darkSpyro

"The creature does not fully comprehend. I must teach it more," telepathed the behemoth. "Different creatures. Different anatomy. Behemoth anatomy suitable for locomotion, destruction, Unsuitable for assembly, agility, detailed work. Human anatomy suitable for those tasks. For tool usage. Much less useful for application of force. Behemoths have humans apply tools, to serve purpose behemoth anatomy unsuitable for. Success for behemoths. Humans apply behemoth for functions they perform poorly. Success for humans. Symbiotic relationship. Mutually beneficial. In both species' best interest to maintain." The behemoth's telepathy did not sound as sturdy as before; rather, it seemed to more consideration than previously. It maintained complete logic, however, being either unable or unwilling to acknowledge anything else.

"Lake excuse... yet again. You are just being lazy. Your kind took the easy way. Look at how small I am. Life was harder for me than for other trolls, and that didn't stop me. But if you're willing to be a simple, willing slave, then who am I to stop you?" Angora declared, trying to enter the behemoth's mind through manipulation and reverse psychology. The beast were too simpleton to comprehend how much they were being used.

A couple of miles away from Redwater, the dirt buffalo was finally slowing down.
"A city! Must be Redwater. Come on my friend!" The shaved Maverick said as he finally spotted his destination. It was too big to be a town, so that must be the place. He headed there in a mixture of exitement and fear. He didn't know what to expect. Last time he heard about his friends was from the big man, and if his words were to be believed, it meant that Angora and Shade were in deep trouble. It horrified him to think of the possibility of them being captured once again, when they have escaped prison twice already...

"Slavery... parasitic relationship. One benefits. One suffers. One is better off without the other. Slave fears master. Relationship with humans, mermen, galud, mutually beneficial. Symbiotic. Behemoths have no fear of humans, mermen, galud. Relationship cannot be slavery," the behemoth concluded. Attempts to humble the beast so far have not seemed to reach him; however, it seemed very understanding of logic and practicality. As the behemoth and the men continued to move, the sound of running water could soon be heard overhead.

At the many entrances to Redwater, guards were posted - galuds taking over for humans at this time of the day. There were several notices on the noticeboards - including one for a bounty, with accurate, if not perfect, illustrations of Maverick as he was last seen. "WANTED: HUMAN/FAWN HYBRID, KNOWN AS 'MAVERICK'. REWARD: 20,000 SCALES DEAD/30,000 SCALES ALIVE"

Angora felt the desire to pull out her hair at the creature's ignorance. Seems that was the capital of everyone's brains. The behemoths were a relentless race, seemingly willing to do anything for the sake of resources, especially food. She cringed to think that soon, she and Shade will be one of the millions that filled their gigantic bellies, but even if that time was inevitable, she wasn't going to make it easy for them. She was going to fight for her freedom and for her life. But if the situation could be avoided, she would do anything to prevent it. If another court was in order, once again, she would try to convince the judge and jury the mistake they were making. She would fight with words first, just like she did last time.

As soon as Maverick entered the city, he was welcomed with the terrifying and humiliating signs of that of a wanted man. Someone like him... a criminal. It wasn't the first time though. Like his father, he had been a wanted man in his pirate days, but ever since everybody thought every single one of the crew was dead, including him, he decided to leave it that way and start a new life... only for this to happen. He hasn't done anything, yet his old life was chasing him again. The poor hybrid even pinched himself to see if this was a nightmare, only to find to his horror, it was the real deal...

One of the galud guards noted Maverick's arrival, and approached him. "Hello, human," he greeted - friendly, rather than an attempt at accosting him. "Redwater is currently in the process of recovering from a dragon attack. The dragon has killed many people and has destroyed much property, but has been tracked down and apprehended,and will likely be a sight in the arena before long. The city is currently safe. Please report anything unusual to any Aelinon military or government personnel. May good health lay before you."

Maverick was relieved his disguise worked, but wanting to risk he voiced being recognized as well, he changed it into a slightly deeper one.
"And may prosperity follow in your wake my dear friend." Maverick said, remembering the passage of the tome. If he could make a first good impression and even show respect and knowledge of their culture, he wouldn't anger the galud.
"A dragon attack? Heh, that's quite unusual. Poor people. I was traveling through that hellish desert to get me a drink in this fascinating city... but, I guess that's out of the question now. Where is this arena? Sounds like an exiting place." Maverick then said casually, being very careful to avoid using Spanish words. It could be another thing to give him away. For now, he had to be anyone but Maverick.

"The arena is a few miles southwest of the northeastern docks," the galud directed. "There are signs in many places which will direct you to it, among many other things in the city. It is pretty easy to find. There are fights going on at various times throughout the day and night; you can find the schedule in the arena or may of the government buildings, and the town crier will make announcements for sudden schedule changes or very noteworthy matches. There are many taverns and inns both near the arena area and by the docks, among other places in the city, so you should have no shortage of places to rest. Please stay safe," he concluded, as he waved Maverick off.

