Aidan whimpered as he rolled over on the cold, rocky, uneven stone floor, each rough edge digging into his aching muscles. The chill had seeped into his bones, turning his body into an unending source of discomfort. He stared at the damp ceiling, trying to let his mind roam to distract from the agony.

His thoughts went around and around in circles as the days ticked by. They had stripped him naked when they threw him into the cell. Not that the little clothing he had left did much to cover him anyway.

“In the movies, when the hero loses and gets themselves captured, the dungeon always seems lit and almost cheerful despite their suffering. This dungeon is none of those things,” Aidan muttered. The dim light from a solitary magic stone outside his cell barely pierced the darkness, enveloping him in near-perfect black stillness.

On the first day, he shouted and begged for someone to come and let him out. The second day hadn’t been any better. The only time he saw anyone was when they brought his daily meal: a fist-sized loaf of bread and a jug of water. The bread was almost too hard to eat. Aidan learned quickly to soak it in the water to make it semi-edible. He wasn’t sure how many days had passed, but each second felt like an eternity.

They had put a hood over his head not long after capturing him. He tried to run as soon as he could. The vines they used to bind his hands and arms were quickly wrapped around his legs. Not being able to walk was one thing, but he had been dragged behind the three captors as they moved to wherever this place was.

Aidan shook his head. He was sure that Earth’s Geneva Conventions had rules banning the treatment he was getting. He had spent time in different prisons all over the world. The search for his brother had sometimes led to questionable locations. The difference Aidan knew straight away was there would be no one saving him this time.

A bang echoed nearby. “Huh. Must be time to eat again,” he muttered as his stomach reminded him it was long past mealtime. The slow sound of footsteps drew closer. Aidan tried to listen to the voices that softly echoed but had little luck. He couldn’t make out what they were saying.

Keys jingled in the cell door lock as he shielded his eyes. The first time they came, Aidan made the mistake of looking at them as they opened the door. The light from their magic stone had nearly blinded him. His eyes burned and watered. He hadn’t made the same mistake again.

Aidan stepped back from the door. It was one of the many rules he had been forced to learn quickly. Standing too close to the door was a fast way to get a swift kick. The heavy door creaked open, revealing a silhouette against the dim light of the corridor.

“Stand back,” the voice boomed, echoing off the stone walls and sending a shiver down Aidan’s spine. “Hands to the side. No funny movements.”

Aidan’s eyes widened as a towering figure stepped into the cell, their frame filling the cramped space. It was the first time any of them had entered. Aidan’s gaze was drawn to the pointed ears protruding from the head of his new guard.

He couldn’t help but notice the muscles rippling beneath the mass of clothing with each movement as the massive figure knelt in front of him. But what caught his attention most was the enormous sword strapped to the figure’s back.

The sword was larger than anything he had seen so far in his time in the new world. It was the kind of thing you would only see in video games or anime back on Earth. No average person he knew would be able to even lift it.

Shaking his head at what he was seeing, Aidan looked up at the face in front of him and asked, “Are you Elven?”

Aidan felt the gaze of years of fighting sweep over him, sharp and assessing, as if sizing him up for a challenge. Aidan tensed, uncertain of what would happen.

“Hmm.” Came the reply as the person looked down at Aidan’s naked form, grabbing his arms as they studied the marks that covered parts of his right arm. “What are these?”

“T-They are brands.” Stumbled Aidan as he tried not to wince at the grip that held his arm. “I received them when I was imprisoned in South America.”

“What were you in prison for, human?” Questioned the Elven guard in front of Aidan. “What do they mean? These marks? What does this one mean?”

Aidan swallowed as he mustered the courage to meet the guard’s eyes. “I received them for being caught after I freed a group of enslaved people. They are the prison brands of the warlord that ruled the area.” He said as he pointed to the first one. It was a skull-shaped brand with a crow on top of the skull. “This one is the warlord’s symbol. He put this mark on all who he claimed as his property.”

The Elven guard’s eyes narrowed. “So he was a slaver?”

