Without warning, the sound of a chain hit the ground, although most of the people within the cart were distracted from the Bogans yelling outside, sprinting past the cart. As Cymia seemed concerned as to how Knox’s plan came to fruition, Daniel began laughing uncontrollably, hitting the seat he sat on with a clenched fist. “You goddamn lizards are crafty, I’ll give you that!” He coughed slightly between breaths. It seems he understood what the Scalsans had done.

As the others continued to study the disturbance happening outside, Lockheed and Cymia both turned away from the commotion. Cymia began sputtering from confusion as Alice finally turned around to see what the fuss was about.

Knox was nowhere to be seen. The chain he had been in now laid motionless on the seat as Alice’s eyes widened. “What the?” She asked, as Daniel began to regain his composure. “What happened? Where did he go?” Cymia asked, looking at Daniel. “What did you see?” She seemed irritated that his plan, whatever it was, had succeeded.

Rather than answer her question, Daniel instead decided to get the attention of one of the guards outside. “Hey, I think y’all are missing another head!” He yelled out to a guard that was currently standing next to their cart, staring ahead at what’s presumably the cart ahead of theirs. The guard quickly turned his head, and though he didn’t understand the language, he understood the meaning of Daniel pointing towards the empty chain with a smirk on his face.

“What in the Gods are you doing? Don’t get their attention!” Cymia hissed under her breath as the Bogan began shouting towards his comrades ahead of the cart. “He’s coming in now, thanks to you!”

The guard quickly rushed towards the back of the cart, shuffling through a pouch on its waist before pulling out a small stick. He clicked it on and as it hummed he passed it in front of the locked door to the caboose of the cart, and a clicking sound was heard. The guard swung the door open after fishing out a slightly larger stick and began barking orders at the people.

“...He says that if you move, he’s going to shock you.” Cymia said. “That thing in his hand conducts the electricity in your nervous system, and the more you move the larger the shock is.”

As the guard angrily stomped his way towards the empty seat, Cymia’s eyes wandered to the others. Daniel put his hands up sarcastically as he scooted backwards, as Lockheed rolled his eyes, only moving his shoulder slightly. “Yea yea, I know the drill.” Lockheed said, as if this wasn’t his first time being locked up. The guard eyed the seat a bit before yelling loud enough for his comrades outside to hear. The guard turned towards Alice slowly, she being the one seated directly in front of the missing lizard.

The guard yelled something at her, his back facing the empty chain. Cymia paused before translating. “What did you see?” her voice sounded inquisitive, as if it were the guard himself asking. Alice looked around. “I… I didn’t see Jack shit, and even if I did, why would I tell you?” Her anger seemed pent up slightly, but being captive against your will in a war you’re not a part of will do that to a person. Cymia paused again, before translating Alice’s message a bit slow, unsure of how the guard would react. The guard growled at her before smacking the stick in his hand, it sputtered to life as a soft pinkish glow began to emit from it.

“Guess they don’t like sass.” Alice said to herself, trying to stay still so as to not get a giant shock. As the guard lifted the stick up in the air Daniel smiled to himself before glancing over to the empty space, looking as though he were expecting something to happen. Lockheed continued to stare towards the ground as Cymia looked away, everyone braced for what was about to go down.

With a violent surge, the chain that had laid so still suddenly jolted from its position as if it were shot from a cannon. As the chain seemed to levitate it stopped about three inches from the guard’s moving arm, the guard reacting as if something had grabbed his arm and stopped him from swinging. While the end of the chain quickly threw his arm away the middle of it now began to move as if being picked up. The guard hissed as he threw a punch in the direction of the chain, which was now wrapping itself around the guard’s neck.

Everyone in the cart stood up, eyes wide open and in awe. Alice moved to her left a few paces, as she would be right in the middle of the struggle otherwise.

The guard began struggling as his shocker weapon hit the ground with a thud. The club-like object then began to levitate along with the chain. The Bogan finally unwrapped itself, although when it turned around his actions were met with a whack to his face. Pinkish electric bolts shot out of the stick into the guard's face as his body thrashed around sporadically. The guard was knocked backwards by the blow, and landed perfectly where the ‘empty’ seat had been, slumped against the wall.

A familiar voice cackled as the stick dropped. A flickering of colors appeared, the colors of a Scalsan. Knox slowly fades into position, his hand still inside the chain. “Never gets old…” He said to himself, sounding slightly out of breath as he walked towards the guard and picked up both the electric club and the second stick the guards used to open the door.

