'A jail was highly unusual for the fairy tale world. But then again, giants were always considered an unusual race anyway. And unlike most of the races in the land of Light. Structures were approved of and preferred by giants. In one jail in particular was spacious and so large it could fit even the largest of criminals. But for today it held a rather odd combination of people, fit into two cells and the company was split into two groups.'
'Alex a 'wizard' was busily pacing the floor scowling in deep thought. Bre, a mermaid and princes of the merfolk was doing her best to try and get sleep on the jail beds to no avail, the bed was literally a rock and aside from that she had too much on her mind. Hanna a Were-dog, in her dog from was trying to here best not to scream; had someone the day before had told her she was going to be without her phone for a full day she would have never come. In the cell next to them Phoenix, a kistune and Cloe a demon-dragon were drawing in the dirt covered floor and playing several games of tick-tack-toe and a never ending game of pictionary. Zea, Cole's twin, was sitting in a corner curled in a ball trying to clam her vicious allergies. And Mic, a dryad, was sitting on top of the stone cot mind racing.
'I couldn't believe that was happening. I didn't want to believe what was happening.'
'Trying to stay positive was like trying to be happy about loosing leg. It was increasingly discouraging when my one optimistic thought was only to be canceled out with my counter thoughts.'
("At least not all of your friends are stuck in this situation.")
"As soon as the thought slipped a memory came flashing back and it was Zea and Cloe searching the wagon frantically for something, or could it possibly be that... No they wouldn't dare... Would they?'
'Sitting up for strait from my slump the sudden movement caught the everyone attention."
"Mic what is it." Asked Alex with curiosity.
"Zea Cloe please tell me you didn't." I was trying to be vague on purpose, afraid saying it would make it true.
'Zea and Cloe looked at each other, they new exactly what she was talking about.'
"I told you she would find out before 10:00 P.M, that's another twenty dollars Cloe." Said Zea with a suppressed smile.
"Oh you did! How could you?" Said Mic frantically pacing back and forth. Everyone between the two cells where now overly annoyed and wanted someone to fill them in on what was so terrible.
"Mic What are you talking about?"Asked Hanna. Mic looked from Zea to Cloe.
"Well do you want to tell them or should I?" She asked sitting back on the stone bed Cloe looked at Zea and says.
"We probably should."
"We?" Asked weakly Zea as if to say 'I want no part of this' and she sneezed again and rubbed her eyes witch were red and puffy..
"Yeah We! Why do I always have to be the bearer of bad news!?" Asked Cloe.
"Because your good at it!" Stated Zea Factually.
"I could phrase this a hundred different ways sure, but none of which sound good!" Said Cloe.
"Would you both stop bickering and tell me what the bad news is." Said Alex becoming tiresome of this game.
'Zea and Cloe both became silent, no one was going to be more upset about this news than Alex and they both knew it.'
"So we may have done done something wrong." Started Cloe.
"I assumed as much." Said Alex impatiently.
"Shhh!! Don't interrupt the story, plus you may want to be sitting down." Said Zea.
"So we may have brought someone here." Said Cloe.
"Willingly of coarse!" Pipped in Zea.
"Defiantly willingly, and she is currently here in the kingdom of light, I think you can connect the dots who the she is." Said Cloe, Zea gets tired of beating around the bush and just comes out and say it.'
"We may or may not have helped Macy Come get across the portal into the Kingdom of Light."
'I expected him to yell and expected him to be angry but the most aggressive attempt he made was sitting down with a bewildered expression displayed across his face
"Hmm." This was such an unexpected responses that Cloe asked.
"Does this mean your not angry?"
'When he looked up he flashed them a fiery glare, his bused face made him look a little bit more menacing then normal.'
"Oh no. What you did was completely not alright, and if we ever mange to come up with plan to escape this place and return back to Silver Town you both will be given so much homework from my class it will take you till collage to finish it all!" He said but not nearly as angry as expected.
