Chapter 32: Prison Camp (Parakles)

  Sweat, blood, whips, chains, and pain. These have been the days of recent memory for the men taken prisoner by the Bolden force of Bruin at the fall of Runsa's lord Ernst Cavan. Parakles, Griff, and Gage. They were taken to a prison camp south of Lowell. This was the makeup of much of the Southlands. Prison camps, making weapons, harvesting minerals and other valuable materials; and or just good old-fashioned beatings for enemies of the Bruin house they had captured. Their particular part, or sect of the camp was especially brutal as none of the labor was for any actual purpose, just to exhaust the body. This section of the camp, which in many ways operated as its own compound, served higher-ranking threats and close servants of toppled nobility. The cells and dungeons at night were filled with the moans of servants of Flamingo of Lowell, Egiar of Tripe, Morningsong of Burm, and Porter of Madrol.

  Our trio from Runsa noticed soon, that the moans of the people were less with each night. It wasn't drastic, but it was noticeable. Men succumbed to wounds from beatings, women raped to madness, starvation taking root, or just illness unmitigated in the cells. These torments begged the specter of death to linger in the air. The sole graces of the days were the ability to leave the cells for work if only to get away from the stench that was left to fill the halls.

  The trio had only been there a few weeks, after a rather quick and brutal march. But that was enough. It tore Griff and Gage asunder, while Parakles somehow thrived in the pain of it all. While there other two withered and found themselves sapped, losing weight, and not healing from bruises and beatings. Parakles' body was growing stronger and thriving under the harsh conditions. He did not have any extra food, he did not receive any special treatment. He was often beaten harder. Yet, his mentality could not be broken, bested, or shaken, and as such his mind forced his body to recover and grow strong even amidst the conditions. He was not yet aware, but in his heart, he had one image in his mind that kept him moving and forced the physical response. The sight of Lady Cavan dead, her husband executed, and the sight of Ella Cavan and the other children hauled off as common prisoners to Dol. "I will rescue them, my lord." The thought rang through his ears as the man who had a character like an anvil and the heart to back it up, found himself molded like clay by a potter into the semblance of a better version of himself in these trials, as if the experience that was designed to destroy worked as a chisel to a block of marble by a master sculptor. By the second week, others, people who had been there for a longer time, found themselves looking up again as they stared at the specimen of a man.

  However, he knew that things needed to change quickly for the sake of his comrades. Gage, the archer, was suffering the worst under the conditions as he developed a cough. Griff being younger fared better until the guards started looking at him. After his first evening away from their cell, he was returned roughly used and more scared than ever. He had stood with courage and honor as the siege of the courtyard and keep occurred and guarded lord Cavan with his body and life, yet these brutish men of wicked passion….broke his spirit and his body.

  Such is the torment of a prison camp. It is no place of fairy tale imagining, only a sea of torment and terror. A place where the men too violent, too unpredictable, too ruled by deviance and pursuits of lust and pleasure born of suffering thrive. The only place where such people thrive.

  "Hey, anvil!" A voice called this night from the other side of the cell wall. The cells were large, perhaps made as an old granary or place to store exotic pets, large enough to house as many as 10. The bars were rod iron with a gate and the walls around the halls were solid brick. Yet, they were old and provided by way of rodents and years upon them, chances to speak to other rooms in the quiet of the late evening, so long as you did not catch the attention of the guards. "Anvil are you there." The voice calls again.

  "Parakles I think whoever is calling, is doing so for you," Gage speaks as he lays down exhausted near the bars. He coughs a few times into his tunic. Parakles is confused by the moniker anvil, though he is aware of his increase during these days.

  "If you mean me, then please, what say you voice?" Parakles attempts a conversation with the unknown voice.

  "If this voice that responded belongs to the big knight with a jaw like an anvil that looks more statue than mortal man, then yes your voice is the one I seek." Gage laughed while coughing up more, explaining to the knight that this was how the others saw him. Parakles blushes at the comments. He saw himself as a failure, not a deity.

