Drawn back to Hell

Vaeria shut the door quietly behind him, making sure the theater was locked, nodding to the guard who was stationed outside before ducking around the corner to grab the sword he kept in the alley, heading towards the Falls to meet up with Aithen for his training, something he was not looking foward to, but he knew he had to stick with it. He could not quit learning to fight simply because he did not like nor trust his teacher.

He felt nervous, walking through the empty city streets, the moon high overhead. It was past midnight, and aside from a few drunkards and one guard that he saw, the streets were competly bare of people. His steps slowed, and he frowned, looking around. He must have taken a wrong turn, being still largely unfamiliar with the city, for he should have come to the gate leading to the forest and falls by now.

He was passing by a dark alley near a rather ramshakle looking tavern when he suddenly saw two men step out in front of him. "Well well, what have we here?" he heard a strangely familiar voice drawl, and looked up to the larger of the men standing in front of him. He felt his blood run cold, for he would know that scarred, hulking form anywhere. Lodonas, one of the slave trainers. The man had used to be a gladiator, but his leg had been hurt in his last arena fight. Though his life had been spared, he never again saw the inside of the arena, for he'd been left with a permant limp, but his arms still worked just fine, and was able to weild a whip with tremendos force. Luckily, Vaeria had been well trained before he'd run across the man, though he'd known several slaves that had been killed by the man by 'accident'. The man grinned, the scar angling from his hairline to the left corner of his mouth twisting the gesture into a gruesome aspect.

"Heh, if it isn't one of the pretty slave boys," the man chortled, reaching out to grasp Vaeria's upper arm. "What are you doing out in the middle of the night boy, hmm? Your Master know your out?" Vae flushed, knowing that Akusai was still in the dark about his training sessions with Aithen.

" 'er now, wha' be 'his?" the other man slurred, yanking the sword scabbard from Vae's hand. "Looks to me like this slave boy is running away," the man drawled. He was a tall, lanky man with greasy black hair.

Vaeria shook his head fiercely, fear filling his mind, his heart thumping in his chest. Run away slaves were never treated well, especially if Lodonais had anything to do with their retraining. "No!" he cried out. "I am a free man now, I was set free a month ago!" he tried to explain, but Londonais backhanded him fiercely, sending the elf reeling backwards.

"Do not lie, elf," the ex-gladiator growled, stepping forward and grasping Vaeria by the neck, his eyes narrowing as he felt no collar.

"I -AM- free," Vaeria choked around the man's tight grip, his hands reaching up and trying to claw the hand from his throat.

The skinny man snorted, looking at the sword he had taken from Vaeria. "Shoddy workmanship," the man scowled, upset that he wouldn't be able to sell it for a lot of gold. "I say that it looks like the pretty boy here slit his owners throat, found a way to get his collar off, and fled with the weapon," the man smirked, taking satisfaction in the way the elf's eyes light with fear and understanding. No matter the truth, Vaeria would not be let go by these men, they would take him back into the underbelly of the city and resell him... if he lived through the re-training.

He kicked out, hoping to catch Lodonais's knee, hoping the pain would cause the man to drop him. The ex-gladiator saw the move coming though and swung Vaeria around in his strong grip, letting go and sending the elf rolling through the street further into the alley, striking his head on the wall of the tavern, stunning him. Both slavers grinned at each other and started towards the fallen elf, the lanky man's foot catching Vaeria in the side, elicting a moan of pain. Lodonais squatted next to Vaeria and rolled him onto his back so that the he was in the elf's line of vision. "Say goodnight, long ears," the man grinned, and reared his fist back, which was the last thing Vaeria saw before pain exploded in his skull, sending him mercifully into darkness.