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When was the last time daylight was seen? Venetia shifted where she sat on her knees, holding the green wind crystal in her hand. It hasn't spoken to her in such a long time and she hadn't the slightest clue on where she was. The sage held the crystal up to her ear again, hoping to get at least a howl.

...Nothing. She lowered her arm again and let out a heavy sigh. Surrounded by a bunch of people she didn't know either. The environment wasn't exactly making things anymore comfortable for her anyhow. Last thing Venetia remembered was a cold silent world of Tellius. Not a single soul was alive and it creeped her out in so many ways. People turned to stone, animals weren't around. No wind, No sound, no nothing, it was as if the world had died because the war had angered the goddess Ashera. The wind didn't tell her anything because there wasn't any at the time. If she was properly trained in wind whispering like her mother, then it wouldn't be a problem communicating with her. However, that was not the case. Venetia was still in training and could understand bits and pieces. Crimea's library..that was where she last was before she stepped onto this unknown land.

She sighed once more then suddenly sat up straight when the cell door opened and a new face was shoved in. How peculiar this person was. Dressed in a high fashion. Bandanna, long hair, light armors..a knight? Paladin? Venetia observed him from head to toe, watching him sit just where he stood. He didn't say a word..it didn't look like he wanted to say a word. The sage blinked, inching a bit closer then jumped when someone else entered..only to speak to the person who was just imprisoned. She observed silently what was going on, not quite understanding what the situation was. Out of habit, Venetia held the crystal up to her ear again. A slight howl came through but she couldn't make out the messages.

Finally, the man finished his business here and left. She watched him walk off then jumped once more when the man in front of her suddenly punched the ground in frusteration. "Hey!!" she shouted, not really knowing what to say next....actually she didn't know why she suddenly yelled that. The sage stared at him for a bit, not getting a reaction or response from him at all. She sighed once more, then inched back to the wall she cornered herself in.

"...And to guide us, the wandering lambs, in our tribulations with your all knowing wisdom. Goddess be with us....Goddess be with us."

Whispers, desperate mumblings of a single prisoner to keep from whimpering, could be heard after one strained to listen. Not one found it worthy of the effort, leaving him to her own mutters. How funny. When their capture was still fresh on there minds, the frigid stone surface of their cage new, some had flocked to her. Some wish to make amends while they could, asking for forgiveness, some just there to pray. But everyone...Everyone had asked to be delivered to salvation. But here they were, still trapped.

"Where is she now? Why has she forsaken us? Her good people? Tell us! TELL US!"

Rin cupped her ears, her mantra still muttered underneath her breath. But it was to no avail. No one was confronting her, as it had been for some time now. But he could still hear them, feel the rage that some had felt. The sorrow and outraged of being 'abandoned'. But she...Rin didn't-couldn't feel the same. She had not abandoned her faithful, only tested them. As long as Rin held onto her devotion, she would fear nothing...

Or try not to...

But why was it that he was here? It helped to keep her sane, recollecting her time on her pilgrimage. It had just been a simple stop along the road, a quick offering at the local temple and a visit amongst the people. But then the soldiers came...And the rest were rounded up, taken in the night. And now there was another taken as well. He seemed to combat ready, sans his weapon. This seemed...strange. Rin, not knowing much of the current conflicts, could barely keep up with the words of their captors. Though...This man seemed to be important, responsible for something. Then...Rage overtook him. There seemed to be no sense in the way that he struck out against the floor, leaving himself bruised and bleeding further. The young cleric flinched with every impact, the will to keep silently fading with each. "P-Please...Sir. You shouldn't do that. You must keep your strength up..." Rin removed her wimple, starting to dress the bloodied hand the best she could, if he had no objections.

"Infection is the worst enemy here...Have to stay clean, the guards aren't the most attentive in the world. They'll occasionally bring us food and drink...But you can see the conditions here."

With that, Rin brushed off her legs after struggling to get up once again. Now that she was close, she could have a better look at this man...Frustration was still obvious in the way that he held himself, though no one could blame him. But it was wasted energy, time spent on being noticed. And being noticed around here...Well, it just wasn't a good idea to catch the eye of the guards, in any circumstances.

"Please take care of yourself sir."

Hugh sat in his cell, a rat infested, mildew ridden hole of a cell. He sat in the very back where the shadows obscured him from the vision of the guards. This sometimes caused them to stir, thinking he had got out without them noticing. They would enter the cell to investigate, often jumping in surprise when they spot him in the shadows. Normally, an inmate would take the opportunity to snap the guards neck and escape. However, Hugh knew better than to stage an escape in this horrid place. He was being surveyed enough, having caused enough trouble in his cell to be monitored by the guards extensively. If he tried to escape, he would be very easily targeted. He needed to bide his time and wait for something to happen that would keep the guards off of him.

"Geez... Is this what the dungeons in Elibe are like...?" Hugh wondered, running a hand through his unkempt hair. He knew fully well that he was in a completely different country, maybe another world. He had the privilege of studying maps of this place called Leaneria before Arajudia fell. Thankfully the language gap wasn't too great and Hugh was able to learn quickly. He didn't get to practice it too much though since the Mordachean army invaded rather quickly

Some time later, Hugh's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of voices and that of fists connecting with stone. He looked upward and saw a man in the cell across smacking his now bloody fist into the ground as what looked to be the enemy commander walked away with an evil smile on his face. Hugh had to wonder just who this man, that was dressed in quality clothes, was doing here. His curiosity gave rise to questions that needed answering. He stood up and pushed through his cells mates towards the bars of the cell, looking at the happenings of the other cell curiously.

"I take it you're somebody of importance than, to warrant the attention of an enemy like that" He spoke, leaning casually against the bars and giving a light grin. The statement was obviously directed at the fist-pounding man. Hugh didn't really care what the mans answer was. He was just so bored that he would speak with anyone. He might as well engage the new guy in some minor conversation.

