Gaphyrk's Prison Diary
Day 4000 in this miserable place...oh, who is Gaphyrk kidding? Gaphyrk has no idea how long it's been. Long, long, long.
When no hope of escape, time moves very slow.
Gaphyrk will write this to pass the time. If no rescue ever comes, at least Gaphyrk's tale will be told here.
While traveling to Asmodae with Elyos goods to trade, Gaphyrk became lost. Good road on top of cliff, but this hapless Shugo could not find them.
So Gaphyrk travelled all alone instead of in company of many merchants who travel the cliff top road.
Other travelers on the cliff tops above, but could not find a way up to them. Gaphyrk was alone in Krall country, and very, very afraid.
Gaphyrk was wandering around blindly when night fell. Panic led this foolish Shugo ever farther from safety.
Gaphyrk stumbled into this Krall camp where he is now a prisoner.
Krall captured this luckless Shugo, and put him in this cage.
Cage is made of wooden bars, fastened together with nails. Gaphyrk tried to pull out nails, but nails were hammered in tight.
Then night fell and rain fell, too. Gaphyrk was cold and hungry.
Finally Kobold brought food, and that made Gaphyrk feel a little better.
Gaphyrk managed to find loose, rusty nail. Keeping eye on Krall supervisors, and pulling on loose nail when they're not looking.
Rest of nails still pretty tight, and Gaphyrk doesn't have anything to use as tool. Maybe Gaphyrk will die here.
Pulled out that rusty nail today! Hope is good, and so is nail to use as tool to loosen more nails.
If Gaphyrk pulls out enough nails in the right places, maybe able to break out someday.
Same Kobold comes every morning and night with food. Seems nicer than other Kobolds, but how can a Kobold be nice anyway? Silly thought.
One more nail halfway out. Gaphyrk's fingers are bleeding.
Kobolds don't care what Gaphyrk does--too busy slaving for Krall to care if I worry loose nails.
Kobold who brings food has seen Gaphyrk loosening nails, and looks the other way.
Kobold who brings food has name--Mimiti.
Gaphyrk asked her in Krallic, and she told. Won't say anything more, though.
Gaphyrk told her in morning, not enough food. Tonight she brought two extra slices of bread. Buttered.
Mimiti works very hard. Many other jobs besides bringing food to this unhappy Shugo. Hardly ever rests.
I feel sorry for her. Is that wrong?
When she brought dinner tonight, Gaphyrk tried to talk her in Krallic.
But she said she wasn't allowed to talk to Gaphyrk, and ran away.
Gaphyrk has now pulled out three nails!
Keep them in a little hiding place, little symbols of hope.
Mimiti will not look at Gaphyrk--looks the other way when she brings food.
Mimiti spoke to Gaphyrk this morning, though she still looks away.
"Tell me if you need anything," she said.
I whispered that I would like some Abex milk.
She left, came back with bottle of Abex milk and went away again. Never looked at me, but always away.
Today Gaphyrk talked to Mimiti while other Kobolds weren't looking.
Mimiti said she'd be in trouble if Krall caught her talking to Gaphyrk--might even kill her.
I said "Go back to your work! Hurry!" That made Mimiti smile.
Gaphyrk has never seen a Kobold smiling.
Mimiti... Mimiti...
Is it possible for a Shugo and a Kobold to marry?
I don't know why I was thinking about that.
Gaphyrk almost forgot about escape plan, but suddenly escape seems more important.
Maybe take poor, overworked Mimiti could escape to Asmodae, too.
Pulled out fourth nail.