TheCrimsonRisk
Ryonani Teamster
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2010
Our forum role-play, The Blades Of Kriegmar is well under way and I'm enjoying it so much that I thought I'd write some fiction to accompany it. Raden had an idea for how our characters (Linara and Tylissa) might have met, so we did a roleplay/group writing session to flesh it out and after some editing, here it is. We hope this provides more insight into these ladies, with some peril on the side ;p
Linara & Tylissa - Escape From The Pit
The leotard was starting to cling to Linara’s body, alerting her to the fact that they must have been walking for at least a couple of hours. She looked over to Tylissa, who had said little since they met other than agreeing to travel together to the next town. The foreign sorceress was initially intrigued by Linara’s knowledge of the area, but that knowledge was looking more dubious by the second. Still, Linara was certain that there was a watering hole nearby. Noticing the sweat building on her companion’s forehead, she reached over to gently wipe some away with the palm of her hand. “How are you doing, Tylissa?”
The beautiful high elf’s jaw was sore from gritting her teeth in anger. Two hours on Kriegmar and she was already missing the tedium of Guildmar. Her time here had started off bad, quickly got worse...and then she met Linara. She cursed her luck for running into Kriegmar’s worst tour guide. “I could swear there was a watering hole here!” was all she’d heard for the last ten minutes. By the Gods, she thought to herself. It’s probably a good thing I don’t have access to my magic right now because I’d probably just swallow a fireball. Tylissa couldn’t even conjure up an ice cube to cool herself off because for some reason her magic had decided to stop working ever since she arrived. It was making her mood lousy and now this stranger was checking on her. For the love of...
“I’m hot, tired, pissed off, and thirsty. I’ve...had better days.” She said, cutting herself off before she went any further.
Linara could tell that her companion was doing her best to keep cool (in more ways than one) and she kept a look of confidence. After a few more steps, she thought to talk again but decided to preserve her strength; besides, they didn’t have much to talk about.
Then she heard it: the sound of a stream. It was unmistakeable. Without thinking, she grabbed Tylissa’s robe and gave it a soft tug in the direction of the water. “Follow me!”
“What the hells do you think you’re doing pulling on...wait...you were right! Lead the way!” Apologizing to people, at least on her world, is far beneath Tylissa. Nobody told her what she could and couldn’t do. She had to remember that she was not on her world anymore.
Huffing and puffing, the girls don’t stop until they see their destination. Just over the next hill was a small watering hole. It wasn’t ideal, but anything would do at this point. Next to the stream was a thin, mangy looking fellow who was struggling to stay awake. Linara figured they could ask him for directions after they were replenished. The girls nearly tripped over each other in the rush to quench their thirst. Just as they reached the water, the man stirred and slapped the ground in front of them with a wooden staff.
“Stop! Who do you think you are?” The man said. He raised an eyebrow, clearly appreciating their feminine qualities. “Weeeeel...I ain’t seen pretty things like you two around here in a while. Y’all look thirsty...” He stood up and approached the girls, keeping his stick between them and the water. Clearly, they weren’t being invited to drink freely.
“Why, yes, we are thirsty...so we would appreciate if you let us partake. We won’t require the whole contents.” Tylissa says.
The mangy man is amused. “The whole cont...ah ha ha, you’re pretty and funny!” the mangy man says to Tylissa. Linara knows she’s not from around here, so she steps forward.
“Good sir, I...” She stops talking as the man blatantly eyes her body. Her leotard is moist with perspiration and it left little to the imagination. She gave it a self-conscious tug and turned away from him. “This...this is not proper!”
The mangy man laughs again. “What about you, sweetums?” he says to Tylissa. “What you got goin’ on under there?” He reaches out and starts to pull her garments to the side to get a better look at her body.
*WHACK* Tylissa slapped him across the face! “You keep your damn hands off me, you targbeast! Who do you think you're touching?”
“Ooow!” the mangy man says, rubbing his face. He looked like he was about to cry. “Wh...what’d ya do that for? I...I...” He dropped his staff and ran off, leaving Linara and Tylissa alone at the watering hole.
Linara scratched her head then shrugged her shoulders before turning back to Tylissa. “After you.”
Tylissa dipped her hands in and drank. She tried to be graceful at first, but as the water touched her lips and rehydrated her throat she forgot about grace and drank as if the water were running out. “Sure took long enough to find this, didn’t it?” She remarked. “I think you got us lost.”
Linara stuck her head in the water and swished it around, drinking and bathing at the same time. When she came out, she shook her head like a wet dog spraying water about. When she realized that she’d splashed Tylissa, she giggled before offering an apology. “*ahem* Yes, well...these maps can be somewhat inaccurate you know and, uh, perhaps I got the region mixed up...but worry not, now that we've had a chance to recharge we can resume our journey. Come now, let's be off!”
Eyes open and mouth wide in shock, Tylissa barely manages to contain her frustration. “You’re lucky I’m tired and thirsty.” She said, mustering a half-smile. Linara meant no harm, but Tylissa imagined flash-freezing the water around her. A large temperature drop might teach her to be more cautious in the future. “Come on, we just got here. I’ve been walking for three hours already, two with you and one before we met. I’m sore and my feet hurt a lot.” She let out a yawn. “It won’t hurt much if we take a bit of a nap, would it? If that targbeast comes back, we can deal with him again.”
Even though they’d been walking for a while, Linara wasn’t that tired. She used to run around and play for hours back home. Even taking into account this heat, she was doing okay, but she needed to consider Tylissa. Wherever she came from, she wasn’t to be used to this kind of travel. Linara nodded and sit down. “So...” She said, lying down next to the cool water. “What is a targbeast anyway?”
“Back home, it’s a vicious, snarling, ugly four legged brown thing. As tall as a person. They’re mostly feral. People capable of magic are generally safe from them. The blue magic users can freeze them or send them flying. The red magic users can simply cook them. I’d go into the forest and attract them, simply flinging them into the horizon just for fun. It might sound bad, but if you’d seen one, you would not feel bad for them. Suffice to say, they’re not pleasant creatures.”
Linara laughs, realizing it’s a mean thing for Tylissa to have called that guy. “Sounds kind of scary, but...I’d like to see one someday!”
She wants to see one. Tylissa shakes her head. She answers back seriously and without sarcasm, “No. No, you do not. I have noticed your sword, but you may not be able to get close enough to them to use it. This is why magic users are often called on to control or handle them.”
Now that they were resting, Linara was feeling quite relaxed. She didn’t want to break the rhythm of the journey, but it could be just what they needed. She closed her eyes, picturing the targbeast...vicious...snarling...ugly...a herd of them rumbling through the forest...rumbling...rumbling! The ground was rumbling! She shot up and immediately noticed a gang of riders on horseback coming towards them. “Tylissa, I think we better get out of here!”
As Tylissa was drifting off, she felt the earth shaking. At first she thought she was dreaming, but then she heard Linara’s urgent “suggestion”. For once, she didn’t complain or argue. “I think I’d agree with that. Let’s go!”
