Brazen

Chapter 4 escape from agony

Chapter 4 Escape from agony

Karros regained consciousness and saw near him a dwarf with bulging muscles. His biceps were the size of his head. He had burn mark scattered on his bearded face and his beard itself looked scorched. The dwarf seemed to be peeling some burnt skin off of his left hand.

The dwarf's eyes spotted Karros's awakened face and laughed. "A fine mess you got me in human!" he said in a harsh low voice like that of a giant.

"What happened?" asked Karros. "and why does my head feel like a..." He was about to say "a dwarf's head, pummeled to pulp," but he decided to say none of that. This dwarf looked like someone who would turn your back into wire and use it like a lasso. "Nevermind, where am I? It looks like a jail."

"Ha! Ha! Ha! The simplicity of humans!" exclaimed the dwarf bellowing a hearty laugh.

"What do you mean, why are we here?" The dwarf stared at Karros.

"That knock on the head must've been a harsh one. You blabbered out about an elf while you were being healed. They put some truth telling serum into you and found out about your elf friend and that you were with him. And me? I am a dwarf. Gammerforth is my name. Too bad this is the last of me and you too."

Karros's eyes widened. "Vedains! We are being sent to the Vedains! Where is my elf friend? Where is he! Was he captured?" Karros was frantic. He feared the Vedains, he feared them more than anything. Them and their cruel whips and spiked rollers. Their beds full of needles. Their food that hurt you and if you did not eat it they would torture you more. They would bind you with red hot chains and beat you with red hot rods with tiny pins pasted on. This would be your life with the Vedains. Your life would be theirs and you would be their slave.

"I have to get out!" screamed Karros. He shivered with fear. Never in his life had he been so scared.

"Ah shut your trap human! Face your torture with some honor," said the dwarf.

"You don't understand do you? Vedains are like demons. Like Deminin, the god of torture himself. They live to see you suffer. What should we do?"

"Well when I meet the Vedains, I shall spit in their faces and tell them atti pamsu bhavaan mudhezvara!"

Karros knew little of the Purvasu language but he definitely knew what Gammerforth said was going to get him double the dose of torture. Karros's stomach churned and he felt like there was an avalanche of hungry piranhas swirling in his stomach. He lurched forwards and vomited.

"Ew, blood, guts and brain I can handle, but not that," said Gammerforth.

"I am sick," Karros managed to get out.

"I'll say."

"You were the one who saved me weren't you?"

"Aye, that's how I got these beastly burns."

"I say you should have let me die," said Karros attempting to stand. He went to the bars. Karros pulled his head back and slammed it into the bars but something smooth stopped him. A hand.

"No need for that my friend," said a familiar voice. It was Respen.

Karros would have fainted if he had not heard some guards nearby shout at each other that the watchmen had arrows in their heads. Respen shook the key to relieve the two.

"You are the best of all Respen, the best of all!" exclaimed Karros loudly.

"Hush Karros! They will hear you!" warned Respen.

"Ah you and the human are alike, fearing foes. A dwarf never fears. Bhaya mamaka antakamana!" the dwarf roared and charged bare handed out of the jail cell and sprinted right at the armed guards. He dodged the first swing to the head and smashed his fist in the soldier's belly. The soldier fell clasping his stomach and screamed in pain. The next one, Gammerforth simply kneed him in the groin.

Respen handed Karros his sword, Eclipse and Karros put his hand on the elf's shoulder. "Together!" Karros yelled and they both slayed their foes and in the process located Gamerforth's double battle axe. Gammerforth grinned at the sight of his old friend.

The three attacked with the force of a fire gale. All breathed their final breaths as black sword, bow, and axe skewered their bodies.