  "I am merely a man, a man who failed his lord, to defend him and his family." Said Parakles.

  "My lord knight speaks ill of himself. He is of common birth, but he is renowned for being a paragon of justice and valor in the halls of Runsa. Please do not let his humility stifle your evaluation of him." Griff called out while still huddled up in the corner of the cell, still healing from his last brutish encounter. Parakles hung his head low at the moment as despite all the lauding he was on the receiving end of at this moment, he was merely a man who could not even protect the weakest in his care, his own squire.

  "So what is your name anvil? Or should I continue to speak to you as such?" the voice seemed motivated and not thrown off by the rider without a horse's respectful humility.

  "I am Sir Parakles son of Jothar, sworn knight of House Cavan." The so-called anvil spoke.

  "By Kaya, you even have a strong name to match your physique." The voice chuckled a bit to the confusion of the trio in the cell. "I am Siphon. I think you are the person I and others here have been waiting for."

  "Pray to tell?" Parakles was intrigued by the comments of the voice. "What do you mean Siphon?"

  "I have been here a hot minute. Trying to keep others alive in here, as well as yourself, is no easy task. I know how to escape based on the guard rotations and movements, but even then I needed someone stronger than I am to handle the guards we would encounter during such an event. Because, sadly I can fight, but currently my skills lie more in sneaking about, especially as underweight as I am these days." Parakles couldn't see the man giving the voice but he could hear the hope, and honesty in his voice. Siphon had his full attention.

  "What do you need of me Siphon?" the paragon spoke in reply.

  "So you're in?" Siphon asked. Parakles looked to his friends. They had survived the siege only to rot and be mistreated in this prison, he knew if they stayed in the cells both would perish soon, and then alone, perhaps he would as well. What choice did the knight of Runsa have?

  "We are. What is needed of us?" Parakles replied.

  "I can sneak around tomorrow and grab the armor you came with Parakles, I believe it will be….blue with a jay crest as your house dictates?"

  "Indeed, how did you know? Your accent is from these parts, and not from the south central plains we hail from."

  "It matters not knight. I will find your armor and place it and some weapons for you and your friends in the cell tomorrow. Around the start of the third night's watch, I'll come open your doors. Then I'll need you to follow me and take out any guards."

  "I think we can do that. Griff, Gage will you be ready?" Parakles asked his friends knowing both were in rough states.

  "I'll be ready…just promise to get me out of here Parakles…this place….is evil…" Griff said still looking in the opposite direction. He was hurting, both emotionally and physically but would be prepared to free himself on the morrow. Gage simply gave a thumbs-up to the knight.

  "Siphon, we shall aid your plan." The confidence in the knight's voice gave Siphon chills of excitement, as he felt finally he had someone able to resist and overcome the guards.

  "Get some rest, and try not to get worn out or draw a beating tomorrow, I need you guys at full strength." The voice ceased for the night and left the three in the cell to their own thoughts. They dared not speak further as they knew guards rove the halls at night. They trusted Siphon though and assumed that he had planned his discourse at the best time. Though, small and rocky, hope of any degree in a situation like this was important and of much value. The next day, despite the injuries and illnesses, the trio seemed more alive than the prior days.

  …..

  As the day's useless labor tasks came to a close, the prisoners were all herded back into the cells and locked in for the night. Griff kept a lookout for the guards to leave the area around their cell before the men checked for the supplies they assumed their new friend had hidden.

  "Clear." Griff was still beleaguered from the torment but found his spark returning at the thought of escape. The men checked the hay pile and a few bits of clothing that were in the cell for them. A smile filled all their faces as they found the loot was in fact left by their unknown friend. A lance for both Parakles and Griff, a dagger to be used for Gage. Which despite Gage being a trained archer, did not bother him as he felt currently too sick to accurately fire a bow. They also found Parakles' armor. The cerulean blue armor that he wore to the defense of his lord. The knight began placing it about himself. His armor was fit for a cavalier, and thus not as bulky or cumbersome as that for a man-at-arms knight. Yet, it was a symbol of pride for the man. The others all got situated and then waited for the evening to stroll along and for their chance to emerge. They sat in silence…sober dead, silence.

