darkSpyro

Huntress glared at Raclaw, as he predicted, not taking well the comment.
“Oh, so I do my part perfectly and obediently, and I can’t even see the results!?” she scoffed.
“Typical for him to want all the glory! But fine! I’ll just rendezvous with the other minotaurs.” she finally said, begrudgingly leaving so she would be far away from the action and not get in the way, since that’s the impression the order gave. She would’ve stayed and be the extra help in case the beast left it’s lair, but since her job was already done, she was cast aside like garbage. She was quite furious. Risar was the only one she wanted to answer to, but since it was clear he played favorites with Latnok and his pet, she decided that obeying was better to avoid getting into more trouble and have Latnok dislike her more than he already did. This was her first, and probably last job at high seas. She was not going to get paid enough to be treated this way. But... the dragon was humongous. If it escaped, she’ll probably still have the chance to shoot it even if she was far away from the lair. The thought put her in a slightly better mood.

Huntress was not the only one in a bad mood. Locked up in his laboratory, a certain scientist was throwing a chair in a tantrum. Things were not going his way lately. First the hybrid Maverick, who has been rejecting his offer for years. Then Angora, a troll who is a goldmine of scientific potential, is working in a dirty place full of creatures that are her kind’s main predator, didn’t agree on his offer of getting her out of there to be safe at last, and could be dead by now, all for the sake of a stupid animal that should be eating her. And then the satyr girl. A species that hasn’t been seen in decades. Instead of learning from her, the king is treating her as another lowlife criminal! He still didn’t know about the centaur, and was unaware of the slightly better treatment. Why was he the only one in this stupid city with half a brain? Why was the law more important than scientific knowledge? Or even common sense? Growling almost like a beast, Draikon drank the liquid from the bottle he kept around his neck, calming down a bit. The lab was too distracting, and some things triggered his anger, like the notes he had on Veris, so he went underground, to the place where he was growing the special plants. It brought him peace. Perhaps he should sleep there tonight, and hope tomorrow was going to be a much better day. The newspaper or the next soldier that comes through that door better bring him some good news. He couldn’t stand all the events that were currently happening, and doubted he could take even one ounce of bad news...

With one final swing, the lock on the door shattered, and Leoquin pushed it open. He was hungry on account of the rations in the jail being rather meager, but he had to get out of this place before anyone could realize what happened. The Raging Serpent would be waiting for him - hopefully, anyway.
Once in the spring, his transformation was swift. Swimming to the bottom, he soon found his way back to the ocean surrounding the area. He would need a minute to find his bearings; he tried to recall how he was transported to the jail.

At the lair, the islanders worked diligently under the instruction of the architects among them - and those who heard the exchange resulting from the cow comparison were a little more careful with what they said. Slowly, as the work came to completion, islanders were sent back home in groups. The most visible sign of the pillars weakening was the chipping away all along their lengths; they were also softened using acids.
Latnok, sensing the work near completion, redoubled his efforts, detecting the foundations nearby. This point he would have to hurry at; there would only be so much time, once he was close, before his efforts would awaken the Queen.

With Chester close, Maverick started to doze off, but would suddenly wake up, not wanting to be asleep if something really bad happened outside...

Following the tunnel, Lyon and Lydia found a small body of water, just as the old merman had predicted. It was barely a lake. It was mostly a large puddle at best, but the stalactites were dripping with water, so they could stay hydrated and have a small shower. There were a few openings above, but due to the thickness of the trees above, the moon’s light didn’t enter. Maybe the sun could, but they would have to wait to see. It was a spacious place, and enough for them to rest. This part of the tunnel actually looked more nature made than part of the mine.
“You were right daddy. This place is perfect.” Lydia said, smiling for the first time in a while. She took a dip in the puddle, which was deep enough to reach her waist. Her legs immediately transformed into a tail, and while she couldn’t swim in such a tiny space, she didn’t mind as long as she felt the water. It wasn’t as dirty as she was expecting.

Lyon proceeded to take a dip himself after looking around the place for a while.
“This place will provide us with a nice resting spot. If General Brinecrag and his men are looking for us, they’ll do it above land. I didn’t spot any dogs or tracking animals when I explored the base, so that will further complicate their search. We’ll stay here, and tomorrow morning, we’ll go search for bats or flying snakes. They like places like this, but like everyone, they have to go outside to feed. We’ll follow them to the outside, and hunt some for breakfast before we press forward.” Lyon suggested, with Lydia retching at the thought of eating any of those animals. But with their predicament, she knew she couldn’t be asking for delicious feasts. They had to resist for as long as possible.

"The work up here is almost complete.," Raclaw confirmed telepathing to Latnok. "So uh-- Risar, I didn't catch a last name. Do you have one?," one of the residents asked curious as to the Minotaur lifestyle. He was perhaps trying not to get on the Minotaurs' bad side. "Gentem. Risar Gentem.," he decided to oblige the request. Gentem-- House Gentem. The name would've stood for something had it belonged to anyone but an Minotaur; he recalled the day he applied for citizenship in Aelinon. He could've technically chosen any name, but opted to use the name he knew. He knew it could've led someone to him, but he also knew that anyone from homeland couldn't touch him once he was a citizen. The irony-- Wearing the name of your captors to avoid prosecution from your captors. And it never escaped him how it might even taught them once they had found out...

As everyone else finished their work, Latnok reached the foundations of the pillars. For good measure, he downed the last of the potion, before pushing even harder. The noise was unmistakable - slowly, it began to filter into the dreams of the Queen. Latnok was carving the space to launch arrows at all four bases from one spot.
When was the last time he pushed this hard? The only thing he could remember was the fight with Darkmatter - and he wasn't pushing as hard as now. This sounded so much easier and tolerable when he was drafting the plan. The limitation at the moment was not the energy - he had plenty to spare due to the potion he drank - but willpower and pain tolerance. Still, he had to keep going - he was almost there, and failure meant death.

That night, Tyrus slept, missing his father. The truth was, sometimes he wanted to cry - but he wasn't a five-year-old. Well, he was, but he shouldn't be acting like one, at last he didn't think he should. Some part of the unique combination of his parents' heritage made him and his sister develop more quickly. Still, if he cried, Alana would be needling him about it forever, and she was annoying enough. All he could do was hope his father came back safely.
Ilasi, in the meantime, struggled to sleep. She missed the comforting presence of her husband, the man who saw her as more than just another errand girl. She missed the warmth of his body, the softness of his hair contrasting with the firmness of his muscles. She missed knowing whether he was safe, or still alive... and whether he was thinking about her. One thing was for sure - they had a lot of catching up to do once he got back.

Huntress reunited with a group of minotaurs that were in the outer area of the lair, far from the action but close enough to see the entrance. If the Queen woke up before Latnok had a chance to escape, he would be the first one fried, or eaten. She didn’t hate him enough to wish his death, but hoped he could at least have a bit of a scare. He deserved it after refusing to be a gentleman. It was going to be a proper karma.

Alana, missing her father dearly, has made her fail to notice how much Tyrus was missing him too. She wasn’t pranking him as much as before, though she sometimes did in hopes that could distract her from her own feelings. Maverick could be gone for weeks, or even months, so there was no guarantee when exactly would he be coming back. Noticing her brother was awake too, she decided to make some small talk.
“So... when do you think Angora will be back? She could tell us more about her job. Maybe something exciting happened? Or she could tell us about the adventures she had with father and Mr. Shade... or... um... how did she befriended a behemoth...” Alana said with some stammering, changing the subject of her father. Both she and Tyrus loved the story and anecdotes Angora told, especially when their father was involved, but hearing more about their adventures was probably going to make them miss Maverick even more, so perhaps it was better if she left them for another day. Alana usually kept track on when Angora was going to have her weekly break, but in her depression, she has forgotten. Plus she removed the calendar she kept for the time being. Counting the days since her father left was becoming torturous, so she removed it until he came back.

