darkSpyro

Quote: A Guy

Latnok gradually began to wake up from sleep - having gotten more comfortable than he was used to. He was surprised to see that Raclaw was already up, with the situation typically being reversed. "Good morning, Raclaw. Good morning, Chester," Latnok greeted, as he took one of the bowls presented to him by Raclaw. "You're up early, aren't you? Had some bad dreams last night?" he added facetiously.

"Nah-- just couldn't sleep.," Raclaw said with a smile as he gently swayed his tail. He had actually slept more soundly than he ever had before in these last few days. He didn't know if it was just the almost luxurious room, the company of Latnok, or perhaps a mixture of both. Rather-- he all knew was that he was happy, that Chester was happy, and that Latnok was happy as far as he could tell. If he had gone into his memories and told an earlier version of himself about his current lot in life-- that earlier Raclaw wouldn't believe it. And yet here he was... willingly claimed and enjoying the company of an Guardian alongside the newly collared Chester. To be loved, to be owned, and to be able to experience the world alongside another; it was an amazing feeling that not every dragon got to experience. There was still the fate concerning his parents and other matters such as Angora, but... they could wait. Chester began to eat nearby and was was no doubt happy about his life had gone. The little Beagle had best friends and two good caring masters.

Latnok gave himself the liberty of putting on his armor after eating his meal, as opposed to before. When he was finished, he was thinking of the plan for the day as he got dressed.
"Hmm - things are starting to heat up around here," he noted. "I think I'll browse some of the job boards again. Regardless of what happens, it's my job to keep innocent people safe from creatures like the ones we fight on a regular basis. Might not actually do one of these jobs today - it's good to at least see what's happening, however. Recent events are worth keeping tabs on." Indeed, Latnok wasn't sure whether it was just politics as usual, or if something else was behind recent happenings.

"Honestly, I'm not particularly picky," Ilasi said. "This place is beautiful, and I'm sure we'll enjoy whatever it has to offer." Ilasi was satisfied just being in such a splendid place, somewhere she thought she would never get the opportunity to visit.
As they moved through the inn, there would be whispers of the recent news of the princess's capture. The word was that she was being held in Tal Rogas in order to bring the Silvianesti king to the negotiation table. Any notion of it being purely a rumor would be dismissed by the presence of a stack of fliers announcing the news. It was clear that Aelinon had absolutely no intention of hiding what happened.

"Get ready to move," the captain said to Shade, as two soldiers brought Shade a bucket of fish. "Eat up. We'll give the troll an hour to show up for a visit, then we're on the move. We're headed due west." The captain declined to offer any more information.

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Latnok gave himself the liberty of putting on his armor after eating his meal, as opposed to before. When he was finished, he was thinking of the plan for the day as he got dressed.
"Hmm - things are starting to heat up around here," he noted. "I think I'll browse some of the job boards again. Regardless of what happens, it's my job to keep innocent people safe from creatures like the ones we fight on a regular basis. Might not actually do one of these jobs today - it's good to at least see what's happening, however. Recent events are worth keeping tabs on." Indeed, Latnok wasn't sure whether it was just politics as usual, or if something else was behind recent happenings.

"Agreed-- and recent events may involve us rather we want them to or not. Rather it be directly or indirectly, as this last job has shown us.," Raclaw said with a nod as he finished his food. He briefly looked at Chester with a smile as Latnok mentioned saving innocents. The beloved Beagle had been one such innocent, albeit on a smaller scale, and they could both very much agree that it had been worth the 'trouble.'

He also wondered asto Shade's whereabouts and how the formerly corrupted dragolet was handling his new life. The last thing Raclaw wanted to hear was that Shade had become unstable again and that he had caused another incident. Or that he had been put down because of said incident. An second offense would not be taken lightly, especially while in the King's custody.

With breakfast done and determined to return to this same place, Angora left the inn and headed to where Shade was being held captive. She was still so angry that it was decided that she shouldn't accompany him just because they can. It was part of the deal with the king, but she knew she would get in trouble if she started complaining too much, so as usual, she kept her frustration to herself.

The place wasn't hard to find again with the giant behemoth being kept nearby, and as soon as she spotted some guards, she did her request.
"I'm here to see Shade." she said with an expressionless voice, not in the mood to treat them with any particular politeness. She wasn't going to call Shade the Scourge of Redwater or whatever name these scums called him. She was going to call him by his name, and if they knew her well, they will know whom she was talking about.

Quote: A Guy

"Honestly, I'm not particularly picky," Ilasi said. "This place is beautiful, and I'm sure we'll enjoy whatever it has to offer." Ilasi was satisfied just being in such a splendid place, somewhere she thought she would never get the opportunity to visit.
As they moved through the inn, there would be whispers of the recent news of the princess's capture. The word was that she was being held in Tal Rogas in order to bring the Silvianesti king to the negotiation table. Any notion of it being purely a rumor would be dismissed by the presence of a stack of fliers announcing the news. It was clear that Aelinon had absolutely no intention of hiding what happened.

Maverick heard the news, but he decided to ignore them, although he knew it was serious. The capture of a princess? That was no light matter. Just how serious was Aelinon about war? Did the king know what he was doing? Still, Maverick didn't want to bring the subject up, so he decided to just focus on the inn's activities.
"Let's start with the duck pond Ilasi. It has many fish, and birds, not just ducks..." he suggested, having always a soft spot for many land animals. In the few instances they were on land, his dad would usually just shoot many of them for sport or food for the ship, whether they be wild animals or stray pets, so Maverick never had a chance to have a pet of his own or even grow attached to a little creature, but once again, it was a thought that he kept for himself, not wanting to ruin Ilasi's mood. He still felt bad enough for showing her his belly full of terrifying scars.

As Angora arrived, so did several wyvern riders, who made their landing somewhere within the base. "You can go ahead and see your pet for now," one of the sentries said. "His escort will be taking him away for more exercises soon, so you don't have all day." The sentries stepped aside slightly to indicate her right to pass.

The trio of Latnok, Raclaw, and Chester were soon on the move again. This time, they would be headed to a different tavern than previously, though it was likely to have a very similar environment. Indeed, Redwater had too many taverns for Latnok to bother remembering them.
The sounds of merriment emanating from one of the rather sparsely decorated buildings was a dead giveaway. Latnok opened the door - being introduced by the sound of chatter, and a brawl in a fight pit in the basement. He wasn't here for that, though - he was here to get word on what was happening around the place. He would peruse the job board, and maybe talk to one or two people while he was here.

"Uh, that sounds like a good idea," Ilasi said, with a slight hint of tension. The princess being captured was no small matter - this was very clearly in response to what Aelinon perceived as elvish aggression. Ilasi could only hope that whatever negotiations the king was planning would bring the peace he was hoping for, or at least the peace she believed he wanted. Surely Silvianesti wouldn't choose to fight Aelinon? The casualties would be great on both sides. It just wouldn't be worth it. Neither would Aelinon want to voluntarily enter into such a war. Even with the advantages they had, victory would come at a huge cost, and would leave them very open to any opportunistic nations taking advantage of their weakened state.

