The metal clanked, making more noise than Va’il was used to. It was also somewhat heavy. It wasn’t so heavy he couldn’t bear it, but it was still a different experience than wearing his usual light clothes. He was also weighed down by the bags he had to carry. He looked ahead as Zeick carried the same bags, though he wouldn’t have normally been able to tell it was Zeick.
They had just come from an office, where Va’il had waited outside, and Zeick had gone in, and then shortly emerged with a load of heavy bags filled with scraps of food and water. He looked through a grill in the helmet at his friend, still not entirely sure of what Zeick was planning.
That morning Zeick put on a suit of light armor, and had a second backup suit for Va’il to wear as well. When Va’il asked why Zeick had suits of armor, he laughed, and then smiled widely.
“I’m doing my part. I’m part of Rising too. I’m a low-ranked guard for now, but I decided to join Rising’s army,” Zeick had said. To hear the lighthearted Zeick proclaim something so incredible was enough to knock Va’il to the ground, weighed down in armor or not. But in its own ridiculous way, Va’il understood. After the shock wore off he congratulated Zeick, and then they continued with Zeick’s plan.
Zeick told him that as part of his training he was to deliver some provisions, though Zeick didn’t tell him where. He just said that it was fortunate they were both young, as the higher-ups didn’t think much about using youths for this particular job. In this particular instance, the people used were either high-ranking, which meant they hated doing the job, or youths, since they were considered too young and ignorant to matter.
When Va’il saw the type of gate, realized where in the city they were, and saw the group of guards standing outside the gate, he realized what they were doing and where they were. And that realization frightened even him for a moment.
“Zeick, are you taking me where I think you’re taking me?” Va’il asked softly.
“Heh. You guessed it? I suppose you would by now. Yep, we’re on prisoner feeding duty today. I managed to convince them to give me the first shift today, claimed it’d be easier today rather than later. They were pretty happy with that suggestion, as something big is going on today, so this is a low priority area today. Makes me wonder what has made them all so busy, but at least it works out for us,” Zeick said.
“But why are we coming here?” Va’il asked.
“I’ll show you soon enough. Now stay quiet for now, we can talk again once we’re inside. They don’t have others placed inside,” Zeick said.
Va’il stayed quiet and watched as Zeick went up to the guards. One of them opened the gates, directed the two boys inside, and then locked it behind them.
Inside the prison there were a few candle-torches burning, a couple desks, some old wooden chairs, and the tunnel leading to the cells. It was mostly quiet, though Va’il could hear some groans every so often. It was a creepy place, and Va’il was very uncomfortable.
“There’s even a place like this in Rising,” Va’il said.
“Of course. Criminals have to be held somewhere,” Zeick said.
“Yeah, but it’s still really gloomy,” Va’il said.
“That’s cause this is the prison for people that aren’t leaving any time soon, which is why there aren’t usually guards inside other than at feeding time. Well, I imagine some of them may be leaving just as soon as they come in, but let’s not think about those kinds of criminals. Even in Rising, some people still do bad things deserving punishment. I don’t like imprisoning fellow citizens any more than you do, but it’s better than letting the worst of them go back to what they were doing,” Zeick said.
Va’il had to laugh a bit, realizing how patriotic Zeick was sounding. Va’il knew he was really a kind person, which is why he wasn’t completely surprised at Zeick’s statements. Somehow Zeick at one point or another decided that protecting the order of Rising was the way to keep people happy. Va’il didn’t make guesses as to how he came to that conclusion, what may have inspired him, but he was glad that it was something Zeick seemed firmly attached to. On the other hand, he still didn’t know why Zeick was bringing him along.
“Wait here for a bit while I work,” Zeick said. Va’il sat at the desk and passed the time by thinking while Zeick could be heard passing out the food and water. Though the bags had been quite large, Zeick didn’t take that long. Apparently there weren’t too many prisoners.