  "TSH RUUCKKK!" A rustling sound found its way to the ears of the group as they perked up, surprised that they did not hear footsteps or other movements echo through the dungeon cells. The door was opened in a quick but quiet way so as to keep the volume low and not draw attention. In the doorway stood a thin man with black hair, he was an early adult in appearance and even in the darkness of the prison they could tell he had a small frame, despite being of average height. He had a green cloak and a dagger on his belt with lock picks in his hand.

  "Siphon I presume," Griff called.

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  "Keep your voices down. We need to move." He waved his arms beckoning the men to follow him. "We have to first go and also free my accomplice, she helped me get access to these weapons and your armor." The others rose and followed closely as Siphon led them around the dark corridors. There were a few lights in the distant corners from either the moon or torches lit outside or at the exits, but overall the dungeon was covered in darkness barely letting more than 6ft around you to be readily visible.

  Siphon checked to make sure they kept close and moved as silently as possible with the armor of the knight being the only noise, thankfully his armor was not chain mail. The crew rounded several corners before seeing a pair of guards up ahead. The lock-picker stopped the crew as they approached. He needed the group to work in tandem. "Anvil, take out the left. I'll slit the throat of the man on the right." He whispered. All understood.

  The plan was to perfection as they went in, silent and unseen. The guards were talking about the next evening and how the creatures in this cell were going to be fun for the next day. "SLIT, and SHUNKKK!" the two deathblows came smoothly and robbed the men of the voices. Gage and Griff helped them drop the guards to the ground in quiet to avoid any chance of raised suspicion. Siphon went up to the next cell over, pulled out his lock picks, and went to work. A woman rushed to the cell bars, she was maybe 24 in appearance, thin, and still full of life despite visible signs on her arms and neck of mistreatment.

  "Siphon my hero, you made it." She whispered. "I was starting to wonder if you would get held up, or just abandon me."

  "Gina, I owe you, otherwise I would not have been able to get the armor and weapons." Siphon clicked the locks fast and with haste. The tittering of the metalwork was the only sound in the air. The others were looking about the hallway concerned and alert, though they trusted their savior. As he was the only reason they were able to even escape from their cells to begin with. The lock clicked open and the thief pulled the door back. He was instantly met with a hug nearly taking him off of his feet from the woman. She proceeded to kiss the thief much to his surprise. Yes, she had endured mistreatment in these halls but she saw the lock-picking Siphon as salvation and as such a heavenly being, an object of her devotion and affection. "Gina please, we still have to escape, please allow us to exit before you attempt any such notions." He pushes her back, he is stunned by the display, as are the others. Though they keep their reserve.

  "Just so we're clear…I am not kissing you like that." Gage chuckles low in volume at his statement while trying to suppress a cough. Siphon shows the sickly archer a middle finger as he gets Gina to her senses.

  "I also got a sword for myself. I won't be the only one unable to do anything when we have to fight." Gina had spirit, enough to bring light to a land absent a sun. But the crew needed to move onward. Siphon had the men grab the two bodies of the guards and store them in the open cell before they shut the door.

  "Did they have a set of keys on them?" Griff called as they began moving onward.

  "Sadly no. Thankfully though, we don't need any more keys, we just have to reach the corpse chute down the tunnel." Siphon pointed far down the corridor, to a side that as they moved nearer they found to be a source of an odor most foul. The shoot was a place the guards would dump the waste buckets of the prisoners, but also any that fell from this world whilst inside their cells.

  "Can't we save others?" Parakles asked. He knew the torments that awaited and were still ongoing for those unfortunate to not be in their circle and how after discovery perhaps they would be further damned by guards out for payback for the lost prisoners.

