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"Typhus ya mangy bastard id kiss ya if it weren't for the fact ya didn't bathe" said Geralt from his perch atop a slain basilisk. His sword resting in the creature's head. "if it weren't for you we could never dream of hunting these blasted things at a profit" he said with a chuckle as typhus threw him a bottle of ale. "aye the goggles are a wee bit cheaper to make than buying an anti-petrification potion every time we have to hunt basilisks" said typhus tossing a bag of coin he held in his right hand up and down. He continued "especially when nobody else is willing to hunt them" Geralt grabbed his sword and lept off the beast's corpse and began to walk back towards their camp "I wonder how the kids doing about now?" Geralt said while cleaning the purple tented blood from his blade. As two other hunters passed by him on their way to gut the creature's corpse. "he's probably found some band of misfits to hunt with by now, probably some other half breeds or something." Typhus said following behind trying to keep up with Geralt's brisk pace. "aye your probably right, besides he's a tough kid" Geralt replied. "why the sudden worry?" typhus said as they were nearing their camp site, the tents and wagons poking out in the clearing in the mid days light. "who knows? Just a bad feeling I have in me gut" said Geralt as he pushed through some small branches. "you and your bloody gut fealin, always worrying about nothing" typhus said before a branch Geralt had pushed out of the way came back and hit him. "you weren't complaining about my gut the time those ogres almost boiled you for their stew." Said Geralt finally entering the out skirts of the camp. "that was one time and you know how ogres are about their stew." Said typhus still picking leaves out of his armor. "aye and what about that suspiciously clean hall way in that wizard's basement?" Geralt said nearing his tent and camp fire. "that was a fluke and we both know it" said typhus visibly out of breath from a jog made all the harder by the plate armor he wore. "maybe I'm just worried for nothing, but my gut has been right when it really counts." Geralt said as he sat down by the fire. "who knows? I say he's fine. Between me, you, and the rest of the camp I'm sure he learned all he needs to survive out there." Typhus said as he sat at the fire. "aye I'm sure your right. I'm gonna go grab some grub you want anything?" Geralt said as he started walking toward the cook's tent. "yeah bring me back a basilisk leg. I'm gonna wait here, I'm out of breath." He said with a huff.

It was a cool summer day when Geralt told Auren that he could go and explore the nearby village, it was the first time he had been allowed to leave the camp on his own. And so he set off on his adventure he brought his back pack full of toys and his trusty sword, a blade made of hickory and set off for the small village. He walked the lazy dirt streets admiring the looming building overhead, he had spent most of his life living in a wagon, so the building looked like castles to him. he came upon three children by a well, the two boys one with golden hair the other with sandy hair were playing with sticks while a younger girl with red hair was playing with her doll while leaned against the well. As he approached the golden-haired boy shouted, "halt in the name of duke Artan who goes there?" pointing his sword at Auren. flustered Auren replied, "Auren of the red eye mercenaries." The blond boy replied "I'm reg, captain of the Norfen city watch." he said as he studied Auren for a moment. "are you some kind of monster?" he said as he readied his sword to attack. "huh? No no I'm not a monster" Auren said caught off guard by the question. "well then why do you have eyes like a cat then?" Reg said studying Auren further. "that's normal there's nothing wrong with me." Auren replied anger in his voice. His hands curled into fists "well then explain why you have such sharp teeth or why your arms look so weird, you're a monster no doubt about it." Reg said stepping back a bit. "I'm not a monster damn it" Auren said visibly enraged. Stepping toward Reg "watch out he's gonna attack!" the other boy said. Reg through a wild haymaker hitting Auren in his arm causing him to fall onto his back. The sandy haired boy joined mercilessly beating him with a stick until he was laying on the ground curled up crying reg pull his back pack off of him and said "monsters should stay out side of towns where they belong. The two boys walked away as Auren's consciousness faded.

Auren was awakened by a sharp jab to the ribs by the clawed foot of a kobold, he rolled over onto his back to escape the prodding of the clawed foot. Ahnya changed from jabs to the ribs to attempting to roll him over onto his back again, she finally resorted to pinching his cheeks. "if ren not wake up soon Ahnya put rat in his bed" she said with a chuckle continuing to pinch his cheeks. With a swat to her hand and a sigh he exclaimed "I'm awake damnit, what do you need?" as he turned to face her "ren grumpy for slave who eat so good last night" she said in annoyance with a huff and turn. "I'm sorry what do you need chief?" Auren said with a sigh rubbing his cheeks. Ahnya turned with her tail wagging "Ahnya want ren to clear tunnel, find ancient one and get shrine ready for shaman." She said clasping he hands in excitement. "lead the way" Auren said rubbing his eyes. He didn't know what this ancient one was, and he really didn't care as long as they didn't try to sacrifice him to it.

