Ka-chunk
A rickety cart rocks down down a beaten path. Surrounded by brown grass and patches of mud
Thunk
Cain is jolted awake by the last bump momentarily catching air as he lands back into his seat.
He blinks his green eyes, his vision still blurry adjusting to the bright sun.
His vision slowly coming into focus he sees a skinny, pale and bald headed man who seems very anxious hiding away from the other sitting next to him.
The other a man of decent build about the same size as Cain himself lookeds like a usual commoner except for the large scar across his face.
Both men were wearing the same stained and tattered brown shirt and shorts that Cain was wearing.
The Scarred man was shouting obscenities at the guards while fiddling with the cuffs bound tightly at his wrists
"HALT!"
The horses dragging the wooden carriage come to an abrupt stop, mud splashing under their hoofs.
A big fat guard jumps off the front of the cart..
His armour clanking as he runs the butt of his knife along the bars of the carriage making an eerie thumping.
The pale man looks at his feet inching away from the growing anger of the larger prisoner beside him
"You can't send me there you bastard! Do you know who my family is?" The Scarred prisoner yells
"If they found out you sent me to that demonic place…" spit flying from his face hitting the guards platemail
"Shut up you lout" the guard says, smacking him with the pommel of his knife.
The pale man jumps in his seat as The Scarred man slumps forward, blood dripping from the back of his skull.
The fat guard hoists up his pants,
announcing,
"All this time I've been hearing you yammer on and on about your family, don't you get it? You're here because your family didn't care!
The only reason I've put up with your constant mewling is because I know where your going but that was the last straw"
He grins
"In our final stretch together I've decided it's time to let some of my anger out" the guard says, his smile growing, his rotting yellow teeth showing.
The pale man's scream was cut short by the blunt end of the knife.
"What are you looking at you sick bastard" he addresses Cain.
Cain merely glares up at him, or tries to as much as the restraints allow him to.
Around his ankles, hands and neck Cain is bound and shackled by metal restraints. Allowing limited mobility.
Cain adjusts his head up slightly, for a brief moment Cain and the guard lock eyes before Cain spits on him.
The guard in turn punches Cain in the stomach.
Cain's breath is forced out of his lungs leaving him gasping for air.
Another punch is thrown this time to his liver, making Cain's body numb except for where the blow struck him a hot pain flashed through his body.
Cain's vision narrows darkness creeping in, making his vision blurry. He hears some final words from the guard
"Carcosa is going to love you."
Cain is ripped from his unconscious state by a cold shock as water drenches him.
Climbing to his knees, Cain looks forward, immediately springing backwards trying to get away from the massive drop in front of him.
The Scarred and pale men are already awake and sopping wet.
The only shackles that remain on Cain are the ones around his hands matching the other two.
"Hello again gentlemen!" the large fat guard announces.
Cain isn't paying attention to him though as his focus elsewhere,
To the dark city in front of him. The buildings are tall and narrow creating the illusion of a maze.
Windows and doors have been boarded up with rotten planks. Stones, Glass and fires litter the streets.
Upon closer inspection Cain realized that some of the stones were grave markers, not just random rubble from dilapidated buildings.
Cain notices the city itself is physically sunken into the earth like whoever built the city wanted it to be inescapable.
Surrounding the city a large body of water
crashes against enormous walls that stretch far taller than any of the buildings meeting the earth where Cain is kneeling.
This place isn't meant to be escaped from.
Cain thinks to himself peering once more over the ledge
His head spins slightly from looking at the massive drop below.
The fat guard grunts.
"Because of your crimes, you've been sentenced to live your remaining days freeing the city of Carcosa of the beastly scourge."
He leans down next to Cain's ear before finishing.
"You will live in the filth, fight the beasts, and die trying to save your miserable lives."
Cain turns his head away from the stench of greasy food and alcohol. Feeling bile rise in his throat.
The fat guard stands up again fixing his pants before continuing.
"because I am a generous man of the church, I will allow you all one question before you enter the city" he proudly proclaims
The pale man is the first to pipe up.
"What beasts are you talking about? I don't understand what any of this is about?" he asks quickly, shifting back and forth scratching his wrist.
"Well, I'll tell you son… deep down there lives things ripped straight out of the nightmares you got as a boy when daddy told you a scary story."
The pale man just starts whimpering his eye starting to twitch
"Next you." shoving his finger into the back of Cain's head
"No questions, just unlock these cuffs and give me the blade so I can get to work"
The fat one lets out a grunt
"Now you, Last one."
"40 thousand."
the man with the scars says quietly
"what?" The guard's mouth twitches up.
"That's how much money my family will pay you to get me out of here…"
He pauses.
"A mighty generous offer if I say so myself."
The guard laughs hard.
Before he kicks him into the water below.
"Hey, you bastard, you're supposed to unshackle us and give us something to fight with!" Cain barks at the guard.
"You three have pissed me off to no end. The questions are enough, I've decided."
As he pushes Cain off the ledge.