Ag and Reggie both sat unconscious. Hands and legs tied to the wooden chairs they were sat in. The room around them was your classic dark, dank dungeon jail cell. The two slits on the wall near the ceiling let in minimal natural light as it dripped from the now light drizzle outside. Ag's eyes shot open has he felt a shiver up his spine. Reggie woke soon after from Ag's uproarious laugh.
"What's so damn funny?" Reggie said groggy barely realizing he was tied to a chair.
"I think this is the first time I've been put in two separate dungeons in under a week."
"We could be dead right now, and you're laughing at this whole ordeal?"
"In my line of work, you learn to find joy in such things."
"What that hell was your line of work before this that made you a jailbird?"
"Paladin."
Reggie had an even more confused look on his face. What kind of Order would be okay with their paladins being put in dungeons on a weekly basis. "Excuse me, Paladin?"
"Yes. I am a Phoenix Knight of the Order of Flame."
"Your tenets?"
"Fire is a tool of creation and destruction. Bring salvation and solace to the downtrodden and helpless as they are smoldering cinders in need of kindling, and bring outright destruction and damnation to the tyrannical and corrupt for they are wild fires that must be snuffed to keep balance." He spoke with pride and honor.
"Wow... that actually sounds really badass. Where do I sign up?" Reggie asked somewhat jokingly.
"Actually, you'd make a terrible paladin." Ag replied starkly.
"What?"
"How do I say this without sounding too offensive...? You're internal flame burns blue."
"My internal flame? The hells does that mean?"
"You carry too much personal baggage. Your inner demons cling to you like glue. You lack the temperament and drive to keep the Flame burning."
Reggie leaned back in his chair in contemplation. He then felt the wet caress of two soft hands press against his cheeks. "Shuuu. He doesn't mean you." He whispered.
"What was that? I didn't hear you."
"It's nothing..." Reggie sighed. "So should we break out of this already? I'm starting to get rope burn trying to get comfortable here."
"Let's... Do you remember the bet we made when we first met."
"Oh is that still going? I guess the last one ended in a draw didn't it."
"It did. Then it's a race then. The first one to retrieve their gear wins. Let's up the ante to 20 gold. What say you?"
"You're on dragon man! On your marks... get set... GO!"
In a quick flurry Reggie's limbs phased through the binding ropes while Ag simply burned through his. Both standing from their chairs almost in sync. The next obstacle was the iron bar wall. Reggie hesitated thinking of what to do while Ag was already harnessing his innate dragon magic making his hands burn with superheated energy. He grabbed and ripped at the iron bars as they bent and melted under the mix of heat and force.
Reggie figured he'd do what he just did with the ropes but on a larger scale. He pressed his body up against the bars as his flesh became slightly translucent as it phased through like water. He reached the other side as soon as Ag was through as well. Still neck and neck. The hall ended towards the right but continued to the left. Reggie had the advantage in this moment as they both started sprinting.
Ag puffed of his lips has he spits a jet of orange sticky liquid onto Reggie's heels tripping him as he slams onto the flagstone floor. "Fuck! That's cheating!"
"We set no such ru --!" Ag too fell to the floor as he felt an icy grip at his ankles. His large mass cracking the flagstone floor underneath him with the impact. Reggie hurried back to his feet to barely pass Ag who was already on his feet again. They continued running overtaking each other with every step before finally ending at a small office space with a ladder in the corner and a small locked armory built similarly to the cells they were just in. Just inside their armor and weapons were mounted.
They both rushed for the door, Reggie trying to phase through while Ag went for ripping it off the hinges. Both were successful as in a simultaneous flurry Reggie grabbed the shaft of his trident while Ag slammed his palm against his chest plate. Both looked at each other with heavy breaths.
"So..." Reggie huffed. "...another draw then."
"So it would seem. Shall we raise it to 30 next time?"
"You're on."
The two spent a few minutes getting their gear on when they heard a commotion upstairs, both freezing in their tracks. Not out of fear, but out of purpose. The quietly moved to the ladder along the wall that lead to a likely hidden trapdoor they didn't notice while they were on the other side. Reggie silently motioned to his partner, pointed to himself, then the hatch, then tapping on his eyes in ears. Ag nodded in agreement.
Reggie slowly made his way up the wooden rungs of the ladder testing each one to make sure it could support him. He assumed if he and Ag were dragged down here then it's likely it could, but he wasn't taking any chances. Cracking the door open he could barely push it pass the couch that sat atop it, but he could see across the room. Two navy-blue cloaked figures were speaking to the old halfling. Reggie couldn't make out any words, but the taller, bulkier one seemed quite agitated.
The smaller of the two figures handed the halfling an ornate looking knife as it pointed towards Reggie's direction causing him to scurry down the ladder grabbing Ag and pressing him to the side of the wall. "Shush. The halfling's coming. We can jump him." Ag give a determined nod. They waited in listened for the sounds of the coach being moved and the trapdoor being opened. There the halfling climbed down grumbling to himself. Both were really banking on the old guy's blindness as they just posted up against the walls next to the ladder. Luckily it payed off. The halfling was none the wiser as he stepped off the ladder and turned towards the hall.
Reggie aimed his trident for a throw right at the halfling. Ag put his hand in the way just in time, then shaking his head "No." He then made for a chopping motion to the side of his head. Reggie give a series of looks as if to say "Really? Fine." Reggie turned his trident around snuck up behind the halfling holding it like a club.
CRACK!