“Umm. Possibly? Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if he did run a slave trade,” replied Aidan with a shrug.

“This one?” Asked the guard, pointing to the one above the skull. It was a bold letter P.

“That one is the mark all people who end up in his prison receive. It marks you as a prisoner,” said Aidan, his eyes narrowing. “From what I was told, most people who go into his prison never come out.”

The guard studied Aidan. “Hmm. Did you kill anyone?”

Aidan shook his head. “No. I always try not to harm anyone if I can avoid it. Certainly not kill anyone.”

“Interesting. You have never killed? Even when you had no choice?” Asked the guard.

“No,” said Aidan, holding the guard’s gaze. “I haven’t killed anyone that I know of. I’ve done many things in my short life, but I am no killer. Why am I imprisoned?”

The guard let Aidan’s arm go as he stood. “But you killed all of those goblins. I thought you never killed before?”

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“What…What do you mean,” hissed Aidan as his mind tried to process the fact that the goblins were anything other than creatures.

“Well, you said you have never killed before, but the three who brought you in said many dead goblins surrounded you. So you lied to me?” questioned the guard as he crossed his arms.

Aidan stared at the floor as his body began to tremble. His hands twitched as he clenched his fists. Tears began to fall from his eyes. “They… I… No. No. They are only creatures. Not aware, right? Right?”

A smile spread across the guard’s face as he watched Aidan. “You pass. They are nothing more than low-level monsters. They do not count. Your reaction is proof enough that you are telling the truth. Come. You will meet the Elder now. She will hear your case. Do not try anything, or we will kill you.”

Aidan watched the guard as he wiped his eyes. Wrapping his arms around himself as the panic he had felt slowly subsided. The guard walked out of the cell. His sword hilt hit the top of the door frame as he walked.

“Can I get some clothes?” shouted Aidan as he stood and followed the guard out the cell door. “No cuffs? You’re not afraid that I will attack you and escape?”

The passageway was cold; damp stone did little to stop his chattering teeth as he followed the guard along the corridor’s length. The sporadic lights were spaced apart at what seemed random intervals. The guard stopped before a door at the end of the long corridor.

“No. If you tried to hurt me and escape, you would be dead. The entire prison is enchanted to shock anyone who harms the guards.” The guard flashed a dangerous smile. “If you were to kill me, the shock you would receive would most certainly kill you.”

Following the guard through the doorway as he pushed it open. They walked up a winding staircase on the other side before they stepped through another doorway into a large room. Aidan blinked at the sudden increase of light as he tried to take in the new surroundings.

Aidan’s eyes slowly adjusted as he looked around the well-lit room. The tall windows bathed the space in sunlight. The contrast with the dark, dank prison was almost overwhelming.

The guard led Aidan toward the centre of the room, where a raised platform supported an ornate throne. Seated upon it was an Elven woman who smiled as she noticed the two walking closer. Aidan stared at her. He was expecting someone old to be who he was meant to meet, not someone who seemed relatively young. Her delicate features and smooth skin radiated an almost ethereal beauty from her. She was speaking to a second person as Aidan approached.

Aidan gulped as he noticed the other person was not human. Ears poked up from their hair as grey fur covered the lower parts of their arms. Looking around at the others, Aidan noticed that various races surrounded her. Some were short, while others had tails.

Aidan’s gaze swept across the assembly, noting the stern expressions and the palpable air of authority. The Elven woman’s eyes were the most striking, a deep green that seemed to see through him, assessing and evaluating with every glance.

The guard stepped aside, leaving Aidan standing alone before the throne. He felt a wave of vulnerability wash over him, intensified by his nakedness. He forced himself to stand tall, meeting the woman’s gaze with as much composure as he could muster.

“Step forward, human,” came her voice, calm but carrying a weight of command. Aidan complied, feeling the eyes of the assembly upon him.

The Elven woman studied him for a moment. “I am Elder Tanithil. You have been brought before me to explain your presence and actions. The group that found you reported unusual markings and fighting styles. This warrants further investigation.”