"Um, Alex should we be concerned about Macy?" Asked Phoenix.
"That's what I have been trying to decide. On the one hand this is the the timid girl that has no idea where she is or even how this world functions, and the punishments if she is found out would be possibly be fatal. On the other hand this is also the girl who stood up to a half-giant. and she's not stupid, she wouldn't have come here if she didn't think she stood a chance of getting away with it. She knew this place was dangerous and she also choose to ignore my counsel. I'm kind of having a mixed emotions about this. I suppose I should be mad just for arguments sake, but if the tables were reversed I think I would have done the same thing." Alex said with a sigh and then he had a thought.
"Say Micayla."
"Yes." she said to let him know she was listening.
"I have been thinking about what happened back there between you and the captain, and I have been thinking there must an interesting story behind." He asked.
"Oh it's a very very long very dull story with very corny dynamics." Said Cloe looking up from here game of tic-tac-toe.
"I was asking Mic but since you and Zea seem connected to this story. I am now I am truly intrigued." Replied Alex.
"And Besides what else do we have to do." Asked Hanna.
"Yeah I could go for a story right now." Spoke up Bre for the first time since arriving, and sat up to get a better view.
"But it isn't even technically my story it's my dads." Mic said.
"You must have been in it there somewhere if you know it." Said Phoenix.
"Well okay, if you all really want to know...
------------------------ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO-------------------------
'My father was an archaeologist who worked at Lavender Lake City Museum, it payed well and their family were happy and comfortable. Unlike most dryads who had a thirst for wisdom and took pride in philosophy of existence, Charles Writer took more interest to the science behind the history rather than the purpose. He had a love for learning and a never ending fascination of the past. Some figured him a little bit odd but it didn't matter much, he was good at his job, never caused any trouble, and never cared much for politics.'
'That is, of coarse. Until a certain artifact came into his division...
'From there everything took a rapid down hill.'
'Possibly one of the only times I ever remember seeing him come home with a scowl etched across his fine features.'
'He had always said that the royalties push the boundaries of the law and that their habits were growing worse by the year. And he had mentioned going to a different realm a time or two for a good experience and adventure, but never once did think the words would ever morph into actions, until that night.'
"Charley whats the matter." My mother said out right. At last, after an hour of trying to cheer him up. It had been so long since he had ever been like this even mother was beginning to be concerned.
"Yeah dad, you haven't been yourself today." Said Alexis my older sister.
"We will talk about in the living room, but lets first finish this lovely dinner that your mom made." Mr. Writer said.
"By the way you've been staring at your dinner, I would think you were staring at a pile of work papers." Mother said with a smile. And all my siblings who were old enough to understand chuckled.
'We finished dinner quicker than normal and after I helped mom put some of my younger siblings to bed, with few protests from some of them. Finally we made our way to the living room.'
'Luke, who was a few years younger than Alexis sat next to dad, and Alexis sat across from both of them looking at dad with a similar concerned look that my mother had at the table."
"Alright what happened. Was it work today? They didn't fire you did they?" Mother started out trying to guess.
"Yes. No. It's more complicated then that." The father said have trouble wording what he need to say.
"Why don't you start from the beginning then." Suggested Alexis.
'Mister Writer let out a deep sigh and began.'
"Jenny, do you remember those children stories about the four representatives and how the forged items of power to protect their land and home?"
"How could I? Every time I think I'm retelling that story for the last time, we have another child and I have to start all over again." She said Humorously.
"Well did you ever think it went more than just a story we tell our children?" He asked Brown Eyes glinting in the sunlight.
"Charley what does this have to do with anything?" Asked mom.
"Because an amulet was discovered on Earth, and they brought it to my division, as far as my research went, it could very well be one of the amulet's of that old legend. Either that or an insanely accurate replica." He finally said.
"Could or is?" Asked Luke, with his green eyes glinting, he got his eyes from my mother and his handsome face from father.
