Chapter 282 Paths
Jay and three skeletons, Red, Lamp and Sweeper, had remained undetected as they huddled under the metal bridge.
Numerous knights had marched over, and Jay had lost count at some point. He guessed there were hundreds.
His plan was to wait here until all the knights left, and now there were some stragglers slowly filtering out of the complex.
Over time, he had calmed himself and became used to the stress of hiding under the enemy's nose. However, a clumsy straggler had dropped its sword, which was now teetering on the edge of the bridge.
Its rusted blade gleamed in the lights above. It was like a searchlight spotting them out.
The clumsy knight walked back across the bridge. 𝙗𝙚𝒅𝙣𝒐𝙫𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝙢
(Sweeper, you're the closest. If it looks at as, grab it.)
Sweeper glowed its eyes at Jay and assumed a crouching position while Jay and the other skeletons readied their swords.
The knight marched over and leaned down to grab its sword.
Its visor revealed the moat while it forwards, and something caught its eyes.
An odd shadow, perhaps?
Its rusted helmet slowly ground to the side.
Jay responded before it could.
(Now!)
A skeleton pounced from the shadows, its bone claws outstretched; three other beings were behind it with swords pointed at it, staring with vicious hunger, looking like they wanted to consume it.
Raising its gauntlet, it blocked the pouncing skeleton.
Its claws scraped off a dust of red but couldn't find a grip.
-n0ve1��com The parasite saw enemies and, being alone, it only had one motive: a�?Warn the brothers.a�?
It left its sword, standing back up straight again.
(Lamp, do it!)
Suddenly, a green flash appeared.
a�?Glow pod?a�? the parasite thought.
Yet something suddenly pulled its neck back.
Lamp had wrapped its shepherd's crook around the neck of the knight.
Jay, Red and Lamp all pulled, causing the knight to stumble back and fall.
Without hesitation, they dragged it into the moat.
The defenseless knight died without a fight as the skeletons held it down and plunged their swords through the gaps in its armor.
(Drag its body under the bridge.) Jay commanded.
Checking there were no parasites on him, he grabbed the knight's sword, which was still sitting on the edge of the moat.
[115 Exp]
a�?Problem averted.a�? He thought.
Jay went to move under the bridge, but paused.
The knight's green blood was squirming with smaller parasites. Some were as small as a fingernail while others were as long as a dagger.
a�?Just one of those would end me.a�? Jay thought.
He didn't think they could leave the dungeon, but if one burrowed into his skin and slowly ate through his spine, then the chances of leaving the dungeon at all would plummet.
The three skeletons huddled under the bridge with the knight, and there was no room left for Jay either; at least, not enough room to be clear of the parasite-infested blood.
Another knight would come soon, so Jay waited at the back of the gate room in the corner.
Because of the army of knights moving out, it had been ear-piercingly loud, as they had tossed Jay into a violent storm, but now much of the marching had grown quieter.
Jay could hear a knight coming down the hallway and stood back against the wall. He could only hope it didn't turn its head.
However, the knight slowed down, even before it came into the gate room.
a�?Huh?a�? Jay turned his head.
a�?Shit.a�?
Lamp's shepherd's crook had left Jay's bag to grab the clumsy knight, along with the luminous jar still attached. It glowed brightly under the bridge.
(Lamp, hide the damn light!) Jay's eyes bulged as he stared at the skeleton with anger.
Jay had his bag with him; Lamp looked around awkwardly for a moment, and then stuffed it into the only place it could think of: under its human-skin.
The jar glowed under its ribs, and a soft glow came from Lamp's eyes, though it wasn't enough to be noticeable, not with the pure white lights in the room.
Yet, the approaching knight had already seen.
(Get ready.)
The knight moved into the room, not noticing Jay in the corner as it fixated its focus on the bridge.
It wasn't cautious, but curious; Its sword lowered as at it approached. It probably thought another knight had foolishly placed a a�?glow pod' (luminous jar) down there.
Lamp awkwardly held the jar under its flesh while the other skeletons readied themselves. Hopefully Sweeper would grab the enemy this time, and wouldn't be forced to reveal the light-bearing shepherd's crook.
The knight made it to the side of the moat.
Immediately, it saw its fallen comrade surrounded by skeletons.
A skeleton pounced as it readied its sword - the skeleton grabbed its gauntlet, but the knight braced itself. It brought the sword down and was about to free its arm.
*Thud!*
A blow to its back sent it toppling into the moat.
Piercing swords slid through its armor; yet it only had one last thought: a�?Who hit me?a�?
[115 Exp]
Jay's spartan kick was a resounding success. The skeletons dragged another body under the bridge, stacking it onto the other knight's corpse.
It was getting cramped, but the skeletons could still mostly hide their presence.
Jay returned to the corner of the room, pressing his body as close to the wall as he could.
A few minutes passed, and another knight ran across the bridge, this time not noticing anything.
Jay sighed in relief, though he still felt tense. An army was just outside the doors, while he was at a dead-end. Trapped with only one way in and out.
a�?This is so fucked up.a�? He thought, a�?But I planned for this. Just calm down and think logically.a�? He nodded.
a�?I'll need to reveal my presence again to push deeper. If we block the knights from getting out, the army won't be warned, either. Blue's bones are up there somewhere, hidden. Handy is still running around. Once they discover their corpses, they'll realize I'm down here, or at least that there are more enemies than what they realized.a�?
a�?They will probably do a thorough search, so I just need to act before then.a�? He nodded as another knight ran over the bridge.
Jay moved from his position and quickly glanced down the hallway, then looked up to the balcony with the podium.
a�?If we can get to the gate controls, we'll be fine... or we can rush into the compound and try to slay the plant. Hopefully, it will be over after that.a�?
Jay glanced up at the metal balcony above. They built it into the wall so there were no supporting structures to climb up; a good tactical decision, while the walls were as smooth as polished leather.
The balcony was a little over two stories high; it would meet the floor of a third story if compared. It could safely look down on the three-story tall stone gates and see into the moat below.
Despite how high up it was, Jay smiled slyly as he sensed an opportunity.
a�?I guess they didn't design this with the undead in mind.a�?
Before making another move, Jay returned to the corner and waited for the next knight to pass.