Espectro pressed his head against the cell bars. After surrendering to the pathetic guards of the city, he and Father Halo were marched to the city's prison, stripped of their weapons and property, and left in a dank cell. The humiliation of the capture was powerful. Espectro shut his eyes, trying to use his breathing techniques to calm down his anger.
Espectro opened his and looked at his companion. Father Halo was slumped in the corner of the room, his heard drooped and breathing heavy. The exertion of the battle, and the long ride, tired out his friend more than Espectro expected. He felt a knotted emotion for the man - pity, mixed with regret for bringing along to this trip, and anger. This was supposed to be an ally and a friend. He surrendered so quickly, so suddenly, when faced with odds that years ago would have made him laugh. His sullen attitude to the adventure, to the promise of glory, it was surprising. What happened to the fiery priest that fought with sword and word?
Espectro looked at the fellow inmates. Thieves, beggars, and drunks mostly - the same riff-raft in any city. He heard a few passing insults to one bored inmate to the next. Oddly enough, there seemed to be some sort of energy in the room; a tension that is uncommon for low-level thugs.
"They're scared", Espectro thought. But why would dregs be frighten in a city like this? Surely they'll be let go after their friends and family post the nominal bribe to the right guard or judge.
Just as the thought passed his mind, several guards came in full livery. Immediately the tension in the room heightened and all conversations ceased. Eyes lulling to sleep immediately opened upon the arrival of the city's men. One guard opened the cell, and two rushed in, whisking past Espectro and a few other inmates. The two guards grabbed a nearby drunk, who started blabbering prayers until one of the guards clubbed him into silence. No one moved to helped the drunk and the two guards dragged him away.
"Why are you taking him? What is his crime?" shouted Espectro. The guards, long used to their activities, merely grunted and shuffled the man along. A hand fell on Espectro's shoulders. Espectro whirled around, readying a choke maneuver. His fingers brushed the neck of the stranger who laid hands on him, trembling from stayed strength to command indomitable sleep forever on its foe. The stranger gulped from fear. Clearly, as an innocent, he had no idea he touched an acolyte of the New Gods.
"Sir, er, he is summoned by the will of the great Duke of Arl. The Pretender-Prince, you see."
Espectro relaxed his stance.
"I thought the Duke already took his throne. What is this Pretender-Prince nonsense?"
The bedraggled man panted, and looked away from Espectro's gaze. Esparto noticed burn marks on the man's cheeks, and his nose slit. Defacement of officials was a deep mark of shame in these lands, and clearly this man was once important. No longer, though.
"The Duke of Arl is in charge, but not the original duke, you see. Duke Casper IV was captured and tortured. This Duke - Prince Johan - claims to be the same lineage from the Kings of the old Kingdom of Arl. He's resurrected the Kingdom's banners and has the support of most of the city and surrounding lands. The Senate of course, opposed this claim, commanded the garrison to resist, and we did. Oh, we did. But in less than a week the city was betrayed by loyalists within our ranks, and now the city is left to this madman and his whims. He intends to raise the armies, the navies, and seize back all the ancestral lands."
Espectro nodded, and glanced at Father Halo. The old cleric appeared to be sleeping, but Espectro could tell it was just a ruse and he was grasping every words. How much of the addled visionary was a mere act, Espectro wondered.
Espectro fixed his eyes on the bedraggled man.
"Well, Duke Casper IV, are you willing to take back your city?"
The bedraggled man sighed, "how did you know it was me?"
"You nose is slit, your cheeks burned with iron. Who else could you be?"
The duke looked up at Espectro.
"If I should die, let it not be in this cage. I will die fighting for my land," spoke the Duke.
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