Chapter 1:
Jhannel moved about the room in a half-mad pace. She clasped her hands together, nervous.
"Are you insane, slave! Balthazar himself couldn't understand your madness." She said, shrieking. Kalan was in the process of stripping the Ghosts naked and donning their dark leathers. He tried to pay her no mind (the woman was insane from what he'd already seen and arguing wouldn't help that) but her mention of
slave
was too much. He
hated
the mere idea of someone
owning
him. However, he knew her protests were meaningless. She was merely coming to the realization that she'd lost
control
over him -- something she craved.
"I'm no slave, Drow," replied Kalan, "so don't address me as such." He hefted the Ghost's blade, looking it up and down and getting a feel for its weight and balance. It was thin and one sided with womanly curves from its peak to its hilt. It seemed less a blade and more a piece of glass. It was shorter and lighter than he was accustomed too as well. This blade wasn't built for the stress and strength of a field battle but for the quick kills -- most likely, a decapitation -- and rapid strikes of an Assassin. A Ranger from his squadron would be caught dead using such a weapon. Alatar would shame him for even lifting such a dishonorable thing. It'd have to do for now.
"You'll all be executed for this," continued Jhannel. "
I'll
be executed for this. The Nimiri clan will live in shame for millennia to come."
We can only pray,
thought Kalan. The thought of Jhannel's slaver family living in shame (whatever she meant by that) brought him happiness.
"Now what?!" Screamed Jhannel. "What's that stupid look you have on your face,
slave
?" Kalan straightened out his features and looked away. "Did you hear me,
slave
?
Slave, slave, slave, slave!
"
Damnation that was becoming annoying.
He went to the other side of the room to help Cleitus, who laid naked with eyes partially closed. Kalan avoided looking at his groin but could tell his dick had been mashed to Oblivion. It appeared in the corner of his eye like a disfigured, soft finger. Poor man. The Orc Warmaiden had rode him half to death. Nothing but an Orc or Troll could have survived that pounding with an intact penis or pelvis. He needed a Master Healer immediately, or he risked permanent damage to his groin and everything below it. Of course, the only thing Cleitus would care about would be his ability to get erect and fuck camp whores.
"Cleitus," said Kalan, shaking his shoulder. "Get up."
"Looks like he's gone Captain," said Ralph. "Seems that Orc fucked him to the Gardener's Realms." Luck had smiled on Ralph that day. Jhannel's husband, the same one who now lay incapacitated in the corner, had made him fuck an Elf woman instead of the Warmaidens, leaving him with an intact pelvis. A drip of cum trickled from his groin.
"He's not dead
yet,
Ralph. He just needs a healer immediately."
"Can't you help him? You healed us before."
"That was a simple spell taught to everyone. I can delay the damage and help him walk, but he'll need a Master Healer soon if he wants to use his dick and legs in a few days."
"The Ghosts will have your head, Kalan!" Inserted Jhannel, shrieking. She continued to holler in the Drow tongue. "Dos mel ruv'volinde! Lu'che mel vith akn'nen! Mel'ro, mel'ro, mel'ro, mel'ro!"
Due to the Drow tongue being close to Elvish, Kalan could pick out some words. Namely,
mel --
human,
vith akn'nen --
brain dead, and
mel'ro --
human-slave.
"What's she saying?" Asked Ralph.
"Just ignore her. She might start frothing at the mouth if you give her any more attention. Your madness isn't accomplishing anything."
"Balthazar manha mer'fa!" Continued Jhannel. Tyr only knew what meant. Likely some wish to her sick god.
He turned back to Cleitus and gave the limp body and shake. "Cleitus!" No response. Kalan shook him harder. He began to stir. A soft brown eye peeked open.
"What in Oblivion?" Kalan grabbed him by the shoulder.
"Thank Tyr! Here I thought we were going to have to haul you through the mountain. See if you can walk."
"I don't think I can, Sir."
