After the rather impressive display in the arena, both Melly and Clemiticus were shepherded by the corrupt guards out of the Coliseum and towards a foreboding tower which stood in the middle of the town. As they walked, a crowd of fans followed them, whispering in hushed tones about the bravery of the one they called `Clemiticus`.

　　Oh, little do they know, Melly thought, feeling both mentally and physically exhausted.

　　"Oh, look! It`s the hero of the arena," said a feminine voice. "He`s so brave and handsome!".

　　Melly looked over and saw the simpering young girl. She was fanning her face and giving the fictitious hero the eye. Clemiticus turned to the youthful maiden and gave her an all too knowing wink but kept walking, now with a bit of a swagger in his step. Melly pictured herself rushing up to the woman and shaking some sense into the idiot girl. However, she sighed and decided to ignore the poor ignorant child.

　　Melly turned to face their destination. Each step they took brought them closer to the large ominous tower and to their supposed prize. Melly knew she had to keep her wits about her.

　　The odd bald mayor they had met above the arena was waiting for them at the entrance to the tower. He was idly playing with his white cape in front of his herald who was carrying a rather heavy full-length mirror. The mayor spun in place, showing off his bright red outfit but the crowd fixated only on the victors.

　　Clemiticus whistled. "That`s one enormous tower. Must be full of loot."

　　For such an imposing structure, the doorway to the tower was unreasonably small. And yet, there were no windows, which only caused her rising feeling of dread to deepen.

　　"Welcome champions!" the mayor announced. "Come inside and claim your just reward!"

　　"Why, thank you," Clemiticus spoke cheerfully, unaware of their potentially dire situation.

　　Melly looked around furtively and noticed that the friendly and admiring faces had turned grim. Obviously, they, too, sensed the ill intent of the strange man.

　　"Come, come!" The mayor directed Clemiticus and Melly inside through a narrow passageway.

　　They entered, leaving the herald behind. Immediately, the bright sunlight vanished behind them. The passage was dark and eerie. They followed the mayor who moved silently further and further into the ominous tower.

　　"I can`t see a bloody thing," Melly complained. She peered ahead down the hall apprehension bubbling to the surface. It was definitely getting darker. She could hardly make out the bald man now. Melly couldn`t see his face so she couldn`t judge by looking at his expression for what he might do next.

　　"Where are we going exactly?" Melly asked. She could have sworn she`d spotted a glint of armour moving as they passed down an adjacent passage. The corridor was becoming narrower by the second.

　　"Oh, yes. I am escorting you to our, um, the treasure room," the mayor replied with an all too obvious air of treachery.

　　"Um, Clem&" Melly spoke softly, "shouldn`t we get out of here?"

　　"Nonsense," Clemiticus said undisturbed, then asked the old man, "would you happen to have any boots?"

　　"Really, Clem?" Melly berated him. "can`t you, for once, forget about your damn boots?"

　　"What? Ouch!" a voice cried out in the dark.

　　She had stamped on Clemiticuses` foot. Or at least she hoped she had.

　　It was becoming impossible to see in the narrow passageway. But Melly`s other senses were screaming out danger. She was now certain she could hear the muffled sounds of armoured soldiers tramping through the unseen passageways. She smelt the air and could make out the distinctive pungency of torch oil. The air was thick with it.

　　"Okay, we`re nearly there!" the mayor spoke gleefully as they finally emerged into a huge, empty chamber. He pulled them along and jockeyed them into position. "Good, good! Now, can you please stand just about there? Yes. Perfect!"Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

　　"So. Where`s this treasure then?" Clemiticus asked expectantly.

　　The mayor shifted in the darkness towards the shadow of a long wooden shape that resembled a broom handle.

　　"AHAHAHAHAH! Did you really think we`d let you live after your performance today? Your insubordination will not be tolerated in my town!" the mayor shouted. "GUARDS! PUSH THEM DOWN THE PIT!"

　　Armoured footsteps clattered as the hidden soldiers surrounded them. Flint snapped and torches were lit as the guards lined up in formation. Clemiticus and Melly were shoved before a line of corrupt guards and a steel lattice trap door. Melly`s eyes darted down and spotted the deep dark pit below of no return. A shiver ran down her spine as a sense of vertigo threaten to overwhelm her.

　　She looked up sharply and saw the bald man on the other side of the room with a wicked smirk and a lever in his hand.

　　Each soldier hefted a large square shield behind them and took a step forward as one. The wall of armour edged forwards as the two criminals were pressed slowly towards their doom.

　　Melly looked down again. The two of them were nearly standing on the trapdoor. She looked frantically through the gaps in the floor, but she couldn`t see the bottom. Only darkness. It must be impossibly deep.

