darkSpyro

The door was soon opened to reveal Julian, looking weary and hard at work in his typical manner. Despite this, he wore a smile on his face.
"Thank you," he said, as he took the food presented to him. "I might have made a breakthrough. Hexphage - a fungus which is maintained and closely guarded by Aelinon - has some properties which, if applied correctly, may be used to slow - or potentially, halt - further development of the parasite. Initial tests seem promising. More observation will be needed. A rather simple idea, that I've never had the capability to test. Hexwood... hexphage... seems like it could work, doesn't it?" As Julian headed back to the workbench to sit down with his food, multiple vials with the parasitic wood could be seen, some with hexphage visibly growing on them, others suspended in various liquids of different kinds.

Leoquin took the offered platter from Maverick. "Thanks, buddy. Appreciate it!" he said, as he began taking the first few bites from what he had. He wondered what maverick planned to do after all of this... probably a lot more than he himself was planning, considering he had nowhere to go from here.

Angora's spine grew cold, remembering the infernal fungus that was hexphage.
"Don't know about hexwood, but I do know about hexphage. It absorbs magic is all I know. Still remember how that dastard fungus was used on me in that prison. Not only to deprive me of magic, but to... serve as a condiment for those behemoths!" she recoiled at the memory. But speaking of which, she remembered the one she faced in the arena. He was surprisingly decent to her when they met under better conditions. Perhaps she should pay him a visit again sometimes.

Thinking about it, behemoths weren't evil, just exaggeratedly large creature that worked for those who benefited them. They needed a lot food after all.
"Well glad that fungus is good for something. You should call Sand Dune, Random or Opium to help you sometimes. They may not know about magic, but they do know about medicine." Angora suggested, assuming they weren't going to get affected by the fungus. They weren't magical, and they weren't part of Orion's group, so they were perfect. The fact that they knew about medicine was a big plus too.

Quote: A Guy

Leoquin took the offered platter from Maverick. "Thanks, buddy. Appreciate it!" he said, as he began taking the first few bites from what he had. He wondered what maverick planned to do after all of this... probably a lot more than he himself was planning, considering he had nowhere to go from here.

Maverick was about to distribute the rest of the food, but he just had to ask Leoquin something. He still wasn't talking to Ilasi, at least not too much, which made Maverick feel like he failed her.
"So... señor Leoquin, any plans for when this war is over?" Maverick asked, not one to pry in personal lives, but Leoquin was so mysterious he didn't seem to have any other goals.

Julian took and ate a mouthful of food before answering Angora. "their help is always appreciated," he answered. "More hands and eyes make my job easier. And, at the very least, if I suddenly kick the bucket, it means someone is around to transcribe my last ramblings. Wouldn't want anyone to miss it, after all."
Julian had to appreciate the similar circumstances - all of them were men looking for redemption of some kind. the main difference was what drove them to the points they were at.

"Hmm..." Leoquin didn't know how to answer that question. "Honestly, I don't know," he said plainly. "I spent so much time and effort preparing for a voyage like this in order to follow any potential lead on my brother, but that trail seems to have gone cold. I might be able to meet him once again when this is all over - slim chance of that happening, though. I tried to find my parents here, but they're not home. I don't know if the turmoil has anything to do with it.'
leoquin looked down as he considered his options. "I'll have enough money to last comfortably for a long while, so from there, I have time to decide. I don't know, though. What can I do? I don't have many options."

Maverick figured as much. Leoquin was so set in finding his brother it wasn't surprising to learn he didn't have a plan beyond that.
"Well, I can help you find something. We still have to deal with those Ishulgite people, but afterwards, I can help you find something to do. Señor Sere will pay us well, so we will have enough money to settle somewhere. Redwater is big. Or maybe something underwater? It can be an entirely different place too. And there are many jobs you could do. The possibilities are endless." the faun man assured, wanting to give the merman hope for the future. He really wanted him to find his brother, but just like with Raclaw's family, sometimes reality was different. Shade did manage to find his family, but it was so sad how he couldn't even be with them right now.

Quote: A Guy

Julian took and ate a mouthful of food before answering Angora. "their help is always appreciated," he answered. "More hands and eyes make my job easier. And, at the very least, if I suddenly kick the bucket, it means someone is around to transcribe my last ramblings. Wouldn't want anyone to miss it, after all."
Julian had to appreciate the similar circumstances - all of them were men looking for redemption of some kind. the main difference was what drove them to the points they were at.