Maverick could hear the tension in Ilasi's voice. It was too obvious. Even though he wanted to avoid the subject, he wanted to somehow make her feel better.
"Something you want to talk about Ilasi?" he asked kindly, believing that the only way she would feel better was if she talked about what was on her mind.

Quote: A Guy

As Angora arrived, so did several wyvern riders, who made their landing somewhere within the base. "You can go ahead and see your pet for now," one of the sentries said. "His escort will be taking him away for more exercises soon, so you don't have all day." The sentries stepped aside slightly to indicate her right to pass.

Angora was furious when they called Shade a pet, but didn't say anything on account that they were already letting her pass. She didn't want them to change their minds just so they can get back at her, and since the king wasn't there, she had no doubt they will go as far as to abuse their authority. After walking for a while, she saw Shade.
"Hey big guy..." she greeted, resisting the urge to hug him, fearing she would simply start to cry stupidly if she did. From that spot right now, she caught the strong scent of fish, and felt awful fit him. She knew Shade didn't like it, not even with Maverick's kind attempts to help him like it.

"I suppose..." Angora replied, not wanting to make him feel bad by saying she slept very well, and most likely better than him.
"Hope they've been treating you well at least. You have no chains, and they're letting you get some excercise. That's good I guess..." she then added, accepting his nuzzling and patting him. She was going to stay with him for as long as the guards allowed it, knowing it always did him good seeing her. It still confused her as to why Shade was so affectionate with her, but as long as it was helping him, it was for the best.

With Maverick's invitation, Ilasi felt free to reveal her thoughts. "All this stuff happening... it's all posturing. This is very unlike how Aelinon usually operates. If we want war... we just go to war. We don't play games like this. We wouldn't just capture a princess - the Silent Spear would probably do something that would facilitate war, like destroying supplies or assassinating military officers. The most recent conflict, for reference - we just went in. What I think - well, what I can tell from my knowledge, anyway - is that we're trying to get the elves to submit without actually fighting. Either the king is less aggressive than his predecessors - which is possible - or this is a war he doesn't believe it is wise to get into, but he is feeling pressured to do something.
"Are the elves really trying things? Surely they know a war would be ruinous for them. It would be far from kind to us, as well, and the king is seemingly reluctant to go to war. What's really happening? Is it something we're not being told? Or something none of us involved know?"

The wyvern riders, having dismounted, began to approach Shade, moving underneath the behemoth in the distance as they came. When they arrived, they were already prepared to move.
"You, dragon. We're leaving now. You will be escorted to the destination. Get ready."

"You'll find out when you get there," the rider said. "Now get ready to get a move-on." The rider, as well as the others accompanying him, began to leave, heading back to their wyverns.

With nothing she could do, Angora bid farewell to Shade.
"I'll see you later then Shady. We'll keep in touch somehow. Good luck." Angora said, determined to expand her visitation right. She didn't know when, she didn't know how, but she wasn't going to let these bunch of scum get away with their stupid limitations. Perhaps if she could contact the king again. He did some very questionable things, but at least he was reasonable some very few times.

As they prepared to leave, Angora forced to fill herself with enough courage to look at the behemoth nearby in the eyes. She didn't know if it was the same behemoth she battled, but she still went along with the challenge. Her neck hurt from looking so up, but she believed that if she could only look at him directly and fool both the beast and herself into believing she was not afraid, the nightmares about them would stop...

Quote: A Guy

With Maverick's invitation, Ilasi felt free to reveal her thoughts. "All this stuff happening... it's all posturing. This is very unlike how Aelinon usually operates. If we want war... we just go to war. We don't play games like this. We wouldn't just capture a princess - the Silent Spear would probably do something that would facilitate war, like destroying supplies or assassinating military officers. The most recent conflict, for reference - we just went in. What I think - well, what I can tell from my knowledge, anyway - is that we're trying to get the elves to submit without actually fighting. Either the king is less aggressive than his predecessors - which is possible - or this is a war he doesn't believe it is wise to get into, but he is feeling pressured to do something.
"Are the elves really trying things? Surely they know a war would be ruinous for them. It would be far from kind to us, as well, and the king is seemingly reluctant to go to war. What's really happening? Is it something we're not being told? Or something none of us involved know?"

Maverick listened patiently to her observation, understanding very well her concern.
"I may not know much about politics, but I do know a things or two about war. All the senseless violence. When you're a pirate, it's like you're in a little war constantly, over and over again, and many of them over silly things, or outrageous. I don't know what your king intends with kidnapping a princess, but I don't think anything justifies such actions. I have dealt with elves in the times I've been a traveling merchant, and I can tell you, all of them always treated me very polite and happy, even if it's just about business. And one thing I can tell you about them is that they hate conflicts. They mostly use magic out of self defense." Maverick did a brief pause to let Ilasi process what he just said before continuing.

"Your king is young Ilasi. Probably even more so than me. He's bound to make mistakes, but with a position like his, that's dangerous. If this kidnapping is about what happened in the arena yesterday, I'm afraid he made a rash decision. I overheard some people talking about the magic supposedly coming from the elves, but what if they make a mistake? But even if it's true, what if somebody other than an elf is responsible that learned to use that kind of magic to incriminate them? Or if it's indeed an elf, it could've acted alone, without it's government knowing. I don't know what to think exactly, but I do think the decision was made too fast." Maverick concluded, finally expressing his own opinion. He had learned to be very analytical from Angora, and one thing he was convinced of was that the king took a very drastic decision.

"Oh, it's not just the attack on the duke..." Ilasi added. "More and more dangerous monsters appear by areas people regularly travel by, and they have taken many victims from my understanding. From what I hear, traces of elven magic are being found in various places across the nation. The king is in a pretty bad position... if he just allows these attacks to continue happening without acting, he appears weak, and with him being young, he will most likely lose most of his power if that happens.
"So he's in a position where he has to do *something*... and all he can do is act off of the information he has. Whoever doing this, if not the elves, would have to have access to very powerful magic; and they would have to be able to move around Aelinon without being detected. They would have to be able to travel fast... either that, or have friends who can cast the same magic. Currently, the only ones we know of who would reasonably have such capabilities would be Silvianesti. So you can see why this would be happening... but what if it's not them? What then?" The tension in Ilasi's voice was dissipating, being replaced by uncertainty. They could only hope that things would work out.

The behemoth turned its head, returning Angora's gaze with a menacing gaze of its own. "SMALL CREATURE. DRAGON IS LEAVING. YOU HAVE NO FURTHER BUSINESS HERE," he bellowed. "COME BACK WHEN DRAGON RETURNS."
As he said that, the wyvern riders began to mount their wyverns. Soon they were over Shade, prompting him to follow their lead.

"I'll leave. Behave yourself..." Angora said, ignoring the behemoth's gaze, although she didn't take his words kindly. He was just as author active as those Aelinonian slugs.

