As he sat down, he heard another voice from the cell on his left. It was deeper and younger sounding.
“I saw them bring you in last night. You looked banged up pretty good” the voice said.
David rushed to the wall near the voice.
“Who brought me in, did you see who it was?” asked David.
“Oh yeah, it was Jakob Zander. You must have really rattled his feathers for him to bring you down here himself.” said the man, chuckling softly.
“I didn’t do anything to that lunatic!” replied David, “He was the one chasing me and my friends around the whole countryside!”
“Hmm…are you the one they’ve been talking about, then? The “Outsiders” they’ve been calling you.” said the voice, suddenly seeming more interested.
“Wait…are we in Brineport?” asked David, suddenly recalling where Jakob had said they were taking them before they had been attacked in the woods.
“That’s right, where did you think you were?” asked the man to his left.
“It doesn’t matter now, does it?” said David, discouraged.
He had spent over a week heading North to the Crystal Caverns, only to have been captured and taken back all the way to the Southern Kingdom. How would he ever get his powers back in time to stop the Defiant One now? He let the people of Ravenfell down, and more importantly, he let his friends down. He worried deeply for their safety, not knowing what was to become of them now that he was still so far from his goal of reaching the caverns and getting back his powers.
Feeling something was wrong with his new cellmate, the man decided to press the issue.
“So…what was Jakob so interested in you for, anyway?” he asked.
“He says we got his brother killed…but the truth is, it was his men who attacked us first. Apparently, since he failed to capture us, he was executed.” replied David, recalling the story Jakob had told them when they were ambushed.
“I see…and why were they after you in the first place?” asked the man.
“He said it was because we were outsiders. We’re from the Northern Kingdom, but we weren’t here to cause trouble – we were just passing through.” replied David quickly, remembering the hostility they faced in Ashmire when the locals figured out where they were from.
The man just chuckled gently to himself.
“You don’t have to worry about that here, boy. I’m no stranger to the wider world. I’ve been around in my days and come across all types of people. Seems to me that people are people, doesn’t matter where they’re from. Sometimes they are nice, other times they are scumbags like Jakob and his gang. What brought you and your friends to the Southern Kingdom anyhow?” he asked.
David sat silently for a moment, considering how he would answer. He couldn’t tell this man the truth about their mission, it would reveal that he was the bearer of the Orb and that would put his life in even more danger than he was already in. Instead, he made up a lie that he figured would be good enough for a prison-mate.
“We were traveling merchants, trying to reestablish the Southern Tunnel trading route that once thrived between our kingdoms.” said David.
It seemed to work.
“Oh yeah…I remember hearing about that route when I was a kid. It used to benefit both of our kingdoms. I remember most of our salt was sent that way and was traded for precious metals and gems from the Mystic Mountain region. Very valuable stuff if you got your hands in the market.” he said.
“So, what are you in here for?” asked David, curious to know why the man in the cell to his left was in a similarly precarious situation as he was.
“Me? Oh, well… I suppose I deserve to be here more than you do. I was a part of a rebellion trying to take out the current leadership – if you want to call it that. What we really are is patriots trying to take back our lands and our rights to live free.” he said. “My name’s Riyan, what’s yours?” he asked, holding out his hand through the bars. His skin was dark and rough like leather.
“David…David Bishop” replied David, reaching out and shaking the man’s hand.
“Good to meet you, David Bishop” said Riyan.
The door to the hallway opened and much to David’s surprise in walked a couple of wolves that closely resembled that of the Wolf Guard.
The cloth around their waist sported the emblem of the Southern Kingdom – a black raven in a blood red circle. The fabric was a tannish color and had frayed ends where the cloth was unwinding. David wondered if that indicated their class was a much lower class than the wolves David had encountered in Eldergate, who sported higher quality garments and weapons, or if there was another reason for their appearance.
They walked up to David’s cell, baring their teeth in warning as they unlocked his door and opened it, indicating for him to follow but not try anything stupid or suffer the consequences.
He took their warning seriously and cautiously followed their directions as they led him out of the hallway and into a large open chamber with high vaulted ceilings. The walls, floors and roof were all made of the same sandstone blocks as his cell. They were tannish with a rough, grainy texture and were much larger towards the base of the walls, some as large as small buildings, growing smaller as they rose up to the ceiling.
The room he was in reminded him of the great pyramids of Egypt, their ceilings sloping upward in a diagonal fashion before leveling off and flattening in a high point at the center of the structure.
This left the majority of the building as a single, wide open room where he was being led to.
As he followed the beasts through the center of the structure, he could see they were taking him to a set of great stairs leading to a second and third level within the great chamber. The stairs had several landings and were lined with thick, blocky rails that supported a large bronze brazier on each side of the landings, each blazing hot with a bonfire that provided lighting for the surrounding area.
As they reached the third and final floor, the ground leveled off to a long, smooth walkway leading up to a great stone doorway that was open, as if inviting them inside. Through the doorway was a smaller chamber filled with wolves standing at attention, each holding their large, curved scythe-like blades in front of them and decked out in elaborate bronze-colored chest plates and headgear that David hadn’t seen on the wolves’ before.