The area was clear - and not a moment too soon. It was apparent from Raclaw's own senses that the Queen was beginning to rouse from her sleep. In quick succession, Latnok charged and fired an arrow for each of the four pillars. He had to get out. Fast.
By the time he started sprinting, Kesivara was picking up her head, groggily opening her eyes. Being a dragon, it would take her a little to wake up and gain her bearing. Latnok didn't have much time.
He wanted to create more space, but had to settle for being away from the most dangerous areas. It wasn't just his own life at stake, after all. After gaining a little distance, he set off all of the arrows and bolts.
The explosions ruptured the supports of the complex, breaking apart the already weakened pillars. No longer being able to support its own weight, first the upper ceiling collapsed - facilitated by the explosions - and then the lower levels collapsed as the weight of the levels above came down. Kesivara was only just coming to her senses as the ceiling - and everything she had worked so hard to build for centuries - came crashing down onto her, like the weight of the centuries of subjugation she subjected her people to.
The area around Latnok was starting to crumble. Thinking quickly, he created a temporary barrier with force magic, to guide the falling rocks around him such that they created a nook that would shelter him from other falling debris.
"Damn it... this is trouble," Latnok telepathed to Raclaw. He wasn't in the worst of the collapse, and would be safe for now - but he was caught. Maybe he would figure something out - later. Right now, he was a little burnt out. He just needed to lie down for a little bit... just a little, he told himself, as his consciousness faded.

Though he couldn't tell that Alana was doing it deliberately, Tyrus was glad she wasn't actively reminding him of their father. "Well, uh, didn't she have that contract thingy that was running out soon?" Tyrus noted. "I think it was, anyway, if I remember what Mom said. I tried asking Mr. Latnok about it when I was at the shelter, since he's part of the same company she works for. But he said it... wasn't his problem."
Latnok, who was typically very pleasant and kind as far as Tyrus knew, seemed at least a little annoyed with such a question, though the mood didn't last. Latnok went through great effort to keep his worst side hidden from children - very few (if any at all) knew anything about his history, and he gave only vague answers when asked about any fighting he had done.

Huntress was away of the action, but having been a bounty hunter for years, she felt there was some trouble. Placing her hand on the ground, she felt the earth moving as the force bolt activated and the whole thing came crashing down... but there was something else. A different kind of rumbling. Was the Queen... waking up? It was too soon, especially for a beast her size. If she managed to get out, she was going to see them and take her anger out on them no doubt. While Huntress was eager to kill a dragon and had been wishing for Kesivara to show up so she could be the one delivering the finishing blow, now that the moment of truth was so near, she was... nervous. It took a lot to scare Huntress, but as hard as it was to admit to herself, she was terrified. She didn’t even know dragons could reach behemoth size, and given that they were already deadly when they were barely The Scourge of Redwater’s size, she didn’t even want to imagine one the size of the mighty beasts of Aelinon. She got her crossbow ready just in case, her hands shaking. She couldn’t die there. Not far away from her home. Whether they were burned to a crisp or devoured whole, both scenarios would mean there wouldn’t be any remains of them left behind. Not exactly the kind of noble death anyone wanted. There was still much she needed to do, especially give Maverick a painful lesson, for a past that he was still unfamiliar with for some reason. He needed to know... who she was...

Alana had completely forgotten about the contract as well.
“Oh yes. The contract. You’re right. I mean, her job is cool, but I get if she wants to leave it. It seems exhausting. I wonder if she’ll come with another bite mark. It makes her seem so cool and tough.” Alana said rather giddily, unaware on how painful and traumatizing it was getting attacked by a poisonous wyvern.
“Mr. Latnok... I’ve seen him once. He looked kinda scary, but seemed friendly enough. I wonder why he never liked Angora. I mean, she said she has helped taking care of his doggie and the fluffy dragon he has. You’d think he’d be a little bit grateful...?” Alana stated, only meeting Latnok once in her life by chance when she accompanied Tyrus to the shelter. But she knew from both Angora and her father that he and the troll weren’t fond of each other, even though Maverick has tried changing that many times the few times they met. Both she and Tyrus never saw the nasty side of past Angora that made Latnok dislike her so much, even though the troll has already confessed she was quite a jerk before they were born. Still, the new Angora was nice and likable. How could Mr. Latnok still hate her, even when she helped with his companions? Was it because she was a troll? Now like her father, Alana was starting to wish she could make peace between them.

What was once a lair was now a huge, rubble-covered sinkhole in the ground. The rubble shook violently, as the Queen thrashed about in her anger and desperation.
Several minutes passed - but eventually, the shaking weakened. Through the gaps in the rocks filtered smoke and light, an obvious display of the Queen's desperation as she lashed out in any way she could. In the end, a dragon was not a behemoth - they simply did not have the physical strength. As big as Kesivara was, her entire lair had come down on her.

As Leoquin swam, he heard the very loud sound of something crashing in the distance. Just what was going on? There was no way that was normal. Was the Queen on the move? Did the ship even stay? He had to hurry.

While Huntress was still waiting for any sign of the dragon, Maverick was still clinging to Chester, failing to notice Leoquin nearby. He was just worried that any moment now, the dragon’s giant face would appear in the horizon, out for blood...

At the wyvern pens, everybody was already falling asleep, all except the young man with the wyvern’s bite. He was contemplating his wound as he tried to conceal sleep.
“How dare that beast attack me after I’m literally the hand that feeds it?” he complained, with his roommate accustomed to his whining.
“It’s an animal. You can’t expect it to rationalize from right and wrong.” he pointed out.
“As if! Tell that to the boss’ beast! It’s caretaker is literally a troll! Like, aren’t wyverns suppose to eat them?” he declared, with his roommate sighing.
“That again? Seriously dude, just let it go! Nobody knows how and why the wyvern doesn’t attack her, but that’s the way it is. The boss’s wyvern is special, and that just shows it.” the roommate said, tired of the same complains.
“It’s not just that anymore! Just yesterday, the wyvern actually defended her from another one! Did you see in what poor state it was left in!? It chose a, a prey instead of it’s own kind. Defended a troll as if it was the owner! Don’t you find that outrageous!? What’s wrong with the beast’s mind? The food chain here is just plain crazy!” the young man yelled, finding it unacceptable and unfathomable that Angora could have such a strong bond with a wyvern, while he, a human, was just bitten by the one he feeds.
“Listen, I’m just as confused as everyone else in here, but you have to learn not to let this antagonize you. Troll or not, she’s still another employee, one that somehow managed to bond with a wyvern. That’s it. And if you continue pulling stunts like today, you’re gonna get fired for sure.” he insisted, not understanding why would anyone feel disturbed by such a thing. In fact, it was quite fascinating.
“That’s it? That’s it!? No that’s not it! First of all, why is a TROLL working!? And getting paid!? Aren’t Guardians suppose to be protecting humanity from creatures like that!? And why are you referring to it as a she!?” he asked, clearly harboring an intense hatred for the little employee.
“Have you even seen her? She’s a troll with magic that speaks perfect English. And she’s, like, super tiny. And she has never hurt anyone in the five years she has worked here. I really wish you’d stop this nonsense. Now go to sleep. It’s getting late. If they catch you drowsy again, you’ll keep giving them excuses to fire you.” the roommate suggested, though it was more to end the conversation than giving him friendly advice.

With his roommate clearly not in the mood to talk anymore, the young man had no choice but to keep his thoughts to himself. The only good troll was a dead troll. He has only recently started working here, but he already knew much about Angora interrogating the rest of the caretakers when they ate in the cafeteria. He really wanted to be a Guardian and have much power. It was stupid that someone with his potential was denied. He thought he could prove himself by working as a caretaker, but he couldn’t even bond with the ungrateful wyvern he fed. While Angora managed to bond with one and always get close to it, even feeding it by hand. And not just any wyvern either. The Godfather’s wyvern. It was unacceptable! And because of her magic, and now Veris’ intervention, none of the other wyverns have been able to to kill her. How he wished she could just die. The fact that a troll of all creatures managed to befriend a wyvern while he couldn’t was just too humiliating.

