Chapter 42: Amanda Dolittle

Amanda leaned against the lady that had called herself Ivana as they made their way out of the cavern that had been her biggest nightmare for the past month. She could hear as the scary clad gigantic warrior from before came up behind them. Ivana had told her that he wouldn't hurt her, but just looking at the giant of a man in his full armor with his face fully covered by black it caused a shiver to go down her spine.

She had been caught in the first week by Goblins serving a human lord, the man had made a bunch of his summons carve out the tunnel she had been found at the end of. It had taken them only a day as they were worked to literal death. She remembers as she was chained outside they would be carrying bodies out of those who had literally died from over work.

Once they had broken into the cavern the gate had been in, they had secured the cavern making sure the tunnel was the only entrance. They somehow figured out that if they dripped her blood on a summoning vellum they would be able to have a goblin throw it through the gate. This gave them a higher chance to summon goblins instead of humans.

At first they had kept her up in the encampment away from the human captives, she was usually left alone for the whole day save for meals and when they would come to collect her blood. She had actually gotten free a week and a half ago and had snuck out of the camp. Unfortunately, she had grown up in a city and had not even the faintest clue as to how to survive in a forest.

She had been caught two days later and had been dragged back to the camp. They hadn't thrown her into the room she had previously occupied but had drug her all the way down the caver tunnel to the cave with the gate. There they chained her to the wall and starved her for 3 days as they would come collect her blood each morning. She had been in that cave for what she thought was forever but knew was a week based on the number of visits from the goblin manager.

As Amanda and Ivana made their way out of the cavern into the main mine tunnel they paused just inside the entrance to allow Amanda some time to have her eyes adjust. Amanda could hear that outside the cave was busy and there were multiple people out there. As she listened with squinted eyes the massive warrior from earlier walked by her and Ivana and out into the light. She could hear as he began issuing orders to people she couldn't rightly see just yet.

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Rosario walked past the girl and Ivana back out into the light. His eyes adjusted quickly, and he looked over at his people helping the group of humans.

"Sigurd, take four others and lead these people back to our camp. We will move on to the main village of this lord. He will not live another day."

Nodding Sigurd grabbed Silph, John, Havresh, and Andromina. They began working together to get everyone up and moving out towards their own village, if they wanted to make it back before nightfall with this ragtag group they would need every second of the day.

As Rosario watched over his people getting the ex-prisoners moving Ivana walked up next to him with Amanda still close at her side.

"I will head with the group moving back to our village."

With a nod Rosario responded.

"Let Sigurd know you will be joining him, tell him ill take Andromina with me."

After saying this Rosario walked off calling for the others and a confused Andromina to follow him. He and the others in full gear began moving down the dirt road that led towards the main village with an even number of them walking on the very edge of either side of the road ready to dive to the side at the first sign of enemies.

----

Amanda watched as the massive man and others just as imposing walked off towards where the main village was. Seeing the imposing statures of some of these warriors she couldn't even describe how she felt. However, there was a question that was bugging her in the back of her mind.

"Ivana?"

Her small voice was hard for Ivana to hear even with her evolved senses.

"Yes Hun?"

"Who are you guys, like where am I? Are you part of a local army? You are all dressed in the same gear except I can see your face through your helmet while his was wreathed in shadows."

"We are the Morlux clan, you could say we are part of a local army somewhat. As for how we are all armored that was our clan leader's decision. He wanted uniform armor for all his men and women, we train with spears, swords, bows, shields, small daggers, hand to hand, and of course magic."

"Your armor, it reminds me of this famous movie I watched from my world."

"What's a movie"

"Umm"

Nibbling on her fingertip Amanda looked concerned on how she would explain what a movie was.

Ivana reached up and gently pulled Amandas finger away from her mouth.

"Its fine you don't have to explain, you said you recognize this armor?"

"Yeah, it is what the Spartans used in the 300, however your rectangular shields don't quite match the Spartans. Your shields look more like the Romans."

While they had been talking the rest of the group had begun moving out towards the clan's home village. The two of them still chatting began following the group as Ivana split her attention with the girl and her surroundings.

"Tell me who are these Spartans and Romans."

"Well, the Romans had a massive Empire that spanned most of the known world when they were at their peak, their legions of troops dominated battlefields for centuries. As for the Spartans they were a militaristic society. All of their men would join the army and fight, they were said to be some of the greatest warriors of the ancient world. They were a city state so basically a country that revolved around one city, in simplified terms."

"Spartan, Spartan where have I heard that term before?"

"You have heard of the Spartans before?"

"I believe I have I am trying to remember why it sounds so familiar."

After walking for ten minutes in silence Ivana spoke again.

"I remember now, when our Lord was giving us a welcome speech he had said he wanted to base our society off of Spartan society. He said they were warriors like people. At the time none of us knew who these Spartans were, maybe you can tell us stories about them?"

Ivanas excitement at the end was obvious, she looked like a little kid excited to hear stories before bedtime.

"I guess I could tell some stories about them, but you said your Lord. And how does your Lord know about the Spartans?"

"Well, isn't that obvious both you and the Lord are collective nobles from the same planet, unfortunately you have lost your noble status, but if you decide to stay with us you will be able to still gain power."

"Who is this Lord? Will we meet him at the village I keep hearing about. I am not sure I want anything to do with another Lord after what I already went through."

Saying all this Amanda stopped in her tracks.

Ivana stopped and turned towards Amanda. "I can understand why you would be nervous; I would be too if I were you. However, I give my word on the collective that our lord will treat you fairly, you will not be imprisoned unfairly and will be free to leave if you wish. We are a Spartan society; everyone learns how to fight. If you don't want that you can be given food and water but will not be able to stay with us currently."

Gesturing at the group of ex-miners walking ahead of them Ivana continued.

"They will be given the same choice, we will give them food and water and get them back on their feet, but there will be a day when they need to decide if they want to leave or join us. If you join us we can promise that you will be given and trained to obtain all the resources you need to never be in this situation again."

Amanda stared at Ivana for a prolonged period before she slightly nodded and began walking forward again.

"I will trust you, mainly because I have no one else to turn too."

Ivana smiled. "Ill take it for now."

After walking for a few more minutes in silence Amanda spoke again.

"You never answered who your lord is? Will we be meeting him when we get there? Are there others like me there?"

Shaking her head Ivana answered.

"Currently there are no others like you, as you can probably see you look the same as all those human summons walking ahead of us. The only difference is your clothes. There is nothing to distinguish a collective noble from a summon. As for if the lord is waiting for us, no he isn't he is leading the remaining teams to attack your captor's village. You have already met him."

Amandas eyes widened. "You mean the big scary guy?"

Seeing Ivana chuckle and nod her head Amanda continued.

"Theres no way he is human he is what over seven feet tall. Most humans don't reach that height, especially not staying that bulky."

"You are right he is not human, none of us are for that matter. Our entire clan are a different race."

"How is he from my planet then we only had humans on my planet."

"He was human, he has already passed his first evolution." Ivana deliberately lied to the girl as she did not want to and couldn't reveal anything about how they changed their race. If the girl was strong and decided to join them she would learn the truth then.