Alys

Father

The first thing I felt was my arms dropping to my sides, heavy and useless. I could sense the wall I was against, the stone cold seeping through what little I wore. My head ached and the rest of me was stiff. A hand began to lightly run down my arms, warmth spreading from the palm.

The hand moved to my head, causing me to flinch at first before sighing in relief as the aching dulled into non existence. I opened my eyes and groaned as the candlelight hurt to see.

"Easy, child... you've been unconscious for a few days."

I didn't bother opening my eyes again as I recognized the Necromancer's voice. My voice was hoarse, it hurt to speak. "Why are you healing me?"

"I made a choice, after seeing your memories... all this time I wasn't aware my own flesh and blood was alive."

I slowly opened my eyes, the candlelight had been dimmed. I didn't say anything to him.

"I became intrigued by you when I first saw you. You look very much like your mother. Elionwy was an amazing woman, she would have wanted me to do the right thing."

"Too bad you tried sacrificing my soul to bring her back." I looked at him angrily.

"I paid dearly for it. I should have tried searching for you, I could have given you a different life than the one you have."

"Well too late. Get the damn torture over with, I'm done talking." I turned away from him.

"Alyssah... I can't bring myself to hurt you. The boy would kill me."

"As I seem to recall, he chose his mother and the Dark One."

"To protect you. Verulus confronted me the moment I was alone, begging for me to not hurt you. If he's not careful, he will be killed for his love for you."

I went quiet, my heart ached once more.

"You love him too, don't you? I know that look on your face, your mother wore it every time I had to leave her."

I nodded. "Its crazy, I've only known him for a short time."

Morrowgrimm chuckled. "It was the same between Elionwy and I. She'd be proud of you."

I looked at him, his face had become whole through a glamor spell. He had a soft smile, and looked very much like the caster I saw in his memory.

"Alyssah, if you'll allow me, I wish to teach you what I know. I said it before you were powerful, and I'd never imagined my own daughter would be Erwignan's champion. I want to help you escape from here, even kill the Dark One and the Lady if we can. If anyone can do it while the Dark One is weak, it'll be you."

"You mean teach me your dark magic." I frowned.

"Yes. I know you won't be warped by it."

I hesitated. "I've been drained of my magic."

He carefully pulled out the Eye of Erwignan, being careful not to touch the pendant. "This will help you regain it. I just can't let you keep it though, the Lady intends to hurt you herself."

"Fine. I can handle her torture."

Morrowgrimm nodded, touching the pendant to my skin, it's powerful magic coursed through me. We sat in silence for a few moments before it was removed and stowed in his cloak.

"That should help a little until I come to you again. I'll be back, Alyssah, I promise." He put me back in my shackles.

"I'll believe it when it happens."

"That's my girl." He left, the candles blown out by a gentle gust of warm wind.

The next face I saw was the Lady, who reveled in the pain she brought me. Sometimes the torture was brief, other times it was drawn out. Despite the excruciating pain, I refused to give her what she wanted: the satisfaction of breaking me. When she was done she'd toss me back in the cell. I often awaited for Morrowgrimm's visits, each time he'd begin by healing just enough of me so I'd survive. Slowly I began to learn everything he knew, even to conceal my magic aura as he had done when masquerading as Ivon, gaining more and more strength each day. I began seeing him as my father instead of my enemy. Before I even realized it, I had been a prisoner for three months.

One day, hours after the Lady had dealt her dose of torture, Morrowgrimm visited, a look of fear on his face as he began healing me.

"They intend to kill me soon, don't they..."

"Tomorrow, you'll be brought before the Dark One and killed. They intend to have the boy do it."

"I'm ready. They won't kill me so easily."

Morrowgrimm stopped healing me and pulled me into a hug, not letting me go. "I fear for you Alyssah. You may think you're ready, but you're not."

I put my head on his shoulder. "Father, I have no choice but to be ready even if I'm not."

"I suppose you're right. I will fight alongside you when the time comes."

"I know."

He let go of me, a weak smile crossing his face. "I have to go. I will be back to take you to them."

I nodded, steeling myself for what was yet to come.