"Thank you kind sir. I'll be on my way then." Maverick said with the same casual tone, disguising his voice and accent as well as the extreme concern for his family. If there was going to be a trial, he had no doubt the court will near the arena, and even if it wasn't, most of Redwater was destroyed anyway, so no trial there. Maverick took off with his special mount towards the direction the galud pointed to him, following the signs as instructed, relieved and proud that he hasn't lost his ability to deceive with his disguises. In several roads, he encountered the same, irritating sign with his image. How could this has happened to him and his family? Did Aelinon itself was conspiring against them just because they were different? If Shade killed people, he didn't doubt he did it by accident, defending himself or Angora most likely. There was no way he would do any harm purposely. At this rate, he was starting to think like Angora. He wasn't a man to hate, but the poisonous feeling was overcoming him with the Aelinonian people. How could such a brutal society exist? What possessed them to have such ruthless laws and unfair character judgements? When did it began? What made them think they had the right to control people's lives and fate so nastily? He had always thought that his father had been the most evil man to ever walked the Earth, but now he was starting to have second thoughts...

After some time, the behemoth and men carrying the captives came to a stop. "This is your stop," the mage said to Angora. "Don't worry - I'm sure it will be very entertaining for you. It will for us, at least. As Angora was brought down, galuds came to take her, while the behemoth changed course.
"Noncompliant," Haldrick, the soldier who the mage gave orders to earlier, said to the galuds, who nodded. Taking custody of Angora from the platoon, the galuds began moving her down a narrower set of tunnels.
"So we have a fighter, yes? Don't worry - we will make sure you have enough to do," one galud said.

"No trial?" Angora asked, realizing that their intention was to send her straight to the arena!
"For doing nothing? Is this garbage what you call justice!? You're even separating me from Shade!?" Angora said as she slowly started to panic and realize he would be taken someplace else...

After several miles of riding, Maverick came across the small town where the arena was located, just as the galud had informed him. It seemed to be full of people. Before exploring, he tied his buffalo steed near an area where a guard was located, so it could be known that this particular animal wasn't some wild game or cattle. He planned to release him after rescuing his friends, but for now, he felt like he would still need him. So with the animal secured and with some water Maverick placed in a bucket, he headed to the town. There were many taverns and inns, just like the galud had said, but Maverick had no time for some casual exploration. He needed to find the arena and the announcer that was supposedly going to be around. As the hybrid man listened, there was some idle chatter among the people. They didn't looked at all like they were mourning. Either the killings were a lie or the people were as heartless as the soldiers that supposedly protected them...

"Oh, on the contrary," one of the galuds said. "You will get a trial - the king himself will be there. How do you think he will feel about you guiding your dragon to kill his people and destroy his city? No - you will be a prime example to be made. Don't worry - we'll make sure that none of your special friends even know you're here. Wouldn't want them to ruin your experience, after all. In the meantime, we will have to make sure to teach you the respect you will need to address King Seraos."

Currently, the arena was quiet. Noticeboards had the schedule of some upcoming fights; Angora and Shade had not yet been scheduled.

"This is because I'm a troll, isn't it? You still insist I'm one of those infernal blighters, when you haven't even seen me interacting with other trolls! You want to blame me for your misfortunes! You want to blame me for what Shade did when it was YOUR soldiers that made him act that way? I swear, I never should've killed that creature! I should've let it ravage the world and take you all demons with it!" Angora yelled, regretting completely ever deciding to accept her mission to destroy Darkmatter. She should've let it fulfill it's purpose. She once said the world didn't deserve a second chance, and with people like them, she really started to believe she was right.

Maverick saw the schedule, but knew that even if Shade and Angora weren't there, there would be soon. He knew from the guarding galud that Shade had been captured, and if he was, chances were that Angora was too. He couldn't just barge into the prison. He was just one man, and knowing Aelinon, it had some air tight cells. First, he needed to get information, and what better place than a tavern? Entering one at random, Maverick sat in one of the chairs, but he wasn't ready to order anything. He picked the menu, pretending to look at it while he alerted his ears for any news or gossip about their latest prisoners...

The galuds looked at each other. One of them made a set of very crude imitation troll noises, and they laughed. "Keep talking, brat - see if anyone buys your pathetic excuse at the trial," one galud said. "Maybe you'll be lucky enough to be in the arena while your pet gets eaten by a behemoth. Blood and guts and bones... if you thought a wyvern eating was a sight, you haven't seen anything yet."
The group reached another checkpoint, with mermen sentries stationed and the sound of running water becoming clearer. "Noncompliant," one of the galuds said to a sentry.

Meanwhile, at the tavern Maverick was at, gossip abounded about the recent occurrences. Some combination of soldiers and civilians of all three main races of Aelinon were speaking to each other at one large, round table.
"It's going to be in the arena soon, more than likely. I give it a few days."
"I heard that we got a troll too. It was commanding the dragon, apparently. A shaman."
"Oh, that thing? Tried summoning some spirit thing to scare Major Cailun. Probably thinks humans are as dumb as trolls."
"Pathetic. Wait, isn't that the one the Guardians want alive?"
"They don't even know it's here. Their big boss man will be gone soon, too. Assembling a sea crew, according to the job boards. Leaving out for the sea soon."
"Why the hell isn't our next round of drinks here yet?"
"The king is coming to the trial, apparently. Will be quite excited to see what happens."
"Of course you would be - he cares so much about mermen and galuds. Too scared to seem biased. Only sees his fellow men as tools."
"Like I was saying, this probably wouldn't have happened if we just had more of those Guardians around. King should stop being cheap and buy the organization. Everyone has a price."
"You say that like their boss man doesn't just tell the king what to do..."

