Chapter 4: Captain

10th of Nextious, 8:00 a.m.

                Rick was shoved roughly into a chair and tied tightly. An amulet was placed against his chest to keep him from using Inchemy. The captain stood stiffly in front of Rick, “I have one important rule for you during this here little interrogation. Do not look me in my eyes. I am your better.” He reached down and began petting a cat. Rick kept his eyes down. “Good,” the captain continued, “Obey well. You must know I am not without grace, if you do slip up and look at me in the eyes as one does an equal, I will have one eye plucked from your head. And a second time will involve a second eye.” The captain grabbed a man standing to the side and forced him to his knees till he filled Rick’s vision. He then pried open the eyelids of the man revealing open sockets. Then in a near whisper Captain Firrulind said, “I make no idol threats.”

                Rick pointedly stared at the floor, not trusting himself to look anywhere else. His mouth grew dry from the gag, and the chair grew slick with sweat. “Now Rick, did you not think you would be found, you have regularly ruined our business, and we knew you were running we knew to watch. By Brandon… Brick’s orders all other ships were delayed from getting to port except hours until you were on board. But you just had to drag a woman and her son into this didn’t you? You have put me in a tough spot, I cannot let them walk free, but to kill them would be too kind, so I believe I will bring them into my employ.”

                From a side door Felice and Jarod were dragged into the room while the eyeless man was shoved out, both crying and pleading to let them go. Tears fell from Rick’s eyes as he struggled against his bonds to no avail. The captain kneeled in front of Felice, and she quickly dropped her gaze to the floor. From the captain’s belt he pulled a knife and splayed Felice’s hand against the floor. “You will be my property, none will dare to harm, or help from now on.” Then taking his knife he swiftly sliced her middle finger that was on her left hand off. She screamed until she choked as the blood poured onto the floor.

Tears ran down her face as her cheeks flushed from pain, Jarod screamed, calling, “Mom! Mom!”

Then a red-hot iron was removed from a furnace and placed against the exposed wound cauterizing it. Felice renewed her screams for a couple seconds before falling silent, passing out from the pain.

He stood and moved towards Jarod who just lay in shock, shaking on the ground, Rick shook his head grunting, but the captain did not stop but repeated the same process with the same results.

Rick hung his head, tears falling to the metal floor as the captain approached, “Now for you.” He grasped Rick’s hand and cut. Sending the finger flying which the cat picked up and happily took to a corner and gnawed on. Rick barely managed to retain consciousness through the cauterization. “You I will dump on a little island in Seffalon, but first I have the perfect ironic punishment.” He took from his pocket a syringe filled with red liquid. “Eaiz. In your state filled with pain and withdrawal you will take to this drug like a dehydrated man takes to water.”

                Colors popped and grew brighter, and all of his aches and pains faded to a mere memory. He was dragged down to a windowless room where for what felt like both mere seconds and an eternity he stared at the wall and watched as it changed and shifted colors. 

                Rick awoke in a haze, dried vomit crusted his chest, every bit of pain seemed worse than it had ever been. His hand felt as though it was stuck in a furnace and his skin was melting like wax, his ribs were like one million hot needles piercing and retracting every second, and his foot felt as though someone had taken a meat tenderizer and then had taken out their anger on his ankle. With the waves of pain he curled up and began to cry, but those rough hands grabbed him, injected him with some more of that sweet eaiz, which caused all of his pain to fade then they dragged him topside.

                They were still moving, though they were passing an island with a town on it. the men dragged him to the railing the tossed him over. He fell, the wind prickled the skin, then he numbly hit the water, and then sunk below the surface, where he allowed himself to just float suspended until his oxygen began to run out. He then struggled to the surface and began the swim to the island.