FGI 4: The Prince of the Deep

I suck in a breath as my vision rights itself, my skin prickling in awareness. My gaze widens as my brain desperately tries to make sense of what I’m seeing.

Impossible.

This can’t be real.

Sea mist hits my face as I try to take in the menacing scenery around me.

“Oh, Camila,” I breathe. I can hear the deep rumble of the ocean waves and the cracks of lightning as it hits the mountain peak, making me tense.

I slowly lower to my knees, scared my legs might give out. I barely restrain my scream as I cover my mouth to ensure I do not do anything stupid.

My heart beats against my chest so hard it hurts as my eyes frantically take in this new world.

This is real.

I’m on the edge of a landing that looks out over a black sea. The sky is angry and flickers with flashing lights. I’m on a jagged black mountain about two hundred feet into the twisting sky.

And an entire dark city is embedded in this spiky landmass.

I look behind me, seeing glowing orange lights illuminating the perimeter with distant people walking on faraway ledges.

The mountain looks like a crystal shard that has been broken and is now puncturing the angry night sky.

I look to my left and see metal doors leading inside the menacing rock. It looks like a gateway to Hell.

I am not going in there.

“Duuuuude,” I hear Steve say beside me, where he’s covered in a brown cloak. I feel like we are Frodo and Sam here about to toss the ring into the fire. “Get down! You see that Orc up there?!”

I look up to another rough landing and see a creature you would only see on The Lord Of The Rings. It’s tall and looks like a troll or reptilian creature. Ugly as sin.

“Steve,” I breathe, and run over to the rock wall, flattening myself against it. “What the hell are we doing here?!”

“It’s Steven. And I already told you,” he whispers. “You will be hanging out with your man until help arrives.

“Here, put this on and act like an Orc. Walk with a limp and be hunched over. Just keep your head down.”

We put mesh face covers on, only our eyes showing.

“I need to smoke,” I hear Steve say.

“Me too,” I agree, feeling the biting cold of the wind.

A lot.

We both stand in silence, listening to the thunder crash. “We need to make it to the lower level where the prisoners are held,” he says finally.

“How are we going to stay here for a week?!”

“Pierce has a room for us in the Orc city,” Steve says.

“Are you serious? We have to go inside this hell hole?” How generous of FGI to get us a room.

He laughs like a stoner.

I curse.

The things I do for wealth.

“Let’s go,” he says, and starts moving his hand like he is typing on an invisible computer.

“What . . . are you doing?” I ask, then flinch as another lightning bolt hits this nightmare of a mountain. I flatten myself against the jagged wall even further.

“This place is terrifying. I wonder if the other girls are relaxing in luxury, seeing the wondrous sights that this world has to offer,” I hiss. I feel like a cat with her ears back who has just been dunked in freezing water.

“Can’t I just meet Brayja back at the Gaya Empire? Is this necessary? I’m starting to think it’s not. Why did we have to spawn here?!”

“I’m getting directions.”

“Are you listening to me?!”

“Trying not to.”

I expel a breath, and Steve does his dumb laugh.

“Messing with you, relax and chilllll, man. I can’t do anything until I smoke and tap into my mystic powers. So follow me,” he says, and starts to hobble away like his whole body is broken.

He looks ridiculous.

“You’re overselling it, Steven,” I whisper, and follow him, lowering my hood over my face. I can’t believe I am doing this.

This Brayja guy better pick me after this, or I might slip him some poison. Make him die a slow and painful death, after threatening him until he puts me in his will.

We hide behind this and that, dodging this ugly Orc and that one. My heart is pounding as we wait for the guards to move to their next post.

They are terrifying creatures, reptilian-like with long sharp teeth and slimy skin with gills on the sides of their faces. My gag reflex is kicking in.

I can’t imagine spending a week here in the dungeon.

A nightmare.

I feel for Brayja and I haven’t even met him. I am also very curious to find out what this man looks like. Is he handsome? Not that it matters, but it would be a plus.

