Alternate History

Chapter 1: Fire

            They were glancing at each other for quite some time now. The soft campfire light was creating a few pale shadows. What Gor saw in front of himself was distracting him from any kind of escape plan. From time to time he tried to close his eyes, but still could see that dark look. Those dark eyes. He shuddered each time. Squinting or looking felt the same. In a cage across, rolled up in the darkness of the shadow those eyes have been sitting and watching ever since the sun set down. It seemed as though he was trying to find a way to squeeze through two rows of rust etched bars, sever a piece of wooden floor, sharp enough and long, grab his neck and pierce it through his eyeball.

 - "Haaaaaaa." Gor took a deep breath.

            He's thinking too much. This creeper from across has crawled under his skin, entered his mind and is torturing him. This is not good. He's not the only reason that he should be afraid right now. He's trying to lean forward and see behind bushes towards the campfire. His big belly and crossed, tied legs on which he is sitting are not contributing to his plan. He's swinging back and forth hoping to use his body weight in his advance to roll himself to the front part of the cage where he can have a much better look at the desired location. All this commotion brought nothing but pain and agony the moment his beard touched the floor and his steel boot decided to trample on the ends of his beard.

 - "UVAAAHAAAA!"

            In that moment a little body flew through leafs and branches striking the bars on Gor's cage.

            - "What are you doing, fatty?!" squawked the little body "If you plan on screaming, I must ask you to save it for later. I'm taking you to the place where you'll have plenty of reason to scream. Get it? Ha?"

            Although tiny, the little body could really squawk. What Gor was worried about was the enthusiasm of every word that was spoken right now. The tiny little body suddenly bounced off the cage and disappeared in the bushes.  

            - "Great. Another pair of crazy eyes that won't leave me alone." Gor felt depressed.

            - "Can I be of assistance?" said the creeper from the cage across "It'll be fast. Very fast. And painful." he smiled with every word.

            The whole situation he was in looked like a very bad nightmare. Something he would dream of on those days when nothing went his way. The hair on his body stood up and he could clearly feel he had just got the chills. He even shivered for a moment. 

            - "I'm not in the mood for any kind of action tonight." he tried to remain cold.

            Eyes were still watching him. Here and there flickering flames would lighten other parts of the creeper and there was a smile on his face that could not be matched with his eyes or the grim position of his eyebrows.      

            - "Don't worry, dumpling. I'm a professional." creeper answered in cold words.

            - "As much as I'm pleased without your obsession with me, I'd rather skip this part and try to concentrate on escaping from the other lunatic. Thanks." insisted Gor.

            - "Heh!" the creeper smiled ironically "Let me know how your plan is going. Because, I think this lunatic actually knows what he's doing. As I can see this is not his first time kidnapping people. The knots are perfectly tied." he explained.

            This time Gor had to pay attention to the firmly tied rope around his wrists. He realized that the creeper was telling the truth and he was pretty accurate. But, the next thing that flew through his mind was not comforting.

            - "You're an Elf, if I'm not mistaken?"         

            A moment of silence occurred. The occasional sound of crackling fire seemed too loud and only increased the tension between the two prisoners.

            - "And what if I am?"

            - "I thought that Elves were masters in escaping and dragging their asses out of situations like these, which brings me to the conclusion that you either suck at these talents or you are still tied up with a purpose." Gor explained his thoughts.

            The creeper from the cage across, now marked as Elf, seemed too calm in Gor's eyes. Although, he didn't move around at all, except for his rib cage which indicated heavy breathing.  

            -  "Maybe you're right." said the Elf convincingly.

            - "I've just imposed two theses! Exactly which one is right?!" Gor responded, pretty frustrated, expecting an explanation to this situation.

            - "This one. Me being an Elf and sucking at our talents."

            Gor stared at his grim face which didn't match the statement. Something was telling him that his neighbor seemed too relaxed for this situation. It looks like everything is as the Elf has planned and that he's not surprised with this situation. Gor's thoughts are flowing in irrational directions leading him to darkest conclusions. What if Elf is part of all of this? What if he is some sort of a spy? Twofaced psychopath whose job is to find what Gor knows. Maybe not. Maybe he's here on purpose and is waiting to see what will happen next, because he's a psychopath that enjoys in all of this. Maybe he's searching for some adrenaline rush.

            - "You're playing with me, right?" smiled Gor pretty unconvincingly.

            - "Maybe. You can decide on your own and we'll see the final result." Elf replies calmly.

            - "I assume that you're here on purpose. You can get out whenever you feel like. There's no Elf that can be tied to a place with just few strings. I'm just not sure why would you free willingly be inside these bars." Gor is becoming credible to his words.

            - "This conversation is meaningless. Even if I tell you the answer to your question it would be in vain. You won't be here to see the sun rise above the horizon."

            Gor didn't even react to this sentence. He remained indifferent. He's refusing these words to be reality, simply not enough time to worry about that. Elves may be masters in escaping, hiding and pick locking, but Gor is confident in his ability to defend himself. Cornered and ready for drastic moves, and if Dwarves are good at something then it's this exact situation. He's hefting this Elf and is convincing himself that there is no way for creepers plan to work even though Gor's hands are tied. He's too big, too much to swallow. He's encouraging himself. Right now he's preparing the look he will direct to Elf. He's putting on grim and sharp look.

            - "If you really mean it. If you are true about this plan of yours, I'd like to see you try." speaks to the Elf in confidence.

            - "Hahaha. You got guts, I give you that. But, that won't save you. Not from me." Elf insists.

            - "Come on then. Let's do this. I'm tired of waiting. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere." Gor is provoking.

