Open Chronicles When it Rains...

[Andonis Iraklidis]

drip...
drip...
drip...
​

Thin lines of blurred black were all he could first see, and like the stench that filled his nostrils, it stung. His eyelids slammed shut, daring to only slowly peel open after a quick rub with his hand. There was no bright light or such which caused this for him. There was but a dim luminescence from torches down the distant corridor. No something else caused his discomfort, and he was unsure what exactly.

He was unsure of much, in fact. Where he was for starters.

He blinked eventually, and found that he was laid on his back in on a cold and damp floor. He was stripped of any belongings, as well as any clothing it seemed - save for some dirty and tattered cloth that had been thrown over him. From where he lay he could see sporadic beams of light, broken by steel bars, just above average head level, and he could see what looked like the shadows of peoples' feet shuffling by.

Around him was wet and damp mortared stone, mossy and moldy in places and then dry with webs and spiders in others. It smelled awful. And it was dark, almost too dark to see.

drip...​

He sat up, slowly, and sat there for a moment while bracing himself on one arm. He rubbed his head, finding that there was a dried, bloodied bandage there. He removed it, and felt his head. He found no wound, but his head still ached. As he looked around he saw that he was in a small room of stone on three sides, and bars across one with a locked gate.

A cell.

He rose to his feet, moved toward one of the walls and leaned on it. He could see clear to the cell across from him - though it was shrouded in darkness save for what light shone just in from down the hall.

He heard some gruff banter, and heavy footfalls splashing and thudding near. A couple long shadows of armored guards appeared as they patrolled through the block and taunted many of the prisoners, including himself. But he like many of the others gave no response, and instead just waited for them to make their way. They called him a few interesting names, but all he could do is wonder what he had done to make them so wroth with him - despite also becoming quite irritated with their demeanor.

He gave no response not out of fear, but rather confusion. He truly had no recollection of who these men were, or where he really was, or why he was here?

They finally moved off, and he came forward and looked through the cell bars and watched them carry on taunting, and laughing.

"Fuck."

drip...​

 

[Enthund]

There was a crying person not far, a lamenting one too. People wheezing while others growling and shouting profanities. It was just hard to know how long some had been here, in this eternal darkness of tortured existence.
Maddened and broken until they were but a husk of their former selves. Some of the wardens spoke that it's for the better.
One's heartstrings may quickly begin to weep, yet one must not forget that most here were locked up tight for reason so heinous that might make one's heart boil in rage.

Another body was dragged along by two wardens, limp and stripped down to a bloody linen garment.
A gate was opened and the elven body was tossed in.

 

[Sapphire]

"I hope they make it slow, Witch!"

Sapphire bit back half a dozen slurs as a pair of guards retreated from the bars of her cell, carrying hearty laughter down the corridor which soon faded to silence. Well, not total silence.

The prison was a miserable place. Weeping and pained moaning hung in the air, a constant murmur. The roof of her cell leaked droplets of what she could only hope was rainwater, covering the cobbled floor in a slimy damp film. The air reeked of shit, rotten food, and what she could only imagine was the carcass of a large animal. She'd been in a lot of shit-holes this past year, but this certainly took the cake.

Honestly, she was surprised she hadn't wound up in a place like this sooner. Bouncing between well-populated towns, it was only a matter of time before someone was affected by her curse. In the end she'd been arrested for breaking a baker's arm, a terrible consequence of something she simply couldn't control. She'd tried to flee. but the townsfolk were too many and too furious. The guards had taken her, and had probably saved her from being beaten to death, all things considered.

Not that it made a difference. She was to be burned at the stake in the morning, which she'd heard was quite unpleasant. She'd thought she'd go out in some fantastical fight for her life. But no, she was to die as a public spectacle, left to the ashes for a crime she didn't commit. Well, not intentionally at least.

Worse still, the Bocan had deserted her. The demon was making a habit of making itself scarce when she was in peril. Of course, foolish was she to expect a demon to show any form of honourable behaviour.

Sapphire walked to the bars of her cell, resting her hands on the smooth metal and peering outside, wondering what scum she had the pleasure of calling neighbours.

A single drop of "water" splashed atop her head, and the woman swore aloud.

 

[Leon Vargas]

"Give him to me or I will burn this place to the ground along with everyone in it." His face was set in a mask of anger in rage, two Red Knights standing behind him with their hands already resting on the pommels of their swords.

