darkSpyro

Maverick watched as Ilasi eyed the instruments, and was rather surprised to see she had such an interest. He has seen her enjoy music, but he never thought she would want to create some.
"Musical instruments Ilasi? Never would've guessed. I'm no musician, but I like to dwell on a little music myself. Want something in particular? I have a mandolin, which is quite easy to use. Perhaps something similar like a violin or a guitar? Unless you want a wind instrument instead? Flutes? Harmonicas? Trumpets? Personally, I love how a pan flute sounds." Maverick said, being rather passionate about music. Being a traveling merchant himself, he knew about many things, and how to express himself. He got so carried away, it almost looked as if he was the vendor himself.

Quote: Spyroconvexity

Shade playfully poked Angora while they played the game. He looked around innocently like he didn’t do anything.

Angora pretended to glare at him, unable to believe he thought she was still dumb enough to fall for that.
"I should've kicked off one of your mangy teeth during feeding time!" she threatened, simulating malice. She then tackled the dragolet, wanting to enter his mouth to give the impression she was going to steal one of his fangs. As she did, Angora was quite surprised with herself for having been able to conquer a past trauma. She was once utterly terrified of big creatures due to the manticore incident. And there she was now, friends with a dragon of all creatures, and trusting him enough to be in his jaws without worrying about any kind of harm. If she could conquer this trauma, she trust she would eventually be able to overcome her fear of the Guardians.

"Certainly!," the skinny merchant was prusumily named Jerry exclaimed as he rushed over to Raclaw to demonstrate something. "Well-- we have a few different kinds of suitable attachments, but your friend here seems like the type to keep things simple. We would simply attach an thin harness ring here-- they come in many materials and colors.," he said motioning towards the base of Raclaw's tail and listing off various options. "They come with a built-in lead to secure your Beagle that would attach to the back of any of our harnesses or collars-- and would automatically withdraw itself when not needed. Your dragon friend won't even notice that it's there!," Jerry promised as he then motioned towards Raclaw's collar.

"Now one attachment can secure your Canine friend if done right, but two are better. We can adapt the existing collar with the same patented 'DOUBLE-SECURE LOOP SYSTEM' and add the same 'INSTANT-DRAW LINE' via a barely noticeable attachment here.," he said as he motioned towards a spot right in the back of Raclaw's collar. He rushed over to motion towards the collarless Chester himself. "And from there-- it's just a matter of securing the leads onto any of our collars here or here! So... what do you think?," he then said as he motioned towards the front and back of an imaginary collar. As Jerry (or was it Jerry?) spoke, Chester looked up at the collars that were available. Each collar, as promised, had two loops for attaching leads or other attachments. The one in the front of each collar looked similar to Raclaw's own D-ring, while the one in the back was slightly more seduced in appearance and more square-shaped.

The little Beagle's eyes seemed to gravitate towards an particular collar; an leather material much like Raclaw's albeit not Guardian-based. The leather had a slight pattern to it that seemed to vaguely resemble Raclaw's own patterns, but with the darker tones of the leather. The metal itself had a ever so slight green hue to it and almost matched that of Raclaw's eyes, Raclaw's gem, or Latnok's armor. "Well-- I had one before and I honestly kind of miss it. It makes you feel secure, and safe, and.. and owned. I like that one! It reminds me of you and Raclaw!," Chester responded to the Guardian's inquiry and seemingly having chosen a collar for himself. Jerry looked onto Latnok, as if expecting a response.

"Hehehe-- the last time I stepped foot in an Arena...," Risar responded to Leoquin with a deep hearty laugh and what seemed like a smile? "No no-- Risar doesn't always fight, but.. but I do always enjoy seeing a good fight for myself. Just thought I would see what new Champion would come out of the fights today! It's always exciting seeing seeing someone come to future fame for the very first time!," the large minotaur then said having clearly enjoyed the last arena fight. As they walked and talked-- the crowds continued to disperch around them.

Latnok considered the options carefully - being quite unused to shopping for others. While he didn't exactly know how much more effective the double-secure loop system would be compared to the basic single attachment, he decided that he wanted the best for his companions - and an investment that stopped the beagle from falling off in flight was certainly worth not cheaping out on. "Okay, seems reasonable enough," he said, after getting the price. "I'll also take that collar over there - the leathery one," he said, pointing at it. He wondered about potentially having something engraved in it, but figured that that could be something done later, by himself, after Chester had some time to think about what he wanted.
All in all, despite the expenses, Latnok had a feeling of satisfaction - there was just something he liked about outfitting his companions, akin to training and equipping men for battles to come.

Ilasi thought of several songs that she liked, and would sometimes sing - though in her own time, being too self-conscious to sing around others. They were all softer songs - disqualifying percussion instruments - and she would want to sing them - disqualifying wind instruments. Ilasi slowly began to settle on a violin laid out neatly on one of the racks - elegant in its design, fashioned primarily from maple, with a few parts being fashioned from spruce. "That one... that one looks pretty nice," Ilasi said, pointing towards it.

When Leoquin and Risar stepped into the arena stands, there was already an ongoing fight - various Aelinonian prisoners versus prisoners of war. The crowd cheered with each fatal blow struck, their spirits thriving on the carnage. Leoquin always found the arena thrilling to watch - the fights inside giving his personal training validation, wanting to come out on top in life-or-death fights.

"Choose whatever you want." Maverick said kindly, not even minding if Ilasi took the most expensive one. He would pay without trouble and then present it to her. Afterwards, he would go to a restaurant with the most delicious food he could find, not wanting to keep his friends waiting for too long.

Meanwhile, Angora continued with the assault, not willing to let Latnok's rude treatment earlier spoil her good mood. She had felt so great ever since being hexphage free that she wanted to keep it that way as best as she could.

"...I think I'll have that one, then," Ilasi said, rather sheepishly - she wasn't used to being shown this much kindness from anyone, let alone a man. As she made her declaration, the vendor gingerly grabbed the violin.
"A solid choice," he said. "Today, this can be yours for the low price of 500 scales."

As Latnok paid the expenses-- looked at the money with a satisfying nod and looked back towards the storefront proper. "Hey Jerry Jr-- come here!," he called out as what looked like his son came to running to him. As father Jerry explained exactly what he needed; it wasn't long until he was outfitting Raclaw with the newly acquired upgrades. First came a simple attachment to the back of his collar, an attachment that functioned as promised and would remain secure once placed. Any difference in how the collar felt or weighed was negligible and the new attachment could barely be seen unless one went looking for it. What followed was the tail ring-- with son Jerry presenting Raclaw with various options of material choice. He opted for an leather material that closely matched that of his collar and blended well once set in place. And finally-- Chester was next, the little pupper staring at the new collar.

