Private Tales Muscle

[Arwyl Minras]

It was all the distraction Arwyl needed. The man's eyes followed the axe that Kaius had thrown. All the way to its destination. When his gaze turned front and center, Arwyl had closed all the ground that there had been between them.

"Glug," he went. There was a sword lodged deep in his throat. Arwyl yanked it free.

"You know I don't know if we're going to be saviours or have the entire crowd of pit fighters turn on us in there?" Arwyl called over his shoulder. The way ahead, into the area where the pit fighters had been preparing, was wide open.

 

[Kaius]

Kaius wrenched his axe back out of the bone with a crunch and continued forward, checking behind him to ensure Calden was following. Arwyl wasn't wrong, but he hoped Calden would have a bit of sway to any who decided that they were some sort of threat or enemy.

He sprinted to catch up to Arwyl and many of the fighters stood staring at them in scrutiny and confusion.

"Take them down!" Toren had three more men watching over the rest of the slaves, but it wasn't the three humans that Kaius was worried about. They weren't as large as the four men they'd already killed, or Toren for that matter, and they seemed to know better than to challenge the elves themselves.

The ground seemed to shudder as the Komodi turned toward them and dragged his claws into the ground, his lips curled over his razor-sharp teeth, ready to attack.

"Toren is dead! All that stands between you and your freedom, are those men right there." Kaius pointed his axe toward the three who each looked like they could lose control of their bowels at any moment, and yet they tried to maintain conviction and ordered another attack.

Kaius glanced to Calden as he stepped up next to them. "We've no wish to fight you. Your freedom will be yours to do with as you wish - but if any of you wish to join us, you would be welcomed." his jaw clenched and his mossy gaze lingered for a moment on each and every man, woman and beast that stood before them as they considered.

"I SAID TAKE THEM DOWN!" one of the men screeched at them, and cracked his whip toward the Komodi.

 

[Arwyl Minras]

Others were being led away from what Arwyl could only describe as pens. It was not just Toren who had fighters out today. Other flesh merchants had brought their prized fighters for a go. Those people were trying to usher their wares away as quickly as possible. To them, this was a problem for Toren and this establishment to deal with.

The komodi wasn't quick enough for them to reason with. When the whip struck it came forwards. Arwyl backed away to try and lead the reptilian further away from the door so it wasn't choked up. Arwyl needed room to move.

"Kaius, go get Elena and the others!" Arwyl said. He didn't know who else would join them, but he was certain than Kaius and Calden had more of a chance of convincing them.

Arwyl preferred one slow opponent to three quick ones anyway.

 

[Kaius]

Kaius looked up at the komodi and then to Arwyl, torn between helping him and potentially losing their opportunity, or taking said opportunity and letting him take on the reptilian alone. Arwyl's life had always been his priority, that wouldn't change regardless of whether he could free ten or ten thousand slaves, but by taking the order and stepping away, it was clear that he trusted in the 'boy's' capabilities. Still, the sensation that came over him when he tried and failed to throw up some manner of shield made his skin crawl and his stomach churn over with anxious nausea.

Caulden was already on the move, casting a shadow of fear over the whip-handler's face as he strode with purpose toward him as though he had a score to settle. The whip lashed him across the chest, and Calden barely seemed to flinch, clearly used to the treatment. His meaty hand shot out to catch hold of another lash of leather and he gripped it and yanked, pulling the man to the ground. He lay sprawled on his belly and looked up to see the last sight he ever would as Calden's boot came crashing down on his skull with a sickening crack. The knight roared a sound of fury and slammed a fist against his bleeding chest as he looked across the men and women wracked with fear and confusion.

"We were not born to be slaves! We were born to be free - to make our own choices! Today we have a choice to make. My chains are broken, now break your own or hang by them! I implore you to fight for the free, who risked their lives for us animals..." Calden pointed his blade toward Kaius and Arwyl, and Kaius couldn't help but smile as the man appeared to remember who he once was.

