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Description
The soft light illuminated the dank cell. The ragged forms of other inmates cringed, trying to decide whether to get closer to the welcoming light, or risk the dark in fear of what our capturers would do if they saw me using my magic. I didn't care, it's my magic. By my magic I'll live, by my magic I'll die.
"Come now!" someone hissed. I looked up from the young mage I was preparing to heal. In the corner, a rag covered mage sat, blinking his eyes that had become accustomed to the dark. The glow between my hands pulsed, waiting for my command. "They'll come in an' chop your head off!"
"They're going to behead me no matter what I do," I murmured, returning my attention to the dying mage. I lowered the ball of light to the young girl's chest. Her breathing was uneven and her fearful eyes followed the progress of the orb. The light slowly flattened, resting like a blanket over her weakened form. I knew she had little time. She looked perhaps no older than sixteen.
"You may be doin' that for honor, Doctor, but a worse death is waitin' for her by the hands of them soldiers," he muttered.
I sighed, feeling the slight drain from stitching her wound together. "Death comes when it will, but this child's time is not now." He scoffed, shuffling back into his corner. I was relieved. It was hard enough healing such a serious wound without being reprimanded for it.
A loud scraping was heard, jerking all of our attentions to the door. The heavy metal frame opened and in came three soldiers, one of them wearing a blood red cape. I quickly looked down at the girl. Her eyes were fearful, but clear. My magic did its work. My gaze returned to the soldiers as they surveyed their prisoners. I tried hiding my exhaustion, I kept my back rigged. The last mage who had been caught using his magic wasn't just killed, but beaten within an inch of his life, then left to starve. We were all due for the gallows, but as long as we drew breath, we had a chance.
The one with the red cape rested his gaze on me. His dark hair was matted with dirt, his face pale and smudged with filth. His silver armor, an exact match to his comrades, was stained with what looked like blood. He and his men looked weary, this war taxing them as much as us mages. The only part of him that didn't look broken or tired, was his eyes. They were alive with determination, as if he had a fire in him that even the horrors of war couldn't snuff out.
"You," he said, his voice clear. I pulled myself to my feet, every part of me in full control, less I give away my fear. I reminded myself of who had the magic, who's people were killed just for the fact that they were different, that they had more than the average humans. I looked upon this soldier with he same contempt I had been shown when I was first captured and brought here. The mage in the corner shook his head as if he thought I deserved whatever punishment the soldiers gave me. The young girl propped herself on her elbows, staring up at me with fear.
The soldier stared back at me, a slight smile creeping over his face. It infuriated me that I had fallen this far, that I had been captured only to be smirked at by this murderer, this stealer of homes, this warmonger. "I see you have been keeping your strength. Would it be because of your magic?" I said nothing, my fists clenching. He sighed, his face now looking ten years older with weariness. "You are a Light Mage, correct?"
"That is correct…" I muttered, realizing that they weren't here to hand out punishment. I kept my face passive as he turned back to his men. One of them kept their face as still as mine, the other merely nodding, as if to encourage their commander.
With a sigh he turned to me, squaring his shoulders and saying in a clear voice. "I have a proposition for you. Our General is on the brink of death, and our doctor's can do nothing. We will give you freedom if you use your… magic to save his life."
I stared at him, my mouth slightly agape. Was he trying to fool me? My fellow prisoners were deathly silent, not one of them daring to move. I regained my posture and steeled my voice. "Why should I heal the leader of the army that killed so many of my fellow mages, who looked the other way as your men slaughtered mage children?"
The soldier grimaced, as if he actually felt guilty. "I do not wish to be asking this of you, mage but-"
"Doctor. Just because I have magic doesn't mean I didn't study medicine, same as your surgeons," I snapped.
He seemed surprised, raising his hand to stop one of the other soldiers from pulling out his sword. "It's alright…" he stared at me in a new light. "I see. Well, Doctor, I don't wish to be asking this either. But we'll give you your freedom. If we see you in later days, we'll pretend you don't exist and leave you be. This isn't acceptable?" I saw in his eyes his desperation. This general must be important to them. I can use this to my advantage.
"I can heal your general. But!" I raised a hand as he came towards me to unbind my shackles. "On my terms, not yours."
He blinked, taking a step back. "And those are?" he said, his expression wary.
"You'll release these other people here, they have done nothing." I continued as he opened his mouth to speak. "I can see you want to do the right thing and that you believe we mages are tricksters, liars, schemers, but I assure you, we are as human as you." The soldier who had kept his face blank this whole time scoffed.
Their commander continued to stare at me with a smirk. "I would argue with you, but the General needs immediate attention." He motioned for a soldier to release me. "The others will be released with orders not to be harmed as they make their escape once I'm sure you have healed the General." The heavy shackles were unchained from my feet and one of his soldiers roughly grabbed my arm.
"Come on then!" he said gruffly. I was walked out, the one with the red cape in front of me. He turned back to me, the smirk on his face there as he noticed me trying to keep a stoic face.
"I am Commander Sycroft. Do not worry, the General pays well to those who earn his trust. Mage or not."
I followed behind him, my mind working furiously. Commander Sycroft, trust can be easily given to those who save lives. That does not mean it is well placed.