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What was once a lair was now a huge, rubble-covered sinkhole in the ground. The rubble shook violently, as the Queen thrashed about in her anger and desperation.
Several minutes passed - but eventually, the shaking weakened. Through the gaps in the rocks filtered smoke and light, an obvious display of the Queen's desperation as she lashed out in any way she could. In the end, a dragon was not a behemoth - they simply did not have the physical strength. As big as Kesivara was, her entire lair had come down on her.

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"Damn it... this is trouble," Latnok telepathed to Raclaw. He wasn't in the worst of the collapse, and would be safe for now - but he was caught. Maybe he would figure something out - later. Right now, he was a little burnt out. He just needed to lie down for a little bit... just a little, he told himself, as his consciousness faded.

"Latnok-- hang in there! I'm coming!," Raclaw telepathed although he couldn't be certain the message got to its recipient. It was obvious that Latnok was trapped and that his best friend needed his help ASAP. "I'm coming-- I'm coming!," he shouted at no-one in particular. As Latnok's consciousness faded, so too did his 'signal.' And unlike himself, the Guardian didn't have a collar that could constantly transmit past his own efforts. But it was enough for him to get a rough fix and.. and he would need help. The Minotaurs-- they could help him! They had to..

Risar and the Minotaurs watched as the lair collapsed, but so far-- no sign of Latnok. Things were starting to look bad... "Risar! Latnok, Latnok is..," Raclaw began to say as he caught up with the group of Minotaurs positioned half way between himself and the sinkhole. "Lead the way.," Risar immediately responded knowing that they had the manpower while Raclaw had the heading. Minotaurs and Fur Dragon would quickly make their way towards what had the Queen's lair. The men, without question, began to dig while Raclaw attempted to do the same-- heading in a straight line towards where he had last saw the signal. Using his claws, horns, and tail artifact (transmuted into a form more apt to digging)-- he began to did and dig and dig. He and some of Risar's best men had managed to form a usable tunnel where all could apply their digging force. With Raclaw at the lead.

As the digging force progressed, Raclaw would mutter a series a words directed at his collar. "Collar-- light, track.," the Fur Dragon whispered. The collar would begin to glow in an radiant fashion allowing those around him to see, while the collar also began to transmit (assuming it wasn't already) his position to Latnok acting as a sign of hope. A sign that he was coming. If anyone had doubts that Raclaw truly cared about his 'master' and 'owner'.. they didn't now. Raclaw was loyal. Collar or no collar, dependence or no dependence, fireball or no fireball.. he was loyal. And to a level that no man could force upon any animal, sapient or otherwise. "Huntress!," he telapathed to the neutral-at-best companion. "Latnok.. is in trouble. If you care at all, come help. The Minotaurs, the sinkhole, the tunnel-- come. Please.," he telepathically pleaded or ordered depending on how the Huntress took it. He didn't know how helpful the Huntress would be, but he would plead anyway. Maybe she didn't completely hate the Guardian or the Guardian's pet-- maybe.

Huntress has spent enough time at the voyage to know about Latnok and Raclaw’s powers. She absolutely despised when her mind was invaded like that.
“Oh fine! Quit yelping!” Huntress said annoyingly with her voice, since she couldn’t answer telepathically too. She wasn’t sure if Raclaw could hear, but didn’t really care. She wanted Latnok to get a karmic scare, but not like this. Not to the point where she had to get involved to help him. Why was she wanted anyway? It’s not like she had the physical strength to move the rocks. But still, she went to the crashing point where Raclaw was, taking a few minotaurs with her. While the minotaurs and Raclaw did all the physical labor, she distributed some ropes she always carried with her so it could be easier to remove some particular rocks. She put away her crossbow but let it in a quickly accessible place in case the Queen somehow managed to move away all the debris trapping her. She also had a few first aid objects with her. Even though she wasn’t a fan of medicine, she had some basic knowledge of it since being a bounty hunter meant risking harm by some creature. You needed to know at least the basic to avoid the wounds from getting worse.

Even though it was quite far away, Maverick managed to hear the rumbling of the falling lair.
“Did you hear that boy? You think... they’ve succeeded?” he asked, looking at the window, and there were no signs of the dragon anywhere. That must mean the plan was a success... right?

Despite all the manpower available, there was a massive, absolutely daunting amount of rubble to dig through. Reaching Latnok wouldn't be a quick project, by any means - the effort would have to reach at least well into the next day. In addition, there was still the matter of excavating Kesivara's corpse; the hide and scales would prove extremely valuable. Naturally, finding Latnok would have to be a priority, if for no other reason than that he would know how to get the most value out of Kesivara.

What Alana said seemed to Tyrus like it should make sense; how could anyone who was as helpful and nice as Angora be disliked by Mr. Latnok, who was also very nice? Mr. Latnok never spoke in any detail of his experiences with Angora, and their parents didn't much elaborate on that, either. "I don't know - maybe it's the way she looks?" he proposed. However, the Guardians themselves looked pretty scary, so Tyrus doubted that was it. "Maybe they just need to have a chat and get to know each other more. There has to be some misunderstanding, right?" For all Tyrus knew, that was the most logical explanation.

Huntress underestimated the amount of rubble they had to dig through, and while barely half an hour has passed, she was already getting tired.
“Seriously, how long is this going to take? Doesn’t any of you know any... moving magic or something?” she asked, mostly addressing to Raclaw. Aelinon had plenty of wizards that could do that and much more. If Raclaw shared so much with Latnok, didn’t he had some magic too? She doubted the minotaurs would have any magic. Such a thing didn’t exist, or was rare, but if trolls could learn magic, perhaps minotaurs could. She hasn’t seen anyone using anything though, so probably not.
“Where’s the giant eagle?” she suddenly asked, Crystal probably able to help as well, but where was she? Watching over the islanders? She didn’t bother asking where was Icestorm, since she doubted very much the twerp could help at all.

Alana agreed. Maybe it was a fight of the past, or the fact that Angora was a troll that prevented Latnok from wanting anything to do with her.
“Well da... Angora said she did fight a lot with him before, and that most was her fault, but that’s all in the past, right? And not all trolls are as good as her, but if she’s an exception, then shouldn’t be a problem, right?” Alana wondered, now very curious as to what could’ve possibly happened to make Angora and Latnok dislike each other so much. They were at odds in the past, sure, but that’s all they knew. Nobody ever gave them any details. Besides, whatever happened was likely years ago, since they barely saw each other anymore.

Realizing it was getting very late, Alana realized they should put their conversation to a halt soon.
“Well, you see him more often, right? Maybe you can try... talking to him? Even if Angora wasn’t nice to him in the past, she is now, and even helps him sometimes. Plus she has a dangerous job. She deserves people being nice to her too. I’ll have to go to the sanctuary more often to see if I can see him too.” Alana decided, wondering if she should’ve done that much sooner. She didn’t visit the sanctuary as much as Tyrus since she was more into wild animals, but more frequent visits will not only increase the chances of seeing Latnok again, but will probably help distract her from missing her father as well. The more distractions the better.

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Huntress underestimated the amount of rubble they had to dig through, and while barely half an hour has passed, she was already getting tired.
“Seriously, how long is this going to take? Doesn’t any of you know any... moving magic or something?” she asked, mostly addressing to Raclaw. Aelinon had plenty of wizards that could do that and much more. If Raclaw shared so much with Latnok, didn’t he had some magic too? She doubted the minotaurs would have any magic. Such a thing didn’t exist, or was rare, but if trolls could learn magic, perhaps minotaurs could. She hasn’t seen anyone using anything though, so probably not.

