The story thus far: Millraven Finn Izzle an elf that is also an Elf (The human name for spell slinging fighters) and her partner Brand Anlace have been charged with the task of stealing a powerful magical artifact, The Blue Streak of Commodore Cramden from a human supremacist cult who wish to use it to erase all words for any non-human race from existence. Unfortunately the two have been captured by the enemy and are now awaiting the fate handed down to them by their merciless captors. Even as the two are taken to their cells they begin wracking their minds, looking for ways to escape.
They did not bind her. They took her armor and her sword, but they did not bind her, nor did they gag her. They simply led her to an iron cell by sword-point and shoved her in. Millraven could barely keep her feet. The sight and scent of iron all around her sickened the elf to the core. She counted her blessings that they’d not thought to magically lower the temperature of the stuff as well. Cold Iron was as poisonous to Elves as Chlorine vapors were to humans. They did not take the simple precaution of making sure she could not move her hands and arms. It was a mistake many of them would not live long enough to regret.
Working past the waves of nausea and the pain in her lungs she struggled to stay upright, to stay calm and focused. She heard the guards talking as they shut and locked the cell door, “Hey Joe. You sure this is okay? We, I dunno, shouldn’t have searched her or somethin’?” The first guard asked. The second guard snorted and then replied “Nah. You saw the armor and the sword, she’s a straight fighter and not very strong. No elf sellsword is going to get themselves out of an Iron Prison. She’s harmless as a kitten.” Millraven couldn’t help but smile a bit, they didn’t know her very well at all.
A cell block away Brand was not feeling so self-assured. Almost immediately after they’d dumped him in his cell a long, tall, willowy woman with stone gray hair and a sharp, eagle-like face entered his cell flanked by two armored knights. She wore the effigy of the hanged god around her neck and a dress military uniform. Her scabbard however, was scuffed and showed that her sword had seen much use and she held her body as if she were constantly on the attack. Brand got the feeling that as she looked down at him that she was mentally separating his head from his body.
“Little brother”, she addressed Brand with the infuriating nickname humans had given his race, “You are in big trouble. You see, these men are extremely upset that you and that FILTHY elf infiltrated the camp. Now, we don’t really have a problem with Halflings so we’re going to be reasonable with you.” Brand didn’t know about Reasonableness, but he had heard that even though the Knights of the Hill hated all intelligent non-humans they tolerated halflings because like humans they had no real homeland and tended to live in lands controlled by other races. He filed the confirmation of that rumor away in his head as interesting, but currently irrelevant. The eagle faced woman continued, “We simply want to know who you’re working for. Tell us this and give us your word that you won’t attempt this foolishness again and you’ll simply be escorted out of the camp.” Brand adopted a smirk and leaned against the wall exuding a confidence he truly wasn’t feeling. “And if I don’t?” He asked. “Bruno”, the eagle-faced woman said to the beefy young guard to her right, “Show him the burn-sticks” Bruno stepped forward and pulled two, meter long sticks from next to the mace he carried on his belt, with a word the end of the sticks exploded into hissing, sparking flames “Yes General Mercer”, he said and turned to Brand backing him into a corner of the cell, “My pleasure”
What tortures is Brand about to endure? Will Millraven rescue him and get her hands on the Blue-Streak? Find out in the next exciting installment of Millraven Finn Izzle Elf for Hire!
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