Ziaram

You may call me useless for the fact that I am learning swordsmanship with my left arm

So his squad was going to end up being Chince, Lena, Clara once they found her, and himself. They would be going in through disguise. Well with all the work he had done here he certainly felt like an important figure in this group. Hell his suggestions did save their butts a couple times. But now was not the time to let that go to his head.

"You guys be careful as well. You'll probably be in a heavily infested area, so once the enemies see you then you will have trouble till we come along, unless you got the prisoners equipped and ready to fight."

Heading back outside, he gathered up enough armor for the other two, though he wasn't sure how Lena would fair with the armor considering she was a bishop and not used to armor. Hell, he doubted that he was going to be used to the armor. After bringing it inside, he grabbed the armor he would be wearing and put it on. It was definitely not what he was used to, but it would work. There was even a spot for him to put his sword, so that was a bonus. Turning back to the other two, he nodded at them. "You two ready to go find Clara?"

I say that this is just another challenge for me to overcome while my arm is recovering

Verruckt sat huddled in the corner of his cell asleep. The time in the prison had not been kind to him. His light green hair hung loose and ruffled around his head and his robes were tattered and torn. He had stepped through a door in the monastery where he lived in Elibe and had somehow ended up in front of a group of decidedly unfriendly soldiers in the middle of an otherwise deserted street. The soldiers fell upon him immediately taking everything from him except his clothes and shackled his hands and feet together, taking him to the prison and the cell where he was now.

Startled, Verruckt woke up when he heard the slam of a fist against stone. Thinking he was under attack, he reached for his tome of light magic at his belt only to find it was not there. Panicking, he jumped up and threw himself at the nearest person, a man with purple hair who was at the bars of the cell talking to someone in another cell. Tired as Verruckt was, he ended up tripping and falling flat on his face where he remained for a few moments with the wind knocked out of him. "Oww... By St. Elmine that hurt." He got up slowly and started dusting off his robes before realizing the futility of the actions and just sighed. Then he saw the purple haired man talking to the man in the cell across from theirs in a language that he didn't understand at all. He walked up to the bars next to the purple haired man and leaned his head against the them. "If only I were back in the monastery. Not in this strange and unfriendly place."

Without knowing I'm alone underneath this moonlight
I've got a feeling that fragile things are being moved far off
By the power of always believing you'll be near me

I called out only your name

Inside this light...
On nights where it's like I can't catch hold of anything
There isn't a day I don't think about it

Curses...

Cyric rested his back against the rough stone wall of his cell, cradling his right hand in his lap now. The skin of three of his knuckles was split open from the force of the punch, trickling blood down between his fingers. He shifted his hand slightly to contain the bloodflow within his palm, gritting his teeth as he willed himself to stay silent. Unarmed and helpless, there was no telling what would happen to the others if they knew that he was trapped here. Horatio... please be safe.

"Hey!!"

Cyric opened his eyes slowly and looked over to the source of the mysterious cry. A young girl, huddled against the wall and holding a strange green stone protectively against her, stared oer at Cyric in... was that curiosity? Or concern? Was it both? Cyric offered a weary smile, straightening his spine. "I apologize, I... I did not mean to startle you."

"P-Please... Sir. You shouldn't do that. You must keep your strength up..."

He let out a strained breath and shifted up a little further, holding back the wince as his hand stung in pain. Another girl, this one younger, tended to his hand in practiced motions. He frowned slightly, regarding her silver hair, before meeting her gaze, letting her finish her explanation before addressing her. "You didn't need to..." He paused, smiled faintly, and held his hand carefully in his lap. If he was to keep up his strength, then he would need to heed her words. "In any case... thank you. The same can be said to you." He lowered his voice, so as to avoid allowing the guards to overhear. "You look... tired. I appreciate your help, but please do not overexert yourself for my sake."

He closed his eyes momentarily, after the girl had risen to her feet. The air was oppressive, filled with harsh scents and hushed frustration, like a foul pot threatening to bubble over. He could only hope that they would be able to escape somehow...

The direction of another prisoner's voice, this time a masculine voice, to him opened his eyes once more. Even without his retainers, he... stood out rather easily. Is it my armor? They do not seem to know my identity, per se...

The comment of the purple-haired young man's friend warranted a tired chuckle from Cyric. "I'm... just the same as you and your friend. My status or lack of it does not change that."

He contemplated their situation in silence, flexing his right fingers slowly underneath the stained wimple to ensure that he still had the full range of moment in his hand. His knuckles still stung - there was no water with which to clean his injury, and what precious little they would receive would never be wasted on cleaning when there were parched throats all around them - but his fingers moved without difficulty. Estarcians and Learanians, he could only presume, and then men and women of indeterminable origin, many of them, and nearly all of them weakened in some manner, whether it be from poor treatment or unchecked injury.

Things looked grim, indeed.

I've been searching for the future forever.
I've been searching for the future with you

You quietly gazed at me

Call out my name underneath this moonlight
I promise I'll go see you, no matter where
To your side

Several pieces of chicken plopped out into the cell of the hawk boy. Looking up, he would see the smiling face of old man Chama, who was kneeling down to the shapeshifter's own level. He waited until he was seen before speaking a word.

"Hmmm, hungry, yes? Don't try to hide it, now, You may be a prisoner, but all beings need more food than the guards have been giving you." He ran his fingers through his beard. "I hope you don't have a problem with eating something that used to have feathers itself at one point, though, uweheheh!"

Old man Chama watched the laguz, showing no disgust, or even any differentiation in how he would likely treat a beorc. He just smiled contently. After a while, he finally spoke again. "Hey..." he whispered. "...Are you going to finish that?"