Raymond walked over to the cell and crossed his arms, looking down at the prisoner.
Her face was a mask of pain. She looked exhausted, like she had been fighting the urge to pass out.
"You wanted to speak with me." Raymond kept his voice calm and even.
She spat. "I do not want to speak with any of you. But if it must speak it will only be with you."
"What are you called?"
She turned her face to him, pain and disgust evident. "My name is Una. I am called 'The Beast of Blades'."
"You look to be in a lot of pain Una. My friend is a healer. She can ease your suffering."
"I see. So you've come to kill me. You and your 'friend' are my executioners."
Raymond shook his head. "Actually, quite the opposite." He nodded at Samantha and stepped aside.
Samantha took a step forward and pointed her open palm towards Una. "Heal" her voice was just above a whisper.
Her hand glowed golden, then a golden light enveloped Una, warm and calming like a mother's embrace.
Slowly but visibly, the blisters and boils began to shrink, charred edges fell away, dead areas regained vitality.
Skin grew back where it had been stripped away, like a blanket being pulled into place.
Even her fur grew back where it belonged, soft and downy.
When her burned eye regained its golden brown color, Raymond conjured a pool of crystal-clear water in front of Una so she could see her reflection.
Una gasped in astonishment as she touched her face, then stared at her hands like they belonged to some else.
"The pain is gone." she whispered. "All of it"
She was completely rejuvenated. Even her oldest battle scars mended themselves under the spell.
Una stared at Samantha opening and closing her mouth as if searching for words she didn't possess.
Samantha simply smiled and nodded then stepped back.
Ray stepped forward again and handed Una a bowl of stew and bread. "You must be hungry." as he sat across the bars from her with his own bowl.
Una stared at the bowl. "So kind. Why?" she said softly, not looking up.
"Because we need information from you." Raymond said matter-of-factly after swallowing a spoonful.
"I cannot betray my brothers. If they don't kill me the Necro-king will."
Raymond swallowed a chunk of stew soaked bread. He hadn't realized how hungry he was.
"I get that, but consider this, they'd probably kill you anyway. What do you think will happen if you find your way back, not only without a scratch, but in better shape than you were before?"
Una didn't answer.
"Consider this as well, your brother, the big one, the mage, when he bailed, he didn't even look for you. I don't know what your customs are, but where I'm from, we don't leave family to die."
Una looked up, eyes moist, voice horse. "What of my other brother?"
"He fell in battle. His body was incinerated with the others."
"So what now? Do I stay in this cell forever?"
"That depends on you. If you are willing to help us, we can negotiate on your behalf. If not you'd be at the mercy of a kind whose people you put in danger."
Alecia spoke up. "I have to ask, why are the Tauren siding with the demons and the Necro-king?"
Una furrowed her brows, a deep sorrow falling over her.
"The Tauren are not." She began. "Just me and my brothers. We are all that's left. The Tauren had set up our nomad camp outside of Moscus. They were looking for something in the Forgotten Desert and made a deal with the Tauren for our help in the search."
"Several teams went out, few came back." Una continued, her eyes far away. "My brother and I were part of a team that was trying to map the area. The task was impossible, the sands shift constantly. Most of our team died, creatures, cliffs, and dehydration."
"We got lost. Turned about after so many sand storms. When we finally made it home, it was gone. The Necro-king saw our strength and told us either we lead his new demon army alive, or we join the horde of his dead legion. You did my brother a favor by burning his body"
"The truth is, we were kept in the dark and made to obey. We only went where we were told. I know nothing useful."
Raymond smiled. "I wouldn't be so sure."
Everyone stared at Raymond in confusion except Nikki, who smirked her approval.
"Tell me about the Forgotten Desert." Raymond said, leaning forward.
"It's an awful place." Una began cautiously. "Everything there wants to kill you. Shifting dunes, quicksand, underground caverns, massive sandstorms, nightmarish creatures, insects the size of rabbits, only a fool with a death wish would…"
It suddenly dawned on her why he would be asking. "Oh no."
"You don't want to…"
Raymond nodded.
"And you want me to…"
Raymond nodded.
She searched his face for any sign of jest. There was none. She looked at the others in the room as if looking for backup. They all eyed her expectantly.
Una leaned back and thought for a moment.
"So my options are either go home and die," she ticked off fingers as she spoke, "stay here awaiting judgement, or go to the deadliest place on the planet with someone i have only met on the battlefield."
She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head as if resigned. "When do we leave?"
Raymond smiled.
Elsewhere, in a ruined castle, atop a cold throne in a chamber lit by torches that barely clung to life, sat a dark, hooded figure.
His clawed right hand clutched a deep obsidian staff, crowned by a ram's skull. His left hand rested tensely on the throne's armrest.
His hood completely obscured his face. His robe of deep purple and onyx black covered any other defining feature.
Trey was on his knees in front of him, trembling like a wet kitten in the snow.
"I gave you a task. You swore it would be done. Yet, you return to me with nothing but excuses." His voice was high and throaty like he was seconds from coughing.
"We were caught off guard, Master! We will be ready next time!" The massive Tauren's voice shook on the verge of tears.
"More excuses!" the hooded figure roared. "Next you will tell me the sun was in your eyes, or your boots were untied. Useless! Utterly useless!"
"Mercy Master! I swear I won't fail again!" Trey pleaded, fearful tears streaming down his face.
"No. You won't." the figure's eyes glowed red under his hood. His voice dripped with venom.
He waved his hand and Trey's hulking form turned to dust and blew away with a gust of wind.