As they left, Angora grunted and clenched her fist, wanting so badly to throw a tantrum.
"Giant, parasitic pet..." she muttered, referring to the behemoth, although she said so in a low voice and almost in gibberish so that the beast wouldn't hear her. She wanted to vent out that little frustration, but now that she did, she felt a little bit better. Now she was to return to her lonely existence, without Shade or Maverick. The only silver lining in the excessive dark cloud she felt besides the politeness of the inn was the orb's return, which she forgot to tell Shade about. It still scared her a bit how the mysterious stranger managed to let the orb at the very room of the very inn she was going to stay in, but even if she was being watched, he has proven so far that he meant no harm, so that relieved her. Perhaps... he was testing her...?

Quote: A Guy

"Oh, it's not just the attack on the duke..." Ilasi added. "More and more dangerous monsters appear by areas people regularly travel by, and they have taken many victims from my understanding. From what I hear, traces of elven magic are being found in various places across the nation. The king is in a pretty bad position... if he just allows these attacks to continue happening without acting, he appears weak, and with him being young, he will most likely lose most of his power if that happens.
"So he's in a position where he has to do *something*... and all he can do is act off of the information he has. Whoever doing this, if not the elves, would have to have access to very powerful magic; and they would have to be able to move around Aelinon without being detected. They would have to be able to travel fast... either that, or have friends who can cast the same magic. Currently, the only ones we know of who would reasonably have such capabilities would be Silvianesti. So you can see why this would be happening... but what if it's not them? What then?" The tension in Ilasi's voice was dissipating, being replaced by uncertainty. They could only hope that things would work out.

Maverick's head filled with many things very fast, thinking on who other than the elves could have access to such magic. Even so, it was a subject foreign to him, he he didn't want to give too much opinion on that particular matter.
"I honestly don't know what to say about that. I can't say I understand how monarchy works, but in the long run, I hope everything turns out alright..." he said, but then something else began to bother him.

"Do you think... maybe... this is someone taking revenge? Please Ilasi, don't be offended by my opinion. I know you think Aelinon's laws are fair and necessary... but you know, they can be a little harsh. Remember what happened to Angorita. It's true that she admitted to a crime... but not one she committed. And she was thrown into the arena instead of the court investigating if her confession was true. She told me how she was exploited in some mines before battling. True, she was spared in the end, and she was extremely lucky to survive, but not all have been lucky. So perhaps... maybe... is it someone taking revenge on the life they had? Or maybe someone that lost a relative? I... I don't know. Maybe I'm overthinking things too much. Lo siento." he finally apologized, reaching the duck pond as soon as he finished the sentence. He knew this was Ilasi's society and that she was very sensitive about it, so he was regretting saying something.

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The trio of Latnok, Raclaw, and Chester were soon on the move again. This time, they would be headed to a different tavern than previously, though it was likely to have a very similar environment. Indeed, Redwater had too many taverns for Latnok to bother remembering them.
The sounds of merriment emanating from one of the rather sparsely decorated buildings was a dead giveaway. Latnok opened the door - being introduced by the sound of chatter, and a brawl in a fight pit in the basement. He wasn't here for that, though - he was here to get word on what was happening around the place. He would peruse the job board, and maybe talk to one or two people while he was here.

As the trio entered the otherwise originary tavern, it wouldn't take long for Latnok to find the job board. And as he perused it-- an particular job would likely stand out to the companioned Guardian. "Wolf pack taking over village aquifer. Running low on water. Will pay handsomely to clear out.," the notice read following through with the necessary details required to start the job. It read as a basic 'kill this' kind of job, but perhaps the two dog-like members of the party could allow for *additional* options such as relocation.

"... it's possible, but it seems highly unlikely," Ilasi said. "If any person powerful enough to do such a thing were imprisoned, we would know about it. And if they had a loved one imprisoned, then why are they launching attacks on innocent people all over the nation, instead of attempting to free them with such power or taking their anger out on the facility that has them imprisoned? And why does all of this just happen to coincide with when Silvianesti began their more defensive posture?
"I understand your... hatred of this place. I just can't really agree that everything that happens here is because we brought it on ourselves," she continued. At this point, the duck pond wasn't even drawing her attention, so distracted was she with the subject matter.

Maverick did tried to distract himself with the duck pond, but he was afraid he had disappointed Ilasi greatly.
"I shouldn't say so much about a society I don't understand. My apologies again Ilasi. Guess I'm still a little upset about my friends being imprisoned and forced to fight in that arena. I watched a battle there you know. It was... disturbing. I was so scared for them. I know I should understand that Oscurito brought him to himself for losing control in such a crowded place, and Angorita for doing a false confession, but... well the important thing is they were pardoned at the end, so I really shouldn't say much. Lo siento Ilasi. I don't mean to disrespect your society. Honest." Maverick said again, clearly trying too hard to amend his opinion. He didn't want Ilasi to be upset with him for having a few low opinions about Aelinon.

Latnok perused the job board, eventually settling on a job for clearing out wolves from an aquifier - sounded like a relatively simple job, as it didn't mention anything special about them, though the job poster could conveniently be forgetting about it. He was considering taking it - but remembered Raclaw and Chester, and was then hesitant to select it. Maybe something else... he thought, as he continued to look.

Ilasi realized that she was getting somewhat upset - definitely not what they came here for. "It's fine..." she said. "You can only form your thoughts about us from what you've seen yourself. You've probably seen the worst - considering your introduction here - but that's not all we are. It's something we don't have to talk about, though..." she continued, as her attention began to wander to the beautiful duck pond ahead of them. Ilasi personally found ducks adorable, and hated the thought of them being hunted - but people needed to eat, and meat was meat, she understood.

"I know Ilasi. I know. I wish, there was something I could do to help..." Maverick expressed, not liking when Ilasi was so upset with him. He really wanted to understand and justify Aelinon's ways for her sake, and also to see things from her point of view so he could understand her better and not mess up so many times. For now, he was glad that Ilasi was getting distracted and having fun, that being the reason why they came to a place like that in the first place. He wanted to say something else, but was too embarrased with his previous opinion and didn't know what else he could talk about. Ilasi brought the subject up, but he still regretted expressing his own opinion.

At Orcford, Angora was returning to the inn, believing the behemoth didn't hear her little venting and relieved. But as she returned, she realized she would probably get depressed again locked in that little room that, while comfortable and having many things to entertain herself, was still too limited. Perhaps Orcford had some things to distract her mind? She decided to get a map, a catalog or something that would help her get to know the city better. She even started to wonder if Orcford had an arena like Redwater. Even though she hated such place, she wanted to be a spectator for once, or at least when none of her friends were battling. First and last battle she saw was Shade fighting the behemoth, and her trying to make him use his brain, so the first experience wasn't at all pleasant...

Shade's destination would be farther away than the previous test was. The flight would take several hours, with stops taken for resting. After what seemed like an eternity of flying, the wyvern captain would signal a clearing near the edge of a forest - Shade's landing point.
"Do exactly what you did yesterday," the captain commanded. "We will see what effect your powers have here."

