Fire burnt the dust and damp away leaving Sol untouched on dry hard stone, his kind was immune to the flame, but the consequences of his rage ignited the moisture in the air and smoke now clouded around him, thick and heavy for It could not escape through the open bars, Jax's containment magic saw to that, and so It stagnated there waiting to be absorbed into the rock. Sol knew he must get in control of himself, or the fire his best friend, his very soul, would be his end - but how? Even now he could could hear footsteps approaching him, the rats come back for more mocking, the very thought of them was causing more smoke to appear.
"Just in here!"
"Surely there were more pressing matters than to just watch me die!" Sol spat angrily from the floor. Sol turned his head just in time to see that both Jax and his guests enter the room. It didn't take him long to recognize the orc, even blurred by the still thick air around him.
"YOU!" he growled realizing the depth of the betrayal, he got to his feet hardly without knowing, ready to attack the magical barrier again, it would, of course, be of no use.
"Stand back elf!" Jax said with a smile raising his hand in the air, his eyes glowing, Sol did not obey. "I said, back, elf!" Sol was suddenly lifted up as if invisible vines reached out from the wall behind him, like the tentacles of a monstrous beast, wrapped him up and pulled him not so gently against the back wall; there he hung, stuck to the rock as if crucified. He struggled against the invisible binds trying in vain to burn them loose, but all the did was grow tighter like a constrictor coiling around its victim. "Stay!" Jax said smiling wickedly. "Good boy!" he added with a laugh. "Good boy"
"Put her in there?" Lox asked.
"Yes, yes just give me a moment" Jax unlocked the cage, opened the door and dispelled his barrier, the smoke within flooded out like it was alive and grateful to be set free, the air became breathable again. "Toss her in," He said more to sol than Lox "No need to be gentle." He smiled at how angry he was making the elf, it made him feel joy to see him so upset and knowing that the more the poor fool struggled the more his spell would choke him, so much that he laughed a little. "What's wrong elf? Isn't this what you wanted? Your pet human, safe and sound." His words menacing, almost sounding more serpent then rat.
Lox relieved the weight was off his shoulder, entered the cage and dropped her on the ground; as she hit she grunted.
"She's alive?" Jax asked clearly disappointed. "How disappointing"
"She's not my kill." Lox exited the cage and moved beside Jax who began to re-lock it.
"Too bad, I was hoping she was dead" Jax laughed and raised his hands to reactivate the barrier, but instead was met with a giant black fist, which broke his concentration, his eyes glowed for a moment but popped with surprise, glowing no more. He stumbled, confused. What the hell happened, why did his head suddenly feel like it was going to explode from the inside? Confused no longer he gathered himself to counter with a curse but he was met with another blow to the face. This knocked him against the far wall where his head met stone and he slid down the side. Now unconscious his binding curse on Sol broke, dropping him to the floor.
Art who had witnessed the whole thing, moved in and smelled the broken rat and burst out laughing in his face "I liked the part where his head bounced off the wall" then turning to his friend, "Can we see it again?"
"Rainnah!" Sol said aloud moving toward her. She sat up and grabbed him and held him and kissed him. All seemed well, but what just happened? All this time he tried to save her, she was saving him? "But the orc and his friends didn't hurt you?" even as he said it, he regretted it.
"You idiot!" She said. "Your heroics almost cost you your life. If it wasn't for this orc, you would be dead."
He looked up at orc who he misjudged now for the third time and scolded himself for being like his father. Not all orcs were good, but not all elves were good either and it was time prejudice to end.
"Thank you!" he said with tears in his eyes and he embraced her once more.
"You might want to wash the disease off your hands though," Art Joked callously not paying attention to the drama at hand, he never liked these rats, but he was beginning to like this plan.
"The reunion can wait!" Lox said ignoring his friend, "Apologies too."
"Yes," Art agreed his tone returning to serious. "We should leave now, they will know soon enough. My laugh might have alerted them already, sorry."
"I'm so lost..." Sol said truthfully. He was still so confused, happy but confused.
"Never mind," Lox said. "There isn't any time, we are getting you out of here, let's go!"
Sol didn't budge, he was caught up in the moment and couldn't seem to snap out of it.
"He's right Sol" Rainnah agreed shaking Sol out of his thoughts and getting to her feet. Sol joined her trying to console himself, she seemed so much more composed, so much stronger than he was now. If only his father could see her now, so brave, so noble. Perhaps he could see what Sol saw in her, but he knew that wasn't likely. He didn't know what to think, who to trust, but he had Rainnah by his side and that was going to be enough. He would focus on that, the rest would sort itself out.
He hoped.
###
Outside the cavern, Ivan and Arden were unaware of their fallen comrade, nor of the betrayal of their friend, nor of the escape that was underway. The air here was much lighter and the stress was all but gone. Only those with magic could sense something was wrong, and luckily for Lox and Art and Sol and Rainnah, Ivan nor Arden had not an ounce of usable magic in their bodies.
"Ivan!" Arden bellowed from the ground. "Ta'nnah asked me to come to get you, having a meeting, everyone must attend." Ivan didn't like leaving his post unguarded but if Ta'nnah said so, Ta'nnah said so.
"You go on ahead, tell them I will join them soon as I make one last look around."
Not being magic wasn't much of a problem for Ivan however, the skills he developed without magic certainly made him more aware than most. Magic was all around them and threats were great and could come from any direction, a creature without it would have to be hyper-vigilant in order to survive properly - the only thing his father had ever told him that was worthwhile. He was good at what he did and took it very seriously.
"Alright," Arden said jokingly, "Suit yourself, but don't take too long I'm likely to drink your share."
