It started with a breeze carrying a coquettish giggle.
The world slowed to a crawl, then halted entirely. All except for Soules, though where his body stubbornly refused movement, his mind remained lucid. Time had stopped without, but not at all within.
There was that laugh again.
Like a character out of a storybook, an Elven girl stepped out from behind one of the soldiers. Hair like dancing flames caught the light as she spun in a playful, hypnotic dance.
"Quite a predicament you've landed in, hmm?" she laughed, taking amusement in the situation. "But where gods and kings won't answer... I am here."
She walked, occasionally skipping and hopping like a little girl as she circled the soldiers that had Soules as their captive.
"So... What madness took you, hmm?" she asked innocently. "What drives a man to such a long death?"
She stopped for a moment, tapping her chin. With realization, she clarified: "Oh, don't worry about speaking..." said the girl. She tapped a finger against the side of her head. "I can hear you just as well."