This was the first man that Tyler had killed from close up; the ones that he had shot with a bow earlier had all been from a distance, while this was much more personal. Tyler stood looking for a long moment at the dead man. Last week he had been working in an office, this week he had killed a number of people, including the man before him. Then he saw Caroline`s body lying there in place of the slain Troglodyte and he became even more afraid, but now it was for Caroline, and whatever might happen to her if he, Tyler, failed her. Tyler quickly pulled himself back to the business in hand, and he dragged the dead warrior into the side tunnel that had concealed him so well. Tyler was about to leave when he noticed the dead warriors quiver of arrows still slung about the dead man`s shoulders, and realising that he might need more than he was carrying appropriated them for his own use. Tyler walked back into the main tunnel and picked up the Troglodytes torch that was better than his own was, and just as he was about to leave the dead man, Tyler`s eyes lit on the dead man`s cloak. It could come in useful later on to use as a disguise, and so he quickly removed it from the dead body. It felt greasy and smelt even worse than he did, but if he held his breath for the next hour it would be ok.
Now he was finally ready, so he moved off along the long dimly lit tunnel in continuance of his quest. Up ahead he finally saw the blackness becoming lighter, and then he heard alien voices coming from ahead of him, so Tyler extinguished his torch and crept forward, keeping the torch for use later on. Light danced on the walls before him, and he soon saw that the tunnel turned sharply to the right, and finally the pathway went down to the floor of a large cavernous chamber. In the middle of the chamber thirty Troglodytes danced about a large fire, looking like witches from a medieval scene, it had been their voices that he had heard. Smoke from the fire drifted up and up, the roof of the chamber was coated with a thick layer of soot that told Tyler of its centuries of use. The smoke finally left the chamber through some lava vents that also told Tyler that in periods in its far distance past this mountain had been in fact a volcano. Then water had come along and created the vast chamber. A large fallen rock at the edge of the pathway concealed him from their view and he was able to look around the dim chamber without too much chance of being seen.
**********
As Caroline finally started to regain consciousness, she first felt the pain coming from the back of her head, this had been caused by one of the Troglodytes coming up behind her and striking her on the back of her head with a rock. Then she found that she couldn`t move her arms so she now opened her eyes. Dimly she saw that she had been bound and tied to a large rock, and that she was in a large dimly lit cavern; of course she had been chasing after a Troglodyte and had fallen into one of their pathetic traps. She struggled with her bonds, angry with herself for being caught so easily, but they had been tied too tightly for her to be able to free herself. Then as her head cleared she saw the vile creatures dancing about their large fire, screams and shrieks coming from their filthy mouths as they worked themselves into a frenzied state. They were preparing themselves for their disgusting feast and she, Caroline realised, was to be the main course. She started her struggles with her bindings again, but only got torn skin for her pains. Appolon and her friends would soon realise that she was missing and find her, or maybe it would be Tyler who would save her again. Why had she thought of Tyler when Appolon and Tryon were up there on the surface, but were they? It was extremely important that they get through to New Eden, to get the help needed to fight against those murderous strangers who thought so little of the life of the people on Orion. However, Tyler wouldn`t leave without saving her, that she felt deep down, Appolon would have to do what was good for the peoples of Orion but not Tyler, he would save her single handed as he had before, as he had Appolon and Tryon, as he had the Parsons` family. Caroline strained her eyes as she searched the cavern for any sign that he had already reached here. Maybe he was already looking down upon her, and then she saw movement by an entrance ten feet above the cavern`s floor at the top of a pathway and behind a huge boulder, hope bloomed within her breast.
Tyler could hardly restrain himself as her saw that Caroline was still alive. How to release her though when between them were thirty bloodthirsty Troglodytes who he would have to kill in order to get to her. He had been distressed by the earlier deaths at his hands, and now he was considering killing thirty more souls. However, the thirty souls beneath him were going to eat Caroline unless he stopped them somehow. All he had was his bow and two quivers of arrows and of course his spear, and as he knew of no trickery to scare them away he would probably have to wage war on them. First though he would try a more silent approach, he had to cover fifty feet to reach Caroline without being seen, and the cloak he had taken from the dead Troglodyte might help him there. Tyler put the disgusting piece of clothing over his head and pulled it down over his own clothing. Now is as good a time as any other Tyler thought, and making his move he slipped down the ramp that led from the tunnel to the cavern`s floor. Once there he began to sidle around the wall with his knees bent to conceal his true height, keeping to the shadows when he could, brazening it out when he couldn`t. He was now only ten feet from Caroline who had seen him and thrown him a smile that made all his dangers seem insignificant. Tyler quickly covered the last few feet and cut her bonds, the blood began to flow normally in her veins as pins and needles affected her arms and feet, but Tyler almost carried her towards another tunnel on the far side of the large cavern, and through which the breeze continued on its way. Somewhere ahead of them there had to be an exit that would allow them to escape from the labyrinth, and to allow the breeze to also escape.