. Ahnya led him down a long hallway that sloped downward leading them deeper underground. he began to wonder if he was going crazy or if it had gotten warmer as they had gone deeper into the cave. Eventually they retch a dead end where the kobolds had been digging with make shift pick axes and shovels. Auren noticed that there was a ramshackle pick made for someone his size and a make shift wheelbarrow. The pick was made from part of a mine cart tract that had been bent and sharpened, and the wheel barrow use large gears as its wheels, "where did they get those?" Auren thought to himself. "ren dig straight a put rock in cart others show ren what to do after that" and with that Ahnya left. The cave had been dug large as if to allow something through, as to what he preferred not to dwell upon. so, he just started digging. A short while later Auren heard someone walking down the hall, no, more than someone. He turned around to see three kobolds with a barrel on a small cart and picks coming down the hall. He wondered what the barrel was for, but he was happier to have company. One of the kobolds spoke up, a female with black scales and a grizzled look "you ren?" she said with a heave as she dropped the head of her pick axe from her shoulder to rest on the ground leaning on the handle. "yeah" Auren replied. "me Izza, mine boss. Ren work hard izza have no problem. Ren grab petrum from cart" she commanded. Auren could only assume she meant the barrel he had wondered about earlier he yanked it from the cart with one hand. A feat the seemed to impress his new mining companions but considering that he was a little over twice the size of the average kobold this didn't inflate his ego...much. after he set it down he asked izza "what's next?" she replied "grab cart, follow" pointing to the wheelbarrow he had already filled, he did as he was told and on the way back up he noticed something that he hadn't noticed on his way down when he reach the top of the sloped hall the walls changed from this greyish white texture that resembled concrete back to the black rock supported by stone and wooden beams he pondered what caused this difference however his mind became more occupied by trying to keep up with izza's pace. Eventually they reach a room he hadn't seen before a massive construct of steel and gears stood motionless in the large room whose roof continue off into darkness. He saw a lift held be several ropes lowering towards them. The sound of a crank off in the distance echoed through out the room. When it had reached the ground. "push cart on lift and follow" izza commanded as she began to walk back towards the rooms exit. Auren quickly put the cart on the lift and hurried along behind izza. He realized his escape just got a lot harder. He would have to wait until they made him work somewhere above that lift if he was gonna make a run for it. When they got back he repeated this process several times through out the day. He was surprised to find out that his dwarven mine theory my have held more water than he first thought, the hulking device he had seen in the lift room would have allowed the dwarves to transport massive amounts of rock out of the mine. Just then he felt a blunted pain in the back of his head. "stop slacking" izza said with a glare her fist held up as if she was ready to do it again. "sorry" Auren replied with visible irritation, she was lucky they weren't alone, or he might have been more tempted to sock her back, and he was sure he could hit a lot harder then she could. He would have to hold his temper until he had the upper hand. Either way he continued working for the next few hours by this time he knew what the barrel was for as the kobolds would smear the greyish liquid on the walls it would harden in minutes to look like plaster, or concrete; he had to wonder where kobolds learned to make such a thing. Either way he kept working digging deeper and deeper until he finally tired out. Auren slumped against the wall out of breath and exhausted using his pick to steady himself. "ren stop slacking day only half over" izza said with a growl. "I just need a few minutes to catch my breath" he said heaving with frustration. "ren lucky Ahnya say izza can't beat you to bad. Ren have until izza get back to get to work or else." With that she stormed off, pushing one of the carts up the hall with the help of another kobold. Auren new she wouldn't be long he had to rest while he could, he looked over to see that his coworkers were all capitalizing on this moment of rest as well. He thought to himself "at least I'm not the only one she works to death here" with an audible chuckle. One of the kobolds pulled a bottle of odd black liquid out from his back pack the other kobolds gathered round and began tacking swigs from the bottle and laughing. After a while the group noticed that Auren was watching them and after conferring amongst themselves, one of the held out the bottle and gestured for Auren to grab it. While Auren was not interested in whatever it was they were drinking a mixture of morbid curiosity and peer pressure got the better of him and he took one huge swig and handed it back to the friendly kobold. The taste was like a mixture between chalk and a raspberry quit the ghastly combination, after forcing it down Auren gaged as he had not expected it to be as terrible as it was. The group of kobolds started laughing uncontrollably for a moment Auren felt like he'd been tricked, like he was the butt of a joke he didn't understand, he was about to go over their and give them the thrashing of their lives. but then he noticed something he hadn't before when one of them would take a swig they would all laugh at them as they gaged on the vile concoction. they weren't just making fun of him, they were making fun of each as well. they would all talk and joke and then one of them would try to drink the stuff without gaging. He wasn't the butt of some cruel prank what he had done might have been some right of passage or hazing he wasn't being insulted he was being excepted into the group of flunkies under izza slave driving leadership. That's when he remembered the promise she made before she left, he could hear footsteps coming down the long hall way he quickly grabbed his pick axe and got back to work mining away. His coworkers picked up on what he was doing and swiftly followed. Izza walked into the room and saw that Auren was back at work and said "look like izza not have to beat ren today after all" she then went over to where the group of kobolds were working and sniffed at the air she then began complaining in their tongue to the group. Auren let out a sigh of relief at least he wasn't the only one who had to deal with her. he continued working for the next four or so hours until a messenger arrived to tell izza something, she turned around to talk to the kobold workers then she turned to Auren and said, "work over for today I take you back to cell" and with that the day was over Auren rested in his cell until Ahnya came by with his food "ren work hard today?" she said with glee. "you don't know the half of it" Auren said with a sigh. "what izza mean to ren?" Ahnya said with an inquisitive look and a slight head tilt. "she about worked me to death" Auren mumbled while stuffing his face with a combination of rat meat and mushrooms. "izza not mean she just grumpy" she said in a dismissive tone as she seemed to be pondering something. "she could have fooled me" Auren said in a sarcastic tone after coming up for air after devouring a rat leg. Ahnya turn back to Auren with a ponderous look on her face and asked "ren not old one in disguise, right?" she said in a perplexed tone. "old one? What is an old one if you don't mid me asking?" Auren said now as puzzled as she was. "old one like giant kobold with wings" she said after thinking for a second a claw on her chin. "no, I'm certainly not a giant kobold if that's what your asking" he said while laughing. "Ahnya ask shaman when he get here then" she said flustered as she turned with an annoyed pout. Auren realized that he had upset the person who brings him his food, so he decided to answer the question in a way that would put the subject to rest" listen if I was some giant kobold I would tell you" "if ren not want to tell Ahnya truth right now that's fine" she said with slight annoyance, "ren sleep well work hard tomorrow." She said as she left the room. Auren had to wonder what she was on about, either way he was going to bed he'd had a rough day and needed a long rest.