Chapter Text
Runaan had no idea how long he’d been in this dungeon. Weeks? Months? He didn’t care. He knew his days were numbered. Whatever this human Mage had planned for him, he knew it wasn’t good, it was going to be worse than anything he could possibly imagine. The only thing worse than the human was that mirror. What could that stupid, five-fingered, power hungry human want with this thing? Didn’t they know what it meant?
His stomach growled hungrily; he hadn’t been given food in a while now. He knew his hunger wouldn’t last long, though, not with that mirror standing a few feet away from him.
The cell door opened and in walked the human Mage himself. Runaan hadn’t bothered asking for the human’s name, nor did the human feel like telling him.
“Let me guess: you have no use for me anymore?” Runaan said. “What are you goin’ to do?”
“Not yet, actually,” the Mage said. “I've been thinking it over and, if it means getting the information I want, then I’m willing to work on your terms.”
The Moonshadow Elf glared at the human, clearly skeptical. “What’s the catch?”
“There’s no catch, honest.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“I don’t blame you. However, I really need to know what this mirror is and if it does anything of importance; and sadly, you’re the only one left of your comrades that can actually tell me anything.”
Only one as far as you know, you bloke , Runaan thought, his mind jumping to Rayla, the egg and the two human princes. With any luck, they’ve managed to evade capture by this point and make it to the Moonstone Path on the Border. “Elaborate on what you mean by working on my terms.”
The human knelt down, his staff supporting him. “Since food and everything else wasn’t enough to tempt you, I’m willing to have someone brought in to see you if it means you'll be a little more talkative.”
Runaan’s eyes only narrowed further. “Even if they’re an Elf?”
“Even if they’re an Elf.”
Runaan stared at the human, wondering if he was lying or if he was being honest; he’d been so sleep deprived, hungry and in pain, he couldn’t really tell at this point.
“I’ll give you some time to decide,” the Mage said, getting up and leaving the cell, the door thudding shut behind him.
~~~~~~~
His arm hurt, really bad. He expected he might be losing it in a short while. The Binding was especially cruel; he’d never had this happen before, be left with a Binding still on, a mission incomplete. He’d heard about how painful it was to still have it on, but those were Elves who’d failed, and he tried his best to not be one of those who failed.
But you did fail , he thought, and Rayla’s going to be short a hand if you ever see her again. What were you thinking, believing she was ready for this ?
The cell door opened, pulling him from his thoughts. The human stepped back in and looked at him, one arm behind his back.
“Have you made a decision?”
Runaan looked up at him. “Tinker,” he said. “If you can find a Sunfire Elf named Tinker, I’ll talk.”