We finally make it to the dungeon entrance and we sit against the rock wall, out of breath. “When are the guards back?”

Steve is lighting a joint. “Ten minutes.”

“Shit,” I breathe.

“You need to go in with this universal FGI jail pick. Do you know how to pick a lock? Pierce thought you knew very well. The locks here are pretty basic. It only works on the doors,” Steve says and blows out smoke, eyes squinty.

This is the first time I actually look at Steve in the face without his mesh on. He just looks like a human version of his natural self. So, in other words, he looks more like Seth Rogan but with long dreadlock hair in a pony.

Not a great look.

I glance at him and give him a duh look. “Of course I do.” I could pick locks when I turned six, learning from my dad’s shady friends.

“Sooooo you need to hide out in Eluno’s jail cell, which is the first metal door you will see. I will let you know when it is clear, and you can make your way to your future lover’s cell.

“You will only get fifteen minutes with Brayjo before the guards’ return. It’s not long, but better than nothing.” He takes another hit and hands it to me.

I stare at it. “It’s Brayja, not Brayjo. And an hour with the braindead guy?” I moan in misery, not really seeing a point to all of this.

“That’s why I’m giving you a hit. Pierce is not fond of agents smoking, but it will wear off by the time you leave.” He pauses with his hand up.

“Eluno is super mean and dangerous. I need to tell you this before I get too high and forget. Already killed a couple of female Orc slaves, Pierce said.”

“Perfect,” I mutter, and take the hit. I immediately start coughing, eyes watering. “Steven, this is strong!” I cough more into my hand and feel fire in my lungs.

“Don’t cough too much.” He is laughing, eyes almost shut. “You’ll be flying too high.”

I curse and laugh too. “Can’t believe I’m getting high on Orc mountain, in a different parallel world. I can cross that off my bucket list.” I pause in thought.

“Can you get me a music player and headphones? Please? An hour in a jail cell is brutal with nothing to do.”

He is looking at me like he is a drug lord—must be in his mystic mode now. “I’ll talk to some people and get back to you. I have a few favors owed to me.”

I laugh, feeling a little spacy. Hopefully I don’t fall off the side of the cliff to my death. “You can do that?”

I was only half kidding.

“We are not supposed to, but I can just say I got too high and forgot. Steven’s got you,” he says, and shrugs. “Go now, and don’t get caught.” He waves his hand like he is a king.

A heavy-lidded, high-as-F, king.

I take a deep breath. “Great. Thanks, Steven.”

I sigh and get up, making my way into the dungeon. This is what I am good at—sneaking around and being in places that are restricted.

My eyes quickly adjust to the darkness and I slow my breathing. It’s dark and scary, fire torches lighting up the caves. If an Orc pops out, I’m going to piss myself.

I swallow and find the jail cell that faces the crashing waves with jagged rocks below.

This has to be it.

I take another breath and quickly work the lock, sticking the FGI pick into the rusted hole.

“Hurry! The guards are coming back sooner!”

~

“You just talked in my head!” I yell, and curse, lowering my voice. “Shit.”

I drop the pick and say a stream of swear words. The pot is making my fingers clumsy. I feel sweat dot my forehead as I try again and finally hear the gears shift and open.

I hear the ugly sounds of the Orcs right as I open the heavy metal door and slip inside, locking it back up, hoping they did not just hear that.

Note to self: Don’t get high and try to pick locks again. I’m breathing hard as I wait by the door, praying they do not come in here.

I place my ear on the cold metal to listen, hearing their heavy footfalls walk by the door.

I exhale in relief.

“Dude. That was close. You’re safe!” I hear his sloppy laughter. ~“Dude. I’m a bug right now and I’m flying super high. It’s kinda tripping me out. I’m flying high, and I’m high.~”

~

I roll my eyes. “Don’t kill yourself,” I mutter, turning around. I yelp, not expecting a pair of fire-colored eyes regarding me.

“Hi. Mother of pearl, you scared me,” I whisper, my heart thudding, placing a hand on my chest.