　　"Seriously?" Clemiticus asked, incredulous. Melly was surprised at the harshness in his tone. He was truly upset in the lack of shiny loot. "Not cool bro!"

　　The mayor laughed. "Are you an idiot? Wasn`t it obvious I would double-cross you?"

　　"Not to me!" Clemiticus yelled and turned to Melly in defence. "Was it?"

　　At that moment, his normally cocksure face looked a bit like that of a five-year-old who had his ice-cream taken away.

　　"Come on, it was super obvious," Melly said, breaking the news.

　　Clemiticus shelved his pride and turned back to the odd man. "You won`t get away with this! The loot will be mine!"

　　The mayor rolled his eyes. "There is no loot, lad! I`m tired of this! Goodbye!" he laughed once more and pulled on the lever.

　　Melly shut her eyes, bracing herself for the inevitable fall.

　　But nothing happened.

　　The old man scowled. He pulled the lever again.

　　Nothing.

　　"Ooohh! Who`s an idiot now? Embarrassed much?" Clemiticus laughed as he treated his tormentor to an over-the-top celebration dance. "Should`ve just given me my reward. You know this is karma, right?"

　　The mayor`s face screwed up with rage as he pulled the lever again and again.

　　"Damn thing work, why don`t you!" he yelled.

　　Clemiticus took Melly by the arm and abruptly moved over the pit to stand beside the desperate bald man. Melly glanced down and was glad to be off the trapdoor.

　　"It was a good plan!" Clemiticus said truthfully. "However, you might want to check your trap door once in a while."

　　"Guards!" the mayor ordered, and the soldiers charged, bearing down on Melly and Clemiticus with grim determination.

　　"Oh, look!" Clemiticus pointed to the lever. The torches of the guardsmen had moved close enough and had illuminated the shape of the mechanical device. Melly looked down at the cogs and gears of the lever. With all the time she had spent in her father`s workshop, she could clearly see there was something not right with the device.

　　"You need to slot in this part here," Melly instructed, as she flicked a cog into place.

　　Click.

　　The device whirred into action, and a myriad of voices behind them all screamed at once. Melly had only a second to look behind her to see the group of soldiers collapse into the pit as they all scrambled on top of each other. Even the ones to each side who should have been safe were pulled in by others who desperately seized any type of purchase available. Even if it was their fellow soldiers.

　　The mass of flames, shields and steel collapsed into the infinitely dark hole with a chorus of blood-curdling screams. "Nooooooooo!!!!!"

　　"Whoops." Melly said in the darkness. "Sorry `bout that. My dad`s a tinkerer, and I guess auto-fixing gadgets run in the family."

　　"You damned fools!" the mayor screamed and lunged for Clemiticus` throat.

　　Time slowed, and Melly could see the scene despite the darkness. In that instant, she could make out an insane bald man lunging mid-air at the irritating simpleton. If she didn`t do something, she was certain they`d collide and the two men would be sent tumbling down into the pit, lost forever.

　　Quickly, Melly mentally weighed up her options.

　　Pro, the two men would both be in the pit. Pro, freedom. Pro, no more of Clemiticus and his absurd quests for boots. Con, no cure from Fredreek`s curse quest. Con, no financial compensation for her destroyed home. Con, probable outcome of getting lost in these damn dark halls.

　　"Uggh!" she grumbled as she reached a decision. With one leg, she kicked Clemiticus out of harm`s way all the while leaning forward and grabbing the bald bastard by the robes.

　　The man gave out a muffled groan, then collided with the hard ground, safe from the pit.

　　Thunk.

　　All three of them narrowly missed the empty void, and Melly kicked the lever back into its closed position. The trapdoor shut with an audible clunk and the scene dissolved into silence once more.

　　"Who the hell are you, and what is your problem?" Melly demanded, slapping the face in front of her.

　　"Ow! I`m Clemiticus. What was that for?"

　　She turned and scrambled over to the other shape in the darkness. She repeated her question and slapped the other face hard.

　　"Ow, still me!" Clemiticus shouted. "Why do you keep slapping me?" he continued as he grabbed her hands.

　　"Mwahahaha!" the mayor laughed as he scrambled to his feet and raced off to the side of the chamber.

　　"Grab him!" Melly yelled as she fought against Clemiticus to chase after him.

　　A secret door had opened up. Sunlight flooded in and blinded them momentarily. Melly glimpsed stairs. The bald man`s white cape disappeared as he raced through the door, all the while laughing maniacally.

　　"Go! Go! Go!" she shouted.