Part Thirty Five! For last post,m my favorite answer was Kerstin's: "It's an old archaeological dig that was abandoned because of earthquakes. The emperor wants to go because he thinks there is some secret stash of riches (or some other treasure) there, but some areas were damaged too much by the earthquakes and so he needs someone who has worked there before to help him avoid the damaged areas. They might bump into someone (maybe someone who used to be the janitor) who got left behind when the place was evacuated, and in his years alone, he turned bad (could he be won back?). He then discovered the treasure and will do anything to protect it. "
Part XLV: Broken
Date: Yippah 11th, 114 A.U.
It was the cold that first let Astrid know that she was still alive. Astrid gradually came to feel the cold hard rock that she was lying on and her eyes slowly focused on the bodies lying around her. The headache and the stiff iron manacles let her know that she wasn’t a ghost.
Astrid slowly pushed herself slightly off the ground as she looked at the members of the Xavier Team, all held to the wall with long chains that attached to the manacles on their wrist. All Astrid could remember was seeing Flek and Zarien fall and then collapsing to the snow as something overwhelmed her senses. That was when Astrid realized that they didn’t have all the members of the party there.
Astrid forced her unmoving body as she counted the forms. Four, five, six, seven. No. She must have miscounted. But there they were: only seven. As she frantically strained at the chains, she tried to figure out who was there. The small figure was Jroldin, she could see Flek’s goblin ears pointing out of his cloak, that was most certainly Brother Tomas’ robe… Kailen’s small goblin body she could finally make out, but she couldn’t make out the last figure, shrouded by his cloak and the darkness. It had to be Monty, it had to be. Astrid wished that they hadn’t decided to all adopt a similar garb of brown cloaks, at least for the Xavier Team. But—but that meant—since Monty wasn’t part of the Xavier Team he didn’t have-
“Monty!” Astrid shrieked as she moved at her chains. Some of the limp figures moved slightly. The last figure slowly rolled and his hood was undone. Zarien’s sleeping face stared back at her. Astrid screamed.
“Ah, so our prisoners have awaked.” From outside their cell, a tall orc came into view. The blue orc’s slick black hair was tied back into a pony tail and black gauntlets were around his hand. “I hadn’t thought you would be awake so soon. Our pulse was made to keep you out for longer.”
“What did you do with the rest of them!” Astrid shrieked. “Where is my brother?!”
“Ah,” the orc said. “A pity it is. You see, some members of your party are just too clever for their own good. Your orc friend thought he could fake a knock out and then try to rescue you all. Some hero he is.” A faint smile trickled across the orc’s lips. “He only managed to grab one human—your brother I would assume—before he was taken out by a sudden avalanche and went over the side like that clumsy Sla’ad. It really was quite a pity that he had to go over. It all didn’t have to happen if he cooperated more. And we would have loved to have captured that Sla’ad. Quite a group you made.” A voiceless scream emitted from Astrid’s lips.
“Sad for them?” the orc asked. “Don’t be, lady. They got their just deserts for trespassing. And it may be that you will wish that you received their face by the time all is said and over. You have much explaining to do.”
“I won’t say anything to you,” Astrid said behind clenched teeth. There was a gruffled moan and some of her companions began to stir.”
“Oh, but that would be rather unrational of you,” the orc said. “Unless you happen to actually enjoy the pain of torture.” The orc inserted a key into the lock of the cell door and opened it, entering. “I was going to wait until more of you awakened, but there’s no reason to wait. How is it, woman? Perhaps you can begin by letting me know your name.”
“I won’t tell you anything,” Astrid snapped.
“Oh, why isn’t that sad,” the orc drawled. “I’m sure I could change your mind. Your companions, for starters. It’s about time that some of them awakened for questioning, isn’t it?” A light flashed in the orcs eyes and lightning burst out from his gauntlets, hitting Kailen’s small form. Kailen struggled and was lifted into the air as he gave a scream before the lightning stopped and he fell roughly to the floor. Kailen rolled as he tried to rip his cloak off of him. Other members of the party were awakening now.