Angora shook her head, not willing to let the one who saved her suffer like that.
"Even if I have to resort to torture, I will find a way to get the Ishulgites to give you an antidote. They must have something. Or... maybe... yeah! Yeah of course! Why didn't I think of this before? I have healing magic! And with Orion giving us extra power to help us, it may be even more powerful than before! Do you think... it can help? Do what you must." Angora suggested, not minding being used as a Guinea pig if it meant helping him. It may be the only way to repay him for what he did.

Leoquin gave a pleased smile, suppressing the urge to laugh. "Maverick, buddy, getting a little carried away, don't you think?" he asked. "You have your own problems to take care of. I don't know what will follow for me here, but I doubt it's something you will want to get yourself tangled up in. I just have to go somewhere else, perhaps. A fresh start somewhere, with everything to gain and nothing to lose. Seems simple enough, doesn't it?" Leoquin didn't know where that "somewhere" would be, but considering the circumstances, the bar was set pretty low.

Julian took a deep breath and sighed, shaking his head slowly. "Healing magic may just aggravate the situation, encouraging the parasite to grow," he cautioned. "Whatever solution it is, it has to be something which targets the parasite without - or with minimal effect on - the host. Something which can be sent through the blood in sufficient enough quantities without lethally poisoning the host. To that end, hexphage has potential - as the side effect on humans are tolerable, from all of my research on the matter so far." Julian pointed to a shelf to the side, which had a few new books he managed to procure from Redwater.

Angora lowered her ears in disappointment, having been certain that healing magic would help. But she guessed it made kinda sense. The parasite was in some way keeping him alive, but also feeding on him, so if she healed him, it could just feed on him more.
"Aww. Well... we're in Redwater. They have hexphage by the mile. I can try getting you some without having contact with it." Angora said, knowing it would be really bad if she touched it. She wanted so badly to help Julian, so it filled her with anxiety not being able to do anything.

Quote: A Guy

Leoquin gave a pleased smile, suppressing the urge to laugh. "Maverick, buddy, getting a little carried away, don't you think?" he asked. "You have your own problems to take care of. I don't know what will follow for me here, but I doubt it's something you will want to get yourself tangled up in. I just have to go somewhere else, perhaps. A fresh start somewhere, with everything to gain and nothing to lose. Seems simple enough, doesn't it?" Leoquin didn't know where that "somewhere" would be, but considering the circumstances, the bar was set pretty low.

"Well, maybe not help, help, in that way. But maybe a list of suggestions would suffice?" Maverick suggested, not intending on getting into his life, but maybe a few advices was just what he needed.

"I appreciate it," Julian said, "but my contacts have been able to provide me with enough of it to facilitate my research. Once I have established the effects of the potential treatment in blood samples, I can work from there... potentially to a live trial." There was still quite a bit of work to do - but Julian felt he was finally, after all this time, making a breakthrough worth noting. finally, the path forward was becoming evident again.

"Hmm... sure, why not?" Leoquin answered. "Not like it could do any harm, anyway." Leoquin didn't know why Maverick was so concerned about his life after the voyage, but perhaps that was just in his nature.

Angora wanted to talk to Julian more, but she could tell he was busy.
"Well, I guess I'll leave now. I will tell Sand Dune, Random and Opium to come help you." Angora stated, leaving Julian alone to work in peace. The three men didn't have much to do now that they were out of a job, so they had plenty of time to spare to come and help his unique friend.

Quote: A Guy

"Hmm... sure, why not?" Leoquin answered. "Not like it could do any harm, anyway." Leoquin didn't know why Maverick was so concerned about his life after the voyage, but perhaps that was just in his nature.

"Great! Muy bien! I will make a list when I get the chance. Just to give a head start. Buena suerte." Maverick said, finally starting to leave to distribute the rest of the food, which he brought to Raclaw so he could heat it up again. Whatever list he made, he was going to make sure Ilasi would be the one to deliver it. Maybe that way, they could have an excuse to have a conversation.

"Thank you once again," Julian said as Angora left. "Stay safe out there... don't let your guard down. You never know what our enemies might be planning. Oh - but do try to get some rest. There is a battle brewing tomorrow, and though you won't be there when it initially breaks out, you will probably be able to reinforce the ones involved some time after it's started." Ideally, if the plan was simple, Rigel could be struck down before anyone could intervene - plans rarely survived first contact with the enemy, however.

Leoquin gave Maverick a short wave before returning to some last-minute practice. Tomorrow would be the day to settle matters - regardless of what happened to his family, he had to see this one matter through.
For a brief moment, he thought he heard the voice of his brother calling him. It served as a reminder of what he set out to do - and what he failed to accomplish. Despite that, he had accomplished other things, and he would do his best to remember that.

