Adventures beyond the void

Chapter 22: Talk with a Girl Named Maren and Escape

3RD POV

The moment Selin opened her eyes, she found herself seating in a chair, her wrists tied tightly behind the backrest, her ankles bound to the legs of the chair. Any attempt to move only made the ropes bite deeper into her skin. She scanned her surroundings, blinking away the haze clouding her vision. It was a small cell, dark, bleak and cold, with thick metal bars lining one side and walls that seemed to absorb the light around them.

She could have made short work of the restraints, carved her way through the walls, and buried this place in rubble with a flick of her magic. But nothing stirred inside her. There was no pulse of energy. No reaction. Her magic was dead silent. Her sharp eyes flicked toward the dull, stone-like material covering the walls and floor, the faint grey shimmer unmistakable.

Nihil.

Of course. A rare and dangerous ore, one used to suppress and nullify all magical essence. It didn't just block spells; it rendered magic inert, powerless. Even the strongest mages couldn't bend its laws. She looked down. Her armour was gone. The bangle had been removed from her arm. Selin's jaw clenched as a slow, steady breath escaped her lips. Whoever had put her here knew exactly who she was and what she was capable of. This wasn't random. This was calculated.

    Maren: - Well, well, well... You're finally awake.

Selin blinked, lifting her gaze. Across the iron bars stood a woman with long braided red hair and piercing lime-green eyes. Her outfit looked like it belonged to a rogue adventurer, though the smug smirk on her face and the current hostage situation screamed definitely bandit adjacent.

    Selin: - And you are...?

The woman chuckled darkly, arms folding with dramatic flair.

    Maren: - Oh, me? I am the one who orchestrated your capture. The mastermind who planted the blade for the royal guards to find. The genius who brewed the potion that knocked you out cold. The last surviving heir of a once-proud family....a family you destroyed!

She yanked down her red hood for dramatic effect, flipping her braid over one shoulder like she was about to walk a fashion runway.

     Maren: - I am Maren Roseberen!

A heavy pause filled the cell. The air hung thick with tension. Selin stared blankly, lips slightly parted.

    Selin: - ...Who?

    Maren: - (blinking), Seriously?

    Selin: - Roseberen...? Did I buy tea from you once?

    Maren: - No! You killed my family in cold blood five years ago!!

    Selin: - Uhhh.....nope. I think you have the wrong person girly.

    Maren was gritting her teeth in anger. Selin sighed.

    Maren: - Don't play games with me dark mage!! You're acting clueless now that you've finally been caught? HA! What a pathetic move!!

    Selin: - Look, I genuinely have no idea who you are. Maybe if you shared your story, we could clear up this massive misunderstanding.

She spoke calmly, but the flat tone in her voice made it painfully clear she couldn't be less interested. Her eyes drifted lazily across the room as if she'd rather be anywhere else. Maren scoffed dramatically and crossed her arms, chin held high like a villain in a stage play.

    Maren: - HA! As if I'd ever reveal anything about my tragic, soul-shattering past to the likes of you!

Selin exhaled sharply through her nose, unimpressed.