Jex's lazy eyes opened to darkness. The only source of light was poking through small holes in the weaving of a potato sack covering his head. The sack smelled like straw and the dank like potato skins. He lay on his side on a hard, clay floor that was cold and unforgiving. It didn't bring much comfort. Silence made it difficult for him to know where he was. Jex tried to move his feet only to find them bound and his hands behind his back. His body felt heavy and thick like lead.
"What happened? Where am I?" he questioned.
He pulled tugging hard on his bindings, testing their strength. The rough threads from the bindings scratched against his arms making them itch. He rolled over and hit a wooden barrel with his arm and used it as support to help him sit up onto his rear. Jex slid his hands under him and around his legs with great effort. With his hands in front of him he used his fingers and pulled from the top of the potato sack till it slid from his head.
A torch on the wall bore a small flickering light. No windows let in natural light into the small room. Scents of wine and various foods filled the area and crates and wooden barrels were stacked about the walls. Meats hung from the ceiling covered in salts and spices so they would keep over the long winter.
"Am I in a pantry?" he wondered. His stomach growled in response and he leaned up peering about in search of a barrel with its lid off. "Maybe I can find an apple or something." His search did not prevail.
He sighed and examined his bindings and brought the bindings to his mouth as he nibbled on the rope. The tough texture of the rope was raw against his teeth and tongue. Biting through it was not an option. He glanced up towards the wooden door then to the torch hanging on the wall. Jex's eyes glittered as an idea dawned on him.
"This might hurt, but it might work," he pondered as he rocked himself onto his feet and shuffled towards the torch on the wall. He held his bindings up to the torch being careful only to singe them enough to weaken the rope. The fumes of burning hemp filled the room giving off an awful stench, however, his plan seemed to work. The heat of the torch was unbearable on his hands but it had burned away part of the rope. With a few more tugs, his hands were free. He shook off the burning sensation in his hands then untied his feet, freeing them. Jex rubbed his ankles to ease the dull pains he felt there.
He grabbed hold of the iron handle, opening the door to peek out. A hallway ran parallel to the door lit by torch light. Five other doors lined the wall on the other side and a staircase led upwards.
He opened the door, careful not to make a sound and shut it behind him. He tiptoed across the hall and searched the doors one by one. Behind the first and second door he discovered more foods and wines. Behind the third he discovered clothes much like the ones that his attacker had worn and various leather armors. Jex tapped his chin and held up a hooded cloak to himself, wrapping it around his shoulders.
"It might just fit," he mused as he pulled off his boots and clothes and stuffed them in a small leather bag he found near the back of the room. He pulled the black leather scarf over his mouth to hide his face. He slung the small russack over his shoulder and exited the room. As he walked out into the hallway, footsteps bounded down the stairs. Frantic to hide, Jex dashed for the closet he had come out of, keeping the door cracked. A bandit, dressed like Jex, walked into the cellar. The stench of alcohol loomed around him in a strong musk.
"He smells worse than Nimer," he thought as his nose wrinkled.
The man avoided the pantry Jex had come out of and vanished into another he had discovered earlier, coming back handling a large keg of wine. He rolled it across the clay ground and back up the stairs. Jex listened. Chatter arose at the top of the stairs. Jex couldn't make out words. He assumed they were celebrating, or just thirsty.
Jex stepped out into the empty hallway and shut the door carefully behind him. He searched the last rooms he had not checked, finding food in one and what he was looking for in the other. Jex's eyes gleamed at the blades hanging on the wall and bows and various quivers full of iron arrows. Staves leaned in one corner and axes lay on the tables.
"There's so many of them," he whispered, walking into the room and shutting the door. Everything glittered in the torch that illuminated the room. Jex ran a finger along the flat edges of the blades awestruck. He picked up a large bastard sword and handled it with care before grabbing the handle, giving a quick stab at the air. His wrist weakened causing the blade to wobble.
"Perhaps I use two hands," he muttered, grasping the blade with both hands and giving it a good swing.
"Much better." He searched the room and found a sheath for the blade and tied it to his back. He turned to walk out when brass hand guards of two cutlasses caught his attention. He eyed the blades finding runes on them.
"These look like Nimer's. They've got to be his. But what are they doing here?" he gasped and picked them up. The leather on the handles had worn away quite a bit. The blades themselves were light, easy for an agile fighter to use and just Nimer's size. Jex wrapped them in his clothes and repacked his leather pack, slinging it back over his shoulder.
Jex left the room, latching the door and started for the stairs. The wood creaked beneath his shoes causing his heart to race.
