The Aldonn Chronicles Ep1: Trapped!!!
Stone isn’t the most comfortable thing to sleep on. Frank learned that the hard way, waking up with pains all through his body. That was a couple hours ago, and now, Frank was bored.
He had found himself in a dungeon, after being chased down by a city guard. While this alone wasn’t out of the ordinary, getting caught was.
“There’s always a first time,” said Frank, not just to himself, but to the other man he’d found in this cell with him. The guy had been unconscious since Frank got there, and he didn’t show signs of waking. That is until now.
The man rolled over slightly, almost in response to Frank’s remark. Having something to focus on once more, Frank took the bait.
“You awake over there?” he asked carefully.
The man jolted, his eyes opening wide, “Who’s there?”
Frank smiled, proud of his accomplishment, and slowly inched toward the man, “Jus’ me I’m afraid. Names Frank. Looks like were roommates.”
The man looked the room over and frowned, “Where are we?”
“Hell. Population, us,” replied Frank quickly. The man didn’t seem to have a sense of humor, so Frank quickly continued, “We’re in jail. Don’t you remember how you got here? Being arrested perhaps? You’ve been here longer than me.”
The man shook his head, and squinted his eyes in concentration, “I remember nothing…at all. Except…someone…telling me my name…”
“Let’s hear it.”
“Aldonn. My name's Aldonn. I can’t remember who told me, or where I am, where I came from, what my life was before this. It’s all just blank…”
Frank looked upon Aldonn somewhat unbelieving, “Sounds like amnesia. But it seems mighty convenient for you to have remembered your name, and apparently how to speak common. It’s probably lucky that the only thing you remembered wasn’t your grocery list from last week.”
Aldonn looked to Frank questioningly, “What do you remember?”
“I don’t have what you have, if that’s what you mean. I was in Capsin when I pissed off the wrong guard, and he knocked me out.”
“Capsin?” Aldonn repeated slowly.
“The capitol city of the continent Memroxia. Nothin' happens in this world that don’t have some link back to Capsin. And a lot of expensive stuff comes through there every week.”
Aldonn finally stands up, stretching his legs, “You’re a thief…”
If Frank found the term offensive, he didn’t show it. In fact, he seemed quite proud of the label, “Not just a normal thief. I’m a member of The Thieves Guild. I can pick pockets, locks, and I throw a mean dagger.”
“Can you get us out of here?”
Frank pauses, and laughs, “I am a master escape artist. Not exactly my best trait… yeah I can get us out. But I can’t get us past the guards. If we just wait here, sooner or later my guild will hear of this, and they’ll set us free.”
Aldonn flexes his arm, and measures his muscle, as if using it for the first time, “Set YOU free. If they truly care. If they had the resources. Or you could do things my way. I can take care of the guards when the time comes.”
“Remember how to fight, do ye?” asks Frank, sarcastically.
Aldonn frowns, “I’m not going to wait here until your band of criminals come to my rescue. I want to be free of this place, and figure out how I got here to begin with.”
Frank moves to the door, and peers out the small viewport. Outside, he sees an empty hall. Looking back in, he turns to Aldonn, “You seem convinced you’re wrongfully accused.”
Aldonn straightens, “One way or another, I deserve the truth.”
Frank nods, and pushes the door open; “I already undid the latch with my jacket. Piece of cake. So now it’s your turn.”
Aldonn steps forward, and peers around the doorframe. The hallway is empty, all the way down to the stairs. Even the guard post is unmanned. “Have you ever heard of a jail without guards?” Aldonn whispers to Frank.
Frank shakes his head, “Seems kind of counter productive.”
Aldonn nods in agreement, puts his hands on his hips, and takes a deep breath, “Where are we?”
To Be Continued
By: Andrew Geczy
Next Week: Aldonn is free from prison. But how did he get there in the first place? And why does everyone want him dead? Can he really trust his life with a thief. Does he have any other choice? What dangers await him? Tune in next week to find out.
