[center][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/985402701812744232/1123458324432691271/c544af486296735b51cc60a23a0db72c.png?width=975&height=646[/img][hr][h2][color=lightblue]Cold Comfort: One step Forward, One step down[/color][/h2][hr][/center]

In a land so close to home, yet so far from it, Marz sighs to himself as he looked to his hands. Callused and worn even at his age, shackled by the monks within the monetary above, now being used for some strange reason.

[color=#0080ff]"I would have wished we met under better circumstances, yet that is not possible now. I am Brother Vadim, and we need your help"[/color].

Marz felt his feet landing against the stony ground underneath and knew they must have been deep underground, the stone the stairs are made of is a very tough and dense stone, one that was often subjected to great pressure being so deep. The lights that the Priests used were magic, so it made it easy to realize that they were drawing from sources near them, and when they dimmed for a bit he knew they reached a certain point of depth where it was hard for them to draw from energies near the surface. 

[color=#0080ff]"It all started months ago when I and many others were providing aid and charity to the people of Kirimansk, we found a strange device. One that we suspected to be the cause of many of the woes within the town"[/color].

If the depths of this prison were not unsettling enough, it was the tunnels that would do it. These tunnels were just big enough for a normal man to walk through, with small little off-lets allowing one to stand to allow another to pass them by. Yet for a hegelan and any others with a larger frame, it was claustrophobic. Your arms had no room to move, let alone stay by your sides. The tunnels moved in strange ways for those who were uninitiated, and the dark within exasperated the many problems one might find within the tunnel. 

[color=#0080ff]"It was a device that we found blocked the use of the Gift. A device that had sent much of this town into much distress. Yet, we had only found 1 of these devices, and even after moving it from its location, we were unable to alleviate the woes of the town"[/color].

Lights began to show through these tunnels, even among the short distance, it felt like an eternity since one saw the light. Yet once it touched the eyes it blinded them till they could hear the sound of working. People toiling away in stone rooms, the sound of hammering, grunting, and sweating. As one passed by a room, they could hear the work within more clearly, grind wheels spinning, cogs shifting, stone and slate being written on, even some whirling of strange energies here and there, yet all the people held within were Hegelan. Each and every last one was bound in cuffs and chains similar to the one Marz had. Every single one is being watched by a priest, dutifully observing, almost waiting for something.

[color=#0080ff]"In an attempt to find the others, we enlisted the help of Hegelan craftsmen. Many talented in their field, in the hopes that with these many great craftsmen together we would be able to figure out the mechanisms of the device's origin and stop the others to return peace to this town"[/color].

A bell began to ring as many people within these stone rooms began to slowly filter out into the hallway. Here the hallway was much more spacious, enough for 2 men to walk side by side with enough room for them to not feel uncomfortable. Yet all of those who were Hegelan stayed to one side of the hall, while the priests remained on the other wall. Watched as the Hegelans formed a line that headed to their intended destination, but Marz, he was told to shuffle himself into the line and head off with them to an unknown destination.

[color=#0080ff]"Your work shall not go unawarded, upon completion you shall be handsomely rewarded for this great deed you would have done"[/color].

The line of Hegelans was constantly monitored and watched by the priests all the way to this small doorway that each of them entered. Upon the last inspection at the doorway, Marz entered this large dimly lit cavern. The cavern was filled with long stone tables that seemed to stretch nearly from one end of the cavern to the other. The line moved across the large area to meet with the many priests who were standing at the other end with piles of bread and bowls. Each Hegelan was given 1 piece of bread and 1 bowl of what looked to be stew.

Marz made his way to the front as he was given his share, the exact same as all the others, yet for him, it was small in comparison to what he would expect and much less hope for. Yet, that wasn't the issue, for him, it was the stares. As he moved through the tables, many looked towards him like he was some kind of bug, a rodent even. Marz even attempted to make some conversation to at least take a seat near someone, yet they left. Sitting alone, Marz began to look at his food, and felt off about it, like he was looking at something that wasn't actually there.

[color=pink]"Ya, the food 'ere is bad. It has no taste, much less texture"[/color]. 

Marz looked up to see it was the woman who was there to clean his wound. He dipped his head to the side for a moment as he looked at his food and said, [color=#933A16]"Ya? I could 'ell from 'ere"[/color].

