The wounded in the street outnumbered those still standing. And yet, their attacker refused the killing blow. She battled on, relentless, ferocious, unstoppable... the unquenchable fire in her golden eyes. She came out of nowhere; their town set upon at its weakest. The rebel leaders were out of their town so Meryn decided on the perfect time to strike. But they would be back soon. And they would find their town emptied, filled with wounded, and one bargain to strike. A prisoner in exchange for treating the wounded lest they leave them to die. It was all she had...
From her frantic searching, Saira wasn’t among the people she found shooting back at her. She wasn’t inside any of the buildings. So Meryn came to one conclusion: the rebels travelled with her. They took Saira with her. Somehow they must have suspected Meryn would come after them...
A terrified young man reloaded his rifle with shaking hands, only to scream and pain, brought low by the bullet that ripped through his shoulder. Someone else stepped up to take his place... and she felt the wrath of another bullet, from the same revolver, tearing through her thigh.
The combatants took notice of Meryn’s unwillingness to kill them. But, with the number of wounded growing, still they fought. The battle waged for an eternity, none able to hit the golden blur that darted between them, raining her wrath upon them.
Finally, set deep within the town, the largest house, three floors, she came upon it. The streets went silent, save for the howls and groans of pain from the wounded. Others had scattered, seemingly from fear. But Meryn knew better. They had received orders. Scatter to the winds. Tactical retreat. The rebel leaders had returned.
True as she thought, the doors opened and a man stepped outside. Her heart sank but her eyes betrayed no emotion. Meryn raised her pistol, level with the man’s eyes, drawing back the hammer.
Jonas stepped into the dusty street and remained deathly still. He drew the gun at his side... and tossed it to the dirt in front of him, locking eyes with the ferocious, golden stare of his friend. Deep breaths, in, out... Jonas remained fixed in place.
“I’d hoped it wasn’t true,” Jonas said. “When I heard who was attacking our town.”
Meryn still said nothing, her gun still level with Jonas’ eyes.
“Meryn, whatever happened, we can solve it. Just let us-”
He was cut off when she fired a shot, the bullet screaming past his head. She levelled it with his head once again.
“Saira. Now.”
“She’s not here,” Jonas said. “She’s out on-”
Meryn fired another shot.
“Don’t feed me your lies. I know what you’ve become. Saira. Now.”
Jonas took in a heavy breath. “Meryn, whatever you heard, it’s not true.”
“You’re calling my father a liar?”
“Drake? You’ve seen him?” Jonas’ tone shifted as he asked the question.
“Who do you think told me about.... what you’ve done? Mac told me you have Saira...”
“Meryn, please, let me explain, they weren’t-”
Another shot interrupted him.
“Don’t make me do it, Jonas!” Meryn spat. “You let her go or you, and everyone here, you all go down. You understand?”
Before Jonas could respond, Meryn froze solid when she heard a click from behind her. Her muscles tensed and she raised her gun to Jonas’ head again.
“Enough now, Meryn,” the steady voice said from behind her. “Drop it and we’ll talk.”
“Your people are wounded, Artema,” Meryn said. “You let Saira go and you’ll get your help.”
“No need of help,” Artema said. “The others are on the way. Come inside. We need to talk.”
“I’m not talking to any of you monsters...” Meryn said.
Artema sighed. “Guess I’ve got no choice then...”
The mighty arm of the rebel leader wrapped itself around Meryn’s waist and picked her up off the ground the other wrestled the pistol from Meryn’s grasp and the mighty form of Artema fell on top of her as she was taken to the ground. A light, sharp pain struck Meryn’s neck and she was out cold within seconds, Artema getting up off her.
She looked up at Jonas, no words passing between them. He stepped forward.
“Wish it hadn’t come to that...” Jonas said.
“She’ll have no choice but to listen now. Help me get her inside.”
Jonas said nothing more and helped carry Meryn into the large house. Once they were inside, the streets began to move again, the wounded being tended, Mirelle and Elyn dashing out of cover to begin the arduous healing process.
