The Time Capsule

Chapter 13: Fight or Flight

Chapter 13: Fight or Flight

It had been ten years since James Sparrow had seen or heard from Angelica. Ten years since he was cruelly taken by the unum tenebris. But hearing her voice had given him the most magical gift of all, it had given him a spark of hope. He had left her behind as a child, five years old. She had been forced to grow up without a father figure in her life, and ever since they had been separated, he wondered how that had affected her and the young woman she had grown up to be. He had worked for Morgan as a slave and Angelica had been his only hope as he slowly grew to get used to the darkness in the dwarf mines, the only light being the occasional gleam of the precious jewels. And there were rumors...rumors and whispers of a dragon beneath the Earth. A creature who perhaps had it worse than him. Legend had it, the dragon had been changed for more than 100 years.

He tried to keep the Rebel spirit alive. He had caused explosions with the mine carts, resulting in just the right amount of chaos to get him noticed, but not enough to get him ordered to Morgan's throne. He was safe, up until now. The Liberation Insurgence always had the most horrible stories about Morgan; the most chilling of which was that he ripped the hearts out of the living and watched as they collapsed to the ground, screaming until their last breath. 

The gladiator tournaments were the most feared across the land; those who were foolish enough to accept the summons of Morgan's soldiers every time he called for new recruits were never seen again. Either killed viciously by the battle or made into one of his prized gladiators in the fight against the man. It was a fear of many that they would never see their families again after disappearing to the dark Scottish Moors, if they had any sense. 

James Sparrow was on the side of the sensible ones, the humans who had a moral code. He valued his intellect very much, as it often got himself out of tight scrapes where he otherwise would have been killed. Although he didn't like to admit it, he was also quite manipulative, and his way with words had charmed the right princess, or made allies with thieves. But words were of no use on the battlefield. It was fight or flight, and given his options, he would have very much preferred flight. 

 Because directly next to him was a waft of horrible breath from a giant; not quite as big as Morgan, but about a head shorter. He bared what was left of his teeth in a horrible smile, flexing his huge muscles that were wider than James was tall. He felt like a tiny sparrow next to this giant, fluttering his little wings in hopes to escape.

"Come here often" the Giant growled next to him, his voice shaking the tent. "Ah, yer new meat. Boss will be pleased. How much ye want ter bet you'll be out round one? 20 pounds? 50?" 

"Betting is a pointless task that only results in the satisfaction of the human who won the unpredictable outcome," James said as he trembled in his suit of armor that was much too big for him. "I'll bet 55." 

"Ar, one of them rebels, the boss was saying," the giant growled. "Names' Ogden. And you, little man?" 

"Ogden?" James breathed in wonder as he looked up to the giant. "Ogden the hero? Ogden, who lead the great rebellion of the giants against the dwarfs in the war of 1980? The giant who survived with only one eye? Sir, I must congratulate you. Your rebellion sparked the hopes of The Resistance." 

"Ain't much good now," Ogden the not-hero grunted as he swung his club into a row of arrows that clattered to the ground. "Hope you weren't wanting one of them. Ye talk a lot. I only asked yer name." 

"Sorry, sir, bad habit," James bowed his head respectfully. "I haven't had anyone to talk to for ten years. James Sparrow of Shadowstream, sir." 

"James Sparrow of Shadowstream?" the giant chuckled as he cracked his knuckles. "Not a bad name for a corpse. Bit fairytale."