Taria struggled hard but the ropes held firm. Why would Mirelle do this to her? If an old friend of hers hadn’t warned her in time then the two of them would have been captured right along with the rest of the order. At least with the two of them they stood a chance at making a rescue attempt. But it seemed Mirelle had not been impressed with Taria and had taken her by surprise.
Taria sat in a ball in the middle of the empty wooden shack behind the main building of the order’s headquarters. She remembered they used to store extra weapons in this room but it seemed that Mirelle had removed them to store Taria within.
The lithe warrior tugged at the ropes that bound her wrists behind her back. Mirelle certainly was a lot stronger than she looked with the knots she tied. She tried to stretch out her toned legs but several thick ropes bound them together at the ankles, knees, and thighs and another thick rope pulled them up tight to her chest and lashed her calves to her thighs.
More thick ropes wrapped around Taria’s torso and kept her arms pinned tightly to her sides. Taria pulled against the ropes binding her legs, grunting behind her gag. Mirelle had stuffed a large rag in Taria’s mouth and tied another cloth around the back of her head to seal it in.
Mirelle had just left her bound and gagged in the shed without so much as a word. She just stared sadly at Taria before leaving her there and locking the door. Taria didn’t know how long it had been but her muscles were getting sore just from her awkward sitting position. With one furious struggle, Taria fell over onto her side and kicked her legs in frustration.
“Mmmmpph!”
She tried to pull herself back up into her sitting position but the tight ropes hindered all of her movement and Taria growled beneath the gag.
“Dmmm immmph! Mmmrllmmph! Mmmrllmmph! Ummtmm mmmph!”
Her gagged protests fell on deaf ears and no one answered her. Taria didn’t know how long she’d been tied up in this shed but it had definitely been a few hours at least. She didn’t know what she had done to upset Mirelle but the spellsword hadn’t come back to explain herself.
Just as she thought of Mirelle, the door of the shed flung open. Mirelle’s gorgeous green hair flapped in the wind and her long, green skirt flowed and fluttered as she stepped inside. She closed the door behind her and knelt down. She pulled Taria back to her sitting position and stared her in the eye.
“Mrrllmmph?”
The spellsword looked sullen and miserable when they met each other’s gaze.
“I know what you did,” Mirelle said. “I just have some questions for you. Nod for yes, shake for no. Understand?”
“Wmmt dmmd mm dmmmph?”
“Do you understand, Taria?”
Taria let out a long breath through her nose.
“Ymmmph,” she said, nodding.
Mirelle cleared her throat and stood up. She crossed the room and took something from the pouch at her belt. She unfurled it and held it out to Taria.
“You were a mercenary before joining the order?”
Taria’s eyes opened wide and she struggled against her bonds. Mirelle held the message that Taria’s friend had sent to her. How had she found it?
“Mrllmmph-”
“Yes or no, Taria.”
Taria’s shoulders slumped forward into the ropes that bound her arms and she lowered her head. She nodded slowly.
“Ymmmph.”
“And one of your friends was in that huge group of women that attacked us, correct?”
Taria nodded again. “Ymmmph.”
“So then you knew how to help us avoid them when they attacked?”
“Ymmmph.”
“And you didn’t warn Artema?”
“Thmm wmmmt mmnmmph tmmph.”
“What?”
“Tmmk thmm gmmg mmmt. Lmmt mm mmplmmn.”
“I still can’t understand you,” Mirelle said. “But the gag stays on until I figure out what you did.”
“Mmm dmmdnt dmm mmnythmmg. Plmmph blmmmph mmm.”
“Whatever you’re saying, stop it. I have more questions,” Mirelle said. She stepped forward and knelt down on the floor again, leaning close to Taria’s face. “So you didn’t warn Artema or anyone else but me. I’d ask why but that doesn’t matter now. What matters is that you got our friends captured. Every one of them, Taria.”
