the harm they’ve committed demands no less”
“You mean like Raxos’s arrogance that saw your party slaughtered? He did more damage than the creatures did that battle”
“No he can’t be held to blame for them, the attack was cowardly. We stood no chance from the beginning. Those monsters. ………..”
“Merely took advantage of the gift Raxos gave them .Putting bait on the line for the fish to bite, and your heroics nearly got us both killed"
“Enough! Raxos was a good man a wizard who faithfully served our Lord”
“Ahem; your Lord not mine. Not interested in another. Barely yours either, remember I can hear what you call him in the privacy of your own head.
He served the Lord of the manor, but a good man?
What kind of man puts two dozen green troops in the line of fire just so a new spell can be tested! Answer me that.”
He was never sure what was worse. The possibility he might be mad and arguing with himself. Or that yes this creature was real, and wasn’t going to stop its smug arguing anytime soon.
“It could save lives, he tried to protect us. “
“You must have suffered a harder blow to the head than you thought. Are you remembering the same day I am?
Your ear still aches and its unpleasant find some herbs and do something about it. Or beer, beer’s good, decent stuff preferably. Now about your arm”
“He tried - “
“To protect himself. Didn’t do us much good did it. No he only kept us alive to protect him once he ran out of magic.”
“No, I will not hear it”
“Wizards their all the same, best to slit their throats and be done with it before they start getting ideas about experimenting." It paused briefly before continuing the attack
"To him they were nothing but toys and pawns, their lives were useless an of little importance”
“No”
“Expendable,”
“No……. “
“Cannon fodder”
“Shut up!!” The scream echoed. Trembling he held his quivering hand on his mouth
“My, my aren’t we suicidal today, what’s the count now four times in as few hours. New record.”
He could feel it sinking into his being once again some strength returned to his limbs dulling the pain
“Hmm Better pick up that sword, it’s too blunt to be of enough use but... Might as well use it as a walking stick, why did you get rid of that spear anyway; you’re much better off with that than this useless thing."
He gave the creature his eyes; slowly it scanned the area, troubled and unsure
"Any bright ideas for where we should go the portals newly fortified"
"If no one knew you were here before….Well that little display will make sure they do now”
Groping for the discarded weapon Thanos staggered onwards into the gloom. He felt the creature nudge him, urging on a different direction.
It lead to a crumbling wall, this beaten track abandoned through the centuries made him shiver. Fearful he looked to turn back.
“Just keep going that way. There’s an opening round here some where, it’s just further on from my second mana vault.”
Urging his reluctant feet forwards, he waited with bated breath for the opening to appear into view.
“There’s still food in that pack of yours right?”
………………………………………………………………………………………………

Everything was shadowed against the torchlight, the imp had returned to chip away at the rock face. Though today the silence of his mind had been compromised, he was not alone.
The piercing cackles of the others broke his deliberations, their picks a steady drumbeat. Wearily he rested on his pick axe listening to the rhythm as though it were a lullaby; tapping into the stream of consciousness he searched the other creature’s knowledge.
He paused to wonder had the others received the same revelations; doubt entered his mind of his unique position. There was no observable difference, even to his experienced eyes everything was as it should be.
Except, for one small detail. Him.
All certainties were now crumbling that nothing fit anymore .All knowledge existed in a collective or so he thought until he retain some for himself alone. This was impossibility, or so he reasoned, but…
None of the others had mined here before, as far as the dungeon knew no one had ever ventured this far. This area was eerily familiar, though he had never been further than where he stood.
The gold and its whereabouts were an unknown, but no longer, another summoned by the call to collect the decaying remains of the wizard, instead had discovered the gold seam.
Claiming the area and the call boomed out across his mind that a new area had been discovered.
If he rested his eyes he could see it clearly, the river widened it meandered, growing warmer from so unseen source. A path, a trap, another vicious spike protruding from the dirt. Closer, he was drawn by something familiar older than every thing else he had known. His mind span faster, as though he were flying across the lava past the remains of a wooden bridge decimated in the heat. A hidden door it was so close. The rest of the dungeon dropped away, a pale imitation of where he fled to. The ground beneath his feet disappeared from his senses, the pick beneath his arms felt as unreal as mirage floating on the lava.
