Chapter 68 - Larudo's Save

       Lanaru wailed as the flaming whip snapped across her back sending orange sparks flying around her, landing in her ash-stained hair. Hot tears streamed down her face as the pain blinded her vision. Why was this happening to her? Why did it half to be her? What was her purpose on these lands? She screamed once more as Zant lashed with the whip.

"You idiotic mongrel! You let them get away! You FELL UNCONCIOUS!"

      Zant had been furious that she had not killed anyone or anything. The only hint of battle was her blood-stained fur and scarred face.  But that had not satisfied him. He told his slaves to give him a weapon, any weapong, that he could use as her punishment. And they had came out with this red-hot whip, like that of the iron use use to mark a horse. It glowed red anmd orange, like that of blood, sending her fear and uncertianty.

"You are useless! My spells have been weakend by your 'Master's' abilities! And I have not the strength to dose you with more! I was right ot rid these lands of the Halfies! And if you keep it up, your race will be extinct, you being the last to fall!" He hit her across the face making her spiral through the air, craching against the floor. Zant turned away and paced around in frustration. Lanaru writhed on the cold floor with heaves of sobs. "my god was infuriated with you! He said to give you the most severe punishment I could think of! You're lucky I'm goig easy on you! But now, you must have penance. Something to make up for your mistakes..."

"Just leave her alone already!" A female voice called out, with the rattle of chains and the creaking of a door. "She's still young! What better can she do!? You monster! Why do you torture her like this!? What harm has she caused to you!?!"

"Shut up you mangy slave! You have no say in this matter! Leave my domain now!" Zant hissed without turinng to look at the new arrival.

"Not until you let her go! What If I declared her penence? I can decide what to do with her! Really, I will!" Lanaru heard the voice cry despretely. She wasn't feeling well enough to look at the guest. She could only whimper in a rugged voice.

"No, your punishment will not be great enough. She needs something that will content my god." Zant declared.

"Lock her up with me! I will provide for her! She will do the jobs I do with me. We will serve!" Lanaru perked her head a little and slowly raised her head to see who was trying to save her. At the entrance to the torture chamber, there stood a hooded figure with a slender body. She was much shorter than Zant, yet much taller than her. The only facial feature she caught was the glint of almond eyes that seemed to be famliar to Lanaru, yet she couldn't place it. Her arms were bared with Twili markings curling in the pattern of vines and the coils of that of a snake. On her wrists rested cuffs of iron with rusted chain links dangling from them. Same went for her bare feet and ankles.

    Zant turned his head in her direction, "Is this how much you long for this mutt's freedom? To take her under that of your own care?"

"Yes! I'll do anything!" The girl said with a sigh, "Just stop hurting her. She's only a little girl, what skills make you think she is worthy to fight your true enemy?"

  Zant remained mute to the comment, but pressed on, "Fine, take her with you. But make sure she does everything you do. And while you're at it, teach her to fight why don't you!"

"Y-yes sire! Of course!" The girl rushed ot Lanaru and whispered to her, "It will be alright, I promise you. I'll take good care of you, don't you fret. Zant won't be able to touch you."

  Lanaru gave her a small smile, and looked into the hood of which she concealed her face. Some of her midnight-black hair fell out of her hood, and her skin was very pale. Delicate fingers wrapped around her arms as the girl ,who seemed ot only be fourteen or fifteen, carried her out of Zant's sight. She was gentle and careful not to let go of Lanaru's small figure. She led her into a deongeon-like place where small monsters nibbled on the bones of the fallen and the crumbs of extra food. The floors were grimed with mold and decay and the bars of each cell was rusted in maroon. Sewage puddles cmae about with wooden crates and shafts floated upong it's surface.

    Grabbing the handle of a cell much like the others, Lanaru's rescuer walked in, cursing as she saw that a rat had eaten her dinner. She set Lanaru down on a bed of straw and sighed. Lanaru glamced around wondering what she would have to do here. What jobs did this slave have?

"Okay, I believe this will do." The girl said taking her hood off. Her hair reached down to her shoulder blades and her face was etched of that of sadness and longing and her ears were that of normal Hylians: pointed. "May I ask your name?" She said kneeling by Lanaru's side.

"I-I'm Lan-Lanaru." Lanaru whispered hesitantly, still shaken by past events.

"Lanaru? Very good. My name is... Larudo."

"Larudo? That name seems familar to me. Why is this?" Lanaru asked with a small cock of her head.

"I am familar to you? Is this so? Well, I don't believe we've met before, since I have been here for quite a long time." Larudo said with a chuckle, "But If my family is still in existance, maybe you have met them before and they have told you about me. Though.. I doubt my parents really care that I'n gone. The only one who truely treated my existance as something worth celebrating was my older sister Seigh-Ri."

  Lanaru blinked with surpise and began to imagine Seigh-Ri. The one thing that matched up to both girls were their eyes. The same chocolate brown eyes that showed sorrow and revenge. "S-Seigh-Ri!?!" Lanaru squeaked, "I know her! She's my clone's friend!"

 Larudo recoiled away in shock and hissed, "She's alive? My sister lives and is in good health!? Oh praise Lanayru!" (HA! Now people are worshiping me!)

"Yes! She's worried sick about you! She's search wide and far for you and wishes to stop at nothing to save you!" Lanaru said with a smile, "She's coming for you, Lilth."

"Lilth!? You must know Seigh! Seigh always called me Lilth!" Larudo broke down in tears and pulled Lanaru close to her in an embrace, "Thank you for telling me this! I am forever grateful for this news!"

"Yes, and hopefully they will rescue us from this awful place and take us home! Home to my Master and home to Lanayru!" Lanaru exclaimed with a sob, "Home, home home!"

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