The Dark Age Chronicles: The Fall of Night.
Dungeons

Ihloden woke to replace himselfin a Cysia’s dungeons. The nausea he had felt earlier on with the Sertesdroyhad passed, but his stomach still felt sore. His head was throbbing painfully.He reached a hand back and rubbed the spot. He cried out in pain as his fingersgrazed over the open wound in his scalp. He eyes felt like they were going toburst out of his head with the pain. He cursed vigorously as he remembered whathad happened. Nargon had said something and then there was a stunning blowbehind him and he had blacked out.

“Damn creature busted meopen,” hissed Ihloden to himself. He waited for the pain to subside a bit andtouched the spot gently. His fingers traced out the wide blot of blood mattedhair, and then he probed till he felt the outline of the ragged skin. It was aslong as his middle finger. Ihloden cursed again. Then he snapped his head up. Afamiliar feeling of nausea began to creep up on him. “Not now!” he pleaded withtears of frustration stinging his eyes. A block of light appeared in the thickwooden door.

“Found my gift yet?” Nargon asked. Ihlodencursed him. Nargon laughed, “Such language does not befit one that has comeinto the possession of a Griffin feather. For a moment I thought that you werea Rider, but now that I have heard you, I now that you are not. A Griffin Riderwould not have spoken like that.” Ihloden felt ashamed.

“But that would not availyou,” said Nargon, “All I await is the word from my Master and I will take fromyou whatever information you possess, and after that I will have some fun withyou. I will enjoy breaking you boy, very much.”

Ihloden watched as the light blotted out.His eyes still saw a block of light in the darkness.

“Damn it!” he cried and flung himself on hisface, “Where are you mother, Shila? You stupid trees? Cirvan?” ‘Why did you call him?’ his thoughtschided him, ‘All your life you’ve nevercalled him. What makes you think that you are worthy of calling him now?’Ihloden tried to think of a reason but in all of his life, he could not thinkof one good thing that he had done.

“Oh Cirvan,” he said tearsfalling onto his cheeks, “Oh Cirvan.” The floor was covered in fine straw that smelt of mould and ratdroppings. Ihloden lay flat on his stomach, his cheek resting on the dampstone. Tears rolled down his nose and dripped to the floor. His thoughts ran ina confused circle and eventually he felt himself slipping into sleep. Heallowed himself to drown in the bliss of sleep and to escape his misery.

A soft ray of sunlight woke him up. He openedhis eyes to be blinded by the shaft of light. He rolled away only to hit hiswound on the floor. He sat up and groaned; his head throbbed. He reached hishand to it and felt blood. “Great,” he muttered. The door clanged open. Thenausea that hit him sent his lurching to the side. He didn’t have the strengthto try and hold it back. Burning liquid came up and dibbled down the side ofhis mouth. He tried to wipe it away but the nausea kept getting worst. Heretched more and more. A hand grabbedhim from behind. He felt the scrape of tough leather. ‘The Sertesdroy!’ theword sounded like an alarm in his brain. He thrashed in the grip. A harsh laughfilled his ears and then he was flying though the air. The wall embraced him ina rib crushing grip. He tumbled to the floor. The Sertesdroy laughed again andIhloden felt the creature grip him. Once more he was flung against the wall. Hefell to the floor only to be sent back against the wall by a swift kick fromNargon.

“Tell me where you got thefeather.” Nargon said. Ihloden opened his mouth to answer and the toe ofNargon’s boot went in it. He felt as though his teeth were kicked out. Bloodfilled his mouth and his tongue felt the ragged skin of his lips.

“Where?” Nargon asked again.Ihloden tried to answer again but the nausea only made him retch in reply.Blood splattered on to floor. Nargon grabbed him up and turned him to face him.

“I will only ask you onceagain boy,” he snarled, “Where is the Griffin?” Ihloden saw the red glow of Nargon’s eye behind the sheet of white hair.Nargon lifted him higher and was about to send him flying when there a knock onthe door. Nargon cursed and called, “Who is it?”

“Come and see,” a soft voiceanswered. It was hard to tell if it was male or female. Nargon spat, “Why shouldI? I have orders from my master.”

“But your master is also me,” the soft voicesaid.

Nargon stiffened and dropped Ihloden. Ihlodencrumpled on the floor. Nargon strode out of the room. Ihloden curled himselfinto a tight ball. His body was aching. He heard Nargon’s voice loud drowningout what the other was saying.

