"Miss what happened? Oh let me see that," Monica says as she enters my room. I had taken a damp cloth and rested it against the cut on my face. I couldn't heal it. Nolan, Holden, Wessel, and Thomas would notice. Monica grabbed the damp cloth from my hand and carefully moved my head with her hands. I moved away at first, but she wouldn't have anything. "Oh dear that is going to be nice and blue. Did you get in a fight?" she asks.
"I had a little falling out. Nothing to worry about."
"Are there any more cuts or bruises?" She grabbed the hem of the tunic, and I grabbed her hand, grunting.
"There are. Monica, I'm fine. You don't have to do this."
"Yes I do. I can help and I will," she defiantly said, twisting her wrist. I let go and sighed.
"Please, don't." She looked me in my eyes and I knew she saw my hurt. She took a step back, shaking her head.
"I can't leave you here in pain. Let me grab some bindings and cremes."
"Thank you."
"I'll be right back. Don't move."
After Monica had stopped fussing over my bruises and cuts, I walked down to the dungeon. General Holden had asked me to come not long after I had returned to my room. The men and women were in separate cells, a few still unconscious. The dungeons themselves were eerie. There was barely any light, the doors were made of metal with only a small window on top with some bars. Only the gods know what had goes down here.
"It takes some getting used to, I realize," Holden says, noting the tension on my face.
"I'm not the biggest fan of confined spaces," I respond truthfully.
"Then we'll make this short. The Guards notified me that when a few of them woke up, they ate a small pill and went numb."
"A small pill? When I checked them I didn't find them."
"Yes well we all only see what were trained to see. Weapons usually. Can you check it out?" I nodded, understanding what he meant.
I stepped into the cell of the man who had carried the Disc of Rhynos and crouched in front of him. His eyes were blank and fogged, staring at nothing in particular. I moved his head from side to side, up and down, but no reaction came. He just sat with his legs crossed on the cold floor, unmoving. My shadows rose from my back in reaction to my own tension. Something was definitely off. From the corner of my eye I saw General Holden grip the hilt of his sword. I used my powers to enter the man's mind, only seeing a bluish grey fog. No thoughts, no memories. As I tried to enter the fog, a vicious shooting pain went through my own mind. I staggered back, grabbing my head in pain. My eyes couldn't focus and my ears started ringing. My shadows had retreated to me, guarding me until I stood up.
"What the hell just happened to you?" Holden asks.
"They took Waraine. Their minds are a bleak fog. No memories, no thoughts, they are as good as dead. And that poison affects people like me," I panted. A pounding headache resumed hurting me, my brain feeling squashed.
"They did it voluntarily?"
"I can only assume. How many are yet to be awoken?"
"Three."
"Let me see them."
Holden nodded. As I walked, I nearly fell to my knees. Holden reacted quickly by grabbing my elbow and keeping me on my feet. "Are you sure you're up for this?" he asks with a hint of compassion.
"I'll be fine. Waraine is a bitch but I'll survive. I just need to clear the fog out of my head," I muttered, pulling myself free, walking slowly towards the other cells. I used the wall as a guide and something to fall back on, Holden a step behind me in case I were to fall again. The woman Thomas had made eye contact with was still knocked out cold. I went through her pockets, anywhere that pill could hide in. The last place I checked was her mouth. I opened it, checking. Behind her teeth was a small, brown pill. Using my shadows I took it, doing the same with the remaining two.
"Do you mind if I take one of them for my own research?" I ask Holden before handing over the three pills.
"Nolan informed me of that. Keep one. You probably find more than we."
"I think we'll find different things. It's up to us to work together and put the pieces of the puzzle together."
"I suppose that means you'll join more meetings?"
"The ones relevant to this, yes. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to prepare for a hunt."
"Of course. Take care, Protector."
"General."
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Broken Kingdom
الخيال (فانتازيا)In the shadows of Ascana, Eira thrives. There she does her job, and stays away from people. When an old threat starts to rise, the young Protector is called to the palace for a special mission. She is to defend the Crown Prince against the growing t...
