Instead of running he ducked behind one of the heavy stone doors, which the cultists had not opened fully due to their enormous weight. He pressed himself between the wall and the door and waited. The cloak dimmed, going from bright stars to melding Jason into the shadows as he admonished himself silently.

Well done, idiot. Now you’re going to be tossed into a pit of blood by cannibals and then probably eaten. Good job.

Cultists came rushing through the door, sprinting up the tunnel as fast as their bulky ceremonial robes would allow. None of them so much as glanced back at Jason’s hiding spot. Jason stayed stock still and cowered behind the door as more cultists came through.

11. Dashing Heroics

11

Dashing Heroics

Once the footsteps had died down, Jason cautiously stuck his head around the door but didn’t see any more cultists. Even returning to the chamber he didn’t see anyone. Whoever hadn’t chased up the tunnel were most likely on the platforms above. He made his way up the stairs as quietly as he could, with still no cultists in sight as he reached the first platform.

He dismissed the cloak as he approached the lion man’s cage. It had the same heavy bars and large space as Jason’s cage, but where Jason had been able to stretch out, the lion-man barely fit.

“Sorry,” Jason said as he fished the key ring from his inventory. “I’ve been hit on the head a lot today, so I don’t remember your name.”

“Gary,” the lion man said, a low, rumbling growl to his voice. “I didn’t think you were coming back.”

“I tried to talk myself out of it, believe me.”

“Instincts of a hero,” Gary said.

“I’d probably put it down to compromised judgement,” Jason said. “I’ve been knocked out several times today.”

Jason kept trying keys.

“I’m not even sure one of these will work,” he said. “I was hoping to do this quietly but I still have some more coins… oh, there we go.”

The lock clicked open and Gary squeezed his enormous frame through the door. Inside the cage, he had looked like a professional wrestler. But now towering over Jason, he looked like he’d eaten a professional wrestler.

“Is there a key for my collar on that thing?” Gary asked. Around his neck was a thick iron choker.

“No idea,” Jason said.

“Give me a look at that.”