The resulting slap sent him staggering across the corridor from the ominous presence of the Keeper. Throwing himself at the wall he dug furiously ‘So much for that train of though’ biting down he swallowed the words. That had felt too real, could he no longer trust his memory and mind .That wasn’t a comforting thought.
It had happed more often now, his mind was active constantly questioning, wondering, and plotting. There was only one certainty left the fact there wasn’t much time left. Soon it would be uncovered, there was something he needed to protect, something else.
Something …It had called out no words yet, his feet itched to run to find the root of this call past fire and ice .The danger was great, but the call gave off another message underlying the pull.
“Home, come back, this way.” It was seductive but the other only gave confusion “not yet, protect me, not yet. Remember first. Search. Help me, remember”
Stay put for now, sound advice, the eyes of the Keeper continually scanned the work, searching for the anomaly amongst the noise in its mind.
At the next battle in the smoke and panic, then he would make his escape. The forceful slap sent another imp tumbling into him, scattering the gold sacks. Its failure to move fast enough gave another blow. It fell to the ground as more blows rained down. Diving into the throng of bodies his vanished in the crowd of imps, survival instincts outweighing the desire to rest.
For freedom, or death an escape must be made. The last cries of the helpless imp echoed and the work speeded up. “Ah well he could sleep in his grave if he ever got that far. “
………(I still don’t know how to put a page break in a fanfic.net yet : )…………….

The dust choked his lungs of breath, the urge to sleep and crept up so gradually it took all of his energy to propel himself along the wall as he groped along the stone walls. Seeking finger holds in the ancient carvings, his head drooped as his companion kept up the chatter. He no longer wanted to respond but was rewarded with a sharp reminder of the pain he felt every time he dared to stop. Shaking the masses of cobwebs from his hands, he searched for anything long having run out of ideas while he head continued to feel as though it had been stuffed with wool. Whatever this place was, it hadn’t been occupied in some time.
“bout , hum… 365, carry the ones .Ten thousand years , give a decade or four.”
“Ten thousand years!” The length of time was unimaginable, nothing had been here that long.
“Well I’d like to see you work it out better” The voice had remained petulant ever since he had abandoned the heavy sword, ”so what are we going to defend our selves with now” the snide tone was infuriating , as if it was trying to goad him into an argument.
“That’s not what I meant, ten thousand years, I saw some of the records at the palace they only went back a few hundred years.” He felt the creatures presence becoming more invasive as he lost the will to go on. Strangely the pain was ebbing the further he travelled into this labyrinth of tunnels.
” Wait how did you know that?”
“Hum ?”
“How do you know this place has stood for so long, it’s inconceivable, but why are you so sure of your answer.” He felt something shifting, as though, as though. At a loss he no longer knew, an eerie sensation that something was moving inside. His focus was disturbed by the tart retort.
“Did I never mention I was a creature of great power and learning?”
“Yes, right before you got me to ‘borrow’ some money to try some ale. I’ve never believed you since. My head was ringing for days after you got us caught”
“Me! You were the one staggering about talking nonsense.”
“I’d collapsed out in the woods; you had to walk me not only into the village but straight to-”
“So? How was I supposed to know it would do that, and you were the one who kept drinking it, I’d only wanted to try a bit. Vital lesson there ,not to drink so much. Especially when you’re supposed to be watching the fields; and It wasn’t exactly safe leaving you there either. Would have drowned if you’d rolled over state you were in. Besides, I couldn’t understand a word of your thoughts. Thought he might know better what to do about it”
“Oh he did alright, didn’t he. Proving your not exactly the best thing to listen to “
The anger was almost palatable, better compared to the empty feelings of fear of being trapped in this realm. He didn’t understand why he ached so much , his head had felt woozy before, now he was feeling the earlier blow. It must have been pure luck that his skull hadn’t shattered from the impact of that hammer, against the long discarded helmet.
“Then why pray tell are you following every word now, you’ve listened to me often enough” he really wanted to wipe that smug off it’s face, assuming it had ever had a face, why the hell was it so bloody pleased with it’s self.