...
Her captives had given her little trouble to that point. Fa’rah couldn’t help but wonder why. She knelt low in front of their shared cell and peered inside.
The raven-haired sheriff looked up at her first. She remained tied up in rope around her arms, wrists behind her back, and bound at the ankles and knees. Her mouth remained full, stuffed with cloth, and another tied on over it.
Her struggling had proved fruitless to that point and her fellow captive, the man with long read hair, a thick beard, dressed in golden yellow, hadn’t been able to help her. Nor she him.
Mac and Drake remained within the cell, long since ceased struggling, restrained the same way in rope, gagged with cloth, seemingly unable to escape. Fa’rah peered into the dimly lit cell and eyed the two carefully.
Both narrowed their eyes into deep, resentful glares at their captor. And could not help but notice that she looked concerned.
“What is with you two?” the Marshal asked. She looked to Drake first. “You sure you’re Goldie’s father? She never stopped fighting all those times I had her tied up... and you.” She eyed Mac, the sheriff, next. “No way Meryn would side with some softy... what are you two up to?”
Both remained silent, still, and continued glaring in Fa’rah’s direction. She stood up, growling under her breath. “Fine... Not like you can answer me anyway. And you’ve got no way out of there. I’m all worried over nothing....” Fa’rah muttered to herself as she headed for the door and stepped outside onto the front porch of the rather large house she called her own.
Almost as soon as she did, she heard a loud pop and something screamed past her head, embedding itself in the wood panelling of the house behind her. On reflex, she reached for her gun and pulled it from its holster, taking cover behind the railing.
“Show your damn self!” Fa’rah shouted. “You just made the last mistake you’ll ever make!”
Fa’rah dared to lean around her cover and spotted a pair of figures running off down the dirt road to a waiting horse. She grimaced and stood up, giving chase, firing a shot over their heads.
“Oh no you don’t, you little shits...”
Seeing the pair, her brown eyes shone with recognition. One of them, a shorter, lithe woman with bobbed, blue hair, her long bangs clearly shading one eye. The other had short, black hair. And both of them had rich caramel shades to their skin, though each slightly different.
“Finally come for me, have you...” she muttered, racing for her own hitched horse, keeping her eyes on the figures.
Taria jumped into the saddle first and quickly pulled Saira up with her strong arm and the two were already setting off out of town, the horse already at full gallop.
“Get the hell back here!” Fa’rah shouted, climbing into the saddle of her own horse and continuing the chase, leaving her house behind, and her prisoners unguarded.
On the inside, both of them had heard the commotion and realized what had happened. Fa’rah was gone, likely run off somewhere. They had been left alone before but both of them, despite their gags, had managed to communicate a plan and had been biding their time, waiting for the right opportunity. No time seemed better than that moment.
Knife already in her hands, Mac cut her wrist bonds loose. In all her checking up on the prisoners, keeping them in alive, Fa’rah never noticed when Mac had picked her pocket and stolen the small knife on her belt.
Now free, Mac shrugged off the rope around her arms and pulled down her gag, spitting out the cloth stuffed in her mouth.
“Finally...” she said, her voice hoarse from having to wear the gag practically round the clock.
Untying her leg bonds, Mac stood, stretching her sore muscles, and crossed the room to cut Drake free as well.
“So you did get it...” Drake said.
“Is that what you’ve been asking? Hard to understand you with that thing on your mouth.”
Drake smirked. “Same to you.”
“I’m not the one who thought knocks and sign language was the way forward. No wonder I couldn’t tell what you were saying.”
Drake shrugged as the last of his bonds were cut free and Mac helped him to his feet. “Least we figured out the knife plan.”
“Yeah, and I got how you’re no good as a pickpocket. Still don’t buy it,” Mac said.
“What do you mean?”
“Old time crime fighter, street smarts like yours... no way you’re not a good pickpocket.”
