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He was one of the gate guards I had managed to slip by in the shape of a meatbug early in the morning, to be exact the Heavy Guard who had inadvertently saved me from ending under his companion's booted foot - had his name not been Tico? Well, I guess one can only be so lucky.

The moment I reached for the Krush Pach I remembered that I had not thought of searching for the orcish axe at the quartermaster store in the first place.

"Curses!" I spat. Well, then I did not have a weapon. So what? I was a magician, anyway! Too bad the guard would be upon me before I had the chance to equip a rune...

"This gate attracts quitters like shit attracts flies," he said, shaking his head. "Why did you come back, hearty? It wasn't exactly a clever thing to do." It was the very moment my mind chose to snap out of its numbed, icy state and screamed, run!!! I whirled around to do just that, but I had not yet completed my turn when the heavily armored guard collided with me. I shrieked, but it was too late, Tico had already grabbed me around the waist and lifted me up, and my feet lost contact to the ground.

"Let me down! Let me down!!!"

"Okay," he said - and the world turned upside down when the guard pitchforked me on the rocky path, hard. I had barely time enough to shield my head with my arms before I crash-landed, scraping along the pebbly sand, and pain erupted all over my body. Then I heard the man draw his sword.

"And now be a good girl and hold still," Tico pronounced in this chilly voice of his, "as I'd like to extend my paperweight collection." A snooty laugh. "I bet you're relieved that 'to give head' has quite a different meaning where I am concerned, toots."

Tears flowed freely down my face as I curled up on the path. I suspected every bone in my body to be broken while hoping that it was not so; I had never hurt so badly in all my life. Gathering all the strength I could muster I listened to the guard's steps... he came closer... closer...

...and with a froggy leap I jumped up. Well, I had not believed it might work, and alas, it did not; what I had intended had been to go for his throat, and all I managed to grab was a part of the red tunic that showed beneath some of the plates of his armor instead. It was enough, though, to unbalance the man, and before I knew what was happening the Heavy came down right on top of me. Had I just believed that there was an upper limit to the amount of agony a human being could feel? Well, I had been wrong.

Head over heels we rolled down the hill towards the gate in a tangle of limbs, armor and frazzled robes until we came to an abrupt (and quite painful) halt when the side of the gate lodge sprang into our path. Completely disoriented as to my whereabouts I scuttled away, hoping that the guard had been knocked out in the collision, but all hopes were lost when a big, gloved hand grabbed my ankle and started to pull.

"You'll - stay - here, little - girl," Tico panted, trying to get up on his feet while dragging me closer.

"Leave me alone!" I shrilled, and then I heard this ominous squeak. There was an impressive 'whoosh' and a draft of air when something fast passed somewhere above me - a hefty tug at my ankle, a worrying mixture of clanks and thuds, and then hot liquid sprayed all over my legs. I gritted my teeth and closed my eyes, thinking that I was being beheaded-

"Phew... a close shave, kid. Thank the Gods for selective gravity. - Are you okay?"

The strangely familiar voice came from somewhere straight ahead. Raising my head I could make out a blurred figure go down on a knee in front of me. I blinked so as to clear my sight, and the better I saw, the more the figure resembled Aaron the cannibal.

I nodded weakly, then I looked back over my aching shoulder.

Have you ever seen somebody who was run over by a carriage? Well, this was worse. The gate had made short - and very bloody - work of my tormentor 1). Before my stomach might decide to heave I returned my attention to Aaron. "What - what are you - doing here, good sir?"

"Just a bang for the buck," he said. "I was on a nightly hike when I suddenly thought, 'Hey, I haven't visited the Old Camp in a while!' - Garland." He sent me a reproachful glance while shaking his grizzled head. "What do you think I'm doing here? The 'minute' you said your delay would be taking you was a little too long, you know, and since I didn't want them to put a kid to bed with a pickaxe and shovel, I returned. After all, you patched me up, and I guess I owed you one for that."

I sat up and winced; my bones might not have been broken, but they did their best to simulate the effects. "Then I take it - we are - even now, huh?"

"Yup." Aaron the cannibal got up and went over to the gate mechanism. "Be afraid of the winch," he said while I scrambled to my hurting feet and came to a wobbly stand, "be very afraid 2). That's what Mrs. Ian always said, and I guess I know now why."

"Pray - tell me, who would - Mrs. Ian be?" I inquired.

"Asghan. My erstwhile boss." The winch turned, but at first the huge gate did not budge. Then it tore free of the impediment on the ground with a sickening squish and swung up. I stared up at the wooden dragon's bloodied teeth for a moment, considering for one last time if I ought to go back to collect my summoning scroll, then I made up my mind.

I guess I am better off without you, good Beliar... for now.

I made two tentative steps, and in an instant Aaron was by my side. "Hey, wait. Are you sure that you're okay? Can you walk... little girl?"

"My name - is - Garland, Mr. Aaron," I growled between clenched teeth. "And yes, I can - walk. Do not worry... I shall - heal myself as soon as - we put a certain distance between - this place and ourselves."

"Fine. Very fine," he said with a wry smile, "because now that we're even I'd rather not carry you all the way back. Would be too strenuous for an old geezer like me," and winked. Well, despite the distracting twinges I could not help but return the smile, and so we trudged through the wooden passage to freedom.

Freedom... you know, even this is a matter of perspective after all.

The End

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1) Due to its design the main gate had swung down and taken Tico off his feet before pinning him firmly to the ground; the effect was not only awe-inspiring but might also be considered an artistic statement.

2) Thanks, Gig :-)!

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