The more Ethan looked around at everyone surrounding him he slowly came to realize there were more than just a few he didn't recognize. That was mostly because it took a little bit for his eyes to adjust to the room, though when they did he noticed the room was much larger and contained many more children than he originally thought.

"What the? Who are all these kids?" He thought to himself, smoothly glossing over the fact he was a kid himself.

He looked around silently as some began to murmur to themselves about the latest development. They must have gotten a little too excited because from across the room the sound of something made of metal slapping against the steel door that locked them in painfully echoed throughout the inside, bashing against their ears and rattling their senses. Everyone immediately quieted down while trying to rub their ears with bound hands.

"Ethan?!" A hoarse whisper from his right caught Ethan's shaken attention and he turned his wincing gaze in its direction. His eyes went wide when he saw the source of the whisper and returned it in kind.

"Sarah? Is that you?"

From a few feet away there was a girl who, from Ethan's understanding, was a few years older than him, squirming her way like a caterpillar to where he was sitting. He wanted so badly to assist her in her efforts but wasn't able to do much in his current state, well, other than wiggle a bit in her direction so she didn't have to move so far.

"Yes and it is really you Ethan, thank the Keepers."

She sounded truly relieved to see the boy and was soon leaning her back against his own as they propped each other up. Her heaving chest roughly expelled moist air as she tried to calm her breathing, nearly all her wait now pushing back against Ethan. He didn't mind though and gladly supported her with a growing agitation in his heart, his anger toward the kidnappers rising at the thought of all the children down here suffering.

"Is everyone ok? Who are all these other children?"

Ethan asked after giving Sarah a moment or so to calm down, his eyes searching various faces around them though none of them responded.

"Children from other villages and towns. It seems the kidnappers have been busy and Cloudcrest is some kind of collection point for the area."

"The entire area?" He said almost to himself before suddenly looking around with great concern, searching for for something very specific. When he didn't notice anyone at first he finally asked in a low voice.

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"Do you know if anyone here is from Forgotten Oaks Sanctuary?"

"Where? No I don't think so. No one has mentioned it."

Upon hearing her words he let his head fall so that his chin nearly rested against his chest. "Thank goodness," he thought to himself, "they are safe at least."

The fact the kidnappers had avoided the sanctuary didn't really stand out to Ethan, and in fact he wasn't even sure if the sanctuary was even within their scope of operations. He finally lifted his head and tried to bring his thoughts in order, he was still a child, at least for the most part, and was a bit worked up all things considered.

"How many have arrived after you and the others?" He finally whispered over his shoulder.

"About a quarter of those here have been brought in after we were taken."

"Are they feeding you all at least?"

"Just enough. It seems they don't want us to lose too much strength but aren't making any effort beyond that."

She tilted her head to the side, motioning toward a corner in the room where a lone box stood, after nudging him with her shoulder.

"Twice a day they come in and untie a few of us at time to use the bathroom. They then have the prior group untie several more, who in turn rebind the ones who already went, and the process is repeated until everyone has gone. Then they come in one more time and bound the last group."

"Have you heard anything about what they plan to do with everyone?"

"I've only picked up a few words..." She hesitated and he could feel her muscles clenching against him. She lowered her voice even more before replying with a single word "slaves."

Upon hearing her reply his body also flexed, though his muscles were much more pronounced and solid, a fact that Sarah quickly realized since she was leaning back against him. Despite their situation his reaction brought a small, but reassured, smile to her mouth.

"How did you get captured?" She finally asked him.

"The guild started to respond, some council got involved, I was sent out with a group because I had seen some strange people the night before you all were kidnapped, and then I got caught after the other group didn't arrive like they were supposed to. I got careless..."

His voice gradually grew softer as he relayed the information, his comment on his own carelessness barely audible. He felt ashamed of being captured, let alone so easily, and felt like he was adding to everyone's burden.

"You still tried to help, that was very brave of you."

Her words hardly registered through his melancholy though he was aware enough to acknowledge her with a small sigh. At least he could help them all now, and adjusted himself just a bit so that he could bring his cheek, and by extension, mouth, closer to her ear.

"I can break these ropes with ease but I have no idea where we are. I also don't know how long I was out before they brought me here. All I know is I'm pretty sure we are underground."

Sarah, who had been about to make a snarky comment along the lines of "ya think" managed to contain her frustration. After all, he had only been down here and awake for a short time so he had no way of knowing they had already figured out that much at least. He also continued before she could reply at all.

"I also have no idea how many kidnappers there are. I know at least two were involved in capturing me but they also were able to catch me. I'm not sure how much use I'll be in getting this many people out."

"Then what do you are thinking?"

"Well..."