As one of the "Jerry"s brought the loop of leather up to the Beagle's neck, he proudly lifted his neck and patiently waited for the leather to be secured around his tri-color neck. As the collar was buckled into place, Chest looked back at both Raclaw and Latnok. "How do I look?," he barked in somewhat of an excited tone. "You look good-- it fits you.," Raclaw said with a smile complimenting the new collar. Jerry looked over the pair with a satisfying nod before showing Latnok how the new so-called double-secure loop system worked. As he pulled on a spot on the back of Raclaw's collar, a tightly coiled lead began to appear out of the slim attachment. He then seamingly attached it to the front of the new collar before repeating the same procedure on backend. "Now try walking around and tell me if we need to increase or decrease the tension.," Jerry then said as Raclaw walked in a tight circle. As Chester tried to budge-- he found that he couldn't, but it wasn't an uncomfortable experience ether. And as Jerry unleashed Chester on both ends, the almost invisible lead quickly retracted as promised. Raclaw gave a reassuring nod to Latnok, indicating that all seemed to work as intended and the trio began to move on. Chester could feel the weight of the collar, having not worn one in some time, and felt... safer. It was as official as it could be now-- he was Raclaw's and Latnok's. It was a good feeling, much like Raclaw and his own collar-- minus the additional mental bond his master had the luxury of experiencing.

Meanwhile-- Risar watched the ongoing fight with both excitement and anticipation. As he gave an hearty cheer, his nose ring rattled ever so slightly.

With his companions fully fitted, Latnok gave the Jerries a satisfied nod. "Quite the excellent craftsmanship," he complimented. "Thank you." With the deal settled, the trio began to move out once again.
Latnok immediately thought of a way to pass the time - being productive, with some jobs. There were monsters to take care of - and the resources of the Guardians were too limited to kill every single creature that harassed some farmer's livestock. All that meant that job boards were likely to have jobs to kill some bothersome creature or another. "I think a little more training might be in order," Latnok told Raclaw. "We can relax, but a quick job won't hurt us."
Taverns, being common meeting places, were likely to have such job notices posted. The trio eventually found one - not that they were particularly hard to find in Redwater. Not being particularly picky, Latnok walked right in - it was the typical tavern scene in Redwater, with the sound of merriment audible throughout, and the sound of fighting in the fight pit in the basement. Near the counter, there was a noticeboard - several notices of various qualities of handwriting were posted, which Latnok began to peruse.

"You're very welcome-- Come again!," both Jerries shouted in unison as the trio left. As the two collared companions walked, Chester adjusted to the weight of the new collar. It was made of a sturdy quality leather and wasn't going anywhere anytime soon; he walked knowing that NO-ONE would mistake him for anything but a properly owned Beagle. It was debatable who was the primary owner-- Latnok being the human in the relationship or Raclaw being the one he had chosen on that fateful day. It didn't matter. He was owned, he he was loved, and any proper Beagle wouldn't be anything but that. As for Raclaw; the fur dragon quickly adjusted to his new attachments. The new tail ring was indeed very unnoticeable-- being very discrete, very light, and color coordinating with his existing gear/patterns. Besides, he was already collar claimed. One or two new pieces didn't too much of a difference in that regard.

As Latnok suggested that they do a job-- Raclaw wholeheartedly agreed. This was the life he signed up for upon giving himself to Latnok and he wasn't going to turn away from it now. "Agreed.," he said as they soon found an noticeboard. He knew that at that very moment, Sere would be making arrangements with the duke or rather-- the king. And while he was starting his new life as an claimed Guardian-owned dragon, poor Shade would soon be beginning his new life as a living weapon. Raclaw quickly pushed the thought aside as they perused the job board. Chester, meanwhile, was sitting and propping his neck up-- as if to show off his fancy new collar. 'Yes... this feels right.,' the little Beagle thought to his rather proud self.

Angora continued playing with Shade, even going to tickling. It was a great distraction, but she couldn't stop thinking about leaving that infernal ship once and for all. She was free to do so of course, but that would mean leaving Shade alone. Despite being no risk of him going rogue again, she didn't want to leave the dragolet all by himself.

Quote: A Guy

"...I think I'll have that one, then," Ilasi said, rather sheepishly - she wasn't used to being shown this much kindness from anyone, let alone a man. As she made her declaration, the vendor gingerly grabbed the violin.
"A solid choice," he said. "Today, this can be yours for the low price of 500 scales."

A violin usually costed 300 scales from Maverick's experience, but this was for Ilasi and he had plenty of money to burn, so it was no trouble for him. The hybrid took out the exact amount from his hyperspace bag, making things much easier. He took the violin and presented it to Ilasi.
"Here you go little lady. Me look forward to one of it's melodies." he said goofily, almost as if he was trying to play fully mock her.

Near the ship, Dahlia was tied to a pole on port, since Maverick didn't want her to panic with so much people around, nor did he wanted the people to be scared or be accidentally injured by her massive side. Dirt buffalos weren't domestic animals. They weren't used for farms or mounts, so one of them in a city was quite a rare sight.

Ilasi gave Maverick a warm smile as she gently accepted the gift. "Th... thank you," she said, joyous though still somewhat uneasy. She could only imagine all of the practice she would need to put forth; but, if it helped her to accomplish her dreams, then she was willing to put in the effort.
The vendor, having seen Maverick present the violin to Ilasi, handed her a violin case to go along with it, with a strap for convenience. "You take good care of her, now," he said. "There is a manual inside with maintenance instructions." Ilasi took the case as offered, and carefully placed the violin inside.

The duke being unavailable (currently attending to arena matters), Sere spoke with one of his associates instead. They were well aware of the importance of Shade; Sere had no doubt that the king would learn of his arrival soon enough. He would head back to the ship for now; it would be quite a way to go on foot, however.

Latnok had browsed the noticeboard for a bit when he found a job that wasn't too far away from their current location and looked simple enough: Some giant, aggressive recluse spiders have taken up residence in woods due west of Redwater; near the riverbank at the clearing. This was a good fishing spot; I would much appreciate it if you could clear it so it's safe once again. On the job notice, there was the typical contact information and pay arrangement.
"Seems decent enough. I should have the appropriate anti-venom. What do you think, Raclaw?" Latnok asked.

Angora and Shade continued with the game, but soon the troll got tired. She lied down on the floor again, wanting to take a little rest before they could resume their playful quarrel.
"You know, I can hardly wait for you to take the skies again, carrying me and Maverick... heh, and Dahlia once she loses her fear of you. Up there, you feel true freedom." Angora expressed, still blissfully unaware of the Guardian's real reason for helping Shade with his powers. She believed the main reason was for them to ensure public safety, and in some part, a true desire to help them travel together again like they use to. She still believed they were jerks, but maybe, perhaps they did have a heart somewhere in that mess of armor and skin.

Quote: A Guy

Ilasi gave Maverick a warm smile as she gently accepted the gift. "Th... thank you," she said, joyous though still somewhat uneasy. She could only imagine all of the practice she would need to put forth; but, if it helped her to accomplish her dreams, then she was willing to put in the effort.
The vendor, having seen Maverick present the violin to Ilasi, handed her a violin case to go along with it, with a strap for convenience. "You take good care of her, now," he said. "There is a manual inside with maintenance instructions." Ilasi took the case as offered, and carefully placed the violin inside.

Maverick helped Ilasi carry the violin in a comfortable position, wanting to be extra careful with it.
"There, that should do it. If it becomes too heavy for you, there's always my bag." he offered gently, knowing that anything could get heavy after a while. It was now time to find the food. Whatever else Ilasi wanted, it could wait this time...