Cymia was beyond confused. “Wha… what?” she was angered that she couldn’t logically explain how Knox had proved her wrong. Daniel took a step forward, staring at the fallen guard. “I remember hearing that Scalsans could turn invisible… evolutionary traits or something, but that they could only do it for, like, a second, and I might not have a stopwatch on me, but that was a lot longer than a second.”

Knox examined the key stick as he smiled to himself. “Yea, most of us can only do it for a second, but one of the great things about certain sects of the Scalsan military is that they make sure to utilize every advantage a Scalsan soldier has over others. It takes a lot, but with enough training you can do it for a bit. Sure takes a heck of a lot out of ya, though.” He explained as he held the stick up to his chain. “Now, please tell me they’re that stupid.” Knox said to himself as he waved it in front of his chain.

The chain made a snapping sound as it popped open, falling to the floor with a clunking sound. Knox slowly extended his now freed hand as he turned to the group. “Guess that answers that.” he said, his head turned to Cymia. Her slight growl in response was rewarded with him tossing the stick to her. “Come on, I promised you all an escape, didn’t I?”

As the group freed themselves from the shackles one by one, a loud sound was heard that caught their attention. Knox’s head perked up as Lockheed felt his freed arm and stretched it. “Gunshots, looks like your friends got their weapons back.” Daniel said as he turned towards the front of the cart.

“Say, how are we getting our stuff out without the guards seeing us and attacking?” He asked as Alice was handed the stick. As she was the last one freeing herself, Knox eyed the floor beneath them. “Simple. While a soul shard doesn’t work if the user is far enough away from them, no barrier or wall can interfere with the connection. Basically, distance stops magic, but a hick ass wood floor won’t.” Knox mocked a schoolteacher’s tone as he pointed upwards. “Now then, these Bogans have really pissed me off, so I suppose it's time I return their kindness.”

“The inhibitors are gone.” Alice understood what could be done now. It was time for the main event. Knox took a couple of steps forward before the air within the cart began to feel… hotter. Knox tossed the electric club towards Alice, and as she caught it he chuckled. “You’ll need the zappy stick for what’s about to go down, princess.”

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“It’s a Sadmeasa stick.” Cymia said, annoyed yet again. “And frankly, I kind of wish you got hit with it.”

The air got even hotter as Knox shook his head. “The only thing I’m getting hit with is a… burning desire! Firebrand!” ” He shouted the last bit as his right arm ignited into a bright glove of flames, causing Cymia to jolt backwards. Knox quickly leaned downwards and thrusted his burning fist into the floorboards, ripping up three as he pulled it back out. He repeated this procedure four times in lightning fast succession, bringing up about a third of the floor as the cart’s occupants continued to back up, going so far as to jump onto the seats to avoid the burning debris. Knox cackled like a maniac as his fire extinguished, moving his arms as if he were presenting something. “Voila!” His sarcasm echoed through the silent cart. “Come on now, you’re gonna need this crap if you wanna fight the bastards that just heard that!”

His observations were correct, as most of the guards stood farther ahead of the cart, a few split from the pack in order to investigate the noises. As the bog wolf that had pulled their cart was continuously howling and growling as if it were under attack, two guards that had remained with the solitary confinement cart behind theirs were both shouting in their language.

“The soul shard users are free…” Cymia translated the guard’s speak silently as Lockheed dropped the foot and a half into the hollowed out bottom of the cart. He began chucking sacks of gear out from under, each belonging to one of the occupants and all in identical transport bags.

It didn’t take long for everyone to gear up, given the life or death emergency at their hands. Lockheed was the last to grab his stuff, but was the first ready as he hastily dashed out of the hollow compartment. It seemed the only thing the Bogans had confiscated from him was his weapon, a four chambered shooting revolver, its holster and his soul shard. A bright purple glow emitted as he whipped it out of the sack. It was attached to the buckle of a leather belt which he now tied to his waist. An ammo belt also came with it, a slight jingle as it moved.

Knox was singing a song in the Scalsan language as he rummaged through his sack. He pulled out a necklace with a dragon head on it, the Scalsan’s patron God, along with his soul shard. “Oh, how I missed you!” Knox put it against his chest and hugged it as if it were his child. He quickly stuck it into a hollowed out space in his bronze colored chestplate, it seemed like a perfect fit. The largest object to come out of his bag was a large two handed mace seemingly carved out of a fairly durable wood.Odowood, native to the Scalsan isle chain. The engravings were intricate, depicting a dragon along with numerous tallies and notches on it.

Daniel grabbed his soul shard and stuffed it into his pocket, then stood around. “Where’s your weapon?” Cymia asked, pulling out a pair of curved daggers from her sack. Both her sack and Daniel’s were smaller than the others. Daniel retorted, “Where’s your soul shard?”

