Chapter 61

Drip-Drip-Drip...

Riley's eyes fluttered as a pounding headache hit her like a speeding truck.

"My head..." She moaned as a musky dankness invaded her nose.

Cough-cough-cough... The sound of her hacking was slightly out of time with the persistent drip, with every motion contributing to her misery and the pounding of her head.

"Tobias?" She projected, but something was wrong. Normally, those thoughts carried with them the feeling of motion, a curious sensation, as the magic carried them away.

"Is anyone there?" Tobias said. Riley went to crane her head, only to find the heaviness in her neck wasn't an illusion.

It was all too real. Something was bolted around her neck, the coolness chilling, pushing past her fur, making her even more miserable.

"I'm right here," She projected as she heard the scuttling of chains on the other side.

"Everyone ok?" Cid asked, sounding more chipper than he had any right to be.

"I'm right here!" Riley demanded, her inner voice rising to a shout, which only made her wince, clearing some of the cobwebs.

Her eyes fluttered fully open, then she realized something, the shock of it hitting her like cold water.

There was something wrong with her overlay.

The vibrant purple outlines and hues were gone, replaced by gray hues and a flickering reminiscent of static.

"Oh shit, where's my magic?" She thought to herself, reaching for her power, but it was...

Gone.

Underneath her stamina bar, in the upper right hand corner of her vision, was the image of a collar.

Focusing on it only caused the whole overlay to flicker. A grey tinted box slowly opened, flicking in and out of her perception.

Debuff: An external object has reduced your ability to channel magic.

"Testing, 1,2,3!" She screamed, bracing for the pain; everything mental, physical, and otherwise hurt in some way, but neither Cid nor Tobias stirred.

"Cid, they've got a blindfold on me, and I can't reach my power," Tobias worried, his voice wreathed by panic and fear.

Riley could smell it, one of many in this dim, dark space. Her world was one of shadows and only the impression of light. On either side of her were vaguely familiar, moving shapes that smelled right, but all detail was gone. Even the colors were muted.

"You're chained up from what I can see. Riley is collared to the floor and has a 100-yard stare. I can't reach my power either," Cid replied, his voice strangely calm.

"Why didn't they blindfold you?" Tobias asked.

Riley hadn't thought of that, not that it would have helped.

"It's nothing good, son. I'd wager they don't plan on letting me walk out of here," Cid replied.

"You sound like you forgot a quart of milk!" Riley exclaimed and kicked her cage out of frustration.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

It felt like smooth stone; there was no rattle or bang, just a gentle thwacking noise and a sting that ran through her toes.

An idea sparked, a way to establish communication; searching through her memories, she reached for the first idea that sparked.

"Shave and a haircut, two bits," the pattern, remembered from childhood, reverberated in thwacks.

Tobias' chains jingled as he moved, "Riley, do that again."

She tried to nod, only for the control collar to bite into her neck; with a frustrated sigh, she began thumping her left hindpaw.

"Shave and a haircut, two bits."

"Riley's aware but cut off from her power, too. She'd never be this quiet otherwise," Tobias surmised.

Cid chuckled.

"Hey!" She drummed the cage three times angrily.

"I've no idea where they've taken my Zorna, by the thirteen Gods, if they've hurt her..." Cid, for the first time, sounded angry.

"What do we do?" Tobias asked.

"We hold out, give them nothing, bide our time, and wait for an opportune moment to make our escape. Can I count on you? No matter what they ask, no matter how trivial, give them nothing. Repeat your name over and over, count to ten, whatever you do, don't engage in dialogue, don't answer questions, you're a golem, got it?" Cid snapped.

"Understood," Tobias replied, sounding unsure.

"Remember, you're a ranger now, you're ready, but this won't be easy. Feed them nonsense; focus on your repetition. Don't let me down, boy. This is life and death for more than us. Lord Gaius is a traitor." Cid's words carried with it a gravity chilling Riley's heart.

"I was hoping this would be a safe space," She moaned bitterly within.

"You were expecting this," Tobias accused.

"With aristocrats, you should always be suspicious. The power games of the first tiers are vicious. That said, yes, we're here to investigate. There's been whispers about Lord Gaius' court, but nothing like this. This is treason, and I'd never bring a recruit into a den of vipers like this," Cid countered, sounding hurt.

"None of this makes any sense," Tobias replied, his chains jingling as he shook his head.

A door opened, allowing a brief flood of light before slamming shut.

"Bring him, carefully. He's still formidable without his magic," Filvas ordered.

Riley heard the sound of the small cage beside her being opened.

"You sons of bitches! I'm a Ranger of the Realm!" Cid protested as he was drug across the stones.

Riley heard the sounds of shackles being opened and could see a vague Cid shaped blob hanging from the wall a moment later.

"Lord Gaius requires your cipher codes, your com crystal, and the correspondence from the palace you're carrying," Filvas demanded.

Cid laughed like a devil in hell, "Oh, I knew a girl from Old Stratton..."

Wet packing noises washed sickly over Riley's sensitive ears, as the guard began to work him over.

"Was that a breeze, or was it foreplay! Are you here to tickle me jewels?" More laughter rocketed off the walls of their holding cell.

"Guards, soften him up," Filvas ordered, pausing to sigh, "you give me what I have been tasked to acquire, and this ends. You can go on your way."

"Get... Oh!" Cid began only for a savage blow to land in his solar plexus.

He wretched in violent heaves, spasming back against his chains.

The blows kept falling; an agonizing spate of minutes drifted by.

"Healing potion." Filvas barked.

An odd, sickly silence fell like a watch had stopped ticking in the dark.

"Leave... Me..alo... "Cid's words were choked off by the sound of glass clinking off his teeth.

"Let's let him recover a while; after all, why should he have all the fun?" Filvas sneered.

Riley heard Tobias' cell open.

"Give... them... nothing... Remember what I told you!" Cid pleaded, out of breath.

"Don't take his advice. You're younger; you can take far more pain," The steward threatened as Riley heard Tobias being chained up.

"You bastards! Tobias, I'm here, I know you can't hear me, but I'm here!"

Her heart was racing as she pulled and pushed against her restraints, feeling a cold sting as the crystal material cut into her neck.

She didn't stop as the blows began to land, and Tobias howled in pain.

"Let me go! Let me go!" Riley screamed frantically, thrashing and kicking, as warm, wet rivulets cascaded down her fur, scenting the air with an iron-tinted scent of danger.

"Ready to talk?" Filvas asked.

"The... ba... ba... basis of alchemy is the intent of the caster as much as the ingredients used. El-el-ements of heat, time, and even weather conditions can affect the outcome and potency of the..." Riley heard the unmistakable sound of a finger being snapped as Tobias howled again.

"That was one, you have nine more... For now..." Filvas sneered, holding up a glass vial in front of Tobias face, "Give me what I want. You can heal, and we can forget all this unpleasantness."

"To make a healing potion, you need the morningstar flower, dried to powder, and a charged magic crystal. The shackles you're using to hold us should be charged enough to work..." Tobias replied.

Filvas sighed, "No one's going to miss you. No one's going to come looking for you. You can give me what I want, or you can die here."

Not waiting, the beatings began again.