Quote: A Guy

Latnok had browsed the noticeboard for a bit when he found a job that wasn't too far away from their current location and looked simple enough: Some giant, aggressive recluse spiders have taken up residence in woods due west of Redwater; near the riverbank at the clearing. This was a good fishing spot; I would much appreciate it if you could clear it so it's safe once again. On the job notice, there was the typical contact information and pay arrangement.
"Seems decent enough. I should have the appropriate anti-venom. What do you think, Raclaw?" Latnok asked.

"Sounds simple enough. Let's do it.," Raclaw said with a nod actually eager for the task. After the rather uneventful trip back to Redwater-- it would be nice to train on land again. And if they, or rather Latnok, got some coin in the process... than why not? After all, any coin earned by the trio wouldn't just be spent on one individual. Chester had his fancy new collar and Raclaw had his fancy new attachments. With the new and not necessarily cheap upgrades-- he and Chester could fly all day without fear of the beloved Beagle falling off. Furthermore, Chester was marked now. There would be no mistaking him for a stray or anything but an owned dog. And rather by mistake or intention; he and Chester matched each other -AND- matched Latnok. Both his emerald green eyes and his own gem matched the beloved Guardian's armor, as did the slight green hues on Chester's collar. 'Was it fate?,' his thoughts wondered.

As Angora sat on the floor just being lazy, she took a look at Redwater. So many things that happened in that city. Shade as well as she were once prisoners there, overworked and humiliated for a crime they didn't commit. Shade did kill those people, but it wasn't his will. She got thinking what a lousy timing his powers had. They usually travelled to deserted places, or at least places with not much population, yet the day they reached an overpopulated city, it just had to be the moment where he had to lose control. And why was Shade in that city? Cause he had been looking for a doctor that could cure her after she had been injured in the explosion of Blue's castle. It was his kidnapping that caused this domino effect. It was all his fault. If he hadn't taken them away, Shade wouldn't have had the need to fly to Redwater wth disaster so close to happening.

Angora wanted someone to blame, and found the candidate. As she kept contemplating the city she has come to despise so much, she looked to the direction of the arena. It was barely visible from the ship, but there it was. So much misery that happened there. How close she and Shade were to die in there. Had the been lucky? Or was the king really was that merciful? Angora didn't care about the answer. She only wanted to leave that past behind, and forget that she and her friend were one of the likely few fortunate ones who managed to survive those dastard behemoths.

As Latnok and Raclaw began their walk out of the city, the arena was wrapping up one of its many battles - and the ground below rumbled as it opened up in its typical fashion, letting a behemoth out to feast on the fallen combatants. Before long, the creature was done - and there would be little trace of any sort of a fight, were it not for weapons strewn about or bloodstains. "Hmm, you ever wonder what it'd be like to have one of those things work for you?" Leoquin asked Risar. Those creatures were a huge part of Aelinon's war machine - in combination with highly-trained and well-equipped troops, very few, if any, would wish to trifle with the Aelinonian army.

Sere soon returned to the ship, boarding by the gangplank, before coming to Shade. "The king and his men will likely be here tomorrow for you," he informed Shade. "Be prepared for their arrival." While there was nothing Shade could really do to be more prepared for their arrival, he would at least know to expect it.

"Thank you," Ilasi said, as she began to move with the violin, becoming accustomed to its weight. Despite how unused she was to the scenario she was currently in, Maverick's kindness, in addition to the familiar environment of Redwater and the soldiers roaming the streets, gave her a strong sense of comfort and security.

Dex had not got much new info about the group he was after. Sapphire had gone back to Crossnorth. She did not want to leave Dex there, but had after all gone with what Dex wanted. The talk they had had was not about the letter he had got, because other things had taken their interest.

Now with no new leads he remembered it. He read it ”It is time for us to talk. As you know many towns have put more efforts about their guardian. It is hard for us to keep going both your guild and my brotherhood. We need to work together. If you see the need like I see go to the room of the brotherhood inside the Redwater blackmarket. There will be my members who will make our meeting happen - Blue”

”This must be somekind of trick..... it is Blue after all... it is True that there has been incrase in the number of the guards.... but that Blue would want to work together because of it. Noway! And after what happend before the guild was made out of the league.... there is no way anybody in guild would agree to even meet with Blue. But it ofcourse would be good to make somekind of peace between the two factions, even if their ways doing bussiness where far away from eachother.” Dex tought but just kept eating his food inside the Bar of the blackmarket

For the last couple of days, Huntress had been following and studying the enigmatic foxes that puzzled her so badly. She knew she had wasted time observing them when she could've spend her time doing different errands for money, but felt that whatever these talking animals were doing, it was very important, and maybe something would come of it that would benefit her...

Quote: A Guy

Sere soon returned to the ship, boarding by the gangplank, before coming to Shade. "The king and his men will likely be here tomorrow for you," he informed Shade. "Be prepared for their arrival." While there was nothing Shade could really do to be more prepared for their arrival, he would at least know to expect it.

Angora groaned quietly and the prospect of having to wait as far as tomorrow. She should've known that stupid brat of a king would be too busy to attend them today. She had heard the for you part of the sentence, but she had been so hopeful for freedom that she didn't think much of it at the moment and associate its ithe he King and his men observing the dragolet's process.
"Sere... Captain... Godfather...?" Angora called after much hesitation, not knowing how to address him anymore. She was still very nervous and afraid of him, but she wanted to ask him something so badly she gathered the courage to talk to him.

"If... If the king sees that Shade has finally progressed and he's no longer dangerous, will he finally let him go?" she asked meekly and still oblivious to the reality, not looking at Sere in the eyes and acting as if she was expecting a slap or an insult from his part. She felt so pathetic for feeling that way, but after Raclaw exposed her true feelings, she couldn't help it.

Quote: A Guy

"Thank you," Ilasi said, as she began to move with the violin, becoming accustomed to its weight. Despite how unused she was to the scenario she was currently in, Maverick's kindness, in addition to the familiar environment of Redwater and the soldiers roaming the streets, gave her a strong sense of comfort and security.

Slowly, Maverick began to grow accostumed to the sights of the city, even though he still wasn't fond of it due to the many unpleasant memories. He could adapt and forget though, since he felt things were going right for once.
"Well Ilasi, think you can wait a while to see more? I can buy you something else if you want, but it'll have to wait this time. I don't want to keep Oscurito and Angorita waiting. I promised them a different meal. The food from the ship wasn't so bad, but variety is always welcomed for us." Maverick explained warmly, certain that Ilasi wouldn't have any objection. Although she and Angora hadn't interacted as much as she had hoped for on the way back, the little troll had treated her very kind and respectfully nonetheless, which the hybrid hoped would be enough to change Ilasi's views of her.

As Raclaw walked, the little Chester enjoying his cozy back, he seemed rather content with his life. He was on his own a year ago and now-- he had two best friends, two traveling companions for life, and an owner who would look after him. And Chester no doubt was very content with his life, having not one but two owners. He would look after the little Chester, just as Latnok would look after him. The fur dragon gently and happily swayed his tail as they weaved through the crowds. The city didn't see such a creature as a threat before and certainly didn't now with an adorable Beagle aboard. He wondered what his life would've been like had he not encountered Latnok and had the two not bonded as much as they had. Perhaps he would've gone with Angora or perhaps he would've still been alone. It didn't matter... he had found happiness. And although he still wished that he and Angora had gotten along better, that could wait. He would still have to get Latnok to open up again and when he did-- he would be there to help guide the Guardian into society.