Most were frozen with indecision, too afraid to betray those who'd whipped them like dogs for much of their lives. Some had decided it wasn't worth the risk, and they took up arms and rushed at Kaius and Calden with their weapons drawn. Others rose to defend them, and the sound of steel rang out as each made their own choices.

 

[Arwyl Minras]

"Oh you are a big bastard aren't you?" muttered Arwyl as he backed off.

The two were in the centre of the pit now, but without an audience. Most of the punters had fled quickly. They were here to drink and gamble, perhaps to organise some crime. They weren't here to fight.

Just Toren, skewered to his chair with a stained waterfall of red down his tunic remained seated. One last macabre spectator for this last pit fight.

The komodi's hissed turned into a sharp intake of breath. Arwyl darted to the left, ducking his head into the roll. A wave of fire followed him, singeing the edges of his cloak. He rolled through the sand, putting out any flames before they could spread.

With a flourish of the blade he turned to face his opponent. Arwyl wasn't goading the creature through arrogance - not today. A komodi had thick scales and a venomous bite. He wanted one chance to take an opening.

 

[Kaius]

Each slave he cut down was another shock of guilt. He almost begged for them to think about it, convince them that they no longer had to obey those who cracked the whips on their backs, that they could be free. But he wasn't about to die whilst trying to persuade them.

A few men and women had crossed the metaphorical line in the sand and now fought by his side. They were going after the slavers, and as they fell more were convinced to either fight, or run. Kaius wouldn't stop them, nor did he blame them.

"Your masters are falling - you don't owe them your lives!" Kaius roared in frustration as he slashed a young human male across the chest and watched him fall and bleed, and then to the dark elf that Calden run through. His distraction cost him, and something very large and very heavy lifted him from his feet and threw him like he weighed nothing. The wall came rushing toward him, and he clattered into it and fell to a dizzy heap, groping around at the straw-covered floor for his axe as he watched an Orc stride toward him with crushing purpose. He didn't need weapons, and his fleshy hands opened to grip Kaius by the throat and lift him and press him against the wall.

The touch was bruising enough before he started squeezing and pushing, willing Kaius' windpipe to crack. Kaius clawed desperately at his meaty fingers, putting every ounce of strength into trying to pry them from his neck. The edges of his vision blurred, his kicks went unnoticed, and he was on the verge of passing out when the grip was suddenly released and he went falling back to the ground with the Orc slumping on top of him.

He dragged the air back in desperately and coughed as he shoved at the limp beast who's hot blood spilled onto his torso. The weight was lifted, and Kaius looked up at the woman currently offering him one hand as her other wrenched her axe out of the Orc's skull. Elena. He stared for a moment before taking the hand and letting her pull him to his feet.

"Thank you." he nodded and frowned at how broken his voice was. Kai lifted his axe and stared out at the dwindling battle. The slavers had been cut down, and too many slaves had fallen with them, but his mossy gaze cast across the dozen that remained and they looked back at him expectantly. The one he looked for, he failed to see, and his face paled with panic.

"Where is Arwyl?.."

 

[Arwyl Minras]

"Not even..."

That maw snapped out again, the sound reverberating between the empty benches.

"...a little chance..."

Both claws went lashing out, but Arwyl punished the lazy strike. His sword went back and forth, blade striking both of the komodi's hands.

"...for a conversation?"

It leapt forwards, trying to snatch him up in its arms. Arwyl tossed his sword to the side and threw himself into a roll, ducking under its arms.

It turned sharply, hissing in frustration. Arwyl danced back, swinging his sword in an upwards arc that nearly caught its chin. Arwyl laughed.

It drew its head back, opened its maw wide. The amusement vanished from Arwyl's expression. He darted forwards driving his sword up with both hands. The blade went through its teeth, striking the back of its palate and severing its venom sacks.

There was a spark and a flash of light. The komodi fell away, burning from the inside out. The ignited venom wouldn't last long, but it was doomed to its painful fate now.

"Where is Arwyl?.."

"Still alive!" shouted Arwyl from the pit.

