Captive (Fantasy)

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Cleo landed hard on uneven dirt, her boots crushing something brittle, her cloak fluttering. The smell of decay, waste and mold clawed at her nose. Endless darkness wrapped around her. Soulless moans and sandpaper coughs echoed off cavernous walls. Cleo closed her eyes, dulling her sense of smell and enhancing her sight.

When she opened her eyes, the world before her took form. Huddled shapes lay chained to the walls, tattered blankets and rags covering their shriveled bodies. She glanced down and sucked in a breath. Beneath her foot lay a cracked skull. Forcing in a deep breath, she tore her eyes away.

Clenching her fists, she moved further into the prison. Eyes drained of life followed her movements. Skeleton arms reached shakily for her with gnarled hands. Cleo met each set of eyes, searching. Further and further she moved, deeper into the never ending tunnels. Rats scurried away from her, letting out squeaks of alarm.

With each passing prisoner, Cleo felt desperation seep in, as time ticked away. When she came to the end of her final tunnel, she spun around in circles, searching for another path, another set of eyes that she would know. When no path was revealed Cleo swore.

"Valdar!"

The sound echoed off jagged walls. Her shoulders fell and she stared back down the tunnel, trying to combat the hopeless feeling that gripped her. She consulted the clock in her head and let out another curse. She turned once more, studying the wall, wishing it would open. When it stayed the same she kicked at a rock, sending it tumbling across the narrow space.

She froze as the rock hit something metallic. Slowly, she turned in the direction of the sound. Raising her hand, she muttered a single word and a ball of blue light filled her cupped hand, hovering above it. She crouched, holding the flame before her. On the floor was a hole, barely bigger than the width of her hand, covered with a lattice of metal. A smile spread across Cleo's face.

She stood and extinguished the flame, the world falling into blackness once more.

Taking in a breath, she twisted space.

The cavern walls before her vanished. The floor beneath her feet fell away and for a heart stopping second she hung between reality and the Void.

A breath later the world reformed.

Cleo landed on stone. She glanced up and saw the metal lattice above her. She looked around the cell.

In the furtherest corner a single ribbon of light peeked through the stone, illuminating a spot on the floor. Beside the dot of light lay a hunched figure, with one hand outstretched to it. At the sight, Cleo choked back tears as a vice closed around her heart.

"Lord Ranger?" she whispered.

The figure barely moved. Only the twitching of his hand alerted her to the fact that he heard her. Cautiously, she moved forward, her cloak dragging in the dust as she crouched down.

"Lord Ranger? Can you hear me?" she asked, her tone full of warmth.

The hand twitched again and the figure shifted his head. Cleo hesitated a few feet away.

"Ranger? It's me."

The figure lifted it's head, slowly as if the movement was foreign. A shredded hood fell away, revealing matted brown hair and a sunken face. Cleo fought back the wave of horror and sadness that rose to crush her. Finally, after what felt like years, the figure met her gaze. Gray eyes, that had once held the fury of a storm, but imprisonment had dulled, looked back at her.

Cleo took another step forward.

"I've come to get you Ranger," she said. "I'm taking you away."

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