Angora got so angry that with brute strength alone, she managed to bent her handcuffs. They were too strong to break, but it was still an accomplishment.
"I swear, you will all pay for your sadism. Maybe not by my hand, but something WILL happen. Look at Egypt, Pompeii, Atlantis... all great cities but equally dastard, until they got destroyed by greed and ignorance. Yours will be no different!" Angora swore, certain that in a not so distant future, this evil society will fall. She knew quite a lot of history thanks to Maverick's fascination with literature, and managed to pick up a few things. She didn't know what awaited her in the trial, or if the King would be merciful enough to spare them of that forsaken arena, but even if they were thrown there, Angora was willing to make miracles if necessary to keep herself and Shade alive...

At the tavern, Maverick listened with interest the conversation of this particular crowd of customers. Some of the things they were saying we're absurd, but most of it very interesting. Angora commanding the dragon to attack? It was outrageous, yet predictable of their part. It seemed like Aelinonian forces were willing to try every dirty trick in the book to make sure she got punished. Did racism really went that far? This trial was going to be a very important one if the king himself was going to assist.

What was more worrisome though was the second part of the conversation. Maverick was smart enough to know just what organization they were talking about. He had no idea the Guardians were somewhat disliked by the Aelinonians. He realized now, that probably the only man with a heart and reasonable mind within them was Sere. Latnok denied Maverick some help once already, so he had lost his faith in the younger Guardian. Sere was his only hope now. With part of Redwater destroyed, he was certain that the Guardians will be somewhere around there. Maverick was so desperate, he was willing to risk being betrayed just to have an audience with Sere and beg for his help...

"I'll be fine Shade. Don't let them intimidate you! Be strong!" Angora said telepathically to the terrified Sdhade, feeling frustrated and useless for having been unable to save him. All this time, she had blamed him for bringing them to Redwater, but it was her fault for choosing to enter the city and leave Shade all alone. Even if they were sentenced to the arena and won every battle, she knew that it would all lead to their eventual consumption. Angora even dared to bet the soldiers would cheat and sabotage their final battle to make sure the behemoths emerged victorious...

"I know. Me too. But we've gotten out of jams like this before. Today will be no different Shady. You'll see." Angora assured, though much through blind faith than actual certainty. There was an arena out there, which was getting ready to see them killed, but if she could use words alone like she did last time and appeal to the king, then maybe, just maybe, he would go soft of them and release them without needing to send them to the arena. He was the king after aff. He's supposed to be smarter than the bunch of biased jerks he had for subordinates, and even if it meant shattering her pride, she was going to try to appeal to him.

"Oh, you better be scared," the mage said. "With that hexphage on you, you probably look really delicious to a behemoth right about now... fitting end for a creature like you."

"Many have claimed such a thing," one galud said to Angora. "Yet we are stronger than ever. I'm sure the king will be pleased to hear about your desire to see Aelinon destroyed." Mermen abruptly grabbed Angora. With some traveling, they took her to an underground river. The mermaid with them cast a water shifting spell, just as before, and they opened up a trapdoor. They brought Angora in, and the environment was similar to previously.
This all changed after a fork in the path. Going down one fork, the prison environment was much different than before. The cells weren't dry - the floors in all of them had at least an inch of water. Unlike the other prison, this one didn't have cells which were completely isolated. Many prisoners could be seen as the group was passing through, all seeming completely subdued or otherwise broken. The mermen chose the first cell that was empty and tossed Angora in.

Meanwhile, the conversation in the tavern continued.
"So from what I know, we've been pulling some workers from other places," one said. "Especially places along the old border. Not as much work there when not as many troops need to be there."
"We sure will need them after what just happened."
"Our underwater dwellings seem to have been untouched, at least. The mermaids will probably be lending their aid to you surface dwellers."
"Speaking of moving, you guys hear about that human that owned that troll and dragon?"
"Yeah, he was made accountable for them during the last trial. He's on the hook for all the damage and casualties."
"I'm talking about the bounty. Guy like that, can't be too hard to find, right? Think of what you could do with that money."
"I hear he uses a lot of foreign words with his common, too. Would stick out like a sore thumb. Pretty sure he's already been found if he's anywhere near here."