Drake smiled. “I’m old. Hands aren’t what they used to be...”
“Careful now, or I might take that as a pass.”
Drake bowed low. “Apologies, Sheriff. Not intended...”
Mac chuckled. “Don’t take things so serious, I’m just messing with you. You and that daughter of yours are too easy to wind up...”
Drake chuckled too. “Let’s just get our weapons and head on out. Looks like we owe whoever fired that shot a debt.”
“No time for that. You heard the talk from the Marshal. There’s word Meryn’s hit the rebel town.”
Drake sighed sadly, his expression dropping. “I hadn’t forgotten... that bastard. I can’t even imagine what lies he told her with my own face.”
“Or mine,” Mac said. “Dwell on that later. We need to go!”
The pair of them found the stash of weapons Fa’rah had confiscated when they had been captured and headed warily out the door. When the Marshal didn’t appear, they found themselves a horse and rode out of town as fast they could.
...
It was an all-too-familiar feeling when Meryn awoke. Her eyelids were still heavy, her head swimming, her senses dulled.
Where am I? she asked herself. What happened?
Her head slumped forward and she felt something dig into her arms, holding them to her sides, and to something flat and hard at her back.
Rope. A chair... Again, huh?
She tugged at her wrists. The same feeling occurred, something digging into her wrists. She couldn’t quite tell how much rope was on her body but one thing was for certain; she was tied up. Again.
“Mmmnnpphh....” she groaned, quickly realizing her voice was muffled.
“She’s waking up,” a familiar voice said, and all her muscles tensed. The ropes dug in as she did, holding her wrists behind the back of the chair she sat on. Another wrapped her waist and pinned her wrists, holding her to the back of the chair. Yet more held her arms to her sides, wrapping around her chest and framing it.
More rope wrapped her legs, at the thighs and calves, while more wrapped her ankles, which were pulled back underneath the chair and tied to her wrist bonds. A rough cloth had been stuffed in her mouth, held in by another cloth tied on over her mouth. Meryn could tell right away, as she felt no knots within reach, and the iron grip of each rope...
Artema did this... she thought to herself.
“Mmmnnnpphh....” she groaned again, slowly opening her golden eyes, glaring toward the voice she had heard. You... she thought, her golden stare upon Jonas, on the other side of the room from her. He leaned against the wall beside the door of an empty room, curtains drawn, devoid of furniture, save for the chair she was tied to...
Heavy footsteps drew her attention and her eyes shifted up to the towering, muscular woman walking toward her, casting a shadow over her entire form. She stopped and folded her arms, scowling.
Still the same in many ways thought Meryn.
“I’m sorry about this, Meryn. But you did roll into town and shoot a whole group of our people...”
“Mmmpph...”
“There’s a few things you need to know. We’ve been keeping tabs on Fa’rah. She’s a Marshal nowadays out in Harrison.”
Meryn growled under her breath. I know what that muscled ape is doing, Artema. Don’t take me for a fool...
“And we found out a few things about what she’s been doing with Mr. Jade.”
Jonas stepped forward from the wall and met the furious golden eyes of Meryn, feeling himself wither under her gaze.
“That’s what I tried to tell you. Saira is on a mission. We’re not holding her. She’s with Taria, distracting Fa’rah. We decided to buy a little time for Fa’rah’s prisoners.”
Meryn furrowed her brow, but the anger didn’t leave her stare.
“She had your father. And Mac,” Artema said. She reached forward and pulled down Meryn’s gag, helping her spit out the cloth in her mouth.
“Don’t lie to me...” Meryn growled, gritting her teeth.
“We have no reason to lie, Meryn,” Jonas said.
The tension between the two, knowing their history, Artema stepped aside. She knew they had worked closely together in Weston. So she left them to their own conflict resolution...
“Of course you do,” Meryn said. “Why would I believe anything you monsters have to say? I know what you’ve been doing. How much you’ve killed... The Demon in Black...”
