67 Finding the Dungeon (2/2)
A weak voice came from the next cell over, pulling Jack's attention away from the girl's lifeless eyes. With a few steps, Jack walked over to the next cell and looked carefully inside.
In the back, a figure was propped up against the wall. It moved slightly and coughed to clear its throat before it said, ”Who are you?”
”I'm Jack, with the association. Who are you?”
Jack heard the rattling of multiple chains, at least double the amount used to restrain the previous girl. The figure forced itself to its feet, struggling with every step it took forward. As its face came into the light, a clear image of an unshaven face came into view.
”My name's Byron Balt…” He paused, taking a moment to catch his already weak breath. ”If you can get me out, then I'll get you anything you ask.”
Jack's ugly face returned to a pleasant smile, ”Good, you're still alive.”
”What?” Byron was taken aback by Jack's weird comment.
”I don't know you, but I know your father. Don't worry, I'll get you out of here,” said Jack, glad to see a grin appear on Byron's face. ”How do I get you out of there?”
”You'll need the keys, but that's the hardest part,” answered Byron. ”I've only seen one key and it's currently with the jailer.”
”Okay, where can I find the jailer than?”
”You don't understand.” Byron's grin disappeared as if it had never existed. ”It's hard to believe, but the jailer is a troll.”
”Okay, but where is he?” repeated Jack, unfazed by Byron's revelation.
”Umm,” caught off guard by Jack's casual tone regarding a troll, Byron took a moment to reply. ”He left not too long ago. Not sure why by some goblins came to tell him something and they left together with a second troll following behind.”
”How many trolls are there?”
”Down here I've seen a few but only two have been around for the past couple days,” answered Byron.
”Are they the ones who caused that?” Jack pointed a finger to the incarcerated girl.
Byron took a deep breath before he answered in a pained voice, ”Yes, yes they are. And that's not the worst-case either.” His eyes glanced at a few of the surrounding cells, indicating where Jack could find similar or worse cases.
Clenching his fists to the point where he nearly drew blood from with his fingernails, Jack took a few breaths to subside his anger. He looked Byron square in the eyes and said, ”Have you seen a female cleric brought down here recently?”
Byron blinked and responded, ”Yeah, she's a little further up. She's fairly new here so I don't think they've—”
Jack ran towards further into the dungeon without finishing his conversation with Byron. He didn't want to waste a single second until he knew Slivia was okay.
A few audible grunts and the occasional question would reach Jack's ears, but he wouldn't respond because none of them were Slivia. Carefully yet quickly examining the content of each cell he passed, Jack blew past eight cells before he stopped in his tracks.
There on the floor laid a girl whose blonde acted like a beacon. She was stripped like every other prisoner, but she only had a few small bruises and scrapes, most likely from their party's journey and not from torture or anything else.
”Slivia,” Jack spoke loudly, trying his best not to shout.
”Hmm…” She tossed and turned as she curled up to try to cover herself up. Slivia glanced up, her facial expression changing from a look of disgust to a look of surprise and relief. ”Jack!”
Her lively shout caused Jack to loosen up a bit, finally feeling a little better now that his heart was at ease.