Angora was as furious as she was terrified. She had run away from her own parents to avoid such grisly fate, and during her lifetime, she has survived many predators. And nevertheless, despite all her attempt, it looked like fate was leading her once again to be consumed. Still, she refused to let one stupid mage intimidate her.
"Didn't your mother teach you not to butt into private conversations?" she managed to say to the mage before being forcefully taken away. The mage had been trying very hard to keep her quiet, and she did, deciding to use telepathy with poor Shade, only for the mage to get in the way. Despite being scared, she was going to hide it. She wasn't going to give anyone the pleasure of seeing her so gloom. She shook her head to the cocky galuds, before being tossed like a sack in the prison. A new day, a new predicament. For fight for freedom and justice was getting too hard. But Angora wasn't going to let one miserable day after another break her spirit. Somehow, she had to be strong, for both herself and Shade...

Maverick continued listening to the conversation in a sour mood, finding it completely unfair and disgusting how everyone wanted to make him responsible for the city's destruction when he wasn't even there, and more so since Shade wasn't even his to begin with. He was going to save his family. He didn't know how, he didn't know when, but he HAD to. This injustice has gone far enough. As Maverick continued hearing, the mentioning of the mermaids reminded him of Ilasi. He still thought about her from time to time, even in this predicament. What was she thinking now? Did she believed he was innocent? Or did they finally convinced her of his guilt? It didn't matter now. Despite needing help, Maverick didn't want to involve the sweet mermaid in his problems. If someone could help him now, it was Sere. He was his last and only chance. If only there was a way to find him in this gaggle of people...

"Slam him," ordered the mage. The behemoth charged into a wall, Shade still attached, giving him a hard slam. "Set him down. Intensify his bindings - see if we have any made of phoenix steel. He is not to be fed." The mage, rather than seeming scared, was irritated. "You can continue to defy us - you will see that it does not end well for you. We do not take well to murderers, especially those who prove to still be dangerous. The king will be informed of your continued resistance."

Angora paced around her new prison, having the desire to scream until being mute. It was only her with those other broken souls... and Neo.
"Well then Neo. You must feel very proud of me right about now. Here I am, in another disgusting cell for a third time. Why does this keeps happening? You saw something in me that nobody ever saw... except perhaps Maverick. Still, why me? Why did you choose me? Or better yet, why did you even cared? If you had let Darkmatter do it's job, we wouldn't need to be in this situation, At least we would've died quickly and this infernal civilization would be no more. The world could've started anew, maybe even better. There is no future for trolls. It doesn't matter than I'm smaller. It doesn't matter than I'm peaceful. I'm a troll, and that's all that matters to them. Even if they believe or could witness for themselves that I indeed killed that thing and saved many lives, I know they wouldn't care. I know they will just say that they could've done better, or that Darkmatter wasn't going to be a challenge for them. So tell me... why? Why is this happening? Why do you continue having faith in me?" Angora asked in complete depression, demonstrating that despite her attempts to keep her hopes up, she was succumbing to total despair.

Maverick believed there was nothing else useful he could get from the gossips, and since a waiter never came, he got up and prepared to leave the tavern. Maverick looked almost nothing like his previous appearance with no hair on his arms and a distinguished haircut. To help his image, there was a scar right above his forehead that he got in his pirate days, which his hair has hidden until now. It helped to deceive even more, but even in his relief at not being recognized, there was no time to be proud of his accomplishment. Leaving the building, Maverick searched for the Guardians. It wasn't supposed to be hard. They had very recognizable armor and a fur dragon with them, so they were bound to stand out. He knew how risky it was to give away his position, but even though he suspected Latnok could give him away, he wondered if Sere would do. He was reasonable and with the most heart, which is why Maverick wanted him only. He had a high position, so even if he could get in trouble for helping him, Maverick was certain Sere could resolve it with his high position if it ever came to that. But for now, the young man prayed he could find him soon and help him get this nightmare over with...

Angora simply shook her head at Neo's ridiculous response. She was expecting something better to cheer her up.
"Change the world? CHANGE THE WORLD? Oh yeah, I've changed it alright. I was nice, I was peaceful, I was good, and for what? To fall victim to this abusive racism anyway! Here I am, locked up to be both a form as entertainment and then eventual food! You think those people out there will mourn me? As soon as that beast devours me, people will cheer! They will be happy that a troll is dead! They will be ecstatic that the ugly little thing died in such a gruesome, humiliating way! So yeah! I've change the world alright!" Angora said sarcastically and furious, believing there was not a more humiliating way than being consumed by a forsaken beast while people watched in delight your demise. Even though Angora will try very hard in court to defend herself and Shade, she was already preparing for the idea of spending much time surviving in the arena, only to lead to their untimely doom as soon as the crowd became bored with the prisoners.

A bit later, one mermaid came to Angora's cell, seemingly unpleased. "Your dragon has been acting up again," she said accusingly, as she condensed some water into a ball in front of her - similar to Sere's magic, but a lot quicker both due to the damp, humid environment and due to her proficiency in water spells. With the water in front of her, she shot it as a jet at Angora's face. "Every time I have to do that, you miss the next meal," she said. "Think about that."

"Oh sure. Since you can't punish him directly cause you're too afraid to be hurt, you take it out on the small and weak owner." Angora mocked, once again, still refusing to be intimidated. Before the mermaid could rebuff her comment, Angora spoke again.
"No meal for me? Good! The skinnier I am, the less meat for your stupid behemoths." she then expressed, counter attacking the mermaid's attempt to bring her down.