As the behemoth quickly devoured the fallen prisoners-- Risar gave a hearty grin having rather enjoyed the fight. "I do-- big strong creatures. Mighty, rapacious, and yet.. rumored to be intelligent. Risar wonders what it takes to tame such a beast, although he would never do it himself. To replace an small army with just your lonesome self-- demands respect, guts. And rightfully so.," he then said responding to the inquirative Leoquin. Even someone like Risar held a great deal of respect for the large creatures and what they no doubt provided for the Aelinonian Army.

It was now that Sere was realizing just what Angora had been hoping for. Was she really that naive? There was no way to put the truth gently to her.
"Do you remember what the king said in the arena?" Sere asked. "Shade will be going into Aelinonian custody, doing as he is commanded, serving the nation until such a time as he is deemed to have offered sufficient recompense. Considering the number of lives he has taken, he has much to atone for. With Shade leaving our custody, you are free to head wherever you wish; I would, however, advise against running afoul of the law - Aelinon tends to not be kind to repeat offenders." Sere waited for Angora's response - he was prepared for some form of outage, but it would be completely futile at this point.

Latnok and Raclaw eventually left the city limits, heading due west. After a long trip, with the sighting of a few wyverns in the sky, they would eventually begin to spot the treeline. At this point, Latnok would feed the anti-venom to Raclaw and Chester, in the event that they got bitten; though it was somewhat bitter, it would protect them. "Well, let's move on," Latnok said, activating his foresight in order to avoid being taken unawares. "Be on the lookout for large webs - or should I say thick webs. The kind too thick for a normal spider to produce. Also, look out for desiccated corpses or the like."

Raclaw and Chester both accepted the anti-venom without issue, despite the bitter taste. And as Latnok activated his foresight-- Raclaw would expand his senses as well allowing for 'the sight' to become fully in effect. He gave a nod to Latnok's order and walked alongside the little Chester, whose own senses could perhaps be of some assistance. As they walked, it wasn't long until they would encounter some webs. However.. they weren't nearly as big enough or thick enough to fit the profile. After some distance, more webs could be seen that almost matched the profile when Chester himself sensed something. "Guys-- I smell something. It smells almost human, but.. but it has a foul smell to it. This way.," the little Beagle said motioning towards a new direction. Indeed, Raclaw's senses began to smell the faint smell of something rotting. "I believe we've found one, although they might still be alive. If only just barely.," he then said as 'the sight' soon revealed a faint sign of life coming from what looked like a mummified corpse partly buried under some dirt.

From the open window of a very elegant building, a smell most divine filled Maverick's nostrils. He had found what he was looking for.
"Oooh, I think I found my place. Come on Ilasi. I want you to help me choose. And if you want something too, it's no problem." Maverick said as he entered the rather empty restaurant, seeing from the counter various pieces of meat in display. They took very serious the decoration, and even food was used. From a glass box desserts were displayed, from pies to cakes. It was all very elegant, but very expensive. No wonder the place was so empty.

"Welcome to Grill and Gravy. Tourist I gather. Choose whatever you want. Unless you'd want a beautiful meal for the lovely lady?" the owner greeted, being a man of large stature but with a very kind, rosy face. As Maverick eyed all the kinds of meats, he couldn't help staring at the empty seats.
"Oh not to worry about that sir. Our place looks empty, but I guarantee you it always fills up at night for the awestruck Star & Constellations display. Breathtaking show. You don't even need a theater. It's everywhere." he said, letting the explanation vague. It was quite a nice strategy. It left Maverick wondering what he meant.
"The prizes are a little steep, but for being your first time, I'll make a discount. And if you come tomorrow, the lovely lady can have half off of her meals. It's a policy we practice weekly." the vendor concluded, being extra nice. Maverick didn't mind spending money, but would take discounts any day. He contemplated the different meals, occasionally looking at Ilasi to see if she had any suggestions on what he should bring to his friends or if she wanted something herself.

Quote: A Guy

It was now that Sere was realizing just what Angora had been hoping for. Was she really that naive? There was no way to put the truth gently to her.
"Do you remember what the king said in the arena?" Sere asked. "Shade will be going into Aelinonian custody, doing as he is commanded, serving the nation until such a time as he is deemed to have offered sufficient recompense. Considering the number of lives he has taken, he has much to atone for. With Shade leaving our custody, you are free to head wherever you wish; I would, however, advise against running afoul of the law - Aelinon tends to not be kind to repeat offenders." Sere waited for Angora's response - he was prepared for some form of outage, but it would be completely futile at this point.

Angora entered what looked like a brief catatonia. She didn't remember something that specific, although she did recalled the king saying something about Shade paying for his destruction, but she always believed that the arena and being in Guardian's custody was enough. However, despite the humongous disappointment, Angora was very mature about it. She didn't throw a tantrum or started to cry.
"I don't intend to do such a thing. So then, after Shade atones and the the king is convinced he is really no longer a threat, he'll finally be free, right? He did fight in the arena and helped battle the White Shadow." she expressed calmly, despising the idea of spending who knows how long in Redwater, but she didn't intend to leave Shade alone, knowing too well how depressed he got. If Sere could tell him about his previous deeds, perhaps the king would reconsider his punishment.

Sere wasn't counting on Angora's reaction to be nearly as tame as it was. "Ideally, that would be the case," he answered. "However, that isn't likely to happen until Shade has somehow made up for the loss of the hundreds of lives he's taken; his actions would no doubt require him to either save a comparable amount, or bring great value to Aelinon in some other way. How Aelinon intends to use him is ultimately up to King Seraos and his subordinates." Sere, of course, knew (or at least had an idea) of what that would entail; he would keep such details to himself, however.
"As for allowing Angora and Maverick to come along; though possible, I wouldn't count on it. Aelinon may be concerned about dissidents."

Ilasi was no tourist, but she didn't mention as much. She browsed the many options available to them; however, she didn't propose anything in particular. Maverick had already spent quite a lot on the violin; she didn't want him to spend any more, lest she come off as materialistic. "Well, that's a very kind offer, sir..." she said nervously. This was almost like a date...

Latnok would let Chester guide the way to the entity he was detecting - though he would kep a sharp eye out for the future, to prevent his dog friend from being poached. He wasn't sure exactly what he would find; but he was prepared to both aid and fight whatever it was.

Angora had been expecting Shade's powers to return by now, but maybe it was better if they didn't. Shade would be even more harmless that way, and if there was a chance the king wanted him for his powers, it would most likely make him lose interest. She hoped that this atonement meant Shade would do some manual work like helping with the repairs and carry stuff around. It would be humiliating and tiresome, but at least it beat being behind bars or fighting in the arena.

She didn't answer Sere, and simply nodded respectfully after his explanation. She really wanted to leave Redwater with all of her friends, but once again, that would have to wait. She already waited so long. She was getting used to it.

Quote: A Guy

Ilasi was no tourist, but she didn't mention as much. She browsed the many options available to them; however, she didn't propose anything in particular. Maverick had already spent quite a lot on the violin; she didn't want him to spend any more, lest she come off as materialistic. "Well, that's a very kind offer, sir..." she said nervously. This was almost like a date...