Taria shook her head and struggled against the tight ropes.
“Nmm. Mrllmmph, mm dmmnt dmm thmmph!”
“Did you know about the attack before today?”
Taria shook her head. “Nmm!”
“Don’t lie to me,” Mirelle said. “You still have contacts with your old mercenary group. You must have helped them set this up.”
“Nmm! Mrllmmph, mm smmph mm dmmdnt dmm thmmt!”
“How much did they pay you to sell us down the river, Taria?”
“Nmm! Mmm smmd ymm! Mmm mmmtd tmm hlmpph ymm! Mmm pmmtcmmd ymm fmm thmmm!”
“I can’t understand what you’re saying,” Mirelle said. She stood up and crossed the room again. She let out a long breath and asked another question. “Did you purposefully keep your past a secret from us?”
Taria shook her head vigorously and struggled hard against her bonds. “Nmmm! Nmmt mmll mmph ymm!”
“Then why didn’t we know about your past as a mercenary? You know it wouldn’t have mattered to us. You’re our friend. Well, I thought you were anyway.”
“Nmm! Mmm stll mm frmmmd!”
“So you kept your past a secret from us. Why? Well, if you had something to hide then that would make sense. But what were you hiding? Your old allegiance is what. But for what purpose? To turn on us the second the opportunity struck. That’s what you mercenaries do, isn’t it? You’re all vultures.”
“Nmmm! Mrllmmph, lmmtnn tmm mmm!”
“I found the proof, Taria. But you know I like to do things fairly. So I’m going to give you a chance to explain yourself.”
Mirelle knelt down again and removed the gag from Taria’s mouth. She tossed the rags to one side and sat down on the floor, crossing her legs.
“Thank you,” Taria said.
“All right. Start talking,” Mirelle said.
“There wasn’t enough time to warn you all,” Taria began. “This friend of mine was always a good woman. She still is. She never liked hurting anyone and she never took violent jobs. We stayed in contact after I left that life behind and she left me a message the morning just before the attack. I know how they work. There was only enough time to warn you, Mirelle. The rest of them were outside and I couldn’t get to them in time. I’m sorry I couldn’t do more to help them.”
Mirelle took a long pause and a growing nervousness bubbled up in Taria’s stomach. The spellsword took her time in coming up with a response.
“You say that and yet you kept your past from us. Why?”
“Because of this reaction right here,” Taria said. “The second you found out you knocked me out, tied me up, and called me a vulture. We fight mercenaries all the time and I know none of you trust them. I didn’t want to lose your trust because of the mistakes of my past. I’m not the same woman anymore. Artema saw to that.”
“Did she know?” Mirelle asked.
“Her and Elyn,” Taria said. “Elyn actually hired me a few times back when she was in the guild.”
Mirelle furrowed her brow and contemplated everything Taria had said.
“So this note was meant to help all of us?”
“Yes,” Taria said. “Like I said, she has a kind heart. She didn’t want to see any of us hurt. I just didn’t have enough time to warn all of you. I’m sorry.”
“So you’re saying you didn’t help them set up the attack?”
“Why would I help Jhana, Mirelle? She wants to kidnap all of my friends and turn them into who knows what. Statues or something. Do you think I want that to happen?”
“I don’t know,” Mirelle said. “Mercenaries have done worse things for money before.”
“They didn’t pay me! I didn’t know about the attack until that morning! I wanted to save all of you but I could only get to you! Why would I warn any of you if I wanted to destroy the order from the inside?”
“I don’t know. Maybe you’d sell me to Jhana for some extra coin down the line.”
“I’m not a mercenary anymore! Everything that I am belongs to the Order of Ikaatan! Artema took a chance on me and gave me a sense of honour and purpose! I owe her everything! I owe all of you everything I have! All of you are my life, Mirelle. That is the truth,” Taria said.
