Random Villains

She jolted awake, when she felt something close over her mouth. Color had left the world, telling her that it was in the middle of the night. The unknown and unshaved face in front of her told her that something was wrong. And her knowledge about typical kidnapping scenes told her that this was bad, very bad.

She held her breath, but she’d already inhaled a sickly sweet smell that stung in her nose and eyes because of the shock.

What’s happening? Have Saesquar’s goons found us? She tried to turn her head to Sonja, but the one in front of her made sure that she’d have no choice but to breathe in more of that strange substance, once she’d run out of aid. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw how the other girl hung, bound and gagged, over the shoulder of another unwashed looking man.

Nia remembered that she had magic and tried to manipulate it while holding her breath. She’d managed a few things without singing already, but … her magic slipped out of her control. She wanted to breathe fresh air, but the man sat on her, and pinned her arms, her whole body down. He was far more massive than she and she’d lost a lot of strength because of the magic that had changed her.

“Don’t struggle, little songbird,” said the unshaved kidnapper with a wide grin. “We’ll find a nice little home for you.”

Songbird? Then those are not Saesquar’s goons? A part of her relaxed slightly, but she was still in a dire situation. What are you? Kidnappers? Slave Traders? Would anyone really dare to do that to a saint? Wait …

Her eyes widened. She was undercover. And with how everyone acted, she’d basically given up some sort of of protection by hiding her identity.

She had to take another breath. The sickly sweet smell filled her lungs, her sensations, everything. Air. She needed fresh air … Black mist crept in on the edges of her vision, and she lost her battle to stay conscious.

«« | »»

When Nia came back to her senses, color had already returned to the world and a headache was the first to greet her.

Why couldn’t it have been someone with breakfast? Tina, Sonja or maybe Ralf? Heck, she’d even take breakfast from Tom.

She raised her hand to her head and noticed the chains around her wrists. There was also a heavy one around her neck.

That’s a bit overkill, isn’t it? I wouldn’t even have enough strength to get out of this before my transformation. This reeks too much like Slave Traders. And they do reek.

It was a pungent stingy smell of someone that has sweated all day, didn’t wash for the night and kept wearing their clothes the next. She sighed.

Human trafficking in another world. Though I should keep that off the list. It’s a bad title.

Nia looked around and tried to find Sonja. The other girl was nowhere to be found. Either the slavers had taken her somewhere else, or they had left the other behind.

I guess it’s a bad idea to try and sell a mage into slavery.

The carriage she was on jumped painfully every once in a while. Neither the horse nor the ones leading it paid any attention to potholes on the road. That probably also meant that no one paid attention to her. If she could have her minute of monstrous strength, she could break the chains and maybe get far enough away. Or kill enough of them.

Nia concentrated and tried to shape her magic. It was as if she was drunk and tried to sculpt a Greek statue. She could work on it, but without any fine control, she couldn’t get it into shape.

And I don’t feel like sculpting the rock Sisyphus needs to push up the mountain.

Something rattled the bars of her cage, and she looked up. She hadn’t seen that man before. At least he wasn’t the one that had drugged her.

“Good morning, Songbird.” Random villain B smiled. He was missing a few teeth.

I might need to start a new stereotype bingo card.

“How about you Sing a song for the journey?”

“Oh, that’s a nice idea!” The man that turned toward them was the one that had pinned her down last night.

Random Villain A. And I hope it was last night.

“Why should I sing for you?”

“Because,” a third, rough voice said, “we’ll make you wish you’d be on Rygara right now, if you don’t.” The voice of Random Villain C was so rough that it was hard to make out what he said.

It seems that their old planet has become this world’s equivalent of hell.

Nia opened her mouth to tell them that there was no chance on Rygara, that she’d sing for them, when she realized one thing. Her magic reacted to songs. An idea came to the part of her brain that wasn’t responsible for doing magic. She couldn’t help but grin. “Sure. I’ll sing. For you.”

She couldn’t stand upright, which made it a bit harder to breathe and sing properly, but that wasn’t necessary. She just needed to recite the short strengthening prayer. The effect might not be as strong as back in the temple, but maybe it was enough to get rid of the chains. And if not them … they were just fastened to the wooden carriage. The weakest link would break first. And she’d break it. And them.

The look on the men’s faces was priceless, as they noticed what she was doing. The first two lines gave the game away. Her wagon lurched to a halt and her singing staggered.

“She’s a priestess?” Random Villain B almost shouted at A.

“Does it really matter?” C asked. “It’s not that she break the chains.”

Nia grinned as the last notes of the prayer faded away. The weight of the chains vanished, she was at full power. Even if she couldn’t form the magic with just her concentration alone, it still reacted to her song. Now all she needed to do was to deal quickly with all the villains, before her strength faded completely.

She pulled at the chain on her right hand, and the wood creaked. She tugged at the metal and the wood behind her splintered.

The slavers fell silent.

Nia tugged with her other arm and the wood behind her splintered again.

“What’s up?” she asked, as she reached for the iron collar around her neck. “Didn’t you like my song?”

The metal screeched as she started to pull it apart. It slowly gave in to her strength. Until her strength suddenly faded. It wasn’t even a full minute. Her legs and arms shook, and she fell to the floor of the cage. Was the duration of the magic tied to what she tried to accomplish? Back in the temple her strength held until she had lifted the table with one hand.

“Wh-what was that?” Random Villain A looked at her.

“I have no idea … but it’s over …?” C didn’t sound very confident.

“We should get rid of her immediately,” suggested B.