After careful surveillance, Maverick picked a giant ham for Shade with the biggest pie as dessert, and for Angora, a whole turkey with gravy and chocolate fudge. He paid without trouble, surprising the owner. Maverick didn't looked like the kind to have so much money in him, but who was he to question the customers? Maverick assured everything in his bag, and looked at Ilasi again.
"You're quiet there. Sure you don't want anything?" he asked again, knowing her well enough to know she was feeling embarrased about it.

Chester continued to lead the way with the canine's two close friends following from behind. As Raclaw's senses remained active, he could sense the possible life signs were getting fainter-- although the subject's mind was screaming out in pain. It was human and it was in a great deal of pain. The fur dragon briefly twitched his head at the unexpected screaming, his senses amplified via 'the sight' and it would be long until they discovered the source of the screaming. As they delved deeper into the woods.. the trees became larger and the visible light became fainter. Webs could seen, becoming larger and larger until they not only met-- but exceeded the specified profile. And then the source would be discovered; a pile of corpses tightly spun in webbing. And as they approached the pile, the screaming only intensified. "My insides-- they burn! The pain... it won't stop! Please lord! Let it stop! Let the suffering end!," the entity screamed in his head clearly audible to Raclaw and by extension Latnok. "It's this way! Come on-- we have to do something!," Raclaw said as he rushed to the pile.

And just then-- Latnok's foresight triggered and could instantly be felt by both of them. "Chester!," his thoughts screamed. Imagery of an giant spider could be seen devouring the poor pupper, but it was only an image. A future image. Raclaw instantly turned away from the pile and the suffering man-- and it was if time itself slowed down. He expanded his tail spikes and prepared to block the incoming poaching, but Latnok would've been closer and would have the better chance. Chester would see it as soon as it entered the present and would turn to run...

Dex had noticed Huntress. But for a long time was not sure was She looking at Him or not.... But it had been too many times now, it could not be by chance anymore. Dex started to walk away from the Bar, but suddenly turned back running jumping from a empty table landing straight in front of the table of the Huntress. ” I think we need to talk.” Dex said making sure his face would tell her that he knew She had been looking him for sometime now.

Huntress wasn't startled, nor she bulged, but came to the possibility that she had been caught. Her stealth and spying were near perfect, but she recognized that her obsession with the foxes made her discretion falter.
"Why hello there sweetheart. We don't get many creatures like you in Redwater. How can a beauty like you be in a place like this?" Huntress asked in the most innocent voice that could come from a person, one that could easily be mistaken for that of a very young girl. She briefly scratched Dex's chin as she talked, acting as if she was a woman fascinated to be in close proximity to such a cute animal. She maintained a gentle, sweet persona, pretending that Dex's likely suspiscions were a simple result of her being curious.

With a vision of the future, Latnok grabbed his spear, moving to intercept the spider from reaching its intended target - the length of the spear would serve to give Latnok enough space to work with to avoid getting bitten by the creature, while still allowing him to effectively fight while interposing himself in between the enemy and whatever it was threatening. The prisoner would have to wait - removing the immediate threat was often a requirement for effectively aiding someone.

"Well..." Ilasi said, "That cheesecake over there looks pretty good... if that's okay with you." Though Ilasi always wanted to try out foods from such a fancy restaurant, her station in life meant that she often couldn't afford such luxuries, at least not without a high opportunity cost. She had the future to think about - and there was always something she needed to buy in order to further herself. Ilasi always had a bit of a sweet tooth, however, so she couldn't always control her impulses in that regard.

Sere gave what seemed to be a dismissive shrug. Considering what Seraos wanted Shade for, he wasn't quite sure what would happen when he learned that Shade was completely impotent. Execution? No... not likely. He would likely be a bit more patient than that. Most likely, he would either keep custody of Shade until his power returned... or trust him to some experts to do the same.
"You can give it a try," Sere said. "I wouldn't count on anything coming of it, however."

Meanwhile, at the arena, another fight had just concluded - with the behemoth coming out to devour the bodies in the traditional fashion - when the duke and his guards stepped foot into the arena. "Good morning, citizens and visitors!" he called out, his voice being magically amplified by one of the mages attending him. "I hope you have all had a wonderful time so far!" The duke paused in order to give time for the crowd's applause.
"Here in Aelinon, we pride ourselves on being a nation in which our rule of law holds firm. There are those who would seek to subvert these laws; and there are those who would wish to see our very nation and its citizens destroyed! We are much more resilient than most in history had hoped, however; throughout our existence, many have tried to destroy us, and yet they have only made us stronger. There are many out there who do not wish to see us exist, but here we are, defying them to this very day!" The duke once again paused to the uproarious applause of the crowd.

Angora was trying to be as respective as possible, but it didn't surprised her one bit that Sere acted so indifferent with her. It wasn't enough for him and his protégée to abuse her the way they did. They also had to be so cold. But the little troll was determined to ignore them, and lose the pathetic fear she had of them. It was too humiliating. Once again not making any eye contact, Angora left Sere's presence to be with Shade and let the old Guardian leave. She hated the fact that she would have to stay in Redwater, but she wanted to be a great friend. Shade and Maverick's friendship was something she never had before. It was too sacred for her, and she didn't want to lose either of them, no matter the pain and misery she had to endure in order to keep them.

Quote: A Guy

"Well..." Ilasi said, "That cheesecake over there looks pretty good... if that's okay with you." Though Ilasi always wanted to try out foods from such a fancy restaurant, her station in life meant that she often couldn't afford such luxuries, at least not without a high opportunity cost. She had the future to think about - and there was always something she needed to buy in order to further herself. Ilasi always had a bit of a sweet tooth, however, so she couldn't always control her impulses in that regard.

Maverick gave her a naughty smile and a lifted eyebrow.
"Oh? Thought you didn't wanted anything." he asked, playfully making fun of her. But before she could say anything, Maverick handed over the money and the vendor got him the cake, having some fun as well. It still baffled him how Maverick could have so much money, but above all, how could he fit so many things in that tiny bag of his. A hyperspace bag? Only the Aelinonian soldiers were allowed to have them. But he wasn't a local, so perhaps that was the reason? Nevertheless, like before, he didn't questioned the customer.
"Just kidding. Here you go. And come on! Wipe that shy expression Ilasi. You need to learn to enjoy life and take all the pleasant offers." Maverick kindly suggested, feeling a little bad for her for still being so hesitant and shy every time he offered her so many nice things.

"Well, I guess you're right," Ilasi admitted - bringing herself to look at Maverick once again, as she had subconsciously avoided facing him after that. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be a downer. I really appreciate everything." While speaking, Ilasi wondered: what about the offer for the next day? Were they going to take the man up on it?

Maverick gave her the cake and then headed to the ship, inviting her to either stay in the restaurant and eat the dessert in the comfort of the building or follow him to the ship.
"I'll be bringing the meals to Oscurito and Angorita then. You do what you want Ilasi. We'll catch up later. You know the city better than I do. Maybe you can show me the sights and I can buy you something else if you want." Maverick commented before turning to leave, meaning to spoil Ilasi's every whim. As he turned, he was visualizing his friends happy smiles when he presented them such magnificent banquets. He would let Ilasi decide whether she followed him or not. He really hoped it was the former, so that the three of them could eat together and bond. He wasn't very hungry, so he didn't purchase anything, meaning to eat an apple instead.

