26 Chapter 26: Blocked

******MASAMUNE POV******

There was a painful thumping invading my burgeoning consciousness. All I could feel was the bone shaking pain of my head pulsing over and over again. I try to groan out with pain, but even that most basic of courtesies is denied to me. In my mouth there is something hard and covered with cloth. I try to open my eyes, but even that is gone.

Trying to move my arms at all is met with instant failure as tight bonds are keeping me secured to what I can only assume is some form of chair.

'Let's try reasoning this out'. I say to myself in a vain attempt to force down the horror that is my current predicament. 'The last thing I did was....something at the bar? Hmm....' I try as hard as I can, but I can't seem to find a reason for me to be hogtied like this! The pulsing in my head isn't going anywhere, but I decide to hedge my bets.

"Mhhhweahhhfds" I scream as loud as I can, but the gag keeps the sound trapped in my throat, maybe going a few feet. The sharp scraping of a chair is the only thing I hear after my scream, and then I wait. There are no footsteps, no words. Then suddenly intense pain as something jams itself into my shoulder. I groan out loudly with pain, and that solicits a small chuckle to my right.

I raise my head and stare where I think I heard the sound. I wait, but it seems that my punishment is over for now.

Now that I have calmed down a bit, the obvious answer of using FUCKING MAGIC finally occurs to me.

'God how could someone ever be as dumb as me!' I admonish myself and attempt to delve into the inner forest that makes up my powers, but to my horror there is nothing there. I delve into my consciousness again and again, but I am always stopped, or sent somewhere else. I have no access to my druidic might, not even my dozens of plant spy's. I'm completely trapped and utterly hopeless.

'God damn it Masamune! You've read enough fantasy from your original world to know, that you should always be aware of your surroundings! Well, complaining won't help me now. What I gotta do for now is escape. Who knows if those girls got, or understood the message I sent them.'

I prayed in my heart that they were on their way to rescue me, but I refuse to be some goddamn princess being rescued all the time! I am a man, I should at least be able to handle my own business every now and then. I have no issue handing problems down to my wife, but I fear highly that this will be beyond what Maya can do.

"So you're the druid huh?" A voice calls to me, contempt clear in the tone. I focus my head towards the voice. "Remove the gag, let's see if this little bird wants to sing." The voice commands and I can feel the presence of at least two more people in the room as my gag is removed. I gasp for a few breaths.

'Who knew gags were so fucking uncomfortable.'

"So little druid boy, how'd you do it?"

'Ugh this question again. I can't really just say that I reincarnated here, and got cheat skills now can I?'

I decide to simply remain silent and wait for them to act further, or ask more questions.

Suddenly a blow to my exposed stomach. I lurch forward the bonds of the ropes keeping me help up as I vomit up yesterdays lunch. I pant softly hoping that it is over, then a blow the side of the head rocks my world. The pain is immense like a million bees are stinging my brain.

The beatings stop as soon as the started, and just as I am recovering I feel a cold sensation on my neck. I gulp softly as what I expect to be a dagger caresses my neck softly.

"Oh I see, the druid boy is quite resilient isn't he?" The voice asks into the void, I can sense their presence get much closer to me as if they were in my embrace.

"Now, all you gotta do is talk to me druid. Just tell me how you got your powers and all of this ends!" The voice is emphatic and so very sincere. If I was a dumber man I may even believe it, but I'm no fool. The second I talk is the second I lose the only value I hold right now.

An idea does begin to take root though, 'if I can just get access to my forest again I can escape.'

I take a few calming breaths and start talking to my assailant. "It's quite simple you see, I simply got the blessing of Luna." A small smile gracing my lips. 'There you go asshole, decipher that shit.' I had finally found a fantastic use for knowing all languages on the planet. Every word I said was in a completely different dead language from this world. The only word spoken in Common tongue was 'Blessing'.

I want them to simply think I can't speak, but I am cooperative. If I can't ride that delicate line a bit longer....if...

I try to delve into my forest again, and the resistance seems to be weakening slightly. What was once an immovable wall is now....a slightly smaller...still immovable wall.

Suddenly vision returns to me. I gasp softly as my eyes contract at the blinding invasion of the torchlight.

It seems like I'm in someones root cellar. There isn't much room above us, and the sad room only contains a few earthen ware jars. I'm only able to see one person, and that is a taller man with straight black hair and imperious brows. In a word, I would sadly call him Beautiful. Much like the elves, this human was so pretty to even make me stunned.

He looks at me curiously and laughs slightly. I lick my lips, "Who is?"

I ask simply, and even that sentence has a thick accent from the Snake Peoples language.

The only accent I've heard since coming here, would be the occasional word that Maya says, so I had to hope that I pieced together a believable performance.

An arrogant smile followed by a simple bow from the gorgeous man, "I'm sure you won't know my name, but perhaps my fathers. Keaser Rudolph. The first king of the human empire."

A grim smile forms on my lips as I look at the man.

'Of course it's the humans. Greedy, jealous, and petty. What other race would stoop so low as to kidnap someone, and expect to only get instant rewards.

Now I know what I had long suspected. This world is violent and mysterious, but most importantly this world was infested. Infested with a race I was once a member, humans.

I make a solemn vow in my heart, if Maya is able to rescue me then I will burn down Rudolph kingdom no matter the cost. My lives drive would be the decimation of this empire that dared to impede me.

I would have been more than happy to work with them, had the but asked. Instead they chose blood. Well, so do I!

In the ancient demon tongue I look at my assailant and in a grim tone, "I'm going to kill your king you fucking rat! This world has never seen a conquest as terrible as mine will be!"

He stares at me dumbly, hoping to glean the secrets of the druids.