As Angora investigated the city, she found out that it indeed had an arena, but it was a joke compared to the one in Redwater. But worse was nothing. As much as she hated relieving those moments, the fact that this was a smaller arena and that none of her friends were fighting in it, perhaps a little visit was in order. The line was long, but it moved fast. Angora had in her some of the money she won in the Redwater arena, which thanks to the voucher, was going to last far longer than intended. Purchasing a ticket, Angora with her hood covering her head as usual to avoid being recognized, entered the small arena, which was nevertheless spacious enough to hold many creatures, perhaps even a young behemoth. Purchasing some snacks, she waited for the spectacle, seeing it as mere curiosity and desire to know what it was like to be an ordinary spectator instead of a fighter...

Quote: A Guy

Latnok perused the job board, eventually settling on a job for clearing out wolves from an aquifier - sounded like a relatively simple job, as it didn't mention anything special about them, though the job poster could conveniently be forgetting about it. He was considering taking it - but remembered Raclaw and Chester, and was then hesitant to select it. Maybe something else... he thought, as he continued to look.

As Latnok read over the notice, the Guardian's thoughts became clear to the connected Raclaw. "Wolves-- perhaps we could be more of assistance than initially expected. Didn't Sere say something about using our abilities to facilitate non-violent ends to otherwise confrontational conflicts with creatures? This could be a good starting point, although we'll of course do whatever may become necessary.," Raclaw then said looking at at Latnok.

And Latnok continued to look-- the board presented a variety of the usual sort of jobs, although none offering to pay nearly as much as the job in question. "Rats in basement. Easy money.," one notice read as if trying to entice an beginning adventurer. "Tricolor Beagle missing. Wife left me. Starving-- Need company.," another notice read possibly referring to the now otherwise owned Chester. It was doubtful that the notice would get much attention, given the apparent lack of money involved. At least the former owner was still alive, albeit in an reduced desperate state. And the much gentler wife apparently had the same idea. It could be considered a sweet sweet irony, given what they had put the beloved companion under.

"Back Alleyway overran by strays. Authorities won't help. Relocation preferred, but optional.," another notice then read almost buried beneath several leaflets of "Kill this. Clear that. Will pay." The pay involved didn't seem as high as the wolf job, but the job itself called for special circumstances perhaps more suited towards *their* unique party. Included was a drawn picture of what appeared to be the strays' leader, although the details were too uncanny to be casual observation. Someone's former pet perhaps? Or perhaps just a very detail-oriented eye? Chester remained nearby and looked alongside their beloved Guardian friend. The little Beagle had jumped on top of Raclaw's head, much to a nearby customer's brief amusement.

"Hmm, you're right..." Latnok said, as he continued to see what jobs would be worth pursuing. As he went along, what got his attention the most was a job for stray animals - with relocation being preferred. Though it wouldn't pay as much, Latnok figured that such a job would probably be the best way to start experimenting with their alternate means of conflict resolution.
"We're taking a job to relocate stray animals - or remove them, rather, with relocation being preferred," Latnok said. "It should be the perfect chance to get some practice on such a thing. We can step it up from there if it works."

As many things in the environment suffered complete ruin, it would seem that there was little left - however, one thing soon became very, very apparent. The charred remains of what were presumably elves littered the area. The wyvern riders soon landed their wyverns, seeking to analyze the damage.
"...didn't you tell me that this area was completely empty?" the captain asked one of the riders accusingly.
"That's what the scouts reported, sir," the rider replied nervously. They weren't visible before - even when we came in."
"...of course. Has no one ever heard of hidden elf villages? An effect called glamor? Anyone who knows anything about elves should know by now that the elves are highly xenophobic. They often go through such lengths as using magic to hide their villages in such a way that you never actually walk through them. I can guarantee you that many places that aren't major cities here will have similar effects."
"Sir, with all due respect, they're just some stuck-up elves in the middle of nowhere. No one is going to care about them," another rider interjected.
The captain paused for a moment, furious as he tried to figure out how to best explain to his men the significance of the event. "What this was supposed to be was what is known as a show of force. Considering your ranks, you probably should understand what that is. It's an effort to show the enemy what we have at our disposal, and what we can do with it - the intent being to dissuade any further aggression. What just happened was the destruction of a village. A village destroyed by us while having absolutely nothing to do with the tensions we are currently experiencing. An act like that is enough to start a war. Do you think that we would be striking a random place in the middle of nowhere if we wanted to start a war?"
The captain shook his head, unsure of what to think at this point. His men, starting to realize what this meant for them. "Sir, we were just acting off the information we were given by our scouts..." one of his men pointed out.
"...fair enough," the captain said. "You will relay the message back to our base, then have your wyvern pick up the pace so you can rendezvous with us on our route back to Orcford. We were acting on orders, doing what we were told with faulty information. We will be fine... it's the aftereffects that I'm concerned about."

Back at the arena at Orcford, there was a duel between two prisoners - an orc and a human. The heavy armor worn by both was prolonging the fight - the swords they had were not effective at slicing through the armor, so they had to try to work on hitting weak points. There were several moments of grappling, but at this point, the fight was slowed down considerably due to the exhaustion of both combatants. The crowd was verbally becoming disinterested.

Angora watched the fight indifferently, having pretty much the same reaction as the rest of the crowd. Was it boring because of the smaller arena? Or just the equal skills of both prisoners? It didn't matter. It wasn't the distraction she was expecting. That has been quite a waste of money. She was at least hopeful that she did a far better performance than these soldiers, something that she was convinced of if people were still talking about her. The money was paid, so she stayed there, purchasing some snacks to make the wait more bearable.

But at Redwater, a shady figure was moving around. Huntress wasn't certain that Dex was going to keep his promise and pay her the other half of what she promised, but even if he didn't come through, the first payment was still good. She had been obsessed with the foxes for a while, but since Dex seemed to have enough problems of his own, and the fact that her interest drifted towards the Scourge of Redwater's return, she decided to let Dex and her friend be for now. At the behemoth pen, Huntress talked to one of the keepers, a soldier himself, taking care of the giant beasts. It was a 24/7 job, and many soldiers always took turns. Some citizens had the job, but many would usually quit.
"Don. My friend. Need a favor. Think it's possible I can borrow a behemoth to go to Orcford? Heard the Scourge of Redwater was taken there. Let's just say I'm curious to see what the fuzz is about." Huntress said rather indifferently, clearly having a low opinion of dragons.
"Come on woman. Don't do this to me. Behemoths are for major transports, not public riding. Just ask for a wyvern like everyone else. Or just a horse." Don responded, though he knew why Huntress never borrowed the former. Huntress hated dragons with a passion, and since wyverns were a subspecies, she wanted nothing to do with them. Due to needing to arrive to Orcford fast, a horse was out of the question.
"Come on Donny. The king never minded. You shouldn't either." she replied, using the same pretended innocence she used with others, except the Aelinonian soldiers were well aware of her methods.
"Not today. I'm sorry. King Seraos is under s lot of pressure right now, and he doesn't want to cause too much panic. News of the Silvianesti princess' kidnapping is already circulating, and people are already growing restless..." Don insisted, but Huntress simply headed to one of the behemoth pens to try and have one of them give her a ride. Many of the beasts knew her p, and unlike dragons, she liked them...