“I can’t know that for sure,” Mirelle said. “All I have is proof that you were a mercenary with a contact inside the group that attacked us. I have proof that you knew about the attack and yet almost all of the order is in Jhana's hands now. I’m sorry, Taria. Until I know for sure that you didn’t betray our friends, you’re staying in here.”
“No! Mirelle! Please don’t- mmmph!”
Mirelle shoved the wet rag back into Taria’s mouth and secured the cloth gag around her head again. She stood up and opened the door.
“I’ll decide what should be done with you when I find out the whole truth,” Mirelle said.
“Nmm! MMMRLLLMMPPH! NMMMMMM! MMMMPH!”
Mirelle shut the door to the shed and left Taria to thrash and struggle in her bonds, locking the door behind her.
...
The constant sounds that rang out in her ears would make her jump and squeal into her muzzle gag. Elyn couldn’t sit still in her bondage and every sound, every movement, was a great thrill for her. She would struggle and writhe and pull against the tight straps but, even if she wanted to, there was no way they would come loose.
Elyn wasn’t sure she even knew what the world looked like anymore. She had been blindfolded for at least three days and had grown used to the dark. She had even grown used to the sounds that would excite her every now and again and could tune them out if she wanted to.
The bound and gagged woman struggled to a sitting position on her bed and got to her feet. She hopped to the middle of the cell floor and shuffled against her bonds. She heard the tough leather stretch and it pulled tight against her skin but the straps still held her captive.
She heard someone walking in the hallway behind her and they had stopped in front of her cell. Someone was watching her. Elyn then realized that her flat, red shoes would be perfect for dancing in. So she started to sway back and forth to an imagined song. She swayed her hips back and forth and did her best to twirl in a circle. She kept her balance and shimmied her shoulders back and forth slowly.
Her shoulders and hips moved to some soundless beat and she allowed a smile to cross her gagged lips. She shuffled her bound feet in a circle and swayed back and forth, up and down, rolling her head slowly from side to side. She imagined the sound of the stretching leather to be her orchestra. She pictured herself wearing a long, flowing gown instead of her provocative battlemage outfit and allowed herself to start singing beneath the gag. It only came out as humming but even her gagged voice was beautiful.
“Hmmmm mmmmm mmmmmph.”
As she started singing, Elyn really threw her hips into her movement and kept her movements slow and graceful. She continued singing.
“Mmmmmm hmmmmmm mmm mmm mmmmmph.”
Outside the cell, Jhana felt herself enamoured with Elyn’s spontaneous dance. She had never liked the fire mage but Elyn always did have a certain quality about her that made her magnetic. Even those who disliked her felt drawn to her in some way. Jhana never realized just how much she enjoyed Elyn’s presence and definitely noticed the way she commanded attention just by mere presence alone. An idea struck her then and Jhana called out to her captain.
“Captain Serran.”
The stocky woman arrived within moments and stood at attention before Jhana.
“Yes, miss Jhana?”
“Change the status of Prisoner 257. She is not to be gilded. Instead she is to be a public spectacle. She will entertain the people in the main city square of Dasi, bound and gagged.”
“Are you certain that is wise, miss Jhana?”
“I am aware of her allure,” Jhana said. “And her power. But that is easily nullified. It will be good for the economy of Ikaatan to have such an entertainer. Think of how rich she’ll make us.”
“Of course, miss Jhana. I will make the change right away.”
Jhana didn’t even hear the captain leave. She still kept her eyes fixed upon the bound and gagged woman that swayed and danced within the cell. Elyn’s wonderful, gagged singing voice reached her ears and Jhana closed her eyes. The heavenly sound demanded her attention and Jhana gave in.
“Hmmmm hmmmmm mmmm mmmmmmm hmmmmph.”
...
Mirelle sat in a chair with her head in her hands. She didn’t know what proof she expected to find but she had to find something. Everything in her wanted to believe what Taria had told her but her only proof seemed to tell her otherwise.