They had almost made it when a loud cry went up from behind them. A Troglodyte was pointing at them, and screaming out something in his guttural tongue in anger at seeing his meal escaping. The whole mad dancing bunch of warriors turned in mass and chased after them, but by then Tyler and Caroline had reached the tunnel at the far end of the cavern. Taking out an arrow he put it against the bow string, aimed at the nearest Troglodyte, and let fly the arrow. It whistled through the air to bury itself into the chest of the warrior. He crumpled to the floor, and then another arrow was flying from Tyler`s bow followed by another. Caroline had taken the spear and thrown it, all her anger and disgust at these creatures adding to her natural strength, its head sank into a half mad screaming warrior killing him instantly. The Troglodytes had left their weapons lying against the far wall and as their numbers were being depleted by Tyler`s bow, and one warrior had died by the spear cast by Caroline, they stopped en masse, turned, and ran back for their weapons. Tyler turned to Caroline and said one word, “Run!” and they rushed into the tunnel where Tyler stopped to take a moment to light his torch which would light their way through the dark tunnels before them.
“Ok Caroline we will have to risk the dangers in front and hot foot it out of here, but be of good cheer for we will soon be away from these monsters.”
They both bolted away from the cavern`s entrance, but from behind them they could hear the Troglodytes` feet pounding after them, luckily Tyler and Caroline both had longer legs and soon out distanced their chasers. Fortunately the walls were quite smooth in this part of the complex of tunnels, and with the light of the torch to light their way they didn`t hurt themselves against the hard rocks of the tunnel walls. The tunnel seemed to go on for miles, but at least the sounds of their pursuers had now faded away into the distance. The tunnel now began to narrow until its width was only enough for one person, and the breeze had strengthened and was now blowing them along, when all of a sudden the tunnel seemed to end at a solid wall of rock.
“I don`t understand it.” Tyler said. “We have been following the wind all the time; there must be a way out?”
“There is Tyler, look above you, it`s a chimney, but it must go up forever.” Caroline cried in exasperation.
Tyler thrust his burning torch up into the small opening above their heads and the strengthened breeze took the flames
up into the chimney, the flames roaring now as the breeze fed them even more oxygen.
“No.” Tyler answered. “Don`t you see its night outside now?”
“Of course Tyler, Come on then let`s climb out of here.” Caroline yelled jubilantly.
The sound of their pursuers had grown while they had stood their looking for a way out, and Tyler hoped they could climb high enough to get away from them in time. Tyler threw the burning torch to the floor and then slipped his bow over his shoulder, he didn`t need to urge Caroline to go first for she had climbed up into the narrow shaft above Tyler`s head and was some ten feet above the floor already. At first the going was comparatively easy, although Tyler had to depend on what his fingers told him, until his eyes gradually adjusted to the blackness of the chimney. They had both covered another thirty feet before their pursuers finally arrived at the bottom of the chimney, their torches throwing a flickering light up the narrow chimney. The Troglodytes tried to fire arrows after them, but the chimney was too narrow to allow it to be lit up by torches as well as to allow for a warrior to draw his bow. Coupled to this was the all-consuming blackness, this meant that their arrows kept on hitting the walls of the chimney and then fell back down upon the warriors. After many attempts they gave up and decided on a different course of action. Half of the natives went to collect some firewood to smoke their prey out, whilst the rest ran back towards another exit from the tunnels, so that they could catch Tyler and Caroline when they attempted to climb out. Caroline looked down at Tyler, she now knew that she was falling in love with this man who had so recently entered into her life. She then promised herself that if anything happened to him, then she would kill every Troglodyte on Orion, and anyone else who got in her way.
Tyler and Caroline hearing the sound of running feet fade into the distance knew that the Troglodytes were probably going to try to block off their escape route, and so they redoubled their own efforts to scale the chimney. Tyler`s shoulder muscles ached as he climbed ever upwards, his back was cut and sore from the constant rubbing against the rocks. His leg muscles ached even more as he pushed upwards from one foot hold to the next; his hands were cut and bleeding from searching for yet another handhold.
“Tyler, whatever happens, thank you for risking your life again to save me.” Caroline called down to him.
“That`s all right Caroline; it was on my way so no problem.” Tyler quipped.
"Well that`s all right then.” Caroline replied with a smile that was hidden by the blackness around them. “As long as you`re sure that it wasn`t out of your way.” Caroline said lightly in response to his words. She now looked upwards and searched the blackness above her for a sign that they were nearing the top.
“Tyler we`re almost at the top, I can see the stars… and the moon.” Caroline cried excitedly as the moon came from out behind a cloud to cover them in its light.
Tyler thought he could smell smoke, and looking down saw that the Troglodytes had made a fire at the bottom of the chimney, and it was smoking quite badly, for the Troglodytes had used green wood for just this reason. The smoke was caught in the terrific up draught of the chimney and it was swirling up towards them, they could hear the roaring of the fire which was fed with so much oxygen by the breeze that had now strengthened into a gale. The Troglodytes were attempting to make them choke and lose consciousness, and then they would fall back down the chimney to die when they hit rock floor below.