"Latnok is the one who knows the moving magic-- force magic. My specialties are.. different, unique.," Raclaw admitted. He was well aware of the fact that he was entirely *incapable* of of using projection magic, regardless of what called it. One of the things that made him dependent on a rider. On Latnok. Had the situation been turned around, Latnok could've dug towards him or they could've met in the middle. It wasn't fair; he was the one with the fancy collar. Now he knew just how helpless Chester felt sometimes...

Huntress rolled her eyes, Raclaw being more useless than she expected. He didn’t even seemed that physically stronger than a minotaur.
“Ugh! Fine! Then it’s time for the islanders to pull their own weight. And if they don’t want to help, then at least force them to let us borrow some wheelbarrows. Taking off rocks like this is going to take too long! We need to take as many of them as we can at once!” Huntress suggested, the operation being too much of a hassle this way. With wheelbarrows, many rocks could be accumulated and taken away at once, thus avoiding the risk of them rolling back to the place they were taking them away from.

“You! You want to be helpful? Then fly me back to the village! We need to get there as fast as we can and get many wheelbarrows!” Huntress instructed after a brief pause, not sure if anyone was going to take well she taking charge like that. But Risar and his minotaurs were busy moving rocks. Someone else had to get to the village, and she doubted Raclaw could carry a minotaur, and even if he could, they would slow him down considerably, so it had to be her. She rather ride or be carried off by Crystal, but she couldn’t see her anywhere, so Raclaw would have to do...

"Crystal-- take Huntress here to the village ASAP. She'll explain on the way!," Raclaw ordered as he proceed to immediately help Icestorm. "And Huntress. Thank-you.," he then said honestly grateful for the newcomer's assistance. Things were not going as quickly as he had wanted, but they were going. And Latnok would have to hang in there...

Huntress was kinda relieved she didn’t had to rely on Raclaw, but had been already preparing her mind to deal with him. Riding a Guardian’s beast? He was no wyvern, but he had some neat weapons, and at least he didn’t look like a dragon. But now it was not the time to be selective. She beckoned the giant eagle, and Icestorm finally made an appearance, so it was time to be out of there fast...

As the young caretaker was finally concealing sleep, he was thinking that five years was an awful lot of time for anyone to be working here. Most caretakers lasted a maximum of three years, unable to stand the danger and exhaustion of taking care of wyverns. Very few were considered worthy of being Guardians afterwards. That’s the only reason the kid took the job in the first place. How was it that such a minuscule beast has managed to stand five entire years, and with only two bites? The one wyvern she was in charge of, it was easy to tell he was not a walk in the park to take care of. The Godfather’s wyvern was an absolute monster, and after the brutal attack on Cymbal, it wasn’t hard to see why. And yet, it was the most harmless to the troll. How? And why? Life was truly unfair. He had to see for himself what made the stupid troll so likable to the monster, and deploy that knowledge for his own benefit.

Huntress was relieved she didn’t have to be carried, not wanting to feel her whole body dangling from the air. This beast looked more majestic than Raclaw, and looked even less like a dragon than he did, but wondered if it had enough strength to carry some wheelbarrows. As she climbed, she was starting to get nervous. She has never flown on a creature before. She hated wyverns due to their great resemblance to dragons, and pegasus were extremely hard to breed and reserved exclusively for tourist carriages, so she didn’t know the feeling of being many feet off the ground. She had to stop her shaking though. She didn’t want this creature, or anyone else for that matter, know and sense she was scared...

Meanwhile, Draikon’s was dozing off in a chair, in his underground quiet place. It was hard to breathe, but at least he had peace. A bit beyond, the same metal door, one that he barely opened. He took another sip from the liquid, and wanting to forget about everything not going his way, he closed his eyes, ready to sleep if these beatable thoughts let him...

Alana's suggestion sounded sensible, though it wasn't something that could be followed right then. "Well, I'll be sure to ask Mr. Latnok when... he gets back," Tyrus said. "He's out on a trip right now." The same trip their father was on...
"Anyway, good night, Alana," Tyrus added, to close things for now. He appreciated the small talk, but it was getting late, and he would rather not have their father come up as part of the conversation right now.

Alana almost forgot about that detail as well. She has forgotten many things lately. Missing her father was truly messing with her head. There she was trying to have a conversation that didn’t involve their father, but he always somehow ended up on the subject. But even if she wanted to keep talking, it was very late, so it was time to get some sleep. The teacher was a fan of pop quizzes, and she was the usual target.

Quote: Spyroconvexity

Crystal spread her wings and soon took off into the air. “Hold on tight I’m going to use my electric teleporting.” Crystal said as her feathers arked and sparked. They didn’t however hurt.

Huntress held on tight, not daring to look below. She was about to try getting used to being airborne when she heard what Crystal said.
“Electric teleporting!? No wait! Don’t you dar...” she started saying but was unable to finish the sentence, being caught in the swift transportation. Even if the transportation didn’t hurt, she still caused electrical shocks, and she didn’t know whether she got hurt or it was all in her head.

“Darn it animal! You were suppose to just take me to the village! Not show off!” she yelled angrily, enormously upset by the late warning. She was already scared enough earlier by the prospect of flying, and now Crystal surprised her with this. The quicker they got to the village the better, but she wished the eagle could’ve warned her much earlier.

“Hold it. We need to get the wheelbarrows first. Speak to the villagers. Can you do that trick on objects or just yourself?” Huntress asked, hoping it was the former. It would be so much easier that way, and she wasn’t in the mood to spend the rest of the night digging Latnok out, but that’s the impression tonight was giving...

Quote: Spyroconvexity

Soon the large bolder moved with their combined strength. “We will get him back Raclaw.” Icestorm said in reassuring tone.

"I know we will.," Raclaw said as he continued to help the others move dirt and boulders. His tail artifact would double as a scoop or shovel or pick as needed. Risar directed people as needed, placing people where they were the strongest.

On the ship-- Chester looked out alongside Maverick. "I hope so...," the little dog barked in a soft tone.

Huntress sighed, not liking how Crystal was also limited. It’s like the world was conspiring to make her job even harder. Was this her punishment for wishing for Latnok to have a scare? It surely was irritating what she had to endure, but now it was not the time to complain. Finally at the village, she called every islander in sight. Only few of them were outside, since they were ordered to head inside their homes while the plan was in motion. The few outside were those too curious to know what was going on.
“Alright, listen up! We need wheelbarrows! Wagons! Anything that we could use to carry heavy rocks! Hop to it, and I don’t want to hear a peep from you!” she ordered sternly, doubting the islanders would want to help after they just killed their beloved Queen. But they would have to, especially if they have seen what the crew is capable of. She didn’t hear any rumbling or breathing from what used to be Keshivara’s lair, so all the signs pointed to the beast being already dead. She could still be asleep, but that would be quite miraculous after such collapse. Huntress wanted the villagers to get to work right away, since she couldn’t stand another minute in that place...

The huge amount of rubble in the way would be a gargantuan task to overcome. Latnok, having exerted himself far beyond his normal limits, was not likely to come to anytime soon.
As Leoquin continued swimming per what he could best identify as the path h came from, he surfaced to find a ship in the distance - the Raging Serpent, no question about it. It warmed his heart to see that the voyage hadn't abandoned him, even when it would have been in their best interest to do so. The other thing he saw, however, was extremely unusual - the peak near the center of the island had seemingly vanished. Collapsed? What happened there? Perhaps those onboard the ship would have answers.

The islanders were extremely hesitant to heed Huntress' orders, but eventually did so, not seeing any point in refusal. The sentiment among the population was extremely mixed, with many still struggling to come to terms with their entire idea of life all being a malicious lie woven for centuries to keep them docile. Time would tell how events would play out, with the current order of business being the excavation.

