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Old 04-03-2003, 05:51 PM   #25
kittiewhirl1677
Shade of Carn Dûm
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Living Hell
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Sting

Lanbriel had gotten up a bit early.The overseer came and called to all the slaves, telling them to get ready. She ignored that comand; she already was ready, very ready. The second time the overseer came, he shouted across the row of cabins, telling them to come out. Each slave slowly, but readily entered the hallway. They walked to the fields, and then along with hundreds, thousands of other slaves began the long terrible run. Lanbriel managed to avoid most of the whip lashes shooting to and fro over her head. She kept down, invisible, focusing on only her task; to get to the ritual.

Finally, after thousands of lashings throughout the whole group, they managed to get there. The giant hall coldly greeted them as they walked through the doors. They were all herded to different levels of the hall, packed together like rodents in a small cage.

She looked around, the great hall looking more like her worst enemy, a terrible menace then she had ever imagined. It was as if the hall itself was choosing the hunted slaves. But she knew, she knew that someone she hated even more was choosing.

As her eyes soared across the hall, she noticed a figure on the level below her. Lord Ekatran.

Lanbriel knew that if she didn't get chosen for the hunt, it would mean death from the alternate task ahead her. She had to get chosen for it was her only chance at life.

Lanbriel waited, her heart pumping faster and faster with every second. Either the ritual would start now, or she would have to scream from the anxiety.

Just at that moment, Lord Ekatran rose and started talking.
"All here know why they are here,
All here know why were gathered,
All here know what the purpose is,
But none know how they will depart.

Easterlings and lower creatures, We are gathered here in the ritual of the Hunt. Tonight six will be chosen from our higher race...and seven to be their quarry. Come! Let the name holders come forward! Let the Gods and Fate decide who!"

To Lanbriel, it seemed as if everything had just stopped. Suddenly, abruptly. Everything froze. The figure below had stopped before the beginning of his next sentence. The slave's terrified expressions, unchanged, made her feel more terrified than ever herself.

Actually, everything hadn't frozen. Everything was just moving at an impossibly slow speed. She saw the cauldron being brought out. She saw Lord Ekatran's mouth open, to say something else.

The choosing had begun.

[ April 03, 2003: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]
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The world was young, the mountains green. No stain yet on the moon was seen. No words were laid on stream or stone, When Durin woke and walked alone...
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