Angora smiled, having grown very fond of Julian. If he returned to Guardian headquarters, at least she would be able to see him often. She was kinda relieved to hear that the battle would be tomorrow and not today, though it added the stress of waiting. Angora wanted to to tell someone the decision she has taken, but she didn't want to burden anybody. Raclaw could be the ideal candidate, but she didn't want to risk Latnok overhearing them or using their mind sharing to listen to their conversation. If he knew, she rather have Sere tell him. With a double ration of breakfast, Angora was ready to take a brief nap... when she suddenly remembered she never changed Veris' water. Groaning, she headed to his enclosure and changed it, with the eager wyvern asking her to stay for a little while and play after she was done. He was undoubtedly very happy, and she knew why. She still didn't intended to tell him the truth about how she really felt about going to Guardian headquarters, so she hoped he could realize it himself in the march. She wanted to tell Maverick everything, but she didn't see him when she was in the main deck, so it would have to be later.

In the afternoon, Maverick took Ilasi to a date, in the same restaurant he and Angora went to yesterday. While waiting for their meal, he took the time to make a list of the potential things Leoquin could do with his life and told Ilasi all about it.
"Send him this list Ilasi. Maybe you can start a conversation with him when you do." he suggested to his girlfriend, still wanting the two of them to recover the precious friendship they once had. After their dinner, they were both given a bag of cinnamon cookies just like last time. Maverick paid extra for a whole bunch of them, intending to gift them to Angora, who loved them so much. He had his amazing hyperspace bag with him, and was suddenly reminded of the milk he had. Having seen other people do it, he took a small glass, pouring the milk and dipping the cookie in it.
"Oh wow. This is... wow. Ilasi! You should try it!" he said giddily, the cookie being even better with milk.

After almost an hour with Veris, Angora asked him if she could sleep in her cabin for this night. She wanted to be as comfortable as possible and rest well for the battle tomorrow. Veris was comprehensible and let her go, though he did pouted a little when she left. Angora could only shook her head on how used he has gotten to her company, though thankfully so far, he has always let her go when she asked. At least he wasn't so possessive.

Shade was eventually brought to a behemoth which awaited him. In a similar manner as previously, he was tightly secured to the creature's back. The following trip would take many hours through a barely lit tunnel path, with no break for food or water. In the end, Shade was brought to the site of the weapon he had been used for previously. Only then was he let off, to be used for a round of charging before he was given food or allowed to sleep for the night.

As others went about their day, Sere procured the supplies he and Latnok would need for the upcoming mission. The cloaks worn by the processionists for the coronation ceremony, and some makeup in order to mask the Guardians' telltale complexion, were among the items needed. Later that evening, once all was said and done, he instructed Julian on what would follow, and left along with Latnok to the rendezvous point. They prayed Laszur knew what he was doing.

The wardens were having absolutely none of it. "Yeah, yeah, no one cares," one of the sneered derisively. "If you weren't a mass murderer, you wouldn't have to be making excuses right now. Now, get in." Guards stood at the ready with their weapons, and one gave a slight prod with his spear to encourage Shade to get into the machine.

As Latnok parted ways along with Sere-- Raclaw "waved" goodbye and wished the Guardian the best of luck with his mission. He and Chester both knew that, despite how much either of them wanted to, they *couldn't* tag along this particular mission. Such a mission required the element of surprise and he, unfortunately, was a practically iconic and collared Fur Dragon at this point. Such things were unavoidable; such things were.. inevitable. For better or worse.

"So that's how you want to play, is it?" one of the wardens asked sarcastically. "That's fine, we'll play this game as long as you want." The warden, fed up with Shade's apparent excuses, withdrew one of the control devices from his pocket, giving the order to activate the Rack command. None who were present seemed to have a shred of belief in Shade.

The day went by relatively well. Once Maverick returned, Angora was about to tell him about the decision, but he surprised her with the cookies.
"Go ahead Angorita. Eat in peace. Oh, and take this. Drip them and you'll see they're even better." Maverick suggested with a wide smile, giving her a bottle of milk. Angora was surprised Maverick still had some of those bottles. But of course, he never used them in his cooking and they have barely drank any milk lately. He was quite good at making things last. Good thing the hyperspace bag made time in the bottles stop or the milk would've been spoiled a long time ago.

Angora wanted to tell Maverick about the job, but wanting to eat the cookies already, it made things harder. Plus Maverick was quite tired, so he headed to the cabin early without knowing Angora wanted to tell him something. Angora left the cookies in a drawer inside her own cabin just in case Veris wanted them, and afterwards brought him his dinner, bidding him goodnight as he ate. She left while he was eating just in case he changed his mind about her stay. It was still quite early, but Angora wanted to conceal sleep sooner than usual. She didn't know if Sere wanted her in that battle, but she was going anyway. She could protect his soldiers with her shield from a distance and heal them with magic whenever they got injured. And if the Ishulgites still hated her for rejecting them, she could serve as a distraction, though that last part was probably not a good idea, especially if most of the mission required stealth.