 

[Kaius]

The sound of Arwyl's voice near had him collapse with relief, and Kaius let out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. He dipped his chin to those who stood watching him, and he rolled his shoulder as he followed Arwyl's voice back to the pit. He cast a glance around the room and a moment's notice was spent on the Komodi, but a grin broke his face and he reached for the elf's shoulder to drag him into a firm hug with a hard pat on his back.

"Good work lad." he breathed out and released his grip to look over the elf for sign of injury. He felt eyes on him, and turned to realise that the others and followed him back to the pit with Calden and Elena at the forefront. There were another three male elves, a male dark elf, two young male orcs and a female orc and the rest were human men.

Kaius glanced to Arwyl before looking back to them, and he approached Caulden to grip hold of the man's shoulder. "You freed these people as much as we did. I promised you freedom and you have it, it's yours to do with as you please, but you're welcome to join us, brother." Kaius frowned at the man's weathered face and looked to the others as his voice rose.

"That goes for all of you. Thank you. Leave, or stay with us, either way you're free men and women." he nodded and looked to Elena with another respectful dip of his chin.

 

[Arwyl Minras]

"Alright, alright," said Arwyl. His voice was half conveying a protest at being checked over, whilst also expressing gratitude. From his magic to words, everything from Arwyl seemed to come with several edges.

"Was a big bastard though," he grunted, stepping away.

He stood back and let Kaius say his piece. He watched with interest as the group muttered amongst themselves. It was Calden who spoke first.

"We need to get out of here in one group. Others might try and stop us. What came after that can wait."

There was a general agreement with the sentiment and soon they were moving. The back doors were thrown open, revealing the ragged landscape of broken woods around the back of the place.

Arwyl meandered closer to Elena." Although technically, I might be your Prince," he said.

"Fuck off," she spat.

Arwyl stepped away, letting the train of mercenaries and slaves pass him by until he was level with Kaius.

"I am going to pick the most blunt personality for that job we mentioned."

 

[Kaius]

Kaius gave a firm nod of agreement to Caulden's words along with a tight-lipped smile in appreciation. As they started to filter out, Kaius made a point of stopping by the body of the man who'd taken his coin from Toren, and he took it back with a quiet 'Thank you' in elven.

He let the others lead, and followed behind, rubbing gingerly at his bruised neck and rolling out the tension in his neck and shoulders. At Elena's response to Arwyl, he couldn't help but snort and shake his head.

"Smooth...." he muttered to himself in mild amusement and eyed the prince as he waited up for him.

His eyes rolled at the comment. "Why not hire yourself a body guard, and I can watch my own arse?.." he muttered and gave him a hard nudge in the ribs with his elbow.. "Why not Riley?" his brows rose in amusement, and his cheeks dimpled with his grin.

"I'm sorry. For once I was the one to turn a few quiet drinks into a full-scale fucking battle.." he laughed.

 

[Arwyl Minras]

"You put it so succinctly. I started a drunken brawl - admittedly those guards arrived very quickly - but I didn't tear down a whole establishment."

Arwyl looked back over his shoulder. He could just make out the top of the wooden building.

"Thought of burning it down, but might have set these woods on fire too. Been pretty dry recently," he said, sounding vaguely dissapointed.

"You want Riley as my bodyguard or yours?" Arwyl replied. Kaius' tone had certainly shifted from the days of deep suspicion about an ex-Dreadlord.

 

[Kaius]

Kaius wasn’t about to argue, and he laughed as he followed Arwyl’s gaze back to the tavern. “I think we’ve made our point clearly enough without arson.” He murmured and shook his head with a sigh as he thought of the corpses of the slaves that lay there.

“But yes. At least my cause was worthy.” He added as he returned his attention to those walking ahead, finding it better to focus on their achievements rather than failures.

He shot Arwyl a sideways glance as he taunted about Riley. He shouldn’t have tested those waters, perhaps it’d been some feeble attempt at gaging his opinion on her. She’d done enough to gain the trust of most but there were still many who were unconvinced, but he could never blame them for their reservations, he only hoped with time that would change.