The chimney widened out now and Tyler moved slightly to the left while Caroline who was above him had climbed straight on up its steep walls. Her hands were bleeding from grasping the sharp rocks, her back torn, her muscles complaining, but she struggled up the chimney. When it seemed as if things couldn`t get any worse she found herself unable to continue upwards.
“Tyler I have run out of handholds, can you climb up and then help me up too.” For the first time since Tyler`s arrival that night her voice showed the first hint of fear.
Tyler looked up at his scared Neolithic princess. “Sure, don`t worry.”
Tyler slowly drew level with Caroline and smiled across at her before turning again to look for more handholds to help pull him up to the top, which he could now see just out of hands reach. Tyler now realised that he too had run out of hand holds; the nearest thing to grab on too was a long thick root growing out of the rocks just to one side and slightly above him but unfortunately it too was just outside of reaching distance, and with no accompanying foot hold to take most of his weight. Unfortunately with the natives rushing around to capture them from the outside, and with the smoke starting to make them both cough from below them, he had run out of options. Tyler leapt up to grab hold of the root, his earthly muscles adding to the power of his thrust. His hands grabbed the thick root tightly when the rocks around the root crumbled beneath his weight and dropped him a further foot down the chimney, scaring the life out of Tyler and Caroline both. Caroline couldn`t stop herself from whispering his name in horror of what could have happened. Tyler hung swaying on this precarious hold; the root subjected once again to all his weight when his downward motion was brought to such an abrupt halt, began to tear. Caroline looked away now, too scared to look any more. Tyler`s muscles were almost at straining point, sweat now covered his entire body, and he looked desperately for a new handhold that he might have missed but without any luck for the nearest one was a ledge, some four feet directly away on the other side of the chimney. As the root began to tear again he feet found the smallest of footholds that stopped him from dropping any further. It was barely wide enough for him to turn around, if only for the moment when he would have to launch himself upwards and across towards their last hope. He summoned up his last batch of courage and looking across once again at Caroline he smiled at her, and then twisted round so that for that one moment he faced the far wall and then he threw himself forward and up. For one heart stopping moment Tyler`s hands and feet were all free of the chimney and he was in effect flying, maybe the terrific up draught was assisting him at last, catching inside the troglodyte cape to lift him upwards. His body crashed against the rock, his hands reaching up scrambling for a hold as for a moment he just hung against the bare rock wall of the chimney. However the gods were with him, and finally his hands found the smallest of holds as his feet scrambled against the rock wall to find the smallest of foot holds to take his weight, and then miraculously he was hauling himself up to the safety of the ledge that ran upwards to the top of the chimney.
“Tyler, you made it.” Caroline screamed in delight. “For a moment I thought that we only had death to look forward to, but I am still stuck Tyler, can you help me.”
Thankfully Orion`s mass was around fifteen per cent less than that of Earth and this difference made Tyler that much stronger, much more able to perform super human feats such as the one that he had just performed. He knew nothing of this, he had just attempted what was required of him to save Caroline`s life, and he had won through. Tyler though couldn`t even give himself a moment in time to take a breath. He moved swiftly across to a position just above her, she was three feet below the ledge and so further than he could stretch, and the smoke still rising was making them both cough violently now.
“Caroline, don`t worry I will get you up here.” Tyler promised.
With that he took off the filthy cloak that he had taken off the dead Troglodyte and cut it down the whole length of it. Now with a much longer piece of material he tied one end of it around his right wrist and getting a firm hold of it leant forward down the wall of the chimney and dropped the other end of it down to Caroline.
“Grab a hold of this and I will pull you up.” Caroline immediately grabbed the filthy cloak and tied it around her own wrist before gripping it firmly; she now called up to him.
“Ok Tyler.” Caroline pushed up with her feet and Tyler, ready for her weight, pulled her to the top of the rock wall, and so she was safe.
“You have put me and Appolon in your debt so many times that we shall never be able to repay
you, Tyler.” Caroline said while untying the knot that bound the Troglodytes cape to her wrist.
“I promised your brother that I would bring you back to him, and I intend to keep that promise.” Tyler said, also untying the cape from his own wrist and letting the cape fall back down the chimney.
“Have you done all this just for my brother, Tyler?” Caroline almost whispered, her face looking towards the floor. This was a leading question if ever there was one and Tyler was not about to flunk it, especially not under the romantic influence of a full moon.
“It was not only for Appolon, it was mostly for me Caroline.”
Caroline looked directly into Tyler`s eyes. “On Earth when a man answers as you have done, do they normally do nothing else?” Caroline asked.
In the bright moonlight Tyler could see the Troglodytes scaling the walls of the mountain behind Caroline`s back, but even so he took her in his arms and kissed her swiftly.
“No we normally do this.” Tyler said with a grin upon his face.
“But unfortunately now we should get away from here as the Troglodytes are almost upon us.”
With that Tyler released her and pointing behind them he took his bow and sent two swift arrows on their way, both of which found their mark in the breast of a Troglodyte. The Troglodytes returned Tyler`s fire, but all the shots went wide of their marks. Tyler and a smiling Caroline hurried off down the other side of the mountain, and the Troglodytes decided to give up the fight; too many of their warriors had died at the hands of so mighty a warrior as this one.