Chapter Three

CHAPTER THREE

John

A dull ache stretches through my temple. Opening my eyes, I look around. It's dark. Cold. The sound of dripping water echoed through the air.

Carefully, I sit up and try to gather my thoughts. The last thing I remember, I walk down the road, trying to hitch a ride.

What happened next?

It's so hard to put the memories together. Everything is jumbled. Blurry.

Footsteps sound somewhere nearby, and I look up. There are bars all around me.

I'm in a cage.

In a... cave?

The footsteps come closer, but I can't see much through the dark.

"Who's there?" I demand.

From the dark, a teenager emerges. Her hair is tangled, and her clothes are ripped and dirty. Her eyes are red, and she stares at me as if seeing right through me.

"Hello?" I lick my lips. "Who are you? Where am I?"

She doesn't answer, and then there are more footsteps. More people appear out of the dark. A dwarf. A goblin, thin and green, a few feet taller than me. And a troll, a lumbering beast of a creature that carries a heavy club.

They all have the same dark eyes. And they all gaze ahead as if they're sleepwalking.

"Can any of you hear me?" I ask. "Where are we?"

And then, suddenly, it hits me. I remember sticking my thumb out, looking for a ride. The spells around Tyr's home had been broken, and I was finally able to get out of the magicked cage.

Except Madeline wasn't there. My wife was gone.

Tyr must have moved her while I was sleeping. Her coming out of her frozen state and leaving me there doesn't make any sense. She would never do that.

As to why the spells in Tyr's house broke, I only have one theory. Tyr has either been killed, or his magic has been contained. Once a sorcerer is subdued, any active spells they have are immediately broken.

So there I was, on the dark road, ready to find my wife. And then to journey to Hawthorn to find Winter. Our daughter.

But apparently, someone had been following me. An unexpected blow got me in the side of the head, and I passed out.

Whatever happened next, I have no clue.

"What did you bring me here for?" I ask the people assembled around me. At this point, I'm not holding my breath for an answer. I need to try, though.

The dwarf, goblin, and troll don't answer, and I see that they all have the same eerie red eyes. The teenager steps forward. She studies me for a moment before speaking. "You're here to fight."

My heart races as I try to make sense of her words. Fight? Fight whom? And for what?

"I don't understand," I say, hoping for more information.

The dwarf steps forward, his eyes still glazed over. "You're here because the master wants to see you."

"Master?" I repeat, my heart pounding in my chest. "Who's your master?"

The goblin chimes in, his voice high-pitched and scratchy. "The great and powerful Mordak."

I shake my head, trying to think of any sorcerer or wizard I've heard of with that name. None come to mind. "I don't know who that is."

The troll grunts, raising his club menacingly. "You will know soon enough."

I can feel the weight of the situation settling on my shoulders. I'm trapped in a cage, surrounded by creatures with red eyes, all at the mercy of some unknown "master."

But I'm not one to give up without a fight. I start to assess my surroundings, looking for any possible escape route. The bars of the cage are sturdy, but the lock looks a little rusty. Maybe, just maybe, I can pick it.

I start to reach for the lock when the teenager steps forward again, her eyes boring into mine. "You're not going anywhere."

I freeze, my hand still hovering near the lock. "Why not?"

"Because you're ours now," she says, her voice cold and deadpan. "And Mordak is expecting you. It's not wise to keep him waiting."

The dread settles in my stomach. Whoever this Mordak is, he's not someone I want to meet. But I also know that staying here isn't an option. I need to escape, find my wife, and continue my search for Winter.

"So where is this Mordak?" I snap. "And how come he's not here talking to me himself?"

"Silence!" The troll bellows, brandishing his club. "You will show respect to Mordak!"

I raise my hands in surrender, my mind racing. This is bad. Really bad. I need to get out of here and find Madeline and Winter. But how?

The dwarf steps forward, his eyes glazed over with a dark power. "You are here to serve our lord," he says, his voice deep and guttural.

I feel a shiver run down my spine. Their lord? What kind of place is this?

"I don't know what you're talking about," I say, trying to keep my voice calm. "I just want to find my wife and daughter. Can you help me?"

The goblin snickers, flashing a mouthful of sharp teeth. "Mordak has no need for your petty family affairs. You are here to do his bidding and nothing more."

I glare at him, feeling the anger start to bubble up inside me. "I won't do anything for this Mordak. You can't force me to."

The troll grunts, slamming his club against the ground. "You will obey, or you will suffer the consequences."

I want to fight back, to use my magic to get out of this place, but something is holding me back. It's as if the air itself is thick with dark energy, making it hard to even move.

The dark-haired girl steps forward, her eyes meeting mine. "You will serve," she says, her voice a whisper. "Or you will die."

I swallow hard, feeling trapped. But I can't give up. I have to find a way out of this. "I won't serve Mordak," I say firmly. "And I won't die. I'll find a way out of here."

The dwarf snarls, his eyes flashing with anger. "We'll see about that," he growls before turning and walking away, the others following close behind.

Left alone in the dark, cold cave, I start to assess my options. I'm trapped in a cage, surrounded by creatures under some kind of dark magic control, and threatened with death if I don't serve this Mordak. I need to find a way out of here and fast. But how?

I start to focus on my magic, trying to break through whatever dark energy is holding me back. But it's like trying to punch through a wall. My magic feels weak and useless.