Opposite him stood the Governor of this prison, his face a gnarled mask of scars and a broken nose that made him look like a rat. Behind him stood a dozen or so guards, all of them wearing shambles of armor that seemed to be more cobbled together than anything else. Though their swords seemed sharp enough.

"The Radiant Church ain't got no authority 'ere. Dun care if you is some big shot back in Cortos. The man committed a crime 'ere, and he's gonna pay for it 'ere. Twenty years 'ard labor."​

Leon's face contorted in disgust as the toothless man spoke to him, fingers stretching slightly out from a fist. "He is a heretic, a rebel, and a liar."

The man that they spoke of was Thadius Irrek, a Cortosi born in the city of Galenia. Once a priest of the Radiant Church, he had turned on the teaching of the Sun God and instead used his pulpit to spread lies and heresy.

Then he had fled like a coward.

That was why Leon was here now, in this dump of a prison. The Inqusition wanted Thadius, mostly so they could place his body on a pike outside of Galenia.

"I 'un care if he worships Demons. He ain't goin nowhere without word from the Duke."
​

Leon scowled.

 

[Andonis Iraklidis]

He listened in silence at the groaning and wailing that surrounded him. He looked around with a no doubt quite obvious look of shock on his face - taking it all in was proving to take a bit of a toll. His eyes shot back to where the guards had first come from, and he saw another pair dragging in a...a lady.

They tossed her into the cell across from him, and she landed with a hard smack. He cringed at the sound of it. Then came a loud creak and a slam as they closed the gates.

"See you in hell, knife ears," one said as they turned to leave. He chuckled then, and shouted at another prisoner, just the next cell over from his.

"I hope they make it slow, Witch!"

More laughter as they carried on to leave them with the grueling sounds of torture and agony. Andonis by now had grown quite upset, but even as he raged against the bars he could not move them. He felt as though he was strong enough to - but something held him back. In frustration he pushed away from the bars, and took a step back.

Then, he looked across to the next cell. The woman who'd be thrown in was covered in shadow, but he could see her feet laid just by the cell door.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked, in a somewhat heightened whisper, "where the hell are we?"

* * *
​

Dariu was shoved along by the guards. They were quite an ignorant bunch these lads, and even though he was only guilty of traveling through their lands he was arrested, charged with conspiracy, and sentenced to death! Of all the damned things.

And to make matters worse, he knew something none of the rest of these bastards knew - or at least wanted to know. He did try to tell them. But as he was being pushed along through the gatehouse, just past the portcullis he saw a tall, young man arguing with the prison's Governor.

He called out to them, "you're all fucked anyway! I tried to tell them kid," he looked right at Leon.

He probably looked like a crazed madman, what with the graying hair and the eyepatch and all.

"There's an army headed this way, they want the castle theres no other reason they'd come," he struggled to get a few more words out as the guards forced him along, "get the hell outta here!"

Then he was either punched, or kicked in the head by a donkey. Either way it all went black after that.

Enthund Sapphire Leon Vargas

 

[Enthund]

The elf remained limp, the shouting and crying and cursing and bleating echoing through her head like some bad nightmare that would soon be forgotten as the hazing that got her this still.

Her toes flexed, hearing some voice nudging her ahead, but all was fuzzy.
The head turned not long after as she groaned in pain.

 

[Sapphire]

There was a behemoth of a man in the cell opposite her. On first glance, she'd pinned him for an elf - she hadn't seen men so tall before. Before stepping into the light, her eyes rolled lightly. Was anyone in here okay, really?

She'd have normally kept quiet. Minimalising social contact normally kept her out of trouble. However, considering she was to die tomorrow, staying out of trouble sat fairly low on her list of priorities. "I'm brilliant. There's nothing I love more than being trapped in a stinking hovel. How are you doing?".

Her ears pricked up as another prisoner was brought towards his cell. A raving old man, he spoke of an approaching army, how they planned to take the castle by storm. Sapphire could only hope they were a tribe of boneless invertebrates. The girl watched as the man was dragged by, averting her gaze as the guards beat the consciousness out of him. Then, she looked back to the big guy.

"To be honest, I didn't get the name of the town before I was chained and thrown in here. A few days from Alliria, if that's any good to you".
The man was strange. He certainly looked like he could commit a crime, his inquiry as to how she was doing suggested some sliver of decency under all the muscle.
"What are you in for, anyways?"

 

[Leon Vargas]

A man as ugly as a stone floor called to him while being half wrestled against the floor by the Guards. He spoke with quick words and lack of wit, but what he said still rang in Leon's ears.

