As we stumbled forward, my eyes slowly adjusted to the brightness of the morning sun, and my body ached with each step. I looked down and saw the thick metal shackles binding my wrists and ankles, the clanging sound of the chains echoing in the silent air. The same shackles adorned my friends, who struggled to keep pace beside me, their faces worn with exhaustion and fear.

My friends and I were captured by the Avyls, the natives of this strange realm that the Venturers called Avlyrra. Davy had warned us to stay as far away from them as we could since the Avyls were known among Venturers for being wary of and hostile towards humans.

These dwellers were unlike anything I had ever seen before; their features were sharp and angular, and their bodies seemed to be naturally built for the harsh environment of limbo. Their skin was tough and leathery, and their muscles bulged under their clothes, making them look more like warriors than anything else.

I could feel the cold metal of the shackles biting into my skin as they tightened them around my wrists. Cliff tried to reason with them, pleading our innocence, but the Avyls were not interested in listening.

"Who gave you permission to talk?" One of them barked, his voice filled with authority and power. The others remained silent, their eyes flicking between us as if we were some kind of dangerous animal they had just captured.

I came to the realisation that even though Avyl was speaking a language that was entirely foreign to us, we could understand what he was saying. That was most likely brought on by the "synchronisation" that took place when I first entered limbo. It was comparable to how Kei’s remarks made sense to me despite the fact that he could only speak Japanese.

"You and your friends are being held for questioning," another Avyl said, his tone cold and calculating. "There have been reports of Venturers colluding with the Shadowhorns, and we need to ensure that you are not a threat to the town of Avylrath, which is where we preside."

I was taken aback by his accusation, my mind racing to make sense of it all. We had just been attacked by those vile shadowhorns, and now they were accusing us of working with them? It was madness.

Davy spoke up, trying to defend us. "We were attacked by shadowhorns, and we were just defending ourselves," he said, his voice filled with frustration.

But the Avyls remained unmoved, their expressions unreadable as they led us away towards their establishment. They told us that the ‘Council of Avylrath’ would decide our fate, and I could feel my heart sinking as the reality of our situation began to sink in.

**

After what seemed like an endless journey, we finally caught a glimpse of our captors’ dwelling place. As we were escorted towards the towering gates of Avylrath, we could see more of these strange beings gathering to watch us, their piercing gazes making us feel uneasy. As we passed through the gates, we entered the winding streets of the town.

As we walked,I couldn’t help but notice the striking similarities between the man-made structures and the natural features of the biome. The buildings were made of crystals, intricately shaped and polished, reflecting the light in dazzling patterns. They seemed to grow out of the ground, like the plants and trees in the surrounding grassland.

The streets were paved with a sparkling white material that was soft underfoot, almost like snow. The water from the nearby waterfalls flowed through channels that crisscrossed the town, providing a constant soothing sound. The air was filled with the aroma of fresh fruit and flowers, making the place seem almost magical.

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However, the magic was short-lived, as I noticed the hostility in the gazes of the people walking around the town. They stared at us with suspicion, as if we were trespassing on their territory. It was clear that they didn’t trust us, and I couldn’t blame them after what we had been accused of.

As we were led through the streets in shackles, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe at the town’s beauty, but also a sense of unease at the hostility of its inhabitants.

*

After what felt like a long walk, we were instructed to stop walking in front of a grand building in the centre of the town. It seemed to be the place where our case would be heard. We followed our captors through the building’s winding halls and finally arrived at a large hall where a group of Avyls sat around a round table.

The person behind us spoke, "You are being presented before the Council of Avylrath." I looked around the room and noticed the Avyls sitting at the table, studying us with their piercing gazes. It was clear that they were not fond of our presence in their town.

An old Avyl, dressed in a robe adorned with shining gems, spoke up in a cold tone, addressing us directly. "You know, we were never hostile towards your kind. When the first of your kind set foot in this place, we initially welcomed them with open arms. We saw the Venturers as travellers seeking adventure and offered them our hospitality and resources to help them on their quests."

His voice grew harsher as he continued, "However, as time went on, we began to see the true nature of humans. We saw how the Venturers were only interested in their own gain and would take whatever resources they could from the city without giving back."

"At a time of famine and drought, one horrifying tragedy took place. We were fighting to make ends meet while barely surviving. But the Venturers took advantage of our predicament and robbed our resources rather than providing any assistance."

"They didn’t give a damn that it was the only thing keeping us alive. They just perceived a chance to line their own coffers."

He paused, his gaze piercing into us. "And after we finally banished you humans from entering Avylrath, you still plan to do harm to us by colluding with the shadowhorns? How vile can you creatures be?" His anger and resentment were palpable, contrasting with the neutral tone he started with.

I could feel the tension in the air, and I knew that this situation was not going to be easy. The accusations were unfounded, but the Avyls seemed to be convinced of our guilt.

Cliff stepped forward, his voice shaking. "Please, sir. We were attacked by the Shadowhorns. We were just defending ourselves. We had no intention of causing harm to your people." His words were met with a dismissive snort from one of the Avyls sitting at the table.

"All the evidence is against you. First of all, our men saw the shadowhorns fleeing from you; thus, the proof is against you. Why would they flee if they were going to prey on you? You were outnumbered by them, and they easily could have killed you, yet they fled. If you didn’t have them under your control, this would not be possible. The elder started.

"Sir, An odd creature with four eyes and one horn joined them. It appeared to be the pack’s leader. His eye had been pierced by me, and he and the others immediately withdrew. I responded.

"So you’re saying you saw a midnight maw? Do you understand the rarity and power of such a creature? It only appears every few decades and is powerful enough to defeat even our best fighter. You’re trying to suggest that you, a feeble human, were able to harm it. Such absurdity! His voice was raised in a yell of rage.

The old Avyl’s eyes settled on one of us, and he pointed his finger at Kei. "And the biggest evidence is right in front of us. This boy reeks of death! The malevolent aura coming from him is just enough evidence that you have colluded with the shadowhorns."

Kei denied the accusation, saying, "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

But Avyl didn’t believe him. "Don’t play dumb, you foul human. I know the nature of humans, but can greed be to such an extent that you forsake your humanity for the sake of power?"

Kei was about to respond, but the man slammed his hand on the table, making a loud noise. "We have heard enough. The council has decided that you will be publicly executed after two days. Guards, lead them to their cell."