As he was led between the row of guards, the surrounding wolves watched him with their great yellow eyes as if he were a piece of meat ready to be devoured. He could feel their gaze upon him, leaving a trail of sweat trickling down his back that was from more than just the sweltering heat.
As he entered through the final doorway, he found himself standing before a great stone throne and the largest wolf he had ever seen sitting casually upon it.
When the wolf saw his expression, his lips curled up in a grotesque smile, baring his great fangs and his blood red tongue.
“Hello, boy” said the wolf in a deep, snarling voice. “My name is Bloodvayne, and I’ve been expecting you.”
“And why is that?” asked David defiantly, although he felt about as small as a bug before the great wolf.
“Oh, feisty, this one?” said Bloodvayne to the other wolves, laughing in what sounded more like a dog panting. “No bother, we will break that spirit soon enough.” he said coldly. “You are here because our master demands it, and that is reason enough.” he said, finally.
“So, even the great Bloodvayne answers to someone else? You sit on that great thrown, but you’re just as much of a pawn as the others, doing your master’s bidding without question. How pathetic.” said David, taunting the great wolf.
“I do what my master says because I know what’s best for me, boy. Just like you will find out soon enough!” spat Bloodvayne angrily before he calmed himself and continued. “But I admit…I brought you here today to see what was so special about you, and sadly, I see nothing. Nothing special at all.”
With that, David slowly hid his orb hand behind his b
ack to keep it out of view, but Bloodvayne’s eyes were too keen and David saw them flick to his hand immediately as he silently cursed himself for being so stupid.
“Ahh…what is that you’re hiding behind your back, boy?” asked the wolf, growling as he spoke. He got up from his throne and began stepping towards David in great big strides, licking his lips instinctively as he neared.
“Nothing…” lied David, gritting his teeth.
Bloodvayne quickly reached out surprisingly fast and grabbed David’s hand before he could pull it away, twisting it painfully towards him so he could get a good look. His sharp claws dug painfully into David’s flesh, little droplets of blood oozing out slowly from the tiny wounds as David grimaced with the pain.
When he saw the orb pulsing dimly in David’s hand, his eyes lit up with recognition.
“Ahhh…It all makes sense now why my master would have been so interested in some boy from the Northern Kingdom. He will be most pleased when he finds out that I, Bloodvayne, have captured the warrior of legend!” said the wolf.
He let go of David’s hand, and David pulled it away quickly, rubbing his hand where Bloodvayne’s rough, calloused paws had rubbed his skin raw and doing his best to wipe away the blood with his sleeve. The wounds were shallow, but they stung like fire.
“Take him away and send our fastest messenger at once to Eldergate. Tell the master that I have captured the warrior of legend and will be bringing him to Eldergate within the coming week. We will leave in the morning.”
“Yes, your highness.” said one of the wolves who had been escorting David.
Then the two wolves quickly turned around and grabbed David by the arms before leading him back to his cell once again.
When they reached the door to his cell, they threw him roughly to the floor and slammed the door shut behind him, locking it securely before exiting the room.
“Ouch, you okay David?” asked Riyan, having woke from a light nap when the guards had brought him in.
“Yeah…just a few scrapes and bruises, nothing major” replied David, rubbing his skinned knees and bruised elbows.
“What did they want with you?” he asked.
“They are going to take me away to Eldergate…” said David, giving up on any attempts at secrecy. His secret was out, and it was no good trying to hide it any longer.
“Eldergate? What for?” asked Riyan, curious.
“They are taking me to the Defiant One, probably to be executed.” said David somberly.
“Woah, woah, hold on there, kid. The Defiant One? As in the Mystic of Destruction? The powerful being who was imprisoned long ago at the end of the Mystic Wars?” asked Riyan, suddenly far more alert than he had been.
“Yup, that’s the one…” said David.
“What would he want with – unless…you were the warrior from the legends who bears the Orb of Power?” said Riyan.
David heard the clinking of the bars from the cell to his left and he got up and walked to the bars to see Riyan’s hand stretched out from between his bars as far as he could reach towards David’s cell.
David pushed his orb-hand through the bars for Riyan to see the orb pulsing faintly in his skin.
“Well I’ll be…you are the warrior of legend! What are you doing all locked up in here then? Can’t you just…I don’t know…blast your way out of here or something?” asked Riyan in awe and confused why David was locked up in the first place. He had heard of the legends all his life, like most people in Hurea had, and he was confused at how such a powerful warrior could be taken prisoner like David had been.
“Once, yes…I could have. But since the Defiant One has been released from his prison, my powers feel so distant. I can’t access them. Believe me, I’ve tried many times.” said David, slumping his shoulders and sliding down the wall into a sitting position. He didn’t know what he would do now. Without his powers, he would never get away.
Sensing his new friend’s dilemma, Riyan sat down on the wall opposite from David, with his back up against the same wall.
“I tell you what. You coming here – this changes everything…” said Riyan.
“What do you mean?” asked David through the wall.