Lips thinned, and he immediately turned back towards the Prisons Governor. "An army?"

What sort of army would want to take a dump like this? Leon wouldn't have wasted a single regiment trying to claim this decrepit hovel. One was better off tearing it to the ground than trying to use it as any sort of defensible position.

"Just fool talk, makin things up to get out of his sentence."​

Leon frowned at the Governor for a moment. Reading the man was impossible, he was too stupid to make any sort of decent argument. Even if he didn't believe there was an army, that didn't mean there wasn't one.

"Hector, take Padrick and see if there is any credence to these words of an army." The Red Knight behind him quickly nodded and turned on his heel, walkin briskly back towards the other three men that Leon had brought with him.

"Now." Leon said as he pulled a bag of Cortosi gold from his belt. "Three gold to at least let me see the Heretic."

He pulled out the coin, and he could practically see the gears turn in the Governors head.

 

[Andonis Iraklidis]

"I'm brilliant. There's nothing I love more than being trapped in a stinking hovel. How are you doing?".

He blinked. Okay, that was a fair enough answer, sarcastic as it was.

He looked down the hall again as another man was dragged into the cell block. He resisted and shouted on about an army nearby. Then he was prompty struck over the head and knocked out before being dragged into another cell down the way and being tossed inside. They gave the man a few more kicks for good measure, and chuckled as they left him.

...A few days from Alliria, if that's any good to you"...
"What are you in for, anyways?"

He thought for a moment, his eyes shifting left and right as he searched for the memory. But he could not find it.

"I... am not sure," he cringed, "I must have upset the wrong person."

He looked around him with some bewilderment, "I don't even remember being brought in, to be honest."

* * *
​

Some kilometers away, there was indeed a gathered force and they moved toward the prison. Marius was out for blood, and this man's he would bare on his hands alone - no matter the cost.

He'd caught wind that Andonis had been captured and brought here while on some fools quest. A quest the man partook of only after having destroyed the sanctity of Marius' marriage and turning his faithless wife against him.

What he had been forced to do was on Andonis' hands, and he would claim his vengeance as surely as the sun would set and rise again.

So with him he'd gathered many men, and mercenaries too. He'd even employed the magics of dark wizards, who had twisted the minds of blight orcs, and undead. And though the force was only of several hundred, they had with them ghastly methods of breeching the castles' wall and obtaining his prize.

As for whoever else, and all who stood in their way...

Their blood would be on Andonis as well.

Sapphire Enthund Leon Vargas

 

[Sapphire]

Her brow felt the weight of a frown, unsure as to whether the large man was pulling her leg. From what the way he spoke, one would have assumed he was suffering from amnesia. Sapphire, for her part, was a little more pessimistic about people. She assumed the man was after one too many hallucinogenic herbs, or perhaps he was arrested for some drunken antics that he had no recollection of. Regardless, Sapphire was interested.
"Well, what's the last thing you remember?"

An angered cry came from one of the guards, ordering her to shut her cursed gob. She wondered if the story of the nearby army had them jittery. She hoped so.
"You think the old man was speaking the truth?"

 

[Enthund]

Groans slowly accumulated but the screaming in her ears did not end.
The elf rose on her arms and words slowly began to clear.

Truth? what truth? Don't remember being here?
What was this, where was she...Enthund shook her head, shuddering. Not long after her head rose, blue and worn.
The cells before and beside her occupied, two people clearly in discourse.
Her wet eyes flickered past the shadow.

And a man's painful lament and moaning grew quieter.

 

[Leon Vargas]

The scouts would still take some time, and Leon intended to use that time to get what he wanted from the errant Heretic, or at least a bit of it.

Confession was a key part of the trials back in Cortos. The Radiant Church had decreed that before an Inquisitor acts upon execution that a confession must be given. How one achieved that confession? Well that mattered little in the eyes of the Bright Lord.

It was by the grace of a few golden coins that Leon now found himself walking through the fetid dungeons of the castle, his back held straight and one of the Red Knights at his back as a one eyed guard led them through the halls.

His red eyes swept over the prisoners kept down here, the echoes of conversation and moans of pain reaching him as they delved deeper. "Even in Torleon we treat scum better."

Leon muttered to himself as he spotted an unconscious prisoner being nibbled on by a rat.

 

[Andonis Iraklidis]

"Well, what's the last thing you remember?"

The guards shouted to them to keep their peace, but he ignored them. He was far too entrenched in thought to even hear them really. He stood rather still and looked here and there in thought, but only one thing came to him: his name.