He is big.

Frightening.

The only thing I can see on this man are his eyes, for he is draped in a huge, ratty cloak. I swallow seeing that half of his face is restrained in some kind of spiky leather contraption.

It’s slightly unsettling.

Maybe he bites people like a vampire?

I shiver.

My face is covered except for my eyes in this mesh mask, so I’m not sure if he is alarmed by my presence. Hopefully he does not think I am here to torture him or he might try and kill me.

He can’t be all bad if he is Brayja’s bodyguard. Right? He is mentally challenged, so I’m not sure if he can feel fear.

Strange.

His abnormal gaze follows me.

That is a shocking shade of orange. It glows slightly.

I wave my hand. “I’m just going to sit over here for like an hour. Just ignore my presence, I will be here all week. Sorry about that,” I say awkwardly, and lower down to sit against the wall.

I can hear the crashing waves through the cracks in the rock. “A little drafty in here, huh?”

He says nothing and closes his eyes.

I expel a breath. “Sleep away, don’t mind me.”

Shit.

What am I going to do for an hour? Talk to a guy who is meanly unable to have a conversation? I sigh and look at him, feeling sad that he has been here for a week already.

“Your name is Eluno? Am I saying that right?”

Crazy how FGI automatically makes us speak their native tongue.

His eyes are still closed.

“I don’t like silence,” I admit, talking to myself, resting my head against the freezing stone. “Since I was a little girl, I could never handle it, not sure why. I asked Steven to get me a MP3 player.” I laugh, feeling very high.

“Do you guys have music here? In this world? I'm sure you must,” I muse.

His eyes are still closed.

No matter.

“Do you like to fight? You must, being a bodyguard and all,” I say, not expecting an answer. “I took some karate classes when I was younger. I liked it. My dad was always big on self-defense.”

I laugh, thinking back on it, missing my dad very much. “Eluno, I’m sooooo high right now.” I laugh more, wondering how Steven can do this all day and function.

“And you have no idea what I am talking about.”

Apparently, I talk a lot when I’m high.

No movement from him.

“So is Brayja rich? I mean, he’s a prince, so he must be. As you can probably tell, I’m not an Orc.” I laugh and close my eyes, then immediately open them. “Do not close your eyes. Do—not. Verrrrry trippy.”

I sigh and sit in silence for a while.

I can hear dripping, and it seems to echo in my head.

I think I might be sweating.

“Do they feed you?” I finally ask. “I’m a very good cook. I can make some mean-ass tacos, and I bet you would like fish tacos. Seeing how this whole planet is water.” I realize that I’m ravenous. “Oh shit, I have the munchies.”

So hungry.

Steven better have food on him.

“Steven! How much lonnnnggger. Speak in my head and tell me, oh great mystic!”

It’s probably only been ten minutes.

If Eluno were of sound mind, he would definitely think I’m crazy. His eyes are still closed. Most likely he does not even hear me, poor guy.

If I were stuck in this place as a prisoner, I’d probably kill someone too.

No judging here.

“This place is super scary, by the way. I can’t imagine being here for a week. I’d have so many nightmares.

“And get this—I have a room here. I can’t imagine what it looks like, something out of Hotel Nightmare Magazine: Hell Edition.” I snort. “I’m not touching the bed, trust me. I’d rather sleep on the ground. So gross.”

I pause, trying to get my thoughts together through the weed haze. “I bet the place you are from is beautiful. Not like here. I can’t wait to see it, actually. This will be one lonnnnng week.”

One long-ass week.

“You know I’m not from this planet?” I laugh and exhale, feeling so loopy. “I’m from over the rainbow.” That really makes me laugh. “Over the rainbow where bluebirdddds flllllly,” I sing.

I am an idiot.

Why can’t I stop laughing?

Why is everything so damn funny?

I laugh more, my voice echoing off the rock walls.

Someone kill me.

My stomach hurts from laughing—I’m literally crying.