After Sere left, Angora breathed in a sigh of relief. His presence alone was enough to make any mood rotten, though she still believed Latnok was worse.
"Well, he's finally gone. Sorry you have to stay in this horrendous place for who knows how long Shady. They still don't want to understand those deaths and destructions weren't your fault. Or what? If the king get's possessed by some evil spirit and causes mass destruction, will the people trial him too?" Angora commented sarcastically, angry at the outcome and the fact that she should've known better than to hope for absolute freedom as soon as they returned to that infernal city. She believed Sere when he said that convincing the king to have her and Maverick stay with Shade would be hard, but she meant to use her politeness and maybe the fame she gained in the arena to convince him.

Quote: A Guy

With a vision of the future, Latnok grabbed his spear, moving to intercept the spider from reaching its intended target - the length of the spear would serve to give Latnok enough space to work with to avoid getting bitten by the creature, while still allowing him to effectively fight while interposing himself in between the enemy and whatever it was threatening. The prisoner would have to wait - removing the immediate threat was often a requirement for effectively aiding someone.

Latnok's quick actions would be successful; the Guardian's spear finding itself between Chester and the spider. The screaming prisoner continued to scream within Raclaw's head. However, his cries were muffled by their more immediate concern. As the spear struck the incoming spider-- it cried out in pain and gave Chester an brief window to get out of harm's way. It wasn't an wasted opportunity, the little Beagle running away from the spider and settling in a position well behind his two protectors. The spear penetrated the belly of the spider, it's massive size soon revealing itself. And just then-- Raclaw joined in, expanding his tail spike INTO the spider and doubling his efforts with a breath attack. "You alright Chest?," he called out inadvertently shortening the dog's name into a sedu-nickname. "I'm fine-- thanks for the save!," the little Beagle responded very much relieved.

---

Quote: A Guy

Meanwhile, at the arena, another fight had just concluded - with the behemoth coming out to devour the bodies in the traditional fashion - when the duke and his guards stepped foot into the arena. "Good morning, citizens and visitors!" he called out, his voice being magically amplified by one of the mages attending him. "I hope you have all had a wonderful time so far!" The duke paused in order to give time for the crowd's applause.
"Here in Aelinon, we pride ourselves on being a nation in which our rule of law holds firm. There are those who would seek to subvert these laws; and there are those who would wish to see our very nation and its citizens destroyed! We are much more resilient than most in history had hoped, however; throughout our existence, many have tried to destroy us, and yet they have only made us stronger. There are many out there who do not wish to see us exist, but here we are, defying them to this very day!" The duke once again paused to the uproarious applause of the crowd.

As the duke spoke-- Risar gave a respectful now, not disagreeing about the current status of Aelinon. "Did you know that Master once had his own private arena?," Risar asked Leoquin recalling his past. "Master trained Risar, taught him to fight, and personally had his my armor and greataxes created for me. He did enjoy seeing a good fight and seeing Risar fight off numerous beasts-- both to better my own ability to fight and to entertain his guests. There is nothing like the excitement of a good fight, rather you're in it or just seeing the aftermath.," he then commented recalling 'good' times. Despite his having run away from his old master-- it had remained clear that a small part of the large Minotaur had continued to miss his old life. It was ironic... freedom and happiness were not always on a one-to-one scale. Sometimes one could be free and lacking something. And sometimes-- one could be very much not free and yet have everything. Thoughts of Raclaw briefly came to him and how the Fur Dragon was seemingly handling his new life.

Ilasi opted to remain with Maverick - she was having a fun tame, and was enjoying his companionship quite a bit. As she did, she pointed out some of the more notable tourist destinations along the city - bustling as if nothing had happened to it. Maybe, when this was all over, they could travel a bit more... she wasn't sure where Maverick would go when Shade was released, however. Ilasi didn't know exactly what would be done with Shade; she did know that he was being taken by Aelinon, however, and Maverick came along because Shade was there. She was under contract, so leaving wasn't an option... though she wondered why she was even considering abandoning her duty.

With Raclaw's spikes sinking in, Latnok yanked his spear out - leaving a rather sizable hole in the creature's head. Though its legs thrashed around for a brief few moments, the spider eventually came static.
Latnok, knowing that Chester was okay, immediately rushed to secure the spider's cocooned victim. Using a knife, he began to gently cut away at the webbing.

As Latnok cut away at the webbing-- the victim's features would soon be revealed. The man was a somewhat gaunt looking fisherman and he appeared very much alive at face level at least. "Finally-- somebody found me! Please mister... please do something! My body, my legs... they burn! They...," he said before screaming again in pain even more audible to the sensitive telepathic Raclaw. As Latnok cut away at the rest of the webbing, the source of the pain would be as plain as day. Acid-like spider venom was melting through the man's legs and beginning to melt through his torso. One leg appeared to be an complete lost, while the other could perhaps be saved.

As the extent of the fisherman's wounds were revealed, Latnok pondered what to do. He knew some first aid, but was no master at it. An antivenom at this stage, though it would help some, would do little to prevent further necrotizing of the man's body. A tourniquet would kill the man once it came off, and the poison was too far spread for it to do much. Latnok doubted that anything other than powerful magic would allow them to save the man at this point - but they might be able to help him survive long enough to manage that.
"Well... to be honest, I don't think you're going to live," Latnok said. "But we'll try to get you out of here. First things first, however..." Latnok moved over to the spider's corpse - lopping its head off with a quick stroke of his axe. Not only was it important for actually verifying he did the job - it also needed to be presented to the medical personnel so they would have any samples they needed from the creature, for identification purposes for for spellcasting.

Back at the arena, the duke continued to speak at length for a bit - when suddenly, the head mage attending him suddenly became alert. Just then, the ground burst - as it typically did - and several vines reached out to grab the duke. As they wrapped around him, much to the shock of the crowd, their thorns sank in.
The duke's men, though startled, were quick to act. With great skill, they were able to quickly cut the vines from the source - the head mage burning the source to prevent them from growing further. Now it was just a matter of unwrapping him.
With the crowd in an uproar, the duke thought fast - despite his injuries and predicament. "Citizens and guests!" he forced out, doing his best to hide his pain as his voice was still being amplified while his men unwrapped him. The bloodstains and the damaged uniform, however, could not be hidden. "This... this just goes to show the enemy we are dealing with here. They will hide in the shadows like cowards, seeking to strike us down when we are weak - but we will not show weakness. It will take more than some cheap parlor tricks to take us down! We will stand strong, no matter what they bring against us!" Though he wanted to go on, he wouldn't push himself - he would, however, continue to walk himself until he was at least out of sight of the crowd, and only then would he allow himself to collapse and be carried by his men.

Quote: A Guy

Ilasi opted to remain with Maverick - she was having a fun tame, and was enjoying his companionship quite a bit. As she did, she pointed out some of the more notable tourist destinations along the city - bustling as if nothing had happened to it. Maybe, when this was all over, they could travel a bit more... she wasn't sure where Maverick would go when Shade was released, however. Ilasi didn't know exactly what would be done with Shade; she did know that he was being taken by Aelinon, however, and Maverick came along because Shade was there. She was under contract, so leaving wasn't an option... though she wondered why she was even considering abandoning her duty.