"Andonis... my name. That's all I remember," he replied with a quieted tone.

His head turned to the sound of Enthund beginning to stir, but he decided to allow her a moment to collect herself before speaking with her.

"You think the old man was speaking the truth?"

"He didn't look all too together, but he didn't seem crazed to me..." whether that meant something or not, well that was anyone's guess, "...its hard to say. But, if he's going to die anyway why bother saying anything?"

By now surely the other lady, the knife ears, had sorted herself by now, "what of yourself? Any word of an army?"

The sound of heavy footfalls once more began to draw near, and he hushed his tone yet some more. At least whoever was coming near this time refrained from harassing the prisoners like so many others seemed to take cruel pleasure in here.

Sapphire Enthund Leon Vargas

 

[Andonis Iraklidis]

After a moment of silence, for fear or what else he did not know. But he couldn't contain the surge of rage that flared in his heart, shown by the fire in his eyes. He reached out and slammed his hands against the cell bars with a great crash - wiggling just so at their base.

"Hey!" the fury in his voice was akin to the roaring of a caged lion.

With another great strike he kicked at his cell door - buckling its hinges - then he grabbed the bars again.

"Maybe you didn't hear me..." he said, his anger restrained but still quite evident.

 

[Enthund]

Her hands slowly reached for the iron bars.
Cold, humming. Could you, just for a moment feel the vibrations of people walking?
No, it was dead cold silence of the metal.
People still moaned and cried.

plip

plap

plip

plap


Cold wetness found itself on the elf's forehead as she dragged herself up. Her whole weight now leaning against the bars.
»Humans, pigs in clothes, worthless wretches and sons of wenches... « The elf began to mumble between the bars, her posture anything but steady.
Her eyes meandered from the inquisitor walking down before landing on the man opposite her cellblock shouting and making noise.
She wrinkled her nose, dry blood cracking up.
»all the same, all the same «

Leon Vargas Andonis Iraklidis Sapphire

 

[Andonis Iraklidis]

Can you even hear me?

Enthund

»Humans, pigs in clothes, worthless wretches and sons of wenches... «

Hm?

He couldn't be sure for the lack of light in this place, but it seemed that this individual was somebody... he did not expect. An elf perhaps? Hard to say, but from the sound of her voice she sounded as though she was in far worse shape than he. He actually, felt quite fine, which he found odd given the state of almost everyone else in this place. Perhaps he had been lucky?

A little more hushed, a little more cordially now, he tired once again, "are you alright over there? Elf?"

No he had no better idea, no better light. But hopefully some mind of addressment would capture her attention, if she wasn't too far into her own head at this point.

He'd hardly blame her if she was.

 

[Enthund]

The inquisitor passed her by and the elf's eyes now firmly fixated on the man opposite of her.
In the dark of the cells, it was hard to see.
»Ugh, no, no I'm not alright.« She groaned, her tone sharp.
»Why are so many people here, why the ruckus?«

 

[Andonis Iraklidis]

Ah, good. You speak.

Enthund

​

He looked down the corridor, wincing at the sound of some poor soul's anguish. He cried out something about his arm, and then he was silenced under the sound of something muffling. Andonis shook his head, and turned back to her.

"I'm not sure to be honest. Seem to be a lot of folk comin' in. I've heard there's an army on its way here too... god only knows why the hell for."

He sighed, his shoulders sinking and his hands sliding down on the bars as his grip loosened a bit.

"I don't even know what I'm doing here," he whispered.
​

Another slam from down the way. Someone else had been tossed into a cell, and they let out an anguished cry as they collapsed. They cried out about their family, fearful of what had come of them. Andonis only shook his head. He wished he could help, but then did any of them deserve his help? Did he deserve to be helped?

Well hell, he knew he wanted it. Maybe if he had the chance, he'd help these people too.

 

[Enthund]

There was a brief silence from the elf.

»Elves.«

»Are they elves.« Enthund replied louder.
One of the wardens slammed at the bars, however, the intended ruse for silence went haywire as the prisoners began to cry a cacophony of wailing, squealing, moaning, growling, crying, screeching and screaming profanities.

»We're all goners here,«

 

[Andonis Iraklidis]

I wish I knew...

Enthund

​

He shook his head.

He was about to say that he did not know, when all of the sudden there was a loud crash. This was much louder than the sound of some cell door slamming shut, or something of the sort. No the sound itself seemed to shake the very walls of this place, and the walls hissed with the sound of sand falling from between weathered mortar joints.

