Escape from an Ancient Civilization Ch 157

Chapter 157

“Teresi!”

Seeing Medeus approach, Lagab angled the blade even sharper.

“Take another step and I’ll cut his throat where he stands.”

Only then did Nataek’s vision slowly return.

Damn it. Going to lose it. How did he know about that?

As of yesterday, when Nataek escaped, Lagab hadn’t known about this passage. Overlooking that had been the fatal mistake.

Damn Ur. Dog of a Ur. There’s no predicting from one to ten where an ambush will spring out!

Medeus held rigid, barely breathing. Lagab pulled Nataek tight from behind and raised the sword again. The tip settled under Nataek’s jawline—over the carotid.

Whether naming that spot was ancient knowledge or Lagab’s experience, Nataek judged it more likely the latter. Roaming battlefields and killing many, he’d have learned by feel where to stab to cause swift damage.

As Medeus lowered his torso and watched him harder, Lagab tightened his grip on the hilt.

“Come closer and—khak, khak!”

Lagab coughed; his hand shook and nicked Nataek’s skin. Blood ran in a thin line down Nataek’s neck.

“Don’t touch him! Don’t—do as you want, just don’t touch him.”

Pale as death, Medeus shouted. Biting his swollen lips, Nataek cursed. Lagab pressed him even tighter to his chest.

“Drop the sword and—khak—come out.”

Without hesitation, Medeus set his sword on the floor. At Lagab’s jerk of the chin, he slowly stepped out of Lagab’s quarters, hands shown in a gesture to calm; Lagab’s blazing eyes did not soften. Holding Nataek, he backed toward the doorway where Medeus had come from, then into it.

“Farther back.”

When Medeus moved well away from the door, Lagab hurled Nataek hard deeper into the room.

Crash—!

Nataek smashed his head on a cabinet.

“Urgh…”

Bang—!

Lagab slammed the open door shut and threw the bar. Turning back, he coughed without stop. Clutching his ringing head with one hand, Nataek scrambled to crawl for the sword Medeus had dropped.

Quick. Quick!

Just as his fingers neared the hilt, Lagab’s massive foot stomped his hand.

“Ah—”

“Don’t get clever. Or I’ll skin you.”

And he took the sword. For all his bulk, Lagab moved fast. As soon as his foot lifted, Nataek tried to spring—but Lagab’s kick landed first, slamming his side.

“Ghk…”

Clutching his belly, Nataek rolled.

“The debt you owe me—khak—I’ll pay back in full. Wait there, nicely.”

Lagab flung Nataek far aside and strode to the window. He’d looked unhurried until now, but the pace that took him there was urgent. His hands, which began carefully rummaging through the display, moved faster and faster.

“Khak, khak!”

He swept wildly; odds and ends toppled from the cabinet with a clatter. Along with them fell Lagab’s box. Spotting it, Lagab lunged for the floor. Seeing that, Nataek snatched up a heavy ornament within reach.

Lagab’s weakness—the key thread to finishing him. If he drank from that vial, his symptoms would ease; the weakness would evaporate.

Do not let him drink.

As he opened the box, Nataek hurled the ornament; it struck the box’s side.

Khak!

Coughing, Lagab scooped the box to his chest and spun. Not a drop could be allowed near his lips. Nataek threw himself forward at full speed, grabbing the bed’s blanket as he ran—and flung it over Lagab’s head.

“You dare!”

Nataek launched his body into him, driving his weight into Lagab’s trunk. Even Lagab, eyes covered, couldn’t stand against the full force of a grown man charging. He fell; the vials within the box cascaded with a crash.

Nataek flung out long arms and grabbed whatever his fingers found; without checking, he smashed it down on the fallen vials like a madman. Medicine spilled and slicked the floor.

“Hah… hah.”

Panting, he swept for any remaining vials—empty. Shards carpeted the floor; liquid ran between them.

Done. Thank the gods.

“I’ll—khak—kill you—khak!”

