Fortress

Elara nods slowly, taking in the information. She tries to remember how she got here, but her memory is foggy.

"What happened to me?" she asks.

"I don't know," the nurse says with a shrug. "You were brought in by some fishermen. They said you were badly injured and barely alive."

Elara thinks for a moment, trying to piece together what might have happened to her. She decides to explore the fortress and try to find out more about her situation.

"Can you tell me how to get out of here?" she asks the nurse.

The nurse hesitates for a moment, then nods and gives Elara directions to the main entrance. Elara thanks her and gets out of bed, testing her strength. She feels weak, but determined.

As she makes her way through the fortress, Elara takes note of the layout and any potential exits. She tries to blend in with the other occupants of the fortress, hoping to avoid drawing attention to herself.

Once she reaches the main entrance, she steps outside and takes a deep breath of fresh air. She surveys the island and the lake, trying to get her bearings. She knows she needs to find out more about what happened to her and how she ended up here, but she's not sure where to start.

Elara keeps her guard up as she takes in her surroundings, scanning for any potential threats. She notices movement out of the corner of her eye and turns to see a figure approaching her. She narrows her eyes and tenses up, preparing for a possible attack.

The figure gets closer, revealing himself to be a scrappy-looking human male with shifty eyes. He introduces himself as Cade, a fellow thief.

Cade tries to engage Elara in conversation, but she is wary and doesn't reveal much about herself. She keeps her hand on her short sword, ready to defend herself if necessary.

Cade attempts to pickpocket Elara, but she's too quick for him. She senses his attempt and deftly dodges out of the way, drawing her sword. "Nice try," she says, keeping her sword pointed at him. "But I'm not an easy mark."

Cade backs off, holding up his hands in surrender. "Hey, I was just trying to make a living," he protests.

Elara eyes him suspiciously. "I'm a thief too," she says. "But I have standards."

Cade shrugs and backs away, disappearing into the shadows. Elara watches him go, feeling a mix of annoyance and pity. She knows what it's like to be desperate, but she's not willing to compromise her morals to survive.