“Your name is all I’m asking, lady,” the orc said smoothly. “It isn’t that hard, is it?
“Leave her alone.” Astrid turned toward Flek, who was sitting up on one elbow while pointing a shaky finger at the orc. “We’re not going to tell you anything until you give us an explanation for this.”
“Ah, it is my turn to explain first, is it?” the orc asked, an edge to his voice. “Just think about this, goblin. It is never good to make rash promises.” Lightning again sparked at his gauntlets and before Astrid could do anything, a blast of lightning slammed Kailen, still recovering from the last attack, against the wall.
“Stop it!” Flek roared as he scrambled to his feet. “That’s my friend!”
“Ah, I know,” the orc said suavely as Kailen fell back to the floor. “That’s why I’m doing this, see? I can force you to do whatever I want without giving you anything. If you really must know my name, my name is Rishka. Now, will you give me your names, or must I turn the power up on your friend again.”
“I’m Flek,” Flek spat. “And her name is Astrid. What do you want with us?”
“Ah, but that’s the question I wanted to ask you,” Rishka said. “How about you tell me first what you are doing in these parts and what would explain your motley band.”
“And tell you all of our plans against you and your emperor?” Flek said. “I would sooner cut off my own left arm.”
A light flashed in the orc’s eyes. “Stubborn will you be?” he snapped. “Very well, I will test your request—but not on yourself.”
Flek lunged at his chains as, too late, he saw what was about to happen. A barrage of lightning hit the still staggering Kailen. Kailen clutched at his manacles as the electricity pulsed through it and was thrown back. He held out his hand, trying to stop the lightning but to no avail as Flek screamed for his best friend. Kailen tried to say something, but it was lost before there was a snap.
Rishka stepped back as Kailen limply collapsed. “I will return when you are in a better frame of mind,” the orc said. “I can’t imagine it will be easy to have just lost your friend for your own impulsiveness. Maybe that will make you think twice before speaking rashly again.” And with that, the orc left as Flek collapsed to the floor in sobs as Astrid stared with eyes unfocused at the cell. Monty, Reynyagn, and Number 994 all gone by an avalanche, and now Kailen. The Xavier Team was broken.
Question of the Day: Time to play the bad guy. What would you do next as Rishka?
Part XLV: Broken
Date: Yippah 11th, 114 A.U.
It was the cold that first let Astrid know that she was still alive. Astrid gradually came to feel the cold hard rock that she was lying on and her eyes slowly focused on the bodies lying around her. The headache and the stiff iron manacles let her know that she wasn’t a ghost.
Astrid slowly pushed herself slightly off the ground as she looked at the members of the Xavier Team, all held to the wall with long chains that attached to the manacles on their wrist. All Astrid could remember was seeing Flek and Zarien fall and then collapsing to the snow as something overwhelmed her senses. That was when Astrid realized that they didn’t have all the members of the party there.
Astrid forced her unmoving body as she counted the forms. Four, five, six, seven. No. She must have miscounted. But there they were: only seven. As she frantically strained at the chains, she tried to figure out who was there. The small figure was Jroldin, she could see Flek’s goblin ears pointing out of his cloak, that was most certainly Brother Tomas’ robe… Kailen’s small goblin body she could finally make out, but she couldn’t make out the last figure, shrouded by his cloak and the darkness. It had to be Monty, it had to be. Astrid wished that they hadn’t decided to all adopt a similar garb of brown cloaks, at least for the Xavier Team. But—but that meant—since Monty wasn’t part of the Xavier Team he didn’t have-
“Monty!” Astrid shrieked as she moved at her chains. Some of the limp figures moved slightly. The last figure slowly rolled and his hood was undone. Zarien’s sleeping face stared back at her. Astrid screamed.
“Ah, so our prisoners have awaked.” From outside their cell, a tall orc came into view. The blue orc’s slick black hair was tied back into a pony tail and black gauntlets were around his hand. “I hadn’t thought you would be awake so soon. Our pulse was made to keep you out for longer.”
