Gail watched huge snow flakes falling from a deep black sky. Bitter winds swirled around her aching ribs as she tucked her injured hand beneath her arm for warmth. It had taken a long time to stop bleeding and it still throbbed far more than she would like. The clerics marched alongside her, paying little heed to her condition or well being. So long as she kept walking, they didn't seem to notice her at all.
It was difficult to see where she was going. The sun had set several hours ago, and thick clouds had smothered any hope of starlight. She limped with shuffling steps across the icy ground, feeling a constant ache from a dozen different bruises all over her body. Her head was pounding from her repeated beatings, and Malkor's cudgel had left its impression upon her face. At least one of her teeth was missing. Dried blood caked her lower lip and her robe was torn, exposing her to the freezing cold winds around her. She had started trembling more than half an hour ago and she hadn't been able to stop since.
A coarse rope chafed against her neck where the clerics had been using it to drag her along like an animal. On another day she would have been angry. She would have fought back and tried to escape. But today she had no will to fight. Her courage had deserted her, replaced by nothing but pain and despair. There was nothing she could do but follow where they led.
* * * * *
After long hours of slow, painful walking, they came to a to the edge of a forest. The wind dropped as soon as they passed between the first clumps of trees, bringing relative warmth to her frost-bitten hands. She didn't think it could get any darker until the trees swallowed every grey shade around her. It wasn't long before she found herself in total darkness.
Her thoughts cleared as they made their way deeper into the dark forest. She stretched out her hands and tried not to trip over every root and branch. Twigs snapped beneath her feet with every second step, and the undergrowth caught at her robe, threatening to tip her on her face, but she managed to stay upright somehow. Several times her fingers touched against the rough bark of a tree in front of her. Feeling her way around their wide trunks, she continued on her way.
For once the clerics weren't complaining about her lack of pace. She couldn't see them, but she knew they were nearby, watching her with bird-like eyes. They didn't seem to have any trouble walking in the dark. Maybe when she recovered her strength she would look for a good-sized rock to bash their brains out with. There was still hope but she had to dig deep to find it.
Gail stumbled, seeing a shimmering green light up ahead. A dozen tree trunks appeared in silhouette with the pale green light behind them. As they drew closer, she realised it was a portal. Where were they going now?
The clerics became visible again, moving like ghosts in the mysterious green light that smothered everything around her. They led her between tall trees, pulling her towards it with the rope around her neck. Her feet slipped on a carpet of pine needles and she stumbled before righting herself by grabbing one of the cleric's arms.
He struck her in the face with his bony fist and she almost passed out. The blow stung much more than it should have. She felt weak, and hopeless, and her skin was extra sensitive after being exposed for so long to the bitter cold night. The combination of hunger, pain and desperate cold had made her doubt herself like never before. Maybe she wasn't going to make it this time? Maybe she would die alone in the forest, her body lying undiscovered as the bugs and vermin ate away her flesh, leaving nothing but a pile of broken bones. Fresh tears stung her eyes. They were all bastards. She would kill them before this night was over - but not yet. First she had to recover her strength somehow.
The first cleric stepped into the portal, dragging her by the rope behind him. Gail followed, having little choice in the matter. The green light grew brighter and brighter until it enveloped everything around her. Gail opened her eyes wide, letting out a long sigh as a tingling sensation flowed across her skin.
* * * * *
The air changed at once. The cold vanishing, replaced by comfortable warmth, and the dark night turned into cave walls illuminated by flickering orange light. The lead cleric dragged her forwards as more clerics stepped out of the portal behind her. Gail didn't care where she was. She only cared that it was finally truly warm.
Her positive firsts impressions of her new environment were quickly spoilt by the foul stench that lingered in the air. Gail turned up her nose, glancing from side to side in search of its source but she couldn't find anything obvious.
'What is that?' she said in dry, husky voice.
The clerics didn't answer her question. They had no interest in her thoughts. They didn't seem to like the place either, judging by the way they grunted and twitched as they walked.
A terrible scream rang out in the distance. Gail froze, holding her breath as she listened carefully. It had been a woman's voice - someone young, not yet into their middle years. She waited, expecting to hear the sound again but there was only silence.
When the cleric yanked the rope, chafing against the sores on her neck, she had little choice but to follow.
The clerics led her to a cave that only had one entrance, and dropped her rope on the ground. Gail stood alone with hunched shoulders, lacking the strength to do anything but wait.
A roaring fire occupied the middle of the cave so she slumped down on her knees beside it, holding her hands near the flames for warmth. The heat hurt her weather-beaten skin but she didn't pull them away. They had to feel worse before they could feel better. Her lips felt dry as she mumbled to herself, waiting for the trembling to subside.
There wasn't much to look at in the cave. Orange rock rose high above her head, disappearing amongst the shadows above. She didn't know what the lords had planned for her but it had to be better than being stuck outside in the bitter cold forest. At least here she was warm and comfortable.
The clerics watched her for a time before turning and walking away, leaving Gail alone with her thoughts. She was considering following them in the hope of slipping away when another cleric arrived with a big round face that was covered in warts. He smelt of sweat and sulphur and something worse. Tufts of grey hair stuck out in odd places all over his body. She had a feeling he might be naked. It was difficult to tell with so many hanging folds of flesh.
He opened a sack with large, bloodstained hands, tossing several bones onto the floor in front of her. Gail ignored him until he barked and gestured for her to pick them up. She lifted a single bone in her hand, staring at the pieces of tattered flesh that still hung from its sides. It was long, about the length of her thigh, and it didn't smell good at all.
Gail tossed it back onto the ground. It was human remains. She was sure of it. She wasn't going to eat it if that was what the cleric wanted. What kind of place was this?
The cleric barked again but Gail shook her head, refusing to listen to his demands. The fire had warmed her enough to remind her of her obstinance at least.
'I'm not eating it!' she said. 'Go to hell!'
The cleric grunted before turning and walking back the way it had come. Gail stared at the bones on the floor around her. She hoped she would fare better than whoever they had belonged to.
Kneeling beside the fire once more, she slumped into a sitting position before gradually lying down on her side. She didn't know whether it was a good idea to sleep, but she figured if the clerics had meant to kill her they would have done it by now. If she was to go survive in this living hell she might as well get some rest and try to recover from her injuries.
Lying motionless, she ignored the pain in her head as she enjoyed the heat of a roaring fire in front of her. Slipping the rope from around her neck, she tossed it onto the ground a few paces away. Her eyelids felt heavy and this time she was unable to prevent them from closing shut.