After getting everything that was needed was accounted for, Huntress instructed the minotaurs to use the wheelbarrows and wagons to move away rocks faster. She didn’t have much physical strength, her bounty hunting usually being successful due to her long distance attacks, resourcefulness, agility and a bit of luck. She lacked in the brute strength department, so in order to help, she distributed food water among the hardworking crew when they took small breaks. The work was satisfactory and fast, but despite the great process, there was just too much rubble. After an hour, Huntress realized this ordeal was probably going to last all night.
“It’s incredible how much I’m working to help that... that... man after the way he treated me! How does he has the patience to care for a dog and... you!?” Huntress asked bitterly to Raclaw after running into him when distributing the meals. Latnok truly had the resources, but she couldn’t understand how Latnok could possibly have pets given his personality, even more so that they didn’t seem mistreated.

The anguish of waiting so long made Maverick tire himself out more quickly than usual. He was so sleepy, but he didn’t want to sleep. He wanted to help, but the orders were to stay there. It wasn’t like he was doing nothing. He was, after all, taking care of Chester. Plus he wasn’t alone. Some minotaurs were outside keeping watch. Not to mention he couldn’t go outside and risk himself anyway. His family was counting on him to return alive and well. The children were only half a decade old. He needed to return to them. And of course there was also Angora, who barely had any friends and he didn’t want to leave her alone either. Before he knew it, Maverick had fallen asleep, with Chester on his arms...

Quote:

“It’s incredible how much I’m working to help that... that... man after the way he treated me! How does he has the patience to care for a dog and... you!?” Huntress asked bitterly to Raclaw after running into him when distributing the meals. Latnok truly had the resources, but she couldn’t understand how Latnok could possibly have pets given his personality, even more so that they didn’t seem mistreated.

"He just does-- treat him right and he will treat you right. He had been my most loyal friend for years and has never let me down. He can show the same to you as well.," Raclaw said looking at the Huntress. He didn't expect her to take anything he said lightly, finding some way to take offense. Part of it was respect, Latnok was the kind of man who didn't allow either himself or his friends to be disrespected. How hard was it not to insult the best friend of an Guardian by calling them a griffin? He hoped he didn't have to remind her that she agreed to go on this voyage *about* dragons..

Chester soon fell asleep on Maverick; the hybrid was so warm and so comfortable.

Predictably, Huntress didn’t take his words too kindly.
“Excuse me? I have been polite to him! I have done my job! I have been reliable! And now I’m working to the sweat to make sure he’s rescued! I’m losing beauty sleep just for his sake! A bounty hunter that doesn’t sleep well won’t function properly! And he never had the decency to treat me well! What else could I do for him to show me an ounce of respect? The few times he was polite was because I had to be polite first! Whatever happened to gallantry? Respect for women? Or is he angry that I’m a woman that can work her way instead of being a damsel in distress waiting to be rescued by some man!? Not him, not you, not anybody have any idea how hard it is for a woman to get a job and be taken seriously! Nobody has any idea how hard it has been for me to get where I am today!” Huntress said angrily, still failing to realize that part of the reason for the harsh treatment was her own treatment of Raclaw. Huntress was so used to people, especially men, seeing things her way that having someone like Latnok not doing it was a thorn that was still digging deeper into her skin. She had no idea why she was working so hard to rescue someone like him. True that he trusted her enough for such an important part of the mission, but she was beginning to think it was only to put her close to danger to get rid of her, or because she was the only one who could use a long range weapon so effectively. Maybe both.

As first light drew near, Sere was perusing a report of what had gone down with Shade. What exactly was Aelinon doing to allow such a thing to happen? Why so careless? Perhaps they couldn't be trusted to maintain control of Shade after all.
That wasn't particularly good. If Shade couldn't be controlled, then he would have to be put down.
Sere hoped that things didn't have to get to that point. However, he needed to have a serious talk with Seraos about what had happened. It didn't matter what was on the king's schedule - the two of them would talk today.

Angora woke up a bit earlier than usual that day, feeling groggy. She dreamt about Maverick returning and giving her a big hug, but as he was about to take her away, but an enraged Veris kept yelling about her promise, though being in a cage, he couldn’t get to them. It wasn’t a pleasant dream, but it wasn’t a total nightmare either. Neo delivered, but the promise would no doubt haunt her now. Plus there was still the matter of telling Sere everything. She still wondered how he would take the news. Perhaps it was best to talk to him while it was still morning, but first, it was time to put food in hers and Veris’ belly.

The troll went to the storage, getting some fish and sausages. Veris usually preferred meat, particularly red, but varying the diet was always good for everyone. Once again, no wyvern attacked her. Some even completely ignored her, which was very rare. There was that wyvern again, the one who opened it’s mouth back then, doing the exact same thing again. What a weirdo. Angora ignored him and pressed on. Veris still seemed to be asleep.
“Morning big guy. Sorry for waking you up so early. This might be a busy morning, so wanted to have a head start.” Angora stated, Veris usually not being the cranky type when woken up earlier, at least not in front of her. She figured her conversation with Sere was going to take a while, so she wanted to get out of the morning task to have plenty of time ahead of her.

It took Veris a little while to rouse - not unlike most wyverns - but he was pleased to wake up to some food, even if it wasn't his favorite. Quickly and efficiently, as always, he chomped down the food presented to him. The artificial lighting in the environment suggested the sun hadn't fully risen yet - it was still quite early.
"Good morning, Angora! I hope everything goes well!" Veris said, in a decent enough mood despite the early awakening. If Angora had things to do this early, then that just meant that she was trying to get back in time for later.

Leoquin finally found it - the Raging Serpent. It was in the same place it was when he left. The deck seemed... a bit quiet, even for this time. Perhaps all the crew was out doing something?
Whatever it was, he would find out soon enough. He was almost there - just a bit more swimming now.

Angora watched as Veris left nothing behind. Everything was the same as before she came. It was great seeing him with his humongous appetite once more, but for him to continue this way would come with a very heavy price. She changed the wyvern’s water after he was done.
“Well, hope you enjoyed. I know it’s not your favorite, but it’s good to vary red meat. I’ll get you some rabbit meat for lunch later. There’s a lot of that one. For now, time for me to be the one to have breakfast and start the morning. It’s going to be a busy one, so I’ll see you later.” Angora stated, bidding him farewell. Since it was not a pay day, talking to Sere usually took a long time. He was often busy, and at times nobody could see him at all, sometimes taking days even. But Angora wanted to get out of the step. Tell him the news already so it could be one less weight off her chest. She took a small detour to the cafeteria to get some food, but didn’t stay there. She ate along the way, heading to Sere’s office.

None of the Guardians said anything to her, since they knew their leader was somewhat fond of her for some reason. She took great care of his wyvern sure, but what else was special about a troll? Nobody insulted her, but their looks were one of disdain. Some ignored her completely. One of them had a look of what seemed to be pity, but didn’t greet her. Angora didn’t care and ignored back, getting used to the idea of facing unpleasant stares. Didn’t Draikon knew that helping trolls be seen better was impossible? Maybe he could succeed with a few people, but it probably wouldn’t make much of a difference. For now, she focused on the task at hand, really wishing she could catch Sere in time before he could be busy with anything else...

Maverick fell asleep on the floor, surprisingly having a very deep sleep despite the hard surface. Although he has gotten used to sleeping on a bed, he had the affinity to rest almost anywhere. Chester helped with the relaxation. Morning was still not completely upon them, and Huntress was still awake. She worked all night helping the minotaurs with the rock and food as best as she could. She was as cranky as ever. Not even her sparring partner, whom she kinda liked, was enough to get her in a good mood. Some tried convincing her to sleep for at least an hour, but she stubbornly refused. The bag under her eyes and twitching, with the occasional tear and yawn were clear indications of her exhaustion. She was on the edge of complete collapse. She wasn’t used to being up for an entire night, unless it was a big bounty hunting job involving a nocturnal creature, but at least she slept during the day before the hunting, something she couldn’t do yesterday.