“You gotta be kidding.” Knox glared at both of them. “I’m a pacifist. I’ll cheer you on.” Daniel said, shrugging. Cymia was angrier in her response. “I don’t need magic to kill.”

“Ah, both of ya, just shut it and get ready!” Knox said, patting the mace with one of his hands. He turned towards another commotion as the Bogan guards ahead of them realized what had happened. More shouting followed, along with a loud growl. Cymia froze for a second at whatever the Bogans had said. “What is it?” Daniel asked, pressed against the bars to try and see ahead of them.

“They let the wolves loose.” she said, her voice shaking slightly. Daniel groaned as Lockheed quickly flicked open his revolver’s chamber, checking to see the bullets inside. He swings it closed as he glances outward to the bars. “Time to go.” he mumbled as he cocked the hammer on his gun back.

Knox glanced towards Alice as she slowly shuffled through her sack. “Princess, I know this war wasn’t supposed to involve you…” for once, his voice felt genuine, though louder than before, as to speak over the commotion outside. “But at the moment I’d say you don't have much of a choice. Maybe you going back to Merla would help sway your relatives' mind.”

Cymia’s eyes shot daggers at the lizard. Daniel rubbed the back of his neck, recognizing the severity of the situation. “He’s right. Like it or not, this is an act of war, holding a neutral party like this.” he turned to where the howling began growling louder. “Whatever the case, we aren’t getting out of this without a scuffle.”

Alice remained silent as she slowly pulled the gear out of her bag. Daniel took this as a sign that she was frightened. “It doesn’t matter if you’re the queen’s sister or a cousin ten times removed. My loyalty as a member of the RDA is to Anweon and its royal family, no matter how distant. I promise that I would lay down my life to get you home.” Alice’s fear wasn’t what stalled her. She was afraid, yes, but anyone would be in a situation like this. Her sluggishness was due to the broken glass that came out of her bag along with her bits of gear.

A silver mirror had been busted, likely from being handled violently. The mirror was from her father, who had inherited it from her grandmother. Some say that it was from the time of Anweon’s founding. She had never met her father, but the mirror served as what was left of him to her. It was his most prized possession, for whatever reason, and he had given it to her before she was even born. His love for her existed before she was even named, and it was shattered. It was here the voices around her had faded, and all that she focused on was the reflection staring back at her from the broken shards of her father’s love.

Alice’s crimson hair was cut short so it barely touched the bottom of her neck, and was naturally as straight as an arrow. Her complexion was fairly bright compared to the paleness that most Spensersons inherited, partly because of her love of the outdoors, unlike her relatives. She always preferred chainmail over a dress, although the one she wore now was still adorned with pearl accents, as it was the color everyone associated with Merla and the Spencerson nowadays. What used to be a short, olive green noblewoman’s dress lay underneath her dark gray brigandine armor, the dress now tattered. Her hands and face were dirty, mostly from her situation, but dirt never bothered her. Her bright blue eyes were like the glass she stared at.

“I think you’re mistaken.” Alice said, slowly rising while tucking the now glassless mirror frame into the sack and throwing it on her back. Her weapon of choice was easy to grab, as most of it was never taken from her to begin with. The gauntlets on her hands, with three-inch long, saber-like spikes jutting from the knuckles of them fit like a mold as she pounded her right fist into her left palm. Daniel’s expression changed to a slight shock as Cymia seemed a bit surprised. Lockheed seemed unphased, but a barely noticeable nod showed his approval. Knox could only laugh yet again. “Well, that’s not very princess-like!” He yelled in enthusiasm.

Alice’s bravado for which she was known among her colleagues finally appeared, it seemed her purpose for her life was reignited at the sight of why she was alive. She existed because of her father, and she’d be damned if she was letting someone get away with destroying what little bond she had with him.

“Mistaken?” Daniel asked, slightly confused, but slightly intrigued by her sudden reversal. Alice smirked, tying a strip of cloth around her wrist as an easy-access tourniquet if one was necessary. “Yea, you’re mistaken.”

Daniel looked outside as the Bogan guards finally came into view, all clutching a variety of melee weapons. A pair of bog wolves stormed behind them, dripping saliva like a faucet as their handler stood beside them with the chain leashes.

“It should be your job to keep them safe from me.”

Soul Spell: Firebrand

Spell Type: Aura

Spellcaster: Knoxin Dragonfire

Shard Color: Red

Shard Stats:

    -Offense [7/10]

    -Defense [3/10]

    -Range [3/10]

    -Spread [6/10]

    -Utility [5/10]