Mortal Lies: Chapter 1

"Aiden your back, and still alive I see." Greeted a sultry voice as she stepped through the sanctuary's black door. She looked up the stone stairs to see a figure emerge from the shadows. He wore the traditional black robes and hood of the sanctuary's leader, a shadow knight. His tall elf stature dwarfed her as she approached him. He had his dark hair pulled back and his vibrant crimson eyes piercing the darkened room. He extended a black gloved hand towards her. Aiden kneeled bowing her head then gave him her hand. When she got back on her feet and looked up at him he was smiling at her. It was gentle and knowing, yet full of pity and dark power.
"Don't think I don't know what you were trying to do." He began to say in his velvety voice. He took her hand and tucked it in the nook of his elbow as he lead her through the hallway to the main hall. Aiden just went along with him gazing at the ground. Suddenly he stopped and turned himself in front of her cupping his long fingers under her chin turning her face up to him.
"You haven't been behaving the same lately, please speak." He beckoned her but she refused. He scowled then continued to lead her down the stone hallway. When the hallway opened up into the main hall with its high vaulted ceiling there was a timber table with a deep red table clothe running its long length. There were chairs lining the table and plates of food on its surface. Along with pitchers of various drinks sitting close to empty pint tankards. A banner baring the mark of the brotherhood hung limply from the far end of the hall. Moss had formed on the walls of the damp sanctuary. Candles and torches lite the otherwise dark cave like hall. The brotherhood's leader released Aiden's hand and pulled out a chair for her, inviting her to sit at the table. She complied taking a seat on the wooden chair. He then sat in the high backed chair at the head of the table. Grabbing two goblets then poured a glass of wine handing it to her before pouring one for himself.
"Aiden every time you expose yourself when doing a job you risk exposing us all. I don't know if you are trying to get yourself killed, but whatever your problem is it must end." He demanded of her. Aiden swirled her wine watching the burgundy color splash up the sides of her marble goblet. The elf glared at her before setting his wine glass down.
"Speak." He demanded of her. Aiden glanced up at him with Stoney eyes.
"I made the wrong move, stepped too far into the light. That's all, Lucien." Aiden answered him, Lucien glared sternly at her.
"I know that wasn't just a wrong step. You don't make wrong moves. If you want to die that badly, I'll kill you myself before I'll watch you captured and executed." He warned her. She angrily set her glass down crossing her arms in front of her chest. Restraining her anger.
"That isn't your decision." She growled at him. He washed all thoughts of anger from his face before answering.
"The day I bought your freedom from the slavers is the day you lost your right to say that. Besides letting a mark go was inexcusable and unexceptable." He responded to her then motioned for someone. A bulky shadow approached her from behind laying a heavy hand on her shoulder.
"Take her to the pit, she needs a lesson in how good her life is here." The calm in Lucien's voice was unnerving. Aiden glared at him pushing her seat away from the table and standing up. She was about to say something when the heavy hand grabbed a hold of her spinning her away from the table. The tall agile looking man lead her by the arm down another corridor, darker than the first. The natural stone seeped with water as the gentle slope brought them further down. Eventually the grip on her arm loosened and she was turned to face a deep hole carved into the ground. She couldn't see the bottom just the echoing darkness. She glanced down then back up at the man who lead her here.
"Casius you don't have to do this." She began to plead as she glanced back down at the pit. She knew what waited for her down there. Casius turned his guilt stricken eyes away from her.
"Do you know what he'll do to me if I don't?" He asked her, hoping she would just drop it.
"Do you know what he'll do to me if you do?" She asked him right back with a sense of urgency, he already knew. She had been down in that hole many times, it wasn't the darkness that scared her.
"Aiden, drop it you know I can't. Now, hand over the weapons." He finished it, still keeping his eyes turned away. He knew very well what would happen to her down there, he hated himself for putting her there every time. He held his hand out as she reluctantly removed her bow from her shoulder and her belt with her sword from her waist. He impatiently motioned for her to hand them over and she shoved them into his grip scowling at him. Then they both heard foot steps coming down the hall. Without warning Casius gave Aiden a shove over the edge of the pit at the same time hoping she would hit the bottom safely. Aiden, thrown off balance, was sent tumbling toward the bottom. She hit hard with a thud and a crack on her back causing her to let out a sharp breathe that she couldn't catch again. She gasped trying to get enough air to keep her head from spinning, but she couldn't. Instead everything went black and her mind took her to a better place.
Casius stared down into the pit hearing her hit the bottom with a sharp crack. He knew one, if not both, of her unique wings were broken. He couldn't help but feel her pain as his own as he stared after her, she was one of his favorites. He did train her after all. Lucien gave Casius a strange look clasping his hands behind his back, then shook his head.