“Okay, there’s just one left. But there’s someone else, first. Come with me, Va’il. There’s someone you should meet. A prisoner, for some reason. We don’t really ask questions in my position, but I’ve had to speak to this one a couple times. He won’t tell me why he’s here, but considering the use of this prison, I don’t want to guess at why,” Zeick said. He had gradually lost his cheerful speech and disposition. This Zeick was serious, and had subconsciously lowered his voice. Va’il didn’t ask, he just followed Zeick.
“Oh, you’re back? I’ve already had my fill, little one,” a voice said. A voice that Va’il recognized. He rushed to the cell that Zeick was standing in front of and looked inside. The candle-torch didn’t light the back part of the cell the person was at, but they soon rose and came closer.
With each step there was an almost deafening sound of chains. The ground itself moved slightly with each massive step. And as the person got closer, until the massive number of chains stopped them short of the bars, Va’il realized who it was. Truthfully he would have been able to tell even in the dark light, but the suddenness of it all had worked against Va’il’s natural senses. Va’il grabbed his helmet and threw it off, showing his face to the now-visible bearan.
“Var!” Va’il said, almost too loudly.
“You brought him, little one?” Var asked. His own massive voice was directed at Zeick, but his eyes couldn’t leave Va’il.
“Yes, Var,” Zeick said, “I brought a friend this time. A friend to both of us.”
“Var! You’re really Var, aren’t you?” Va’il asked, though his volume was now controlled. But the sight of Var was something Va’il hadn’t expected. And though his mind told him to question Var’s shackles, there was something about meeting the massive bearan again that overjoyed Va’il.
“Aye, boy, it is me,” Var said. He smiled lightly, and then continued, “and it’s good to see you again.”
“Var, why are you here? Why Var, why? What happened?” Va’il asked.
“Boy, I should not talk of things you shouldn’t hear. It’ll be safer. Just forget, and go back to your life. Don’t worry boy, I also know when not to speak. I’ll be let out of here, eventually. Though I’ll have to exchange my ability to speak about why I’m here for a far more important duty. You should leave, this isn’t the place for the sons of worried mothers,” Var said. Va’il knew Var was being honest, and could feel that there was a great weight and burden behind his words. However, there was another member of the conversation that had to speak up.
“I’m taking him to see him as well, Var,” Zeick said.
“Boy, that isn’t wise,” Var said, growling slightly below his words.
“I know. But I have told no one that I knew you or him. Va’il is my friend, he won’t say things he shouldn’t either. And he knows him too,” Zeick said.
“Boy, even though that be true, the less, the better. Let him be in peace. It’s the least we can do for him, now. It’s all the least we can do for anyone in Rising anymore,” Var said, his voice mournful.
“How much time is left?” Zeick asked.
“Not much,” Var responded.
“That’s too bad. He shouldn’t have had to end up here. Why Var, why?” Zeick asked.
“He told me little either. Maybe that’s why I’ve been spared, though held here. As for what I do know, little as it is, and who is involved, I cannot speak of. Boy, trust me. I know nothing of importance, I never answered you before not out of distrust, but because I don’t know. I was just guard, a royal guard, a bodyguard, and my jobs were simple. Help, guard, fight, and maybe delegate. Boy, I’m just a simple soldier. But I know that if you dig up anything, it’ll just hurt. Don’t hurt him at this point. There’s already been so much,” Var said.
“I know. But I don’t know. Va’il, come on. If it’s gotten worse, no, if he’s gotten worse, then this may be your last chance. Strengthen your heart, or you’ll stumble when you realize how far the honorable can fall,” Zeick said.
Va’il felt something new. He felt that he was on the edge of grasping something from Var’s conversation. He also knew Var spoke the truth. He knew he was now faced with a choice. He could refuse Zeick, tell him that it’d be best to leave. If he did, his life would still end up being filled with stresses and anxieties, but it’d eventually become normal. But he felt like something in the world to come would be devoid of a very important quality. He couldn’t understand what, at that moment, it was.