"Better not, I'll have to shoot you!" He laughed in return, aiming his empty bow in mock threat and shooting him with a make-believe arrow.
Arden laughed. Ivan laughed. It was good to be apart of a family Ivan felt, even if they were broken in many ways - but back to business. Ivan waved him on and Arden returned to the cave leaving him alone in the dark. He didn't mind, of course, it was his duty after all to be the lookout and rats had an excellent eye for things in the dark, his sharper than most even of his own kind. He quite enjoyed the moments to himself. He looked out as far as he could see, nothing but the darkness steadily waning on. It was safe (relatively of course), to come down from his tower. Of course, he would check the ground level just to be sure, and so he did. When he found no immediate dangers, he decided it's best to call it a day, if the danger wasn't out here, it certainly was within. Ta'nnah was an ally, but she was definitely not safe. When she called a meeting, she called a meeting, and it wasn't in his best interest to keep her waiting longer than necessary, with this thought he hastened his pace.
###
"Hold on," Lox whispered stopping everyone in their tracks, he peered out just in time to see Ivan approaching. He reached out his hand to stop the others from following and gestured authoritatively behind him. It was kind of difficult for Art to hide, but Sol and Rainnah managed to disappear behind them both.
"Should we attack!?" Sol whispered Rainnah put her hand against his lips to shut him up, and he did. He realized she was right and now was not the time for talking.
"Hello, Lox!" Ivan said happily to the darkness, to the untrained eye, it was a completely abandoned tunnel, a void, but Ivan could see plainly that lox and his bear were standing guard over the tunnel.
Art shifted a little in his spot, ready to react if necessary. Sol and Hannah stayed quiet, barely even breathing, trying not to move, trying not to make a sound. Lox stood still, his natural poker face was doing a good job of concealing his true intentions.
"Hello, Ivan." Lox nodded as if nothing were wrong. He didn't want to hurt any member of the Mangari (except maybe Laimon) but if he were found out he would do as he must.
Luckily Ivan trusted him and didn't see any threat "Ta'nnah, making you guard the elf?" he said with a smile, assuming that's why he wasn't with the others.
"I said I would," Lox lied. "This meeting is Mangari business. Nothing to do with me."
That answer made perfect sense to Ivan, it's what he would have done himself had he not been a member. With that, he moved on, and the group could breathe again. Lox stepped out and watched Ivan disappear into the tunnel ahead and when he was sure Ivan had gone too far to notice them leave, he gestured to the others to follow. The magic was on their side, Sol thought, even Lox agreed without knowing. It was fate that gave them this chance to escape, but it wouldn't be long before the Mangari caught on.
And he was right, even now Jax began to regain consciousness. He pulled himself away from the wall and cracked his neck. Dried blood matted the front of his snout, he could taste it still in his mouth. He spat red against the dusty floor. His brain felt like it was on fire, and even now the swelling had shown signs of settling in. That orc was going to pay and his companions were going to die. His eyes glowed brightly as his heart filled with vengeance and disdain. How dare he, after all the Mangari had done for him. Of course, he never liked him, only tolerated him because of Ta'nnah and his usefulness, but it didn't matter. The willingness to kill him was all the more present and if he had stood in front of him now, there would be no hesitation. He rose to his feet, stumped a bit held himself against the wall for a moment. The bastard had caught him off guard, a move worthy of a rat, but didn't orcs hold combat to a higher standard? Wasn't that a dishonest fight. No matter, the dishonorable fool would face him again.
Small and loose rocks rose up off the ground and begin to orbit him, as he steadied himself. They were attracted to the energy that was poured from him, he acted like a battery, supercharged. It was unconscious energy, no spell was cast or curse uttered but there it was surrounding him. He breathed deeply and sighed, trying to calm himself, he was of no use irrational. The rocks halted for a moment, steadily rotating in their zero gravity, then fell to the floor. He moved swiftly from the room now, making his way to the others to warn them so they may react as a group.
"What the hell!" Ta'nnah uttered upon seeing him emerge from the dark corridor, the others halted their drink and stood up to see him better some even instinctively went for their weapons.
"Did that elf - " Arden begin but Jax raised a hand to stop him.
"It was that bastard orc of yours!" Jax spat red seeping into the dirt.
"What did you just say!" She blared her tail twitching. She stared at him blankly, her mind racing. The others in the room backed up a bit as if she were a bomb ready to go off, which wasn't altogether out of the question.
"It was Lox, Ta'nnah. He knocked me out and took the girl and the elf"
She snarled with a snarled that made her look more wolf than a rat, she eyed Jax with a fury he had never seen before, and she wasn't exactly known as a stable individual. Ta'nnah moved forward as quickly as a snake mid-strike, Jax winced ready to be struck into silence, but she stopped short of his face and nudged it with hers.
"Oh, Jax" she said in a whisper, "My poor jaxie-boy" she caressed his wounds as a lover might, "We will destroy him." Then turning to the others, "You heard him! Down your drinks, and after them. They will know the wrath of the Mangari." Everyone with drinks swallowed them greedily, wiped their faces and smiled wickedly. It was a hunt. Their various stolen weapons would know the blood, some of them for the first time.
"Weapons ready!" She demanded, everyone obeyed happily, the thrust for action was growing by the second. "And If you get Lox first, leave him alive!" She added. "I will deal with him." she struck the air with her tail blade. "Now, go my boys! Search and kill, kill and search."
"They can't have gotten far" Jax offered. "They just left." but it was unsure if anyone heard him for they were already rushing out of sight, If they had been wolves, howling would have been heard, but rats were far too quiet for that, even in their haste, even as the alcohol was corrupting their veins, it was hard to hear their footfalls, even in the brush with old dead leaves, they ran like ghost into the night.