She was shaken from her thoughts when she heard someone enter the main quarters. Mirelle stood up and drew the sword at her side. Her left hand glowed with arcane energy and she crept out of her room and into the hallway. Her stomach jumped when she saw someone standing there and she immediately lashed out with her sword.
“Give me back my friends!”
The person backed away and held their hand up to shield themselves.
“Whoa whoa! Easy, Mirelle! It’s just me!”
She recognized his voice and looked him up and down.
“Jonas?”
“That’s right. I understand why you’re jumpy. I came to help.”
Mirelle dropped her sword and threw her arms around Jonas’ chest. Tears flowed from her eyes and she sobbed into his chest.
“They’re all gone, Jonas,” she said between sobs.
Jonas hugged her gently in return. “I know,” he said. “But there’s still two of you left. We’ll get them back. I’m sorry I wasn’t here.”
“Jonas, you couldn’t have stopped them,” Mirelle said. “You would have just gotten hurt.”
Jonas sighed. “You’re right. But I felt awfully useless as soon as I heard. And I’m here to help now.”
“Do you know where they are?” Mirelle asked, finally letting go of Jonas.
“Jhana had a prison built on a small island off the southeast coast. We’ve heard reports that some of the kidnapped people have been spotted getting moved to the island but they’re unconfirmed. But I’d bet that’s where she’s keeping them.”
“So do you plan on going there?”
“I have to. It’s my job,” Jonas said. “But I need your help. Where’s Taria?”
“Jonas, there’s something you should know about her,” Mirelle said, a sad look entering her eyes.
“She was a mercenary,” Jonas said. “And a friend of hers tipped her off about the attack. That’s why you two are here and not captured.”
“How did you-”
“I spoke to her friend. She fled the battle and came to me when she feared that Jhana would come after her too. She told me everything.”
“Everything?”
“Yes. She tried to help you. Did Taria tell you that?”
Mirelle put her head in her hands. “Oh, damn it! And I didn’t believe her!”
“Mirelle? What happened?”
“Oh no. She probably hates me now! Oh, why didn’t I trust her?”
“Mirelle, it’s all right,” Jonas said. “Whatever you did, it’ll be fine. This has been a stressful time for you. I’m sure Taria will see it the same way.”
“Well I’ll have to go untie her then,” Mirelle said. “I may have overreacted a bit when I found the message from her friend.”
“She’ll understand,” Jonas said. “She may not be very happy about it right away but she cares about you. She cares about all of you. I don’t think Taria will let this misunderstanding come between you.”
“I hope not,” Mirelle said. “I’ll be back with Taria. Do you have a plan for getting to this island?”
“Find me out by the gate,” Jonas said. “Then follow me to the coast. We’ve got ourselves a boat.”
...
The panic would not leave Lanala’s mind when she woke up and the restraints on her tired body felt tighter than the day before.
“HLLLMMMPPH!”
She struggled but her entire body barely moved, which only deepened her panic. She could think of nothing but crying out for help.
“HLLMMMPH! HLLMMPH MMM! PLMMMPH HLLLMMPH MMMM!”
She took a moment to close her eyes and stroke her thighs like Artema would have and a deep sense of calm overcame her when an ancient word came to the forefront of her mind. Lanala kept it in her thoughts over and over and the more she did the more her mind drifted into a trance-like state of calmness. Merigo. Merigo.
The state of mind the word opened brought everything she had ever learned into her mind’s eye. Every word she had ever known, every spell she had created and tested, and even the most ancient of words that she just knew on instinct alone. The sky and clouds called to her and she felt cool rain upon her skin. When she looked down at herself she realized that she was no longer in the prison cell and her restraints were gone. She was free to move in this realm of her mind.
Lanala felt that she had all the time in the world to do whatever she needed to do in this place. Every ancient word she could need would be here and she wouldn’t need to speak them aloud in the real world to use them. This plane of clouds in the sky revealed all of the hidden knowledge she had wanted to grasp.