Maverick noticed Ilasi following him, and smiled quietly. He knew she was doing it mostly for him, but it made him glad that at least that meant she was open to the idea of bonding with his other friends.

When he reached the ship, he welcomed his two friends with a huge smile.
"Hey hey hey mis amigos! Look what I got..." he said in a singsongy voice, taking the ham and turkey and placing them in front of their respective owners. Next were the pie and dessert.
"Dessert and all. Elegant, aren't they? I know you like my cooking, but variety never hurt anyone." he said jokingly, with Angora starting to eat almost immediately. She was very hungry. Maverick wondered though if she would have to feed Shade again.

"Shady will eat himself this time. He has the strength now. Plus I think I've done more than enough this week." she commented in mouthfuls, practically reading Maverick like a book. She noticed Ilasi and nodded out of politeness, rather glad to have her there as well. She eyed her cheesecake, which looked more delicious than her chocolate fudge, but Angora didn't want to be rude or greedy, so she said nothing and continued eating, with Maverick gazing at her and Ilasi contently as he grabbed an apple from his bag and started eating himself.

Ilasi gently sat down by the rest, beginning to delight in her cheesecake, her face lighting up with pure ecstasy with every bite. "Wow... I can only imagine how much effort went into this," she said. "If only you had the ingredients to make something like this, Maverick! Oh - not that you have to. Don't mind me..." Ilasi continued eating, not waiting for a response, as if she never said anything.

Quote: A Guy

Ilasi gently sat down by the rest, beginning to delight in her cheesecake, her face lighting up with pure ecstasy with every bite. "Wow... I can only imagine how much effort went into this," she said. "If only you had the ingredients to make something like this, Maverick! Oh - not that you have to. Don't mind me..." Ilasi continued eating, not waiting for a response, as if she never said anything.

"I have to learn to make desserts." Maverick commented as he took a bite of the apple, knowing how to make many meals and even soups, but desserts were too complex for him. Maybe he could find somebody to teach him one of these days. As he had the thoughts, he remembered Dahlia was still tied to a pole, but decided to leave her there for the time being, knowing how afraid she still was of Shade. For now, he was just very happy to be there at the company of friends both old and new. How he wished Ilasi would decide to trave with them. With Shade free of his rogue moments, the travels would finally be safe, and once Aelinon was convinced he was no longer a threat, they could roam around the land free of the paranoia of the law.

Angora in the meantime was almost done with her turkey, devouring even some of the bones. She really was hungry, but also, she was glad to be tasting something that didn't come from the ship's damp food cellar. Even though Maverick made the cooking great, variety was indeed very welcomed. As she ate, she couldn't help but gaze at the city she has come to despise so much. It seemed that most of the repairs were already done, but then again, with resources like theirs, it was no surprise. Like Maverick, she was happy with this quality time, and was very inviting of Ilasi despite the mermaid's mild caution and the way she treated them in the past. As she finished her meal and went to the dessert, she remembered what Sere told him. She knew Maverick was going to be disappointed as well knowing that Shade would have to remain in Aelinonian custody for an undetermined period of time, but she didn't want to spoil his good mood and decided to tell him later, knowing that sooner or later he would find out.

Angora glared at Shade, upset that he decided to tell him now of all moments instead of waiting for them to be done with their meals. Maverick just took another bite at the apple and then spoke.
"I suppose that shouldn't come as a surprise. Nothing is ever that easy. Just show the king who you really are Oscurito. Show him you're not the monster everyone believes you to be. You have been stable now even without the hexphage. That should be enough. We'll help you out. We've been through far worse." he expressed, maintaining a positive attitude, something that distinguished Maverick so well. Angora was proud of him, but that didn't stop her from being angry at Shade for ruining such a pleasant mood.

With the revelation, Ilasi stayed silent, not quite knowing how to handle the mood whiplash. In addition, she was conflicted - on one hand, she knew why Shade earned his sentence, but on the other hand, the prospect of him being separated in such a matter to become essentially a slave to Aelinon was very saddening, especially knowing the likely brutal treatment he would receive. Ilasi subconsciously stopped eating, though she didn't say anything further, feeling too awkward to join thr conversation.

Quote: Felines

Huntress wasn't startled, nor she bulged, but came to the possibility that she had been caught. Her stealth and spying were near perfect, but she recognized that her obsession with the foxes made her discretion falter.
"Why hello there sweetheart. We don't get many creatures like you in Redwater. How can a beauty like you be in a place like this?" Huntress asked in the most innocent voice that could come from a person, one that could easily be mistaken for that of a very young girl. She briefly scratched Dex's chin as she talked, acting as if she was a woman fascinated to be in close proximity to such a cute animal. She maintained a gentle, sweet persona, pretending that Dex's likely suspiscions were a simple result of her being curious.

”Tell me what you want. You would not be here if you where just a curious soul. It is True that there is not many like me... now the question is How much do you know about me and what are you after.” Dex said trying to see something from the Huntress face, but her cover was good. But Dex knew She was not in blackmarket by mistake, so there must be something more to her.

Huntress acted smoothly and without any fidgeting or stamerring. She was trained very well to know what to say in practically any situation.
"What do I know about you? Only that you are a talking fox. It's not exactly a common scenario, you know. And my apologies if I looked like I was staring. I know you must think I'm not very ladylike to be in a place like this. Can't say I'm a fan of the atmosphere, but this marketplace has so many nice things. Too many things here aren't sold anywhere else in Redwater. I know it's not exactly the law, but I can't resist the temptation." Huntress explained with the same sweet demeanor, rather glad that Dex stopped to talk to her. This was her chance to learn more about him and his friend.

Quote: A Guy

With the revelation, Ilasi stayed silent, not quite knowing how to handle the mood whiplash. In addition, she was conflicted - on one hand, she knew why Shade earned his sentence, but on the other hand, the prospect of him being separated in such a matter to become essentially a slave to Aelinon was very saddening, especially knowing the likely brutal treatment he would receive. Ilasi subconsciously stopped eating, though she didn't say anything further, feeling too awkward to join thr conversation.

The change in mood didn't stopped Angora from eating. She was done with her chocolate fudge, still staring at Shade so that he wouldn't have no doubt how upset she was with him. Maverick was also done with his apple, and couldn't wait to explore more.
"I'm leaving for a while longer Angorita, if you don't mind. I want to see what Redwater can offer, but also look at the repairs. I know Oscurito can't come, but maybe..." Maverick began to say, ready to invite Angora to see the sights with him and Ilasi, but the troll knew where he was going.
"Maybe later. Go ahead. I'm going to stay here for a while longer so that Shade won't be alone. Besides, I think that meal made me very sleepy." she said with a yawn, confirming it. Maverick understood and decided to let her be, waiting for Ilasi to finish. She looked rather flustered, but didn't say anything, leaving her be so that she could finish her cheesecake in peace.

Quote: A Guy

As the extent of the fisherman's wounds were revealed, Latnok pondered what to do. He knew some first aid, but was no master at it. An antivenom at this stage, though it would help some, would do little to prevent further necrotizing of the man's body. A tourniquet would kill the man once it came off, and the poison was too far spread for it to do much. Latnok doubted that anything other than powerful magic would allow them to save the man at this point - but they might be able to help him survive long enough to manage that.
"Well... to be honest, I don't think you're going to live," Latnok said. "But we'll try to get you out of here. First things first, however..." Latnok moved over to the spider's corpse - lopping its head off with a quick stroke of his axe. Not only was it important for actually verifying he did the job - it also needed to be presented to the medical personnel so they would have any samples they needed from the creature, for identification purposes for for spellcasting.