Jonas sighed. “I won’t lie about that. There’s a reason they call me that... but whatever else you’ve heard-”
“You would call my father a liar? Fa’rah doesn’t have him, he told me what you’ve been doing himself! And Mac told me you’re holding Saira. So where is she? You have her trussed up somewhere too? Or did you already kill her! I swear, Jonas, if you did-”
“Meryn, please. Saira is alive. She’s with Taria right now. And that wasn’t Drake. Or Mac. That was Jade...”
“Quit lying to me!” Meryn thrashed against her ropes. “I know what you are!”
Jonas sighed and stepped back while Artema replaced the gag, stuffing Meryn’s mouth and pulling the cloth taut over her mouth again. She stepped back and met up with Jonas.
“What are we going to do?” Jonas asked.
“We wait. Taria and Saira have already bought them time. I have no doubt they escaped. They’ll be on their way here...”
“And how do you know that?” Jonas asked.
“An attack like this, there’s no way word hasn’t reached Harrison. I’ll eat my hat if Mac and Drake aren’t here within a few hours.”
Jonas stepped back. “And we’re holding her prisoner...”
“Which they’ll likely assume, yes,” Artema said. “And probably try to bust her out.”
Jonas sighed. “I don’t want to wind up exchanging fire with them too.”
Artema put a hand on his shoulder. “We don’t have to. I’ve got a plan.”
“I hope so. Now we just need to convince her...” Jonas said.
Artema stepped back and let him approach Meryn again. He knelt down and met her eyes, still glaring.
“Meryn... Saira is alive and well. She’s helping break out your father and Mac. The ones you heard from weren’t them. Elyn spotted Jade. He can change his shape. He’s Mageian.”
“Mmmnnpphh!!” Meryn grunted, bucking hard against her ropes but they held.
“It’s true. He told Taria everything. You’d believe Taria, wouldn’t you?”
Meryn still glared at him but she remained silent. She might have trusted Taria, once. But still, these rebels... her father had told her! But Jonas was right... he had no reason to lie about trying to free Mac and Drake. Manipulation wasn’t his style. In fact, it was more like... Mr. Jade.
“Mmmpph...” Meryn grumbled. Her eyes softened slightly.
“I think you’re starting to understand...” Jonas pulled her gag down again and plucked the cloth from her mouth.
“I’ll give you one chance to prove it... what’s this plan?” she asked, looking up at Artema.
“In short, I replace you,” she said. “Jonas, you get everyone inside, tell them to stand down. We don’t want anyone shooting at Mac and Drake.”
“Wait... why replace her?” Jonas asked.
“That way they bust in here and stand down when they see me tied up and Meryn standing next to me. Nothing better than visual evidence not to shoot, yeah?”
“I guess... you two could just sit at a table or something.”
“Also a good way to earn back our girl’s trust,” Artema said. “That way, she has leverage if she thinks there’s a chance we go back on our word.”
“You’re offering yourself as her hostage?” Jonas asked.
Artema shrugged. “It’s clear we need to prove ourselves. She’s been lied to pretty convincingly. It’s our job to undo those lies.”
“All right,” Jonas said. “I’ll go get the others to stand down.”
Artema bent down and started untying Meryn. “We’ll work on swapping places in here. Don’t worry. Everything will be fine, all right?”
“Sure,” Jonas said. “Just be careful.”
Jonas shut the door behind him, leaving the two women to their work.
...
Elsewhere...
Celia watched her friend beneath the tree. Day after day, Lanala would meditate, keep her mind clear, and focus on the watch she had seen. The watch, the dusty world it lay within, and where her friends were. She could feel their suffering. Artema’s deep sense of loss, Jonas’ isolation, loneliness, desperation... she had to get them there.
Each day, she could see more of the world. She learned town names. Harrison. Gold Valley. She saw the mountain ranges on either side of the territory. The voices, the names of people, she could almost hear them murmuring as they lived their lives.
