Prompt #2: A Songstress’ Fear
Ciel fought to breathe and clawed at her throat while writhing on the trampled earth. She could neither get air into her lungs, nor let it escape, and uttered no sound other than the futile sputtering and choking she managed to force. The Amalj’aa chieftain still have an iron-ringed stave in his hand, the very same which struck the bard in such a way that panicked surety had her believing her airway had collapsed. Her mission to stop the summoning was a failure this time, someone had discovered the plan and identified her to the lizard men, and they prepared accordingly. Her world blurred and dimmed, until the last thing she felt was the dust after she fell forward. She awoke with her hands bound and her bow and arrows missing, but she was alive, and amazingly enough she was breathing after how her capture unfolded. Looking around the chamber, she knew what to expect next. She had freed captives intended for Tempering before and knew this was but a temporary holding area. More likely than not, the Amalj’aa were out seeking more minds to enslave, and all she could do was wait until they had a number of potential slaves to satisfy their infernal master’s whims. Her Echo was such that it didn’t afford her much in the way of strength, and her nimbleness could only serve her just so far. They must know what happened by now. Her partner, a former Walker of the Path, was waiting to lend his aid in case anything went amiss but had arrived too late to prevent her from being hauled off. But then again, “Big Jerk”, as she had affectionately dubbed him for his gruff behavior, had seldom been the most reliable of partners, and she almost never looked forward to working with him again. And yet, there they were... Ciel tried not to move lest the pounding in her head and the ache around her neck become any worse, and she dared not force her voice until she could see a healer. The very thought of losing her voice was more terrifying to her than being Tempered. One who built her life around music and singing would surely cease to exist. Beyond the tunnels and to the north, she heard a commotion. The few guards who remained in chamber rushed out to join the sudden battle, and Ciel smiled after them. Her comrades had arrived to search for her and finish what she started.
