Mythical Rising

4

Opening my eyes I found I was back in my cell. I didn’t want to call it my cell but it was looking more and more like it was going to be. Tossed on the floor was a small manual. On the front it simply said rules.

“Hey you up?”

The girl in the next cell called to me. I’ve just opened my eyes and they are talking to me already. How did she know I was awake.

“Yeah. How did you know?”

“ There is a telepathic unicorn here he knows when your awake if he wants.”

“Oh ok. I forgot about him. What’s your name anyway?”

“Susan.”

“Susan?”

Who the fuck has ever heard of an Orc called Susan. Don’t they normally have names like Mursha or zoguz? Weird things like that.

“Yes, Susan. My parents thought it might help hide us if we took human names. Most of us have them now. To be honest it is easier to have a human name than a native name now. Humans can’t say our names and it’s just annoying. What’s your name then?”

“Edward.”

“Are you serious? Edward the Elf.”

That was it Susan was laughing and shouting to everyone else in the prison.

“Did you hear that? Edward the Elf. He thought my name was bad.”

So Orcs find alliteration funny. I’ll remember that for future reference. I kept quiet as the whole place erupted in chatter and laughter. All aimed at me.

Looking around my cell there is a small pamphlet on the floor. The cover is blank except for one word. Rules. This had clearly been used more than once. Pages we’re torn and creased. In this light the paper even looked yellowed with age. Tentatively I opened the first page of three. Hoping that it wouldn’t turn to dust in my hands.

One. Refer to all guards with respect and only when spoken to. Any breach of this rule will be dealt with by said guard as they, see fit.

Two. Magic is strictly forbidden. Any being found to be using magic or attempting to will be executed.

Three. Meals will be in the dining hall when it is time set by us. Any complaints about food quality and quantity will not be tolerated. Punishment will be handed out by which guard hears said complaint.

Four. Escape is not possible so don’t try. Any being caught conspiring will be executed. This will be a public display for all to see as a warning.

“Hey Edward. Sorry about that it was just funny how you. Well, you know.”

“Yeah, it’s fine. Erm how serious are these rules?”

“Oh you got the rule book. I thought that was what they chucked in your cell. Look the rules are bull shit. So long as you don’t piss a guard off you will be fine. Get on the wrong side of one and you could end up dead.”

“They kill people here?”

My response came out a little louder and a couple octaves higher than I intended.

“No, they don’t kill people they kill us. The creatures of the world that they have driven to near extinction. They weren’t happy to beat us in many wars hundreds of year’s ago. No, they then hunted us as sport. Before then just rounding us up like cattle just in case they find a use for us one day.”

“Great. I’m starting to feel claustrophobic. I need to get out.”

“We all want out.”

Susan sounded as disheartened as I was feeling. This feeling was almost as bad as my hunger and thirst was. I don’t know how long I have been here but I haven’t had a meal yet. All the stress had surprised these feelings but if I had to guess. It had been over a day since my last meal and drink. Dehydration was starting to have it’s effects. My head was pounding.

I tossed the rules out of my cage and flopped onto my bed. The other inmates were chattering to each other and I was ignoring any shouts in my direction. Then the rumbling from the other end of the corridor sounded and silence fell on us.

I couldn’t see anything but I heard the odd robotic voice.

“Stand away from the bars and face the wall.”

Over and over the same sentence repeated. After each order there was the sound of something sliding on the floor. Then they came to my cell.

“Off your bed. Stay at that end of your cell and face the wall.”

Doing as I was told I stood and faced the wall like a nought kid being told off. Something slid across the floor in my direction.

“You can move now.”

The guards voice told me. I turned and saw the guard had stood back out of reach. There was a small metal dish on the floor containing some grey mush and a plastic bottle of water. There was no utensil to eat with.

“What is this?”

I asked picking up the water and ignoring the slop.

“Food and water. Eat or don’t it doesn’t matter to us. It contains all the nutrients you need. Put it outside the bars when done. Read the rules. We will be back for your dish.”

The guards moved on with a trolley of more bowls. There was grunting slurping noises coming from the other cells. I picked up the dish and sniffed it. The slop had no odour. I took my little finger and dunked it in and liked it. There was no taste. It had the consistency of snot. I considered leaving it but hunger won out.

“Edward are you going to eat the swill?”

I was already slobbering it up when Susan asked me. Slightly embarrassed by my manners I ran my hand over my lips.

“Yeah. It’s fucking nasty. But I’m starving.”

“Shame I would have had it if you didn’t.”

For the first time I saw there was something in the cell across from me. It was only small and had the shape of a human. But its face was almost like a wild boar. It scurried to the bars snatched up the bowl snaffled down the contents and disappeared back into the shadows.

“Susan? What’s in the cell opposite me?”

“A gnome. Don’t worry about him he doesn’t speak.”

“Why not?”

“Gnomes have a huge chip on there shoulders. Something to do with garden augments. They hate how they have been portrayed as cute little figures. They think everyone sees them this way and not as fears manipulators of matter. We know they are tough little buggers but they won’t hear a word of it.”

“Manipulators of matter?”

“Yeah give them enough of anything and they can make anything with it.”

“Interesting. So what materials can they do this too?”

“You know mineral-based things like stone metal. Only the really skilled ones can use wood. I have heard rumours that in very rare cases even living tissue.”

“So why is he still here. Why hasn’t he opened up the bars and walked out?”

“The same as any of us. This cliff is made from something that stops our powers.”

“Shit. Thanks for the info.”

I fell into silence pondering the information I was given. Gnomes are useful. Maybe it would be good to have one on side. How powerful is that one that is just out of my reach? Can he change people or is he limited? How long do thins remain changed once they have been? My mind raced and nothing was getting into my head.

So far I know there is a Gnome a unicorn and an Orc. I need to find out more about each race and how many there are in here. Susan said something about wizards as well didn’t she or am I making this up. My I need a way to remember all this and to start accepting it as true. Even if that makes me mad. I don’t think being mad will be as bad as what is happening. Either way I have to accept and learn.