They moved as quick as they could, but it became clear that the riders were well trained and fast. Rather than run them down, they split up to flank them!
Waiting for one to get close, Linara took out her sword and made a quick swipe. He dodged out of the way, but he was not the intended target. His reins severed, the rider fell backwards into the dirt. Another rider hopped off, licking his chops at the prospect of engaging the gorgeous brunette. I know I don’t look like much, but this...“targbeast” is about to learn a lesson about underestimating people. His charge would intimidate many, but to Linara he was about as threatening as a child with a tree branch. The combat was over in a flash. She sidestepped his attack while slashing at his bicep, easily disarming him. A kick to the backside put him down next to his compatriot. It looked like a few riders had started to circle Tylissa. Linara called out to her, “Tylissa! Your magic!”
“You banana head, that doesn’t work here!” Tylissa shouted back. “If I had my magic, this wouldn’t be happening!” She was trying to keep out of the way of the riders, but they encircled her. “I don’t know what to do!” Tylissa said. The last thing Linara saw before being cut off was Tylissa being bundled up in a large net by a rider striding by her. She sounded more furious than frightened, which was somewhat encouraging.
“I’m coming!” Linara yelled, taking on two enemies at once. They started to back away. “That all you got, losers?” She boasted, figuring she had the upper hand. Then she realized that they were looking past her. Behind her, half a dozen riders sat atop their horses with bows drawn, arrows pointing in her direction.
“Drop your sword.” A strong voice said. Linara wanted to fight back, but she had to think about Tylissa too. Her sword clanged to the ground.
“Okay. Listen, we...” *THUNK* Something hard hit the back of her head and then...blackness...
Tylissa was screaming as loud as she could, doing everything to aggravate her captors. Who knows? Maybe there was someone around who could help them. She saw Linara getting cracked in the skull with the back end of a crossbow and felt guilty about making them linger at the watering hole. Her kicking and screaming intensified. “Oof!” The net was tossed to the ground and pulled from over her head, but as soon as it was free a cloth was put around her face. She started to laugh at the ineffective attack but then...she took a breath and everything got shaky. A surprised gasp only made things worse. Everything felt heavy...her eyes wouldn’t stay open...did they cast a spell on her? No, wait, this cloth...when I breathe in...what is this? Mmm...so sleepy...
*****
By the time her consciousness returned, Linara could hear Tylissa shouting. Unkind words, at that. She turned her head slightly and waited for her vision to become less blurry. “Tylissa...wha...?” A large, muscular barbarian was gripping the Guildmarian’s chin in his hands. He forced her to look at him while smushing his lips together. Linara didn’t need to be able to see to figure out they’d been captured by the bandit gang.
The barbarian leaned in close, taunting Tylissa: “Give us a little kiss, lady? Yeah? Give us a kiss...”
*CHOMP* Tylissa bit down on the fingers he was foolish enough to leave near her mouth. “Ptooi!” She spit. “Tastes terrible!”
Oh no, Linara thought to herself as she witnessed Tylissa’s response to the barbarian’s advances. She was just trying to defend herself, but that could get her killed. He reached back to deliver a clubbing blow with his massive fist and with their hands tied behind their backs, there was no way to stop it. “Tylissa!”
Luckily, the barbarian’s attack was stopped by another bandit. One look and it was clear that the one who interfered was the leader. He wore an ornate necklace and held a large helmet in his hands. He wasn’t much bigger than the attacker, but he had a threatening and sinister presence. “Koldok. You were told to wait for me.” It was the same man who was issuing orders at the watering hole. “These two are our guests...and our entertainment.”
The kissing barbarian looked at his boss sheepishly. “Forgive me, Bakk. She...she attacked me.”
“The hells I did, you raging targbeast! You had me by the face! It’s too bad yours looks the way it-“
“Tylissa!” Linara interrupted. Tylissa looked at her travelling companion. They were in a bad position and it was because of her. What a baby. Oh, my feet hurt. Let’s just stop here...idiot. Tylissa admonished herself. The old guy got away. Did you think he was coming back alone? What DID go through your mind? You should have kept moving when she told you, moron, but no, you were whiny as usual and now look what’s going on. She took the cue to shut her mouth.
Bakk paced around and they could feel his breath as he hovered over them. “Girls,” he began. “That watering hole is our property. That water is not for everyone and especially not for you two. What do you have to say for yourselves?”
Linara looked over to Tylissa and shook her head. Tylissa said nothing.
The barbarian leader snorted. “Sticking together. Good. Important when captured.” He motioned to another bandit who brought him a stool to sit on. He gazed at the adventuress’ with a sneaky smile on his face. “Don’t be scared, I’m not going to kill you.” He laughed and the others laughed nervously along with him. “No...how would we get back payment for the water that you drank?”
Tylissa was unable to hold her tongue. “We could give it back, but you have to wait a while!” Linara gave her a sharp look. Everyone stopped laughing immediately.
“You look so fragile...and weak.” Bakk’s attention was fully on Tylissa. That was not good.
“Ex-CUSE me? Who you calling weak?”
Bakk reached out and a long, jagged blade was handed to him. He extended it, stopping just short of Tylissa’s throat. One wrong move and she was going to be talking through a slit her neck. “Yes...you’ll do just fine, I think.” He said.
“If I still had my magic power we’d see who was weak!”
Bakk squinted and broke out into laughter again along with the rest of his gang! “Magic power?” Bakk said, standing up and waving his hands around mockingly. “Yes, your powers out by the water were so terrifying. We almost pissed ourselves! Har har har!”
“You must have on the way back because you sure reek like it!”
A tough looking girl handed Bakk a cloth and he held it close to Tylissa’s nose. Just the smell of it made her drowsy. “Your magic did you a lot of good against this, didn’t it?”
“Unnnghh...” Tylissa moaned. The smell of chemicals on the rag filled her nose and confirmed her earlier thoughts. Her head became almost too heavy to lift and her body visibly sagged. “My magic...lost...if I had it...you would see...you ugly targbeast...”
He pulled the rag away before Tylissa could go completely under. Whatever was next, he wanted her to be awake for it. Bakk roughly grabbed her by the hair and put his face next to hers. His mouth opened up revealing an enormous tongue that he ran up and down Tylissa’s cheek.
“Bastard!” Linara yelled.
Tylissa was still half out of it when the twisted Bakk began licking her face. There wasn’t much she could do about it. She was unable to even formulate an insult, the thick haze of the rag still covering her brain.
“Perfect,” the barbarian leader said. “Take her to the pit. She likes to make noise. Let’s see how loud she can get.”
“P...pit? Wha...” Tylissa said, dazed.
Linara had heard of these kinds of gangs and realized what kind of entertainment she was in store for. She wanted to believe that Tylissa could handle herself, but she looked helpless out there when they were attacked. Those...powers of hers, whatever they were...if they even existed...they were no good to her now. Tylissa’s robes dragged along the floor as the two attendants picked her up. “Hey you ugly sack of cow dung! Leave her alone!” Linara barked. As soon as she said the words, the gang turned to her.
