<dl class="codebox"><dt><a class="postlink" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByZ4BuDgl6v1MjJxQnVzRWFKVG8/view?usp=sharing">The Song (open in separate tab)</a> | <a href="javascript: void(0);" onclick="var spoiler = this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('dd')[0]; if ( spoiler.style.display == 'none' ) { spoiler.style.display = 'block'; this.innerHTML = '-'; } else { spoiler.style.display = 'none'; this.innerHTML = '+'; };">+</a></dt><dd style="display: none;"><object data="mp3player/emff_lila_info.swf" height="55" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="200">
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</embed></object></dd></dl><br/><br/>The room was quiet and dark; the occasional squeak or shuffle of vermin in the darkness echoed throughout the cold cell. The air was cold and damp and smelled of sick. The sharp wheezing coughs of a small child cut through the silence. Rhys sat straight-legged against the back wall, the child's head placed on his lap. He could feel the energy seep from the child with each cough; her breathing was getting shallower, her body was cold. He knew the only reason she was still there was that his presence had been keeping the Ash at bay, but he was too tired now.<br/><br/>"Rhys?" the small voice managed to weakly call out to him, it was followed by a fit of coughing "Rhys, am I going to die?"<br/><br/>He gently stroked her head and shushed "You're going to be okay soon," Rhys managed in a low tone, the lump in his throat hurt and his eyes stung. If it weren't so dark in this cell, his vision would be obscured "This will all be over soon," his voice shook. He couldn't save her, no matter how much he wanted to. The child was fading, her spirit was slipping away and all he could do was sit there and watch. This was the Ash. This was what the Melurians thought Magicals deserved.<br/><br/>"Can you-?" she placed her hand on his arm and weakly gripped at him "Can you sing that song?" she coughed and her arm fell to the floor. He quickly grabbed it and held her hand in his palm. "The one you taught us when you came? You always sang really well,"<br/><br/>"Of course I can," Rhys quickly replied "sure," he leaned back and took a deep breath trying to steady himself as best he could. He began to sing. His voice reverberated off the walls. The room shook and the rats fell silent as he rose his voice for the child. The words of the language felt foreign to his lips now, even if the rebellion had taken it as their own. It didn't take long before the girl had joined in, humming to the tune as he sung. He didn't dare stop, not until she said it was okay; he would sing until his voice gave out if that's what she wanted.<br/><br/>What she wanted didn't matter.<br/><br/>Her humming stopped and immediately the room felt colder than it ever had before. She was gone. He held her hand to his chest as it turned to silvery ashes. Rhys's body slumped against the wall and he looked up at the ceiling. He couldn't see anything but he knew it was there.<br/><br/>Suddenly the metal hinge on the door to the cell screeched before creaking open, flooding the room with a yellow-orange light.<br/><br/>"Is the bard's song already over?" the guard said flatly "Well, at least I won't be cutting your performance short," he made a motion with his head and three other guards came in to subdue him. Their definition of "subdue" included a few hard kicks to the body as they hoisted him to his feet and bound his arms at his waist. "move your ass, Magical" the lead guard barked, making sure to give a hard knock to the back as he did so. Rhys complied with nothing more than a blank, blood-shot expression on his face.<br/><br/>The narrow stone hallway was dimly lit by torches. Each step echoed through the hall as they moved. They walked for quite a while before the leading guard piped up "you're wanted in interrogation and then it's straight to the executioner's block... but I doubt you'll make it that far. The Interrogator can get carried away sometimes," he said coldly as he pushed the door open and stepped aside, the pair of soldiers tossed him into the room and slammed the door behind them.<br/><br/>He gave a soft grunt as his chest knocked into the....tile? He shuffled awkwardly to his feet and scanned over the surroundings. The room was illuminated by warm yellow light. Wooden tables lined the walls and a few were centered within the room. A soft, strange music was playing from somewhere and a stranger creature was standing behind a bar that occupied the left side of the room.<span style="font-style: italic">This is the weirdest interrogation room I've ever seen.</span>. Rhys shook his head<span style="font-style: italic">No this can't be right, these look like Magicals. Did they transport me here?</span><br/><br/>Rhys took a few cautious steps into the room. He made his way to the bar and shifted a stool a bit so that he could sit down. He placed his bound hands against his body and looked at the individuals in the room. "H-eh, uhh, hello" he studdered out.<br/><br/>"How did you-? How...? Where am I?"