Author's Note: I had to split this chapter in half…so if I told you something was going to happen in this chapter and it didn't…yeah, it's in the next chapter now.

Chapter 19

Elphaba froze, her pulse beating furiously in her temples. The knife dug cruelly into her throat and a drop of blood made its way down her neck in a searing line. A moment later, a pair of hands seized her roughly by the shoulders and very nearly sent her sprawling backwards. The knife was removed, thank Lurline, but it was replaced a moment later with a heavy chain wrapped around her neck and both wrists.

"Move," ordered a gruff male voice, and something hard prodded her in the back.

Elphaba stumbled forward, willing herself to remain at least somewhat calm. She couldn't see even an inch in front of her, and the ground was uneven. She had no idea where the others were and for some reason it felt as though she had been transported a long way while she slept. There was no sound except for the clink of the chain that bound her neck and wrists and the steady footsteps of her attacker, whoever he was. She stumbled over a rock and the chain cut into her neck. The foot of her attacker flew out, catching her a sharp kick to her lower back. She gasped, but managed not to cry out. Somehow it seemed that making noise would only get her into deeper trouble.

After what must have been nearly an hour more of walking, a faint red glow appeared a few feet ahead. Elphaba felt a growing sense of dread at the sight of it, though she had no idea what it might be. Her captor moved in front of her, a tall, thin shadow against the redness, and pulled on the chain like it was a leash. Elphaba gagged as the chain tightened, and stumbled into the glow.

It was as though a heat wave was radiating from whatever the light was, and Elphaba felt sweat stinging all over her skin as they approached. She shuddered at the sensation, a sickening panic crushing her chest. If it got any hotter, if they forced her to stay in this heat for any length of time…

The light got closer, and Elphaba realized that it was the mouth of a very large cave. They stepped inside and the face of her attacker became clear. She swallowed bile at what she saw, willing herself not to be sick. It was a man, or some semblance of one, though she wasn't sure it even qualified as human. It was naked, save for a piece of filthy fabric which served as a loin cloth, and every inch of its flesh was blistered with vicious burns. A pair of sickly green eyes seemed to peer out at her through the seared flesh.

As her eyes adjusted to the light, Elphaba saw that the cave was in fact a system of caves which had been converted into an entire subterranean enclave. Smaller caves had been dug into the walls like private rooms, and a huge fire blazed in the middle of the cavern. More people, nearly identical to Elphaba's captor came shyly out of the various caves, staring with a mixture of awe and horror at the newcomer to their dwelling.

"Who are you?" Elphaba asked the man, daring to speak for the first time since she'd been captured, "Where are the others?"

The man gave Elphaba a stony glare, and she swallowed hard. He smelled of decay, and something else she couldn't put her finger on. The entire cavern reeked of smoke.

"We are the Necavit. You are trespassing on our sacred land."

With that, the man turned away and jerked the chain, forcing Elphaba to follow him. He led her through the center of the civilization, past large-eyed people, all staring at her with faces full of scorn. The heat grew oppressive as they continued to walk, and Elphaba began to wonder how much longer she could hold out. She was all but blinded by cruel, biting sweat, and her knees felt weak. He came to a rough halt in front of one of the smaller caves which had been blocked off by what appeared to be iron bars. Elphaba gasped as she caught sight of Fiyero and Gerema, seated in the middle of the little cave. The man, who must be a guard, Elphaba realized now, raised the bars and threw Elphaba inside, letting go of the chain and turning his back on them. The iron gate crashed down, shaking the ground. A minute avalanche of dirt slid down the wall of the cave.

Fiyero caught Elphaba as she stumbled into the cave and nearly collapsed, wrapping his arms around her and gently guiding her down into his lap. Gerema stared raptly at the ground.

"What happened? Where are the others?" Elphaba asked breathlessly, wiping roughly at her eyes and wincing as her fingers came into contact with her own sweat.

"Easy, easy," Fiyero whispered, brushing her hands away. He took off his shirt and wiped her brow with it. "They took Boq and Glinda to another cave…I don't know what happened to Igitur. Last I saw, he was trying to convince the guards to let him make some sacrifice to them."

Elphaba nodded weakly and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Yero…" she whispered, "We have to get out of here. It's too hot…I can't…"

He nodded grimly.

"I know."

"Who are these people?"

Fiyero sighed and ran his fingers through her hair.

"They call themselves the Necavit…The Killed Ones. If the stories are true, they left the Arjikis a long time ago after some dispute they had with the king. They worship the spirits of a volcano out here by burning themselves in its fires as a sacrifice. I think we must be under it right now."

"We're under a volcano? Well, that at least would explain the heat…Sweet Lurline, it's so hot. There's no way to escape, is there…"

Fiyero kissed her temple.

"Shhh, Fae, you can't think like that."

There was the sound of footsteps from outside the cell, and a man taller than any of the guards and covered in black ash appeared.

"Who are you?" asked Gerema, jumping to her feet.

"I am Allifur," said the man, "Head Priest of the Necavit. You have desecrated the sacred land and angered the spirits. You must each pay with your life."

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