The warden deactivated the Rack command, freeing Shade from the pain it inflicted. "Good, move it along now," he demanded. "We don't have all day. The key battle is tomorrow, and we'll need every last drop of power we can squeeze out of you to turn the tides." The other guards opened up the doors into the machine, clearing the way for Shade to enter.

Angora lied on the bed, having thought about going to Sere and telling him about what she decided about the job offer, but decided to leave it for after the war was over. As she prepared to sleep, she couldn't stop thinking about Shade. How was he being treated? She experienced first hand how cruel and unfair those guards could be. She dreaded to think what was being done to him. In the darkest corners of her heart, she was wishing that, if the Ishulgites were meant to do harm to Redwater in any way, they should start with those horrible guards, always abusing their power and authority to bring fear to their captives. She knew it was wrong to feel that way, but that's how much resentment she felt towards them.

Reminding herself of the Ishulgites brought her memories back to the orb, the red little sphere she always kept in her pocket now. Once her secret savior, to the cause of much misery. She knew the orb didn't work anymore, but for a moment she wished she could so she could taunt her messenger the same way he has done her when the ruse was up.

"Yeah, yeah, tell it to the judge," one guard said dismissively as the doors to the machine were shut. Immediately after, the device was activated, and the draining runes began to work just as they had before. The men all stood on guard, ready to activate the collar commands if need be.

Quote:

“Raclaw if you can hear me stop them before they make a huge mistake!” He would try to mentally say.

Shade's attempt at telecommunication would come out as mostly static as best-- with Raclaw *barely* receiving the attempt. "S..Shade? Is.. that you? We.. away. Away.," Raclaw started to 'respond' realising just how broken the connection was. "Whe........re e......ver youuuuuu arrrrrrrrre, IIIIIIII can.........cannot .. help you.," he then tried to respond doing what he could to increase the strength and purposely stretching out his words in order to compensate with any interference. Chester looked up, seeing that Raclaw was apparently VERY focused on something.

None who were present cared at all for Shade's struggles. Shade's pleas were mostly ignorable as the engine of destruction loudly rolled forward onto the field. No one had the time or will to listen to the pleas of a heinous criminal - a murderer of their countrymen.

Raclaw couldn't successfully respond back as Shade entered the machine, but he was never-the-less at least aware of it now. So it was true-- they were already using Shade as a weapon; or at least using his *energy* as a power source for a weapon. Raclaw didn't immediately much of anything in regards to a power drain, but that would probably only get worse the closer the two got. At what point would the machine stop? Would it stop at Shade? His natural energy if he was close enough? The energy reserves stored in the collar? Only time would tell how much his well-reinforced connection to what was now a living weapon would affect him, for either better or worse. "Raclaw-- are you alright?," Chester asked looking up at the Fur Dragon with concern. "It's Shade; they're beginning to use him as a weapon. I.. I don't know how that'll affect me given the connection I share with him.," Raclaw responded with growing concern. There was no-one 'important' (Guardian-wise) onboard either nor could they quickly contact the King's men. Risar briefly noticed the pair seemingly staring intently into the distance, but chose not to interfere in whatever the two canines were doing/thinking about.

That evening, Seraos was sitting in his office at the town hall when a galud messenger burst in, seemingly rather hurried.
"Your Highness! Urgent report!" the messenger began.
"We're listening," Seraos said, as he and several officers remained seated while listening attentively.
"The Void Breaker... one of the mages sabotaged it!" the messenger urgently relayed. "He was killed in the attempt - but he certainly knew escaping from such a scenario was inevitable. This wasn't just any disloyal officer - it was most likely a fanatic."
Seraos and the others nodded, with one officer giving a slight grunt. "How badly was the artifact damaged?"
"Repairs are already underway, but the prediction is that they will take at least a week, maybe two, to complete."
Seraos gave a frustrated growl, as he scowled and furrowed his brow. "If Rigel and his followers plan to follow up the coronation with an invasion, we will not be able to use the Void Breaker to buy time. They knew this - and they likely planned such an attack for this time for exactly that reason. If the coronation convinces enough of the loyalists to change sides, we will not be able to stop them. Thus, we have only one option - this plan we've cooked up must work. We cannot afford for it not to. Laszur... Sere... I hope they know what they're doing."

As people turned themselves in to their rooms, Laszur entered the enemy-controlled town as he did previously, through use of the new root network. He had many spells at once - most notably invisibility and sound dampening. With a hyperspace bag filled with carpentry supplies, he had quite a few visits to make...