But she could feel this world, this prison, pushing back against her. Lanala tried to make herself move through the barrier but even her power was nothing. The voices, the names, they would fade. The entire Harrison Territory would feel like an imprint of a distant memory.
But each time she pushed harder... and the ground beneath her would shake. Once, a sturdy piece of rope broke through the soil, as her mother had warned, and snaked toward her.
She had to stop once the rope got close and it sunk into the earth beneath her, disappearing into the immaculate grass. One thing she noticed, however, was that the barrier had started to break. Lanala was beginning to understand that she would have to risk Alhanna’s powerful, infused rope and whatever else she had designed to keep her inside.
Lanala didn’t open her eyes when she spoke and Celia jumped when she did.
“Are you going to just keep staring at me?” she asked.
“Sorry...” Celia said. “I just wonder how you’re doing is all.”
“No need to be sorry,” Lanala said. “Since you’ll be coming with me.”
“So how are you doing? You know, at the whole finding a way to them thing. And just in general, too.”
Lanala smiled and opened her eyes. “You don’t have to worry about me, Celia.”
“I know but still...”
“I’m okay,” Lanala said. “And I’ve started to push through. I may have to start reciting the words my mother taught me instead of just holding them in my mind. I need something stronger to break through this barrier.”
“I saw that... what, root? I saw it come out of the ground.”
“It was a rope. One of the ones that binds my mother.”
“Oh...” Celia said. “So this place really is trying to stop you...”
“Seems that way,” Lanala said, standing tall and walking to Celia. “I need to risk it. I think I can break through and make a portal to their world. It’ll take everything I’ve got, and the barriers will try to stop me, but I think I can do it.”
“You think?”
Lanala sighed. “That’s the best I can do at this stage... I don’t see myself getting any more sure.”
“That’s... not promising.”
“I know... but let’s just try to have a little optimism. Just believe it. We’ll get back to them,” Lanala said.
“Sure. We will. I’ll believe that.”
“Now, let’s just head back inside. I need to make sure I say goodbye before...”
Celia said nothing, instead just taking Lanala’s hand gently. Lanala squeezed her hand and smiled sadly, nodding at Celia, walking with her back to the house in the middle of the verdant field.
The spectral image of her father, Khal, and Alhanna turned to her as she entered. Both parents knew the look in their child’s eye. Alhanna walked to her daughter first and put her arms around her, planting a kiss on her cheek.
“You’ve done it...” she said.
“I know how to get back. It’s just a matter of doing it. Easier said than done.”
“But you will. I know you will,” Alhanna said.
Lanala finally hugged her mother back. “Yes. Yes, of course... thank you.”
“You’re my daughter. Teaching you these things... it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”
They parted and stepped back. “Well, I’m glad we got this chance. If I can ever figure out a way to-”
“Lanala... it’s okay. If this truly goodbye, I was glad to have this time with you. And if it’s not, well, you are always welcome here.”
“Thank you. But in case I can’t... goodbye. I’m glad I could finally know you...”
Alhanna smiled and gently placed her hand on Lanala’s cheek. “I dearly wish I could have been the mother you deserved... but I will cherish this time we had together. Goodbye, my girl.”
Lanala and Khal exchanged nods, but Lanala felt a pang in her heart when she couldn’t run up and hug him...
“I’ve missed you, father...” Lanala said.
“But you’ve grown strong,” Khal said. “And you will grow stronger still. My time among the living has long since passed. But it was the greatest joy I could feel to see you again, my dear. Thank you for bringing happiness to the heart of this old ghost.”
Lanala chuckled slightly, holding back tears, a smile on her face. “You’re not even that old...”
Khal chuckled. “Perhaps not to you, but I have been old a long while. I, too, am sorry. For leaving so soon...”
“No, don’t be. We can’t control those things, much as we wish to try.”
“Except for my wife and daughters, it seems,” Khal said with a smile.
“I suppose that’s true... I’ll miss you all over again,” Lanala said.
