Prison

My knees scratched against the hard rock fall. It had been a long time since I had been put into this shithole. Skulk has not returned since his first introduction, most likely busy elsewhere with the impending invasion of the city. 

Over the last two days, I had done everything my mind could come up with to escape the two large metallic chains that hung from the wall wrapping around each wrist. They were solid steel impervious to anything I had tried. 

Time began to lose its flow down here. With no light bar and the gentle flickering of the torch outside my door, I had completely lost my sense of time. I could have been stuck down here for 4 hours or 4 days for all I know. 

It can't have been that long however because so far I had yet to have been fed or given water. Any longer than around 4 days and I would be long dead. 

I had given up on petty escape plans or struggles. What little energy I had left was better spent on staying alive than desperately clawing at the metal chains. 

It was likely I would die in these dungeons. I don't even know where I am let alone being found by any allies. 

My first thought was that Skulk had not taken me out of the city. This was likely because he was mostly likely partially tasked with the protection of the city. It would be a strange decision for him to leave with an army on their doorstep. However, what tampered with this idea was the presence of a stone building. From my exploration of the city, there had been almost exclusively wooden buildings. 

Therefore I would probably be hidden somewhere underground. This posed the new problem that even if the city was taken by rats they may never find my underground jail and therefore my chances of being saved are slim to none. 

For all I know the city is currently infested by rats. 

Either way, I have to first focus on staying alive down here.

With no sign of skulk here is would have to do something and soon otherwise I would die of dehydration. 

I gave the room a scan however saw nothing different to the several other times I had observed the room. 

The door looked easy enough to claw my way through but with these chains, I couldn't even reach the door. 

As I observed the door the constant light flickering behind it which shone a steady stream of orange glow into the room extinguished. A tradition at this point which gave me my only display of timing. 

The room turned pitch black with nothing but the steady sound of my heart gently beating to lull me to sleep. 

Sleep however never found me. It's like my body knew if it slept it would be unlikely to wake alive. I had to do something, anything. 

I pulled desperately at the chains however they didn't budge. Using my teeth to gnaw at them left nothing but an aching pain in my front two teeth. 

I yelled and hissed at the top of my lungs trying to attract attention from whatever creature extinguished the torch every night. 

I stared down dejectedly at my now gaunt and frail body. 

Click.

A sound echoed through the chamber as the door slowly swung open. 

Relief filled my body. Even if it's a goblin at least it increases my chances even slightly. 

I stared up to see a perturbed-looking goblin. It didn't look like Skulk however for a trickster like him that did not mean much. 

"I need water"

The goblin pondered for a minute. 

He made not even a sound as he produced a small bowl of water from behind him. 

He forcefully pushed the bowl into my mouth and began lifting it. 

Water flowed over my tongue bringing a cool refreshing feeling to my mouth. 

That moment of beauty felt so long. Heaven itself descended onto my body. The headache manifesting deep In my brain disappeared as I greedily downed the water. 

Once the bowl was empty the goblin stepped away before eyeing me suspiciously for a second. He then left without saying even as much as a grunt or a sigh.

What a weird fellow. Either way when I am to burn this fucking place to the ground maybe ill spare him. 

I was left back to my lonesome now feeling much better now that my life wasn't slowly dribbling away. 

Sleep finally embraced me. 

It was a dreamless night, just like the other few I had spent here. I woke up to the familiar stench of my own sweat. 

The torch had already been reignited and the gentle light shone back upon me. 

Thankfully due to the lack of food, I had only hadn't taken a shit since I had gotten in here. 

I awaited the same dull and long day of hanging on that wall. 

Click. 

The door clicked once again and swung open. This time the stubby goblin I had seen the night before was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the familarily tall and skinny figure of Skulk stood in the doorway. 

"Have you missed me little white rat"

"Where have you been"

I asked out of curiosity. If I was to escape knowing where Skulk was and where Skulk wasn't would help significantly. I could deal with a few goblins even on little food but him, I couldn't beat even on a full belly let alone now. 

"Well, what can I say I'm a profoundly busy goblin. But don't you worry even one as busy and as noble as myself can find some time to play with their toys."

It was obvious what he meant by playing however the fear that I should have felt was replaced by a burning feeling of happiness. Skulk could have easily left me to die in this cell with no chance of escape. The fact that he was keeping me alive meant more chances at escape.

Skulk entered the cell and gently brought himself down to my level kneeling in front of me.

"Let's have some fun"

He pushed his finger and lightly tapped it onto my forehead. 

A strange look of bewilderment was plastered on my face before the scene in front of me melted away. 

A low giggle escaped Skulk's mouth as felt myself lurch forward falling into a large plane of of swirling colours. 

I fell for a few seconds before finally touching the colours. Pain exploded into my brain more agonizing than anything I had felt before. 

Everything in my body burned with an unending agony. I felt my muscles twist and turn as they desperately tried to escape the pain but to no success. It infested and plagued my body. 

I went to yell but no noise came from my throat. Instead, the pain flooded in feeling like I drinking fire itself. 

Time began to dilate and change as I was immersed in the endless pain. My thoughts consisted of only pain. 

Finally, after what felt like hours of pain the colours fell away. My mind was a shattered mess. 

I came to still sat helplessly in the cell. I hung my head forward expelling whatever was still left in my stomach onto the ground. 

The same irritating little giggle hissed out of Skulk's mouth as he stood up. 

"Did you enjoy my little trick? I've been perfecting it for years. I tricked your whole body into believing that you were in excruciating pain. I've been told it doesn't feel too good"

"Im gonna rip you limb from limb you fucking cretin"

Anger replaced the pain as I lashed out pulling at the chains with all my might. I gnashed my teeth at the goblin. 

"A feisty one"

He chuckled before leaving the room. 

I hung in the chains for a while still building the broken pieces of my brain back together. The pain left marks throughout my mind which hung for a while. 

It took several minutes before finally coherent thoughts spread through my brain. 

Shit. 

I couldn't take that level of pain too many more times. If I was going to live I could wait no longer for a chance to escape. 

I examined the floor to see if Skulk had dropped anything but had no luck. Thains still barred my exit. 

I had but one more trick up my sleeve. I focused on the shattered pieces of my mind and repeated what Lorath had instructed me to do. 

One word passed through my mind over and over and over again. 

'devour' 

Nothing happened. 

'devour' 

Again nothing. Each time a pang of pain gently ebbed through my body. I did not relent. I repeated the same word for what felt like hours. My mind solely focused on that simple word. 

After what felt like a lifetime the word slipped through my mind one final time. This time however it felt different. My body seemed to react to the word. The fatigue of my body lessened and the twangs of pain subsided. 

The word flowed from my brain down to my mouth. It rolled on my tongue as I allowed to gently slip out.

"Devour"