As Raclaw and Chester settled in for the night-- Chester looked out towards the now empty bed that was Latnok's. "Don't worry-- he'll be back. I know it.," Raclaw said with a gentle smile encouraging the little dog to go to sleep. "Yeah.. you're probably right.," Chester whined in a slightly more relaxed tone. Normally Raclaw went with their beloved human, but now Latnok was alone and in enemy territory. Surely Latnok knew how to take care of himself, right? The two began to close their eyes as they rested against each other...

In her sleep, Angora found herself in what seemed like a wasteland. Around her, it looked like, a metal graveyard? There was a fog, and just when it seemed like nothing would happen, Shade appeared behind her. He had strange things surrounding him. Tubes? She didn't know what it was, but it was hurting him.
"Angora? It hurts! It really hurts!" Shade said straining as he was drained.
"You monsters! Why do you do this to us!? After all we have done for YOU!" Angora screamed, only to find to her horror that the guards there had no faces. She was about to disassemble the tubes when something grabbed her from behind and lifted her off the ground. It was Veris, who grabbed the back of her hood and took her away.
"No Veris! Bad Veris! Let me help him!" Angora demanded, but the wyvern didn't listen.
"He'll be fine Angora. He will be released... eventually." he said with what sounded like bored growls, taking the troll away to her new home. Angora managed to get free, but Veris just caught her in his jaws midair and kept pressing forward, not intending to leave Angora out of his sight ever.

Angora woke up sweating, almost yelling, but she stopped to avoid waking Mischief. She looked at the window. It was still dark, but she estimated the sun will be out in less than an hour. Needing time to unwind, she headed to the main deck to look at the stars.
"I hope this is all worth it Neo. I mean, sure, of course it is! Those jerks want to exterminate entire species, and they must be stopped... but... Aelinonians are no saints either. The way they treated me, the way they are probably treating Shady right now..." Angora stopped, too angry to continue. She really wanted the Ishulgites to teach Aelinon a lesson, but if they weren't the crazy, genocidal maniacs they were, she would even dare to sympathize with them more...

That night, Ilasi slept rather peacefully. Whatever the situation ahead was, she was sure that they would get through it. They had already risen to many other challenges she would've backed away from before. Most importantly, she felt safe and secure with Maverick around.

This was it. The day which would decide everything.
Sere and Latnok - along with about a platoon's worth of Guardians - were all garbed in the coronation robes, their faces somewhat obscured by the hoods they wore and the makeup they donned. They all waited patiently around the rendezvous point given for the event.
Finally, as first light began to peek over the horizon, the lead Overseer started walking forward in his own hooded garb. The Guardians were effective at keeping a straight face, not betraying any doubts they might have had.
The Overseer looked somewhat disinterested, as if this day was just as routine as any other. "Okay, every man in your place?" he asked them. "You're all here really early. Expected to be waiting at least another two hours for everyone to show up. Okay, let's make sure everyone is actually here. Role call." The Guardians were all given names by Laszur to memorize; here was hoping he was right...

Meanwhile, a man in a small house a few miles away gave his wife a kiss and hugged his children. "This will be a life-changing moment - no, a historic moment!" he declared. "A king that finally cares for the people who put in the most work to make us the great kingdom that we are! A long time coming. Make sure to prepare the good stuff for dinner when I get back, dear." Grabbing the door handle, he made his way out...
...or he would've, if the door actually budged. "Hmm, that's odd..." he said quietly to himself. He tried a few more times - before he realized there was definitely something seriously wrong with the door. This time, he went from gentle pulls, to more forceful jerks, to trying to pull open the door while pressing on the wall with his foot. The door would not budge.
"Did someone seriously... I don't have time for this. I'm taking a window." Pulling back the blinds from a window, he realized the windowpane was blocked by a combination of wooden planks and metal bars nailed and riveted in.
Someone was definitely behind this.

Maverick woke up a bit earlier than usual that day, at least as usual as could be considered for him. Today was the big day. He was quite nervous, and despite having trouble sleeping yesterday, he managed to get a deep sleep. And when he woke up, once again, he decided to surprise her with another breakfast. Dahlia was sleeping in her pen this time, so he would come with her meal later. He would cook just for Ilasi and Angora only. It hurt cause Shade had been included... until recently.

