V5 Chapter 74 Death just around the corner

Amon's eyes snap to the ground a distance away, Philomel followed his gaze and immediately noticed something shallowly buried in the ground. She cradles Little One in one arm, pressing the little baby against her chest for more support. Since Little One was clinging to her right arm like a koala bear, he easily gaze down from near her wrist and started squealing in delight when Philomel walked past the glowing torch. The orange warm flames along with its dancing flames and the movement of Philomel felt like another theme park ride for Little One.

" Mel, Wait!"

Amon tried as he try to quickly sit up but winched at the pain in his stomach and arm. Philomel ignored Amon and dug up the ball of yarn, finally noticing the long blue string trailing all the way down the tunnel.

" Among... is this... Darzirak... Pulled a different time zone into Shadow territory... Ah... so that demon is trying to kill us. Great, now some lucky monster could find the fastest route to us while we hold the biggest 'Come eat us' signboard that every creature can sense. The worst part of all, the yarn is damp from the dripping water coming from the ceiling. Get up, Among. We must find the exit now or we all die. "

Philomel ordered as she grabs Amon by the arm and slowly help him back up to his feet. Amon was more shocked by how calmly Philomel was taking in everything.

" How... are you so calm?"

Amon squeaked out as Philomel pass his spear to him and picked up the torch.

" We might only have moments left before something finds us. We need to put as much distance as we can between us and that yarn. Shadow time zone might be unstable and constantly fluctuating but at least the odds aren't always against us. Bringing outside the timezone cements the odds against us."

Philomel explains as she urges Amon to keep going.

*Clank Clank*

The sound of their struggling footsteps that were crippled with exhaust upon the minecart tracks, echoes throughout the tunnel.

" Where the h... house is all the minecarts around here?"

Amon huffed out as he started using his spear as a walking stick and leaning most of his weight on it.

" I just want to see the bloody exit already."

Philomel whined as she dragged her feet along the smooth metal rail of the mine track, unconsciously trying to be a minecart. Little One utterly bored started climbing all over Philomel and playing with her ponytail.

" Mel!"

Amon narrowed his eyes at her. Philomel stared back at him, slightly wondering why he called out to her in a harsh tone but too tired to care. Amon's gaze shifted from her to Little One and then back to her. Reminding her of the baby's presence.

" Oh... right, I mean butterfly. Not blo... blockage. Butterfly."

She quickly corrected herself as she continued her zombie shuffle.

" What the hell did that Mimic say?"

" Follow the track and it will lead up to the exit."

Philomel answered as they turned a corner just to come face to face with a dead end. Both Amon and Philomel stood there staring at the crumbling sand shifting down between the huge rocks that were blocking the pathway.

" Stay calm. Stay calm. Stay calm. We must have taken the wrong turn... if we backtrack we'll find the right way."

Philomel's voice broke and trembled as tears stung her eyes from stress, hunger, and frustration. Doing her best to hold back from screaming out her annoyed heart.

" The train track didn't have any split on our way down here. "

Amon huffed out without thinking. Philomel screamed with her mouth closed, which was more throat than actual sound and therefore didn't echo throughout the tunnel. Amon seeing how pissed Philomel was, decided to take Little One who was riding on her shoulders pulling her ponytail.

" This! This can't be!! The Mimic clearly said that the exit would be at the end of the train tracks! And this! This isn't an exit!"

Philomel didn't raise her tone but she spoke more sternly which came out with a sharp delivery of words. Sharp words that Little One finally felt the punch since for him, he has always found Philomel to be in a state of anxiety or annoyance or happiness was the norm for him. But now that her state had become angry, Little One finally noticed that something was wrong and stops pulling Amon's fingers. Silently wondering what was wrong as he stared at Philomel. Little One then recalled when Philomel was angry earlier which resulted in Amon becoming scared. Little One turned back to Amon, gently rubbing Amon's chest just like Amon rubbed Little One's chest when he woke up scared the night Darzirak appeared.

" Remember what the Mimic said about that Death Knight?"

Amon brought up as he glanced down at Little One rubbing his chest, misunderstanding it, and thinking that Little One was asking to ride on his shoulders.

" What?!"

Philomel softly growled out.

" The part when it said the dead knight used to be a paladin and was guarding that exit... stuff like that."

Amon recalled as he placed Little One onto his shoulder, making sure Little One was comfortable and holding on.

" And why is that important right now?"

She questioned as she gripped the edges of her dress that were close to her waist, pulling down at it like she was holding her pent-up frustration there.

" Well... What better way, to keep an exit safe than by blocking it off? I mean... if I was an exit guard at an exit that has never been used in decades. That's definitely something I would do."

Amon awkwardly shared as he recalled the hundreds of times he wished the entrance to their catacomb tribe home to have a metal door or some other form of fortified protection.

" Of course... take it from a 3 years entrance guard! He would know everything about being an exit guard. Good for him. Good for you. Great job, you totally didn't waste 3 years, time well spent."

Philomel sarcastically praised with a mocking tone and a slow clap.

" Thank you."

Amon grinned, he knew she was being sarcastic but that didn't change the fact that for the past 3 years, he was there to save his tribe members when they desperately needed it. He was so proud to jump in with a spear in hand into a monster battle just to buy time for the other dark elf to scurry back to the safety of their catacomb home.

Amon has jumped into such situations 562 times within those 3 years. In fact, if it wasn't for him their tribe would have 20% fewer members. Even so, not once has anyone ever thanked him. Even worse other than 6 people (Philomel, Anubis, Asteria, Odo, Chydleluve, and Commander Julius ) no one else was even willing to speak to him even though he saved most of the tribe for he was a no-rank dark elf. Their tribe feared their Chief and wouldn't risk doing anything to be on his bad side.

" I have always wanted to hear those words. You really brighten my day! Ah! I think I can rest easy now, knowing that I have done the right thing and my parents would be proud."

Amon emotionally admitted as he wiped a happy tear from his eye. The words he had been waiting 3 years to hear, by that point, he didn't care it was in a mocking tone. Philomel felt all the energy and frustration leave her body with one huge sigh. It wasn't the reaction she wanted out of Amon but she didn't really want to take it away from him since he had been waiting 3 years for it.

Philomel couldn't understand why Amon would be so happy over a mocking thank you on his no-rank self-assigned job that had so many cons and zero pros. A job that he devoted himself so much to until he doesn't even leave his spot at that entrance. She couldn't help but conclude that Amon was an idiot but seeing him happy, right there. She didn't mind as she felt all her frustration disappear just like that.

" Don't rest easy so soon, we're still stuck here."

Philomel reminded with a small smile as she held the torch towards the block exit, showing that it was still blocked.

" Well, Mr. Expert entrance guard, ideas?"

She questioned but with a serious tone, no mocking in sight. Amon's gaze turns back to the block path as he joined Philomel's side. As soon as Philomel was close enough, Little One patted Philomel's head just like Amon did when he made Little One angry for trying to take Little One off his shoulders, earlier that day. Philomel turned to Little One, baffled at the pats but allowed Little One to continue for as long as he wants.

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