The wyvern riders weren't happy about what had happened - but Shade's own feelings on the matter was the least of their concerns. "Scourge of Redwater. You have murdered our people, and you will serve us as the monster you have proven to be until you have redeemed yourself," one of the riders said. "Now get a move-on." The wyverns began to take to the skies, circling up above Shade and waiting for him to follow.

Meanwhile, back at the Orcford arena, the fight was progressing so slowly - if it was progressing at all - that the arena personnel decided to step in and declare it a draw, ushering the two combatants out of the arena, much to the audience's pleasure - cheers could be heard as the fight was declared to be over. In its place soon after was a battle of many different elementals - all controlled by mages on two separate different teams. The crowd was much more ecstatic to see a match like this - clearly a favorite.

Quote: A Guy

"Hmm, you're right..." Latnok said, as he continued to see what jobs would be worth pursuing. As he went along, what got his attention the most was a job for stray animals - with relocation being preferred. Though it wouldn't pay as much, Latnok figured that such a job would probably be the best way to start experimenting with their alternate means of conflict resolution.
"We're taking a job to relocate stray animals - or remove them, rather, with relocation being preferred," Latnok said. "It should be the perfect chance to get some practice on such a thing. We can step it up from there if it works."

"Agreed.," Raclaw said looked at Latnok and feeling the very light weight of Chester on top of his head-- something he grown accustomed to having become a living step ladder for the little Beagle. As they agreed upon a job to take, it wouldn't take long to find the individual who had posted it. It was a older gentlemen who ran a local business and had a soft spot for animals. The surprisingly sharp man was able to give an accurate description of the alleyway in question and its current occupants, a growing pack of stray dogs who had presumably ether run away or had been abandoned by their former owners. He was also able to provide an equally accurate description of their 'leader'-- a rottweiler who had been named Titan. The rottweiler had been described as having formerly belonging to his now dead wife before running away for unknown reasons and eventually taking over a nearby alleyway.

At the inn's garden, Maverick fed the ducks, watched the fish and saw some of the patrons playing different sport. He was silence the whole time, still feeling awkward on how he and Ilasi's last conversation went. It seemed that no matter how much he tried to be nice, he always said something that upset her amd made him mess things up. He was even thinking about grabbing a book or something about Aelinon's history so that he could he could understand Ilasi better and perhaps finally express himself about her country the right way.

Quote: A Guy

Meanwhile, back at the Orcford arena, the fight was progressing so slowly - if it was progressing at all - that the arena personnel decided to step in and declare it a draw, ushering the two combatants out of the arena, much to the audience's pleasure - cheers could be heard as the fight was declared to be over. In its place soon after was a battle of many different elementals - all controlled by mages on two separate different teams. The crowd was much more ecstatic to see a match like this - clearly a favorite.

Angora remained indifferent throughout the whole match, from the two warrior's retreat to the mage's entry. She was rather happy that the warriors will at least live to see another day, and maybe win their freedom like she and Shade had done. When thinking of the dragolet, she felt overwhelming,y sad, even more so than usual. She didn't know why she suddenly missed him that way, but she dismissed it as a simple mood whiplash and continued seeing the spectacle. She started noticing how these elementals were eerily similar to those Shade faced. She remembered how upset she was with him for attacking randomly instead of thinking of a strategy, but decided to leave that thought behind and focus on the scene before her.

The riders were indifferent to Shade's entreating. "We had the wrong information," the captain told him. "It was an accident. Nothing more. Now that we are done here, it is no longer your concern."

Latnok was satisfied enough with the description of his tasks. Setting out, he didn't leave with so much as a glass of water. As the group went through the city, one could gradually see the shift from the area of the docks and their abundant wealth to the less wealthy parts of the city. With the instructions and some knowledge of the city, Latnok was able to reach the general neighborhood - now it was just a question of pinpointing the animals. Perhaps something to attract their attention or have them make noise to reveal themselves. "Just be really careful," Latnok warned. "Rottweilers tend to be pretty territorial."

Ilasi felt awkward herself, but wasn't quite sure what to say after what had happened. Perhaps she had come off a bit too harsh? She wasn't sure. "Let's... not make this a big deal, Maverick," Ilasi said. "We can talk about other things. So... what were some of the other port cities you've visited? Have you ever gotten a chance to properly visit them and explore them like this after... well, after you began your new life?" Though the question had a pretty obvious answer, Ilasi was reaching for anything to start a new conversation.

Meanwhile, back at the behemoth pen, two soldiers arrived, each carrying a heavy pack of supplies of some sort. They made their way past Don and Huntress, heading straight for one of the behemoths.
"What are you all here for?" one of the pen managers asked. "Going somewhere?"
"Yes. We need a behemoth to transport a platoon of men and supplies to Orcford. It's an urgent matter - the king himself wants to see us as ready as possible at Orcford."
"Yes, border city and all that... do you have orders?" the manager asked. One of the soldier handed him a scroll, which he read and identified the seal on.
"Okay, good to go. We'll have one ready for you before the hour is done. Make sure every man and their supplies are here by then."
"We will," one of the soldiers said, as he put down his supplies and left, along with his partner.

As Angora continued watching the spectacle, she took another bite of the snacks, which were better than what was happening. The new show was slightly better than the last, though it still wasn't anything too impressive. She wondered if this arena worked the same way as the one in Redwater in terms of taking care of cadavers, but even if a behemoth could fit, she wasn't going to stay for that part. She wanted distractions, just not that kind.

Quote: A Guy

Ilasi felt awkward herself, but wasn't quite sure what to say after what had happened. Perhaps she had come off a bit too harsh? She wasn't sure. "Let's... not make this a big deal, Maverick," Ilasi said. "We can talk about other things. So... what were some of the other port cities you've visited? Have you ever gotten a chance to properly visit them and explore them like this after... well, after you began your new life?" Though the question had a pretty obvious answer, Ilasi was reaching for anything to start a new conversation.

Maverick was glad for the change of subject, even though he still felt awkward, especially since many of those visits weren't pleasant.
"Well... there isn't much to say actually. My dad always spent most of the days at sea. The only ports we visited was only to assault and restock supplies. I never even knew most of the names of those towns, even less how he avoided detection for so long, especially someone like the Guardians." Maverick expressed, feeling like he never actually knew his father. The only thing he could come up with was that perhaps the pirate captain had some sort of powerful, foreign magic that made him avoid detection for too long. He then remembered his own medallion had magic, but he quickly dismissed the idea of a connection.

Not wanting to remain on that unpleasant subject, he quickly proceeded to reply to her real question.
"But after my new life, I mostly visited towns and villages, some without even a view of the sea. I... wanted to avoid the water for a little while, you know? I must say I'm a little bad with names, and I entered most of those towns without even seeing their names. It was just for business you know. I do remember Santa Clarita. The people there were obsessed with anything that emitted light, from fireflies to fire. They even had some tiny lizards that could breathe fire like dragons, but they had no wings and the fire was always controllable. I really wanted one, but I didn't feel ready for a pet, especially not a flammable one..." he paused, starting to think of the irony.
"Anyway, there was also the city of Mankus. The buildings there were enormous! And many of the people were tall. Twice our size in fact. I thought they were giants, but it turned out to be just genetic. They were more tall than big, and they were all very nice..." Maverick explained, his mood improving. He was clearly very happy recalling those memories. As he did, he started pondering, going deep within his head to try and remember what other places he had visited...