“I told you I don’t need a fucking body guard.” He kneaded at the back of his neck, noting how warm it felt and he cast his gaze skyward. “We should change direction soon. Find a stream to camp by and hunt. I imagined they’re hungry..”

 

[Arwyl Minras]

"I know you don't," Arwyl said. He didn't know if he had known that at the start of the day. After the last few weeks, and taking a beating from the old man in front of the group, perhaps he had really just needed some time outside the bubble without the rest of the band.

Arwyl had fully expected that he would be rebuked and that they would just spend the time drinking and gambling. Although he should have expected something similar to happen. It was the moment that they had both realised that Elena might just have been another refugee from the same city.

Stretching out his arm, he drew a crack in the magic of the world, and formed a blade of spirit glass. He sighed in contentment, opened his hand and let it flutter away in a thousand tiny shards that captured Evey colour of the spectrum.

"You think she'll join?" he asked quietly.

 

[Kaius]

A dark brow quirked slightly and he cast another sideways glance, as though expecting some sort of cheeky follow up, though when none came he bit back his own retort in appreciation of his resignation on the matter.

He watched the Prince's magic, as he found himself doing from time to time, with awe. He had learned to manipulate and control it so well, and whether he said it or not, Kaius had never seen a more impressive gift. Arwyl had been a handful to teach, given the circumstances, and Kaius realised he should probably have given him a little more credit for managing it at all.

His thoughts were interrupted by the Prince's question and his attention returned to his path and the others on it. He shrugged with a sigh and shook his head "I don't know. But it's her choice to make and frankly I hope they all choose a free life someplace peaceful." he muttered under his breath.

"You know you use that gift of yours as beautifully as your mother did." he commented quietly. "If I was too hard on you, I'm sorry. I.." he paused. He'd been about to go on about how perhaps he should accept that Arwyl could look after himself, he'd proven that, and that perhaps he shouldn't get so hell bent on protecting him. But it would have been a wasted breath when he knew he wasn't ready to do that, nor was he sure he'd ever be.

"You're a petulant little shit at times, but you turned out alright." he sighed, and his eyes creased with a smile.

 

[Arwyl Minras]

"Oh," went Arwyl.

Despite his youthful features, his eyes also creased into a smile. The expression didn't quite reach his mouth. His bottom lip faintly trembled before he pursed his lips and looked down at his feet.

He hadn't expected to be so blinded by the admission. The way they lived from day to day, they often didn't have to time to search their feelings. The mind of an elf was complicated. A human mind was a simple thing, blobs of memory dropped down in sequence until they died at the age of forty.

An elf's mind was a web or a ball of yarn. Hundreds of threads connecting perhaps centuries of memories. Their kind often spent time meditating not for any spiritual reason but because they needed to organise their thoughts.

His words was a lit match to the end of one of those threads. Lighting an entire string of memories as if they were basking in the fire. Arwyl could remember the smell of Kaius' blood soaked leather jerkin as he had used soft words and strong arms to force Arwyl back. To stop him from running back towards his home as it fell.

"You've probably been everything I've needed," Arwyl said. He wanted to express how much he missed his mother, but the lump in the back of his throat wouldn't shift.

 

[Kaius]

Kaius couldn't help but smirk to himself, as though the turning of the young elf's mind was audible as he processed what he'd said. Then came the guilt. The guilt that he'd been so caught up in his own grief and so embittered by his loss and his charge that he'd admittedly resented a child for those first few years. A child who'd lost his parents and everything else in his life. A loss that Kaius didn't speak about because it hurt him so much that he'd been guilty of failing to consider that Arwyl might need to speak of it. Kaius wasn't perfect, nor did he ever claim to be, but he could admit when he was wrong.

He'd spend every day for the rest of his life making it up to him.

"Nowhere near it." he answered and cleared his throat, waving a hand to Caulden as he caught his gaze and gesturing that they turn right and head into the thicker wood. The tired little train turned. "But I'm what you're stuck with."