Aidan swallowed hard, his mouth dry. “I… I am Aidan,” he began, his voice trembling slightly. “I was trying to find my way to the next town, but I seem to have gotten lost. The brands on my arm are from when I was imprisoned in South America for freeing enslaved people. I was marked by the warlord who ruled the area. He marked all his prisoners. I explained this to your guard.”

The Elder leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. “And yet, you claim you didn’t know you were trespassing on our lands? Is that correct?”

“Yes,” Aidan replied firmly as he tried to understand how she already knew that. He was only asked in the cell right before he was brought out. “I have done many things; I would never enter your lands if I knew where they were. I was fighting against an almost unending amount of goblins.”

There was a murmur among the assembly, a mix of scepticism and intrigue. The Elder raised a hand, silencing them. “Your story is unusual, Aidan. Few who walk the path you describe do so without some other intention. What do you seek here in our country?”

“I am only wanting to find my brother and go home,” Aidan said, his voice gaining strength. “I mean no harm to your people. I am lost and alone and need help to continue my search.”

The Elder regarded him thoughtfully. “Your intentions may be noble, but your presence here is a disruption. We cannot simply allow you to wander our lands unchecked. We do not allow many humans in our lands on principle. You were found trespassing.”

Aidan’s heart sank. He had hoped that being honest would earn him some measure of leniency or understanding. “Please,” he implored, “I have nowhere else to turn. The town I recently came from was not a safe place. If there is any way I can prove my intentions, I will do it.”

The Elder sat back, considering his words. After a long moment, she spoke. “You will be given a chance to prove yourself, Aidan. We shall see if your actions align with your words. Until then, you will be watched closely.”

Aidan felt a flicker of hope. It was not freedom, but it was a chance. He bowed his head in gratitude. “Thank you, Elder.”

She nodded, then gestured to the guard. “Take him to a holding cell where he may rest. Ensure he is given clothing and food. We will put him to work on the farms for now.”

The guard stepped forward, placing a firm hand on Aidan’s shoulder to guide him away. Aidan cast one last glance at the Elder as they exited the chamber, her youthful appearance contrasting sharply with a glimmer of laughter in her eyes.

Aidan felt himself relax once he was out of her sight. The guard led him down another corridor as his mind raced. The Elder did not look very old, but he figured that her being Elven most likely led to her youthful look.

The guard stopped before a doorway, gesturing for Aidan to step through. The room on the other side was large, with three cells lining one of the walls. A desk sat opposite the cells with a woman sitting, sorting through paperwork.

“It’s good to see you again, Ysildea. I have one here for holding. Going to the farms,” said the guard.

Aidan watched as the woman at the desk continued sorting the paper before her. “Place him in the far cell,” said Ysildea without looking up. “I’ll arrange food and clothing later.”

The guard grunted at Ysildea’s answer before clearing his throat. “Maybe some clothes first would be better.”

Ysildea looked up from the papers in front of her with a frown. “I don’t see. Oh. Ah. Yeah, some clothes.” Blushing as her eyes roamed over Aidan’s naked figure. She stared hard as Aidan covered himself, bringing her out of the trance.

“I’ll get the clothes now,” said Ysildea as she quickly stood and hurried out of the room. The blush had travelled to her long, elven ears as she rushed past where Aidan and the guard stood. “I’ll be right back.”

The guard chuckled as he pushed Aidan forward again. “Come on. You can wait in the cell for her to return.”

Aidan turned and sighed as he walked into the cell, the door clanging shut behind him. The smell of flowers wafted over his senses as he turned to look around his new home. The cell was bare. No bed or toilet. Not even a seat. Aidan did note that this cell had a window, though; it was placed high up the wall, with iron bars covering it. Aidan struggled to understand how anyone could reach it. He would struggle to touch the lower edge even if he tried jumping.

“Best get comfy, I guess,” Aidan muttered as he sat against the wall, yawning. “Hopefully, I can figure a way out of this and find my pen. But first, some sleep.”