"Can I pull this off if I'm caught?" he wondered, despite being well disguised.
He stayed close to the wall, stepping out into a small room at the top of the stairs. The light from candles cast across the old, worn rug on the floor. A table set with plates and goblets had been placed in the far left corner and a door occupied the same wall. No light poured through the window on the right telling him it was deep into the night. A dark open hallway cut into the right corner of the room. An open door ahead of him that led into another room had voices coming from it, laughter and sounds of celebration. Jex darted towards the doorway, peeking into the room, hopefully unnoticed.
Five men sat around a table, sharing drinks and smiles by the light of a fireplace on the front wall and torch light. Food piled their plates and wine filled their goblets. One man who appeared to be an elf carried the merry conversation the five were having.
"We didn't need to proceed with such measures. A shock like that would kill anyone," he boasted.
"And what about the girl?" one spoke up, his voice shrill and fine.
"I lost sight of her. Scared her half way up a tree I'm guessing, but I got what I needed. The boy had it on him," the elf said, taking a long drink of wine. A giddy smile crawled across his face as he fished into his pocket and withdrew a scarlet shard. "Ever so close to completing the key to the kingdom."
Jex's eyes widened. "My shard," he exclaimed in a whisper.
"With this," the elf mused, holding the shard towards the light. "I will awaken to great power. We shall find the rest for Ravathor when he awakens. Perhaps he will make me a king."
"Ravathor awaken?" Jex thought. "What does he mean?"
"It means, my boy, the dark gods will walk this Celestara again," the elf answered Jex's thoughts.
The boy froze, hiding again behind the wall. His eyes shot wide, and he swallowed. "He can hear me?" Jex thought.
"Why don't you join us boy and stop lurking around like that," the elf beckoned him to the other room and Jex soon stepped into the doorway.
Jex stuttered, "You...You're inside my head."
"I am," the elf said, placing his goblet upon the table. "I find it funny too, you're dressed like one of us. Doesn't he look dashing?"
"I thought it was a good disguise," Jex mumbled. The other four surrounding the table snickered at Jex's cluelessness.
"I have no doubts," the elf laughed. "Tell me boy, do you know what this is?" The elf held the shard up to the light, presenting it to Jex.
"It's my shard. It is part of the key to the Kingdom of Zaniah," Jex insisted. "It's mine and I will find the rest to unlock the kingdom!"
"Good, good. An ambitious lad." The elf smiled. "Do tell me, do you know what it can do?"
"It…" Jex stammered. "I… I didn't know it could do anything."
A cruel glint met the elf's dark eyes as he turned the shard about and examined its features, "Perhaps, boy, I can show you," he said standing from the table.
Each step of his boots was slow as he walked behind one of his companions whose eyes followed him as he walked. The elf's gloved hand pressed the shard onto the back of the man's head. Silence filled the room, and the elf lifted his chin muttering, "Una esha okri!"
Flame burst from the shard and the man with the shard to his head let out an ear piercing scream. His body convulsed and veins in his body bulged as blood seeped from his eyes. The elf pushed the stone harder, the man's eyes rolling to the back of his head as discharge sprayed from his mouth. The man suffered a moment before his yelling ceased and he fell forwards onto the table, his head falling into his plate of food, smoke rising from his hair.
Jex watched horrified, his stomach churning. He covered his mouth and backed away into the other room.
The leader's companions now stared at the elf with fear in their eyes instead of any trace of respect. The elf picked up the shard once more and brushed it off with the tip of his finger.
"Pitty, the shard is too powerful for him," the elf mused and walked towards Jex. "This shard longs for your touch."
"Please! Keep that thing away from me!" Jex pleaded as he stepped away from the approaching elf. "You-you can keep it!"
"How kind," the elf said. "I fancy gifts, but I'm curious...what can this shard do to someone destined to awaken to great power, hm?"
Jex leapt across the room, headed straight for the hallway. Voltage shot from the elf's hand, his fingers curled like talons of a raptor bird. The lightning shot across the room and strangled Jex in a fury of dark magic. He yelled as gravity pulled him to the wooden floor and he rolled onto his side gagging with each breath. Each muscle tensed and strained in his body. Jex looked up to the elf as he approached.
"Please stop," he muttered.
The elf knelt down next to him placed the shard against Jex's forehead right above his left eye. "I answer only to Ravathor, the only true god of Zaniah," the elf proclaimed. "I must eliminate those in his way." The elf smiled. "Now, to show you his power."
Jex closed his eyes. "Oh no...," he thought.
"Una esha... okri!"