Description
The soft light illuminated the dank cell. The ragged forms of other inmates cringed, trying to decide whether to get closer to the welcoming light, or risk the dark in fear of what our capturers would do if they saw me using my magic. I didn't care, it's my magic. By my magic I'll live, by my magic I'll die.
"Come now!" someone hissed. I looked up from the young mage I was preparing to heal. In the corner, a rag covered mage sat, blinking his eyes that had become accustomed to the dark. The glow between my hands pulsed, waiting for my command. "They'll come in an' chop your head off!"
"They're going to behead me no matter what I do," I murmured, returning my attention to the dying mage. I lowered the ball of light to the young girl's chest. Her breathing was uneven and her fearful eyes followed the progress of the orb. The light slowly flattened, resting like a blanket over her weakened form. I knew she had little time. She looked perhaps no older than sixteen.
"You may be doin' that for honor, Doctor, but a worse death is waitin' for her by the hands of them soldiers," he muttered.
I sighed, feeling the slight drain from stitching her wound together. "Death comes when it will, but this child's time is not now." He scoffed, shuffling back into his corner. I was relieved. It was hard enough healing such a serious wound without being reprimanded for it.
A loud scraping was heard, jerking all of our attentions to the door. The heavy metal frame opened and in came three soldiers, one of them wearing a blood red cape. I quickly looked down at the girl. Her eyes were fearful, but clear. My magic did its work. My gaze returned to the soldiers as they surveyed their prisoners. I tried hiding my exhaustion, I kept my back rigged. The last mage who had been caught using his magic wasn't just killed, but beaten within an inch of his life, then left to starve. We were all due for the gallows, but as long as we drew breath, we had a chance.
The one with the red cape rested his gaze on me. His dark hair was matted with dirt, his face pale and smudged with filth. His silver armor, an exact match to his comrades, was stained with what looked like blood. He and his men looked weary, this war taxing them as much as us mages. The only part of him that didn't look broken or tired, was his eyes. They were alive with determination, as if he had a fire in him that even the horrors of war couldn't snuff out.
"You," he said, his voice clear. I pulled myself to my feet, every part of me in full control, less I give away my fear. I reminded myself of who had the magic, who's people were killed just for the fact that they were different, that they had more than the average humans. I looked upon this soldier with he same contempt I had been shown when I was first captured and brought here. The mage in the corner shook his head as if he thought I deserved whatever punishment the soldiers gave me. The young girl propped herself on her elbows, staring up at me with fear.
The soldier stared back at me, a slight smile creeping over his face. It infuriated me that I had fallen this far, that I had been captured only to be smirked at by this murderer, this stealer of homes, this warmonger. "I see you have been keeping your strength. Would it be because of your magic?" I said nothing, my fists clenching. He sighed, his face now looking ten years older with weariness. "You are a Light Mage, correct?"
"That is correct…" I muttered, realizing that they weren't here to hand out punishment. I kept my face passive as he turned back to his men. One of them kept their face as still as mine, the other merely nodding, as if to encourage their commander.
With a sigh he turned to me, squaring his shoulders and saying in a clear voice. "I have a proposition for you. Our General is on the brink of death, and our doctor's can do nothing. We will give you freedom if you use your… magic to save his life."
I stared at him, my mouth slightly agape. Was he trying to fool me? My fellow prisoners were deathly silent, not one of them daring to move. I regained my posture and steeled my voice. "Why should I heal the leader of the army that killed so many of my fellow mages, who looked the other way as your men slaughtered mage children?"
The soldier grimaced, as if he actually felt guilty. "I do not wish to be asking this of you, mage but-"
"Doctor. Just because I have magic doesn't mean I didn't study medicine, same as your surgeons," I snapped.
He seemed surprised, raising his hand to stop one of the other soldiers from pulling out his sword. "It's alright…" he stared at me in a new light. "I see. Well, Doctor, I don't wish to be asking this either. But we'll give you your freedom. If we see you in later days, we'll pretend you don't exist and leave you be. This isn't acceptable?" I saw in his eyes his desperation. This general must be important to them. I can use this to my advantage.
"I can heal your general. But!" I raised a hand as he came towards me to unbind my shackles. "On my terms, not yours."
He blinked, taking a step back. "And those are?" he said, his expression wary.
"You'll release these other people here, they have done nothing." I continued as he opened his mouth to speak. "I can see you want to do the right thing and that you believe we mages are tricksters, liars, schemers, but I assure you, we are as human as you." The soldier who had kept his face blank this whole time scoffed.
Their commander continued to stare at me with a smirk. "I would argue with you, but the General needs immediate attention." He motioned for a soldier to release me. "The others will be released with orders not to be harmed as they make their escape once I'm sure you have healed the General." The heavy shackles were unchained from my feet and one of his soldiers roughly grabbed my arm.
"Come on then!" he said gruffly. I was walked out, the one with the red cape in front of me. He turned back to me, the smirk on his face there as he noticed me trying to keep a stoic face.
"I am Commander Sycroft. Do not worry, the General pays well to those who earn his trust. Mage or not."
I followed behind him, my mind working furiously. Commander Sycroft, trust can be easily given to those who save lives. That does not mean it is well placed.