Veris curled up to rest a little bit after Angora left. Unlike Sere, at the very least, his day wouldn't be particularly occupied.
Sere, on the other hand, was quite busy, particularly regarding the matter with Shade. when Angora arrived, he was making final preparations for his trip to Tal Rogas. "Good morning, Angora," he greeted. "You're up rather early today. Perhaps for the better - I'm heading into Aelinon soon to discuss the issues with Shade's latest loss of control with king Seraos, so you probably wouldn't have been able to get me later." Typically, the matters Angora spoke with Sere about involved either Veris or her contract, so Sere was rather curious as to what would bring her in so early.

With no sign of the trackers being fruitful, Brinecrag was nothing short of furious. They couldn't afford this delay - they had to continue with the plan as soon as possible. The hexphage strain wasn't ready, but they would have to prepare it as quickly as possible nevertheless.
Just what happened with Lyon? Was he captured? Or did he willingly escape? Why would he risk his daughter being captured after what she endured? Was he hoping to negotiate for her safety by selling out the agitators? Why would he even trust that human on the throne of all people?
There had to be some explanation for it all - but he didn't have time to find out. Some people were expecting results from him. He couldn't afford to not provide those results.

“Yes, actually it’s... a bit of an urgent matter. You see...” Angora started to say, before she finally processed every single detail of Sere’s comment.
“Shade’s... sudden loss of CONTROL!? What the heck is that all about? He hasn’t been out of control for a very long time! Somebody must be lying! Or someone provoked him too badly! Please take me with you! This... this I have to see for myself!” Angora pleaded, suddenly changing priorities. Her plan with Veris would have to wait. Even if she arrived with his lunch a bit late, she had to find out what Sere was talking about.

At the underground mine, Lyon and Lydia slept like they’ve haven’t in a very long time. Not even the sleep in Brinecrag’s base had been as good as this one. Either they have been very tired or the cave here was much more comfortable than it looked. Lyon was the first one up, and he had hunted some bats for breakfast. He also found an opening.
“Good morning beauty. I see you’re finally up.” Lyon said playfully, in a very good mood despite their predicament. Lydia cringed at the sight of the food.
“Now now my darling, I know it’s nothing gourmet but it’s all we have for now. I cooked it for a while to make sure the meat is safe. Now go ahead. Eat up. I already found an exit while you were asleep.” Lyon indicated, having already explored while his daughter was still slumbering.
“Oh. You did? Um, that’s great, but as was wondering... why don’t we just stay here? This could be our new home. You look around and you can tell this place hasn’t been touched in years, possibly even centuries. This puddle is not much, but if we explore a little more, maybe there’s a bigger body of water where we could swim. And... we’ll get used to the food here, and be outside for just a little while for some fruit and berries too. There’s enough openings above for the sun to enter and to have fresh air. This place is perfect for merfolks on the run like us. Forget about everything and everyone. Forget about General Brinecrag. Forget king Seraos. This could be your place of retirement, and I can take care of you.” Lydia suggested, already getting used to the idea of staying. She took a bite of her improvised breakfast, and while it wasn’t so good, it still wasn’t horrible enough to make you puke.

Lyon looked at his daughter with concern. Forget everything? Everyone? That was not like her at all. Just yesterday, she was agreeing that General Brinecrag should be stopped from going along with his horrible new plan.
“Lydia. We can’t do that. Forget everyone? With everything we know? With the people we can save?” he asked, making her sob.
“I know papa. I know. It’s just that... we have done so much. We have done good, and look where that got us! Keeping promises and being worried about others lead to us being fugitives! Outlaws! We can’t go home anymore! Wanted by different sides of a potential war! I’m tired papa! Tired of all of this! We have to choose between a general that wants to cause horrible harm to our people. His people. And a king that allowed for us to be imprisoned and tortured, that didn’t trust in your words despite your decades of loyalty! You don’t deserve this! So close to a proper retirement, and now there’s a bounty on both of us! I don’t want to live that way papa! If we have to hide from the rest of the world, then why not? Look how the world has paid us back! Look how the person whom you worked so hard for has treated you! Forcing us to be on the run, and lead us at the mercy of a crazy general! If we hadn’t been on that prison, General Brinecrag would’ve never arrived to get us!” Lydia said, unable to eat anymore. Lyon watched with much pain how badly the anguish was consuming his precious daughter, to the point where it was even changing her ideals. What could they do now? Was Lydia right? Should they start a new life here and just... forget everything?

Although Sere thought Angora would have known by now, he didn't find it particularly surprising that she didn't - she didn't often speak to the others, after all. Though he didn't allow his men to outright mistreat her, there was nothing he could do to force them to consider her a person like anyone else. He partially blamed himself for that - though he didn't make a show of it, word had gotten out about his own disdain for her in the past, and the struggles he had with her. To add that on top of being a troll, many had a poor image of her that would be exceedingly difficult to correct.
Sere sometimes considered how, despite his efforts, his organization was still somewhat stuck in its ways - the idea of protecting humans, and, more insidiously, enforcing human dominance, as opposed to his more progressive idea about being a force for good. Perhaps part of that was because it was difficult for him to precisely define the current objectives of the Ardent Guardians, unlike how things were when it was easier to point to anything in which humans were getting the short end of the stick. Perhaps part of that was because the organization only had humans in its ranks. These were some things that he might be able to address someday - not now, however.
"According to the report, a bad actor somehow obtained the remote used to control Shade's collar," Sere explained. "They used it to attempt to drive Shade berserk. It seemed that Shade attempted to control himself to some degree - the damage was limited, and there wasn't even so much as a single injury reported. Still, the fact that such a screwup was even possible is concerning, and I have to speak to Seraos about that."
Sere waved to one of the Guardians nearby. "Let the caretakers know that Angora will be traveling with me, so someone will need to cover for her," he explained. Veris wouldn't be particularly happy, but it wasn't the first time such a thing had happened.

In the seemingly quiet cave, suddenly a voice reverberated back from somewhere.
"Okay, morons," a male voice aggressively called out, "some of us are actually trying to catch this damn thing, this bounty you're here for, so you should probably keep it down! Damn, I guess we Guardians are the only one who have any idea about simple hunting basics nowadays..."

Angora paced, wondering who could’ve been so stupid and distracted enough to allow the control to slip off like that. Just what kind of security they had there? That’s without even knowing that one of Maverick’s children managed to sneak in one time. Shade was already in hot water for the many deaths he caused six years ago. And now someone was trying to purposely trying to make him an instrument of murder. That just won’t do! Shade caused minor damage and no injuries at all, meaning that he finally had control of his powers. Didn’t he? But would that be enough to have people get a better image of him?
“Thank you Mr. Sere. Thank you.” she said, her eyes glistening in gratitude. How much Sere has changed his treatment of her. It convinced her that she truly has changed for the better and that he has realized it. Too bad Latnok couldn’t see it. Not that she made any particular effort to show it to him however, so she couldn’t really blame him. Helping him with Raclaw and Chester wasn’t enough. She prepared to go with Sere, a bit worried about Veris. But she did warned the stubborn wyvern she’ll be busy today. She never imagined how busy, but he was at least partially warned about it.

