Captive

Captive

                Tadyel was nearing the point of collapse when the fortress finally came into sight. If they hadn't been heading straight for it, she'd probably have dismissed it as a large rock formation half hidden by dunes. Possibly good shelter, but nothing more.

                As they drew closer, she realised that some of her initial impressions were wrong. A large portion of the 'dunes' covering the structure were just parts of the wall made of (or covered by) a sand coloured stone, rather than the far darker stone used for the rest. It was, truly, a fortress - walls standing several stories high, and the visible side was at least a kilometre long. Tiny slits dotted the wall, barely visible even as they drew close. It reminded Tadyel of the fortresses they had passed while leaving their homeland, but of far more exacting construction than those of the Thrath.

                The refugees were taken in through a tunnel that quite suddenly appeared before them. Both midway and at the far end stood mighty gates - the tunnel was wide enough for fifty of the refugees to stand side by side, and the column easily fit, even with the constructs encircling them.

                Each gate was defended by a contingent of the constructs, with a couple of mages (wearing less flashy robes than their captor) present as well. The sheer number of constructs around was very intimidating. Every last one was surrounded by an aura of might and violence - as if they might decide to crush the refugees at any moment.

                After entering the fortress proper, Tadyel had little time to look around the inside (a great open space with a very high roof, obviously intended as a rallying point - or killing ground) before she and the rest of the refugees were herded down another tunnel. They walked past several large, open rooms filled with wagons and other goods - what they have taken from others? - until they reached one that was mostly empty.

                There they were separated from their wagons and animals. Once the wagons had been guided inside, the animals were taken away. Some of the villagers murmured angrily, causing the mage to issue a short, unintelligible command. Acting as one, all nearby constructs - even the two standing outside the room as guards - slammed one foot into the floor. The shockwave knocked several of the tired captives over, and made the tunnel appear to shake dangerously. No-one murmured after that.

                The mage led them further into the tunnels, and eventually the empty, open rooms were replaced by locked cells of the same size. Most contained a handful of people, who seemed to be refugees as well. They stared at the far larger group almost sadly as they passed. A small group tightly surrounded by constructs passed them heading the other way. One cell was filled with a group of Thrath prisoners, armed to the teeth.

                Soon they arrived at an empty cell - far sooner than they had arrived at an empty storage room, despite each being filled to the brim. They were herded inside, and the door firmly locked behind them. "You'll be dealt with in the morning!" yelled the mage, before he left.

                The room was fairly cramped with all three hundred of the refugees inside, but everyone managed to find somewhere to lie down (or a patch of wall to lie against). They were a far larger group than those crammed into the other cells, though many worriedly muttered about how soon that might change.

                Tadyel had taken a spot near the door so she could get a closer look at the constructs. There were two just outside the cell door. Tadyel stared intently at them. Surely they won't get annoyed at my 'rudeness'. They certainly seem mindless, she thought.

                 Seeing them up close didn't give Tadyel many new insights into the constructs. They were completely covered in almost random plates of dark stone (very similar to that most of the fortress was made from); the only commonality between the two guards was cracks in the correct places to allow their bodies to bend. Apart from that, the plates and green filled gaps seemed completely random, varying in size significantly. Up close, she was able to see that the green filling seemed to be some sort of mortar - it looked like it had been squeezed into the cracks simply to hold the plates together.

                One particularly strange detail was the heads. They lacked cracks that would allow turning, and had no gaps whatsoever. One of the guards had a single solid place covering the entirety of their 'face'! Yet the constructs could definitely see, as Tadyel had observed them weaving around obstacles in the desert.

                Of all she observed, the only real new insight was something she almost missed. On one plate she noticed a - very, very faint - glow in the shape of a sigil. Careful watching let her spot similar sigils on the other plates which led her to quickly surmise that most (or all) plates were marked.

                Staring so hard made her notice how tired her eyes were. She could barely focus at all, and her eyes hurt. Time for sleep, I guess, she thought as she curled up and draped her tattered cloak over herself. Very quickly she drifted off, and soon after she was dreaming of walking (as she had for days).

                Tadyel slept for a long time - longer than she had in weeks. There was no need to get on the move as early as possible that day, nor was there a horribly bright sun to roast her. In fact, she managed to sleep soundly until she was poked awake with the blunt end of a spear.

                "Hurh?" she muttered, wondering why her feet were suddenly not walking for a brief moment. Her eyes shot open. Above her stood a construct. It looked as if it was leaning over her, spear in hand.

