Author's Games Entries

Task Two: Isanabella Spoolblac

The sky was dark when Isanabella awoke. The magi had been piled into a cart and were traveling at a fast past. Guards were crowded with them, the bigger, trained men wielding powerful weapons and holding nothing back. They moved along to the castle and were taken down into the dungeon there, where the water dripped from the ceiling and the stones were damp. Worse than anything did it stink, for there were corners filled with only human excrement and it led out into a moat type place behind the castle. She didn't want to get close to it and held her blather. The hay was rotting in places and she scrunched up her nose at that, wishing she were anywhere else. Anywhere but here. The worst must be behind us...right? A castle of evil cannot possibly be true. Mayhaps...mayhaps there be hope for good to prolong its stay.

Her ankles were bound by thick chains that prevented the flow of magic through her body. No, this must be worse. The same chains were also found on her forearms, attaching her by lengths of chain to the stone wall. The others were found across from her and around her in similar rooms themselves. Great bars separated the rooms from touching and though she'd never been close to the group, being locked away from them as such was torture.

A guy was with them, not tied up, but he wasn't really with them. Liars and thieves and spies sent by the King to ruin us and kills us. He wasn't part of the group. He only walked back and fourth, talking to people as if trying to get a rise out of them. He'll be after our heads, I bet. After listening in to a conversation or two she discovered his name, which was Kyren Asherex, and that he was a prince. The boy was talking, telling them about what His Highness, the king, had planned. "He's going to force us all into a room and we'll have to kill one another."

"Never!"

The Magi denied it, and though she didn't say it, Isanabella denied it as well. She would never hurt them and they wouldn't never hurt each other. Family didn't hurt family. Even if you hated someone you couldn't kill them if you'd spent ten years listening to them and watching over them. He's crazy if he thinks it'll work! I'll never hurt them. They won't do it either. We'll...we'll fight him! We'll string up his head and he'll die! Why, if I get mine hands upon his throat, I'll rip it apart myself!

Kyren, who had curly brown hair and eyes of blue, shook his head. His voice was deep and arrogant. It showed clearly that he thought he was better than the rest of them and that he was royal. "You don't understand," he said, "you're only pawns. He'll offer you promises that you can't refuse. That I can't refuse."

"No," a guy was saying, "we would never hurt one another. We love each other. I'll fight for you guys. I'll fight back."

"So will I!"

"And I!"

The voices grew louder and louder, yet underneath it all Isanabella felt fear rise in the pit of her stomach. She knew that things would only grow worse. Inside, she hated herself for thinking it, for showing fear in any way, but it was impossible to hide. What if we do die? What if...what if he's right? He already got us here. What if he turns us against one another? Her thoughts collided into one another and they battled with axes and blades that sparked in the lowlight. From above her position in the cell they'd brought them into a small pool of light faded inside. The bars were high and thick, almost blocking out the sun entirely. She ran her hand along the wall, feeling the rough granite surface and poking her fingers into the holes there. Bits of dust and mold clung to her skin, oily and messy but oddly pretty. I wonder what this tastes like...

Dust. The second it touched her lips she sneezed, loudly, and she wiped it off onto her clothing. It tastes like dammed dust. Her thoughts weren't ladylike but who could ever call a Magi Warrior Sage a lady?