Tylissa was no longer being moved and she wondered why. At any rate, they weren’t taking her to the pit anymore. They were taking Linara.
****
*clink* The collar made a metallic sound as it was placed around Tylissa’s neck. “Looks great on you, sweetheart,” a gross-looking woman said.
“How dare you...do this to me...”
“This one looks more comfortable with a tray on her hands anyway, har har har!” Bakk declared. He took a hold of a chain attached to the collar and gave it a sharp tug. “Be happy that you will be joining us for dinner!” He stood up and yanked on the chain again, almost tripping Tylissa along before she could get her footing.
“H-hey!” As Tylissa stumbled forward, she got a better view of the pit. Linara was being lead into the large, circular arena. Elevated a dozen feet above, seated behind a wooden table were Bakk and his cronies along with Tylissa. Linara made eye contact with her and she could see that the sorceress was less than thrilled to be filling goblets. “More ale?” She asked, before “accidentally” pouring it on Bakk’s hand. “I-I’m sorry! I don’t...I don’t do this work, I...I’m really just not very good at this...” Tylissa thought if she deprecated herself, they might buy it as an accident.
Bakk smirked and wiped his hand on Tylissa’s robes. “Accidents happen.” He pulled on the chain, forcing her face down to the table. “You spilled some there too. Clean it with your tongue.”
Linara looked up and saw her friend’s plight. “Don’t worry Tylissa! As soon as I take care of this, these goons will be begging to feed us grapes.” Her defiance angered Bakk and he slammed the table hard, forgetting about Tylissa for the moment.
“What’s going to happen to her?” Tylissa asked.
“Wait and see.” Bakk snapped his fingers and two large warriors, a man and a woman emerged from behind a wool cover. They hopped down into the pit and glared at Linara. “More ale for myself and my compatriots! And if you spill but a single drop this time...” He took his dagger and held it close to his neck, miming a throat slashing motion.
Tylissa gulped and nodded. She set off, fuming the whole way.
“This is Ritanga.” Bakk says, pointing to the female. She was at least six inches taller than Linara maybe nine inches with the mohawk. Hard muscle decorated her athletic frame, which she showed off in a skimpy fur loincloth and bra.
“This is Neno.” He continued, pointing to the male warrior. He was around Linara’s height, but stocky, with a dirty looking beard. He wore black pants with fur boots and a belt. His upper body looked flabby, but powerful.
Both warriors looked happy to see Linara. She didn’t feel the same. “Bakk! What is this, huh?” She wanted to stall, buy herself some time to strategize.
“Wench! My ale! NOW!” An underling ordered. Tylissa came back holding the pitchers. She wanted to incinerate his skull.
“Your ale, good sirs.” Being forced to bow and scrape like this was the worst. What the hells did I get myself into?
“My dear”, says Bakk, venomously. “You are about to find out what happens when people steal from me.” He put his arm around Tylissa’s waist, his fat fingers sinking into the side of her belly. “One blow for every drop of water imbibed. I hope you did not drink much.”
“And my weapon?” Linara asked.
“That silly thing? Oh ho, you won’t be needing that.” Bakk snapped his fingers and a loud GONGGGGGG crashed out, rattling Tylissa’s senses! At the same time, one of the barbarians gave her butt a quick squeeze. She had never felt more helpless.
Every drop...Linara fought the fear that threatened to overtake her. She had to ignore the fact that this was an absurd challenge. I don’t even know if I can beat these two...no...if beating these two will result in our freedom then...she grinned at Tylissa to reassure her that everything was going to be alright.
Suddenly, Ritanga’s heavy boot smashed into her jaw, spinning her around. Neno tackled Linara from behind, smashing her against the stone arena wall. She managed to move her head to prevent her nose from being broken. The stout warrior wrapped his thick arms around her waist and then bucked his hips, sending Linara flying backwards through the air. She was horizontal to the ground when Ritanga brought a sharp forearm down across her chest driving her into the dirt. Linara landed on the back of her neck, nearly folded in half. The bandits clapped and hollered.
Tylissa covered her mouth, disturbed by the terrible scene unfolding in front of her. This is all my fault. One of the brutes called for food, but Bakk stopped her from moving. She wanted to avoid watching the wicked destruction happening, but the barbarian leader demanded her attention. “Get it yourself!” He yelled at the brute, pinching Tylissa’s skin and smirking.
Neno hauled Linara off the ground, wrapping his arms around her from the front this time and trapping her arms against her sides. Her head lolled back.
“Hold,” Bakk said. “You. Tylissa. Come here.”
What does that giant targbeast want now? “Yes, Lord?”
Bakk took Tylissa by the wrist and placed her hand against his thigh, close to his genitals. “Pleasure me now or your friend suffers.”
“Go...go to hell...” Linara managed to speak up, still aware of what was happening.
Tylissa hesitated. “I...but...Linara, I...”
Bakk roughly tossed her hand away and forced her on to her knees. “Then enjoy the show!” He bellowed.
Neno began to crush Linara. “Hrrrnnngggh...” She wheezed. The squeezing was terrible; his grip, unbreakable.
Tylissa held on to Bakk’s wrist. “Wait! Wait! I’ll...”
“You had your chance.” He grabbed a handful of Tylissa’s hair and held her still so she had a good view of the action. Then he tightened the collar, restricting her breathing. “Now enjoy.” His prisoner groaned and shut her eyes. He tightened the collar even more, strangling her. “Watch or die!” Tylissa reluctantly opened her eyes and saw Linara’s face etched in pain.
“Uuuuh...” she moaned. Neno’s arms had no give. She would rather be sandwiched between two boulders than endure his grip any longer. Just as she felt the bones in her back start to shift, he let her go. She fell to her back, breathing heavily. A tear ran down Tylissa’s eye and she moved to wipe it away before anyone noticed. Vulnerability was quickly giving way to anger.
Linara was relieved to be free, but she couldn’t enjoy it as Ritanga stood at her feet. Taking a hold of her ankles, the tall woman crossed them up strangely, creating a figure four position before intertwining their legs together. The move put incredible pressure on Linara’s knee and she couldn’t stop herself from crying out.
“Ah ha!” Bakk said. “This is a wonderful hold! Don’t you think so, girl?” As he finished speaking, he nuzzled his face into Tylissa’s neck and kissed it roughly.
She gritted her teeth as the warlord forced himself onto her again. “Yes...it’s...it’s splendid...” If he doesn’t quit touching me...
