The Gnarled Roots of Osiris

[Gnarl & Root]

Telana felt a little confused, what on earth was he actually saying to her? If he was suggesting they need not give up, she was fine with that, but any suggestion that they were not in such a dire situation was just absurd.

The pain from her wound ever growing, and the blood seemingly ever pouring, she refused to look down at it as she felt the warm blood squeeze through her fingers. It was a scary thought to consider the fact she may be dying, slowly.

She felt a little faint as she leant her head forward and pressed her free hand into forehead; the light headedness beginning to take some effect on her as it began to override her stubbornness. Maybe she had gone as far as she could go and maybe she wasn’t supposed to be free again, oh how she hated the thought of dying while still being a prisoner.

“You’re not from Talgadria are you?” She questioned him rather confidently.

Gnarl feeling a little concerned to her situation remained down at her height as she rested against the wall. The mixed feelings to being worried she would die, but then the counter argument that she really wasn’t his friend so why should he care? Maybe he had a chance to find out.

“No, I am from a land called Husral, though I am so far from it now I know not how to return.” Gnarl found himself being maybe a little to honest, but considering they were probably both dead maybe it didn’t really matter after all.

“I have never seen Talgardia beyond the walls I have spent my incarceration in. I didn’t even have a window of which to look out of, it is a shame because I would liked to have at least seen the sun. I could tell you know…I could tell you were like me, lost from further away than any Talgardian could understand.”

Gnarl watched her carefully as she muttered to him, her face a little pale, her voice a little shy from earlier, and her eye contact from those beautiful blue eyes lessened. Gnarl felt she wanted to say something, after already admitting her cell had no window, he could deduce she was treated much harsher, an even deeper more locked down part of the prison maybe.

A couple of cautious footsteps sounded from behind the door and Gnarl picked himself up. Both Telana and Gnarl stared at the door lock, a simple latch lock that could be lifted by either side. At least the chair propped up behind would ensure it stayed closed; for now at least.

The door shuffled slightly, the lock lifting and dropping followed by a thud as the person on the other side tried to barge in. Gnarl's felt his nerves kick in again, it was clear now they had not been missed, not been forgotten and with no real route of escape, they would have to fight a enemy in a much larger number than themselves.

The door thudded again, the heavy weight wanting to shift but withheld by the chair jammed up its latch. Stepping back Gnarl gripped his axe tightly and picked up his discarded shield, he would at least be ready for a fight. Telana dragged herself across the floor, walking on her knees for a moment before Gnarl couldn't withhold his sympathy any longer.

"Get off..." She grumbled as he leant in to help her. She had no intention of being looked after, even if she really did need the help. "Urgh...What the hell did you get on me?"

The green ooze on her hand after she pushed him was more slimy then runny, but it looked rather gross as it ran over her free hand.

Gnarl looked down at his top, the green slime situated right over his chest, and confused to where he came from he almost jumped back as if avoiding a spider.

"Your necklace..." Telana pointed out...the chained necklace's green stone had melted, and no longer hung from his neck. Giving it a quick tug, the strength of the necklace had waned, snapping like paper it fell to the floor; useless.

Telana smiled as she removed it, appearing much less confused than Gnarl as she tried to rub the green mess from her own chest.

"Ha..haha...Hahahahaha!"

Gnarl didn't see what was so funny, but it was much less amusing and more a laugh of relief as she looked rather pleased with the whole thing. The door thudded again reminding them of where they were, but again as if something was willing them to carry on, to not give up; the floor shook.

Electricity filled the air, sparks appeared and flashed across the room from nowhere, what was going on? Again the door shook as the once dim store room began lighting up and shaking as if the gods themselves were trying to tell them something.

Losing his balance for a moment Gnarl dropped to one knee as his axe slipped from his hand and fell to Telana's feet. Her laughing had stopped, but her grin, just like when he first saw her by the marble fountain remained.

"You're gonna need this." She smiled handing it back to him.

Then reminiscent of what had happened earlier, a strange bright white light lit the room and emerging before the a much smaller, much less hostile, but glowing with strange sparks of cloudless lighting a sort of portal, a gateway with no door to open. The glowing orb quite frightening in appearance blocked the doorway and remained just about large enough to fit the average person inside.

Gnarl partially shielding his eyes stared at it, confused and unsure to what was happening and what was going to happen to him as he knelt before it.

"Go in, go in, go in!" A familiar rough voice shouted. "Stop cowering and jump in, jump!"

"What?" He turned to the injured Telana, who still looked fading.

"Down here!" The voice called again.

It only dawned on him then, Stoney had been silent all this time. As if something had been disrupting his presence or speech, but now free to talk again, Stoney may have arrived to give some good advice at a well needed time.

"Stoney....Are the God's telling me this is it? Am I never to leave this place?" Gnarl looked over to Telana, her eyes closed, but still breathing, he didn't want to leave her to die, but what could he do? "Tell me what to do Stoney! Tell me..."

The door thudded heavily again, and this time the chair moved, dropping down to the floor with a crash behind the portal. One more hit and the door would open for sure, if they figured the lock was released they wouldn't even need to barge through.

"The God's offer you the only way...jump through the portal, and slay Keats the betrayer..."

"What does that mean?" Gnarl stared down as his bulging pocket awaiting a better reply from Stoney.

"You've been given the power to slay they betrayer, break his will and you'll save yourself..."

Gnarl looked back at Telana once more, her hand still gripped her wound, but she seemed much less by the second. It went against everything his heart desired, everything he believed in, but he would have to leave her, he would have to save himself. There was nothing he could do for her, and he would have to convince himself later that it was the right choice, but he had no time to feel guilty right now.

The door crashed open and the portal sparked with yet another large electrical spike that shook the room. Gnarl finally gritted his teeth, raised his shield to his chest and ducked his head. Charging with all of his might and using every last bit of energy he could muster to sprint into the portal; he slipped through.

His eyes closed, he felt the air change with a sudden stillness, the smell of blood still remained but the warm air now no longer presented the static feeling he had just experienced.

Opening his eyes he now faced across a new room, and standing before him two dueling men. Was this what Stoney meant? Was this what he was supposed to do? The smarter more extravagant room separated him from them with tables and paper work, and he stared across in shock as they seemed unaware of his entrance to this place.

His axe suddenly felt warm and without warning it glowed a clear light sky blue that illuminated his hand as he held it close. Then as expected his presence was soon discovered, with the surprised eye’s of the standing man zoned in on him. Not a word was uttered, but the silent stare between the two remained as they each questions one others motives.

“There he is…” Stoney repeated. “Keats…He stands before you, Keats the betrayer…”

Keats knocked back his black hair with his free but bloodied hand, caring neither for this wound or his familiar looking opponent who lay almost defeated upon the cold marble flooring before him. The surprise of Gnarls arrival was overridden by the sheer arrogance that Keats felt invincible; he was powerful, protected and confident in his present moment. Why should he acknowledge a mere prisoner, even if he was where he should never have been.

Gnarl pushed his axe up to his neck, tucking it under the broken prisoner necklace and then flicked it away as it sliced easily through the chain allowing it to free fall to his feet. It was more than just jettisoning loose crap he had been forced to wear, it was the start of his freedom and Keats would regret his arrogance.

"I believe the God's are telling me to kill you...Keats..."