Labyrinth Rat

My prison root is almost behind me and yet there is still a long way up to the base of the tree where I'll find the exit.

Never before have I felt such a hunger for freedom, am I even still saving Ashenchesa? - I ask myself. "Well, yes! Definitely yes!" Her devotion and love for me are so great, that I would not betray her even for all the other angels in this world combined.

"Alright. I am naked, covered in blood, and wielding two axes. If I continue upward, the barracks will be to my left, the storage to my right. In both places I will need to descend down, so - not an option for me. Besides, nothing to do there. Unless..." I take a look at the darkened passage leading down to the storage.

"Cloaks, backpacks, dry rations... What else?" I try to recall more useful items I noticed when wandering around there. "Hmm... Rope and Soap? Hah!" - I chuckle out loud. "No reason to hang myself yet. So wait... What if I won't have a better chance to stack up on things after I leave? And it's nearly always empty. Ok, then I'll be quick."

Once again making sure nobody walks nearby I slip into the storage root-way and jog down while briefly pausing at my usual hiding spots. The door is not locked, as always, but I put my ear to it first, making sure nobody moans or works inside. -It's quiet.

What a fine abundance! Full storage shelves, everything is mostly orderly albeit dusty. "Let's proceed with the pillage then. First is the backpack."

There is a shelf with travel equipment all of which I instantly remember seeing before. "Oh yes. How could I forget all these exquisite-looking items? Sleeping bags, backpacks, torches, ropes, rations, and such. I'm going to need a bit of it all."

Grabbing the backpack, I strap a sleeping bag up to it, a torch, and a rope, then shove about 7 rations inside. "Do I need a tent?" - I ask myself rising one, then both eyebrows, imagining the span of my rescue operation. "Nah, I'll just find shelters." - Better conclusion soon follows. "Then, a cloak? "Oh yes, it rains often." - I whisper as I put it on.

"Something else? Dagger or a wood axe for firewood chopping? Why bother when I already have two axes? Flint and tinder? Hmm, no time to search - screw it. Water canteen - What if I'll go to the deserts of death and won't find any water there? Even if not, a generally useful thing to have." I grab one of the canteens and smell the content after opening it. "Wine!? Why am I even surprised? Ok, that will do. I am not very light or stealthy anymore though."

"Shit. I can't just keep holding my axes in my hands all the time. Either I put them into the backpack or find a belt to strap them on. If I strap them on any belt, they may cut my unprotected legs. Looks like I'm going to need to either raid the barracks for someone's thigh shields or the armory above for a different sheathed weapon. Should I snatch a bow and arrows along the way? And replace the axes with a sword and shield or spear and shield? - Damn I'm over-planning."

I carry on, leaving any other crates, shelves, or barrels without attention, still holding my axes ready for a possible battle. Exiting the storage room after what would seem like more than five minutes I worry that the tree dwellers may have already been alarmed by my escape.

The stairway back up is clear and silent. I return to the crossway and stop by it. Noises and voices are heard from the prison root below. "They must be coming up!" I hesitate for a moment weighing the options of either letting the angels pass or race ahead of them.

My wait time makes me panic, but the next instant my brain calculates they are still far enough and may be slow enough for me to slip past them to reach a higher level. More than that, I surprise myself by already running up the stairs. Something in me holds on to hope that if they see me from behind, they will consider me one of their own due to the cover of the cloak.

The stairs to the middle root section make me realize how loud my new equipment can be as I have to tip-toe with it next to the few half-open room doors before reaching the next crossway.

"Alright. Library to the right, armory to the left, or should I go past them and..? Oh fuck, of course! No time to think. The angels are coming from behind. Up then!"

"I am really dirty. Cannot attend the dance smelling this bad." -Said an echoing voice from the spiraling stairs above. "Yes, and don't forget we'll need to look our best too. You know how judgmental they can be." - Said the other one in response.

"Voices! More than one, coming down. Run back. Now!" - My instinct commands. "Not to the armory, always a guard there. Library then!" - I reply to it.

I seem to have narrowly avoided being seen by both groups coming from each side to disappear behind a turn that leads down to the library.

"Sisters!? What happened!?"

"It was Cassian. He escaped..."

"Did he do this?!"

"No. I tried to shoot him, but I got her by accident."

I find myself unable to stop eavesdropping on the conversation nearby, not only due to the need of taking a breather or to them blocking my only way up, but also to hear about their next move.

"Get her to the priestess before her body gives up! Spread out and alert everyone about his escape!"

"Yes, lance-maid!"

Fuck! They'll be checking my way now. Go down!" - my Instinct urges me again.

I tip-toe down the library stair as quietly and quickly as I can before being noted from behind, while my breath and equipment noise deafens me, yet I completely forget caution when finally storming into the dim-lit reading hall itself.

...

At the middle reading table, four Alranai warriors are "seated", all instantly looking at me with widened eyes.

In a split second, I generally witness that on the right side, one sits down on a chair, while the second sits upon her lap, back against her chest, probably penetrated while holding a novel. On the left side, the third one has her knees on a stool, bending over the table, with a novel lying on it between her hands while the fourth sister sits on a chair behind her, spreading the third one's buttocks apart with a face that slowly moves away from it to eye me.

The haze in my head from running prevents me from distinguishing any of their features to call names so before they scream in a panic I try to address them all at once as I close the distance with haste.

"Sisters!! I..."

"AAAA-AAAA!!!"

"AAAA-AAAA!!!"

"AAAA-AAAA!!!"

"AAAA-AAAA!!!"