Two words in dark clouds encircled the sky above her and she heard them thunder their syllables all around her.
“Pirka,” said the first. Dragon thought Lanala. Dragon? Legends told of their existence in the lands to the far west where they once ruled over mortal kind. But they had never been seen in Ikaatan. But the power of the word had been used in some of the worst and most destructive spells in history. Surely this was not the right word.
Then the second word thundered in her ears.
“Lidum.”
“Flight,” Lanala whispered. “Dragon Flight.”
When she combined the words, otherworldly strength took hold of every one of her muscles and she felt more powerful than she ever had in her life. Then, in an instant, a wave of exhaustion took hold and she collapsed onto the clouds beneath her. The power of the spell overwhelmed her and she couldn’t hold onto the words for very long. Then a much darker feeling entered her mind when the thought of vengeance and constant rage overtook her. This spell would drive her mad. There was no way she could use it very many times without losing herself. But now, in her time of need, it was exactly what she needed.
Lanala got back to her feet and straightened her back. She felt her arms pinned to her sides suddenly and realized that she was coming back to reality. Before she left the sky realm, however, she shouted the words to the heavens above and they thundered back to her as they had before.
“Pirka Lidum!”
“Pirka Lidum,” the sky said back.
All at once, the sky realm faded and the darkness of the cell entered her eyes again. But the strength remained in her and locks started falling from the thick straps that bound her body. The shackles attaching her to the wall burst open and Lanala ripped the muzzle from her face when the straps fell to the floor, spitting out the rubber ball in her mouth. In an instant, she was free of her bonds. The strength remained and the bars of the cell didn’t look quite so strong anymore.
...
Three people crouched down low and watched several armed women stand at attention outside of a foreboding portcullis. The huge, dark grey fortress was a perfect square with arrow slits dotting the thick walls. Crenellations ran along the top of the outer wall and more women patrolled the battlements along its top.
“Seventeen,” Jonas said. “Not great odds.”
“Seventeen to three,” Taria said. “I’ve faced worse.”
“Still not great,” Jonas said. “And there’s no other way in.”
“How do you know?” Taria asked.
“I helped her build this place,” he said. “Well design it, anyway. It was supposed to be a strategic point of defence along the southeast shore. But she just up and stole a whole bloody fortress and turned it into a prison.”
“And that’s the only way in?” Mirelle asked.
“That was my idea, actually. Sort of meant as a choke point. High, smooth walls that you can’t climb, guards posted at every corner and only one way in. That way all you’d have to do is post a few ranged fighters, maybe some trebuchets, and you could defend this place from anything.”
“And any would be attackers would all be forced to the front or get killed attacking from elsewhere,” Taria said.
“They weren’t all my ideas,” Jonas said. “But that was the plan.”
“So how do we get in?”
“It might take some planning and some time but if we knock out some guards, steal a few uniforms and figure out the shift changes, we could find our way....”
Jonas trailed off when the guards outside started rushing in toward the front gate. The portcullis raised up and every posted guard ran inside.
“Something’s wrong,” he said.
“Yeah, I’d say,” Taria said.
Just after Taria spoke, several of the guards were blown back by a great gust of wind and they watched as five people emerged from the front gate.
“By the Goddess,” Jonas said. “It’s them.”
“What? How?”
Jonas watched closely and noticed Lanala at the head of the group with a distant look in her eyes. She walked forward without urgency and kept her hands held out at her sides. Something dark and arcane encircled her hands. A nervous feeling boiled up from the pit of Jonas’ stomach and he ducked down low behind the boulder they each hid behind.
“Oh. What’s wrong with Lanala’s eyes?” Mirelle asked.
“Stay down,” Jonas said. “She’s done something insane.”
“What? What has she done?” Taria asked.
“I don’t know, exactly. But I think she may have finally reached her full potential.”
