Rune refused to move from before the two people he was protecting. He noticed the shadow move past him, clenching his jaw slightly. He watched as the one he was speaking with vanished, then appeared closer to him. His blade shifted a fraction, following his movements. His eyes remained strong and focused, he had no intention of stepping aside. He would do what he could to help these people. When the other asked about a trade, he paused in thought for a moment. Did he have anything to offer? What exactly would the other find of use? He heard the other two approaching from a bit off, his eyes not leaving the man in front of him when the girl spoke up.
She spoke of the light world, which immediatly made his body tense a bit more. He hid it though, he could not allow it to show. This was common, people seeking out those who were able to visit the light. It was no secret that the dark king wanted to see them all dead. For a moment, Rune was slightly glad that none of them seemed to recognize him. Seemed either they were not working for the dark king...or they were just bad at it. "The light world is a legened...nothing more" he said, placing some distance between him and the man now. He moved to the mother and child's side. "It is forbidden, and you will find nothing here" he nodded to the mother, who began moving away with her son. He would follow soon enough, to make sure they remained safe and out of harms way back to wherever they lived.
Anubias
The room was dark for the moment, silence within. The room itself was pretty nice, lush, well designed. It was located within the highest tower of the dark overlord's castle, and within it, a man laid upon the bed. He had been there for awhile now, since he had come to this world. He remembered it, he had been injured and unable to fight back. Because of that, he had been found quite quickly by the overlord, who had taken an immediate intrest in him, and forced him here.
He doubted many knew about him, only those closest to the lord that he trusted knew. The king had taken quite a fancy..bordering on obsession..with him. It was partially why the room was nice, and not a mere dungeon cell. The king had no trouble making his want for the man known, and it made said man sick. As if this king could win him over by merely giving him a nice room, when he was holding him as a prisoner here.
He was never allowed out, unless specifically designated by the king. And when he was summoned, he was forced to wear a collar that kept constant dark energy flowing through him. He hated that they had seemed to be able to find a weakness so easily. He was suseptable to darkness...to the influence. The dark energy from the collar helped to keep him in line, able to cause immense pain at the lords command, as well as make him a bit more...compromisable. He clenched his teeth a bit, feeling disgusted with himself now.
He was not someone's pet, to be collared and used at will. He sat up more on the bed, light filtering through the windows now. Well, at least as much light as could be from the constant overcast. He stood, moving to one of the windows, looking out it. Guards below, black birds overhead, shadow creatures slinking everywhere. The entire castle was under constant watch. He had little chance of getting out unnoticed, and if he did test the boundaries and got caught...He had seen what happened when one was designated for punishment by the lord.
Beatings, mutilations, torture....they had many creative meathods that would make one beg for death. He knew there were fates far worse than death itself, and the king seemed to enjoy installing them on others who pissed him off. It made him slightly glad that the other did have an intrest in him. He would not risk causing harm to his exceptional body or looks. He glanced at himself in the mirror tilting his head a bit.
He had never really been one to look at himself that way, but he was used to using his looks and such in situations. His personality in many ways showed that. Perhaps...He sighed, looking back out the window. Perhaps it was time he started using that and the lord's intrest in him to his advantage. It was a disgusting thought, but a thought none the less. He needed to think of a plan and soon, he could not sit around here forever. A black bird flew close, as if eyeing him.
He stepped back from the window, turning away from it. He moved to a table within the room, running his fingertips over a few books that the lord had allowed him to have in his spare time. He wondered what the man was planning to do with him. He had refused so far to tell him anything about himself. He knew he was hunting those who were able to visit the light world in this one. What if he discovered the truth...His hand lightly clenched on the cover of the last book.
Another thought crossed his mind for a moment, and he glanced at the door. Someone was coming. Moments later a knock came. A maid entered with two guards. He sighed, seemed it was time for breckfast. The lord always 'requesting' his presence at meals or whenever he desired. One of the guards stepped forward with the collar, he gave a slight glare, but allowed it to be placed around his neck. Fighting would do little good. The only one with the power to remove it was the lord.
He was thankful he was not forced to wear it all the time, but he wondered how much the lord more enjoyed it when he was. A chill slightly moved over his skin. He felt the darkness begin to fall over him from it, a haze setting in over his mind. He hand to hold onto the table for a moment to support himself. The haze lightened a bit after a moment, but he could still feel the darkness sinking in.
It was taking his concentration to keep it at bay. He could not afford to slip anymore than he already had....The guard nudged him a bit and he sighed, stepping away from the table. He followed the maid who was in front, the guards to his back. They began their decent from the tower towards the large dininghall in the giant castle that was the lords home. He was not looking forward to this at all.