                Tadyel yelped and scrambled backwards, up and over a couple of other sleeping refugees. The construct didn't follow her as it was too busy poking someone else with its spear.

                "Sorry, sorry!" muttered Tadyel to those she had clambered over while panicked. They grumbled and muttered as they woke up as well. Tadyel resolved to play innocent if anyone was pissed and took the opportunity to look around.

                Most of the refugees were awake already, and seemed to be gathering up against the back wall loosely. Tadyel and the others who had still been asleep were being woken up by others, or poked awake by constructs. There were a few constructs in the cell, forming a semi-circle around the doorway as they entered and woke up sleeping refugees. From behind them came a deep but (probably) female voice calling out, "Yes, keep backing up. You'll all fit in the far end of the cell, move it!"

                The voice continued, repeating more or less the same order. Tadyel and the other refugees acquiesced without complaint. It was not long before the refugees were clumped up against the far wall opposite a line of constructs that stretched from one wall to the other. Two stepped aside, and from their midst a tall, aged woman in robes quite similar to their captors.

                "Greetings, refugees from the south. I am the Magus Ophelia, and I am tasked with organising and managing all prisoners. As you are likely aware, we have been capturing those like yourselves for use in the creation of our constructs," she said. The look of fear she saw crossing the faces of many of the refugees made her smirk.

                "As much as we need every last construct, we also have other needs. I have been ordered to make your group an offer. For each one of you that agrees to perform a certain duty for us, twenty of you will be spared - as chosen by the 'volunteers'. Should you succeed in your duty, they will be released. Should you fail, another must perform a duty. Should you betray us the chosen twenty will be used as construction materials." The Magus smiled wickedly.

                "The duty you must perform will be dangerous or dark. We will decide based upon what we think you are capable of. Understand that we would by far prefer that you succeed. Do not fear that we shall set you up to fail. We simply do not have the manpower to carry out these tasks ourselves. Those who volunteer, raise your hands."

                Tadyel's arm shot up immediately. She felt she had to - it was a way out, for all of them. She understood the direness of the situation. Yesterday she had been too tired from countless hours of walking to think properly. Today she had put it together moments after awakening.

                Proper sleep had really, really helped her brain. Behind and beside her, several others volunteered. She barely had time to think That's not enough before another hand went up. Then another, and another, until it was enough.

                "Oh, I should add, you can double up on someone if you want them to be extra safe. There's an exception for betrayal, of course," said the Magus.

                Another couple of hands went up, but that was all. The Magus waited a few minutes, perhaps hoping for more volunteers, before she spoke. "Well then. Volunteers come forwards. It seems there's enough of you to cover everyone, how lucky for you all. A couple of lesser Magii will be down shortly to take down your names so we know who the volunteers have picked," she said.

                Tadyel stepped forwards, along with the other volunteers. Mostly the mightier souls of the village. Those who had fought off beasts, taken the heaviest loads, and done as much as they could. Some of the rest were young grandparents, with large families to watch over, but a couple were brave, foolish youths.

                Thinking about it made Tadyel realise that she was probably a brave, foolish youth herself. She didn't often doubt herself, but she knew she wasn't the strongest. What if it was a task that required her to fight? She'd - she had no idea how to do that. She'd been a farm hand all her life, and not one with a broad base of farming knowledge. The only thing she could do was cut grain!

                She pushed worrying about it from her mind. It was done; better to worry about what came next. Who would she choose to save? She knew everyone - everyone knew everyone - but she wasn't close to anyone, really. Not since the last of her siblings fled. Her friends had fled even earlier than that, rather than face near starvation.

                I suppose whoever no-one else wishes to safeguard, she thought, and I know of a few who would be skipped. The villagers were close to one another, but not every refugee had come from the village. Some of those who joined them on the road were welcome, but others were seen almost as outsiders. Only welcome on the road as there was safety in numbers.

                Tadyel and the other volunteers followed the Magus from the cell and down more long corridors as she mulled over her choices.

                The inspection consisted of a brief five minute physical inspection and a few questions. What was Tadyel's profession? Grain farm-hand. Any special skills? No. Any training at all - especially fighting? No. Have you been inspected for magical talents? Yes, Thrath do so and kill or take those they detect. I see.

                It was carried out inside a medium sized chamber, with several 'Lesser Magii' assisting the Magus they had been brought to by Ophelia. His name was Oberon, and Ophelia had referred to him as 'the man who figures out what we need for each constructs - but don't worry, he's checking you out for other reasons'.