“As I always said when we parted... hold me in your heart, my dear. And I will always be with you. As I should be.”
“Of course. Goodbye then. I love you.... both of you...”
“And we love you,” Khal and Alhanna both managed to say.
With a solemn nod passed between parents and daughter, Lanala and Celia left the house together, out to the field again, beneath the tree. Lanala took in a deep breath and raised her hands to her face, closing her eyes, clapping her hands together. She held the immense power of a single word in her mind and then spoke it aloud.
“Vartiyapyli!”
...
Elsewhere...
The cloth went on last, pulled tight over Artema’s mouth, tied off behind her head. Meryn took her hat and tossed it aside, certain to remove her gun from its holster as well.
“Have to make this look convincing...” Meryn said. “And so you don’t try anything.”
“Mmpph...” Artema grunted.
Meryn picked up her shotgun, leaning against the wall where Artema left it, and loaded it up with a pair of shells. “Now let’s see if you’re telling the truth...”
Meryn gripped the gun in both hands, tight, her muscles tense, golden eyes fixated on the door. Waiting... Everything was deathly silent for the longest time. All she could hear was Artema’s steady breaths through her nose, her own steadying heartbeat, and the gentle creak of the wooden structure surrounding them.
She picked up the sound of pounding footsteps, getting closer. Two people running... barging through doors. A voice called in somewhere within...
“Not in here!”
Mac. She was there. That meant the other footsteps belonged to-
“Not here either.”
Her father, Drake. Meryn shot a sideward glance toward Artema. The rebel leader just nodded back to her. Meryn put her eyes back to the door again.
“We’ll see what they say...”
Finally the steps approached the door to the room they were in. The door slammed open and two people rushed inside, stopping in their tracks.
“Meryn!” Mac said. “I guess... you’ve got things under control here...”
“As expected,” Drake said with a smirk. “She’s my daughter.”
“Says the guy who was just tied up in a cell for days,” Mac said.
“Don’t forget who was there next to me,” Drake replied.
Meryn took a step forward and the other two lost their smiles when they saw the look in Meryn’s eyes.
“Figured you’d be in trouble,” Mac said. “Heard you attacked the rebels.”
“And whatever you heard...” Drake began. “They were lies.”
“But you’re the one who told me...” Meryn said. “And Mac...
Drake’s own golden eyes hardened and he wrapped his arms around his daughter’s shoulders.
“I’m sorry, Meryn. That wasn’t me... it was that bastard, Jade. I saw him take my own form...”
“So they...” Meryn stopped and returned her father’s hug. “I’ve made a horrible mistake...”
“It’s not your fault, young one,” Drake said, gently rocking Meryn back and forth as he held her. “That was all Jade’s manipulation.”
“I hurt so many people here...”
“Shhh... little dragon. Your friends understand. You were doing all that you thought was right. This was Jade. He turned you into his weapon. I promise, that despicable man is the only one to blame and he will pay...”
Meryn buried her face into her father’s shoulder. She stopped when she felt someone’s hand on her shoulder.
“Meryn... we’ll be okay. You’ll fight beside us, won’t you?”
Mac jumped back when she noticed Artema, rope still hanging off her body, standing up, completely free, her gag hanging around her neck.
“Wow... I’d heard you were good,” Mac said.
Meryn let go of her father and turned around to face the rebel leader.
“Artema... I’m sorry I-”
“Save that. We knew. If we blamed you, you wouldn’t be standing here. Why would we keep trying to reason with you?”
“I’m sorry...”
Artema clapped her on the shoulder. “Enough apologies. Those people out there, they know you may have shot them, but it wasn’t you holding the gun. You get what I mean?”
“Yeah...”
Artema held her hand out. “Then join us?”
Meryn grasped her hand firmly. “Of course...”
Artema peered over Meryn’s shoulder to the doorway then and smirked. “Good. Because your girl would be awful disappointed if you didn’t...”