Quote: A Guy

Meanwhile, back at the behemoth pen, two soldiers arrived, each carrying a heavy pack of supplies of some sort. They made their way past Don and Huntress, heading straight for one of the behemoths.
"What are you all here for?" one of the pen managers asked. "Going somewhere?"
"Yes. We need a behemoth to transport a platoon of men and supplies to Orcford. It's an urgent matter - the king himself wants to see us as ready as possible at Orcford."
"Yes, border city and all that... do you have orders?" the manager asked. One of the soldier handed him a scroll, which he read and identified the seal on.
"Okay, good to go. We'll have one ready for you before the hour is done. Make sure every man and their supplies are here by then."
"We will," one of the soldiers said, as he put down his supplies and left, along with his partner.

"Oooh, perfect timing gentlemen. Need a ride to Orcford. Need to see for myself who this Scourge of Redwater really is. I'm sure his magesty won't mind. He hasn't seen me in a while, and I'm certain he'll be glad to see an old friend. Now help a lady up..." Huntress began to say, but then she took out her whip immediately.
"Oh no wait. Never mind. I can help myself." she said as she used the whip to tie it on one of the protuberant, rock-like skin of the behemoth, impulsing herself upwards and repeating the process several times before finding herself on the back of the giant animal, clearly showing off her skills. Being raised by an Aelinonian soldier, she had some training of her own, although she never had the desire to pursue her foster father's line of work, she still visited the soldiers, always acting more like a spoiled girl rather than one of their own. Even so, her antics were always harmless... at least to Aelinon.

Making herself comfortable on the behemoth's back, she started talking to the mountain sized creature.
"Hey behemothy. Who's a handsome boy?" she commented, loving the behemoths after they destroyed the dragon that ransacked and burned her village to the ground, and ever since she was that little girl, she had always treated them like giant teddy bears.

The personnel at the pen made no effort to interfere with Huntress and her mounting attempt. "It might not be the most spacious rides," one of the caretakers warned. The behemoth itself didn't give Huntress any sort of protest, instead letting out a low growl, almost a purr.
As the hour went on, more troops trickled in with various supplies, while the pen hands fed the behemoth a large stack of a variety of meats. Eventually, there was an entire platoon of humans awaiting the behemoth and their next ride. When the platoon was ready, their supplies were loaded into a sturdy crate. Once the crate was filled, it was closed and locked, and set on a platform to be loaded onto the behemoth by a hoist and secured with various ropes.
The major in charge of the behemoth for this particular trip took the most forward position, opting to mount the creature by means of one of the platforms at the level of the creature's back as it lowered itself, as opposed to climbing it. The platoon soon followed. Between the platoon and the supplies, there wasn't much room - but everyone would fit.

Despite liking being in the front, Huntress was comprehensive and respectful enough to go near the crates with supplies so that the others could be in charge of the navigation. As the behemoth ate, she hoped some of that meat was from that of dragons. It was no mystery how much she hated them, always refusing to ride a wyvern whenever she needed to go someplace, just because they resembled dragons so much. She always requested a horse or an entire behemoth for a ride. Her requests were almost always fulfilled, even if some of them were out of pure whim like now, but she was always treated the soldiers, galuds and humans alike, with respect and kindness, request or not. As the behemoth was loaded, she waited patiently for everyone to finish so she could finally get to Orcford...

Though not as fast as wyverns, behemoths were capable of navigating Aelinon's underground network much more effectively than horses, avoiding obstacles, and their earth-shifting abilities allowed them to open up restricted routes for a more direct path. Ironically, despite their size, their movement was harder to track than that of wyverns, on account of much of their navigation being underground. As the behemoth was released from the pen, he would, in short time, open up such a route by pounding the ground by an otherwise unassuming wall - which was closed as the group went through. Light magic kept the way lit as the behemoth moved. It would take some time, but the behemoth would reach Orcford without any interruptions.

With the fight concluding with a fire elemental and an air elemental on one team still standing, some of the arena personnel came in - carrying or dragging bodies out of the arena. Orcford apparently didn't feel comfortable with having a behemoth in the arena, despite ready access to at least one at all times - it would be much like a bull in a china shop.
Soon, however, the arena manager - who wasn't the head person of Orcford - rushed in, seemingly with an urgent announcement. "Ladies and gentlemen," the manager called out. "Due to recent events, the king is stopping by Orcford today. The schedule may change as a result of this sudden development. We will have a short intermission while we sort the details out. We thank you for your patience in the matter. Please enjoy some complementary food!" The manager stepped out of the arena, which had been cleaned up at this point, and several men and women came into the stands to give out some food consisting of meats and fruits, as well as water and ale.

"People that tall? Seems rather... uncomfortable," Ilasi said. "You could hit your head on things if you ever visited anyone outside of that place! The tallest human I've seen is our captain - I can't imagine anyone bigger! But then again, I haven't really been outside of Aelinon. I've been living and working here my entire life. Sometimes I have some whim or another, like trying to find the Storm Scepter that day... but I soon get back to reality. My parents never thought I'd make it on my own - but I've survived just fine." Ilasi, though in a much better mood, had a hint of resentment in her voice as she mentioned the subject of her parents.

Maverick sympathized with her plea, getting quite interested when she mentioned the scepter.
"Storm Scepter? Is that like some treasure of a legend? Well then, you're talking to a former pirate here. I may not have liked that life, but I did aquired some skills in the long run. I can help you..." he started to say, when he was reminded of a subject that was on his mind for a while.

"...I mean, if you'd like. I... I really want you to come with me once Oscurito and Angorita return. Of course, I can understand if you decide not to travel with us. We'll probably be hated for the rest of our lives after what has happened, and I don't want to expose you to a life like that. But... if you do decide to come, I promise you'll have the best life I can provide. I can give you a house if you want, and all the spoils you'd like. I'm a traveling merchant. I win good money. Sometimes people pay me more than the price I intend to. And with your charm, we could attract even more people to our stand. We can also have adventures. Whatever you decide. But it's alright if you decide it's not worth the risk. We can still keep in touch once in a while, and I can still make your life better. You won't have to be so overworked ever again." Maverick concluded, super determined to make Ilasi happy. Despite the arguments and awkwardness of the past, he still wanted to please the mermaid.

Quote: A Guy

Though not as fast as wyverns, behemoths were capable of navigating Aelinon's underground network much more effectively than horses, avoiding obstacles, and their earth-shifting abilities allowed them to open up restricted routes for a more direct path. Ironically, despite their size, their movement was harder to track than that of wyverns, on account of much of their navigation being underground. As the behemoth was released from the pen, he would, in short time, open up such a route by pounding the ground by an otherwise unassuming wall - which was closed as the group went through. Light magic kept the way lit as the behemoth moved. It would take some time, but the behemoth would reach Orcford without any interruptions.