I need to find another way out. I start to examine the cage, searching for any weak spots or loose bars. But it's solid, with no visible weakness.

I slump back against the bars, feeling hopeless.

A deep, raspy voice--one I've yet to hear--speaks from the dark. "Ah, you're finally awake."

A figure emerges from the shadows, and I can make out his features. He's short and wiry, with a bald head and a thick beard, and walking with a cane. His eyes are dark and calculating, but not in the way the others were.

"Who are you?" I ask, trying to keep the fear out of my voice.

He chuckles as if amused by my question. "I'm the one who found you on the side of the road. The one who brought you here."

I narrow my eyes. Is this Mordak? "Why am I in a cage?"

He shrugs, his eyes glinting with something sinister. "You were unconscious, and I didn't want you wandering off and causing trouble."

I try to remember how I ended up on the side of the road, but it's still a blur. "What happened to me?"

The man doesn't answer, instead reaching for a nearby torch and lighting it. The sudden burst of light is blinding, and I shield my eyes. When I can see again, I realize that I was right. We're in a large, long cave. Chains hang from the walls, and there are other cages scattered throughout the space.

My heart races as I take in the scene. "You're Mordak."

He smiles, a wicked glint in his eyes. "You catch on quickly. Yes, I am Mordak. And you are John. Did you like my creatures? They're charming, aren't they?"

"They're under some kind of spell." I narrow my eyes. "Aren't they?"

"Yes." He grins. "It's a wonderful spell, really. I can adjust the degree of it. If I want them to speak, they can speak. If I want them to be silent, they are silent. Either way, they serve me. They know nothing else."

"Sounds like fun," I snap.

He chuckles. "Oh, it's a lot of fun."

"Why am I here?" I demand, trying to keep my voice steady.

Mordak chuckles, his eyes darting around the room. "You're here because I need a powerful angel like yourself. Someone who can help me achieve my goals."

"I won't help you," I say firmly, my heart pounding in my chest.

Mordak's expression darkens. "Oh, but you will. Or your wife and daughter will suffer the consequences."

My blood runs cold. "What have you done to them?"

Mordak shrugs, his eyes cold and calculating. "They're safe for now. But if you don't do as I say, they won't be for long."

I clench my fists, feeling the anger start to rise within me. He's bluffing. He doesn't have Winter and Madeline.

Right?

"Show them to me," I demand.

He doesn't so much as blink. "Why would I do anything you say? You're the one in a cage."

"You're lying. You don't have them."

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't." He sighs. "Is that really a chance you want to take?"

I glare at him, my mind racing as I try to think of a way out. But I can't. I'm trapped, left at the mercy of this madman. "I won't let you hurt them."

Mordak smiles, his eyes gleaming with a cruel light. "Then you'll do as I say. Or you'll regret it."

I glare at him, my mind racing. How am I going to get out of this? How am I going to save my family?

Part of me still thinks he must be bluffing. He doesn't have Madeline and Winter.

Then again, how can I know for sure?

"You're very special, John." He leans heavily on his cane. "As is your whole family, but I'm sure you already knew that. You, my friend, and your whole family are going to be very useful to me."

I narrow my eyes, not trusting the man before me. “You should choose your moves carefully, Mordak. If you hurt my family, you’ll never get anything out of me.”

Mordak laughs, his eyes flickering with amusement. "Oh, but I will. You see, I have my ways. I take it you met some of the others here."

My stomach drops. Those red eyes... the distant look every pair of them had...

He's controlling the troll, the goblin, and the girl with truly dark magic. And he wants to use me to do the same.

"You'll be surprised at how easy it is to get what you want," Mordak says, a disturbing glint in his eye.

"And what is it that you want, exactly?" I spit out, furious at this man for keeping me from finding my family.

Madeline and Winter are out there somewhere, and I don't know if they're safe. Not being able to use my powers means I can't use astral projection to check on them.

Mordak leans in close, the malice in his voice sending shivers down my spine. "I want power, John. Power that only you and your family can give me. There are secrets hidden in your bloodline that could unlock the true potential of dark magic. And I intend to uncover them."

My mind races, trying to think of a way out of this. "I won't help you," I say firmly, my voice shaking slightly. "I don't care what secrets you think my family holds."

Mordak's eyes narrow, and I know I've hit a nerve. "You will help me, John. It's as simple as that."

I stare at him, trying to muster up some kind of power. Something to break through this dark magic that's holding me captive.

But it's no use.

Mordak chuckles as if reading my thoughts. "You'll find that your powers are useless here, John. I have ways of suppressing them."

I grit my teeth, feeling helpless. But I can't give up. I have to find a way to escape and save my family.

My anger boils over. I clench my fists, pulling against the bars of the cage, an angry yell ripping from my throat.

Mordak chuckles, a sinister look in his eyes. "How interesting." He raises his hand, and I feel a wave of magic wash over me, filling me with a strange sense of tiredness. "Rest now, John. You'll need your strength."

A deep exhaustion washes over me, and suddenly it becomes hard to even keep my eyes open. I pull against the bars once more, trying to resist the sudden magic. What is he doing to me?

I try to ask, but I can’t even move my tongue. Everything is getting blurry, fading away… I’m losing consciousness.

My family floats into my mind. My wife. My daughter. I’ll never see them again.

I need to fight this… I need to defeat Mordak…

I reach a hand toward him, but he laughs at me, the sound high and loud. It’s the last thing I hear before I collapse.