Disclaimer: LoK belongs to Crystal Dynamics. (Disclaimer keeps getting shorter...)

To Find My Way Home

Chapter Six

"Capture her alive. And do be careful with her. I believe she has much information to divulge to us."

Okay, so these armored men were going to try to take me prisoner. They started to close in on me with their swords still drawn. Well, I didn't escape from one fiasco just to wind up in the middle of another. I turned and ran, thinking I could get away. I always felt I was a fast runner. But I was wrong.

I got about five steps when I felt something knock into my back really hard. I tripped from the force and fell flat on my face. I tried to get up, but someone's foot was firmly placed on my back. A moment later, as several feet filled my view, the foot on my back relinquished its hold and I was hefted to my feet by three of these armored men.

They dragged me towards their leader. He had returned to thumbing through my book. I have no idea why. It was a boring calculus book. We barely ever used it for class. The professor only used it for a few assignments. Biggest waste of $120 in my life. Anyway, he snapped the book shut and approached me.

"What do you want from me?" I demanded. I was starting to get really annoyed. Ever since coming here, I have had nothing but men push and pull me around. All I wanted was to find someway to get back home.

The guy with the blue drape spoke. "First, I wish to know why you believe these things belong to you."

"Because they do, obviously."

"I think not. These things are in my clan lands, therefore, they belong to me."

"Oh, I see the law of 'Finders-keepers, Losers-weepers' applies in this world as well?" I sarcastically replied. This caused the leader guy to look puzzled.

"What do you mean by 'this world'?"

Oops. I had said too much. "Nothing. It's not what I meant to say." He didn't believe me, and I knew it. It was hard to deny what had just slipped from my mouth with my car sitting two feet from me. His eyes narrowed at me.

"I have a feeling you are lying to me. I wouldn't recommend continuing to do so, as you might end up in a situation you would prefer not to find yourself in."

"Well, no offense, but I have no idea who you are, where I am, and what the hell is going on. I'm not really in the mood for story telling and I just want to leave this place."

"Fine, then we won't remain here. We shall return to the stronghold."

I think he was confused by what I meant when I said I wanted to leave. I wanted to leave this world. Not go with him on some day trip. But I could always hope that he wasn't planning on bringing me with him. "Are you going to let me go?" I hoped.

"No. You are coming with us. And when you ARE 'in the mood for story telling' then I will be more than happy to listen." He climbed up onto his horse, as did three of his men. The remaining five stayed on the ground, surrounding me to prevent my escape. Goody. I get to walk some more. We took to the north.

Turns out my car was much closer to this guy's 'stronghold' than it was to the citadel. This stronghold was like a fairy-tale castle caught up in a nightmare. You could tell there was once beauty in his place, but in the dark atmosphere, there was an overwhelming feeling of dread.

I don't know if it was caused by nature or by a manmade occurrence, but the surrounding areas of the castle had flooded with water. We crossed over a bridge and entered the stronghold on the second floor. We passed by a flight of stairs that led down to the first floor. Looking down the dark stairway, I could tell the first floor was flooded under about three feet of water.

"We have tried to stop the flooding, but it seems every time we seal one leak, two more develop elsewhere," the leader guy replied to me out of the blue. He must have noticed my curious gaze towards the water below. I don't know why, if I were his prisoner, he would take to conversing with me. Then again, he could just be trying to seem friendly to get me to talk.

We walked down a long corridor before climbing a set of stairs to the third floor. Once there, we (again) traveled down a long hallway. Suddenly, my 'escorts' stopped. The leader guy opened an almost hidden doorway to the left. I wouldn't have even noticed it was there, had he not unlocked the door. I wondered how many more doors were like this in this 'stronghold'.

Leader guy gestured me into the room. I followed while the two remaining guards waited outside. "This is where you shall stay until further notice." I looked around and to my amazement, this did not seem like a prisoner's cell or anything like that at all. However, the 'accommodations' offered to me did not provide much comfort. "Be warned. My hospitality comes at a cost..." leader guy said as he left the room.