“Good point, I should turn around right now and try to get to the portal. Not mucking around in a dank, hole that smells like a cesspit, and probably was one“
“Look. You. Stubborn .Biped! Do you want to die, No, well me neither! So just keep going that way, we’ll get you fixed up nice and proper instead of this patch job. If you want me out your head so badly maybe I can arrange that too! So keep moving and we might just survive this and if you shut up it might be better for both of us.” He felt himself recoil back against the fury that had been unleashed a trickle of remorse slipped down his spine. He sucked in his bottom lip, his teeth grazing along the splits.
“You’ve, been healing me since we entered here,”
“Yes and if you’ll just shut up I’m tired now” The weariness in the made the voice feel like an echo, guilts a funny thing it can sneak up unexpected.
” Look I’m “the words stuck in his throat, as though an insignificant an offering of remorse.
“Just don’t go to sleep, I’m not sure I’ve fixed your head enough yet and I can’t keep this up I need to rest”
“Look I shouldn’t have said”
“I needed you to keep talking, just talk to yourself for a while. I need to rest for a while and conserve what mana I can draw from this place “ If the voice we attached to something it would have been shaking. “Just don’t drop your guard”
A tingling feeling ran along his nerves as the pain returned, not as bad as it should have been but hampering.
The lack of conversation angry or otherwise made the labyrinth that much more desolate. The carvings were joined now loops of what might have been vines linked each carving. The creature’s presence had dimmed, he felt it was there somewhere but not reachable. Briefly he wondered where it retreated to in those fleeting times when it wasn’t at the forefront of his mind. Though he got the feeling it had been more annoyed by the last insult against his shelter than about the desire to punch the creature senseless as though it were corporeal
After while the warmth returned to his limbs “Couldn’t sleep” “That books done a lot for your vocabulary” it’s previous anger had drained, sighing he was resolute that he would never understand this creature, even if he ever lived till ten thousand.
“Same could be said of you, just follow this corridor straight until I say there’s a detour we have to take I’m now feeling stronger.” “Why did you make me steal it again?” “Was a good book that; sturdy good for arrows if not your head”
Any answers were dodging the questions again this was not a good sign” Why do you have me steal any stray books? It’s just extra weight we have to carry”
“Because the paintings were big enough to have been missed, and the guards at the treasury were not friendly people who’d take a joke. At least not twice. Though maybe some of the smaller tapestries, red and whites been done so much maybe something brighter more homey.” He felt rather than heard it groan,
“I’ve been round humans too long. You lot can give a place a headache”
He listened as it rambled off to it’s self feeling a grin as it reminded him his stomach was hungry.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Slowly, and little by little that was the way. The imp surveyed his secret pile of gold and food, the idea of raw chicken meat was not an ideal one but he doubted he could draw on the mana source much longer before it was discovered he had gone rouge.
He’d travelled further along far away from the claimed ground; it would take a while for the dungeon to reach here, enough time to find a suitable hiding place until everything had calmed down. The newly built bridge had been destroyed in a foolish attack by some of the survivors. Thanks to his efforts, the imp had acquired some of the paper books from the library and received a scorch make on his pack. Slowly he wrote
 No one pays attention to something they assume is doing something useful<.
Everything was so clear and unencumbered , his thoughts had never been easy before , the imp decided practically to make a record of what he learned, before this wore off.
The large book dwarfed his hands and the stub of charcoal, he blew across the words, it had never occurred to him that he could write, though once he wanted to the words were familiar. He continued his etchings of newly thought wisdom the last was
never relay on a bunch of heroes to get a job done right
right after
never go near a salamander with a head cold
It had been easy to remove the rusted lock from the door; he threw it nosily at the feet of an eleven archer, who stared at it for a full hour before piecing the new addition to the prison and the door together.
Once out the prison they had made a valiant last stand, they had planned to damage the heart to draw the entire army to its defence, hopefully emptying the nearby guard rooms in the faint. It hadn’t worked. Planning to run before they became overwhelmed, it had been and overly simple plan, but it was a pity giants weren’t known for their brains .It hadn’t quite worked out, that it was suppose to destroy the bridge after they had got across, not before.
The imp had not been so stupid and was already across the water before the alarms had sounded with a noticeable amount of gold in his pack. Setting off into the no mans land the imp went to spend his fortune.