Somewhere Someplace

Dark but dimly lit.

The guards never really extinguished the torches and lamps; thus, it was impossible to tell when it was night and when it was day—they blurred into one continuous stream.

Drip and drop.

Water leaked whence who knew, yet that ceaseless sound persisted to continue. Maddening ever a sound there was, yet at least it was quiet—no more visitors to interrupt or gawk. The Protector felt slightly eased, her words having finally been delivered; though, she likewise remained restless and without peace.

She was laying down on her side upon a slab that was supposed to be a so-called 'bed'; it had hay, at least, but that was hardly any better. She was uncomfortable, indeed, no thanks to the fact she remained in her armor; stubborn, she refused to take it off—not even when attending to…matters…in that disgusting bucket never cleaned.

They had confiscated her shield, but affixed to her back—locked and latched—was her weapon, the blade of which—exotic in nature—could slice through those bars; she could free herself at any point, yet she seemingly refused to. There was no place left for her anyway; no home or grace—an utter disgrace. Condemnation, thus, was her fate.

Yet such was not to say she was without pride; stubborn as she was, she clung to such as a seal would its block of ice…surrounded by hungry killers.

Her blue eyes, tired and fatigued, faced the cell's walls… The wall looked almost as if it were melting; the muddied dirt and brick having had seemingly eroded through time. This jail, for whatever reason, was moisty and humid. Though, the insects who called that wall home seemed to care not.

Truly, disgusting… Utterly wretched and barbaric this 'jail' was. It was absolutely undignified for the likes of her… Yet, perhaps, this was exactly what she deserved.

She tried to rest and let the hours pass, but she failed and continued to fail. She could not rest; she could not sleep. She was hungry, yet she refused to accept the so-called 'food' that was provided… Savages, truly, to give such feed to even a pig—let alone anything sapient.

Unable to rest, she eventually sat herself up, leaning her back against the wall; she tucked her knees high, grasping them tight. She turned her eyes to her helmet, classical and mythical in its former glory; to wear it had meant something, once upon a time. She stared at it…before eventually taking it into her hands…only to continue staring at it. With trembles in lips and jaws, she brought the helmet up, pressing its head against her forehead, eyes shutting with lamenting dread.

All she could think about was everything she had done to reach this point. Infinite regrets had grown and only continued to grow within.

Had she done the right thing? Was this…truly what was for the best? For as she remained situated in this putrid cell, all that which so basked in her sight was the savagery of the realms of man and the world above.

Yet, savages or not…

Indeed, the Fallen's plan was…horrible. It was wrong. She…had been wrong…

And…maybe she still was.

For coming here the way she had, using the secret routes of the ancient ancestors, to warn Grandberry; to warn man and the Guild… They would only retaliate as they always had—destroying and butchering the underworld… And there was innocence there too.

But there was also innocence here.

Paradoxical; every maneuver to minimize death of one only seemed to cause death of the other… Why was it so hard for both to stop? It really did feel as though the world had stopped making any sense.

The consequences of upholding, swearing an oath of adherence and allegiance to, values of antiquity.

Time flowed, her thoughts unrelenting in a daze and growing haze; it was as if she lost conscious yet never did, for she remained awake.

"[I am…here, now…]" her faint voice mumbled aloud, feeling strange yet not, clenching determined; "[I am…disgraced. There is nowhere I belong… If they want my help, I will…give it; if they find me…useless, then so be it… I am…no different than that Raven.]"

"[Oh, I would say you are different.]"

Suddenly, a presence.

With a gulping gasp, she sprung herself to the side in startled surprise, eyes flinging sight to her cell's gate, now standing behind the bars of which…

A creature in girlish form.

Pointed ears yet not as long, for she was neither elf nor fay. With the most grotesque of jester smiles, her gold-outlined copper eyes impaling her own with such a shine.

"[Who… When did…]" The Protector was confused, bewildered even. She could have sworn…nothing was there; though, granted, only now had she turned her eyes to see in that direction, but still… She had felt nothing.

And…she was still feeling nothing.

"[I was always here, you see—hidden within your shadow.]" The voice…spoke the ancient tongue; unlike that Raven, it was…perfectly fluent, flowing deviously well.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Something was wrong. Something was awful. Yet there was no 'scent' or 'sense'. Her essence, most especially attuned, could infer, deduce, whatever word could even sufficiently define…this experience that caused her jaw to slightly stutter; her teeth to slightly chatter. Indeed, the blue outline in her own eyes twinkled and shined, as if appraising.

"[You…]" Her heavied breaths elevating, eyes widening, she immediately knew; "[It…it surrounds you. It emanates from you… The nothingness…]" She tried, however, to remain stalwart as she could. "[To look into you is to look into an abyss.]"

"[An abyss that stares back.]" The jestery visitor crooked a lopsided smile; she leaned her radiant outlined eyes closer, smooth hands gripping the bars. "[I shall speak, but only light. You see, I cannot be anywhere above; for there is a floating eye. I would not escape its sight.]" Even in this completely different tongue, she still somehow managed to select obscure synonyms to force a rhyme.

"[…if you are going to speak to me, then speak comprehensibly. Your poetry is terrible.]" The exacts weirdness of her attempts to rhyme were lost in translation, but for the Protector's ears, it was both strange and obvious.

"[Devoid of fun, you are.]" This visitor of nothingness sighed. "[This prison is underground—where I have been lately. And a simple crack is all an ant needs to slip in from below.]"

"[You speak as if I am supposed to understand and care.]" The Protector, calming from the fright, remained both bold and blunt.