Huntress continued to enjoy the ride, giving some ocasional pets and paths to the behemoth, not caring that their skin was so hard. She knew where their softer spots were, though she couldn't reach it from there. As the ride almost came to an end, she remembered something.
"By the way mayor, I need to return to Redwater again soon. Think you can lend me the behemoth again for the ride back?" she asked kindly, using the sweet voice she was so well known for. Despite never causing trouble for Aelinon, she had some very unorthodox whims.

Quote: A Guy

With the fight concluding with a fire elemental and an air elemental on one team still standing, some of the arena personnel came in - carrying or dragging bodies out of the arena. Orcford apparently didn't feel comfortable with having a behemoth in the arena, despite ready access to at least one at all times - it would be much like a bull in a china shop.
Soon, however, the arena manager - who wasn't the head person of Orcford - rushed in, seemingly with an urgent announcement. "Ladies and gentlemen," the manager called out. "Due to recent events, the king is stopping by Orcford today. The schedule may change as a result of this sudden development. We will have a short intermission while we sort the details out. We thank you for your patience in the matter. Please enjoy some complementary food!" The manager stepped out of the arena, which had been cleaned up at this point, and several men and women came into the stands to give out some food consisting of meats and fruits, as well as water and ale.

Angora wasn't exactly happy for the announcement, but she already paid for the ticket, so she wanted to get her money's worth. She already had some snacks, but her stomach had room for more, so she gladly took the complementary food once it was handed. Since she was wearing a hood, nobody recognized her, but if she was being talked about even in Orcford, she had no doubt people would know who she was if they saw her. It wasn't so bad being some sort of a celebrity, but she wanted peace, and she couldn't have that if people recognized her all the time.

Now it was Ilasi's turn to be nervous. She lowered her head and turned away slightly in attempt to hide her intense blushing. "Well, uh... I'm still under contract, you know..." she said reluctantly. "It's... it's so sweet of you to offer. I really... appreciate it. Maybe you could, uh, possibly..." Ilasi abruptly stopped, being too embarrassed to propose the idea of Maverick signing on with Sere again. She wasn't sure that either party would be willing, considering their history - especially since Sere considered Shade a liability, and Maverick would be going nowhere without him.
"... nevermind."

The major didn't turn to answer, being more focused on the path ahead. "There should be a trip from Orcford to Redwater to bring prisoners back to the city. I can put in a word to have you on that behemoth." He wasn't quite sure he should be obliging her - but he knew that she had many connections, with a rumor that they extended as far as the king - so he wasn't going to refuse her. Besides, she was a small, sweet lady - so he was happy to offer her that favor.

"Thank you so much my kind gentleman. Much appreciated." Huntress said with genuine gratitude, the behemoth finally arriving to their destination. She wanted to see king Seraos, but didn't know if he was with the black dragon at the moment. Still, he would point her the right way, and while she was with him, she could have a word with him. They weren't exactly childhood friends, but they did saw each other once or twice when Humtress was rescued from her burned village.
"Take this for your troubles." she said to the major, giving him a tip from the money Dex had given her. She was even willing to help with some of the supplies, and then follow the rest of the men in their meeting with the monarch.

Quote: A Guy

Now it was Ilasi's turn to be nervous. She lowered her head and turned away slightly in attempt to hide her intense blushing. "Well, uh... I'm still under contract, you know..." she said reluctantly. "It's... it's so sweet of you to offer. I really... appreciate it. Maybe you could, uh, possibly..." Ilasi abruptly stopped, being too embarrassed to propose the idea of Maverick signing on with Sere again. She wasn't sure that either party would be willing, considering their history - especially since Sere considered Shade a liability, and Maverick would be going nowhere without him.
"... nevermind."

Maverick simply shook his head and smiled at her, seeing that he didn't quite understood him.
"I know Ilasi. You told me about the contract. I meant later on, when you're finally free of it. I didn't mean right now." Maverick explained kindly, being very sweet and patient with her.

MEANWHILE...
Quote: A Guy

Latnok was satisfied enough with the description of his tasks. Setting out, he didn't leave with so much as a glass of water. As the group went through the city, one could gradually see the shift from the area of the docks and their abundant wealth to the less wealthy parts of the city. With the instructions and some knowledge of the city, Latnok was able to reach the general neighborhood - now it was just a question of pinpointing the animals. Perhaps something to attract their attention or have them make noise to reveal themselves. "Just be really careful," Latnok warned. "Rottweilers tend to be pretty territorial."

Raclaw nodded and as the three began to approach the neighborhood-- all was quiet. The neighborhood in question was no doubt one of the poorer neighborhoods with parts appearing to be abandoned, at least from the outside. There was not a single sound in the air other than their own voices; an echo from Latnok being heard somewhere off in the distance. And as the Guardian and the two canine-like individuals began to walk further into the neighborhood, both Raclaw and Chester would open up their senses. "Nothing-- yet.," Raclaw said in a quiet tone so as to not cause an attracting echo. Chester began to sniff the air and eventually followed a scent to a otherwise uninteresting dried puddle. "This territory is marked. If we aren't being watched now, we will be soon.," Chester warned in a quieter bark. The pack would no doubt be a little reluctant to come out to the Guardian and his two collared companions. "I recognize that scent though-- I once ran away or rather tried. A scout tried to meet me before I was caught and returned to that drunk of a master.," Chester then thought out loud and now recognizing just what that beloved colored liquid had been.

After the long flight back, the wyvern riders had returned, bringing Shade with them. Shade would be brought to the same general area he was in before; he was still unbound for the time being, though the men were alert for any sudden aggression or outburst in some form or another, having heard of recent events, and were prepared to act if need be. There was already food waiting for him; a bucket of meat, this time raw beef.

The news did not take long to reach the king; he had been at an outpost relatively close to the Orcford border, at least as far as wyvernback flight was concerned, checking the readiness of troops on many fronts as he preferred to do. Though very visibly livid, he did not lash out at the messenger; he would reserve that for the scouts who provided faulty intelligence.
His schedule would have to change; returning to Orcford to check on the imprisoned dragon and learn more about the incident from his riders was his top priority. His wyvern would arrive at the outpost less than an hour after Shade's arrival.
As Seraos dismounted his wyvern, the men immediately came answering to him. They all knew what he was here for.
"My king," the captain in charge of the riders began, unprompted. "We were acting as or-"
"Don't worry about informing me," the king assured the captain. "You were just doing what you were old. That's what you were supposed to do. You acted on the information we had. The scouts are to blame...
"...only in part, however. My own decisions led to what happened today. I was irresponsible in my discernment. I had power - and I was too eager to use it. I did as my advisors said - but in the end, it's only advice. I should have used my own judgment. I failed to consider all of the possibilities myself - I should have used my own judgment. In truth, I should have waited for the dust to settle after the capture of the princess, and see where we were after that; it will be much more difficult to reach an agreement now. I will do what I have to in order to keep our people safe.
"As for the dragon - murdering innocent people en-masse was not my intent - at the most, he was to be used against military targets. It definitely should not have been the way he was introduced into service with us... I doubt he will take this well at all. Give him time off until further word from me, but keep him under control." Seraos had much to think about after today; despite his inexperience, he had to know when not to follow his advisers. And in honesty, he was very tempted to see what power he had at his command; temptation in such a matter could prove ruinous.

