Dim torchlight trickled in as the heavy wooden door groaned on its hinges as it swung open. The gaunt man shackled to the wall strained his eyes to focus on the doorway. His eyes gazed upon a hulk of a man filling the entryway. The torchlight seemed to be repelled by his massive frame as he stood there for a moment. He had arms the size of tree trunks; perfect for crushing all but the strongest of men. His legs were shorter and thinner than his arms but still bulged like tightened rope beneath his trousers. The giant smirked as he lumbered into the room. As the small captive’s eyes adjusted to the torchlight filling the room; he was able to get a slightly better view of the beastly man before him. The monstrous figure looked like a gorilla wrapped in slate. The armor surrounding this massive man looked to be made of black slabs of rock. His knuckles popped as he flexed his massive hands, small ice crystals dropped off of massive spikes adorning his gauntlets.
The small chained man did nothing to move out of the way but remained where he was; his knees pulled up to his chest and his head slowly lowering again in a dismissive gesture. The shackles on his ankles and wrists were stained with the blood and skin of previous occupants of the cell. But this man seemed not to show any sign of restraint, his skin unblemished around the wrists and ankles.
“What do you want now, Ergun?” The captive began to speak. His voice seemed to flow from his mouth hypnotically. “You come to give me another beating for your princess?”
“No.” The gorilla spoke like the rumble of distant thunder. “I came with my princess…”
“…just to talk.” A smooth, almost harmonic voice could be heard just outside the cell door. A beautiful woman entered the room. Her black hair cascaded down her shoulders in long straight lengths framing her unblemished ivory face. Her black robes opened into a plunging neckline revealing a firm athletic physique. Her cloak flowed behind her in such a way that it was as if a breeze constantly blew gently on her.
“Good morning Sophie.” The withered man said, not bothering to move other than the raise his head slightly. “Or is it afternoon… maybe evening? I can’t tell without so much as a candle to tell the passage of time.”
“She is to be called, PRINCESS!” Ergun wasted no time taking his large hand and swatting the small man square in the head. The prisoner rolled across the floor until his manacles stopped him with a jerk. He groaned in pain, as his arms seemed to stretch a bit under the tension of the restraints. As he lay prone his small hands reached up to his face. Ice crystals had immediately formed on his face and beard. Ergun was happy to see the side of the prisoners face now an off color black and blue, not from a newly formed bruise but from what looked to be the early stages of frostbite.
A scowl curled up on the woman’s face as she glared down at the battered figure. As the gaunt man looked up at her, her countenance changed then to a smooth demeanor as she crouched down to examine his frozen beard and frostbitten face. She reached out and softly caressed the old mans new wound in an almost loving manner.
“Now Ergun, we shouldn’t treat our guests like this.” Sophie slowly stood back up after assuring herself the small man was still breathing. “Fetch him a candle… a small one.”
“As my princess commands.” The gravely reply seemed to bubble up in the large mans throat.
“Have you thought about telling me of the Destiny Items and where I can find them yet, old man?” She turned around looking at the light spilling in through the open doorway. “I grow tired of this game.”
“We are playing a game?” The small man said sarcastically. “Why didn’t you say so? I LOVE to play games. Who’s winning?”
The princess spun on her heels and held up an onyx scepter that glowed with blue flame from a jewel mounted in a clawed hand. Small darts of flame leapt from the scepter and attached themselves to the cuffs of restraints and lifted the weary prisoner off the ground. They began to glow with heat and the skin of the man seemed to begin to melt. He clenched his teeth as he held back a cry of agony.
“This is no game old man, but if it were you know I ALWAYS WIN.” She dropped the scepter back down to her side and the manacles fell to the floor with a clatter as they were released from the flames. When the man hit the floor he seemed to hit with a splash rather than a thump. He pulled himself together and reset himself in the same pensive position his captors found him in.
“You always were a sore loser, Sophie.” The small man smoothed over the melted skin as it ran back over the exposed bone of his wrists.
The giant returned with a small greenish lump in his massive hand. “Here is the candle you requested, your majesty.”
Without looking to the giant she stared down at the huddled man. “When this candle burns out, I will return to ask you about those Destiny Items once more.” She walked out of the cell with Ergun moving like a huge shadow behind her demure frame. The door slammed as her voice seemed to echo in the room. “I expect an answer.”
The small man grasped the small candle in his hands and whispered, “Steek aan.” The candle flickered to life, the flame glowed a slight hint of green.
Again the man whispered, “Vlucht.” The candle began to melt on the floor. The small candle melted wider and wider, more than the wax could have possibly stretched. The small man smiled and moved to the center of the pool of hot wax and he seemed to melt into the wax. In an instant he was gone.
A few hours later the door groaned open again, the light from the candle had diminished and only the torchlight once again filled the now empty room. A small puddle of hardened green wax decorated the empty cell. Ergun stood in a stupor as he entered, the beautiful princess right behind him. He looked back to her in disbelief and confusion. Sophie only looked at the candle as anger burned within her like a bubbling cauldron.
“That tricky wizard!” The princess turned to Ergun and slapped him. “I want him found immediately!”
The giant man looked at his queen with no more expression than that of a statue.
“Yes, my princess, he will be captured once again.” His gravelly voice bubble through gritted teeth.
“You had better find him, Ergun.” Princess Sophie countered. “You had better find him or I will fill his spot in this cell with you.”
Ergun’s eyes were still cold but barely visible glimmered a small spark of fear. “Please Princess, I will find him, I swear!” He pleaded to her, his voice filled with dread.
“Remember the closet, Ergun? Remember how I used to lock you in there for weeks?” Ergun fell to his knees, clutching the Princess’ robes and kissing the hem as she taunted him. “I know how much you hate to be alone in a small room.” She just smiled her spoiled smile. “Find him Ergun.”
No comments:
Post a Comment