Chapter 21

"Grab them," The figure said coldly.

Autumn growled as the bandits drew closer, one pulling out a strange vial.

Quickly pulling off the lid, the ratty bandit quickly splashed the liquid in each of their faces.

"Not the safest way to apply anesthesia, but it'll do," he muttered quietly.

Frowning, the leader barked, "If they go blind, I'll have your head."

Autumn wobbled slightly, her legs suddenly unable to support her weight.

Looking over at Ember for reassurance, Autumn found her slumped on the floor. Ember had been hit with much more of the liquid, and as a result she was struggling to keep her eyes open.

Autumn blinked softly, her eyes conveying a reassuring message before collapsing in turn.

…

Autumn awoke slowly, her head still muddled from the effects of the anesthesia.

Autumn glanced towards her paws, pitch black darkness greeting her. She took a wobbling step forwards, yelping when she crashed into a rough stone wall.

'Where am I?' She wondered, incoherent thoughts jumbled together like an unsolved puzzle.

"Ember?" She called out tentatively, "Ember…?"

Autumn coughed slightly, her through sore and begging for water.

Autumn shifted back, slumping against the wall and pressing a hand to her forehead.

'It hurts,' she thought as her head hit the cold stone floor.

When Autumn awoke once more, she was greeted by the same piercing headache.

Pressing a hand to her head, Autumn was greeted with a harsh iron scent, a water like substance coating her fingers.

"I'm…bleeding?" She mumbled, "Tch. How annoying." Tears welled up in her eyes.

Taking a shaky breath, Autumn encouraged herself, "It's fine…I'm fine…I just need to…stand…up."

Huffing, Autumn pulled herself off the ground. A wave of dizziness brought her back down.

Leaning her head against the wall, she took a few deep breaths before forcing herself to stand.

Stumbling to the door, Autumn hooked her fingers into the crisscrossing metal bars.

Outside, rows and rows of dark, musty cells stretched on, the only source of light being the dim torches that cast ominous shadows onto the stone walls.

"Ember?" Autumn forced her dry throat to call out.

Panicking, Autumn pulled hard on the bars, her futile effort only succeeding in bringing more attention to herself.

"…be quiet, they'll come over if you're too loud," a quiet raspy voice whispered beside her.

Started, Autumn looked over. A frail figure lay slumped against the bars, a pitiful sight to see.

"What…what did they do to you?!?" Autumn stuttered.

"Nothing you should be worried about. As long as you stay in line, the worst that will happen is a couple bruises."

"My friend, have you seen her? Ember-she has golden hair and eyes," Autumn questioned.

"You'd best give up," the figure stated dryly. "They'd never let you two meet."

"They?" Autumn had noticed the figure only referring to what she assumed were the bandits, as 'they.'

"They're-" the person began to speak before they were cut off by the distant sound of a door slamming.

Immediately, the figure stopped talking and donned a dissociative aura.

Realizing she would get no further information, Autumn focused her attention on the approaching footsteps.

Tap. Tap. Tap. The foreboding sound echoed through the corridor giving Autumn chills.

Autumn's emerald green eyes stood out like a beacon of light, the furious, menacing gaze directed towards the shadowy figure approaching.

"Oh? What's this? A new addition to the dungeons? How fun," laughter rang out.

Pulling down the hood of his cloak, wide, crazed eyes stared at Autumn.

"Remember my face well, because I'll make sure it's the last you ever see."

"You look and sound like a donkey," Autumn hissed, unfazed by his threats.

A humorless smile stretched upon his face. "Oh, won't you be a fun one."

The bars of the cell stretched open and an invisible force dragged Autumn out.

The figure laced his fingers through Autumn's hair. The originally silky smooth strands had become tangled mess thanks to the unhygienic conditions of the cell.

Yanking her head up violently, Autumn winced, the wound on her head becoming irritated and bleeding once more.

"Let's go," he cooed.

His sickening sweet voice caused Autumn to gag, but he paid no mind as he dragged Autumn down the hall.

The others, locked away in the confines of their cell, looked towards her with pitying gazes. Another one fallen prey, they thought.

Autumn paid no heed to the piercing stares of the others, her eyes were focused on scanning the cells for Ember.

Autumn's head slammed against the ground as she was not so kindly yanked forwards by the bandit, who still had a firm grip on her hair.

'I'm gonna be bald by the end of this,' Autumn thought wryly, 'Scratch that, I'll bleed out before then.'

The pain in her head that Autumn had conveniently blocked out had come back at full force.

Autumn watched as her blood dripped down her face and onto the floor. She was beginning to get lightheaded.

'Ember…where are you?' Autumn thought as her eyes slowly closed.