"The only one I ever had to pay for and she turns out to be the one to give me the most trouble." Lucien seemed to lament then switching his attitude he waved a hand in Casius' direction.
"Make sure you bar the top this time. I don't want my little bird to get away from her cage while I'm sleeping." He instructed then turned towards the stair case carved into the wall next to the pit that lead down. "Oh," he remembered something else and paused on the first step. "Let no one come this way, I'm putting you on guard duty until I come back up." Lucien shot Casius a mischievous smirk before descending the steps.
Nothing really bothered Casius. He could listen to the screams of his victims both male and female as he killed them. He could listen to the children cry and scream in fear. Bones being shattered, the rattle before they would stop breathing, the last beat of a wounded heart. He could sleep every night with those memories in his mind and not think twice. But, Aiden haunted him. She was the only one he could have made the right decision with only he never did. He wasn't a hero and he knew it. He sat on the wooden stool facing the pit, slouched over his knees angrily rubbing his temples as the sounds of struggle echoed up the pit, amplifying everything. A lot of it he didn't want to hear especially the muffled scream followed by painful sobs. Casius knew what was happening to the poor girl, he didn't want to believe it nor did he want to remember it. It made him think of the daughter he had and how he had let her down. Not being able to handle hearing her anymore Casius folded his hands around his ears and tightly shut his eyes.
When it all went silent and the triumphant foot steps could be heard making their way up the stairs he opened his eyes to see Lucien walk away with a satisfied grin across his lips. Casius wanted to murder Lucien, wanted to plunge his knife deep into the elf's chest. What Lucien did angered Casius, but he also knew there wasn't much he could do right now. He was no hero he reminded himself as he picked up Aiden's bow and walked to the edge of the pit. He looked both ways before knocking the bow string with a steel arrow. I'm no hero he said again to himself. Then he drew the string.
Aiden laid against an edge in the pit and pressed her sore swollen wings to the cold rock. Her back was on fire from the brutal punishment Lucien inflicted. He felt her transgressions were enough for the whip. An evil braided leather thing with silver tasseled tips. She curled her knees close to her chest as she glared at the dirt floor. Her body shook unstoppably from the trauma of Lucien's attack and the pain he inflicted. Adrenaline numbed some of the hurt but it couldn't wipe her mind and that's what she wanted most. She didn't want to remember what just happened, how he forced himself upon her. How he made sure she couldn't cry. She begged she couldn't handle any more. She hated how he made her feel. She lied on the cold damp floor thinking of ways she would get her revenge. Then the sudden sound of an arrow lodging itself into the side of the pit broke her plotting. She watched with curiosity as several more struck and got stuck in the cracks of the stones. The more that lined the wall the more they began to look like a way out. She jumped to her feet rushing over to the first arrow and grabbed a hold of it. Slowly she climbed the continuously ascending arrows as they flew into place above her. When she reached the top a waiting hand pulled her up over the edge. Aiden rested on the ground while her rescuer gathered her things. Once Casius retrieved her belongings he helped her get her sword belt fastened around her waist. Then he pulled her to her feet, he knew they didn't have much time.
"Get out of here, go!" Casius urged her as he shoved her bow and quiver into her arms. Aiden gazed at him in awe but nodded her head, slinging her bow and quiver over her shoulder. He grabbed a hold of both her shoulders in a tight grip and stared long into her golden eyes.
"Don't come back, please. Just don't come back." He warned her, then they both heard the echoing foot falls heading straight for them. They both turned to look down the hall. Just then Lucien appeared from around the corner.
"I thought I heard something." Lucien almost growled at the sight of Aiden and Casius. "Casius you traitor!" He snarled. Casius pushed Aiden behind him to shield her.
"Aiden, your only chance to escape is to fly out." He told her. Aiden didn't think she could do it, she knew her wing was broken. Lucien drew his blade directing his attention at her instead.
"Aiden if you try to escape I'll hunt you down and make sure you never fly again." Lucien threatened her. Aiden scowled at him and made up her mind. She wasn't going to get another chance. She stretched out her wings wincing as the broken one unfolded. She quickly glanced up at the small opening in the ceiling far above her judging the distance she would have to go. Just as she leapt Lucien attacked. Casius protected her escape and by the time she reached the small hole a winner had been chosen. She looked back to see Casius on the ground and Lucien angrily staring up at her. Aiden felt a pang of guilt for Casius as she stared down at him but, she couldn't linger long. She scrambled through the small hole and out into the darkness of the wilderness. Once outside she ran as far as her legs would take her.