Just as Lyon convinced Lydia to keep eating, contemplating on what they should do next, the voice destroyed the peace the pair was having. People? Here? And the echo clearly said Guardians. Of course! They always managed to find themselves in place no other people could. Lydia’s seconds long dream suddenly vanished. This was it. They were going to get captured, and possibly imprisoned and tortured again. The thought almost made her have a panic attack, which prompted Lyon to hug her.
“Shh. Calm down Lydia. Please. Listen, we don’t know where they’re coming from, so we have to hide right here in the puddle. The water is green and murky, which could hide us and disguise our scent, and even if it’s not too deep, we can lie down...” Lyon whispered in her ear, not wanting to risk trying to find a better hiding place or reach for the exit he found earlier, since the strong echo made it impossible to locate where exactly the Guardian(s) were located. He didn’t know whom he was talking to, so he assumed there was more than one. They could be spotted if they left. None of them realized they were already heard. They ate the bats in very few bites, not wanting to leave any remains that could possibly give them away, and using the rocks Lyon used as plates, they sunk to the bottom of the puddle. Lyon circled the surface of the water with a finger in order to make the water still, a skill many merfolks learned in order to avoid having others detect that they retreated to the water. And now, it was all a matter of waiting. Lyon hugged his daughter as he tried listening. It was harder to hear underwater, even if your body was adapted to it. Lyon was even ready to strike a deal with the Guardians in order to have his daughter spared. He didn’t know if Guardians knew about their condition of fugitives yet given their cryptic way of living, but he wouldn’t dismiss the idea. For now, they waited, and hoped for the best...

Without further ado, and with all business already having been settled (or delegated) in preparation for Sere's flight, Sere lead the way out, to meet with the delegate of Aelinon they would be flying with. Sere considered whether he should take Veris after all - when following a delegate, he usually rode on their wyvern, since it meant he didn't have to go through the trouble of finding a place (often reasonably far away) to keep Veris, and he could be brought directly to Seraos. This was an urgent matter, however - he didn't have time to waste doing that.
"Angora will be coming with me," Sere instructed the delegate. "I know she wasn't planned for, but if the King has a problem, then hell find that we have a problem with Shade being in his custody." The delegate simply nodded along, as they headed out to the wyvern.

The Guardian, previously walking more quietly, dropped his efforts to silence his steps, figuring his query would already be lost if it could hear the sounds of the interlopers. "Are you seriously trying to hide from me? You're wasting your time," he called out, as the sound of his boots could be heard echoing through the area (though at least a little dampened by something, likely softer dirt nearby.) The sound of a sniffing dog could faintly be heard. "I have earth sense active, so I can feel you. My hellhound here can smell you. You're the only people who have been in this mine for years, and I don't see anyone else coming here. And... you two are merfolk."
As he approached - the noise of his approach indicating he was having no problem homing in on the two - he continued speaking, in a quieter voice as he came closer (the quieter voice also indicating he knew he was getting closer, and thus had less need to raise his voice.) "Why are you even here?" he asked. "Thought you were after a bounty, but come to think of it, no one after a bounty for a cattlejacker is going to be making noise like that. Am I going to have to start looking for a body?" Soon enough, his footsteps indicated he was right nearby.
"Hey there. I don't know what rumors you morons are spreading about us, but I don't sacrifice babies or any of the nonsense you might here," he said. "Just a little pissed off that you might have set off the cattlejacker I'm hunting." Regardless, it seemed that the efforts of Lyon and Lydia to hide did the exact opposite of what was intended - it made the Guardian seek them out when he would have probably just waved the people off as inexperienced hunters.

Angora smiled, with the admiration that was almost the same as she had with Julian. Sere truly has changed, not just her. Or maybe he was always like this and was showing the real him due to her own change? Whatever the case, she was glad. If only the other Guardians could treat her that way. Once they headed out, she naturally cringed at the sight of the wyvern, always feeling nervous around any of the strange dragons, likely a result of her prey nature. Fortunately, Aelinon wyverns seemed to have much more control of their instinct than Guardian wyverns. She still recalled the time where Maverick’s attacker in the lake wasn’t devoured after he was beheaded, while Veris and the others clearly wouldn’t have wasted any time on the feast. How much has changed since then, but right now, it was time to focus on the present. While she was delighted on the possibility of seeing Shade again, she was also exceedingly worried, about seeing him and the king.

Knowing there was no point in hiding in such a small place, Lyon decided it was better to come out of the puddle, putting a finger over Lydia and instructing her not to get out of the water just yet. Now that the Guardian was nearer, he could clearly hear the word cattlejacker. Was that true? We’re they not the targets? Or was that just an elaborated trick to get them out of hiding? Whatever the reason, this is a step he had to take.
“Morning. Please, no need for violence. We just needed a place to stay. We didn’t know this one was taken.” Lyon simply said, deciding now to give so many details if a question wasn’t asked. The Guardian wasn’t alone as he suspected. It was not another Guardian, but still company. So far, the man didn’t seem interested in them as a bounty. More so, he was treating them as trespassers.

The Guardian, who had a sword drawn, sheathed it once he ascertained that the merman before him was no threat, waving the hellhound to order it to similarly stand at ease. "Oh, I can see why you're hiding now. You're Aelinon's former general, Lyon," he noted nonchalantly. Apparently, the illustration of Lyon was good enough to at least allow the Guardian to identify him. "That means the other person in the water with you is the mermaid Lydia, right?"
The Guardian picked a nearby rock to sit down at, and his hellhound followed him, taking the opportunity to lie on the ground. "You picked a pretty good place to hide," he complimented, as he opened a canteen and took a sip. "This place isn't even on most maps, and its existence is almost completely forgotten. Honestly surprised you even knew of this place - the mine has been closed before even you were born. I'm here trying to hunt down a cattlejacker, and I wouldn't be here if the damned thing wasn't so far from the last place it struck. Clever creature - all the ones that stay closer get hunted down. Thought you guys were also hunting the creature, but in the end, I'm not surprised - most hunters can't be bothered to commit this much time, but this is a fun game to me, when idiots aren't ruining it by being too loud."
The Guardian chugged some more water - he had clearly been spending quite a bit of effort on the hunt so far. "Oh, my name is Turor," he offered. "No one special, just a Hunter among the Guardians. My story's a whole lot less interesting than yours, I think. Oh, and feel free to give your daughter the all-clear. Not like either of you could run from me if you were my quarry, so please, drop the illusion that you can. It's a bit insulting." The entire time, the Guardian remained relaxed, figuring this opportunity as good as any to take a break.

Meanwhile-- the search for Latnok continued long into the night and now morning. Raclaw.. digging and clawing and 'shoveling' away; his tail artifact wasn't just an weapon after all. Icestorm.. helping get leverage under rocks for others to help lift away. The little dragon may had been little, but had a big heart. Risar.. directing efforts and even helping lift rocks himself; the strength of the Minotaur was indeed mighty. As mighty as his axes. Dragons, humans, and minotaurs were all working together to save one man. The best friend of Raclaw and essential towards the current mission, they had to find him. A green glow continued to go off from what had to be Raclaw's collar-- an endless torch that would never go out for as long as they needed it. And invisible to most senses, the signal would continue to emit-- the spark of hope in case Latnok was listening for it.

"Wait-- I see something. An opening, a small cavern... Latnok?!," an eager and excited Fur Dragon would explain as what appeared to be an opening indeed could be seen. "Help me lift this rock.," Raclaw directed the nearby Icestorm. An nearby Minotaur and islander helped lift a couple more rocks. And inside the opening appeared to be a smaller cavern with smaller rocks taking up most of the 'room.' "I sense him-- he's not far!," Raclaw shouted as he began honing in his senses...