"You may continue to lash out," the mage said. "But you AND your troll friend will pay the price every time you do - in fact, she has already been punished for the action you just committed. Your continued defiance will be noted in the trial."

"A talkative one, aren't you? One of those types. Don't you worry; every prisoner you see here was like that once," the mermaid said. "I'm a beast master - I have taught sharks to obey, and I will teach a beast like you to obey, too." The mermaid snapped her fingers - soon, a dripping sound became audible in a non distinct point in Angora's cell. "We'll see how you feel a bit later. Now, I have actual important business to attend to."

Angora said nothing. She could only sigh at Shade's rebelliousness. He was a fighter to the very end, but unfortunately, they wanted to pin every si glee one of his action on her. She didn't know what the dripping sound was, nor she did cared. She wasn't going to demonstrate to these late this bullies that they were getting to her. She would keep her despair to herself to avoid giving them them any pleasure.

After a little while, she noticed Neo had fallen silent after the mermaid arrived. She realized her words were harsh, but they were the truth. If Neo had been trying to console her, he did a lousy job. She didn't change the world. What's more, she may have even made it worse. Time and time again, misfortune fell on her, and whenever it wasn't even her fault, she would still get blamed for it. She was even getting blamed for a disease, which she didn't even know that happened. It was practically as if her presence alone was a crime.

Meanwhile, at the Hackum and Chain, Latnok and Sere were growing tired. "Well, I think we should call it a day," Sere said. "The city might not be quite as active tonight on account of recent events. Back to the Easy Eyrie - for us at least - and we meet in the lobby there in the morning."
Latnok yawned. "We'll need to stick around for a few days, anyway - both for some more crew and to see what happens." Parr of Latnok understood that Shade did not intend to cause death and destruction - however, part of him recognized Shade's recklessness and wanted to see his comeuppance, and an end to his constant troublemaking.

While Maverick relentlessly searched for Sere, Angora was trying hard to meditate, but soon enough, the annoying sound was piercing her eardrums. Instead of calling the mermaid to turn it off (knowing she wouldn't), Angora simply covered her ears, wondering how hateful a society could get. It wasn't enough for them to send her to such a horrible death, they had to torture her nonstop.

Quote: A Guy

Meanwhile, at the Hackum and Chain, Latnok and Sere were growing tired. "Well, I think we should call it a day," Sere said. "The city might not be quite as active tonight on account of recent events. Back to the Easy Eyrie - for us at least - and we meet in the lobby there in the morning."
Latnok yawned. "We'll need to stick around for a few days, anyway - both for some more crew and to see what happens." Parr of Latnok understood that Shade did not intend to cause death and destruction - however, part of him recognized Shade's recklessness and wanted to see his comeuppance, and an end to his constant troublemaking.

"Agreed. Icestorm-- it was nice meeting you again and I look forward to catching up more on our travels. Risar, same to you.," Raclaw said with a yawn very much tired after having to brute force his way into the mind of the than active Shade. Chester barked something, running alongside Raclaw as they prepared to leave. "Chester says it was nice meeting you too.," Raclaw than said with a slight smile. Soon the small group was out on the streets again and on their way back towards the Easy Eyrie. As expected, the city was still crowded but less so than usual-- on the count of the recent destruction.

As Maverick walked around in that dark, little city, he watched the starry sky, which was beautiful for a city like it. As he watched, he couldn't stop thinking about his beloved family, probably locked away once more and unable to see the beautiful sight. It was very late in the night and he was getting sleepy, but he wasn't going to let something so simple stop him. Even so, Maverick was losing all hope of encountering Sere and his team. He already went through every inn and tavern this little patch of city had, andfound nothing. Was it possible that they had set said before the attack took place? No, that couldn't be the end? Was he really alone?

Finally, a glimmer of hope when he heard more gossips from a young galud couple. They were talking about the Ardent Guardians, and how they were still near the Redwater docks in order to help with the destruction. Wait, they were still in Redwater? Maverick sillily thought that the docks had been evacuated save for a few soldiers. He should've known the Guardians would still be there in the destructed city to lend a hand. It was their job to help people after all. Without further haste, she went to his new mount.
"Hello my friend. I know this is a last notice, but we need to leave to the big part of the city again." Maverick said gently to the dirt buffalo, with the animal being very tame and calm around his new owner. As Maverick ride into the night, he wondered what people thought about his mount when seeing him. Not exactly an animal known for transport...

Meanwhile in a sad little cell, Angora's misfortune didn't end. She continued covering her ears, trying to run away from the loud, echoing screech. She still still endured the abuse, but even in her position, she still find it disgraceful how somebody like her could be going through once pain. She was once a hero, with very little friends but valuable ones nonetheless, and she managed to get a loving family, something she didn't thought possible. But last week, it all went downhill just so trememdously fast. Thrice in different prisons, with this one treating her as nothing but a wild animal, or worse still, just cattle awaiting their ultimate doom. Even if her misery, she couldn't even begin to think how many thousands, or even millions, went through this same hell. Maybe some were unforgiving criminals, but perhaps others have been once like her, having no crime to their names and blamed for the soldiers own negligence. She could even visualize them framing innocent people or creatures and planting false evidence just so they could be found guilty, all for the sake of keeping themselves entertained and their stupid, mountain-sized mounts fed.