“Imagine what we could do if she used that blessing on us!” Random Villain A sounded as if he had sparkles in his eyes. At least Nia imagined him looking like that.

“You want to hold a fucking priestess in a cell? You know the laws. And even if not, how do you plan on getting her to bless us?” Nia imagined how B shook his head. “We need to get rid of her before she manages to do that again! Or before Luaria’s priests find out.”

“Let’s just leave her here.” C gulped audibly. “We shouldn’t mess with a holy woman.”

“We have already messed with her.” B shouted. “Now we have to finish it! Or her, if you prefer that!”

“We can’t just kill her. But we can’t also set her free,” Random Villain A said. “Let the boss deal with her.”

One of them clucked his tongue.

“Shit.” B swore. “Not sure if that’s a good idea though.”

“Do what you want. I’m out of here!” After C spoke, she heard steps receding fast.

“Don’t complain to us, if the boss comes after you later,” A shouted. “Come, let’s hurry her to the boss.”

The wagon lurched, and Nia felt how uncomfortable it could be to travel while lying on a cold hard wooden floor.

I really need to get a grip on my magic. But as usual, I’ve been sort of procrastinating learning. Is dying a valid excuse?

What she needed most was control. A reduced effect that would last longer. At least she hadn’t fallen unconscious. Yet.

Okay. I’ve been kidnapped and can’t move. Since I don’t have anything better to do, let’s try to get a grip on my magic.

Which was easier thought than done. Her magic also seemed weaker than before, which made it harder to grasp. Nia kept trying to get a hold on it. After a while it became less slippery. Though she couldn’t be sure whether that was because her control improved or whether the effects of that strange drug wore off.

After being able to hold onto it for a while, she tried to split it into smaller compartments. She tried to isolate some of it and get only a chosen portion to resonate, hoping that she’d get a weaker effect that wouldn’t leave her crippled for a while.

Okay, now try to strengthen yourself just a little and be hopefully able to move around again.

It worked. She got some of her strength back. Or rather she had generated some more strength that allowed her to sit upright again. Her head hurt, her muscles hurt, even her magic hurt.

How can that hurt?

Then her eyes hurt as she stared at the broad-shouldered, unshaved man that was missing a few teeth, while the rest were a deep yellow.

Oh, crap!

“What is this, Randolf? Just one-?” Random Villain D stopped mid-sentence, as he looked at her. “Wait a minute.” He suddenly turned around and returned with a slightly yellow paper. He stared at it, then at her, back at it, and then grinned. He was missing even more teeth than she thought.

“Very good, Randolf! She’ll net us a hefty sum. We just need to bleach her hair!”

Nia stared wide-eyed at him. Dyeing her hair had taken hours, and now he wanted to bleach them?

What are you thinking? she admonished herself. That could be a wanted poster in his hands. And he wants to make me look like the person on the paper. Which means he wants to make me look like I did before. She gulped. Someone has put a bounty on my head? On the head of a saint? Among bandits?

That could mean only one thing.

They must be followers of Saesquar. Or at least D is. I have to get out of here. I need more time …

“So.” Nia raised her voice. “Saesquar has put a bounty on me? Did she also write on that paper, what I am?”

“That’s none of your business.” D hissed at her and turned back to Randolf, apparently thinking that she’d stay quiet.

Sorry, I won’t do you that favor.

“Oh, but it is my business,” she countered, trying to sound more confident than she felt. Nonetheless, she pulled at her chains and allowed the other end to dangle in front of his face. “I’m worth far more than she’s offering. I’m a saint.”

That got D’s attention. Random Villain A, or rather Randolf—there was even Rando in his name—looked rather pale. B was already retreating as silently as possible.

“I don’t believe in saints.” D shook his head. “But tell me: What do you think you’re worth?” He grinned. Very broadly.

D had swallowed the bait. Hook, like and sinker. And Nia had thrown the fishing rod out in the water, too. And D had realized that, as well.

Okay. Take that one line out of that credit card advertisement.

“I’m invaluable.”

D stared at her for a long moment. “Nice try. But I’ll get hard cash once I hand you over. And that is valuable. Especially to me.”

That backfired. But then again, what did she expect to happen? He had even ignored that the chains weren’t affixed anymore.

“Just out of curiosity: How high is the bounty?”

“Enough for us to retire and live in peace for the rest of our lives.”

That had to be quite a bounty.

Should I tell him what happens to most lottery winners?

Why did cults always have to have a lot of money? Or religions?

Why didn’t I think of the possibility that the dark goddess has a financial empire, too? Was it just because Qiin and the others seemed poor? Or is that a general misconception I’ve brought with me from my own world?

“Bring her inside,” D ordered.

“I’m not climbing into that cage.” A said immediately.

“I don’t care, who of you brings her inside, but one of you will.” The tone of his voice made it clear that he didn’t brook an argument.

“I’m not going anywhere near her, as long as she’s able to sing!” B said and vanished into the house nearby.

“You’re idiots. All of you. That problem is very easily taken care of!”

A bottle flew into her cage and shattered. The air smelled immediately sweet. And immediately, her control slipped. Nia held her breath, but it was too late. The strengthening magic failed. Her muscles capitulated before the constant onslaught of gravity and she was back on the floor. Right next to the shards of that bottle.

“That’s how you deal with magic types,” D said. “Now bring her inside!”

Nia lost the fight against her breathing reflex. The sweet stinging smell of the poison filled her again. Her vision faded. Her consciousness followed only seconds later.