“Magic, or No Magic” - A Tale of Heroes - Scene 70: DeFrantis

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The morning had dawned, but the rain fell on. It was still dark, but some light was getting through the clouds, the trees, and finally the windows. DeFrantis could finally see across the dim and hazy room. It was not as large as an open hall in a castle, but it had a high ceiling and walls, each decorated with several tall windows. Tapestries and curtains hung around in the shadows of the room. It looked like the place had once been a manor for a well-to-do noble, but it hadn’t been cared for in years. There were no furniture pieces, only a few pillars reaching upward into the darkness from the stone floor.

Karendle was slouched against the far wall, with her wrists and forearms dangling by the chains in front of her. Her head was tipped, and her breathing was heavy.

Well, I’m glad one of us can sleep, at least. I guess it’s about time we figure out what we’re going to do.

“Hey!” She called out, trying to rouse Karendle. There was no response. “Hey! Wake up!”  Her head bobbed a little.

“Karendle! Hey!”

“What? Wha -?” Karende raised up and blinked.

“Wake up!”

Karendle lifted her hands and ran them over her face and through her hair, shaking the chains as she did. DeFrantis could barely see the outline of her face and her short, stocky form in the shadows. She heard a grunt.

DeFrantis spoke first, “I’m hungry and I want to find my kids. I don’t know why they didn’t just kill us outright, but we’re here, we’re alive, and I’m wanting to get out of here.”

There was silence for a moment, as Karendle shook herself awake. “ OK, great. I’m all for that. How do we do it? Can you wizard up a way out of these shackles?”

“Not with all this mage’s bane in the air.”

“Huh?  Mage’s bane? What’s that?”

“It’s what’s making all the smoke that’s been choking up your lungs. It blocks your ability to use magic.”

The wind had picked up a little and was blowing the rain more fiercely against the windows. There were no thunderclaps, though, with this storm. Karendle mumbled, “Do you think they’ll bring us anything to eat? If someone does, maybe one of us could overcome him and get a key.” She yanked on her chains either to test them or simply to punctuate her thought. “That would be pretty difficult, though.”

Karendle continued, “Maybe Antonerri or that Giant guy have been looking for us. Maybe we’ll get rescued.”

DeFrantis wasn’t very hopeful. “I don’t even know where we are. How would they find us?” How would they find us. Are they even looking? Did Antonerri even survive the fight? She shook her head, rejecting that thought.

Karendle interrupted her dark reverie. “Too bad we can’t send them a message, right?”

Send them a message! DeFrantis’ head shot up, her eyes suddenly alert. “Hey, when you were back in town, how did you contact the men who had hired you?” Her voice was quick, suddenly intense.

“What?”

“You said you told them you’d caught a wizard, right? And they told you to go back for Thissraelle, right?”

“Yesss....”

“So how did you contact them?”

“I used an oculus. A blue gem. I just focused on it, and I spoke with them.”

“Great!”

“But isn’t that magic? I thought you said we can’t do magic with all this something bane smokey stuff!”

DeFrantis’ mind was rushing through a thousand thoughts at once. “But the priest used powers! He blasted Antonerri over and over! How did he do it?”  Her mind began running through her memories of that night.

“What priest?” Karendle sat up, confused. “What are you talking about?”

DeFrantis pictured the Confessor Priest, standing outside her cell, in an elaborate white robe. She saw him turn and shout at Antonerri, and raised his staff. His staff had a glowing gemstone! “An oculus! There was an oculus on the staff! Maybe the mage’s bane doesn’t stop powers from oculi!”

Karendle’s confused look made DeFrantis say it again. “I think we can use your oculi! If that’s true, we might be able to contact them! Thissraelle uses the powers of the mind, maybe we can reach her with your blue gem!”

“Well, that may well be, but I don’t have it. They took my pouch when they captured us.” Karendle slumped again. She had gotten a bit caught up in the excitement.

“Well, maybe they didn’t.”

“Come again?”

DeFrantis shifted her weight, raising herself up on her legs. She reached through her collar, deep under her shirt. It was tricky to reach, because the chains restricted her movement, but in a moment she pulled out her hand and a leather pouch with a drawstrap. She held it out toward Karendle.

“Is this what you’re talking about?”

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This continues the story of the heroes in Wynne, in Twynne Rivers, in the world of The Hero's Tale, Family Friendly RPGs. Here's more info on The Hero's Tale, and family friendly RPGing. If you like this story, support us at our Patreon!
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