That early morning, Angora returned to the cabin to sleep a little while longer, just missing Sere and Latnok departing for the mission. When she woke up again, Mischief wasn't in the bed. She was a big girl now, and she has managed well without her on the voyage back, so Angora tried not to worry about her too much. As per routine, she headed to the kitchen to get breakfast for Veris and herself, and as a pleasant coincidence, she found Maverick, almost done with the cooking.
"Angorita! Buenos dias! Mira, I'm making you some bacon. I know you love it. And you can complement them with the cookies... if you haven't eaten them all already." Maverick joked, though in truth, Angora had even forgotten about the cookies. She was so deep in thought yesterday that they slipped her mind, though she did remember she had left them in that drawer. She was glad that Maverick remembered, cause they would indeed compliment breakfast very much. She had to be quick though, since she was certain they would battle later today...

Sand Dune, Random and Opium were at the main deck when Latnok and Sere left, though said nothing. Hey wondered why they handn't taken anyone else in the mission, especially Angora, whom they have seen in action more than once.

As the sun rose and some early arrisors arose-- Raclaw had not yet awaken and was in fact having a nightmare similar to, but different to that of Angora's. He *knew* that Shade had in fact already been placed in a machine and, although the connection had been weak, his subconscious ran with it and placed himself alongside a drained Shade. Not only was Shade being drained (and being placed in some kind of machine), he was being drained as well. He could feel his energy slowly being drained and there was nothing he could do about it! The King; the King merely watched and blamed the Fur Dragon for having "chosen" to form a bond with a killer. And Latnok? Where was Latnok?! Where was Darkheart?! Where was anyone who could help him?!! As the Fur Dragon tossed and turned, Chester soon awoke and tried to shake his older companion awake. "Raclaw! It's just a dream-- wake up!," the Beagle begged.

Elsewhere, Risar was awake and already heading towards the deck. Hopefully everything with the others went to plan...

While most of their companions were still asleep, Maverick was almost done with the cooking. He wanted to cook for Ilasi and Angora alone, but started to feel guilty and cooked for the rest of the companions as well. Angora just rolled her eyes at his nobility
"Save my platter for later Maverick. I'm going to give Veris his food, and if I bring my platter, he will want my food as well." Angora explained, with Maverick chuckling.
"Yep. That's something the wyvern would do. So impressive you're still taking care of him even though you're out of contract. But of course, señor Sere is still very busy. He is surely going to miss you once you leave." Maverick said, assuming Angora wasn't going to choose working in a place where she would most likely be miserable, not to mention constant danger.
"Um... yeah, about that..." Angora started to say, deciding to tell him about her decision now that Maverick was the one to bring the subject.

Maverick listened to what Angora told him, and gave a sad sigh.
"Oh Angorita! Why would you work at a place like this? You have enough money already, so that can't be it. I don't like it! Señor Sere and señor Latnok made you miserable enough already. Can't imagine other Guardians. And what about the other wyverns? I mean... I assume there are others besides Veris, right?" Maverick assumed, really hating the idea of Angora, a troll, being in Guardian base.
"Calm down Maverick. Just listen. Sere will likely keep visiting Shady under the king's orders. That is my only chance to see him and see how he is doing. And of course, bring him in high spirit. Besides, extra money is always welcomed." Angora assured, but Maverick wasn't convinced.
"But what if Sere doesn't visit Oscurito? It'll all be for nothing. I don't like this idea Angorita. Both Sere and Latnok were so mean to you because of their ideals, and if the others were taught that way, I can't imagine wheat they will do to you. Not to mention the other wyverns. You may have befriended Veris, but what if you can't do the same with the other wyverns. What if..." Maverick started to say, but Angora just shushed him.
"Calm down Maverick! Please! First of all, I would be taking care of Veris. Not any wyvern, the leader's mount! I'm certain Sere will give explicit orders to the other Guardians to leave me alone. And if they don't, I can always complain so he can do something about it. And don't worry about the other wyverns. Come on Maverick! You're talking as if I'm completely helpless. If one of them attacks me, I'll just have to defend myself. I can do it without causing the beast injury, just a good scare. Don't forget, I survived being chomped on by a manticore, and that was without even having any of these powers I have now. You're worrying more about them than these stupid Ishulgites." Angora reminded, wanting Maverick to calm down already.

The food almost burned, but Maverick managed to save it.
"Well... Veris will be very happy I'm sure." Maverick said, imagining the wyvern's reaction.
"Just so you know Maverick, this is not a permanent deal. I don't want to spend the rest of my life taking care of a wyvern and being locked up in Guardian headquarters with a few travels in between." Angora assured, though that brought Maverick another issue.
"Temporary. But what about Veris?" Maverick asked, knowing that at this point, the wyvern was too used to Angora.
"Well, if he really is my friend, he will just have to understand. If he sees with his own eyes how miserable I am, or how I am in constant danger of the other wyverns and that he won't be able to protect me all the time, he will have no choice but to let me go. Besides, he lived very well without me for many years. He'll be able to do it again." Angora said, though it was more wishful thinking than knowledge. As she helped Maverick put the food on the cart, the faun man was still deep in thought...