In the distance there was shouting that kicked up, and screaming of what sound like worse agony that they had already be subjected to listening to.

Then another loud bang, and another tremor.

He heard distinctly in the distance, "we're under attack!"

And then the sound of the prisoners' voices, rising up in fear. Anxiety gripped him too, but he did not let himself display it so pitifully as these sorry lot did. He leaned himself back, and then drove his foot into the cell's door. It violently shook, but gave no reprieve. He grunted, and kicked again, and again. But he displayed no sign of panic, or frustration. Only a diligent determination. He was not going to let himself die like a caged dog, whether it be by one slayer or another.

And soon enough, it seemed his determination would pay off, albeit slowly. The cell's door began to buckle, and its lock began to give. A few more well placed kicks would free him...

But the sound of guards drawing near did bring a sense of urgency to him. And with one final kick, the door swung open to slam into the first guard and topple him to the floor. Andonis rushed out, and with his size and strength easily overpowered the second guard before he could unsheathe his sword. Andonis was ultimately forced to slay him. Broke his neck, as painlessly as he could. The first guard's eyes had rolled into his head. Andonis was trained better though. He claimed the sword from the fallen guard, and skewered the one who lay unconscious. Then he knelt, and grabbed the keys from his belt. He turned, and started to unlock the cell Enthund was in.

He didn't bother to contemplate whether it was a wise thing to do or not - and instead assumed, however foolishly, that she would see him as an ally, at least for the moment.

 

[Enthund]

A shudder of fear ran down the corridor. Whoever was their assailant will make themselves clear soon enough.

The elf recoiled back as the gate slammed onto the guard, and the guard's armour rattled against her cage. In a mere moment's notice, he was dead and her cell wide open.

Whatever energy was left in the elf seemed to have returned now. If there was even a slight sliver of hope, she will seize it.
Not quite prepared to die like a fish in a shallow puddle.
Enthund decided to stick with Andonis now.

»We can't flee anywhere, the entrance is definitely under attack.«
The elf contemplated briefly before spying some shutters in the wall. Maybe there are secret tunnels or a sewer they could take to safety?

 

[Andonis Iraklidis]

»We can't flee anywhere, the entrance is definitely under attack.«

Andonis frowned, she was right. Trying to go topside would only lead them into trouble. Even if they got past the castle's guard... there was quite evidently an army outside which they would undoubtably be unable to escape.

"No... you cant," a voice that was like gravel came from farther down, "but I know a way."

Andonis walked farther into the dark, coming before the old man's cell.

"But you'll have to take me with you," he said, climbing to his feet.

Andonis looked back to Enthund briefly, searching for her opinion, then back to the old man.

"Seems we have little choice," he began to reach the key toward the lock.

Enthund ​

[Sorry for the delay! D:]​

 

[Enthund]

Enthund unglued her gaze from the bars beneath her.
She snapped towards Andonis and gazed at the elder.
»Know of any secret tunnels? « She Barked amid the confusing cacophony of panic.

(gonna post a shorte)

 

[Andonis Iraklidis]

"Ye, I know a way... come on, we haven't much time!"

Andonis gave a final look to Enthund, and decided it best to take their chances. He unlocked the cell, and swung the gate open. The old man patted himself off, and walked out with a but of a hobble.

"Now I'm fast enough, alright?"

He seemed adamant. Andonis betrayed nothing, but he wasn't too impressed quite yet.

"Come along now," he said, placing his hand on is hip and starting forward - and indeed it was surprisingly quick, however slow he was.

Andonis followed along - but soon they came to a storage room. He recognized his equipment nearby, and rushed over. He didn't have time to don it all, but instead threw it all into a nearby sack and took out his sword and followed after the old man, who led them to a dark stairwell which led even deeper into the earth. Another path continued on the same level, leading to a barred light at the end of a far tunnel, where faint shadows could be seen passing by.

"Down we go," Andonis said, leaving his sword on his hip and grabbing up a torch before heading down.

Enthund ​

 

[Enthund]

»Uh, hurr-, hurry, « hissed Enthund. The brief moment of chaos would not last long enough to give them cover for an eternity.

With a slip, the elf was last down the cell. The dampness of the cellblock was quickly replaced by the dryer storage room. Odd, but obvious enough that the guardsmen would keep their loot in a much better state.
She didn't want to linger too long and took a spear for protection just in case. If they're gonna rummage through narrow tunnels, it might just become handy.

»How'd you know of this place? « Inquired the elf as she hurried off towards the old man.