The Chronicles of Onyx Book Two - Fight of a Hero

Chapter Four

Sith was tired of these games—trapped, tormented, and then released only to be bound to someone else's will. His life had become a cycle of false freedom and rebellion, each new master more needy than the last. He had defied his former queen's authority, hoping for freedom, only to find himself under the manipulative grasp of Raven. And now, he was here, in the presence of this antlered elf, caged like a wild beast.

He eyed her warily, his obsidian eyes glinting with the flicker of defiance. She stood just beyond the reach of the cage's twisted roots.

"What do you want from me?" Sith's voice was a low growl, a mixture of suspicion and irritation. He had been in this cage for what felt like an eternity, the earth itself holding him prisoner.

The elf did not respond immediately, her gaze never wavering from his. Sith's mind raced, searching for an answer. What promises of wealth or power would she offer? What could she possibly want from someone like him?

"Would you let me out of this tiny cage?" he prodded, searching for a response.

Finally, she spoke, her voice calm and steady, yet all the while carrying a weight he could not understand. As though he cared.

"No."

That single word hung in the air, cold and unyielding. Sith's muscles tensed, his hands clenched into fists as he felt the familiar surge of anger bubbling to the surface. He was getting impatient—no, more than that, he was furious. The feeling of being trapped, of having no control over his fate, was a bitter pill to swallow.

His thoughts raced, contemplating how he might escape this prison of roots, but the more he struggled, the tighter the bindings seemed to grow. The elf's refusal only fueled his rage, a seething frustration that threatened to boil over.

She watched him closely, sensing the storm of emotions roiling within him. Her expression remained unreadable, but her eyes softened slightly, a flicker of curiosity crossing her features.

"You think your rage will free you," she said quietly, her voice almost a whisper, "but it will only bind you further to those who seek to control you."

Sith's gaze snapped to hers, the intensity of his anger momentarily giving way to confusion. What was she saying? Did she truly believe she could understand him, an orc who had been forged in battle and blood?

"What do you know of my rage?" he snarled, his voice low and dangerous.

"What do you know of the chains I've broken, only to find new ones forged in their place?"

The elf tilted her head slightly, her antlers catching the light in a way that made them seem almost alive. She took a step closer to the cage, her presence somehow calming the very earth that held him prisoner.

"I know enough," she replied softly. "I know that you seek freedom, but you do not know where to find it. I know that you are tired, Sith. Tired of being a pawn in someone else's game."

Sith's breath hitched at the sound of his name. How did she know him? What else did she know? His anger faltered, replaced by a growing unease.

"What do you want from me, Antlered Elf?" he asked again, this time more quietly, the edge of hostility softened by a hint of desperation.

She didn't answer immediately. Instead, she reached out, her hand hovering just above the twisted roots of the cage. The earth responded to her touch, the roots loosening slightly as if in deference to her will.

"First, I'm not an Antlered Elf," she answered after her pause, correcting him gently with a voice full of a sincerity that startled him.

"I'm a druid."

Sith's eyes narrowed, suspicion creeping back into his expression. "And what makes you think that I care what you are?"

The druid's gaze held his, unflinching and steady.

"Because you're tired of being used, of being twisted into something you're not. I can sense the dark magic that binds you, Sith. And without me, you'll be caught in this endless loop of surviving a higher lord until your departure from this world."

"So, what do you want?" he challenged, his voice dropping to a dangerous rumble.

She crouched closer to the ground, becoming eye level with the cramped Orc.

"I want you to take me to the darkness responsible for your entrapment. Of course I will not set you free immediately, I do not trust you. But instead, I'll offer you the chance to earn it by leading me to it"

"You mean her," Sith grumbled.

"Pordon?"

"Raven... it's the darkness I suppose you're blabbing on about" He answered with a sinister smile.

"So, you agree to help me?" Her eyes gleamed with a sparkle of hidden excitement.

"Oh, don't get so hasty–Druid–I have a condition of my own" He rebutted, savoring the air of authority in his voice.

However, his moment of domenice was soon destroyed.

"It seems I'm not the one in a cage, and–you–are." She began slowly with a calculating tone, "So I don't think you're in the place to make demands... You have two choices, Orc. Come with me... or rot"