As the group headed back towards the docks and their cozy beds, Raclaw eyed the current the state of the city. Although the occasional building had fallen and there were surely many deaths involved; Redwater was fortunate that the damage wasn't worse. Shade had really done it this time though and even if he was spared-- many fights to the death in the arena would surely await him before he even got the chance to walk free again. He knew that the Aelinonian government wouldn't kindly on this most recent 'incident' especially so soon after the first incident that had already grounded the poor Dragolet. As they walked, the streets had clearly emptied out to a degree with many residents opting to stay home or look after their injured loved ones.

'Oh Shade-- you really had to do it this time, didn't you?,' Raclaw thought to himself with a slight sigh. Although he wanted to help the dark dragolet somehow, he knew that he had very little influence on Aelinon or its decisions. Furthermore, he also knew that the Guardians would be unwilling to risk their resputation any further by publicly showing support for Shade. He only hoped that Shade would at least be offered an chance to redeem some part of his life, be it in the arena or somewhere else. As they passed by a fallen building-- one mother wept over her child, whom appeared to have a piece of infrastructure piecing his or her chest area. Raclaw briefly looked away from the scene in shame over the loss of life that one of his own kind had caused.

As Maverick navigated the city in his steed, acting as if he had just another horse. He then saw the destruction caused by Shade, and even a few bodies sticking out. It looked like a horrible war zone. Did Shade really did this? Maverick has known the dragolet for many months now, and even though his powers went rogue sometimes, it never caused such life threatening level of destruction. There was no doubt in his mind that Shade was provoked and caused his unstable powers to act up. But he knew the Aelinonians. Even if it was their fault, they were still going to pin the blame on Shade. What's more, Maverick wasn't even present when the disaster happened and they still held him responsible. It was all so unfair, but in his brainstorm of depression, he soon caught a glimpse of a silhouette way too familiar. Yes, it was him alright. It was the fluffy, gentle Raclaw! Afraid to be recognized, Maverick soon took another road, and a few blocks away, he found a place where he could place tie his buffalo. There were no horses or anything of the sort at the moment, so the animal had to conform to being alone for the time being. Now with his new friend secured, Maverick followed Raclaw quietly, trusting that he would lead him to Sere. He was a gentle creature, but Maverick didn't want to risk the fur dragon giving away his identity, whether it was accidental or on purpose. He was on a tight noose. He had to be careful about his identity, otherwise he will be captured and there would be no one else to help him or his family...

The two Guardians observed in horror - if not surprise - at the death and destruction Shade had wrought. Innocent lives - gone. "This all could have been avoided if Shade never came near here," Latnok thought out loud. "This all could have been avoided if we had killed him when we had the chance instead of hoping those two idiots would somehow keep him under control!"
"Shade's fate is almost certainly sealed at this point," Sere said. "There will be hell to pay - and there will likely be others who have to answer for this as well. Maverick certainly will have to, if they find him."
The two remained silent for a while, as they continued to walk, taking in the full scale of the damage and casualties. "...I have things that will need doing tomorrow morning," Sere said. "I will need to make sure it is known that this is not a result of our actions, and we did not approve of Shade's presence in the country under the conditions that led to this. I will need you to continue the search for crew - use Risar's pay as a base when negotiating. This sort of thing is typically an Adjudicator-level task - I trust you to show your capability."
"You can trust me," Latnok said. "Now if that thug who thinks he's sneaky could stop following us, I would appreciate that."

Meanwhile, in the prison, it was meal time. The prisoners took the food they were given and ate in silence. The "noncomps", as they were called, were given the least desirable food - now, it was stale field rations that not even troops would want to eat. The sound of the prison staff could be heard coming closer and closer, until it reached Angora's cell.
"...oh, it's you. Again," a familiar mermaid, currently doing her job alone, said. "I'm not to feed you this round due to your noncompliance. But don't worry, I'm sure your human is doing everything he can right now to get his troll back."

The behemoth and company finally got to a large, empty spot in the gave, in which they removed Shade from the behemoth's back. "This is your stop," the mage said. "Nothing but solitude and emptiness for you here. No light, no sound. Nothing. You just sit here and think about everything you've done, until your time comes."

Maverick followed Raclaw quietly, pretending to be just another human passing by. As he saw the destruction, he knew it was going to be harder for Shade to be forgiven this time. Last time's offense was very minor, but this involved plenty of death. It was going to be a major challenge proving him innocent, but that wasn't going to stop Maverick from trying. Of course, he intended to do so from behind the scenes and with some help, which is why he was trying trying so desperately to reach for Sere.