I’m now laying on the ground, staring up into the dark rock of the ceiling. Maybe Steven does enter mystic levels. Not going to lie, I am feeling a bit mystical.

“We are cellmates. You know what, Eluno? We could become best friends after this.”

That makes me laugh harder.

I roll to my side and lift my legs up, my feet now on the wall. I pull up my cloak back, exposing my fabulous legs. Huh, Pierce put me in a ratty brown gown. No matter, my body still looks hawt.

My legs were sexy before, but now they are fire! My skin is a perfect golden brown, and my legs are toned but also very curvy.

I bet Brayja will definitely like them.

I pull up the cloak even higher to see my prized possession: My arse.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, my rear is big and perfect with a tiny waist. My eyes widen.

“Holy shit, Pierce, what have we here?” My underwear is super hawt! I didn’t even realize I was wearing a skimpy golden thong, being so distracted and all.

How sweet of him.

Pierce is very naughty, but also thoughtful. Maybe he knew I’d be going after Brayja and wanted me to, ahem, accidentally show him.

The golden string sparkles against my tan skin, almost entrancing me in my mystic brain. I laugh, feeling slightly delirious.

I look over to Eluno and gasp.

His fiery gaze is roaming over my legs and half exposed rear and hip. I sit up quickly, pulling down my cloak. Wow, this man is probably so confused.

“Sorry, Eluno. I thought you were sleeping.”

His gaze sears me, making me shiver.

Strange.

Eluno’s gaze does not look . . . slow. In fact, if I did not know this man was slow, I’d think he was very intelligent. The way he is looking at me makes me nervous, almost alarming me.

Maybe I upset his delicate sensibilities?

Maybe he has never seen a woman’s naked legs and butt before?

“I am sorry,” I say slowly. “If my,” I look down, “indecent exposure offended you. You see, my friend gave me some weed.” I wave my hand.

“I’m sure you don’t know what that is, but trust me, I should not have done that and taken such a large hit. Stupid, I know.” I sigh and shrug. He has no idea what I’m talking about.

“I’m usually not this careless on missions. Maybe I’m losing my touch.”

Oh, Camila.

I look back at him, and he regards me very intently now.

His eyes, though.

Maybe this hardened warrior is hot?

“You have amazing eyes, if you don’t mind me saying. Where I’m from people do not possess that brilliant eye color.” I bite my lip as he stares at me, and I slowly crawl towards him.

“Don’t be scared. I just want to see your eyes closer.”

I have never seen such entrancing eyes before.

Maybe Brayja’s will be similar?

I hope so.

I’m closer, and I swallow, my pulse hammering. I can hear the rain pelt the side of the mountain wall, breaking up this deep and peculiar moment.

His gaze is so fierce that I dare not go closer. Eluno’s eyes burn into me. I can see him trace over my hidden face then over my body as if he were intelligent.

Well, he is not brain dead.

Definitely not.

But I can feel him—his extreme power. It’s my gift. I’m able to spy on people’s abilities and steal them for a little while.

I feel so much power from him, which confuses me.

No wonder he is a bodyguard. I’m surprised that these Orcs were able to restrain him. I wonder how they did it. I look at what he is sitting on and it appears to be a rubber platform.

Odd.

I look back at him and see so many swirling colors in his irises—orange and bits of fiery yellow.

“I’m not sure if you realize, but you really do have stunning eyes.”

His eyes narrow.

“That’s a compliment, Eluno.” I wonder if he has ever been complimented before. With eyes like that, I would think that he would have been.

But maybe his harsh demeanor scares everyone off.

“Sweet tits! It’s time to go!”

~

Holy shit, has it been an hour?

How long was I lying on the ground exposing my legs to Eluno?!

I close my eyes—so embarrassing.

No more weed for me.

At least Eluno does not understand. I need to be more careful or I will make a lot of trouble for myself.

Day one: Camila gets super high and exposes her ass to a man who has been tortured for a week on Orc Mountain.

Winning.