                Tadyel returned to the corridor outside once her inspection was completed, and the next volunteer headed in. She spent the next two hours (she had been the third volunteer to be inspected, so there were many more to follow) napping against a wall. One of the other volunteers asked her how she could be so calm, to which she replied, "I'm still tired from the walk."

                Once the inspections were completed, they were led by one of the lesser Magii through the corridors again. They entered a different part of the fortress, one that seemed more associated with paper work than prisoners (or constructs). Small offices lined the walls, most presently unoccupied but full of books and paperwork. The markings on the doors were in a script Tadyel had never seen - it used completely different characters to the ones she had seen in her village. It was possible it was just a messy script - Tadyel had never learnt to read.

                A Magus outside one of the offices waved at the group as they approached. "Thank you, Mortimer," she said, "Hurry back to Oberon, now." Mortimer nodded, and left.

                "Line up, and enter one at a time. Damien! Come out here and keep an eye on them!" hollered the Magus. A lesser Magus popped out of the Magus's office and nodded.

                "I am called Eden, by the by," said the Magus. She pointed at one of the volunteers. "You first."

                The chosen volunteer headed into the office, leaving the rest of them outside under Damien's watch (and in an orderly line, lest the ever-present constructs become agitated). Tadyel took the opportunity to get back to napping - she was last in line.

                "Wake up," came a voice, followed by a rough jab. Tadyel's eyes flared open and saw Damien standing over her - she must have fallen asleep. The other volunteers were nowhere to be found, though she was still in the corridor.

                "The rest of them have headed off already. Last goodbyes and that. You're lucky last - head in," said the lesser Magus. Tadyel nodded and did as asked.

                The inside of the office was little different from the ones she had passed on the way. Eden - a short, quite heavy-set gray-blonde - sat behind her desk in the middle of the room. In front of it sat another chair, that Tadyel was motioned to sit in.

                "You're Tadyel, then?" asked Eden. Tadyel nodded.

                "Do you know who you'll take responsibility for?" asked Eden. "The others left a few people out. A couple said you'd more than likely choose those as yet unchosen."

                Tadyel nodded, then said, "Yes. Everyone who is left. And then the children."

                "Very well. That's a few more than twenty - which of the children would you choose?" said Eden. She held a list out to Tadyel. "You know," she added, "The first time we did this we didn't count the children. But then we realised how protective people are of kids most of the time."

                Tadyel grimaced at the sight of the too-pleased smile Eden made. "I can't read it," said Tadyel.

                "Oh. Well, there are just enough kids with only one person responsible for them to get you to twenty - how about that?" asked Eden, taking back the list.

                "Okay," replied Tadyel.

                "That's that handled. Now, your task. A particular individual in one of the towns near the desert's edge is agitating against us. He's finding support amongst the refugees, but we are more concerned about his effect on the townspeople. Your task is to kill him," stated Eden solemnly.

                Tadyel was a little shocked, despite expecting something similar for a 'dark' duty. She also felt a surge of relief - killing someone wasn't that dangerous. If you did it carefully, you'd probably be able to flee safely. But... She felt her conscience wriggling all ready. Could she really kill someone?

                "You will have ten days after arriving at the town to kill him," continued Eden. "Additional details on the target will be provided by your contact in the town. You will also have a spell placed on you. This spell will kill you after seventeen days - enough time to get you to the town, and for you to have ten days to succeed. This spell will be removed by your contact upon your success. Failure to make an attempt on the life of the target within the ten days will be counted as a betrayal. Do you have any questions?"

                "I - can you tell me any more about what I have to do?" asked Tadyel.

                "Your contact will have more details than I. As will your driver, I think, as he is close to our agents within the town. You will spend six days in his company, in fact. Plenty of time to ask questions of your task. And, perhaps, other things," said Eden.

                There was a moment of silence, and then Tadyel said, "Thank you."

                Eden smiled. "I have a question for you, in turn. Why did you volunteer immediately? The notes paint you as quite unexceptional but for that."

                "I... wasn't quite thinking straight. I'd just been woken up," replied Tadyel.

                "Do you regret volunteering?"

                "No. Someone had to."

                Eden's smile broadened. "Well then. I'll have Damien escort you back, then we'll mark you and get you on your way. It's been a pleasure to deal with someone sure of what she's doing - you wouldn't believe how long your fellow volunteers took to make their choices. It's mid-evening, by the way," said Eden.

                "Oh," replied Tadyel. That did explain why she felt so rested. And also why she was so hungry - a thought that made her stomach rumble.

                "We'll get you fed before you leave, too," added Eden with a chuckle.