ωнєη тнє ιмρσѕѕιвℓє кєєρѕ уσυ нσℓ∂ιηg ση

[Cʀʏsᴛᴀʟ]

Ryder barely winced as the sharp rocks cut into the skin on his arms. Or, rather, they cut into the half-healed scabs on his arms. His arms never fully healed, and he'd long since grown used to the pain. He reached back as far as he could, his shoulder pressed up against the wall of the pit he had been lowered into. His fingers groped frantically around the hole, searching for the precious crystal. When his fingers found nothing, he gritted his teeth.

Damn it. He was running out of time. The pit was growing darker as the sun set, and he had yet to find something to show for his efforts. He thrust his arm farther inside, grunting in pain as his shoulder strained with the pressure. He felt something brush against his fingertips, so close... but still out of reach. He cried out in frustration and strained even farther, until he felt like his shoulder would dislocate. Finally, though, he managed to close his fingers around the crystal and pull it out of the hole.

He breathed a sigh of relief and called up to the person holding his ropes. He clutched the crystal close to him as he was dragged from the pit and back to relative safety. No one was ever safe at the Pits, though.

[echolight4eva]

Theon Venture clutched his long bullwhip with his strong right hand, stalking from pit to pit like a great cat. His eyes narrowed as the skaa were hauled from the pits one by one, holding their crystals as though they were the only things holding them to life. In fact, they were. If somebody didn't find one, he was useless. And Theon would be able to use his whip until the trash was dead. What a beautiful word, he though, death. He loved inflicting it. Theon looked at one of the skaa being brought up, narrowed his eyes. "Line up! Crystal check!" he yelled, relishing the idea of being able to kill somebody today. He watched as one or two of them begin to sob- these were the ones who hadn't found one today.

[Cʀʏsᴛᴀʟ]

Ryder presented his crystal when the guard came by. He was glad to have it out of his hands. One more week, he thought. One more week alive. He hadn't found any crystals the past six days, and now it was the end of the week. Cutting it a little close. What mattered was he was still alive. Others wouldn't be so lucky. He knew just looking at the other prisoners which had found a crystal this week and which hadn't.

[echolight4eva]

Theon walked past Ryder and glanced at his crystal, nodding and grunting his approval. He moved on to the one next to Ryder, who hadn't found one. Theon let a cruel grin curl his lips. "No crystal? A shame. Take this one away," he said to his fellow guard. "I'll deal with him in a moment."

[Cʀʏsᴛᴀʟ]

Ryder closed his eyes briefly and let out a slow breath. He could still remember when his friend, if you could call him that, had been taken away after failing to find one. He could still hear his screams. Perhaps that was part of the reason he was so afraid to die. He'd never thought of himself as a coward, but the guards here didn't let the prisoners die a painless death. Especially that one. He didn't know the man's name, but he knew he was ruthless. And took pleasure in it.

[echolight4eva]

Theon went down the line, picking out the two others who hadn't found a precious crystal- one man and one woman. Then, he unfurled his long bullwhip, cracking it in the air. The three poor skaa jumped in terror, and Theon smirked.

(What can he control if he is a coinshot? I forgot xD)

[Cʀʏsᴛᴀʟ]

(So coinshots and lurchers and the most difficult to understand. Coinshots can push on metals, which his what it sounds like. They can sense 'lines' to metals, a direct blue line from their core to the object. They can only push the object directly away from them, so they have to have the right angle. If the object is lighter--say, a coin--it will move forward. If it's heavier, the coinshot will be thrown backward. Coinshots have also been known to use smaller objects brace against something stronger to propel themselves, like dropping a coin on the ground and using it (with the street under it) to shoot themselves upward.)

[echolight4eva]

(Right. Okay, thanks.)

Theon had the three victims kneel facing the other line of luckier skaa. He dragged his whip behind him as he walked behind them, aiming the first blow to the first man he'd chosen. The man screamed in agony, his shirt splitting open and blood spurting to the top of his skin. He continued this until all three of them were collapsed and passed out. He smirked again, looking at the three skaa. "They will die soon enough. Leave them here."

[Cʀʏsᴛᴀʟ]

Ryder winced with each blow, and he felt a rush of relief when the three passed out. They would die soon, but at least they would no longer feel pain. It was over for them. They'd found peace. He, on the other hand, had another day to endure. For now, the surviving skaa returned to their pitiful housing and prepared to sleep. They'd be woken as soon as the sun rose to resume their work.

[echolight4eva]

The sun had sunk very low, so the mist began to come out. Theon helped shepherd the remaining skaa to their housing. He still felt the adrenaline from killing the three, so her tripped Ryder as he walked by, towering over him. "Get up," he said mockingly.

[Cʀʏsᴛᴀʟ]

Ryder remained on his hands an knees only for a moment before staggered back to his feet. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, restraining himself from turning on Theon and beating him to a pulp. He wasn't defenseless, and perhaps he could just get himself killed and end this all. It would be worth it to destroy this man's face.

[echolight4eva]

Theon cracked his whip beside him and glared at Ryder. "Move on, filth."

[Cʀʏsᴛᴀʟ]

Ryder took a deep breath and pulled himself together, doing as Theon said and continuing into the shelter. He didn't want to be outside wit the mists, after all. He still reveled in the thought of turning back on the guard as he entered the housing, though.

[echolight4eva]

Theon forced the last few inside and closed the door, heading on to his own, nicer shelter. Before he entered, he turned in time to see the quiet mist swallow the three broken bodies of the filthy skaa he'd killed. He smirked to himself and entered. Inside, he played cards with the other guards by candlelight for about an hour before heading to bed.

[Cʀʏsᴛᴀʟ]

The next morning, Ryder rose with the rest of the skaa. The few that hadn't learned to rise early were beaten by the guards and then sent out with the rest of them to work. Ryder partnered up with another skaa that he trusted enough not to drop him into the pits, though the other man went first. He'd have until noon, and then they would switch.