Legacy of the Golden Wielder

Chapter 11

Well, I promised Haris Khan a new chapter today, and here it is!

Enjoy, everyone!

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CHAPTER 11

 

 

“You have to end this,” declared one of the men as soon as they stepped back into the cage. From the few times he had worked with him, Aadi recognized him as Destro, an old man who had worked in the mines for over a decade.

“Stop what?” asked Aadi, even though he had a good idea to what Destro was referring.

“You know what.” He pointed an accusing finger at him. “You must stop this little battle of wits you have going on with the warden. It was admirable when it was only you taking the brunt for it, but now we’re all in danger. Any of us could be the next victim.” Many of the men nodded in agreement.

Despite Aadi’s apprehension and doubts, he knew he couldn’t allow himself to be scared into submission. Hope was the only thing keeping him going. If he lost that, he would truly go mad.

But before he could voice his opinions, Linius, of all people, spoke up in his defense.

“You’re wrong,” he said. “Aadi cannot give up. He’s the only one among us with hope of ever leaving Kilead Keep.”

“Leave?” Destro chuckled out loud while he pointed at his surroundings in grandiose fashion. “Look around you. We’re not going anywhere.”

“Not with that fighting spirit we’re not,” added a young boy, taking a stand behind Aadi. He was one of the newest prisoners, barely having arrived months ago.

Half of the men now stood behind Aadi, the other half stood against him. Many of them had their teeth clenched and their fists rolled.

Feeling the tangible violence in the air, Aadi stepped between both groups. He held his hands high. “Hey, no fighting. We’re all on the same side. Padstow is the enemy. Save your energy for surviving him and getting out of here.”

“That’s all I hear from you. Stories and dreams of how you’re getting all of us out of here, but it’s been five years.” Destro held up five fingers in Aadi’s face. “Count them. FIVE!” His breaths were coming in quick bursts now. “There was a time that I actually believed in you, but you’re nothing but a lot of talk and no action. The way you feed hope into these poor men is cruel. You’re no better than Padstow.”

Aadi stood in shocked silence as Destro spat on his feet and walked away with his followers. The men who had seconds ago stood by Aadi’s side, scrambled away quietly.

He’s right, he thought. All these years I’ve been planning a way out, searching for weaknesses and holes on Kilead Keep’s defense, but I have found nothing. He sat down on the cold ground, feeling defeated and mangled. I need to find a way out of here and fast.

But, in the next year that transpired, a solution did not present itself. He began to think that maybe this was it. Perhaps he was destined to be a prisoner the rest of his life, confined to mining and dying like the rest of his brethren. To make matters worse, he’d noticed that they were being provided with less and less water every day. The words from the scroll came back to him. Could it be that the second element, water, was being taken? If that was true, then he didn’t have much time left to live.