The big girl let go of Linara’s legs and the swordswoman pulled them in close, clutching at her knee. It felt like it was on fire. Those close quarters moves...she couldn’t take much more. Neno flipped her onto her stomach and straddled her, taking her legs under his armpits and elevating them into the air. He leaned back and Linara now resembled the letter “C”. The pain barely had time register when Ritanga joined in, laying her upper body across her shoulders. She took Linara’s arm and threaded it between her legs while securing her hands under the smaller girl’s chin. When she wrenched back, Linara could swear her head was about to come off. She was trapped. Neno was trying to make her feet touch her head, Ritanga was trying to snap her neck and her screaming was muffled by the torturous grip on her face.
Tylissa felt rage boiling within her. “She’s had enough, let her go!” Her words were filled with conviction. She went to stand, but Bakk yanked her violently back down.
“Go ahead.” He addressed the pit. “Quit. I’m sure your friend would be happy to take your place.” He forced Tylissa to arch back by pulling on the chain and then he buried his nose in her chest. She was mortified. When he extricated himself, he looked down at her with a perverted smile, the camp torches illuminating his wretched features.
Tylissa focused on the flickering flames. “Stop hurting her, damn it.”
“So you want your turn? I don’t think she’s finished yet. Let’s ask her.” Bakk called down to the pit again. “Do you want out, yellow belly?”
“Won’t quit...” In response, the two bandits coordinated their stretch perfectly, testing the limits of Linara’s flexibility. She knew that giving up meant Tylissa would be thrown to these animals. She shook her head enough to let Bakk know what she thought of his question. “MMMMPPPPPPPPPPPPHHH!!!” How long...have I been...in this...torture...
She hadn’t known Linara for long, but Tylissa found herself wanting to jump in and take the girl’s place. “Liking what you see, girl?” Bakk said. His spittle flew all over her face. “Because I know I do!” With that, he forced a disgusting kiss on the high elf’s lips, while using his other hand to massage her crotch. Tylissa could only moan, seething within. When Bakk was finished, he tossed her aside for the others to enjoy. Then he snapped his fingers and his warriors finally released Linara from the torturous hold. She looked badly hurt. In one swift move, Ritanga picked Linara’s limp body up, pivoted and slammed her across her knee in a backbreaker.
“HYACK!” Linara choked out, but that was all she could get out as her eyes opened wide. Tylissa could only imagine how that felt.
“Stop it! That’s enough!” She screamed, the anger building inside like a hot coal.
Neno scooped up Linara like a child and flashed Tylissa a mean grin. Then he dropped Linara across his knee. The impact on the second backbreaker was so great that he had to be trying to outdo his partner. Her body was bent backwards at a sick angle. Tylissa had never seen anyone shaped like that without magical assistance. Still, seeing Linara in pain only caused her fury to rise to the surface.
“You sick bastards will be sorry!” She screamed with such passion that the bandits took a step back from her. Bakk simply laughed as Linara was raised and shattered again, this time in a tandem backbreaker by Neno and Ritanga, almost forming a bridge under her. As Linara fell deathly still, Tylissa finally exploded. “YOU RABID TARGBEAST!” From her fingertips, scorching fireballs shot out in every direction, lighting the tables and furniture ablaze. The searing rush of her magic power coming back drowned out the panicked screams of the bandits. They scattered about as they were splashed with fire. It quickly spread, burning the men badly and sending them running for their horses.
She whirled on Neno and Ritanga, who were frozen in fear. In a matter of moments, they had witnessed their entire troupe defeated. “And you...for hurting Linara...oh, yours will be slow...slow deaths...” They tried to run, but she cut them off with a couple of plasma balls that landed right in front of them. The two gladiators looked at Tylissa, a five foot nothing elf sorceress that they towered over physically...they were terrified.
“Please!” Neno was the first to crack, dropping to his knees. “We were indentured to Bakk! We had no choice...”
Ritanga joined him in a plea for mercy. “We...he threatened to kill us...”
Tylissa knew that they were lying. Many a person had attempted to threaten her with spells on Guildmar and they were usually false magicians. If she felt generous, she might let them go. Depending on how long and vigorously they held the deception though...that was something else entirely. She knew liars and there were two groveling in front of her. “You would insult me?” She asked, her eyes flaring red. The two exchanged glances, realizing that she was not easily swayed. Her hand was ablaze and she prepared to fry them...
“Stop!” It was Linara.
Tylissa didn’t know why she was interrupting, but she held back. “You’re okay!” She said, with a level of enthusiasm that surprised even her. She climbed down into the pit to help Linara up. Despite the incredible beating she just endured, there didn’t seem to be any major injuries. Still, she stumbled and as Tylissa caught her, Neno and Ritanga took the opportunity to escape. “Damn it! Come on, we better...” Linara was clearly in no condition to pursue anybody right now. “...we better patch you up, clumsy girl.” With Tylissa’s assistance, Linara was able to climb out of the pit.
“Now how do we...” Linara’s question was interrupted by the sound of whimpering from under one of the burning tables. Tylissa bent down and saw Bakk curled up and cowering. At the sight of the wizard, he yelped.
“St...st...stay away! Pleeeeeeaase!”
Tylissa narrowed her eyebrows. “Get up. NOW.” He complied, crawling on his hands and knees, afraid to make any sudden moves. The humiliation and insults that Tylissa had experienced that day still burned her and her desire for retribution was great indeed. Linara put a comforting hand on her shoulder, but it was shrugged off. “No, Kriegmarian. This one doesn’t get to just walk away.” She reached up and touched his forehead, creating a sear mark. “This is a magical burn. It will never heal. There is a caveat that goes with it...don’t look at me, dog!” As Bakk put his head down, Tylissa gave Linara a wink. “If you ever...EVER...injure another without just cause, this will activate. In case you have not figured it out, it means your head will look just like that roast chicken over there. You are to give up your wicked ways and I would suggest you find another way of life, else it be the last thing you do...am I perfectly understood?”
“Y-yes, Magical One...” Bakk nodded. “I...I understand.”
“Then what are you waiting for!” Tylissa said, the fire in her eyes returning. “Go!” At her command, Bakk scampered off, looking considerably smaller than before.
Linara looked at Tylissa admiringly. “Incredible. So that seal...will it actually...?”
“Let’s just say what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Or anyone else, for that matter.”
Linara was relieved to see that her new friend was capable of mercy. She did her best to stand, but she was weak. Without even realizing it, she leaned on Tylissa for support. The high elf was less than enthusiastic, but it did the job until they were able to locate her sword to use as a makeshift cane. She gave Tylissa a wry smile, somewhat deformed by the swelling around her eye. “Nice to see you’ve found a piece of yourself...” She gave her a punch on the shoulder. “...worried about me, huh?
“Screw you, banana boat. I didn’t want your death on my conscience is all.” Tylissa turned away, arms crossed.
Linara giggled and lead Tylissa out of the camp. “Looks like you scared off most of the horses. Seems they left the mule.” Tied to a post was the saddest looking creature she’d ever seen. “Beggars can’t be choosers.” She hopped on and extended her hand to her friend. “What are you waiting for?”
“You...expect me to ride this...creature.”
“‘Tis a majestic beast.”
The mule released a tremendous fart.