The door slammed shut behind him, but I could make out the conversations on the reverse side of the door. He instructed the two guards to keep watch outside the door so that I wouldn't try to escape. That was just perfect. Then I heard the scuffling of feet growing louder as someone approached.

"Master Rahab! Lord Turel has been awaiting your arrival! He waits in the conference room for you!" a timid voice announced.

"Thank you. I shall be there in a moment," leader guy, or Rahab as I have just found out, answered. Then he instructed the guards to notify him should I be willing to talk. After hearing Rahab leave, the guards began to converse between themselves, but I was not interested in their small talk.

I turned my attention from the door and began to inspect my 'room'. My eyes instantly noticed the two large windows in the room. Though the shutters were closed, I knew there would be plenty of room for me to fit through the windows and elicit an escape. That is, if the ground wasn't too far down.

I ran over to the first window, but when I attempted to open the shutters, I found to my dismay that the shutters had been nailed shut. The second window was the same. The windows were sealed so perfectly tight that no amount of light could pass through. How bizarre was that?

Well, escape through the windows was a bust. I flopped down on the bed and released a heavy sigh. How was I going to escape? Maybe I could hide and pretend that I escaped and when the guards went looking for me, then I really would escape? I looked around for any hiding places within the room, but found nothing. Only the bed and a table furnished this room. Besides, the guards would know I never left the room. They are watching the only exit.

Wait... I'll compromise! Tell them whatever they want, so long as they let me go and take me back to my car! I sprung to my feet, prepared to call for the guards and 'give in', but suddenly the door flew open. In the doorway stood Rahab, and another drape wearing guy. This guy wore a green drape. The symbol on it looked kind of weird. I'm not really sure how to describe it...

"Uh, hello?" I stammered. Rahab entered the room followed by the other one. I backed up a few paces as they approached me.

"So, are we feeling a little bit more social? Or do we have to resort to other methods to get you to talk?" Rahab inquired while the other one snickered. I didn't like this new one. He continued to look me up and down, making me feel very uncomfortable. Rahab may have been trying to threaten me, but at least he seemed more civil than this new guy.

"Still refusing?" Rahab retorted at my silence. "Then perhaps I shall leave you alone with my over enthused elder brother for some time. Turel, you may do as you please..."

"With pleasure."

"No! That's okay! I was about to let the guards know that I was ready to tell you everything I know!"

A large grin slowly grew over Rahab's face, while a disappointed scowl filled Turel's. God, I'm glad I managed to dodge THAT bullet. Rahab then lifted the book he had in his arms and held it out to me. I noticed it was my calculus book.

"Explain this to me," Rahab demanded.

"What?"

"Tell me what these symbols mean." He pointed at the word 'Calculus' with a claw-finger. Claw-finger? How did I not notice that before? He was looking rather impatient, and his demand confused me.

"What do you mean 'symbols'? The letters on the book? Can't you read them?" I wondered. Rahab's face suddenly scowled and turned red with anger as Turel struggled not to burst out laughing. I didn't understand what was so funny.

"What's the matter, Rahab? Is it too complicated for you to read?" Turel's snickers grew out of control, and Rahab snapped at him.

"You know I can read! But these symbols are not written in the common tongue! It isn't even written in the language of the ancients!"

I was now even more confused. "But you can speak English." Rahab turned and gave me a look that said 'explain'. "English...it's a language. You're speaking it now. That word is written in English."

Rahab seemed a bit calmer, though still just as impatient. "No. I speak the common language. As are we all. Now tell me. What does this say?" Turel began another fit of laughter, which Rahab dismissed with a momentary sideways glare.

"Before we discuss the book, we have to make an agreement." I insisted.

Turel calmed himself so that he wouldn't miss anything. Rahab raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Is that so?" For some reason, he seemed humored that I would demand anything from him. But I guess his curiosity got the best of him. With a chuckle, he replied, "Well, then. State your terms."