The Epic of Dalen Grey

"Wake up Dalen. I think I might have found something."

"Go back to sleep."

"Get up, you have to see this."

I didn't think I would be able ignore him forever, and it would be impossible to sleep. It seemed the only thing I could do was stumble to my feet to look at what he found and go back to bed. Thanks to him, I was not very well rested.

"I checked all the walls and every cell, inside and out. I move the desk to reach the ceiling and I notice a warn pattern on the floor. I notice one short board out of place that had a knot hole in it. It lifted up and there was a latch inside. Notice happened, so I backed up to look at it and the whole floor moved."

I watched and even I was alittle stunned. He lifted a part of the floor up like a door. I must admit it was cleverly hidden. The wooden boards where of different lengths so you couldn't even see a straight line like a normal door. It all blended with the floor and covered Just enough. I wasn't sure what to think of this. I didn't know what was underneath but it didn't seem like the right time to explore it right now.

"I believe I owe you a draker Ondre."

"Eight, I believe its payday."

"Eight drakers, now lock that up and put things as they were."

"What? You can't ignore this."

"I don't have time to crawl around in no dungeon. Lock the latch, put everything back and go to sleep. I have work to do in the morning. We can discuss things then. We aren't gonna be able to do anything half asleep."

"I hate it when you make sense Dalen."

I went back to sleep. I woke up surprisingly late. If I would have been able to get to sleep earlier, I might have been up on time. I had little time to do what I had planned for the day. I needed to check on my armor and meet with Elizia. He was still sleeping when I left.

"Its good to see you hard at work Malk. How is my armor doing?"

"Done, need to attach to back."

He took the back plate he made me and laced it to what looked more like a leather vest. I don't know what kind of animal it was, but it had a thin coating of light brown fur on it.

"I need you to make me pants too."

"Have some made, twenty drakers. Warm and tough or light and flexible?"

"The light ones."

They had the same fur coating. It was alittle thicker though and definitly warmer then the cloth I was wearing. In the rush leaving my home in Drivendale, I wasn't able to bring warm clothes. It seems this light leather and a dark brown hooded cloak would be my warmth for the winter.

I left for the Midnight Moon. I noticed Elizia alittle distressed. I didn't expect much else. I was never good at dealing with distressed people, and I wasn't sure I could help her now.

"Hun, I got a note today. They want me to meet them tomorrow with the money. I'm scared."

"I'll be there, you don't need to worry."

"That's sweet of you dear. I don't know what I would have done if you weren't here."

"I will do what I can to ensure there safety, but I won't let them get away with this."

"Thanks again Dalen."

I don't know what happened, but she seemed alittle bit better after I talked to her. I don't know what I did, but I'm glad I did. The rest of the night I stuck around and did what I was always hired for. I protected the girls and the place the best I could. I hoped to myself that I wouldn't let them down again.