"A part of me hopes I'm wrong, but even if it is, this isn't the part I'm worried about in the slightest."He let a sigh before he continued.
"The thing that bothers me is it's light magic has the potential to destroy, any person who owns dark magic entirely if put around the neck." He said and Alex said.
"That's not possible. There's not a strong enough magic on either side that would be powerful enough to... stomp out the other entirely." Said Alexis shaking her head.
"What about more powerful dark magic wielders? Surly there would be some people with strong magic to combat it." I said disbelieving.
"It's good possibility their might be, but it would most likely have to be ancient magic like this. You see a long time ago their was a small period of time when no one from here or on either side even had magic. It didn't start showing up until a little bit after the Realms Collision. And that's when the raw powerful magic began show up within both people, but as the years went on magic became just a little bit more diluted than what it once was with each passing generation." He paused.
"But this amulet was made during a time when magic was going through super powerful phase, and the light magic in it if we were to put it to scale would take ten men with dark magic from toady to over come light magic in it." He stop to see if they had question.
"For now it's safe to handle. The magic is held dormant with some sort of binding spell, but if it's provoked it won't hesitate to activate." He took in a deep breath, to finally explain about what happened today.
"Thirty minutes after I had just barely confirmed that this amulet could be ligament, the soldiers stormed into the lab again." He said sighing in frustration.
"I thought you filed a complaint to the royals about that last month." Said my mom her yes practically glowing.
"I did, but it's a little bit pointless to complain to the royals when there the ones allowing them to enter into the research labs and take what they wan't to use." My dad said his face renaming expressionless though he was obviously furious.
"But today they dragged someone else down there with them. He was a dragon, and from the looks of his human avatar he is a powerful one at that, he even fought his guards and almost made it out of the lab. And yet when we made eye contact for one moment. I didn't see the monster in his eyes, or a powerful dragon that everyone around me was seeing... I saw a man, a desperate man, and more than that I think-I think that man had a family of his own." He said rather vaguely.
"How do you know he has a family?" Asked Alexis.
"I don't. I really, really don't. It felt something like magic, it's hard to explain... But anyhow the guards stormed down into the basement under the approval of Dawson." He said Bitterly.
"I thought he got demoted after the black market incident." Said Luke.
"I wish, in fact just because of that that made him second in commanded and ranked above of me." He added and I started piecing it together.
"Because of him the soldiers had legal, access and because he out ranked you he also has control over experiments of magical objects." I said a little over a wispier.
"And guess who they chose to be their experimental guinea pig." He said in a sad smile.
"This so wrong." Said my mother standing up."Do you know what his charges were."
"I think it was just trespassing over the boarder." He said.
"Trespassing?! We have no authority to hold trespassers let alone use them for experiments!" My mother continued now so upset she was pacing.
"But who's going to stop them? If the royals back this up then isn't illegal to stop them?" Asked Alexis.
"I don't anyone can." He said. I didn't like the way this conversation was going.
"What about Andrusha? He was promoted to captain of the guard right? Doesn't he have any authority over this." Asked Micayla, her fathers voice was a little over a wispier.
"We've talked, but there's nothing he can do about it."
"So what do you need to do." Asked Mother.
"I-I think I need to help that man escape. I feel that it's the right thing to do. Then we should leave with him to where ever he's going." My dad said.
"Father, you don't even know this man even if you mange to help him how could he ever repay you for something like this, assuming he will want to." Said Luke.
"And after you've worked so hard for this position to be here. Do you really want to throw this life away?" Asked Alexis.
"Alexis, Luke I know this sounds crazy and sudden, but understand that this isn't the first time me and your father have talked about moving and if things are as bad as your fathers told us tonight, then this may be our best option for the time being. But darling..." Mother paused and looked into his eyes with both understanding and hesitance. "Are you sure this is something you need to do?"
"Jenny this is something I need to do; honestly, I don't know why but I just have a feeling this something I need to do.