  "We can't risk anymore, or perhaps they will discover us." Siphon declared. The shot to the end of the halls where the chute was located was an easy path going forward. As the stench piled higher the guards did their best to avoid it. However…

  "OUT OF YOUR CELL! HOW!" a voice hollered right in front of the chute. A team of three guards was disposing of today's dead, or at least those killed as a result of their extra activities after the daily labor. The trio of guards dropped the bodies they were lugging and reached for their swords. Siphon was quick and cut one of their arms severing the tendons in his sword hand. He winces in pain as he drops to his knees. Parakles hurled his lance piercing straight through another's chest clean. The guard dropped his sword and reached for the lance grabbing it with both of his arms with ever-weakening strength that was sapping with the second as blood protruded from his lips onto the floor. He cries tears as he falls to his knees and then over to his side. Griff tries for the third but his lance blow is blocked and then grabbed onto by the guard.

  "I am not some inept whelp you can just kill foolhardily without effort." He then punched with his sword hand at the squire. Knocking him clean over out cold. Gage moved to the defense of the boy but the dagger was a skill mostly unknown to him and he resorted to being merely able to dodge the sword slashes from the enraged guard.

  "SHUNNK!" A sword slides strongly through the back of the neck of the guard. He gasps a few times. He reaches his hand up to feel around his neck as the guard is in pure disbelief.

  "COUGH! COUGH! Well done girl." Gage says as he covers his mouth and falls to the ground himself from the violence of his own coughing. He is bewildered and sees his vision closing in and narrowing from the pain of his own lungs. Gina seizes the moment and removes the sword from the neck of the guard. The pulling force throws him backward and to the floor, as the blood pours out from the neck. The only words left for the guard are a few heavy gurgles resulting in air bubbles in the blood flow upon the ground. It is warm and thick something Gage notices on his fingers as he is using both hands to hold himself off the floor as he tries to recover composure.

  "We must go now!" Siphon says as he slits the neck of the guard he initially injured before the man can signal for an alarm or cry out loudly for help. "Gina….Well done." The thief didn't have any feelings of intense romance or love for the girl, even though she was someone who could easily when cleaned up and fed properly be a very beautiful woman. Gina smiled as she did in fact have a loving affinity toward the young lock-picker and wanted him to see the value she had. She is teary-eyed and happy as she jumps down the chute into the unknown below, knowing on the other side is nothing but rotting flesh and all kinds of other nastiness. She doesn't even hold her breath as she leaps happily.

  The others shake their heads only now as they are at the dump hole are they aware of just had awful the smell is, a vile and immense odor with a strength, enough to kill a small child. The others exhale deeply as one by one they drop down. Griff, being only semi-conscious is picked up and shoved down by Parakles and Gage. The cavalier absent a horse is the last to go down the chute. He is so focused that he isn't even thinking about the fact that, unlike the others who were wearing clothing that they mostly could throw away easily at the first chance for at least clean garbs, Parakles was wearing his knightly armor.

  "I really hope this smell comes out." He thinks out loud as he lands atop a pile of bodies, rotting food products, and human waste. The floor is a thick nasty soup that flows downhill from the dungeon. The others immediately break for the nearest exit point from the waster that is also uphill to ensure no further stenches. Parakles signals Gage onward as he throws Griff over his shoulder as the boy begins coming to more after the savage right hook he took to the face. The party stomps through the swampy stenches as they move with heavy effort.

  "There is a river up ahead," Gina mentions as they realize they are out of sight of the guards and no longer under the influence of the camp. Though the stench still sits on them, the filth still lingers and thus they are still not free from the turmoil and torment of the prison camp.

  The crew leave their weapons at the river bank as they jump head first and quickly into the river, fully submerging themselves and all smiling as they wash themselves in the water. Gage even began drinking the water as he submerged his head, as the liquid of the river was cleaner than any water he had been served since in the prison. Griff regains himself in the water and smiles. He feels free and clean again as he washes himself and his clothes. Gina swims over to Siphon and smiles at her desired love. He is aloof and still suspicious of the escape, so he fails to fully notice or appreciate the advance of the woman.

