Nethermost Realm: Prisoner of Arlunn

Chapter 24

Please note: I am updating this draft of The Prisoner of Arlunn. The most important change is that the main character's name has been changed from Philip to Rian.

24

Slowly, the tower grew as Rhana and Quince constructed it bit by bit, magically. They completed the tower where Rian's small cell nested—and there was at least one floor above them. Rian thought they may have added a few rooms between the tower and the gate-point, but he couldn't see it from his cell.

Rian had worked hard to heal his skin, but the task seemed too big. It took awhile to find that invisible mage hand that Kyran had shown him and even longer to try to heal anything. But this new spell was harder than the light spell. He just couldn't do it.

Rhana had added a lantern on the wall, lit with a magical light, and a few couches down in that main room near Rian's cell.

Once they'd finished constructing the tower, they set more magical protections. He wasn't sure what spells that they did. She summoned another clay golem to guard the room Rian was in. Its face was nearly featureless; kind of creepy.

Finally, Rhana and Quince stopped at the cell. She looked him over. "Any progress?" she asked.

"No," he said, glumly.

She muttered the spell and healed him, instantly.

"Thanks," he said, feeling like an idiot.

She conjured a small bed, with a pillow and blanket for him. "Get some rest," she said. "We have to go to class. We'll be back in the morning."

He didn't want to be left there alone, but more than that, he worried about Kyran. "Please," he said. "Let me go. Kyran will be alone without me there. I worry that ... something will happen."

"No," said Quince. "You heard what Arryk said. You'll have to talk to him."

"But, can't you go see him? Tell him what happened, so he won't worry. He gets so upset."

"Visit the magic-spawn?" asked Rhana, with a look of distress. "I'm not going over there. It's not safe."

"Don't be ridiculous," said Rian. "He's just a child."

"A demon-spawn."

"Rhana," cautioned Quince. Then to Rian, he said, "The Arlunni will take care of him; he'll be all right. You worry too much."

Then they left. The night passed slowly. Rian slept, but every time he heard a noise, he woke up and spent a long time worrying about whether or not something was out there. He was almost sure he heard footsteps at one point. Then later, something howling, and distant scraping noises. Finally, he fell asleep.

* * * * * * * * *

In the morning, early, Arryk and the others returned. Rian was already up, so he climbed out of bed. Arryk, Braejeunné, Rhana and Quince all arrived, this time, without Sennae. Braejeunné held a basket of food, some sort of sausage and eggs maybe, from what he smelled. Suddenly, he realized he was starving.

Arryk came over to the small cell, looking him over. "Your skin is healed. Did you do it yourself?"

There was no use lying. "No," he admitted. "Rhana did it."

"I see. You need to learn that spell," said Arryk. He waved his hand and the cell door vanished. Arryk pulled out his dagger. "Give me your hand."

"No!" said Rian, worried as to where this was going.

"Don't be a child," said Arryk. "I can put a hold spell on you, if you insist. But if you make me waste a spell, then I'll be angry—and the wound might be larger than it would have been." He stared patiently at Rian.

There was no mention of having breakfast. After considering his options, Rian held his hand out. Arryk used the dagger to make a small cut on the top of his hand. Rian winced.

"Now, heal that," he said, shutting the cell door. "Once that's done, you can eat."

Rian set about trying to heal it, trying to find the invisible hand and draw out the energy but it took time. The others soon lost interest and set about their various tasks.

Arryk was clearly in charge. His sister, Braejeunné, always deferred to him. Rhana and Quince usually went along with whatever Arryk suggested. Rhana and Quince went to the guard tower for lookout duty. Arryk and Braejeunné went upstairs to plan their campaign, whatever it was. Rian didn't understand the game.

No matter what he tried, Rian had no luck with healing his hand. Occasionally one of the others would stop and check on his progress. Arryk stopped by a number of times, and left, shaking his head. Then slowly, slowly Rian drew enough energy and transferred enough that he managed to stop the bleeding and scab it over, but it looked bad. By then, three hours had passed.

When Arryk came to check on him. "Done?" he asked. Rian showed him. "That's pathetic!" he said. "That's about as good as a three year old child could do!" He waved his hand in contempt. Still, he retrieved the basket of food. "Eat," he said, dropping it in the cell. "Not sure you deserve it, though."

Rian ate hungrily, but he didn't feel very grateful to his captor.

The day passed. The others came and went. They gave him a small sandwich and made sure he had water. Sometimes they spoke in low voices, just outside his hearing range, in what he was sure were arguments—maybe about him?

He'd looked for a way out but had no luck in finding one. The cell they'd built was secure.

It was probably early afternoon, though now Rian wasn't sure because there was no day and night in this place, nor any way to keep track.

"It's time for us to go to class," said Arryk. The others gathered around the room, looking solemn. "I'm not happy with your progress in doing spells. You spent three hours fixing a cut that should have taken three minutes to heal. I think you need more practice." He waved his hand and the cell door opened. Arryk entered the cell, drawing his dagger. Rian withdrew a little.

"Give me your hand."

"No."

"You're so weak," said Arryk. "You're like a child! I can't believe you can't do a simple heal spell."

Rian did not want to give in to Arryk, but the mage grew impatient. "Now, Rian!"

Finally, Rian gave him his hand and once again, Arryk sliced it—a deeper cut this time.

"Heal that," said Arryk. He left and the door appeared again, barring Rian into his cell.

Rian stared sullenly after Arryk as he and the others left. This time the healing went a little faster but hours later he gave up and went to sleep. He'd healed it more than last time. Anyway, it would heal on its own.

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