Lyon went underwater and signaled Lydia to come out. Despite her hesitation, she ended doing as told. He was very worried when the Guardian recognized him, but didn’t seem to mean any harm on them, for now at least.
“Nice to meet you Turor.” Lyon politely said, but Lydia had other things on her mind to give much of a greeting.
“Please sir. We didn’t even know this place was occupied. We didn’t even know it existed.” Lydia pointed out, not sure if this Guardian was worth trusting.
“You could say we... dropped in. Literally. We were walking and we suddenly sunk. The soil gave way. It’s impressive such an old mine managed to survive this long, without a single cave in to block the entrances. Us sinking was likely a very big coincidence.” the former general explained, although taking a good look at this place and he started suspecting it was a natural cavern, which just happened to be connected to the old mine. Like Lydia, he wasn’t entirely sure if the Guardian was worth trusting, but their options were limited.
“Listen, if you truly need help with the cattlejacker, we can help. Just yesterday, my Lydia hunted a deer with an improvised trap she made out of branches and leaves. And at night. Or we can just stay out of the way. We won’t be a bother. This puddle was all we needed for a pleasant sleep last night.” Lyon explained, wanting to be on the Guardian’s good side. He showed no indication of wanting to give them away, but he still didn’t want to take too many chances.

At the island with the defeated giant Queen, Huntress had been taking a break after exhaustion became too painful. She was given a drink by one of the minotaurs, and a blanket for the other. Despite her exhaustion, she managed to hear what Raclaw just said.
“Ugh! At last!” she exclaimed, and while there was still some work to be done, at least they were close. She wanted to keep helping, but she was beyond exhausted. All this sleepiness, it was a very horrible feeling.

At the Guardian’s base, the young caretaker’s roommate had convinced some of his superiors to allow his companion to work with Cymbal. The wyvern was still injured and tied up, so he was the safest animal to work with for the time being. It was the perfect chance for the boy to continue working while his hand healed, but he was made to promise he would follow every rule and not do something as stupid as trying to hand feed Cymbal like he did the last one. Even though it wasn’t usual for wyverns to attack humans, his injury could cause them to become restless. So donning his caretaker gear, the boy prepared to brush the resting dragon, allowed to get every part of his body except his snout...

Turor shook his head, taking off his helmet to reveal a pleasant, satisfied expression. "Help? Maybe if I was looking for a strategy to mop up a routed army of cattlejackers," he said facetiously. "But this - this is my wheelhouse. The actual fight isn't the hard part - at least not for people like me. It's finding and catching the thing that's hard. Knowing where to even look."
Turor set his pack down, withdrawing and presenting newspaper from it - the one with Lyon and Lydia illustrated. "Much like how it doesn't matter how badly those folks want to capture you - it's a bit hard for them to find you if they don't even know this place exists, and have no way of finding it themselves," he said.
Turor took a flask from his pack - one typically used to hold alcohol - and took a quick swig. While he wasn't looking to get drunk on the job, some alcohol enhanced a nice conversation. He made an offering gesture to Lyon - planning to pass the flask if Lyon accepted, or just put it back if not. Either way, he would continue. " Not quite sure where your buddies are, though. You know, the ones that broke you out? Oh, wait - don't tell me. After word got out about the bounty, you figured they'd start hearing coins jingle around when looking at you. So you fled before they could turn you in." Despite not being quite right, Turor seemed satisfied by his own reasoning. As the three spoke, his hellhound stood up, heading to the pool to drink.
"Probably wondering if I want to turn you in, too," he said, finally addressing the behemoth in the living room. "That's not what I'm here for, however. Maybe if you were a murderer - can't stand those types. But I'm in the business of protecting people, not regimes. I'm here hunting down this thing that's not worth anyone else's time because it's going to continue to trouble people if someone doesn't do it. The Ardent Guardians wouldn't want to be seen as an organization to enforce a king's regime - and as far as I know, you're not like that bastard, Armon Blakes, with countless innocent victims taken just for the sake of greed. You just lied to the King, kept a secret. A big lie - but all politics and power plays."
Turor took one more swig before putting the flask away - relaxing, but showing enough temperance to not ruin his ability to finish the job. "And you couldn't pay me enough to get involved in the clown show that is whatever political game is going on up there at any given moment. You're not my clowns - it's not my circus. No, sir," he continued with a chuckle. "Just going to relax here while I wait for the creature to settle down after the spook you probably gave it. Shame this pretty lady got dragged into it all, as well. Shouldn't she be off getting married, or whatever it is most women like her do? I dunno - you can probably hide out here for a long time, but I don't see how that'd be a satisfying existence. I have more of a purpose than that, and I'm pretty much just here to kill things. If that's what it takes to protect innocent people from needless suffering, then so be it."
The hellhound, having had its fill, went back to the Guardian's side. Despite its intimidating appearance, it was highly obedient, not even so much as growling or sniffing at the two merfolk once it was instructed to be at ease.

Latnok was coming to his senses, but still somewhat dazed. It took him a few minutes to finally make sense of the light, and remember what happened many hours ago. How'd he get here? That's right - he had to set off the arrows earlier than he had planned, and couldn't escape far enough to avoid all of the falling debris. That light - it was Raclaw. Searching for him?
Latnok tried to reconnect with Raclaw telepathically. It was exhausting - much of his power had clearly been spent - but he managed. "Oh, hey Raclaw... I got myself into a bit of a bind, didn't I? You're closing in on me - you should be able to pinpoint exactly where now," he said. On his end, he would try not to exert himself - he felt extremely sore, and the damage inflicted on his body wasn't anything that would simply heal with some sleep or meditation. It would take some time before he was at full strength again.

"Just hang in there. We're.. we'll pull you out.," Raclaw telepathed back happy to hear his voice again. "Come on guys-- he's over here. I've pinpointed his location!," the fur dragon said immediately leading the others to a pile of rocks. The green light would appear closer, indicating that the collared dragon had indeed found his 'master.' Risar offered a wave, non-audibly telling the others to come help. He immediately begun helping Raclaw move rocks and boulders. They had done it; they just needed to get the Guardian out now...

Lyon accepted the drink after a brief hesitation, making sure he saw the Guardian drink from the same container. After everything that has happened, he had become a bit paranoid, but he now was certain there was no poison. The man sounded sincere enough, and really talked a lot, a clear sign of a lonely person. He really gave the impression of a hermit. He probably was one even. But he listened patiently, the Guardian sounding sincere enough in his words. Lydia listened as well, but was briefly offended when he suggested she should get married or something. A typical stereotype for any kind of women. She said nothing about it though and focused on another matter.
“Sir, I thank you for not turning us in. And we apologize if my father and I caused you trouble. We didn’t mean any of it. We just needed a place to stay. This horrible bounty is all wrong. My father kept a secret, but it was for the sake of someone who saved his life. He’s... a very special individual, and his people didn’t have any weapons or anything that could threaten Aelinon, but despite my father’s explanation, he was still deemed a traitor. Him, who worked as a general for decades, even before I was born. And he’s treated in such an awful way!” Lydia started to say, not stating that the one who saved her was a rare centaur, although he probably knew already if Aelinon spread the news about Lyon’s savior and source of betrayal.

“That Armon Blake’s you mentioned? It was my father who sunk his ship. My father and his warriors. They were the ones who ended his reign of terror. But do you think Seraos considered that? Or any mission for that matter?” she said indignantly, clearly still harboring hatred for the young king.
“Now now Lydia. Remember what happened back then. Stopping him would’ve been impossible if it wasn’t for that woman.” Lyon reminded.
“Oh yeah. Her. What was her name? Sa...” she started to say, but Lyon interrupted.
“She refuses to go by that name now. I believe she calls herself Huntress now. Pretty woman, but I think she has a few screws loose.” Lyon believed, still remembering that first meeting.
“Well still, the point remains that you were a big part in stopping him. If it wasn’t for you and her, who knows if he would’ve still been roaming around the seas, causing many deaths. You see sir? My father doesn’t deserve this. He should be home, in peace, enjoying his retirement, so please, let us stay here. We can try finding another place if we’re a bother, but at least let us stay a while.” she pleaded, cringing at the possibility of going to the surface again and risk getting spotted by anyone wanting that bounty.