Meanwhile, back at the Orcford arena, a unique competition was going on; after shooting at a target in order to determine who would win the right to the first shot, the archers stood at a distance. They would fire one arrow; the opponent would try to dodge it. Then, the opponent would fire one arrow, in turn; any attempt to cheat would be met with arrows and various magical projectiles fired from personnel in the stands.

Latnok continued his movements trepidatiously; his main concerns were not for himself, but for Chester, and he did not wish to be in a position where he immediately had to act and kill any possible canine assailant. It was then that he had an idea.
"Hmm..." he said, as he reached into his pack. After some fiddling around, he pulled out a piece of brined meat; kindling some fire in his own hand, he would begin to cook the meat (albeit crudely), with the smell of it eventually beginning to permeate the air.

Ilasi had settled down a bit, and was much more comfortable now - in fact, broadly smiling. "Oh, I'd love... well, I would be happy to," she said - worried that she might come off as too obliging. "I could actually go out, and have fun, do things I've always dreamed of, and... well, uh, get to know you even better. I've always had daydreams of how I'd want to live after finding the Storm Scepter.
"Oh, yeah. To answer your question, it's an artifact that was crafted by mermen as a gift for humans - specifically, those most responsible for the war effort to break the control of dragons and their minions. The artifact could be wielded by those it was designed for, and any of their descendants - it would shock anyone else who tried to wield it, and most wouldn't make the mistake of trying to grab it a second time. Well, those people of the bloodlines that could wield the scepter became what would be the nobility. The scepter was eventually deemed a signal of the king's right to rule. There was a short-lived but brutal period of infighting among humans, after which the scepter was lost - some say it was sealed somewhere for safekeeping, others believe it was thrown away somewhere to deny anyone the right to rule purely on the basis of being able to wield the scepter. Without it, there are a few who question the king's legitimacy - even if they're not vocal about it. Not too vocal, anyway. A long time ago, one king put a bounty on the scepter - which still stands to this day, adjusted for inflation. Humans not of the nobility, and other races, would have difficulty actually bringing it to the king, of course; merfolk are naturally exempt from being shocked by our own artifact.
"Anyway, that was just my idea of maybe getting lucky enough and becoming rich one day. After all of this is done... just have to finish this journey to Falcon's Beak and live. Not too hard, right?" Though Ilasi had a relatively light-hearted tone with her last statement, the truth of it lingered.

Quote: A Guy

Latnok continued his movements trepidatiously; his main concerns were not for himself, but for Chester, and he did not wish to be in a position where he immediately had to act and kill any possible canine assailant. It was then that he had an idea.
"Hmm..." he said, as he reached into his pack. After some fiddling around, he pulled out a piece of brined meat; kindling some fire in his own hand, he would begin to cook the meat (albeit crudely), with the smell of it eventually beginning to permeate the air.

As the smell of the crudely cooked meat began to permeate the air-- something began to stir although it didn't immediately make itself visible. An distant bark could be faintly heard to those with higher than average perception and an ever so faint 'scattering' noise could be heard perhaps coming from one of the nearby rooftops. "There-- above us.," Raclaw warned as his senses (and thus Latnok's senses) could pick on the presence of a smaller living individual on top of a partly crumbled building. "It's likely an scout. They checking us out-- they might not like you. Raclaw.. maybe. And they may not look kindly upon me 'bringing' you here. Depends on how they're feeling and how hungry the pack is.," Chester advised knowing more about dog pack systems than ether of his two companions. "I may have an idea. Latnok, Raclaw-- drop the meat and step back. Give me some breathing room.," Chester then said posing a situation that would very much put the little Beagle at risk. A nearby corner would hide their immediate presence, although Raclaw was reluctant to say yes. He looked at Latnok, awaiting the Guardian's input on the proposal.

After the supplies were stocked, Huntress made sure to remember when the next behemoth would arrive. Finally after the rest of the riders were done with the prisoners and supplies, she went to find the king.

After some assistance from some other soldiers, she arrived at the outpost where he currently was.
"I'm here to see King Seraos. He knows who I am." Huntress said, almost sounding sarcastic. He was looking forward to see him again. She almost never saw him with his position as king,mand she couldn't imagine how hard it was for someone as young as him to have such high position.

Quote: A Guy

Meanwhile, back at the Orcford arena, a unique competition was going on; after shooting at a target in order to determine who would win the right to the first shot, the archers stood at a distance. They would fire one arrow; the opponent would try to dodge it. Then, the opponent would fire one arrow, in turn; any attempt to cheat would be met with arrows and various magical projectiles fired from personnel in the stands.

Angora watched with a little bit more interest as before, feeling quite happy for having such a full belly. She felt more full than with a restaurant.
"Hmph. Archery. It has always been interesting. Something so skinny and seemingly insignificant like an arrow can cause so much harm." she said to the spectator besides her, although not looking for a general conversation. She had an interest in archery, but she never bothered to learn it.

Quote: A Guy

Ilasi had settled down a bit, and was much more comfortable now - in fact, broadly smiling. "Oh, I'd love... well, I would be happy to," she said - worried that she might come off as too obliging. "I could actually go out, and have fun, do things I've always dreamed of, and... well, uh, get to know you even better. I've always had daydreams of how I'd want to live after finding the Storm Scepter.
"Oh, yeah. To answer your question, it's an artifact that was crafted by mermen as a gift for humans - specifically, those most responsible for the war effort to break the control of dragons and their minions. The artifact could be wielded by those it was designed for, and any of their descendants - it would shock anyone else who tried to wield it, and most wouldn't make the mistake of trying to grab it a second time. Well, those people of the bloodlines that could wield the scepter became what would be the nobility. The scepter was eventually deemed a signal of the king's right to rule. There was a short-lived but brutal period of infighting among humans, after which the scepter was lost - some say it was sealed somewhere for safekeeping, others believe it was thrown away somewhere to deny anyone the right to rule purely on the basis of being able to wield the scepter. Without it, there are a few who question the king's legitimacy - even if they're not vocal about it. Not too vocal, anyway. A long time ago, one king put a bounty on the scepter - which still stands to this day, adjusted for inflation. Humans not of the nobility, and other races, would have difficulty actually bringing it to the king, of course; merfolk are naturally exempt from being shocked by our own artifact.
"Anyway, that was just my idea of maybe getting lucky enough and becoming rich one day. After all of this is done... just have to finish this journey to Falcon's Beak and live. Not too hard, right?" Though Ilasi had a relatively light-hearted tone with her last statement, the truth of it lingered.

"Heh... Not too long." Maverick repeated, being rather sarcastic about it. He wanted to travel to the Enduring Legacy again, but for Ilasi's sake and nobody else. He already wanted that adventure over so that he, Ilasi and their friends once they return, could have adventures of their own.
"Well it's settled then. Let's do a great job on the ship so that we can finally go find this scepter. I have heard of many impressive treasures that turned out to be real after all, and this scepter sounds like it can be real." he finally assured, looking forward to spend more time with Ilasi as well.