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."
Ranger made no response, his eyes coming in and out of focus. With shaky hands, he tried to push himself up. Cleo rushed forward to help him, but at the sudden movement he cried out and shrank away from her.
She froze, then took a step back.
As she waited for Ranger to calm himself, she consulted her clock. She clenched her fists, pushing against the panic that appeared as she realized time was running out.
With painstaking slowness Ranger, hauled his weary body into a sitting position. Cleo took a tentative step towards him and was surprised when he didn't react.
"Ranger?"
He lifted his head, but his eyes did not recognize her standing there.
"Valdar," Cleo muttered.
She pulled out a small vile and took another step towards him. His gaze stayed locked on her, but he seemed to look through her. She stared at him for a long second, struggling with indecision. In her head she could hear the seconds ticking away, pulling on her nerves. With one final curse, Cleo took the last step to Ranger and took his hand. He let her without any response.
She put the vile in his cold, thin hand and closed his fingers around it.
"Take this Ranger," she said. "Drink it. I will come back. I will get you out of here. You hear me?"
Ranger stared straight into her eyes, but made no sign he heard. Cleo let out a helpless breath, her hand still clutching his. The ticking seemed to grow louder, but she ignored it and brought a hand to his face. He flinched, but didn't pulled back from her touch.
For a brief second, something seemed to spark in his eyes and he focused on her. Cleo gave him a small smile. Then the moment was gone and his head dropped. She pulled her hand away and took a step back.
"I'll be back," she said.
With one final look she took a breath and twisted space. The prison cell disappeared and the world took on a malleable form.
*********
Ranger stared across the cell, at the place the vision had stood only a moment ago. He worked to put his thoughts together. The small part of his mind that still clung to a bit of reality knew that the girl must have been real. Memories crawled to the edges of his mind, but slipped away as he tried to reach for them. Flashes of a young girl's face. A bright laugh. A soft hand holding his.
He looked down at his hand, almost expecting to see a small, white hand holding his. Instead he found a his own boney fingers curled around an object. With aching slowness he opened his claw like hand. On his palm lay a small vile. Light seemed to pour from it, expanding into the cell.
With shaky movements, he opened the vile. The smell of lilies and grass filled his nose. An image of a sloping hillside flashed through his mind. He raised the vile to his parched lips, tipped it and swallowed.
Instantly, warmth flooded his body.
Muscles that had long since stopped working slowly strengthened again.
The hollow pit in his stomach lessened.
He blinked and the haze that covered his vision melted away. His mind started coming together, tangled thoughts unraveling.
As his body gained back a semblance of strength, his mind became aware of how weak he truly was. The aches and pains his body had learned to dull, returned. Awake to the state of his battered body, Ranger slumped to the floor and closed his eyes.
The last thing that floated through his mind, before sleep over took him, was the image of the girl's face, smiling at him.
Boots thudded on the stone, jolting Ranger awake. He couldn't tell how long he had been asleep, the darkness of the cell stealing away time.
The image of a soft face, honey colored eyes and a delicate pink mouth swam in his thoughts as he looked up.
But instead of a thin feminine outline, he saw two hulking, hooded figures. The man on the left pulled back his hood, revealing a shaven dome, harsh features and a sneer.
"Greetings Ranger," the man said, his voice the sound of someone walking over broken glass.
Ranger attempted to push himself up, but his newly woken muscles ached in protest. The men stepped forward, their steps kicking up dust.
"No need to rise on our account," the same man said.
Then with careless force the men gripped Ranger's arms. Ranger clenched his jaw, fighting back the cry of pain that rose in his throat.
"It seems Lord Thax desires something of you," the man said.
Before Ranger was prepared for it, the world dropped away.
For a terrifying moment the Void swallowed him, then the world reappeared in the form of a lavish study. Ranger landed roughly on a wooden floor, falling as the men released his arms.
"Well done," a cool, mocking voice said.
Ranger felt his entire body react to the sound, terror grabbing hold of him. He stayed collapsed on the floor, struggling to control his shaking.
"Ranger," the cool voice said. "I'm pleased to see you could make an appearance."
A pair of polished, black riding boots appeared in Ranger's sight. Pain tore through his skull as a hand gripped his hair and yanked his head up. A clean shaven face with handsome features stared down at Ranger. A taunting smile curled the corner of the fine mouth. Ranger tightened one weak fist.
"Hello brother," he growled.
****************
Hullo!
Haha so how this story came about is kind of crazy, I seriously got the idea for this book just from seeing the picture which I made the cover. I really have no idea where it will go. I picture it involving struggles with Ranger's brother. Cleo dealing with trying to find and protect Ranger, as well as helping him get his strength back. Dealing with the current King and solving the mystery behind why Ranger was put in prison in the first place. It has to be my roughest idea so far.
I think is could be a really fun adventure, fantasy, romance type book! I look forward to writing it when...you know I figure out the plot!! 😄
Vote, comment, follow! I really want to know what you thought of it so please comment and let me know!