"Its fine. Ralph and I will carry you down."
"You still alive Cleitus?" Remarked Ralph.
"Just barely. What in Oblivion is going on?"
"We're leaving," said Kalan. "Grab the other blade from the Ghost. Ralph, grab the staff the Drow dropped. If the gem is charged you should be able to use it. And
you.
" He turned to Jhannel. "Will lead the way to my men."
Jhannel gave him a sultry, sardonic smirk. He resisted looked down at her grey-purple colored body. Her smooth curves were tempting. He found himself wanting her again. How could any man stay sane in front of her? She carried herself like some sultry, evil, grey-skinned sex goddess
and
had the looks to match.
"You do understand, dearest Kalan-slave, that even if, by Balthazar's Blessing, you find your platoon and weapons, that you face the
entire military might of Garthrand
.
"
She had a point. Kalan had spent most of his youth in these mountains fighting the military of this very city -- what they in the Rangers called the Syndicate. He'd seen Ranger after Ranger slain by a Drow Ghost's dagger or an Orc's warhammer. The Syndicate were a determined foe and now his goal was to take on their combined forces in
their
home. To Jhannel, Ralph, and Cleitus, it must have seemed a suicide mission. Yet he saw a chance. As he'd found out during the Imperial War, the weakest part of an army like Garthrand's was
Garthrand itself.
Much like the Empire, the Drow had built a society on hay. In the Empire's case, the omnipotent Emperor was the weak spot. After the Rangers had crushed the Imperial Guard (which by the end of his time was the real decision maker in the Empire) and captured the Emperor the Empire had collapsed in on itself. In just a few months the once proud Imperial Army had been shattered into a band of warlords and brigands vying for power. The Knights and Battle-Mages of Mithrandir had no problem sweeping them up and heading straight for the Imperial City.
Garthrand had a similar weakness, which, when removed, would result in a similar collapse: its slaves. From what he'd observed in the halls, slaves outnumbered Drow
at least
three to one. If even a quarter of the slaves stopped working the city would cease to function. That alone would greatly add to their chances. If some decided to join them -- as might happen after just one victory -- their chances would rise even more.
All we need is one victory,
he thought.
One resounding defeat of the Ghosts that is visible to the slaves and, with the Gardener's luck, we might have a chance.
"This isn't going to be a suicide mission. We're going to start a slave revolt."
"A
what
?" Exclaimed Jhannel.
"Ralph, Cleitus. Do you remember what happened in the Imperial War when the Emperor fell?" Ralph shook his head. "The Empire collapsed. Without the Emperor the Army completely lost morale. Each General became his own Warlord and the Knights went straight for the Imperial City with nothing in their way. In our case, we target the slaves. You saw in the halls, didn't you? Slaves are more common than Drow here. If even a quarter of the slaves revolt the city will cease to function."
"And we're free to walk out." Said Cleitus.
"Exactly."
"Wait so... were going to kill all the slaves?" Asked Ralph.
"No Ralph, we're going to free them and arm them."
"Three men and a murderous Drow are going to free and arm every slave here?" Asked Cleitus.
"We're going to get our unit back first of course" He pointed at Jhannel. "That's where
you
come in. You're going to lead us to where our unit and their weapons are being held." Her grey eyes glared back, silent.
He wasn't certain, but Kalan got the feeling she would cooperate. She'd seemed... close ever since they'd fucked. It was as if she'd reached a permanence in his mind. It was some sort of... bond through which he could know her emotions. He felt that she wanted him escape, as he surely faced death if they stayed. He also felt that she
craved
the control he'd deprived her of. Regardless, if they were caught she could always say she was a hostage (which was partly true).
Kalan yearned to be free of this damned Mountain. He yearned to return to the streets of Stormcrown and to see the blue sky for the first time in weeks. He closed his eyes and bowed his head. He muttered a prayer to Tyr and the Gardener. Jhannel smirked.