“What did you do with the rest of them!” Astrid shrieked. “Where is my brother?!”
“Ah,” the orc said. “A pity it is. You see, some members of your party are just too clever for their own good. Your orc friend thought he could fake a knock out and then try to rescue you all. Some hero he is.” A faint smile trickled across the orc’s lips. “He only managed to grab one human—your brother I would assume—before he was taken out by a sudden avalanche and went over the side like that clumsy Sla’ad. It really was quite a pity that he had to go over. It all didn’t have to happen if he cooperated more. And we would have loved to have captured that Sla’ad. Quite a group you made.” A voiceless scream emitted from Astrid’s lips.
“Sad for them?” the orc asked. “Don’t be, lady. They got their just deserts for trespassing. And it may be that you will wish that you received their face by the time all is said and over. You have much explaining to do.”
“I won’t say anything to you,” Astrid said behind clenched teeth. There was a gruffled moan and some of her companions began to stir.”
“Oh, but that would be rather unrational of you,” the orc said. “Unless you happen to actually enjoy the pain of torture.” The orc inserted a key into the lock of the cell door and opened it, entering. “I was going to wait until more of you awakened, but there’s no reason to wait. How is it, woman? Perhaps you can begin by letting me know your name.”
“I won’t tell you anything,” Astrid snapped.
“Oh, why isn’t that sad,” the orc drawled. “I’m sure I could change your mind. Your companions, for starters. It’s about time that some of them awakened for questioning, isn’t it?” A light flashed in the orcs eyes and lightning burst out from his gauntlets, hitting Kailen’s small form. Kailen struggled and was lifted into the air as he gave a scream before the lightning stopped and he fell roughly to the floor. Kailen rolled as he tried to rip his cloak off of him. Other members of the party were awakening now.
“Your name is all I’m asking, lady,” the orc said smoothly. “It isn’t that hard, is it?
“Leave her alone.” Astrid turned toward Flek, who was sitting up on one elbow while pointing a shaky finger at the orc. “We’re not going to tell you anything until you give us an explanation for this.”
“Ah, it is my turn to explain first, is it?” the orc asked, an edge to his voice. “Just think about this, goblin. It is never good to make rash promises.” Lightning again sparked at his gauntlets and before Astrid could do anything, a blast of lightning slammed Kailen, still recovering from the last attack, against the wall.
“Stop it!” Flek roared as he scrambled to his feet. “That’s my friend!”
“Ah, I know,” the orc said suavely as Kailen fell back to the floor. “That’s why I’m doing this, see? I can force you to do whatever I want without giving you anything. If you really must know my name, my name is Rishka. Now, will you give me your names, or must I turn the power up on your friend again.”
“I’m Flek,” Flek spat. “And her name is Astrid. What do you want with us?”
“Ah, but that’s the question I wanted to ask you,” Rishka said. “How about you tell me first what you are doing in these parts and what would explain your motley band.”
“And tell you all of our plans against you and your emperor?” Flek said. “I would sooner cut off my own left arm.”
A light flashed in the orc’s eyes. “Stubborn will you be?” he snapped. “Very well, I will test your request—but not on yourself.”
Flek lunged at his chains as, too late, he saw what was about to happen. A barrage of lightning hit the still staggering Kailen. Kailen clutched at his manacles as the electricity pulsed through it and was thrown back. He held out his hand, trying to stop the lightning but to no avail as Flek screamed for his best friend. Kailen tried to say something, but it was lost before there was a snap.
Rishka stepped back as Kailen limply collapsed. “I will return when you are in a better frame of mind,” the orc said. “I can’t imagine it will be easy to have just lost your friend for your own impulsiveness. Maybe that will make you think twice before speaking rashly again.” And with that, the orc left as Flek collapsed to the floor in sobs as Astrid stared with eyes unfocused at the cell. Monty, Reynyagn, and Number 994 all gone by an avalanche, and now Kailen. The Xavier Team was broken.
Question of the Day: Time to play the bad guy. What would you do next as Rishka?
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