“That’s... that’s good though, right?” Mirelle asked.
“Not necessarily,” Jonas said. “If she created a dragon spell.”
“No. She wouldn’t,” Mirelle said.
“If she was desperate enough to save the order she might,” Taria said.
Jonas said nothing more and peered around the rock again. Lanala and the others were headed straight for them.
“Look alive,” he said. “They’re coming.”
They each stood up and decided to meet Lanala halfway. When they reached each other, Lanala closed her eyes and allowed her hands to drop to her sides again. She relaxed her muscles and when she opened her eyes again, the soft kindness returned.
“You made it,” she said, with a smile to Jonas.
“We, um, we were about to stage a rescue. But I guess you had it handled.”
“Almost didn’t,” Lanala said. “And I almost wish I hadn’t. That spell I made is... well, it’s dangerous. I’m never using those words again.”
“That’s probably a good idea,” Jonas said. “I didn’t like the look in your eye when I saw you come out of there.”
“Where’s Jhana?” Taria asked suddenly, stepping forward.
“Gone,” Lanala said. “But she’ll be back. I doubt she’ll attack us at home again, though. Not after this.”
“That’s a shame,” Elyn said. “I had fun in there.”
“I’ll bet you did,” Artema said. “But thank the Goddess you did. Without your distraction, I don’t think Lanala could have gotten past her. That spell it... well, it made her a bit crazy and Jhana would have taken advantage of that.”
“As I always say, I do love to put on a show,” Elyn said.
...
Taria smirked when she watched Mirelle squrim and struggle in the tight chains that surrounded her body. Her ankles had been shackled and chains tightly hugged her knees and thighs. They made her long skirt ride up and show off her beautiful legs fully. More thick chains kept Mirelle stuck to the pole within the prison cell and her wrists were shackled behind it. A thick muzzle gag kept her quiet and she chewed on a soft rag that Taria had stuffed in her mouth.
Mirelle could barely move and she mewled into her gag.
“Mmmmph.”
Artema entered the room beside Taria and stared into the training cell with her.
“What’s this?” she asked.
“Payback,” Taria said.
Artema frowned and glared at Taria.
“Don’t worry,” Taria said. “She agreed to it. She said she owed me after she tied me up and interrogated me. Besides, a little training won’t hurt her, right?”
“She’s not ready for level five, Taria,” Artema said.
“I know. But she said she’d stay tied up for as long as I was tied up. She told me it was six hours that she left me in the shed and it’s only been two for her so far.”
“And you agreed to this as well?”
“I didn’t really want to,” Taria said. “But Mirelle begged me.”
Artema raised an eyebrow.
“She really did. She wanted to make it up to me, Artema. And she looked so upset. I just wanted to help her.”
“As long as you let her out when you said you would,” Artema said. “I will be coming to check. You’ll take her place if you go back on your word.”
“All right,” Taria said. “Believe me, I plan on it.”
Artema said nothing more and just nodded to Taria before leaving the room. Despite feeling a little bad for Mirelle in that moment, it felt just a tiny bit good to get revenge on her.
Mirelle thrashed hard against the chains and screamed into her muzzle gag.
“MMMMPH!”
“Only four more hours, Mirelle,” Taria said. “And I’ll let you out. All right?”
“Hmmmmm,” Mirelle groaned. She wriggled her body and pulled hard against the chains but they kept her firmly in place. She screamed into her gag again, frustrated.
“MMMMPH!”
“It’s all right, Mirelle. I’m not mad at you. And don’t beat yourself up. I’m over it,” Taria said.
“Mmmmph...” Mirelle said. The relief she felt when she heard Taria’s words could make this a bit more bearable. She maybe didn’t enjoy being tied up as much as Elyn but it was fun to have someone she trusted watch over her, at least. But the sensation was still frustrating.
“Hmmmph! Mmmmph!”
Taria smiled. It felt good to have everyone home again.