Without even first looking, Meryn turned around and bolted for the door and picked up Saira, who had entered the room with Taria. She practically tackled her girlfriend out into the hallway, hugging her tight, lifting her clean off the ground.
“Holy crap, Meryn!” Saira said, wrapping her arms over her girlfriend’s shoulders.
Meryn set her down and looked down into Saira’s eyes, tears already staining her cheeks.
“Let’s never be apart again, okay?”
“Okay. I promise... I love you...”
“I love you, Saira...”
...
The ground continued to shake, strong ropes erupting from the dirt, as Lanala held her hands together. Dark clouds swirled, the wind picked up, Celia held onto the trunk of the tree to prevent being swept away.
“Vartiyapyli!” Lanala shouted this time, over the wind.
A rope lashed onto one of her ankles, digging into her leg and one of her knee high sandals. She ignored it and held her hands out in front of her. Energy arced around her hands as the swirling wind began to collate around the air in front of her, becoming a large, circular shape.
“Lanala, it’s working!” Celia shouted. “Keep going!”
“Vartiyapyli!” Lanala said, tensing her muscles, flexing, practically shooting lighting from her hands. Another rope wrapped her free ankle and the two snapped together, holding them in place. Still, she kept going. Words began to flow in her mind.
“Anixatverta! Vartiyapyli! Synsydeomei izdimiurgo!”
The Mageian words flowed through her as more rope snapped around her calves, tying them together. Another wrapped her legs just below the knees. Lanala did not waver.
“Vartiyapyli anixatverta!”
The swirling winds finally formed a glowing, purple shape and she could feel the world she had seen beyond it. She stopped and relaxed, exhaustion threatening to take her as her vision blackened.
“You did it!” Celia said.
Lanala tried to will the ropes off her legs... but they didn’t respond. And then more leapt upon her. Wrapping her legs above the knees, mid and upper thigh. One pulled around her waist, pulling between her legs, while pulling her wrists behind her back and binding them there, attaching to the waist rope and the one between her legs.
Another wrapped her elbows, cinching them tight behind her. Another formed a harness about her chest, framing it, and pinning her arms to her back. Before she could speak any further words, a leather panel burst forth from the ground and snapped around her mouth, strapped on behind her head, a soft ball filling her mouth.
“Mmmpphh!!” Lanala exclaimed as she squirmed and struggled... but her exhaustion and her great power did nothing to loosen the bonds.
But before the ropes could bind her further, the purple vortex she created struck them with a sudden, inverse rush of air, drawing both of them in. Neither woman could fight the sudden force of the portal as it dragged them through...
And Lanala awoke, alone, inside a cell. Devoid of furniture. Or anything, for that matter. And Celia was.... nowhere to be found.
Celia had been tossed through elsewhere, near a tree where a broken rope hung, out in the middle of the forest. And a soft, red eye peered through a rifle scope, gasping.
“I don’t believe it...” she said.
Lanala, meanwhile, tried to discern her surroundings. She was inside... a house. She was certain. But a house with a cell? The window above her had bars across it. And there were iron bars in front of her and a gate, of sorts, closed and locked. And... she was still tightly bound and gagged.
She struggled, giving it her all... but she couldn’t free herself. She was still exhausted. And the ropes and gag refused to respond to her power.
“Mmm mmpph!! Hllmmp!”
Footsteps, heavy, on creaking floorboards approached her. And an all-too-familiar face greeted her. Lanala squealed into her gag, shaking her head, shuffling away from the door. The figure smiled as she approached.
“Well well...” she said. “Couldn’t catch that wild goose. But here we have something interesting in place of those other two...”
“Fmmrmm! Nmmm!!”
The Marshal smiled as she knelt down, meeting Lanala’s eyes. She was confused by the Sorceress’ appearance, as she still wore clothing from their home in Ikaatan. But she couldn’t wipe the smile from her face.
“Looks like we got ourselves the best bargaining chip of all... Lanala.” Fa’rah chuckled. “Now... let’s see about getting you a little more secure, shall we?”