Linara’s face soured. “...just get on.”
“Ugh! Fine...oh, by the Gods, that reeks!” Tylissa pinched her nose, doing what she could to survive the stench. “So...what is a ‘mule’ anyway?”
Linara & Tylissa - Escape From The Pit
The leotard was starting to cling to Linara’s body, alerting her to the fact that they must have been walking for at least a couple of hours. She looked over to Tylissa, who had said little since they met other than agreeing to travel together to the next town. The foreign sorceress was initially intrigued by Linara’s knowledge of the area, but that knowledge was looking more dubious by the second. Still, Linara was certain that there was a watering hole nearby. Noticing the sweat building on her companion’s forehead, she reached over to gently wipe some away with the palm of her hand. “How are you doing, Tylissa?”
The beautiful high elf’s jaw was sore from gritting her teeth in anger. Two hours on Kriegmar and she was already missing the tedium of Guildmar. Her time here had started off bad, quickly got worse...and then she met Linara. She cursed her luck for running into Kriegmar’s worst tour guide. “I could swear there was a watering hole here!” was all she’d heard for the last ten minutes. By the Gods, she thought to herself. It’s probably a good thing I don’t have access to my magic right now because I’d probably just swallow a fireball. Tylissa couldn’t even conjure up an ice cube to cool herself off because for some reason her magic had decided to stop working ever since she arrived. It was making her mood lousy and now this stranger was checking on her. For the love of...
“I’m hot, tired, pissed off, and thirsty. I’ve...had better days.” She said, cutting herself off before she went any further.
Linara could tell that her companion was doing her best to keep cool (in more ways than one) and she kept a look of confidence. After a few more steps, she thought to talk again but decided to preserve her strength; besides, they didn’t have much to talk about.
Then she heard it: the sound of a stream. It was unmistakeable. Without thinking, she grabbed Tylissa’s robe and gave it a soft tug in the direction of the water. “Follow me!”
“What the hells do you think you’re doing pulling on...wait...you were right! Lead the way!” Apologizing to people, at least on her world, is far beneath Tylissa. Nobody told her what she could and couldn’t do. She had to remember that she was not on her world anymore.
Huffing and puffing, the girls don’t stop until they see their destination. Just over the next hill was a small watering hole. It wasn’t ideal, but anything would do at this point. Next to the stream was a thin, mangy looking fellow who was struggling to stay awake. Linara figured they could ask him for directions after they were replenished. The girls nearly tripped over each other in the rush to quench their thirst. Just as they reached the water, the man stirred and slapped the ground in front of them with a wooden staff.
“Stop! Who do you think you are?” The man said. He raised an eyebrow, clearly appreciating their feminine qualities. “Weeeeel...I ain’t seen pretty things like you two around here in a while. Y’all look thirsty...” He stood up and approached the girls, keeping his stick between them and the water. Clearly, they weren’t being invited to drink freely.
“Why, yes, we are thirsty...so we would appreciate if you let us partake. We won’t require the whole contents.” Tylissa says.
The mangy man is amused. “The whole cont...ah ha ha, you’re pretty and funny!” the mangy man says to Tylissa. Linara knows she’s not from around here, so she steps forward.
“Good sir, I...” She stops talking as the man blatantly eyes her body. Her leotard is moist with perspiration and it left little to the imagination. She gave it a self-conscious tug and turned away from him. “This...this is not proper!”
The mangy man laughs again. “What about you, sweetums?” he says to Tylissa. “What you got goin’ on under there?” He reaches out and starts to pull her garments to the side to get a better look at her body.
*WHACK* Tylissa slapped him across the face! “You keep your damn hands off me, you targbeast! Who do you think you're touching?”
“Ooow!” the mangy man says, rubbing his face. He looked like he was about to cry. “Wh...what’d ya do that for? I...I...” He dropped his staff and ran off, leaving Linara and Tylissa alone at the watering hole.
Linara scratched her head then shrugged her shoulders before turning back to Tylissa. “After you.”
Tylissa dipped her hands in and drank. She tried to be graceful at first, but as the water touched her lips and rehydrated her throat she forgot about grace and drank as if the water were running out. “Sure took long enough to find this, didn’t it?” She remarked. “I think you got us lost.”
Linara stuck her head in the water and swished it around, drinking and bathing at the same time. When she came out, she shook her head like a wet dog spraying water about. When she realized that she’d splashed Tylissa, she giggled before offering an apology. “*ahem* Yes, well...these maps can be somewhat inaccurate you know and, uh, perhaps I got the region mixed up...but worry not, now that we've had a chance to recharge we can resume our journey. Come now, let's be off!”
Eyes open and mouth wide in shock, Tylissa barely manages to contain her frustration. “You’re lucky I’m tired and thirsty.” She said, mustering a half-smile. Linara meant no harm, but Tylissa imagined flash-freezing the water around her. A large temperature drop might teach her to be more cautious in the future. “Come on, we just got here. I’ve been walking for three hours already, two with you and one before we met. I’m sore and my feet hurt a lot.” She let out a yawn. “It won’t hurt much if we take a bit of a nap, would it? If that targbeast comes back, we can deal with him again.”
Even though they’d been walking for a while, Linara wasn’t that tired. She used to run around and play for hours back home. Even taking into account this heat, she was doing okay, but she needed to consider Tylissa. Wherever she came from, she wasn’t to be used to this kind of travel. Linara nodded and sit down. “So...” She said, lying down next to the cool water. “What is a targbeast anyway?”
“Back home, it’s a vicious, snarling, ugly four legged brown thing. As tall as a person. They’re mostly feral. People capable of magic are generally safe from them. The blue magic users can freeze them or send them flying. The red magic users can simply cook them. I’d go into the forest and attract them, simply flinging them into the horizon just for fun. It might sound bad, but if you’d seen one, you would not feel bad for them. Suffice to say, they’re not pleasant creatures.”
Linara laughs, realizing it’s a mean thing for Tylissa to have called that guy. “Sounds kind of scary, but...I’d like to see one someday!”
She wants to see one. Tylissa shakes her head. She answers back seriously and without sarcasm, “No. No, you do not. I have noticed your sword, but you may not be able to get close enough to them to use it. This is why magic users are often called on to control or handle them.”
Now that they were resting, Linara was feeling quite relaxed. She didn’t want to break the rhythm of the journey, but it could be just what they needed. She closed her eyes, picturing the targbeast...vicious...snarling...ugly...a herd of them rumbling through the forest...rumbling...rumbling! The ground was rumbling! She shot up and immediately noticed a gang of riders on horseback coming towards them. “Tylissa, I think we better get out of here!”
As Tylissa was drifting off, she felt the earth shaking. At first she thought she was dreaming, but then she heard Linara’s urgent “suggestion”. For once, she didn’t complain or argue. “I think I’d agree with that. Let’s go!”
They moved as quick as they could, but it became clear that the riders were well trained and fast. Rather than run them down, they split up to flank them!