Quote: A Guy

Meanwhile, in the prison, it was meal time. The prisoners took the food they were given and ate in silence. The "noncomps", as they were called, were given the least desirable food - now, it was stale field rations that not even troops would want to eat. The sound of the prison staff could be heard coming closer and closer, until it reached Angora's cell.
"...oh, it's you. Again," a familiar mermaid, currently doing her job alone, said. "I'm not to feed you this round due to your noncompliance. But don't worry, I'm sure your human is doing everything he can right now to get his troll back."

"Can I at least know how long will I be kept here?" Angora asked the mermaid with a calm voice, but so eerie and full of hatred, it was like talking to a ghost. Her ears were ringing with the infernal sound of before, but at least it had stopped for now. The only thing good that the sound torture did was that she couldn't hear the chewing sounds of the prisoner, which made her forget her own. Angora had been trying very hard to reach Shade, but wherever they took him, it was very far. She felt like such a failure, and unfortunately, Neo only made her feel worse. She didn't know what else to do. She had wanted to believe that the world could be a better place, just like Makerick thought of once, but thanks to this awful society, she had lost all faith...

"If you are referring to the dungeon in general, you will be here until your trial - and afterwards, if you are to be imprisoned," the mermaid said. "Having to be put in this part of this dungeon does not do you any favors, and neither does your dragon resisting authorities. If you are referring to this specific wing, then you will be here until we are confident that you will no longer be a problem prisoner. You knew that resisting authorities was a bad thing to do, and yet you still chose to do it - I will eliminate that type of behavior from your thinking."
The mermaid turned around. "Ilasi, come here!" As ordered, Ilasi came slithering through the water. "What do you need, ma'am?" Ilasi took a quick glimpse at Angora - this troll? Here? In prison? Again? This couldn't be a coincidence...

When Angora saw Ilasi, she didn't know whether to be happy or curl into a ball in complete despair. This sweet mermaid, nothing at all like her jailer, once again was facing the harsh reality of her imprisonment. Since when had she been transferred here? Angora wasn't sure if Ilasi was going to believe her if she told the truth about the events, but even if she did, it wouldn't matter. Her fate was practically sealed at this moment. She did nothing but sigh at this turn of events, and wondered if the Aelinonians themselves cruelly planned this little meeting to make Ilasi change her opinions about her and her family...

"You are going to cast water purification, like I taught you, in these next few cells," the lead mermaid said. "Remember, you're not just focusing on cleaning the water in the moment; your spell needs to have the residual effect, to keep the water in the area sterile and potable until we can cast the spell again. Even noncomp scum need water, and disease spreading does no good for any of us."
"I will do that, ma'am," Ilasi replied.
"I will attend to the rest of the noncomps in the meantime. I will be back to check on your work some time later. As for you, troll. The dripping will stop for now. I dare you to give me so much as a shred of a reason to start it again."
The lead mermaid went her own way, down one of the paths. Ilasi focused, facing her palms toward the water in Angora's cell, and the water began to bubble and foam, and became slightly more viscous in the moment.
"So you're back here again..." Ilasi said. "But the human is probably moving heaven and earth to get you, no doubt. He certainly wouldn't want to leave you unhappy, would he?"

"Deja vu, eh mermaid?" Angora said in a serene tone of voice, changing her demeanor completely with Ilasi.
"What do you want me to say now? I can tell you the truth, but no matter what I do, no matter how many times I try to earn my freedom, no matter the times I try to be good, your people will always try to get me. They won Ilasi, and I don't intend to involve you this time. They want to break me because I'm a troll? They're getting their way. Of course, they're probably used to it by now. I can save the world a thousand times, and a thousand times will I be stabbed in the back. I can help children and old people, and they'll only step on me like a cockroach when they have the chance. It doesn't matter what I do, all the roads lead to the same place. There is no future for a troll! And that Maverick... heh, he was the ONLY human ever in this world that saw me as an individual Ilasi. But he's a stupid fool! I told him many times to leave me alone! He has his entire life ahead of him, but he insisted on following me so that I would have somebody loving me. He's such a fool Ilasi! Too pure for this world! So many times did I tried to push that dummy away, but he kept coming back like a fly with rotten fruits! He doesn't deserve this Ilasi. Wherever he is, I hope he forgets about us once and for all! We have brought him nothing but misery, and he deserves none of this crap!" Angora vented, waterfall of tears flowing through her eyes, and demonstrating for the first time just how much she really loved Maverick. She was so glad to see Ilasi again, that she finally broke the emotional shield she tried to maintain in front of the jailer and soldiers. With Ilasi, she finally broke down. She saw the mermaid as a friend, or maybe Angora was simply so depressed, Ilasi was the only one she could vent with in this total moment of despair.

