[center][h2][color=steelblue]Dalious[/color][/h2][/center]


As the two newcomers fell down the sand trap, the group of slaves huddled around Dalious took notice and sat up from their rest.  Everyone knew what had just happened, though none were quick about doing much about it.

[color=steelblue]"Aye, the 'ol loose stone bit worked!" [/color] Dalious said to the group.  [color=steelblue]"Which of us helped make that trap?  Deserves a praise!"[/color]

Wiry raised a hand but said nothing.

[color=steelblue]"Wiry!  Fine work.  You'll get half of half of my shrooms, assuming we get more than half of what we halved last week.  Anyway, I think they were wearing armor.  Fish 'em out boys!"[/color]

No one moved.  

"More mouths to feed," Toothless Tom spoke.

"-But less work to do!" said the oldest and skinniest of them, Finny.  His finger was pointed and shook toward Toothless Tom as if his point was more important.  

"Let 'em figure their own way out," Toothless Tom added.  "If you can't get outta that sand, then you's can't make it here.  Who cares if they die, that'd be two less mouths to feed."

[color=steelblue]"Damn it I'll fish them out myself,"[/color] Dalious went to the pile of sand to start digging, Wiry jumped in to help once he had started.  

"-Well, technically it'd be the same amount of mouths to feed if they died," Finny continued.  "Since they weren't here's before, them dying means we're right back to where we started, see.  On the number of mouths to feed, I mean.  Less of course you count that poor fella Marty who fell into that pit of spikes this morning."

Dalious paused from digging to look over at the aged Finny in bewilderment.  [color=steelblue]"Marty's dead?  I'm not aware of any pit of spikes around these parts."[/color]  Wiry was able to pull both men out from the sand by himself as Dalious got distracted by the current conversation.

"We built it last evening," Finny explained.  "Me and Wiry, just down those halls."  He pointed.

[color=steelblue]"Divine's hell, and you didn't think that might be something to mention to the rest of us?" [/color] Dalious wondered as Finny simply shrugged.  [color=steelblue]"That's the third man we lost to our own contraptions in two weeks.  Hell, at this rate we're killing ourselves quicker than the guards are Finny!!  From now on, if one of us lot makes a new contraption, we at least have a mild discussion about it.  Fair?  Right then."[/color]

Dalious turned to see the two men that were freed from the sand.  As their faces became clearer, one of them became familiar to him.  He squinted his eyes and stared at the man to be sure.  His eyes widened upon his own confirmation.  

[color=steelblue]"If you've come all this way to kill me, I assure you I can explain everything," [/color]Dalious said to Cicero, taking a step back.  [color=steelblue]"Rather, if you've come all this way to save me...you're doing a piss poor job mate."[/color]