“Nothing. You just focus on getting some rest. Come morning, you’ll see.” he said, then he grew silent.
“What do you mean, Riyan?” asked David again more forcefully, trying to get an answer, but all he would say was to get some rest.
Finally, David gave up on his interrogation and decided it was best to get some rest. After all, there was nothing else he could do but sit around and wait for the Wolf Guard to come and get him in the morning. They would then take him north a few days before turning west through Draco’s Pass on the final stretch to Eldergate, where the Defiant One would be eagerly awaiting his arrival. It seemed that his fate was sealed now unless some miracle happened to break him free.
David lay down on his straw covered cot, trying to ignore the itchy hay as his mind wandered off. The sun was sinking lower in the sky and was no longer shining directly into his cell. Instead, a gentle orange glow took its place and covered his cell walls in its light, indicating the day was almost spent and would soon be replaced by the cool darkness of the night.
As he lay in his bed, all he could think about was Erin and the others, hoping they were safe wherever they were now. Eventually, too tired to continue brooding, sleep overcame his worry and he drifted off into a deep sleep.
***
Sometime in the early morning David woke to the sound of his cell door being opened. In walked two wolves of the Guard before slapping shackles on his wrist. They quickly grabbed David’s arms and hauled him out of his cell and into the hallway before leading him through the large chamber from the day before.
They took him out into the open air where he caught his first site of the city of Brineport. He found himself standing before a great pyramid structure to his rear from which he had just exited, its great stone steps leading down into the courtyard below. Before him sat a great open square that was surrounded by a high limestone wall.
Within the wall was a group of similarly built structures, each large and ornate, but not nearly as big as the pyramid and not so oddly shaped. Instead, they were all rectangular and had great balconies with highly decorative pillars supporting their load that created a highly sought out space beneath their cover that was cool and in the shade. A valuable addition to any building within the desert environment such as Brineport.
This was definitely the wealthy district of the city, David figured, as just outside the walls he could see the buildings were not so grand or elaborate, and with their positions being outside of the walls it was clear their owners were not of the same elite class as the wolves and surrounding people.
The people themselves were all clothed in loose garments that were colorful and festive looking. They all had dark, brown skin and equally dark hair, many of which was curly and shiny with the women mostly having their hair put up in some elaborate fashion while the men all covered their short cropped heads in cloth to protect them from the intense heat of the sun.
Inside the busy courtyard a group of Wolf Guard stood waiting in a long line of roughly a dozen or so warriors. In the middle, waiting for David, was Bloodvayne seated on a great cart being pulled by a few members of the Guild. The citizens of the city all crowded around watching and gossiping about what was going on and who this strange prisoner was that warranted such an escort.
Bloodvayne’s lips curled up in a smile as David approached. He was eager to get David to his master so he could reap his reward. David found himself wondering what reward would merit bringing the warrior of legend to the Defiant One. Whatever it was, it was clear that it was valuable enough for Bloodvayne to have gone through such great lengths to capture him and bring him back to Brineport.
“Don’t look so morbid, boy” snarled Bloodvayne as David approached the caravan, “It’s going to be a few days before we get you to Eldergate. No harm wi
ll come to you until then, you have my word.” he said.
As soon as David was chained to the back of Bloodvayne’s cart, they started off through the city walking at a much faster pace than David would have liked. He was having a difficult time keeping up with the cart pulling him along at the other end of his chains.
As they made their way through the heart of the city, David could see the large pyramid shaped building fall away in the distance behind them, along with the sturdier built buildings that surrounded it.
The road before them was surrounded by poorly constructed homes that more resembled huts and shacks than proper houses. Despite their materials still mostly being the same kind of stone, they were built in a much more careless fashion, and their roofs were covered by sticks and dried reeds covered in mud or clay rather than the more sturdy and durable stone roofs in the city’s central district.
It was apparent to him that the wealth in the city flocked around the central building that housed the Wolf Guard and those loyal to them, whereas the rest of the city was living mostly in poverty. There were a few areas that seemed to be a little better off than others, but these were clearly the specialists who were selling a skilled labor of some kind such as ceramic pottery, specialty tailored clothes, and the likes. They were few and far between, however, which meant that the wealth was too.
Soon they came to a point in the road that was being blocked by what looked like a merchant and his mule pulling a cart of goods. The mule was stubbornly sitting in the middle of the road, blocking the way with his cart, while the merchant was screaming at the animal apparently trying to get it to move out of the way.
When the Wolf Guard approached, the man’s eyes grew wide with fear and he tried to shove the un-budging mule off the road, but much to his discomfort, the mule refused to move.
“What’s the hold up? Get that animal off the street!” yelled Bloodvayne, annoyed that his trip was already being delayed so soon after their departure.
Suddenly, dozens of men and women came rushing from the buildings from all directions, some from the tops of the structures, some from within, and some from the surrounding allies. As they rushed inward, the back of the covered wagon was flung away, revealing even more armed men as they quickly jumped from the back of the cart and into the fray.
David Bishop and the Mystic of Creation Page 19
