The Shinaegri Horde (Part 1)
Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2021 11:20 pm
The Shinaegri Horde (Part 1)
It had been a year. One entire year. A year since she'd been sent to this bleak cell in the middle of Mistreach Keep. Her stomach was grumbling, letting her know that it would be time for her cell to be unlocked so she could get some food. Her body no longer functioned on day and night cycles from within this windowless cell nestled in the belly of the greatest stone beast. No, the only clock she had now was when her stomach knew it was meal time. Wake up to go to first meal, go to sleep after second meal. Repeat.
Areya knew she only had one more year. One more miserable year. She had already outlasted most of the bets made by her fellow conscripts. She had been just a slip of a thing when she'd been brought in, at least as much as a Dratori could be. And in many ways, she still was, but her arms had just a hint more definition, likely from the lower amounts of food, and maybe just a bit of the use of weapons. But the most stark change was the look in her eyes. She was no longer that timid, scared woman that was dragged in here crying, peeing herself.
No, she bore the same look everyone in here eventually got. It was a less than Dratori, less than human, less than anything resembling a person. The ones who lived here long enough became beasts, no different from those they fought back. Her emerald eyes looked across the dark hall, barely illuminated by the torches at the entrance that led down below. Frank was still snoring, as he always did, huddled in a corner, clutching his sword. Ever since that day Shinaegri breached into the cells and nearly chewed on them in their own cells, he had stopped sleeping in his bed. He wanted to always be readied. Areya still slept in hers, soundly. She kept a tomahawk under her pillow and a hand was always on it. No need to not be at least somewhat comfortable and sleep well.
Her stomach gurgled at the same time she heard the clinking of metal and thudding of feet across stone. Tornock. As he walked past the cells, the magical locks clicked, unlocking them. "Rise and shine conscripts. Get a move on, we got a busy day ahead of us. Them damn Shins are getting restless again."
Areya's lock clicked and she swung her door inward, already dressed and moving toward the mess hall. She was always among the first in the line, keeping her feet quick, dipping around those still stumbling out of their cells. She wanted her food to still be hot. It didn't take long for it to cool, and when it did, you had to taste even more of the foul slops they gave out. Once it was her turn to get her plate of food, she saw that it was the usual. Boiled oats and dried meat of some sort. She guessed rat. Or dead conscripts.
A slip of a grin slid on her face at her joke as she took her plate to a corner and wolfed down the gruel. It was somehow both bland and extremely foul tasting. The dried meats she pocketed. Anything she could save, she always did. One never knew how long they'd be done in the deeps. Once she was done, she folded her hands in her lap, closed her eyes, and began focusing on her breath. She tried to focus on just the steadying rhythm of her breaths, in and out. She tried to ignore the sounds of the many people around her plopping down to take their seats, or the terrible noises they made while they ate. She tried to block out the stench of the man who'd sat next to her. They had access to a baths, why wouldn't someone use them?
She shook her head, grimacing, returning her focus to her breath. She needed to calm her Berserker nature, to always keep it in check until she absolutely needed it. It, like everything else in this world, was a tool. And she would use every tool she had to stay alive. One more year, one more breath. One more year, one more breath.
"Alright conscripts, get your gear and meet up at your rally points."
Her green eyes slid open, and still, there was fear in them. But her hands pressed firmly against the table as she stood up. She returned to her cell, grabbing her stuff, and gearing up, as Tornock had commanded. She followed the file of conscripts down the stairs to the First Deep, taking her position, as determined by their cell numbers, and she waited, hands crossed behind her back. Her stomach was nauseated, her knuckles white as she clenched them, but her eyes were forward, as Tornock began to give them their commands.
One more year, one more breath.
Glade 52, 121
It had been a year. One entire year. A year since she'd been sent to this bleak cell in the middle of Mistreach Keep. Her stomach was grumbling, letting her know that it would be time for her cell to be unlocked so she could get some food. Her body no longer functioned on day and night cycles from within this windowless cell nestled in the belly of the greatest stone beast. No, the only clock she had now was when her stomach knew it was meal time. Wake up to go to first meal, go to sleep after second meal. Repeat.
Areya knew she only had one more year. One more miserable year. She had already outlasted most of the bets made by her fellow conscripts. She had been just a slip of a thing when she'd been brought in, at least as much as a Dratori could be. And in many ways, she still was, but her arms had just a hint more definition, likely from the lower amounts of food, and maybe just a bit of the use of weapons. But the most stark change was the look in her eyes. She was no longer that timid, scared woman that was dragged in here crying, peeing herself.
No, she bore the same look everyone in here eventually got. It was a less than Dratori, less than human, less than anything resembling a person. The ones who lived here long enough became beasts, no different from those they fought back. Her emerald eyes looked across the dark hall, barely illuminated by the torches at the entrance that led down below. Frank was still snoring, as he always did, huddled in a corner, clutching his sword. Ever since that day Shinaegri breached into the cells and nearly chewed on them in their own cells, he had stopped sleeping in his bed. He wanted to always be readied. Areya still slept in hers, soundly. She kept a tomahawk under her pillow and a hand was always on it. No need to not be at least somewhat comfortable and sleep well.
Her stomach gurgled at the same time she heard the clinking of metal and thudding of feet across stone. Tornock. As he walked past the cells, the magical locks clicked, unlocking them. "Rise and shine conscripts. Get a move on, we got a busy day ahead of us. Them damn Shins are getting restless again."
Areya's lock clicked and she swung her door inward, already dressed and moving toward the mess hall. She was always among the first in the line, keeping her feet quick, dipping around those still stumbling out of their cells. She wanted her food to still be hot. It didn't take long for it to cool, and when it did, you had to taste even more of the foul slops they gave out. Once it was her turn to get her plate of food, she saw that it was the usual. Boiled oats and dried meat of some sort. She guessed rat. Or dead conscripts.
A slip of a grin slid on her face at her joke as she took her plate to a corner and wolfed down the gruel. It was somehow both bland and extremely foul tasting. The dried meats she pocketed. Anything she could save, she always did. One never knew how long they'd be done in the deeps. Once she was done, she folded her hands in her lap, closed her eyes, and began focusing on her breath. She tried to focus on just the steadying rhythm of her breaths, in and out. She tried to ignore the sounds of the many people around her plopping down to take their seats, or the terrible noises they made while they ate. She tried to block out the stench of the man who'd sat next to her. They had access to a baths, why wouldn't someone use them?
She shook her head, grimacing, returning her focus to her breath. She needed to calm her Berserker nature, to always keep it in check until she absolutely needed it. It, like everything else in this world, was a tool. And she would use every tool she had to stay alive. One more year, one more breath. One more year, one more breath.
"Alright conscripts, get your gear and meet up at your rally points."
Her green eyes slid open, and still, there was fear in them. But her hands pressed firmly against the table as she stood up. She returned to her cell, grabbing her stuff, and gearing up, as Tornock had commanded. She followed the file of conscripts down the stairs to the First Deep, taking her position, as determined by their cell numbers, and she waited, hands crossed behind her back. Her stomach was nauseated, her knuckles white as she clenched them, but her eyes were forward, as Tornock began to give them their commands.
One more year, one more breath.