The dungeon was far from what Elis had envisioned; it wasn't a grand castle's stone chamber but rather a small, damp room made of packed mud, with its earthy smell filling his nostrils. Dim light barely illuminated the space, and his tied hands throbbed from the coarse ropes digging into his skin.
Elis leaned against the wall, his exhaustion pulling him inwards, when a soft chuckle broke the silence. His eyes shot into the shadows, and his eyes narrowed as whispers followed. He stiffened as Fa and Fu emerged from the shadows, the two bickering elders who had brought him here earlier. But now, they were not alone. A bunch of others trailed behind them, some hunched with age, others lively, a few with pointed ears like elves, and others hunched over.
The sight of them only added to his irritation. His jaw tightened as he muttered under his breath, "What a circus."
Fa and Fu, seemingly immune to his disdain, eagerly stepped closer. Their eyes sparkled with curiosity, and Fa asked, "So, where do you come from, young man?"
Elis didn't respond, his piercing stare enough to quiet their enthusiasm for a moment. The other elders looked at one another before one of them stepped forward, a wiry man with a mischievous grin. He leaned in and teased, "What's wrong, stranger? Lost your tongue after all that growling?"
That was the final straw. Elis growled, his voice echoing in the small room, "What do you want from me?"
The group collectively flinched, retreating with tentative steps backward, their chattering briefly stilled. Elis realized his outburst had given him a momentary edge, but he also saw an opportunity. These people did not seem hostile, not in the same way that Rufus or his so-called lord did.
He drew in air, forcing himself to quieten down. His tone mellowed a little, though still reeking of frustration. "All right, I won't shout anymore. Just tell me, what do you want? And why am I here?"
There, in a flash, seemed to be a shift in the air. The people were unclenching their jaws now and shooting out questions from all sides of him.
"Is it true you come from the outside world?"
"What's it like beyond the mountains?"
"Did you come here with magic?"
Elis's head reeled as he tried to get his mind around their questions. The more they talked, the clearer it was that they knew nothing of anything outside. It wasn't ignorance born of disinterest; it was as if they had been cut off entirely, their knowledge frozen in time, but how can he answer them? Even he was new to the world out there.
His stomach growled loudly, interrupting the exchange. The sound made Fa and Fu glance at each other nervously. Elis sighed, leaning his head back against the wall. "All this questioning, and you can't even offer food?"
A small circle huddled together in murmured whispers. Eventually, Fa turned to one of the elders, a sullen man with an apron around his waist. "You are the head chef. Go fetch him some grub," he said. The man scoffed at Fa's suggestion. He folded his arms. "Cook food for a prisoner? Mad, or is that you? He eats when the lord tells him that it's okay to."
"But he's starving!" Fu protested, her voice all but pleading.
The kitchen head shook his head sternly. "If Rufus catches us, it'll be our heads on the chopping block."
Elis stood there, watching it happen, his face utterly unyielding. But a tiny spark of frustration lurked inside. 'They are afraid. That much is clear. Maybe I can use that.'
He sighed loudly, drawing their attention. "If your lord wants me alive, he'll need me fed," he said plainly, his voice steady. "Do you really think he'll be pleased if I starve to death before he gets his answers?"
The kitchen head hesitated, his stern expression faltering slightly. The group looked at one another, weighing Elis's words.
Finally, the head of the kitchen let out a low grumble. "Fine. But if anyone asks, I wasn't here."
The elders visibly relaxed as the man shuffled out of the room, muttering under his breath. Fa and Fu exchanged triumphant grins before turning back to Elis, their curiosity reignited.
"Now," Fa said eagerly, "about the outside world…
Elis smiled faintly back, leaning back against the wall. "Ask your questions. But once food gets here, I eat first and then answer your questions."
The atmosphere in the dungeon changed as silence settled between Elis and the old group. Fa and Fu, usually quick with their words, remained uncharacteristically quiet, and the others followed suit, their curiosity muted for the moment. Elis realized he needed to draw them out, to keep them talking.
So," he started, his voice casual but inquisitive, "why's this dungeon made of mud? I mean, your lord calls it a castle dungeon, but... mud?" He raised an eyebrow, as if he were really confused. His question was calculated to be more probing than he was letting on.
Fa's eyes lit up immediately, and Fu nudged her companion with an elbow, equally eager to answer. "It's not just mud!" Fa exclaimed, her voice full of pride. "This castle is made of mud, sticks, and trees, yes, but it's as strong as any stone castle!"
Elis leaned forward slightly, pretending to be impressed. "Really? As strong as stone? That's. fascinating," he said, drawing out the word with just enough skepticism to stoke their enthusiasm.
Fu, catching the note of doubt in his tone, stepped closer, her hands gesturing animatedly. "You don't believe us? It's true! The entire structure walls, towers, everything is fortified by ancient techniques. It has stood for centuries!
Elis raised his head and shook it. "Sounds like a great story, but. I'll believe it when I see it."
That was all the encouragement Fa and Fu needed. They exchanged a look, determination flashing on their faces. "You doubt us?" Fu said with indignation. "You think we'd lie about the strength of our home?
Elis shrugged nonchalantly, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "I'm just saying… mud doesn't exactly scream 'invincible fortress."
Fa and Fu exchanged a fiery look, their pride clearly bruised. The other elders murmured among themselves, some stepping back as if anticipating what would happen next.
"You won't believe it until you know, huh?" Fa snapped, her voice sharp with indignation. Without warning, she scooped up a small stone from the ground and hurled it straight at Elis's face.
Elis saw the stone coming towards him and his instincts flared. He began to move, but before the rock could hit him, it halted midair, just inches from his face. His breath caught as the stone hovered suspended as if by invisible strings.
In one motion, his eyes darted towards Fa and Fu, now standing side by side with hands outstretched and barely shaking, their eyes fixated on the stone. Their faces were set intensely on concentration and excitement, as though they were waiting for something extraordinary to happen.
Elis's mind was racing. What the heck? He looked at the levitated stone, then to the pair of elders, frozen in their actions.
"It's true," Fu whispered so low that her voice was barely audible, yet her eyes did not shift from the stone. "The castle, the power... all of it. We were chosen for a reason."
Elis narrowed his eyes, the earlier irritation giving in to a creeping realization. There was something far stranger at play here, something he hadn't accounted for.
"Who... are you people?" he asked, his voice low but steady, his eyes darting between the stone and the old duo.
Fa and Fu broke their concentration for a moment to glance at him. "We're the keepers," Fa said with a prideful lift of her chin. "And this place, our lord, our strength it's all connected. You'll see soon enough."
Elis leaned back against the wall, his thoughts spinning. If they could manipulate objects like that and if this strange mud fortress truly had ancient power, then this wasn't just some random detour. 'Munshi Mountain,' or what he was looking for, wasn't just nearby. It was here.
A slow smirk crept onto his face despite the circumstances. Maybe he was closer to finding the answer than he'd thought.