Ripping the blanket away, Lagab roared. His eyes were those of a crocodile with prey in sight.

Get caught now and you die for real.

Nataek sprinted for the exit. He seized the barred door and yanked hard, but the set slab didn’t budge.

Rattle rattle!

He shook the bar furiously.

“Gonna lose my mind—why won’t it open!”

Then, behind him, a heavy shadow flashed like lightning.

Gasp.

Nataek slid sideways on instinct.

Crunch—!

The door he had been shaking took a buried axe blade.

Thump, thump—his pulse surged.

“You dare toy with me?”

Spinning, Nataek fixed on Lagab. He snorted like a mad bull and bore down in long strides.

Run. Run!

Nataek fled toward the window; Lagab thundered after him. Without even trying the latch, Nataek juked aside again.

Crunch—!

Lagab sheared through where Nataek had just stood—the window’s lattice splintered; from outside, the burning Ur screamed.

Breathing rough with tension and fear, Nataek panted. This… this is truly lethal.

A sealed room with no way out; Nataek unarmed, not even a dagger; Lagab, axe in hand, radiating killing intent. Not a fight to be had.

“…”

Cold sweat beading, Nataek hugged the wall. Lagab ground his teeth.

“I’ll skin you alive and hang it on the gate. I’ll string your naked body beside it.”

He was the sort to do it. Slick with sweat, Nataek edged along the wall.

Damn. Where do I run?

He searched for an exit—Lagab charged.

Thud thud thud thud—

Gasp!

Nataek slipped aside.

With a slam, the axe came down again—this time on another intact window. Sweaty palms and temples—he was soaked.

At this rate, I really will die.

Eyes darting, he scanned. The window was no escape; the only exit was the door.

Lure him—make him open it.

He bolted for the door; Lagab naturally gave chase.

Thud thud thud thud—!

Three. Two.

Thud thud thud thud—!

One!

Crash—!

As Nataek dove aside, the axe split the door where he had stopped. With a crack, the bar halved; the slab shook, and half of it clattered to the floor.

Creeeak—

The only exit cracked open a sliver.

“Don’t think—khak—of running! Not until I have your skin!”

Pressing his back to the wall, Nataek edged sideways.

“Why do you want my skin? You could just take my head.”

“You did to me—you’ll pay in kind.”

“I only defended against what you did.”

As he kept him talking, Nataek’s hand crept to the pouch at his waist—easing the mouth open. Cedar powder.

“Who shoved a filthy tongue into whose mouth—and you talk of punishment.”

Regripping his axe, Lagab stalked closer.

“So you’re still not thinking. No matter. If you don’t see it now, you will as the skin is flayed.”

As he raised the axe—

“Bullshit!”

Nataek whipped the pouch at Lagab’s face. With every swing, clouds of cedar powder billowed.

“Urk, hrkk—ugh—kha—khak! Kk—!”

Lagab dropped the axe and clutched his mouth. At that moment, a great silhouette flew in through the shattered window.

“Teresi!”

Medeus.

How did that bastard get in there!

“Medeus!”

Nataek signaled with a glance. Medeus drew the sword at his hip and charged; just as the blade was about to pierce Lagab’s back, the man spun like lightning. His axe—when had he retrieved it, even in that coughing fit—caught the sword.

“Damn—khak—the both of you—khak khak! I’ll flay you both!”

Lagab and Medeus collided in a fierce clash. Nataek seized the moment and sprinted out the door—first, to snatch up the bow and arrow he’d dropped. Spinning, he set the arrow and aimed into the room. Through the thicker haze of cedar dust, the silhouettes of Medeus and Lagab clashed like shadows in fog.

Steady. You can do this. You can hit.

Sss— Nataek drew breath and pulled the nock to his cheek.

Twanng—

Behind the taut string, metal sparked and scraped.

You can hit. You can.

Lee Na‑taek. You must strike Lagab.

 

——-

 

“Lee Na‑taek,” the protagonist’s full given name