Waiting for one to get close, Linara took out her sword and made a quick swipe. He dodged out of the way, but he was not the intended target. His reins severed, the rider fell backwards into the dirt. Another rider hopped off, licking his chops at the prospect of engaging the gorgeous brunette. I know I don’t look like much, but this...“targbeast” is about to learn a lesson about underestimating people. His charge would intimidate many, but to Linara he was about as threatening as a child with a tree branch. The combat was over in a flash. She sidestepped his attack while slashing at his bicep, easily disarming him. A kick to the backside put him down next to his compatriot. It looked like a few riders had started to circle Tylissa. Linara called out to her, “Tylissa! Your magic!”
“You banana head, that doesn’t work here!” Tylissa shouted back. “If I had my magic, this wouldn’t be happening!” She was trying to keep out of the way of the riders, but they encircled her. “I don’t know what to do!” Tylissa said. The last thing Linara saw before being cut off was Tylissa being bundled up in a large net by a rider striding by her. She sounded more furious than frightened, which was somewhat encouraging.
“I’m coming!” Linara yelled, taking on two enemies at once. They started to back away. “That all you got, losers?” She boasted, figuring she had the upper hand. Then she realized that they were looking past her. Behind her, half a dozen riders sat atop their horses with bows drawn, arrows pointing in her direction.
“Drop your sword.” A strong voice said. Linara wanted to fight back, but she had to think about Tylissa too. Her sword clanged to the ground.
“Okay. Listen, we...” *THUNK* Something hard hit the back of her head and then...blackness...
Tylissa was screaming as loud as she could, doing everything to aggravate her captors. Who knows? Maybe there was someone around who could help them. She saw Linara getting cracked in the skull with the back end of a crossbow and felt guilty about making them linger at the watering hole. Her kicking and screaming intensified. “Oof!” The net was tossed to the ground and pulled from over her head, but as soon as it was free a cloth was put around her face. She started to laugh at the ineffective attack but then...she took a breath and everything got shaky. A surprised gasp only made things worse. Everything felt heavy...her eyes wouldn’t stay open...did they cast a spell on her? No, wait, this cloth...when I breathe in...what is this? Mmm...so sleepy...
*****
By the time her consciousness returned, Linara could hear Tylissa shouting. Unkind words, at that. She turned her head slightly and waited for her vision to become less blurry. “Tylissa...wha...?” A large, muscular barbarian was gripping the Guildmarian’s chin in his hands. He forced her to look at him while smushing his lips together. Linara didn’t need to be able to see to figure out they’d been captured by the bandit gang.
The barbarian leaned in close, taunting Tylissa: “Give us a little kiss, lady? Yeah? Give us a kiss...”
*CHOMP* Tylissa bit down on the fingers he was foolish enough to leave near her mouth. “Ptooi!” She spit. “Tastes terrible!”
Oh no, Linara thought to herself as she witnessed Tylissa’s response to the barbarian’s advances. She was just trying to defend herself, but that could get her killed. He reached back to deliver a clubbing blow with his massive fist and with their hands tied behind their backs, there was no way to stop it. “Tylissa!”
Luckily, the barbarian’s attack was stopped by another bandit. One look and it was clear that the one who interfered was the leader. He wore an ornate necklace and held a large helmet in his hands. He wasn’t much bigger than the attacker, but he had a threatening and sinister presence. “Koldok. You were told to wait for me.” It was the same man who was issuing orders at the watering hole. “These two are our guests...and our entertainment.”
The kissing barbarian looked at his boss sheepishly. “Forgive me, Bakk. She...she attacked me.”
“The hells I did, you raging targbeast! You had me by the face! It’s too bad yours looks the way it-“
“Tylissa!” Linara interrupted. Tylissa looked at her travelling companion. They were in a bad position and it was because of her. What a baby. Oh, my feet hurt. Let’s just stop here...idiot. Tylissa admonished herself. The old guy got away. Did you think he was coming back alone? What DID go through your mind? You should have kept moving when she told you, moron, but no, you were whiny as usual and now look what’s going on. She took the cue to shut her mouth.
Bakk paced around and they could feel his breath as he hovered over them. “Girls,” he began. “That watering hole is our property. That water is not for everyone and especially not for you two. What do you have to say for yourselves?”
Linara looked over to Tylissa and shook her head. Tylissa said nothing.
The barbarian leader snorted. “Sticking together. Good. Important when captured.” He motioned to another bandit who brought him a stool to sit on. He gazed at the adventuress’ with a sneaky smile on his face. “Don’t be scared, I’m not going to kill you.” He laughed and the others laughed nervously along with him. “No...how would we get back payment for the water that you drank?”
Tylissa was unable to hold her tongue. “We could give it back, but you have to wait a while!” Linara gave her a sharp look. Everyone stopped laughing immediately.
“You look so fragile...and weak.” Bakk’s attention was fully on Tylissa. That was not good.
“Ex-CUSE me? Who you calling weak?”
Bakk reached out and a long, jagged blade was handed to him. He extended it, stopping just short of Tylissa’s throat. One wrong move and she was going to be talking through a slit her neck. “Yes...you’ll do just fine, I think.” He said.
“If I still had my magic power we’d see who was weak!”
Bakk squinted and broke out into laughter again along with the rest of his gang! “Magic power?” Bakk said, standing up and waving his hands around mockingly. “Yes, your powers out by the water were so terrifying. We almost pissed ourselves! Har har har!”
“You must have on the way back because you sure reek like it!”
A tough looking girl handed Bakk a cloth and he held it close to Tylissa’s nose. Just the smell of it made her drowsy. “Your magic did you a lot of good against this, didn’t it?”
“Unnnghh...” Tylissa moaned. The smell of chemicals on the rag filled her nose and confirmed her earlier thoughts. Her head became almost too heavy to lift and her body visibly sagged. “My magic...lost...if I had it...you would see...you ugly targbeast...”
He pulled the rag away before Tylissa could go completely under. Whatever was next, he wanted her to be awake for it. Bakk roughly grabbed her by the hair and put his face next to hers. His mouth opened up revealing an enormous tongue that he ran up and down Tylissa’s cheek.
“Bastard!” Linara yelled.
Tylissa was still half out of it when the twisted Bakk began licking her face. There wasn’t much she could do about it. She was unable to even formulate an insult, the thick haze of the rag still covering her brain.
“Perfect,” the barbarian leader said. “Take her to the pit. She likes to make noise. Let’s see how loud she can get.”
“P...pit? Wha...” Tylissa said, dazed.
Linara had heard of these kinds of gangs and realized what kind of entertainment she was in store for. She wanted to believe that Tylissa could handle herself, but she looked helpless out there when they were attacked. Those...powers of hers, whatever they were...if they even existed...they were no good to her now. Tylissa’s robes dragged along the floor as the two attendants picked her up. “Hey you ugly sack of cow dung! Leave her alone!” Linara barked. As soon as she said the words, the gang turned to her.