            Elf gently smiles to this statement and turns the head in campfires direction. Sitting calmly and not even blinking. He's staring at the fire and breaths slowly. Thinking. Planning. Gor is watching him and squeezing his fists. The rope tightens his wrists. He's clenching his teeth and is ready to clash. Anytime now Elf could get free and he must be careful, must be ready. Must be ready for everything. He's not taking his eyes of his neighbor. Must not let anything get in his way. He's ready. He knows about Elves deadliness if you're not expecting them. Knows that they are light on their feet. Silent killers. Very scary name for a whole race. Like being one big family sharing it's manners. Same behavior, same words. Like they are one person. Unpleasant. Very unpleasant. Gor is becoming even more tense, but he must stay calm, must be self-collected. Every move is important. If he loses the sight of him that could be very disastrous for Gor. He calmed his mind, breathing slowly and deep. Waiting for the first move, but he's not on the edge anymore. He's a warrior. It's a way that he was raised in. Discipline and power are woven into his blood. His whole life he trained his reflexes to his benefit. Faster, more effective, more precise. Perfect fighter with a goal: beat the enemy both physically and mentally. He almost forgot about that. This whole situation made him forget about sole purpose of the Guardians. He's focused and won't let this simple creeper make him loose his grip with few wobbly words. Everything that Elf said so far has been nothing but a poor plan to blur his reason, fill disorder to his head, break his spirit.            

            From the campfire site comes a sound of rattling metal. No matter how interesting this sound is to the both of the prisoners they remain focused on their plans. Little creature is onto something, but bushes are showing nothing more than black, dark leaves. Little head peeps from that bushes and is observing prisoners. His position is uncovered by tall pointy ears that are standing out in all these round leaves.

            - "You are awfully quiet. Agony killed you yet? Hehehehehehe." the head is leering.

            - "Not a chance, freak. If you want me dead you'll have to work for it." Gor is provoking.

            - "He, HEHEHEHE! Pretty arrogant for someone in this position. Don't worry, fatty, everything in its time." complacently replies the kidnaper.

            During this talk there was not a single second for Gor to lose the sight of Elf. He's not worried by this little freak. He thinks that he would be dead already or tortured if that was original plan. He's got that feeling as he is safe from that problem right now. All of his concentration is on the possibility of Elf escaping. He wants to witness his every move and freak appears to be static. Pointy ears moved forward and head showed it's body. What Gor saw with corner of his eyes was enough to know what he is dealing with. Wide torso and strong arms interlaced with blood vessels revealed power in it. Bent and strong legs suddenly explained that speed he was moving around moments ago.

            - "So, my plan to choke you to death goes to waste." Gor speaks seriously.

            - "Only if you entangle me in that stinky beard of yours, Dwarf." kidnaper answers back.

            - "Appreciate the idea." replies Gor with intention of provoking

            - "What does a stinky Demon want from us?" says the Elf.

            - "Those details are not of your concern. What I can tell you. No! What I want to tell you is this; this trip won't be easy for you." Demon is leering.

            Demon took his time to walk to the cage the Elf was in and looked him directly in his eyes. He stopped for a moment, put on a very wide smile on his face. Bent his head to the left then to the right side. He studied Elves head from all angles. Took a step back and a deep breath.

            - "I know all about you. Rag'ol. I know it all. Where you were born, who is your family, where you grew up, where you've been all your life, what you planed for yourself, for your clan, for your neighbors. All I need to make my plan perfect. That's why I caught you so easily. That's why I was able to sneak on you and beat you on your ground, in your game. You think that you are smartest, you think you are most skilled. Look how faith played you and left you to me to decide your future. To one stinky Demon. Your arrogance cost you greatly. And soon you'll realize what darkness looks like. Soon you'll realize how this world really looks. Soon you'll realize what are shadows and what is dark. Realize it, and be fast about it. Because this what you breathe and this that you see around you is the last pleasant view that you'll see for a long, long, loooong time. And I'm certain that because of the place where you are headed this is the last time you'll see anything."

            - "So, you're just a pawn in this mess." concludes Rag'ol.

            - "No, no, nooooo." inhales "All of this is my plan. My source of inspiration that I got from you and your stupid actions. As I said already, your destiny played you. All of this, it's your fault." demon explained.

            - "How do I fit in this story? As I see it you two already have some romantic history. I just don't get it. How did I get in this mess?" Gor interrupts the two in front of him.

            Demon looks at Gor. He leans on his hands and grabs the bars on Gor's cage with his feet. He puts his head between rusty metal bars with so much force that he tightened his skin, made slanted eyes and his sharp teeth popped out.

            - "You're just a chunk of meat I'll serve to the costumers for lunch!" fiercely responds the Demon.

            Gor turns his look from the Elf to the Demon and gazes to his face. Not changing the look on his face. He gently leans forward, for a moment bows his head. Rising his head up again speaks to the demon in gentle quite voice.

            - "Skew-eyed. If I were you I wouldn't look behind." smiled the Gor complacently, slightly cruel.

            Demon got serious face and pulled back from the bars. Leans his feet on the ground and put his hands to the body. Inhales deeply and in that moment felt cold touch on the back of his head. He got numb in a moment. Something warm just went down his chest. He'd look down but he can't, something is not letting him. For some reason he can't close his mouth. Cold feeling is in his mouth, few of the front teeth are missing. Taste of metal has spread through his oral cavity and he began to lose consciousness. He'd say something, actually he'd scream, but the words won't come out. His eyes are closing and his body is slowly falling to the ground. He's lying in his own pool of blood. Behind Demons body stands Rag'ol with a knife in his hand. Demons blood is dripping from the tip of the blade, but Gor's got no time to observe all of that. He's carefully watching Rag'ol's eyes. That eyes are looking to the emptiness, through the ground, somewhere in another world.