The girl chuckled as she then asked, [color=pink]"Would you mind if I sit witcha?"[/color]

Marz gave a light gesture to the seat as he said, [color=#933A16]"Go fer it. Not like any other is gona"[/color]. Marz looked around for a moment as he continued to see the many people seeming to eye him up from across the cavern. Many seemed either curious or skeptical, but none seemed outright hostile, yet.

[color=pink]"Wha'cher name?"[/color] 

Marz looked back as he seemed almost lost for a moment as he thought he saw someone eyeing him up much more aggressively, [color=#933A16]"Wha?"[/color]

[color=pink]"Yer name. What is it? Don' tell me you forgot it when you got conked on the head"[/color]. The girl spoke with a bit of a bit of fun in her voice.

[color=#933A16]"Ah, Marz"[/color]. Marz turned back for a moment to see the man who was originally eyeing him up was now gone.

[color=pink]"Well Marz, my name is Venna"[/color].

[color=#933A16]"Venna, hmm-"[/color], Marz seemed to seeing the many people here, and the many different jobs being done within the rooms he had passed by, he was curious, [color=#933A16]"-what craft do you do?"[/color]

Venna let out a sigh, [color=pink]"I don' 'ave one. I don' practice a craft, I was brought 'ere because I was with some of the other crafters"[/color]. Venna gave a nervous chuckled as she shrugged and said, [color=pink]"I'm just a Tool Merchant. I pedal and sell tools. Guess you look like those you work with"[/color].

Marz chuckled as well as he thought about the situation she was in, [color=#933A16]"Well ain't that a bitch, hu?"[/color]

Venna seemed to blush from the embarrassment of it, but seemed to be a good sport overall, yet it left Marz noticing something. They were being looked at, not just him. He looked around as eyes and chatter seems to follow them. No matter the size, a cavern is a cavern, and stone never lies. Something as small as a whisper can reach someone if given enough time in these stony walls. The words filled the air, reverberating and resounding through out, it told Marz he was not welcomed, he was to not be trusted, many and many of things. It became almost impossible to not hear until he heard a whistle and then a voice calling to him, [color=green]"Hey greenhorn! What'cha dreamin' about?"[/color]

Marz once more had his concentration broken by a new voice, a younger man maybe of similar age to Marz who plops right down next to him. With a very noticable height and size difference, it was easy to now see, the difference between Marz and many of the others, starvation. The people here have been fed enough food to keep them productive and usable. The food they were fed however was very few of them knew how to do, but everyone knew what it was, magically created food. Marz noticed this the moment he took a bite of his bread and stew, the only flavors within was salt and sadness. Everything within was heated, yet it was all made with magic, even the bread was made of magic. Marz finished his observations as he then answered, [color=#933A16]"Ah, nothin', just noticing everyone seems to be bored to be interested in me"[/color].

The smaller man laughed as he said, [color=green]"Ah ya, that'd be expected. Yer new, people are normally pretty wary o greenhorns 'ere"[/color].

Marz look quizzical as he asked on, [color=#933A16]"Oh? Why's that?"[/color]

The man spoke with a bit of a shrug while he took a spoon full of stew into his mouth, [color=green]"Mmm, we just got a spy. A mole, really roughed him up when we found out, an' they had to pull 'im out before worst"[/color].

Marz said once more now skeptical, [color=#933A16]"So you're saying they think I'm a spy?"[/color]

The smaller of the 2 men then pointed, [color=#933A16]"Bingo, if you er or ern't don' matter. What matters is that yer 'ere after they pulled out the last one"[/color].

Venna spoke out, [color=pink]"Most don't like those who'r not one o'em"[/color].

The smaller man then said, [color=green]"Little missy's right, she don' work a craft, so she get shuns. You'r new an' you look well off so you will be too"[/color].

Marz asked, [color=#933A16]"Then what about you?"[/color] Seeming to be insinuating the same must mean the same for the man.

The man laughed as he said, [color=green]"Naw naw naw, unlike you I'm liked here, as I am a craftsman"[/color]. The man's eyes then narrowed as he then asked, [color=#933A16]"What are ye then?" Based upon some o those burn scars, you must be a smith, am I right?"[/color]

Marz looked at the man as for a moment almost seeming to be put off by the man asking such a question, [color=#933A16]"Yeah? And? You takin' a look cuz' you thinking of something else?"[/color].

The man laughed heartily as a few more men came over. Each of them now sitting next to Venna and Marz, surrounding them as a smile came over the man's face, [color=green]"Then we'll see about that"[/color].

