I woke to cold metal and the sound the moving wagons, the first thing I saw were iron bars and the trees above. “What?” Wasn’t I supposed to be in my bed, my wife and Son in the same room with- It all came back to me, the memories of last night… I rise with a scream, terror washing over. Two Talon knights driving the back wagon laugh at me, one speaking.
“Looks like someone’s awake!”
They continue to laugh, snickering to themselves and I threw up. What have I dine. Windmer… He’s dead! I couldn’t protect him, it he didn’t deserve to die like that! Any my Scythe it didn’t work… Have I’ve been forsaken!? WHAT HAVE I DONE TO DESERVE THIS!? The Talon Knights continue to laugh at my despair, the other one speaking to me.
“Hah keep making a bitch of yourself, giving us a real show!”
The other speaks.
“Yeah… Made some good ground while you slept away, Inner Motor ain’t that far!”
I look around me, trying to find my family.
We were on a paved stone road, surrounded by wilderness. From both sides seemingly endless wagons moved in unison, and I couldn’t see any other cages around or the royal carriages. I sat in defeat, there was nothing I could do. I had not my Scythe or help from anyone, I was such a fool for making them stay in the house. I look at the Knights and speak, laying my head to the bars.
“What am ‘ou goin’ to do to me?”
One of them speaks.
“Who knows what the Emperor is going to do, but I know it’ll not be good! You should have joined us when you had the chance, you’d been given the best services and tha old man would-”
I shout out.
“HIS NAME WAS WINDMEW, 'OU MUWDEWED HIM IN COWD BWOOD!”
The Knight driving the jail wagon I was in speaks, hitting the bars with his talon.
“Shut up!”
It was 2 days of me being in the cell, them mocking me or insulting Windmer. And when not that they gave me small meals which I didn’t eat, both because of how repugnant it looked and the that I felt to ashamed to eat. After those 2 days we arrived at Inner Motor, I didn’t know when we’d be in Stablelot as it was just urban area all around with people gawking at me everywhere. Finally nearing the third day I felt the wagon stop, it was to dark for me to see anything so I assumed we were there. A group of Royal Guards come up with lit torches and the one with the helmet with an orange stripe speaks, I assume he was their commander.
“Take him to a pwibate ceww, dah Empewow’s demand.”
They start to unlock it and one of the guards speaks.
“An’ dah west of them?”
The commander speaks.
“Undah dah Impewiaw Pawace, maximum secuwity.”
With that the door opened and a guard went inside, speaking it me with a smile.
“Nu can wet 'ou weawn dah way out…”
With that I had hood placed over my head, two guards holding me as I was escorted.
When I finally saw light again, I saw a horrible dirty stone cell that had no windows. The only things there was a bucket and a thin blanket. I am thrown in and the door is locked behind me, a Royal Guard speaking just before I was left alone.
“Nu cause any issues, ow ewse…”
Finally alone I laid on the floor feeling weak, and couldn’t even find the strength to cry. For who knows how long I sat in that cell not knowing if it was day or night, and pondered if I’d ever see my family or went a thousand different scenarios on how I could have saved Windmer. I am pulled back to reality when I see a Royal Guard approach me and throw a bowl of slop, than looking at me for a few seconds before speaking.
“Awways knew ‘ou wewe buwwshit, just a man wiff a few magic twicks. What that ceww to much fo’ ‘ou? C’mon fwow youw hoobes up an’ bend dah baws, c’mo-”
He stops and looks right, me confused on why. Less than a second later I saw something heavy thrown at him, a solid block of stone. The Royal Guard falls instantly to the ground, not even making a scream. Than coming into vision were over a dozen Royal Guards in haphazardly equipped armor, the largest one I instantly knew. Muddy speaks to me, taking his helmet off and sounding out of breath.
“Fank Dah One, we found 'ou!”
I see the others as well. Samuel, Lip, some of my more stronger followers. And even Lily had followed, the armor she wore made for someone twice her size. I speak.
“How did 'ou find fwuffy!”
Muddy speaks.
“When ‘ou am youw famiwy wewe taken an’ those sowdiews weft, dah Vessew spoke to us, Dah One spoke to us! We’be been secwetwy on youw twaiw a gud wot these past few days.”
I speak.
“An’ dah awmow!?”
Both Muddy and Samuel chuckle, with Samuel speaking.
“Most of these guawds couwdn’t fwow a punch to sabe theiw wibes, we just knocked them out an’ nabbed them. Muddy thinks dewe “wegacy” hiwes. Samuew just thinks dey nebah seen a weaw fite untiw nao.”
Finally I get to one more thing.
“Hab 'ou buwied Windmew?”
Instantly the laughter stops and Muddy speaks, taking a deep breath.
“Yes, it was a quiet funewaw. He has been buwied wiff fuww honows, next to his spouse.”
I speak, looking down.
“Auwucuw doesn’t know why he couwdn’t stahp them, dah scythe just wouwdn’t do anythin’.”
I speak again, this miracle filling me with new purpose.
“Buh that doesn’t mattah nao, we must wescue my famiwy.”
After Muddy forces the door open I exit the cell and we begin making our way out, me describing my meeting with the Emperor and the Grandmaster as I do, and telling them that they were somewhere down below the Imperial Palace. As we slowly began making our way out of the prison Lip speaks to me, picking up something and sounding as though he had an idea.
“Aurucul, put these on!”
He shows me hoove restraints, Samuel speaking with a semi shocked voice.
“Wip, dah pwisonah idea wiww nebah wowk!”
Lip speaks.
“It can buy us some time!”
I speak, settling the matter.
“Am 'ou suwe Wip?”
Lip adds on.
“It might be able to get us into the Palace, since were dressed like this they might just let us in!”
Lip changes into the form of the guard knocked out previously, putting on the helmet and a visor to cover his eyes. He speaks.
“You ready for you’re escort?”
I sigh and put on the restraints, everyone else marching in the best formation they could come up with.
Making our way to the surface, I jaw dropped as I saw Stablelot properly for the first time. The city was unlike anything I had ever seen, seemingly hundreds of buildings going far in every direction and since it was nearly night most of them were lit. For anything recognizable I saw the Arena in the distance, but that was it. As we made our first steps on the paved roads we heard the sound of patrolling Royal Guards, they stopping at us and the commander speaks.
“Why am dah pwisonah out of his ceww!”
For a moment it was silence, nobody knew what to say. Finally Samuel walks up and speaks, the slight fear in his voice present to all.
“Dah Empewow wequests Auwucuw, fwuffy wishes to speak to him!”
The commander speaks.
“Wouwdn’t he hab sent his own guawds?”
Muddy speaks.
“We just came fwom dewe, he wants dis to be quick.”
A few seconds later the commander sighs, speaking.
“C’mon ‘ou’d bettah stawt mobin’ him, Stabwewot has been extwa cwowded watewy.”
He salutes and they salute back, us now heading towards the Palace. Fin
Thank you for reading my story! I hope to have the next part done in a few day’s to a week, and of course constructive criticism is appreciated. May you have a good day!