Tylissa was no longer being moved and she wondered why. At any rate, they weren’t taking her to the pit anymore. They were taking Linara.
****
*clink* The collar made a metallic sound as it was placed around Tylissa’s neck. “Looks great on you, sweetheart,” a gross-looking woman said.
“How dare you...do this to me...”
“This one looks more comfortable with a tray on her hands anyway, har har har!” Bakk declared. He took a hold of a chain attached to the collar and gave it a sharp tug. “Be happy that you will be joining us for dinner!” He stood up and yanked on the chain again, almost tripping Tylissa along before she could get her footing.
“H-hey!” As Tylissa stumbled forward, she got a better view of the pit. Linara was being lead into the large, circular arena. Elevated a dozen feet above, seated behind a wooden table were Bakk and his cronies along with Tylissa. Linara made eye contact with her and she could see that the sorceress was less than thrilled to be filling goblets. “More ale?” She asked, before “accidentally” pouring it on Bakk’s hand. “I-I’m sorry! I don’t...I don’t do this work, I...I’m really just not very good at this...” Tylissa thought if she deprecated herself, they might buy it as an accident.
Bakk smirked and wiped his hand on Tylissa’s robes. “Accidents happen.” He pulled on the chain, forcing her face down to the table. “You spilled some there too. Clean it with your tongue.”
Linara looked up and saw her friend’s plight. “Don’t worry Tylissa! As soon as I take care of this, these goons will be begging to feed us grapes.” Her defiance angered Bakk and he slammed the table hard, forgetting about Tylissa for the moment.
“What’s going to happen to her?” Tylissa asked.
“Wait and see.” Bakk snapped his fingers and two large warriors, a man and a woman emerged from behind a wool cover. They hopped down into the pit and glared at Linara. “More ale for myself and my compatriots! And if you spill but a single drop this time...” He took his dagger and held it close to his neck, miming a throat slashing motion.
Tylissa gulped and nodded. She set off, fuming the whole way.
“This is Ritanga.” Bakk says, pointing to the female. She was at least six inches taller than Linara maybe nine inches with the mohawk. Hard muscle decorated her athletic frame, which she showed off in a skimpy fur loincloth and bra.
“This is Neno.” He continued, pointing to the male warrior. He was around Linara’s height, but stocky, with a dirty looking beard. He wore black pants with fur boots and a belt. His upper body looked flabby, but powerful.
Both warriors looked happy to see Linara. She didn’t feel the same. “Bakk! What is this, huh?” She wanted to stall, buy herself some time to strategize.
“Wench! My ale! NOW!” An underling ordered. Tylissa came back holding the pitchers. She wanted to incinerate his skull.
“Your ale, good sirs.” Being forced to bow and scrape like this was the worst. What the hells did I get myself into?
“My dear”, says Bakk, venomously. “You are about to find out what happens when people steal from me.” He put his arm around Tylissa’s waist, his fat fingers sinking into the side of her belly. “One blow for every drop of water imbibed. I hope you did not drink much.”
“And my weapon?” Linara asked.
“That silly thing? Oh ho, you won’t be needing that.” Bakk snapped his fingers and a loud GONGGGGGG crashed out, rattling Tylissa’s senses! At the same time, one of the barbarians gave her butt a quick squeeze. She had never felt more helpless.
Every drop...Linara fought the fear that threatened to overtake her. She had to ignore the fact that this was an absurd challenge. I don’t even know if I can beat these two...no...if beating these two will result in our freedom then...she grinned at Tylissa to reassure her that everything was going to be alright.
Suddenly, Ritanga’s heavy boot smashed into her jaw, spinning her around. Neno tackled Linara from behind, smashing her against the stone arena wall. She managed to move her head to prevent her nose from being broken. The stout warrior wrapped his thick arms around her waist and then bucked his hips, sending Linara flying backwards through the air. She was horizontal to the ground when Ritanga brought a sharp forearm down across her chest driving her into the dirt. Linara landed on the back of her neck, nearly folded in half. The bandits clapped and hollered.
Tylissa covered her mouth, disturbed by the terrible scene unfolding in front of her. This is all my fault. One of the brutes called for food, but Bakk stopped her from moving. She wanted to avoid watching the wicked destruction happening, but the barbarian leader demanded her attention. “Get it yourself!” He yelled at the brute, pinching Tylissa’s skin and smirking.
Neno hauled Linara off the ground, wrapping his arms around her from the front this time and trapping her arms against her sides. Her head lolled back.
“Hold,” Bakk said. “You. Tylissa. Come here.”
What does that giant targbeast want now? “Yes, Lord?”
Bakk took Tylissa by the wrist and placed her hand against his thigh, close to his genitals. “Pleasure me now or your friend suffers.”
“Go...go to hell...” Linara managed to speak up, still aware of what was happening.
Tylissa hesitated. “I...but...Linara, I...”
Bakk roughly tossed her hand away and forced her on to her knees. “Then enjoy the show!” He bellowed.
Neno began to crush Linara. “Hrrrnnngggh...” She wheezed. The squeezing was terrible; his grip, unbreakable.
Tylissa held on to Bakk’s wrist. “Wait! Wait! I’ll...”
“You had your chance.” He grabbed a handful of Tylissa’s hair and held her still so she had a good view of the action. Then he tightened the collar, restricting her breathing. “Now enjoy.” His prisoner groaned and shut her eyes. He tightened the collar even more, strangling her. “Watch or die!” Tylissa reluctantly opened her eyes and saw Linara’s face etched in pain.
“Uuuuh...” she moaned. Neno’s arms had no give. She would rather be sandwiched between two boulders than endure his grip any longer. Just as she felt the bones in her back start to shift, he let her go. She fell to her back, breathing heavily. A tear ran down Tylissa’s eye and she moved to wipe it away before anyone noticed. Vulnerability was quickly giving way to anger.
Linara was relieved to be free, but she couldn’t enjoy it as Ritanga stood at her feet. Taking a hold of her ankles, the tall woman crossed them up strangely, creating a figure four position before intertwining their legs together. The move put incredible pressure on Linara’s knee and she couldn’t stop herself from crying out.
“Ah ha!” Bakk said. “This is a wonderful hold! Don’t you think so, girl?” As he finished speaking, he nuzzled his face into Tylissa’s neck and kissed it roughly.
She gritted her teeth as the warlord forced himself onto her again. “Yes...it’s...it’s splendid...” If he doesn’t quit touching me...
The big girl let go of Linara’s legs and the swordswoman pulled them in close, clutching at her knee. It felt like it was on fire. Those close quarters moves...she couldn’t take much more. Neno flipped her onto her stomach and straddled her, taking her legs under his armpits and elevating them into the air. He leaned back and Linara now resembled the letter “C”. The pain barely had time register when Ritanga joined in, laying her upper body across her shoulders. She took Linara’s arm and threaded it between her legs while securing her hands under the smaller girl’s chin. When she wrenched back, Linara could swear her head was about to come off. She was trapped. Neno was trying to make her feet touch her head, Ritanga was trying to snap her neck and her screaming was muffled by the torturous grip on her face.