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Icestorm awoke hearing Chester wimper and bark trying to get Raclaw up. He quickly went over and started to shake Raclaw. “Raclaw wake up! Wake up you’re having a nightmare!” Icestorm said.

Between the combined efforts of the two roommates-- they would succeed in their goal, as Raclaw would soon begin to wake. "Latnok.. you came.," the Fur Dragon said half-asleep before fully opening his eyes. "It's just us-- you were having a bad dream.," Chester 'spoke' in his own canine tongue. "Thank-you..," Raclaw said with an attempt at a smile looking upon both Chester and Icestorm.

Ilasi woke up, somewhat groggy. She had intended to get up earlier, but it was a bit later than she had hoped. Maverick was gone - likely making food. From what she understood, they would be joining the Guardians later. She wondered what that entailed.

Several guards approached Shade's new cell, with one of them loudly beating the metal bars with a baton. "Nap time's over, filth!" the guard taunted. "Up and at it. Back in the machine now. You best not make us ask you more than once - you'll find we won't be nearly as accommodating as last time."

As each of the Guardians confirmed the name they were given during role call, the Overseer didn't seem particularly wary. "Okay, my group's all here," he said, more thinking out loud than for anyone to actually hear. "Okay, men, once the other two groups get here, we'll do a quick rehearsal, and then Rigel and the guests should arrive."

Raclaw offered a meager nod as he began to get up. "Shade and I are still connected-- even now. From what he's told me, he's already being used to power some kind of war machine. And neither one of us knows just how far that machine will go before it stops drawing energy; Shade and I have shared our powers before. I've accidently touched upon his and he has accidently borrowed from mine before. I.. I suppose my subconscious got the best of me.," he then explained admitting that he had in fact accessed Shade's powers on at least one occasion. And Vice Versa with his own powers.

Before heading to the main deck, Maverick first headed to Ilasi's cabin, with Angora heading to Veris' enclosure.
"Buenos dias mi amor." Maverick greeted, very happy to see her awake. He brought her some pancakes with half a sandwich in the form of a triangle, though the former did have a few burnt edges.
"My apologies about that. I can make them again if it's not good." Maverick then said. Noticing that the pancakes were a little over cooked. Not by much, but could still alter the taste.

At the wyvern's pen, Angora brought the wyvern his food, and as usual, stepped asides.
"Morning big lug. Breakfast." she said, giving him some space. She could almost see him chomping on those dastard Ishulgites. Having been nearly eaten alive once, Angora knew what a horrifying death that would be, but with those people wishing extinction on who knows how many species, she really believed they deserved it. Although... how many of them were simply manipulated and brainwashed with those beliefs... like the poor children? Angora's thoughts were suddenly conflicted...

Ilasi knew better than to look a gift horse in the mouth - and had no doubt that the food would end up being good regardless of any slight burning. "Oh, that won't be necessary, dear," she said gently as she took the food offered to her. "Thank you. I appreciate it." This was certainly something she could get used to...

With Angora out of the way, Veris lunged at his food, making it disappear in the classic manner, before sitting up. "Good morning, Angora! Do we fight today?" Veris asked eagerly.
The meeting would be interrupted by the sound of the assembly bell. Adjudicator Julian rang - he had to round the rest of the group up for the action to follow.

One of the guards, impatient, jabbed Shade through the bars with a spear. "Get up, damn you!" he ordered. "Looks like we didn't drain you well and good enough. We'll be sure to do it this time."

The guards did not seem the least bit pleased with Shade's response. "This will go two ways," the previous guard explained. "You do what you're told, when you're told, and show respect where it is due - or you will be in for a world of hurt. Perhaps you need a reminder of that." Withdrawing one of the remote control devices, he ordered the use of the Rack command.

As the bell rang-- Raclaw and company would soon make it out to deck. The Fur Dragon would quickly take his place next to Risar, whom would normally be next to or near the absent Latnok. The Minotaur offered a respectful nod to both Raclaw and his companions, allowing Julian to start the briefing when ready. It was moments like this when Raclaw truly realised just close he and Latnok had become; they each had their own parts to play in what was to become.

Like yesterday, Maverick was about to eat with Ilasi, when he heard the bell. Ilasi's cabin was closer to the main deck than his old one, so it could be heard more clearly.
"Aww, meeting time already? We'll have to eat up there Ilasi. I'll help you. The cart is just outside." Maverick said, taking the platter and feeling sad that his lady was not going to be able to eat at the comfort of her own bed. It was a temporary one, but still. As they headed to the main deck, Maverick just remembered he hasn't feed Dahlia yet. She would have to wait a little though. At least she had much hay she could feast upon while she waited.

