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Skan groaned, then coughed again, blood trickling down his lower lipped and spraying a little bit onto his chest. His arms were chained to the wall above his head, so he could hardly move without dislocating a shoulder. Which he had actually done before. All he wore was his sweat and blood soaked pants and his sunglasses, ironically. He thought that they were on to mock him, but he was actually glad they were. An injury in a war had made his eyes very sensitive to light, and he might have suffered seriosu damage with that hot lamp glaring down at him.
Skan was a mess. Blood and sweat and vomit was all around, and on top, of him. He could hardly move. He had long since stopped trying to be funny and mocking the gaurds. He just did whatever they wanted, just so that the pain would stop, just to it would stop for only a moment if at all.
Then voices made him look up from his downcast gaze. He could hardly see, even with his sunglasses on. Two figures, one his gaurd, were conversing. The other figure was carrying something behind him. A person. The person... a very small creature, maybe a sprite, looked around, then saw Skan and shrieked. The sprite ran over, and when it came closer, Skan could see distinguishing features that told him who it was.
Silvara!! Skan tried to spek, but his cracked lips and swollen tongue made it impossible.
"Skan!" wailed Silvara. She kneeled down next to him and placed one hand on his forehead and one on his chest. They glowed white, a small magicla cure spell running through Skan. He groaned.
"Silvara...? Where is... Tad?"
Silvara shook her head. "He's on his way, Skan, he's on his way! This man right here, this evil man, Densetsu, he kidnapped me! And look, Skan.. I'm preganant! I have to get out of here! But, I know Tad will be here."
Skan rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses. What, did she think this was a fairy tale? She sure did act like it. Well, she always was a bit of a ditz. Then, something she said brought his attention back up. "Silv, you're... pregnant??"
Silvara nodded and stood up, barely standing taller than Skan. Skan realized she seemed to be about seven months pregnant. But... it was hardly one full month since he had last seen her! "...How?"
Silvara shook her head. "I don't know... maybe our different bloodlines?"
Silvara was part fairy, siren, and firewitch as well as human, all of which had a different span than nine months. It made sense, kind of, but Skan didn't like the prospect of Silvara going through labor, here. These were not exactly the best of conditions.
"Skan, I-" Silvara made an eek sound as she was pulled away by Skan's gaurd. The second person, which Skan figured must be Densetsu, walked over to Skan. Sure enough, it was the SOLDIER.
Densetsu knelt down next to Skan. "Don't worry, genius. They won't kill you." Densetsu cracked his knuckles. "No, I won't allow anybody but myself to do that. However, I have a job to finish. Your brother, and his two friends, they must fall." Densetsu stood up, still looking at Skan, then left without another word. Skan struggled against his bonds.
"God... God damnit!!"
"Tad..." panted Deric, "we... we have to stop! We've been going at this breakneck speed for days! We have to rest, man, or we'll be usless when we get there!"
Tad ignored him, still staring straight ahead, eyes fixed, determined, on his target. Only one more day, and they should be there...
"Tad..." said Deric, laying a hand on Tad's shoulder. Tad angrily spun around and grabbed Deric by the collar of the tunic.
"Shut up!!" he yelled. "Shut the Hell up!! If you don't want to help, goddamnit, then go home, you damnable elf! It's the fault of your god damn people that got us here! Especially Silvara!"
Tad pushed Deric back and continued towards the elven fort. Deric held back his anger, knowing that he should keep it in check. Tad was going through some harsh times. Still, he shouldn't be acting like this to someone who is trying to help.
Neither Deric nor Cyphus said anything. A few hours passed, both afraid to talk to Tad, especially the way he handled his gun, ready to shoot nearly anything. Finally, Tad stopped, and motioned for them to take camp.
"We'll stop here," he said gruffly. He helped set up the tents, but otherwise gave no indication of talking to anyone else. He showed no signs of being a friend at all. More like a grudgingly allied enemy.
As soon as his tent was set up, Tad rolled up in his sleeping bag and fell asleep. Deric took the first gaurd, then Cyphus. Neither one dared to wake up Tad unless he would shoot them in a rage before knowing what he was doing.
And with good reason, because that was the exact same thing Tad would have done.
"Silverthorn!!" an elf ran as fast as he could to the leaders' tent. Silverthorn frowned and looked out at the commotion.
"What is going on?" he asked angrily.
The elf stopped to pant and catch his breath. "There are... three soldiers... here, they're telling us... to retudn our hostages! And... one of them, he looks familiar. But I don't know who he is!"
Silverthorn frowned. Who would look familiar? An old elven ally? A runaway slave?
The truth crashed down on him like a lightning strike. "Tadrith!!"