“I have my orders,” Nargonshouted. The voice said something that Nargon cursed at.

“You should know better,”Nargon said. The voice said something sternly. Nargon sighed and then snorted.

“Alright,” said Nargon, “But if you fail theMaster’s curse will be upon you, not me.”

“I thank you,” said thevoice.

The door swung wide; “Youare free to go,” said Nargon. Ihloden lifted his head a bit, unable to believeit. “Do you wish to stay then?” Nargon said. Ihloden shook his head and triedto get to his feet. He rose half way then fell back down. Nargon strode intothe room. Ihloden sidled away from him but Nargon caught hold of him andplanted him on his feet.

“This is all the help I willgive you,” he said, “You are saved today by a power higher than me. But somedayI will get my due vengeance with you.” Ihloden stumbled out of the dungeon withNargon close behind him.

Sunlight blinded his eyes as he stepped out ofthe darkness of Overed’s prison. Shrieks filled the air as Shila and his motherraced over to him. They covered him with kisses and hugged him tight. He criedout when they, by mistake, raked their fingers over his wound. Then they crowedover his cuts and bruises.

“We will get justice forthis,” said his mother tearfully angry. Ihloden held her close.

“There will be no justicegiven mother,” he said, “Let’s us leave now. Please. I want to go home.”

His mother looked at himstrangely then nodded. They helped him limp to the caravan. As they moved awayhe caught sight of the young man who had insulted him on the first day. Theyoung man was staring at them with a look of sadness and envy. Then he caughtsight of Ihloden looking at him. His face grew haughty and he turned away quickly.Ihloden however, could not forget the look on his face. Shila and his motherhelped him into the caravan and padded him with cloth so that he wascomfortable. His mother wanted to dress his wounds but Ihloden shook his head,“Let us wait till we get to Nurilah,” he said, “Till then a little washingwould do.” His mother looked at himstrangely again. “I am just tired mother,” he said, “Don’t look at me so. Iwant to get away from this place. It is cursed.” His mother turned away stilllooking worried.

The journey back waspainful. Every jolt in the road caused his head to hurt. The pain of his cutsand bruises grew worst every moment. He also had to get out and help the horsesto cross the road where the Dragons had destroyed it. After that ordeal he layas a dead man in the back of the caravan. By the second day he had a fever thathad him lying in a state between wake and sleep. He hardly remembered anythingthat happened afterward. When he came bit to his senses he felt Nurilah’s roughhand on his forehead.

“He has a bad fever,”Nurilah said, “What did they ever do to him in that dungeon? I have never seena man like this after just one day.” He tried to speak but only croaks cameout. “Easy,” Nurilah said to him, “A little while again and you’ll be well.”For the next few days he was drifting in and out of sleep. He heard snatches ofconversation from the neighbors. He saw his mother try to get people to leave.He remembered Shila sitting by his bedside singing softly. But most of allNurilah was there. He wanted to talk to her, tell her what happened. He couldnot tell his family. She was the only person who would truly understand. ‘I wish I had told my family of the Griffinfeather,’ he cried to himself.

Then one day he woke up to replace that he was feeling a lotbetter. A little weak but his head was clear. Shila was sleeping in the chairnext to the bed. He reached over and touched her hand. She sprang up. “OhIhloden!” she cried and had her arms around him. He hugged her close thenpushed her away.

“Where is mother?” he asked.She sniffed back tears and said, “In the kitchen.” He tried to get up.

“Ihloden, no!” Shila cried.

“I must,” he said, “I needto.” She nodded and helped him up and into the kitchen. His mother shrieked andran to him.

“Are you alright?” she asked with tears in hereyes.

“Yes I am,” Ihloden said,“How are you?”

“I was so afraid Ihloden,”she said resting her head on his chest, “So afraid!” Ihloden put his arm around her.

“Glad to see that you arefine now,” Nurilah’s deep voice sounded.

“Thanks to you,” Ihloden said, “I know thatmuch.”

Nurilah nodded. He saw byher eyes she wanted to know what happened. He gave her a look that said ‘I willtell you later.’ She nodded slightly and came over to hug him also. Ihloden satby the table and said in his old cheerful manner, “What’s for dinner mother?I’m starving!” His mother gave a short laugh, full of tears, and shook herhead.