I tested the manacles that held my hands above my head in the darkened cell of the cities' dungeon. I wasn't getting out of them that much was clear. There was a noise in the darkness that was more of a feeling than an audible noise and I knew that I was not alone. The hairs on the back of my neck stood straight up and I prayed for courage against the unknown presence in the dungeon. A normal sounding voice spoke up smoothly into the stillness of the room.
"Roric, son of Lorn, heir to a long line of proud men, if it was permitted us you would be dead now."
A hideously scarred and burned face was suddenly within inches of my own. Part of me wanted to quiver upon seeing the unholy fire in the man's eyes, but I was a child of the Creators and He was greater than this dark aberration that had once been a man.
"It must burn to have limitations placed on you. You would think that would tell you something." I said nonchalantly into the face before me.
The man creature growled and struck me across the face hard, but then quickly drew back from me as if he had seen something I hadn't in the cell behind me worthy of causing fear.
"You won't be so insolent tomorrow. We may not be directly allowed to end your miserable life, but there are other ways to stamp out an ant. I promise you that we will make your end as slow and painful as possible. You and your family have been a hindrance to our plans for a long time, but that will end with you, tomorrow. Your grandfather will be all alone then and he has grown old and feeble, as is the way of man."
The figure turned away to melt into the shadows and I spoke out, "Whatever happened to that Marfoul fellow? He had the same idea concerning my extinction as you do, but it didn't work out so well for him last time I checked."
"He has been dealt with for his failure. It will not happen again."
The last words were said in a half snarl and then it was gone and I was alone again. They weren't allowed to kill me outright? I looked up thinking that must be where the Creator was when you wanted to talk to Him and then I realized my mistake. The Creator was everywhere, even here in this dark damp cell with me.
"If You're not allowing them to kill me outright how about loosing these manacles so I can get out of here and rescue Zarsha?"