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With Angora out of the way, Veris lunged at his food, making it disappear in the classic manner, before sitting up. [b]"Good morning, Angora! Do we fight today?" Veris asked eagerly.
The meeting would be interrupted by the sound of the assembly bell. Adjudicator Julian rang - he had to round the rest of the group up for the action to follow.

Angora was about to reply when she heard the bell. Since Veris already ate and the ship was mostly empty, she deemed it safe to let him out. As the troll opened the enclosure and beckoned the wyvern to follow her, something kept bothering her as they reached the main deck.
"We'll fight today most certainly..." she said as they got closer.
"Veris, if you eat some of those Ishulgites, can you at least kill them first? Or at least wait until they're dead? Take it from someone who was almost devoured alive, it's... not a nice feeling..." Angora expressed with some goosebumps, the trauma still being there despite getting over it for the most part. Although in Veris' case, he will probably just swallow them, or crunch a little if they were too big or maybe struggling. She has seen Veris eating prey alive, and it was scary. Despite hating the Ishulgites, Angora couldn't help but to think the majority of them were just poor, brainwashed souls convinced that what they were doing was right... something that almost happened to her.

The guards looked at Shade with disgust as he struggled to move, though they did end the Rack command. "Pathetic creature," one of them sneered as they jabbed at Shade with a pike. "Can murder hundreds of people, but struggles to do just a bit of work. If you keep resisting us, and won't move, then you are useless to us - and we'll be more than happy to dispose of useless things. The game is simple - you serve, or you die."

Veris gave Angora a confused look, tilting his head slightly. "Not... a nice feeling?" he asked, his confusion evident in his tone. "Should dying feel pleasant to our enemies? I do not understand." Why were there always so many rules about who he was allowed to eat, and how? It made no sense to him, but the others certainly knew something he did not.

Ilasi, grateful for Maverick's help, came outside, just as Julian was about to begin. The people present were obviously much fewer, with most of the crew having left. "Greetings, everyone," Julian said, his expression appearing slightly fatigued despite his efforts to suppress it. "We all know what's ahead - I shall explain our part in this. The Guardians are infiltrating the coronation ceremony - they should be in a prime position to strike at Rigel. Despite this, however, there is a significant chance that they fail, and this would most likely lead to a massive melee.
"Now for our role. With the Tree of Vitality back at the Guardian base, I have modified the root-calling spell to work in a limited range from it. I will bring us near the relevant area - somewhere rugged, where we can watch the happenings from afar. From there, we must be prepared to intervene if necessary - we must keep away until any fight starts, however, or we will blow our cover.
"Now, the loyalist army is obviously planning an attack at this moment, and the Ishulgites obviously expect as much. Their reinforcements will likely come in time - but digging tunnels, even with behemoths, takes time, and traversing over land will require that minefields be addressed, and is likely to be intercepted by an opposing army. That said, the most likely path is underground.
"Should the fight start, Raclaw will be responsible for locating any masterminds that may be hanging about the area - those are also another reason we cannot get too close too soon. Intelligence suggests that ishiuds, though present, will make up a minority of whatever enemies we face today. Most of our enemies will be humans or elves. Now, do I have any questions?"
Ilasi had no questions herself. She waited to see if anyone else did...

After he and Ilasi got the cart to the main deck together, Maverick gave a hand greeting to Angora once he spotted her, but frowned sadly upon remembering what they talked about in the kitchen. Angora waved back, but didn't notice his frown, being too worried about what Veris just replied to her.
"That's not what I meant. It's not about giving them... a nice feeling. It's about not suffering. You know, not giving them pain. Most were manipulated no doubt, and..." Angora started to say, but Julian started to talk, so she remained quiet to listen. Where was Sere? She got her answer soon enough.

After Julian was done, Maverick had no questions, at least none he could come up with. Angora however, had a doubt. She raised her hand.
"So wait, we'll march ahead only after Raclaw intercepts the masterminds?" she asked, knowing from plenty of experience what an annoying hassle those masterminds could be. As she asked, she kept Veris close to her just in case he was tempted to steal the food from the cart.

The men were losing what little patience they had with Shade. "Get up. NOW," one of them ordered, prodding Shade with a pike. "Get up or our behemoth will drag you along the ground to your destination."

Julian shook his head. "No, this will all be happening once the battle commences," he clarified. "By then, we won't be hesitating to join the fight. Raclaw will find masterminds which may be assisting out enemies."
Veris stood around and waited. What Angora was asking seemed really odd. Kill enemies... but do it nicely? The two ideas didn't seem to mesh in his head