"It's been on my mind a lot as of late.. Home. I know we haven't spoken much about it but you should know that if you wish to..." his words trailed off and he left the rest unsaid. He had Riley to blame for how far his thoughts had wandered through time, how she unintentionally dragged up memories of Arwyl's mother, as though his heart had needed a little dusting as it recalled what those old feelings had felt like and started working again..

"I might be your prince?....." he repeated the words Arwyl had spoken to Elena with a grimace of amusement on his face and laughed.

 

[Arwyl Minras]

Something had been on the tip of his tongue. It fled as soon as Kaius was about to form the words. Arwyl decided to let it go. They had been through enough today.

"Yes, fine, not the most subtle even if it's true. We can try and find out if she came from Keirvarn later. And I am all too aware that I am stuck with you, otherwise my attempts would have drive you off long ago," Arwyl said.

This time he managed half of a smile. His heart was not quite in the joke.

"We do need to find somewhere slightly more permanent to settle. We can...talk about that another time."

Fifty people did not make a whole town. They were not farmers or builders. They were what the Anirian army had made them: survivors.

 

[Kaius]

Kaius let out a sharp huff.. "Aye, I've not had too much luck with that either.." he jested back.

His dark green gaze narrowed slightly at the mention of a permanent settlement and he looked at the elf with a mixture of delight and pride. His chin dipped in a silent nod and he grinned and left it at that. To even know that the Prince was finally even considering it filled him with a sense of triumph and hope that a better future might be built.

"Hold up here!" Kaius called out finally and the little troop, clearly used to obeying without question, stopped instantly and looked back at him. Kaius blinked and stumbled over his words.. "We'll rest here for the night, and make it to camp tomorrow morning. Get a few small fires going to keep warm, if any of you hunt, then with me." he called over and waited.

They seemed to struggle to make a decision for a moment. Kaius wasn't entirely sure that they even realised that they could leave if they wished, or whether they thought he and Arwyl now owned them. They'd get them to camp, and they could make their decisions then..

After a moment, a few of the men walked to him whilst a few others started collecting wood and clearing the ground to set up a few fire pits between a copse of trees. Some knelt by the cold river to wash and drink.

"Shouldn't be long.. Stay alert.." he murmured to Arwyl as he turned with the others to hunt.

 

[Arwyl Minras]

"Take care," Arwyl said firmly. He knew his own men. The ones loyal because they came from his kingdom and those whose loyalty had come with time. There were many reasons one could end up fighting for money in a tavern. Not all of them would be victims of their circumstances.

Once Kaius had gone with those that wanted to hunt, some got on with the fires and others milled around. They were probably thinking about what to do next or simply unaware of how to survive out here.

Arwyl took it upon himself to start giving some direction. Those remaining seemed to naturally fall into different groups. The people here must have known and fought others from the group. He wondered how much the groupings were from their histories. There was little conversation to overhear, most were watching the trees for trouble.

After using the sharpness of a splinter of spirit glass to peel bark and make kindling, he meandered over the Elena. She was sat cross legged on the ground, watching the stars in silence.

"Can I sit?" he asked. She merely shrugged.

 

[Kaius]

The men who accompanied him weren't exactly the talkative sort, which wasn't an issue since hunting was a silent sport, but Kaius could feel them eyeing him as though awaiting an order. Of course, he had no orders to give, and so Kaius made quiet small talk in attempt to ease their tension a little.

By the time their little camp became visible through the trees, the red sky had given way to indigo and the stars were beginning to show themselves. Kaius and another elven man named Erik carried a young buck between them whilst the others carried pheasant and rabbit. They'd admittedly had enough after the first two kills, but Kaius kept them out a little longer, and the barriers were soon breaking down.

The men laughed amongst themselves as they walked back, discussing what they intended on doing with their freedom but it mainly surrounded what foods they were going to eat and the alcohol and women they hoped to sample. Some had been taken from their families and sold as children, others had lost everything and chose servitude over death.