A flurry of questions began to fly at Marz, they began to question everything he knew about his craft, even to the point where they questioned his very existance. Marz began to get annoyed, his face seeming to harden as they ask more questions. To Marz, it felt as if they were trying to poke at his very existance, it felt as if they even tried to make light of that which he crafted. Marz knew what they were doing, they were trying to bring into question the legitimacy of him being here. Once the group couldn't figure out if he was an actual Craftsman, or just a really good Vossoriyan mole, they left. Leaving Venna and Marz alone once more.

Marz let out a sigh of frustration as he nearly threw a punch, but knew with Venna being there she would have been attacked. Venna seemed to break the awkward moment by saying, [color=pink]"Well that was stressful wasn' it?"[/color]

Marz chuckled out, [color=#933A16]"Ya. They asked annoying questions fer sure"[/color]. Once Marz readjusted himself with a few shakes of the head he looked to Venna and asked, [color=#933A16]"So how did this happen?"[/color]

Venna looked to Marz confused, [color=pink]"How did what happen? The questioning?"[/color]

Marz shook his head, [color=#933A16]"No, how did ye all end up 'ere?"[/color]

Venna quickly answered, [color=pink]"Ah, yeah that. Well-"[/color]. 

Venna was then interrupted by the voice of another man, a large but old man who was nearby and was listening in spoke, [color=yellow]"We were all invited try and reverse engineer some anti magic device"[/color]. The man took a sip of his stew as another responded.

[color=Orange]"Then we we're taken, snatched up in our sleep"[/color]. A loud brash man spoke out seeming to almost seem to be angry and having boisterous gestures. "You were because they found you black out drunk!" Someone yelled out to make fun of the person and also debunk the notion [i]all[/i] of them were asleep when it happened.

[color=Teal]"Even if he is an idiot, he was right, we were taken, and kept here against our will"[/color]. A female voice called out cutting through the bickering.

[color=green]"Yeah, but it ain't all bad, we are promised a pretty handsome reward once this is all said and done!"[/color] A man called out in a jolly voice that Marz was somewhat familiar with.

Many of them began to laugh slightly, yet Marz could see through them, and they all could as well. Even if they claim to be grudgingly okay with it, their body language and general vibe belies this. It was something every Hegelan knew well, everyone here knew everyone was lying about being okay with this, and in a Hegelan way of it, no one will call it out even if everyone has a feeling. Someone needs to disprove it directly. Marz sighed as he realized, for him, he will [i]need[/i] to earn their trust, and Marz knew well, a Hegelan does not trust easy. 

Once dinner was finished, a bell rang out, as people began to stand, taking their bowl and placing them on a table in multiple large piles. Once they did this, they filtered out of the eating area, and began to head towards some destination. For Marz he was grabbed by 2 preists who made him wait for all the other Hegelan's to head to their cells. Once they all did, Marz was taken to his cell. There he met who were to be his new cellmates. All three looked to Marz with a suspicious glance, as the moment Marz entered the room all three seemed to create some space between themselves and him. Marz even tried to make conversation and the best he got was their names and what they did.

[color=Purple]"Name's Khalud, I'm a smith of fine crafts"[/color], to Marz this man was the most friendliest of the three cellmates. He was stout and short, yet that lent well at least to his craft.

[color=Orange]"Choran the Jeweler"[/color], this man seemed the most wary, he seemed to almost to look like he was watching every single move Marz made. It made Marz quite often check his stare and even get into a staring contest. 

[color=gray]"Mazan"[/color], A simple old man, Marz wasn't one to question if an old man was to keep to himself, he earned that much.

Marz sighed as he set himself onto the bottom bunk that seemed empty. A voice cut through Marz' thoughts, [color=Orange]"Move"[/color]. Marz looked up to see Choran looking down onto Marz, Marz was about to throw a punch, yet he was stopped by his own awareness, the preists were still at the doorway making sure he was settled in. Marz shook his head as he stood up and watched Choran, whom used his bunk as a foot hold to get to his bed. Marz' hand clenched, yet he knew that starting a fight now did him no good. If he was to start a fight, he would probably be thrown into some confinement, and never be able to be found by the other students outside.

Marz just shook his head and went back into bed to try and sleep. Lights stayed on, but it was dim enough in the room to allow for one to sleep if they faced the wall. Yet sleep was hard to get within this place as a cacophony of snoring began to fill these tunnels, with the most powerful of them all originating from within his cell. With Marz turning to see the Old man being one who snored with enough power to make the air thin in the room.

Marz was left with the first night in this prison being left with loneliness and a lack of hearing.