  After a few minutes of salvation in the river the five emerge and go back to the bank. They grab their weapons and then move further away from the prison. The only desire of the five at the moment was to rid themselves fully from the grounds.

  As the dawn began to break they were several miles away, to the South. The crew then found a nice patch of trees off the main pathways and set up a camp for them to rest from their travels and trials. Gage and Griff, both exhausted, though for different reasons lay down instantly and found themselves asleep, deeply.

  "So now what is the plan Anvil?" Siphon asked as he and Gina sat together on a log next to a rudimentary fire pit the three who stayed awake built as the others drifted deeper into healing rest.

  "You can stop calling me that lock-picker." Parakles smiled and laughed, showing he was not actually bothered by the name. "I need to wait here with my friends. They need deep sleep and time to heal, probably several days."

  "And then what? Are you going to return to Runsa and try and oust the Bruin men stationed there?" Siphon showed genuine concern.

  "No, victory there would prove moot and vacuous without the family that the city belongs to present to retake their seat." The knight remembers the little girl and her three siblings. The dead father and mother. "I must free the children of House Cavan. It is my sworn duty, and if these two wish to join alongside me, it will be our pursuit."

  "I hold no love for the Bruin either, and I am glad to hear our purposes perhaps align. The Southlands are my home. My family and all I knew were slaughtered by the Bruin. I seek to free these people and all the Southlands from under the sigil of the golden bear." Siphon grabbed a stick and cleared a patch of dirt for him to draw in the ground. He scribbled and scribbled until he was ready to explain his idea. "There is a main prison camp, that isn't just high-level servants of conquered houses, but actual people who are doing real labor for the needs of the Bruin military, mining, farming, and the like."

  "Where is such a place?" Parakles showed interest.

  "We're not too far from it. The camp is just outside of Burm. If we can disrupt or even free that camp then we can then take Burm proper and Madrol and then work our way back through Lowell and then Tripe, before marching on Dol itself."

  "You know an awful lot about these areas, are you sure you were just a house servant or something of the like good Siphon?" Siphon shrugged but before he could give an answer Gina spoke up.

  "If that is the goal Siphon, honey-bee then I am in, you saved me and I will gladly do anything for you!"

  "I will have to check with these two sleeping over here. But it sounds like a proper good plan. I think we can follow you in this."

  "I don't think you understand." Siphon leans forward. "Look at me. I am thin, I am small, and I am not a regal-clad knight of sheer prowess. I could have broken out of there at any time, I could have maybe gotten Gina out also, but it would have been very tricky. However, what I needed was someone people could rally behind. Someone cut from a different cloth, who looks the part of a great man." Siphon tells the cavalier that he is that man.

  "I am just a knight in service to a fallen house. I am not worthy."

  "Which is why you are." Gina winced because she believed that Siphon gave himself too little credit in the realms of influence but even she could not deny that Parakles who stood 7 inches taller than Siphon and was handsome as the morning sun with strength foreign to most people, was a more natural leadership presence. "Parakles. Anvil, please, I will guide you in all the things of this area of land, and help lead your military effort in strategy, but I need you. I know that when it comes to fighting the officers and the real men of prowess in the Bruin military I am lacking and will be slain. You, however, I can feel your aura, you will rise to the task! It is why you did not fall in the siege of your city. You are the man!"

  "Lock-picker, lady Gina, I have a similar mission, and you know what it is. I seek justice for House Cavan. I do not think of myself as this grand rallying figure you see me as, though I will align myself to your cause. Lead the way and so long as the path marches toward the failure of the Bruin and the restoration of Cavan, then I am…..your Anvil." Siphon hopped up from his perch on the log and slapped both of his hands on the opposite shoulders of the knight. He was overjoyed at the future and for the first time in a long time, hope was brewing in the southlands.

  "Amazing. Now let us find you a horse to match your might." Siphon laughed. The three talked a bit more about light-hearted matters now that the serious conversation had run its course before turning in for the day to rest. They all knew that the future days would be filled with struggle and violence and each had their doubts and fears, but all were hopeful and happy for the company they found.