"[I am not speaking for only you.]" the visitor so replied; "[For whilst there is an eye outside, there is one here too—vague and opaque.]" And, indeed, her own eyes so focused in their stare, her locked grip on the bars tightening. "[Did you verily believe that you went unnoticed. Of course we noticed. You cannot escape that watching eye.]"

"[…the sense from you…is the same as that night…]" The shivery elf realized; yet in a switch, she turned a smirk… "[Heh… I see…]" Indeed, she could see; "[I was right, then… Something…has changed… And your being here means that… Ah… You are here to silence me.]"

"[No, not really.]" Yet the visitor, now casual, withdrew her grip. "[To the contrary, lover's pet, we have an interest in you. You are an essential piece. The device to…guide and motion forward.]"

"[Hmph. If not here to silence me, then what?]" the Protector so interrogated; "[Why are you here?]"

The visitor giggled a chuckle. "[Well, I am a dealmaker, you see. I make deals.]" And thus, so revealing herself was that maker of deals. "[And that is why I am here: to forge a deal.]"

"[A…deal?]" And the Protector was immediately confused. Yet she promptly scoffed; "[I am a Protector of Smiles; I swore to the Crown. I make no 'deals' with demons, corrupting sprits, or false gods.]"

Yet the maker of deals simply leaned even closer in, her gold outlined eyes haunting through. "[You are a disgrace.]" Her voice pierced as if biting fangs. "[There is no point in pretending otherwise. I know. We know.]"

The Protector…looked away, tightly clenching herself. Unlike the girls of man, she was not supposed to cry or show emotions; she was supposed to be strong, determined, and prideful… Yet she felt so weak and small.

"[You reek of disillusionment. You reek of hopelessness.]" The pierces continued, strike by strike.

"[I…]" she tried to say, her eyes returning their glare; "[I barter not with…evil. There is nothing I want.]"

"[Ah…]" Yet the maker of deals so smiled, open and wide; "[But by your own words, you already said: nothingness surrounds me. I am neither evil nor good; I simply am.]" Even though the bars separated them, it felt as though this bewitching jester was drawing closer and closer to her ears. "[And there is something you want, fallen Defender.]"

"[Hah..]" Yet the stubborn elf remained dismissive. "[And what, imp, would that be? For this would be news to me.]"

The visitor so leaned herself as closest to close, her cheeks practically pressing onto the rusted bars; her eyes focused wide as they could, as if projecting forth so near that their shine were directly at face. "[Redemption.]"

And the Protector shivered a freeze, that single word piecing her being. A shift in both eyes and breaths, no longer dismissive. "[…what…do you mean?]"

The visitor, this maker of deals, retracted her face from the bars, left behind being a little mark. "[You want to redeem yourself, not in any other eyes beyond your own.]" she thus spoke; "[And we will give that moment wherein you may shine. A call to action whereupon you may brandish your arms and usher to defense. A redemption in that moment of time.]" The focus sharpened. "[And all you must do you…is lead them there and let them discover; let them investigate; and let them conclude…nothing, before walking away.]"

The Protector stared with…mounting dissonance within, tensing in both posture and breaths, as if attracted to the notion. But she soon exhaled… "[No.]" Indeed, with a shake to her head, "[Orchestrators and deceivers… I have heard of you faes!]" she provided a potent glare; "[You want me to deceive them, is that it? So that you may…orchestrate your machinations?]" However, despite these accusing words, the elf froze…as she saw…

That most terrible grin, snatching her tight. "[Ah-hah… Deception, not quite. We merely need you to play along, as you already would have without delight.]" Unbeknownst to the elf, to say 'no' was the right answer. "[The deal is made. I shall provide what they will be seeking from you, so that you may fulfill your end too.]" She leaned in with intense fixation. "[Now, listen carefully, lover's pet.]"

As if a magnet, those gold-outlined eyes entrapped her attention. Her voice and lips moved in synchrony as words were uttered; as knowledge was so etched into the Protector's mind and soul—knowledge not felt as being given as much as always known.

The elf was paralyzed, unable to utter or gasp… Until, finally, it was over. Yet she remained frozen and speechless.

"[With this, your release will be guaranteed, and the pieces will fall to motion. Play along, and your redemption will follow.]" A deal forcefully made, the visitor began to depart… Yet only to pause for a returning glimpse. "[Oh, and by the way,] Rhelÿmnawl," She knew…her name, "[this is a dream.]"

The voice echoed out as the world faded to streaming wisps.

Drip and drop.

Gasps and springing eyes. The elf gasped as if breathing for the first time, her flickering outlined eyes looking around as if grasping about; as if she could finally move at long last. "[Huh??]" She was confused and bemused, her mind throbbing as if it had just been…invaded. Yet reclaiming her bearings, her breaths calmed, her eyes stabilizing; she saw…

She was in the same spot, her helmet still hugged in her hands… Right, it was still in her hands. Why did it feel like it had disappeared?

Relaxing, she leaned back and wiped the sweat off her head. "[A dream?]" she mumbled to herself, breathing in and out… "[What a…bizarre dream, huh… Such a bizarre dream.]"

It was vague, that strange dream. As with most dreams, the memory had awoken fresh yet was now quickly fading, details dissolving and rapidly becoming lost. Yet although she remained at a total loss, something was still there… Facts and details… She somehow knew… The way into the sealed underground ruins beneath this city, through a path in the sewers…

Hm… Had she always known this? She did not know… So much was wrong within; everything was confusing.

Truly, she exhaled, so exhausted and hungry…

Nothing made sense.