The Necklace of Zedan

Bolts of electrical current, speed into Jake's system, and the sensation is not very pleasant. He bites his tongue, as his head and body rock uncontrollably back and forth. His arms practically break, as they are trying to fly up, but are held down by the straps. He really wants to scream, but prays that Drekkar will bore of his silence, and untie him for the killing stroke. Thus far, however, Drekkar seems to be enjoying Jake's plight. He laughs continuously. He stops the torture, to add to Jake's demise. The torturer grabs onto the fingers of Jake's right hand. Blood pours out of Jake’s mouth, as his teeth continue cutting deeply into his tongue.
"You are being very noble. Why don't you just scream, and end your agony. Or do you enjoy getting pain, as I do giving it?"
"I'll enthoy, kilthing you, wheb I geb out ob thith thing,” he manages to babble incoherently through his bloody mouth. Infuriated, Drekkar grabs a huge carving knife.
"When I'm done with you, you'll wish you could scream. You'll be begging me to stop.” Jake's last bit of defiance is a glob of spit that splatters into Drekkar's blabbering mouth. The cleaver cuts off Jake's pinkie of his right hand. Drekkar turns the wheel. More electricity ripples up and down every bone in his body. His hand twitching sprays blood out in every direction. With too much strain, his tongue finally gives and it slices in two by Jake's teeth. It falls to the floor. Jake realizes with numb horror that he's going to die on the chair, unless he can do something. He begins to tighten then loosen his wrist muscles while his body is still jerking.
"Maybe I can loosen these bonds enough to break them,” he thinks. The electricity turns off and Drekkar holds the cleaver in the air. "Well, well, well, which finger shall I cut off now? There are just so many options; I don't know where to begin.” He stares at the finger selection long and hard. "Aha," he says as he's ready to bring the cleaver down.
* * * * *
Thadden takes in a deep breath. He's at the spot on the map, where the dungeon is supposed to be. He hopes he’ss right. Time is of the essence and he hopes that Belghar’s guards aren't on double watch after his last visit.
"Maybe they'll all be up top. Nobody is going to expect me to enter the castle through the dungeon.” He prays for the latter, as he dives into the murky, moat water.
* * * * *
As the the cleaver is on its descent, Jake takes all of his pent up fury and puts it into one lunge. Whether it's his sudden strength surge, or the loosening up of the rope while being electrocuted, he snaps the bonds and steps aside. The cleaver sticks into the wood, where seconds before Jake's hand had been.
"He wasn't going for any fingers; he was going for my whole hand.” Jake's thoughts provide him with more adrenaline. He knows that Drekkar is too strong for him. He's losing blood. He must end this quickly. Drekkar smiles! He enjoys this game.
"So you finally show some emotion. That's good. I like that a lot. Too bad, you'll have to die because of it,” Jake's says as he hits Drekkar in the nose with his left fist.
"You bwod by node," Drekkar tries to say as he holds his broken nose in his hands. Blood flows between the cracks of his fingers. Before Drekkar can launch an offensive, Jake sends another fist into the throat of his dark skinned torturer. "Kkkkkkh,” Drekkar tries to utter something as his windpipe crushes.
Silently, Jake continues his assault. Drekkar will die shortly, already his breath is already starting to fade. Jake, however, is not about to stop. The newest torturer is just beginning. He pushes Drekkar into the chair and leaps for the wheel. He cannot speak, so he silently turns the wheel. For the first time in his life, the torturer knows pain. As his body is being rocked back and forth and sharp jabs of pain pulse in him, he admires Jake for not screaming. Drekkar tries to scream, but instead just wastes precious breath. Jake turns the off machine and Drekkar sags to the floor. He is about to die. Unfortunately, he won't die in peace and Jake grabs the cleaver. A quick yank and it comes out of the wood. Barely standing, he grabs Drekkar by the hair of the head. He smiles in Drekkar's face. Drekkar spits. Jake takes the spittle, and swallows it, in mockery. Knowing that his time of existence is up, the torturer lowers his eyes to the floor. The cleaver imbeds itself in the middle of the head. The skull and brains are exposed partially to the air. Jake drops the weapon to the floor. He rips off a piece of cloth, from his own tattered pants and wraps his hand up in his make shift bandage. He hopes it'll stop the bleeding.
* * * * *
Thadden quickly makes his way to the designated spot and frantically, he begins to pull on a ring. It starts to come loose. Another tug, and it moves some more. The map failed to mentionthat creature that resides in the moat. It's only been there for a few days, but it is hungry. Nobody knows where Belghar found the creature. On the other hand, nobody wanted to ask him. It sees the figure in the water, and heads for the food. Thadden turns around, as his senses tell him that something's not right. A creature with eight tentacles, oval head, two eyes, and a huge mouth is bearing down on him. He knows he's running out of breath, but he can't afford to let the creature kill him either. Very quickly, it covers the distance between them. He does not draw a weapon as he would be too sluggish in using it.