Ilasi was stunned - just why did this have to come to this point? Originally, she resented the troll - she was the reason that Maverick reneged on his decision to stay in Orcford. Everything Ilasi had heard about Maverick indicated that he had a deep obsession for Angora. But now... she could not resent her. She could only pity her.
"...I know the situation," Ilasi said, her voice growing softer and quieter as she spoke the next part - obviously not wanting to be overheard. "Major Cailun, the mage who brought you here - just between you and me, a galud told me about him. The galud said that he witnessed the major abuse his power to inflict severe punishments on you because you talked back, which was a clear violation of protocol. He asked me - among some others - to keep an eye out on the major. Abuse of power granted to you by the government or military in such a manner is punishable by death; the galud wants to gather as much evidence of his wrongdoing as possible before calling out a high-ranking officer on such a crime.
"Now, as for you ordering the dragon to attack the city, and calling for the deaths of Redwater citizens? I don't believe that; just stories that a man like that had made to satisfy his own ego in seeing you punished. Unfortunately, you would still be on the hook for your association with the dragon, as would Maverick, according to the court order; but it isn't nearly as bad as they're trying to make it out to be. Just know... there are those of us who see this kind of abuse. Our laws... they can be harsh, and brutal... but they are made to protect us. Those who use the law as a weapon have no place here." Ilasi's tone, though soft at first, grew firm and somewhat angry as she spoke. "Everyone you see in this prison around you? They have committed horrible crimes, or they have resisted the law at every turn. This place is made for individuals like them. Not just those who speak their minds. I can't guarantee you that this will end pleasantly for you; I can promise, at least, that men like Cailun will get their comeuppance, at the very hands of the law they abuse."

Angora didn't know if that was the truth or if Ilasi just saying that to make her feel better, but nevertheless, it gave Angora a glimmer of hope, even though it was just a faint one.
"Well, whatever the outcome, Shade did caused those deaths. It wasn't on purpose, I can assure you that. But it still happened. My only hope is that the king is open minded and reasonable enough to understand what really happened. I don't care what happens to me anymore, as long as he and Maverick are spared. I'm tired. Sick and tired of this ever losing battle against me." Angora expressed gloomily, the king being the only hope she had in saving Shade. Even if the abusive mage was punished, it didn't mean they were going to be exonerated. She didn't care if she had to go as far as to tell a lie and pin all the blame on herself to ensure his safety. She was getting tired of fighting for her life and freedom. But she didn't want Ilasi to console her, and instead changed the subject quickly to prevent her from talking.

"Maverick... he grew quite fond of you, you know. It wasn't until we left Orcford that he told me that he really wanted to spend some time with you. I was just so desperate to leave that place that I didn't even waited for him to tell me. We were teleported away before he had a chance to say anything. I felt like a louse afterwards. He missed you so much, probably still does. If I had known, I would've left him in that city with you and I would've left with Shade. He wouldn't have been in this predicament. And if he had insisted on going with me anyway, I swear I would've give him a beating so that he would stop being so stupid!" Angora explained, telling that last sentence in the form of a joke to try and lift some of her spirit. Even if it didn't looked like it, she was really happy to have Ilasi here. Like Maverick, she had a very kind heart.

The mage grunted. "Get this dragon some water," he ordered. "I have other things to do. Close him up when you're done." The mage and the men left, leaving Shade with just the behemoth for the moment.

"Is... is that true?" Ilasi asked, intrigued. "That's not what your Guardian friend told me. He told me that Maverick decided to dedicate his life to you, regardless of how much you abused him. And the court - him serenading you..." she said, her voice becoming more incredulous. "I appreciate your efforts to make me feel better. You didn't have to, though. I wasn't telling you things just to make you feel better. The galud - Laszur is his name. You may have seen him at the trial before. He recognized me. That's why he spoke to me. He is trying to, at the very least, have you moved away from the noncomps.
"I hate working here, with them... all of the prisoners are either very hostile or completely... empty. Very few people want to do this job, and Aelinon isn't going to pull military folk for menial labor. So they pay well, and they give me more opportunities to improve my magic here, so I tolerate it. Once I've saved up enough, and learned enough... I'll be in a much better position. Until then, I just have to keep doing what I need to in order to push myself forward."

Angora scowled at the mention of the Guardian. With Ilasi's description, she knew way too well whom she was talking about. However, she waited until she was done with the conversation before speaking again.
"This Guardian... it was Latnok, wasn't it? Yeah, he never liked me. A troll hater to the core. You have no idea how many times he insulted and humiliated me in front of everybody. Always wanting everybody to see me as this horrible little creature. I admit I was rather rude to him in the beginning, but I don't think it deserved the amount of belittle he constantly did to me. Funny thing, I even apologized to him and tried a decent relationship through play, but he still treats me like garbage. Honestly, I've given up on him. It wasn't enough for him that I slayed this awful creature and saved their lives. If I don't have to see him again, then better." Angora said sourly, still remembering with much hatred the many times Latnok made her feel so bad.

But speaking about the racist Guardian was making Angora feel depressed again, so once again, she changed the subject.
"Doesn't matter now. So then, lousy job indeed you have. I understand you. But I know you'll get a better job. I know you will. It must be hard tolerating hostility from all these people, but you can't possibly blame some for feeling empty. About to be send to an arena to bring entertainment and fight for their lives, only to eventually be pet food for those giant, moving mountains. Not exactly something to be cheerful about you know." Angora suggested, wanting Ilasi to comprehend that at least that emotion was understandable.