------------------------INTERRUPTED----------------------
"Hold Up! Time out! You mean to tell us that your dad decided to do all of that based on a feeling?" Asked Hanna Eyebrows raised. "You all just went with him because of that?"
"That's how it happend! To this day he still doesn't know why he had to help that dragon but he did, and if he hadn't I wouldn't have met any of you!" Mic said.
"Okay, but I still don't understand the connection between Andrausha and you." Said Alex.
"Andrausha and my dad grew up together as friends." Said Mic
"So why is there bad blood between you two now." Bre asked
"Because this happend." Said Cloe.
---------------------TWO YEARS PREVIOUSLY-----------------
'I expected a lot of things.'
'Jealously. Envy. Betrayal. Were nothing new...
'Simply were elements that came with work.'
'But I never would have guessed anyone would dare go this far...'
'One late night working over time, I found a letter from a client. He had asked me to pick up a shipping freight just inside the gates of Light Kingdom.'
'I wasn't the least bit concerned at the time, I had done many jobs that required sneaking in and out of the Light Kingdoms more times than I can count. The Freight story was just a decoy and when I arrived there a fleet of army soldiers greeted me before I had the chance to say goodbye.'
'After a day of walking all over the city they eventual brought me to the jail and heavily hinted that if I tried to run I would be used as a experimental gerbil. Liar's. Had I know from the beginning that they were going to use me for that purpose either way, I would have tried much sooner.'
'I turned over in my cot wincing as the jabs of pain burned as they touch my bruises. Self-Righteous Hypocrites. At least demons and dragons don't pretend to be something their not.'
("Demons and Dragons...")
'I wonder how Niloana is doing right now. Probably having the time of her life trying to pin down Zea an Cloe to get them into bed. I smile softly at the thought. That sound's like my girls.'
'It had be half a day for me here in Light Kingdom, So there I've really only been gone for maybe half an hour? How long will it take of Niloana to realize I'm gone? It's got be around 12:30 by now.' My thoughts were disturbed by footsteps that stopped in front on my cell door.'
'I sifted too quickly and bumped my swelled up wrist on the cot and I wince at the pain. Who ever did this- Who ever sent that phony letter- Was going to pay dearly for this night.'
'My eye fell open the man in front of me.'
'He wasn't a giant, and he didn't have an odd taste in clothing that most elves did, though he was disguised in a cloak. So he must be a dryad.'
"Is your name Slandar Vistich?" Asked the stranger with brown eyes that seem slightly familiar.
'So he only knows me by my gang name.'
"Yes and you are?" I ask slightly intrigued by the plastic vile he was holding. Was it poison?'
"I'm Doctor Writer we met earlier in the lab." He said.
'An Archaeologist then, but why was he here?'
"What do you want." I ask.
"I want to make an offer. Do you want to escape out of here alive?" He said lowering his hood a bit so I could see his face.
"Of Coarse."
"Then we haven't much time." He said uncorking the bottle and only then do I notice that his neon yellow gloves as he spreads the clear liquid onto the iron bars.
"What are you doing?" I ask as I see the metal sizzle and corrode in front of my eyes making a wide enough space to walk through. A distinct strong odder filling the air.
"Hydrochloric acid. Careful crawling though and try not to light a spark." He warned.
'As I carefully walked through the Captain of the Guard came around the corner and stopped and stared at the the Doctor.
"Charles what are you doing?" Asked the captain.
'Wait a second these two are on first name terms? I positioned myself closer to the exit way.'
"What's it look like I'm doing Andrausha?" Asked the Mr. Writer.
"It looks like your getting yourself into a heap of trouble." The Captain said eyes watching their every move.
"Andrausha the governments corrupt can't you see that? And your serving them as one of their monkeys." Stated the Doctor.
"Do you think freeing one trespasser is going to change that? Charles this is treason." Andrausha said taking a few steps back.
"Andrausha, come with us I don't know where we'll go but it can't be worse than her..."