"Maybe I can kill two birds with one stone,” He yells slapping the creature. It gets enraged and charges at the thief, like a cornered boar would a hunter. It tries to reach him with its tentacles but Thadden quickly eludes them. Seeing its prey with his back to the wall, the creature decides to propel itself forward, and crush his meal first. As it comes forward, Thadden waits. At the last second, he dives down. The creature slams into the wall with monstrous velocity. The wall crumbles and an opening appears. Thadden swims underwater past the unconscious creature and toward the tunnel. His lungs feel like they're going to burst. Finally, he swims into the tunnel and comes up for air. Somehow, the water didn't fill all the way up.
"It must be magically protected from flooding,” he says in awe. He climbs a set of stairs and looks at the door. Breathing a sigh of relief, he opens the door, and enters the dungeons.
* * * * *
With grim determination, Jake staggers over to the door and opens it. Two guards stare at him with weapons ready. Seeing all hope vanish, Jake prepares to fling himself at the guards and prays for a quick death. Just as he is about to commit his suicidal act, there is a sound like steel sliding into skin. Both guards topple forward; a dagger sticking out of the back of one of the guards, while, a gaping, bloody hole is left in the other. With blurry vision, Jake sees a figure standing in front of him. A sigh of relief washes over him when he realizes it is Thadden.
"What have they done to you?” Thadden asks. He receives no reply. Jake's adrenaline starts to wane; and his legs wobble and he falls unconscious into Thadden's waiting arms. Reaching into his packsack, Thadden retrieves the three healing potions he had recieved from Xibnar in their deal. He pours a bottle over Jake's flayed back. The wounds close up.
"I'm glad he passed out,” Thadden says. "He won't feel any pain, when I have to use these potions.”
He opens another bottle and pours it on Jake's bloody mouth. He forces his mouth open and realizes why he did not receive any response from Jake. His tongue is not inside. Hatred, strong, and vicious, wells up inside of him, leaving a bad taste in his heart. He'll make Belghar pay for this one. Seeing the bloody bandage on Jake's hand, Thadden decides to remove it. His anger doubles when he notices the absence of the right hand pinkie. Using a little more of the potion, he heals the stump. Realizing that there's no time, he takes out his water flask. He splashes a little bit on Jake's face. His eyelids flutter, then he comes back into consciousness.
"We have to get out of here. Follow me, I'll lead us to safety. Then we'll find a place to rest. When I tell you what I'm going, we'll both be very busy in the next few days.”
Jake nods in agreement, as they exit the dungeon. Jake fills with excitement. He is finally free of the dungeon, and his torment. He's sure that whatever lies ahead, is nothing in comparison to what he has just been through. With a smile, he follows the thief.
* * * * *
In the darkness, Feacon remembers his last day with Xibnar.
Xibnar was mixing his potions, and Feacon was licking himself. The wizard stopped what he's doing, looked at the cat, and then decided to perform one more act of cruelty onto his familiar. He grabbed him, lifted him high over his shoulders. As he scratched him in defiance, he threw him against the wall. Using his body to the best of his ability, Feacon twisted and turned, and absorbed most of the impact, on his paws. Xibnar laughed as he returned to his alchemy. Xibnar believed that he was now in his power, and would be too afraid to attempt to leave him. Maybe, that's why he was so careless he forgot to put the leash on his magical pet. Feacon glared at the back of his owner, and decided that it's now or never. He raced forward, slashed his claws at the wizard's legs. "Owwwww,” Xibnar howled in pain. He tried to locate the troublesome cat, but Feacon lunged at his face. His claws ripped into his flesh, drawing blood. Again, Xibnar cried out in pain. The cat lunged off his face, onto the floor, then teleported himself out the door. Trapped in the body of a cat, Feacon is finally free. It was only miles from there that he met up the thief known as Thadden...
* * * * *
Feacon comes out of his slumber. Things are different now. He is no longer free, and is again somebody's prisoner. His mind starts to plot out his escape, when he feels his prison being moved down.
"I'm being put onto the floor.” The cat notices. He prepares to pounce. Patiently, warily, he waits to escape.
* * * * *
Thadden has no problem when he reenters the murky, moat water. The creature seems to ponder for a minute, and then realizes who’s entering. Wanting no part of the human, that caused it so much pain, the creature jets out a black liquid, and disappears into its mist.
"Hold your breath, and follow me, Jake.” He dives into the water and Jake follows suit. Before long, both men are on the shore. They lie next to each other, gasping, and panting. In the cover of darkness, the two men rest. Thadden tells his story, and what he must do next. Jake grabs a stick, and writes four words in the sand. ‘I want to help.’ With a look of surprise at Jake's courage, he takes Menecha's father's hand and thanks him.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have got you and your daughter involved. I really didn't mean to…"
Jake cuts him off. ‘Thank you,’ he writes in the sand. Both men hug each other, and cry up at the sky.