"Please.. T-thank you.," the gravely wounded fisherman managed to say between the pain. Raclaw looked at the man with a look of pity and grave concern, being able to feel everything he was feeling. "Here-- place him on my back. We can't make any guarantees, but.. we will try.," Raclaw said inviting Latnok to load the fisherman onto his back. He sent calming images to the man as he spoke and did what he could to help mentally ease the pain. And as he did so, the man seemed to calm down seemingly content with the situation at hand. Brief flashes of ponds, meadows, grassy plains, and other related scenes could be seen by Latnok as the claimed fur dragon transmitted them.

Raclaw's own emotions raised as he began to absorb the man's pain, but it was nothing he hadn't already been feeling from the otherwise screaming mind. Both he and the fisherman maintained a calm appearance as he lowered himself into a position that would make it easier to load the man. Chester closely watched and didn't need a telepathic bond to know exactly what his beloved Raclaw was doing. Part of him still wished that he could somehow help his master cope with such emotions, but knew that Raclaw had intentionally kept him out of the not-always-pleasant telepathy. And out of respect for those wishes-- he would trust the fur Dragon in his own mental affairs. Raclaw, on his part, was somewhat aware of this. However, he would think long and hard before fully bringing Chester into the chaos that was his mind and its numerous connections.

---

Quote: A Guy

Back at the arena, the duke continued to speak at length for a bit - when suddenly, the head mage attending him suddenly became alert. Just then, the ground burst - as it typically did - and several vines reached out to grab the duke. As they wrapped around him, much to the shock of the crowd, their thorns sank in.
The duke's men, though startled, were quick to act. With great skill, they were able to quickly cut the vines from the source - the head mage burning the source to prevent them from growing further. Now it was just a matter of unwrapping him.
With the crowd in an uproar, the duke thought fast - despite his injuries and predicament. "Citizens and guests!" he forced out, doing his best to hide his pain as his voice was still being amplified while his men unwrapped him. The bloodstains and the damaged uniform, however, could not be hidden. "This... this just goes to show the enemy we are dealing with here. They will hide in the shadows like cowards, seeking to strike us down when we are weak - but we will not show weakness. It will take more than some cheap parlor tricks to take us down! We will stand strong, no matter what they bring against us!" Though he wanted to go on, he wouldn't push himself - he would, however, continue to walk himself until he was at least out of sight of the crowd, and only then would he allow himself to collapse and be carried by his men.

Risar watched and although he avoided any panicked reaction-- knew that such an act had not been an intentional one on the men's part. Something had attacked the duke and it was not something that anyone had suspected. "Risar suspects that wasn't part of the show. Something-- something isn't right here.," the large minotaur said briefly standing up before resuming his seat. As he spoke, a hint of concern could be heard in his voice although he tried to hide it. Any deeper emotions weren't being publicly displayed by the proud being.

Almost instantly after the duke was taken in, an announcer came out to announce the next round of games as if nothing had happened. Meanwhile, the crowd was still in an uproar, though calmer than before; the reactions were extremely mixed.
"The hell was that? Should we be running now?!"
"It's elves, I'm telling you. They're trying to attack us any way they can."
"Come on, that wasn't even a good fake. Do you think the duke would've still been talking like that if that was real?"
"Oh, so I guess blood was fake too, right?"
"I'm sorry, I just arrived at Redwater last night. Is this normal? Also, where's the food?"
"Where are the pretty mermaid server girls? All I see is men."
Leoquin was initially alarmed - but, after seeing the duke's calm reaction, took it in stride. If the attendees weren't being evacuated, then there probably wasn't a major threat. "Well... we're going to be hearing about this from the town criers," he said, not knowing exactly how to respond.

Ilasi, regaining her composure, quickly finished her cheesecake - as quickly as she could while still looking cultured, anyway. There were so many places she wanted to show Maverick...
"There's a pretty noteworthy aquarium you might want to see," she suggested. "Many species of fish you won't commonly see - including some in the very deep ocean! Might not be as fun as our little trips though, hehe... There's also a really nice theater that I've always... well, that I find has really elaborate, entertaining performances!" Ilasi didn't know if Maverick had his own idea of a place he might want to see, but waited for him to ask.

"I can see it now.," Risar said with a nod as he waited for things to fully calm down. Although the combat field has been damaged somewhat from the incident-- Risar had no doubt that the Arena events would continue as planned. It made little difference for the planners nor the poor souls forced to face combat on those grounds. The arene was the heart of the cities income and they would make WELL sure to keep that steady stream of income flowing. The city itself, meanwhile, would talk about the accounts of the event for days if not longer. After all-- the rumor mill had to keep turning.

Quote: A Guy

Ilasi, regaining her composure, quickly finished her cheesecake - as quickly as she could while still looking cultured, anyway. There were so many places she wanted to show Maverick...
"There's a pretty noteworthy aquarium you might want to see," she suggested. "Many species of fish you won't commonly see - including some in the very deep ocean! Might not be as fun as our little trips though, hehe... There's also a really nice theater that I've always... well, that I find has really elaborate, entertaining performances!" Ilasi didn't know if Maverick had his own idea of a place he might want to see, but waited for him to ask.

"That would be nice. Spent a lifetime looking at the water from above. Never the beauty inside... except for, you know, that day." Maverick explained, referring to the time in the bubble. He would go anywhere Ilasi showed him, and maybe even buy her one more thing. He looked at Angora and bid her goodbye, going with Ilasi to that expedition. It would be her turn later, perhaps tonight once Shade was asleep. She wanted to take care of him, but she didn't also want to spend all this time on that ship.

With the pair leaving, Angora went to a corner of the ship to rest, using some ropes as a bed. She was still too angry at Shade to talk or even sleep on his body like she would usually do. She started to doze off, hoping Maverick would have a good time. He really deserved it.

While Latnok and his companions were bringing the fisherman back to the city in order to find an appropriate healer, there was someone observing silently... a galud, rendered invisible through his own magic, kept an eye on the group.
Laszur was himself going to investigate the area to get more details of what occurred there; the events were rather suspicious, especially as of late. He was happy to see, at least, that the Ardent Guardians were as willing as ever to help protect people; there seemed to be a bit more at play than just typical aggressive creatures. Perhaps a bit of a talk was in order; he would hold for now, however, so that the fisherman could receive the appropriate help in time.

As suggested, Ilasi began to guide Maverick through the streets of Redwater; as she did so, she pointed out some of the more tourist-friendly places and interesting sights along the way. Oddly enough, there seemed to be a bit more of a commotion today than usual. Ilasi didn't particularly think much about it - but it would turn out that she didn't need to.
"Breaking news! Duke attacked by plants bursting out of the ground in the arena! Duke currently alive and well; suspects still at large!" Ilasi's heart skipped a beat - an attack on the duke? So far in Redwater territory?
No, she wasn't going to focus on that right now. She was going to enjoy the moment with Maverick - the deeper implications of the recent event, if any, were likely far beyond her concern.