"No! Charles I'm not going anywhere! Not when I've worked this hard to get this high up in the ranks!" Said The captain.
'This was getting us nowhere we need to leave... Now.'
'Swiping my claws against the iron bars was all it took to make sparks fly and ignite the hydrogen gas in the air. Muttering Campo Di Forza so me and the doctor wouldn't be harmed. Not bothering to stop to listen to the captain call for his soldiers. I Snatch the doctor by the collar of his shirt and drag him outside before another word could be said as soon as we past the door frame I sift into my dragon form.'
'Standing as tall as 25 feet and over 2000 pounds, my livid blue scale's lined with silver glistened in the forever motionless mid-day sun.'
"Get on!" I growled at the doctor and he didn't hesitate to scale up my shoulder on to my upper neck and I take off into the pastel blue sky.'
------------------------RETURN TO THE PRESENT---------------
"The Dragon is Your Dad?" Asked Bri.
"Yep." Said Zea.
"But why didn't you tell us that before?" Asked Hanna.
"You never asked." Said Cloe.
"So Andrausha hates your father because your he helped a dragon escape?" Asked Alex still not entirely understanding.
"Well there was a little more to it than that, you see after my father escaped with Zea and Cloe's dad. Andrausha was left all by himself to try and explain what happened to the royals, witch I'm guessing it didn't go too swell, but they must have needed him pretty badly, though, if he's still captain of the guard." Explained Mic.
"So your dad used Hydrochloric Acid to dissolve the metal bars?" Asked Phoenix.
"Yeah, my dad always had a lot of stuff like that for his archaeologist research on artifacts, part of the reason why he was called to be a chemistry teacher at the high school." Mic said.
"Say Bre how exactly did you survive that fall from roof?" Asked Hanna randomly.
"Of all the things to be thinking about, why were you thinking about that?" Answered Bre really confused.
"Didn't you some how turn the desk into something rubbery." Continued Hanna waiting to hear the answer.
"Yeah, why?" She asked. When everyone heard this the all began thinking the same thing.
"Can you do the same with iron?" Asked Alex in a hushed exited voice. It looked like someone turned on a light bulb on.
"Now that you mention it..." Started Bre.
"I thought they put a magic dampener on the area around the cell." Said Phoenix.
"The magic damper is intended for dark magic specifically, but it wasn't designed to hold in light magic." Said Alex.
"I thought mermaids couldn't touch metal or something to like that." Said Hanna.
"Okay, your thinking about Light people that walk on land. Mermaids live in the ocean were there are 47 different types of minerals and metals, if this were the case Mermaids wouldn't exist." Explained Bre. As she she waited for a guard to pass around the bend, before she stood up from the bed and brushed her hands against the metal bars on the Neighboring cell that held Zea Cloe Phoenix and Mic..
'The constancy of the metal was that of a rubber band within seconds, sqishy and soft to test out the tension Bre pinched and pulled on the bar and it strung back and forth making a low trruuummm.'
"Now try and crawl through." But before Zea could get threw the bar a duo of body guards came walking through, with there regular slicked back hair, thick black cotton suits, and dark sun glasses they could qualify for FBI if you didn't know better.'
"After noon John, Larry." Bre said crisply.
"Princes."Said John in a polite but not exactly kind tone.
"I suppose your here to take us to my father correct?" She said Briskly, and stood.
"Yes were here to take you to your father." Larry said putting and emphasis on the word you.
"And what about my friends here? I'm not leaving without them." She said in a strong unfamiliar way, that everyone between the two cells watched mesmerized by every word.
"Quit frankly you don't have a choice in the matter. Your father said to bring you to him by any means, if necessary." Said John his voice dripping with indifference.
"So whats it going to be Highness, voluntary or force." Said Larry.
'Bre looked at everyone around them with the most apologetic look she could, then walked out of the briefly opened door before it slammed shut again on the silver detectives...
'All was quite...'
'Until Zea began having a fit of sneezes again.'