Tylissa felt rage boiling within her. “She’s had enough, let her go!” Her words were filled with conviction. She went to stand, but Bakk yanked her violently back down.
“Go ahead.” He addressed the pit. “Quit. I’m sure your friend would be happy to take your place.” He forced Tylissa to arch back by pulling on the chain and then he buried his nose in her chest. She was mortified. When he extricated himself, he looked down at her with a perverted smile, the camp torches illuminating his wretched features.
Tylissa focused on the flickering flames. “Stop hurting her, damn it.”
“So you want your turn? I don’t think she’s finished yet. Let’s ask her.” Bakk called down to the pit again. “Do you want out, yellow belly?”
“Won’t quit...” In response, the two bandits coordinated their stretch perfectly, testing the limits of Linara’s flexibility. She knew that giving up meant Tylissa would be thrown to these animals. She shook her head enough to let Bakk know what she thought of his question. “MMMMPPPPPPPPPPPPHHH!!!” How long...have I been...in this...torture...
She hadn’t known Linara for long, but Tylissa found herself wanting to jump in and take the girl’s place. “Liking what you see, girl?” Bakk said. His spittle flew all over her face. “Because I know I do!” With that, he forced a disgusting kiss on the high elf’s lips, while using his other hand to massage her crotch. Tylissa could only moan, seething within. When Bakk was finished, he tossed her aside for the others to enjoy. Then he snapped his fingers and his warriors finally released Linara from the torturous hold. She looked badly hurt. In one swift move, Ritanga picked Linara’s limp body up, pivoted and slammed her across her knee in a backbreaker.
“HYACK!” Linara choked out, but that was all she could get out as her eyes opened wide. Tylissa could only imagine how that felt.
“Stop it! That’s enough!” She screamed, the anger building inside like a hot coal.
Neno scooped up Linara like a child and flashed Tylissa a mean grin. Then he dropped Linara across his knee. The impact on the second backbreaker was so great that he had to be trying to outdo his partner. Her body was bent backwards at a sick angle. Tylissa had never seen anyone shaped like that without magical assistance. Still, seeing Linara in pain only caused her fury to rise to the surface.
“You sick bastards will be sorry!” She screamed with such passion that the bandits took a step back from her. Bakk simply laughed as Linara was raised and shattered again, this time in a tandem backbreaker by Neno and Ritanga, almost forming a bridge under her. As Linara fell deathly still, Tylissa finally exploded. “YOU RABID TARGBEAST!” From her fingertips, scorching fireballs shot out in every direction, lighting the tables and furniture ablaze. The searing rush of her magic power coming back drowned out the panicked screams of the bandits. They scattered about as they were splashed with fire. It quickly spread, burning the men badly and sending them running for their horses.
She whirled on Neno and Ritanga, who were frozen in fear. In a matter of moments, they had witnessed their entire troupe defeated. “And you...for hurting Linara...oh, yours will be slow...slow deaths...” They tried to run, but she cut them off with a couple of plasma balls that landed right in front of them. The two gladiators looked at Tylissa, a five foot nothing elf sorceress that they towered over physically...they were terrified.
“Please!” Neno was the first to crack, dropping to his knees. “We were indentured to Bakk! We had no choice...”
Ritanga joined him in a plea for mercy. “We...he threatened to kill us...”
Tylissa knew that they were lying. Many a person had attempted to threaten her with spells on Guildmar and they were usually false magicians. If she felt generous, she might let them go. Depending on how long and vigorously they held the deception though...that was something else entirely. She knew liars and there were two groveling in front of her. “You would insult me?” She asked, her eyes flaring red. The two exchanged glances, realizing that she was not easily swayed. Her hand was ablaze and she prepared to fry them...
“Stop!” It was Linara.
Tylissa didn’t know why she was interrupting, but she held back. “You’re okay!” She said, with a level of enthusiasm that surprised even her. She climbed down into the pit to help Linara up. Despite the incredible beating she just endured, there didn’t seem to be any major injuries. Still, she stumbled and as Tylissa caught her, Neno and Ritanga took the opportunity to escape. “Damn it! Come on, we better...” Linara was clearly in no condition to pursue anybody right now. “...we better patch you up, clumsy girl.” With Tylissa’s assistance, Linara was able to climb out of the pit.
“Now how do we...” Linara’s question was interrupted by the sound of whimpering from under one of the burning tables. Tylissa bent down and saw Bakk curled up and cowering. At the sight of the wizard, he yelped.
“St...st...stay away! Pleeeeeeaase!”
Tylissa narrowed her eyebrows. “Get up. NOW.” He complied, crawling on his hands and knees, afraid to make any sudden moves. The humiliation and insults that Tylissa had experienced that day still burned her and her desire for retribution was great indeed. Linara put a comforting hand on her shoulder, but it was shrugged off. “No, Kriegmarian. This one doesn’t get to just walk away.” She reached up and touched his forehead, creating a sear mark. “This is a magical burn. It will never heal. There is a caveat that goes with it...don’t look at me, dog!” As Bakk put his head down, Tylissa gave Linara a wink. “If you ever...EVER...injure another without just cause, this will activate. In case you have not figured it out, it means your head will look just like that roast chicken over there. You are to give up your wicked ways and I would suggest you find another way of life, else it be the last thing you do...am I perfectly understood?”
“Y-yes, Magical One...” Bakk nodded. “I...I understand.”
“Then what are you waiting for!” Tylissa said, the fire in her eyes returning. “Go!” At her command, Bakk scampered off, looking considerably smaller than before.
Linara looked at Tylissa admiringly. “Incredible. So that seal...will it actually...?”
“Let’s just say what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Or anyone else, for that matter.”
Linara was relieved to see that her new friend was capable of mercy. She did her best to stand, but she was weak. Without even realizing it, she leaned on Tylissa for support. The high elf was less than enthusiastic, but it did the job until they were able to locate her sword to use as a makeshift cane. She gave Tylissa a wry smile, somewhat deformed by the swelling around her eye. “Nice to see you’ve found a piece of yourself...” She gave her a punch on the shoulder. “...worried about me, huh?
“Screw you, banana boat. I didn’t want your death on my conscience is all.” Tylissa turned away, arms crossed.
Linara giggled and lead Tylissa out of the camp. “Looks like you scared off most of the horses. Seems they left the mule.” Tied to a post was the saddest looking creature she’d ever seen. “Beggars can’t be choosers.” She hopped on and extended her hand to her friend. “What are you waiting for?”
“You...expect me to ride this...creature.”
“‘Tis a majestic beast.”
The mule released a tremendous fart.
Linara’s face soured. “...just get on.”
“Ugh! Fine...oh, by the Gods, that reeks!” Tylissa pinched her nose, doing what she could to survive the stench. “So...what is a ‘mule’ anyway?”
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