[mention]dahanband[/mention] I was literally typing this chapter out today! Yay for psychic powers. haha. Thanks for the loyal support on this tale.
[mention]gag1195[/mention] [mention]DeeperThanRed[/mention] Thanks guys for reading!
The next chapters which end the first arc of this story are a little gritty... I hope you still enjoy it
Chapter 8: A Sacrifice
Javeed followed Serto closely, it was a literal maze to try and navigate the countless corridors. Javeed was utterly lost.
Every now and then Serto would indicate to Javeed to stop and be silent. They pressed up against a wall disappearing into the darkness just to see groups of shadow-hands rushing past, in search of the ultimate catch, their anticipated saviour, or king…
Javeed was still trying to wrap his head around what he heard Thresh explaining to Serto, there were two paths to take, either he became their king, ruling from the shadows or he became their saviour delivering them from the shadows.
Javeed pried with his fingers trying to get the gag off his face, then he saw Serto signalling for them to run again.
He followed swiftly, every corner they went around looking exactly like the one before.
Every time they stopped Javeed scratched at the gag, trying to get it off.
He tapped Serto on the shoulder. As his new ward looked around, Javeed pointed to the gag, “hmmmmpp.”
“I know my King. Once we have escaped we will get it off, we just don’t have the time now.” Serto whispered.
Javeed sighed, his eyes betraying the helpless feeling he was experiencing. He tapped Serto again. Javeed pointed at his mouth then made a signal with his hand indicating, he needs his magic.
Serto smiled, a sight Javeed had only seen a few times before, and went down on his knee, “Ok. Come here.”
Javeed knelt down beside Serto. Serto pulled out his liquid black blade, “I don’t have as much magic as you my King but I have my skills.” He expertly started cutting at the black substance that was stopping Javeed from using his mouth.
“Almost there.” whispered Serto.
In that instant ropes shot out at Serto from the other side of the room they were in, the black twine was horribly familiar to Javeed, Thresh!
Javeed threw out his hand grabbing on to Serto’s wrist, as he was being dragged away by the ropes.
Serto, having his blade in his free hand started slashing at the black cords that were wrapping around his legs. “Get the gag off!!” he shouted to Javeed, “Leave me I can handle Thresh!”
Javeed felt his newfound world being torn from his grip as he left Serto to be dragged away by Thresh’s ropes.
Javeed grabbed his gag where Serto was cutting it, he started pulling and scratching at the frayed ends. With horror Javeed felt the frays starting to mend themselves. He looked up and saw Shade walking into the room.
In his panic Javeed almost clawed at the gag but all he felt was the loose ends mending themselves. Javeed looked across at Serto. At least he was faring better. Serto managed to cut the ropes from his legs but he was occupied keeping the plaited tendrils at bay.
Javeed was grabbed by two thugs, each holding an arm and they slammed him against the wall pinning his wrists and arms down. He felt a punch to his gut. Then the tip of a blade resting on his throat.
“Stop your madness or the boy dies!” Shade screamed in his booming voice. Serto looked up to where Javeed was being held against the wall, he froze, holding his liquid blade ready.
“Drop it!”
Serto’s eyes darted around the room looking, calculating for possible escape routes, he found none. Serto dropped his blade.
Javeed felt a tear on his cheek.
Rope tentacles lunged out at Serto and within seconds his entire body was a cocoon of Thresh’s living ropes. Mummified from his neck down to his feet.
Javeed could see the man struggling against the ropes, for the briefest moment Javeed wondered if the crotch rope was applied to his rescuer.
Before Serto could fall over Shade walked over to him and grabbed Serto’s forehead in the palm of his hand.
“NOOOO!” screamed Serto as he looked over at Javeed, "I'm sorry my King!".
Javeed stared in disbelief as Shade mouthed some spell. There was a ringing in Javeed’s ears so he couldn’t hear the words used but he saw how Serto’s eyes rolled back in his head, his body convulsing. And then he fell over motionless.
“AAAAAGHHHHHH” Javeed screamed into his gag, he fought against the hands pinning him to the wall. A newfound strength came over him, he was breaking loose, he felt the blade cut his throat but used the pain to fuel his power.
Two more thugs rushed over and helped pin his arms down.
“YYYYYEEEEEEEHHHHHH” Javeed screamed again, his muscles bulged the four assailants were hardly keeping him down. “AAAAAAAARGHHHH.” Javeed glanced at his finger tips, a purple aura was lighting up.
But it’s impossible, Javeed knew the first rule of magic… you need your words to cast a spell.
The momentary distraction was enough, Javeed felt something hard strike his head and he was pinned back against the wall. Through blurred vision he looked on as Thresh’s ropes uncoiled from Serto’s limp body, and made their way to him, slithering across the rugged floor like serpents.
Javeed felt the coils wrap around his ankles and wrists, but he didn’t fight, he was dazed by the knock to the head.
Was Serto dead?
He was never going to escape this hell. He wasn't going to be a saviour or a king, he was to be a sacrifice used to unleash darkness onto the world, and his only hope of escape was now gone.
Shade held out his hand and through the ringing in his ears Javeed could just make out the guttaral spell he cast “Toeg toi si er ba let!”
Everywhere Javeeds body was touching the wall he instantly felt cold metal shackles appear and lock him in place. There were shackles on his wrists, his elbows, his chest, his throat, his waist, his thighs and his ankles.
Javeed pulled at his new prison, Thresh’s ropes added to Javeed’s wrist and ankle shackles making his already inescapable bondage even more relentless.
Javeed looked over the room, Thresh and Shade with a handful of other Shadowhands were all staring at him, but his eyes were fixed on Serto, as Serto’s body started moving...
Could it be? Was there hope?
Serto got up picked up his blade and joined the audience looking on, as Shade stepped up closer to the prisoner.
"There will be no more waiting! Prepare the throne room for the sacrifice!"
Javeed stared into Serto's eyes but there was nothing there... only the hungry expression of the assassin that hunted him mere days ago.
Javeed hung his head in defeat.