"And what of you, Kaius.. Is there a woman waiting for you?.." Kaius grinned but didn't answer, only shook his heads at the taunts and jeers that followed his silence. He hoped Arwyl had as much luck with easing the rigidity, and that Elena hadn't strung him up by now.

 

[Arwyl Minras]

The atmosphere back at the camp was significantly more muted. A few fires blazed and the soft sound of conversation joined the crackle of dry wood. There was a shift as they heard the hunters returning, a flash of nerves and absolute silence.

It didn't take long for recognition to move through the group like a wave. Conversation returned after the sounds of weapons being put down or sheathed.

"Are you from Keirvarn?" Arwyl asked Elena directly. There was none of the humour in his tone. He asked the question openly, seriously.

"Does it matter?" she asked, watching the fire intently. Others were getting up to help prepare the meat. She remained stock still. Not the usual kind of stillness that came from resting. It was akin to a predator ready to strike.

 

[Kaius]

The hunters mingled and more involved themselves in the plucking, skinning and butchering of the meat. The slight ease in tension seemed to spread. Kaius made time to speak to each one, ensuring none were badly injured, commending them for their bravery and assuring them that their freedom was no trick.

When the food was cooking, he returned to where Arwyl and Elena sat and joined them, patting the Prince on the shoulder as he sat next to him.

"How's the throat?.." Elena asked without looking at him. He rubbed at the bruising with a light smirk and nodded.

"Intact, thanks to you. Might not be able to shout as loud for a while, but I'm breathing." he answered with a husky laugh. "If our prince hasn't said so already, we appreciate your help back there." he dipped his chin in a nod and settled back onto his elbows to watch the little group merge and work together.. "I only wish there were more of you."

"Have you thought about where you want to go?.." he asked and settled his gaze on the woman.

 

[Arwyl Minras]

"No," Elena replied honestly. "Mightn't tell you if I had," she chose to admit.

She seemed more willing to talk to Kaius than Arwyl. It made sense; he was the one who had charged into the back rooms and cried out for everyone to escape.

"Stay if you want," Arwyl said quietly, keeping his eyes on the fire. "We've collected most of those who survived Keirvarn. Other elves who have lost their homes."

Elena frowned at the fire. There was a set to her jaw that spoke of pent up anger than even Arwyl couldn't match.

"More out their scattered than I bet he has following him," she finally replied, nodding to Kaius.

Arwyl didn't have the heart to correct her at this point.

 

[Kaius]

Kaius shrugged and gave a slow nod. Her reluctance was understandable, particularly to him.. "That's fair. You don't have to talk to us at all, that's entirely up to you." he groaned as he stretched, the smell of cooking meat ensuring his senses and causing his stomach to growl in protest.

He sighed quietly, trying to avoid any difficult conversation straight away in respect of her need to adjust..His brow quirked at Arwyl's offer and turned his mossy gaze on Elena to gauge her reaction, and his gaze narrowed in confusion at her words.

"Then our band will continue to grow until we've freed them also." he commented. "And Arwyl is the one we follow. Keirvarn may be ash but he is still of royal blood. I lead soldiers, not kingdoms. If you wish to stay and help us build a new one. I swear by all the gods, I will track down every slave I possibly can." he stared at her.

"You don't have to decide now, if you have somewhere else to be, then by all means.. Your life is yours to do with as you will."

 

[Arwyl Minras]

A number of pieces were falling into place. Arwyl felt that now. It was no magic epiphany that gave him a sense of purpose all of a sudden. He had always wanted to do right by his people and to strike back. He had done that in his own way.

Here was Elena, someone he believed to be one of his people. She had been fighting in a pit against orcs and drow for enough coin to eat. He had always assumed that those who hadn't escaped Keirvarn had perished. The band had been his people. Those few he had tried to do right by.

There were far more out there with no home to go for and not just those from his own city. He had already admitted to Kaius that they needed a permanents base.

Now they needed a permanent base, eyes and ears out in the world and the means and the will to break his people free out of whatever situation they found themselves in.