R U [ I ] N E D

Pawn? Someone Tell This Crazy Bitch We Aren't Playing Chess!

When Brady reached the bottom of the stairs, he glanced about in confusion, calling out softly to the others. "Callan? Phoena?" He whispered, unable to pick up their thoughts anywhere as hard as he might try. "You better not have left me here..." It was strange. He knew he'd taken the right staircase, the same one they came up last night and the same one his companions went down this morning, but it was as if they'd vanished into thin air. Not only that, but the reception area looked nothing like it had when they arrived. It was blindingly bright, as if someone had tried to contain a star in the building, and all the doors and windows were gone. It seemed to be a never ending hallway of white light. Brady closed his eyes tightly and reopened them in hopes that it was only a mind trick, but nothing changed. There was only one way for him to go from there- forward- so he marched on.

"There's no way out of here, young one," a woman's voice purred. "Give up and embrace my corridor of brilliance! Your friends have already met their fate."

Brady spun around, trying to locate the speaker. "Who are you?" Her voice seemed close, yet he couldn't sense her thoughts. "Show yourself!" He demanded.

"Show myself?" The mysterious voice chided. "And ruin all my fun? I think not." Taking a deep breath, Brady started down the hall again, his eyes burning from the never-ceasing light.

"What did you do with my companions?" He shielded his eyes, cursing himself for the pain he felt.

"They are trapped, same as you, but don't expect to find them." The woman laughed gleefully, and Brady shuddered.

"I'll ask you again," he hissed, "who are you?"

"A pawn of the greatest sorceress in all of Gwyrholm, dear boy." Brady sensed comradery, even admiration in her tone. "As sister sorceresses, we share a special bond, and I will allow her to use my power to do her bidding." Brady never had much interest in sorcery himself, but working in the Infirmary, he often heard Magnolia speak of her sister sorceresses. Many magic users joined together in what they called clans to share knowledge and amass more power. There was only one sorceress she could be speaking of, and therefore only one clan. The Paraven, the dark sorceress Elieveta's old clan.

"But Paraven was disbanded years ago because of Elieveta's influence!" He cursed himself for not carrying a real weapon. He'd have to ask Phoena for something when he got out of this- if he got out of this. "The Grand Commander had to regulate all the clans after discovering that Paraven was teaching dark sorcery."

"My heart remains true, and it shan't be corrupted by your callous hatred of a pioneering sorceress." Anger flared in the once calm voice, and a pillar of light shot forth. Brady barely dodged it in time as it plunged into the wall, coalescing with the light on that side. "She asked that I take care of you pests, and that is what I intend to do." So the dark sorceress already knew of their quest? Brady grimaced. Day one and already such bad news for the Runeholders. At this rate, they'd never make it to the shrine in one piece.

"Attacking an unarmed boy?" Brady puffed. "Where is your sense of fairness, witch? You know I stand no chance."

"Witch? Witch? You dare call me that?" She growled in insult. "If it's a fair fight you want, a fair fight you will get, child." The air seemed to shimmer before him, and the innkeeper took form, hardly looking as one would expect of a sorceress in Elievata's ranks. A golden saber clattered to the ground at her feet as it formed mid-air, and she kicked it to Brady. "Defend yourself, but I must warn you. I already defeated the other two weaklings, and you are soon to follow in their footsteps."

A small smirk crossed Brady's face as he swept the sword up from the ground. "Liar." With the woman now before him, he could peruse the woman's thoughts easily.