Tayro quickly moved aside, letting the man pass and go near Blank.
Seeing him getting free, Tayro turned his back on them, for any of the two to help him.
Seeing no reaction from either, and Blank even starting a conversation, the boy, annoyed, made a fake cough, and proceeded to ask softly:
"Aren't you two forgetting anything right now?" - the boy whispered, to not get any attention from the Hakiem guards.
"Can you please remove these ropes already?"
Caling himself a bit, he manages to say:
"Sorry about that. I'm a bit annoyed right now. Being inside a cell tied up can drive one mad."

OOC: Whoops, sorry Darilan. Forgot to tell you your roommates. You are with Blank, Tayro, Cloud, Kasei, and Alex. My bad there.

IC:
Shada nods at Azador's question. "I can use Elemental Explosion, and pick the element to boot! ...but that presents the same problem as before. Too loud. We need some way to take out just one guard, without letting anyone else find out we're free..."


Grenada, having a sudden though, scurries over to the doorway, and slowly peaks through the window. Outside is a single room with minimal lighting. He can't see too far, but he can make out the fact that there is only one guard: the initiate that had entered their room earlier. His thoughts parallel Shada's. 'Need to take out him without letting anyone nearby figure it out...'


Blank answers Darilan's question with a simple two words. The obvious answer, they sum up everything quite well: "No idea." He then moves to help Darilan by untying Alex's ropes.

"One guard? Would it be wise to attack all at once, all six of us? We could use the rope to strangle the life out of him."

OOC: Now Tayro wants me to control his character! AH!

IC:
Blank shrugs. "Well, sure. Of course, first we have to get to him..." he motions to the door.

Tayro nods while he swings around his now freed arms. Everyone in Blank's room gathers together, all agreeing that they could take the guard...if they could get him into the room.

Darilin stops to think. Blank just made an excellent point. They have to get the guard into the room before they can kill him. His first thought is a simple act. What could they do? If one of them were to fake dying or anything along those lines, the heartless guard may even ignore it. But then, at the spur of the moment, something came to him. If the guard knew that they were untying the ropes, he would have rushed in. He raised his voice, not to a yell but louder than anyone had yet spoken and said, "Reach that knot over there for me. I can't get that one." He rushes over to the side of the door and motions for his roomates to do likewise.

Rose hears a man speak. He is telling someone to untie him. Fool, she thinks. But then she realizes that no one in the group would've said that out loud. Goddesses, let his plan work, she prays.

OOC: Back! ^_^

IC: As the ropes went loose, Tayro sighed of relief.
"Ah... thanks."- he told Darilan, as he waved his arms now freely, and was quite glad at the fact.
Approaching Blank, he started to focus, and ask for the merciful godesses to aid him. (Favor of the Godesses)
"This'll make you feel better."-he told him.

Hearing Darilan's loud comment, Tayro was petrified.
"What do you think you're doing?! Do you want them to... Oh! I get it!"
Seeing his motion, Tayro also ran to the side of the door, getting his fists ready to whack the consciousness out of that guard.

Grenada perks up as he hears Darilan's voice ringing through the walls. His first thought is, 'When did Darilan get here?', but that is quickly replaced by bewilderment at the subject of Darilan's words. Darilan isn't stupid enough to announce to everyone that he is managing to escape, so...

Grenada grins, realizing his ally's trick quickly. 'Gotta be some way I can help...' An idea suddenly hits him, and he looks at the window in the door. A grin covers the Deku's face. 'Just big enough!'


Blank and the rest of the group are instantly by Tayro and Darilan's side at the door, arriving mere moments before the guard pushes it open. Everyone immediately leaps at the Sheikah, but this is a Hakiem they're dealing with. He quickly leaps away from the open doorway before anyone can reach him. He begins to turn away from the door to go get help, only to spot something sticking out of the middle doorway...

A Deku's mouth. He doesn't have time to prepare himself for it as Grenada launches a high-speed Deku Nut out of his mouth with perfect accuracy, exploding right in the Hakiem's face. The Sheikah falls to his knees, clutching at his blinded eyes, not even remembering that he left the door to Darilan's cell wide open.

Thank you Grenada! Darilan runs the the Hakiem, black robes flying behind him. He attempts to plant a swift kick to the downed Sheikah's nose and send fragments of bone into his brain. He knows they must kill him before he has the chance to recover.

Rose watches the scene with amusement. "Excellent thinking, Grenada," she says to the Deku. "Let's hope the others can get us out of here."

Tayro sneered.
Payback time!-he thought, delivering a powerful blow on the guard's neck.
Hope that'll render him unconscious for the time being...
"We should tie this guard up..."
As he said this, he quickly ran to his cell room, grabbing a bit of rope lying on the bricked floor, and tied up the poor guard.
"Now... I wonder if he has the keys?"
Tayro quickly glanced around the immobilized body in search of anything of use.

OOC: Ugh, I've been busy, so I've only been able to keep up with the topic.

IC: As soon as his hands were untied, Victor mouthed his thanks to Grenada and then began searching yet again for his harp, only to realize that it truly was gone. Depressed by this fact, the Bard noticably sagged; that is, until he heard Darilan's voice. His countenance turned to one of confusion as he raised an eyebrow and turned to the others, only to find Grenada in the door's window. Thoroughly bewildered, he questioned just how long he had been oblivious to his group's actions. Rose's comment made him realize what was going on, though, and so Victor smiled and waited eagerly to be released from his stone prison...

Darilan's kick is perfectly placed - though with the Hakiem not moving an inch, that's to be expected. He flies back to the ground, allowing Blank and the others of the third cell to move out into the open room and pounce on the lone guard.

Looking around the room, you can see that it is in a rough triangle shape. The three doors leading to the cells are on the longest side of the triangle. On the wall to the right of the cells is the only exit the room has. The walls and floor are made of dirt and rocks, with very little furniture to be seen. But there two pieces of furniture that immediately grab your interest. A table and a partly opened set of drawers sit off along the wall to the left. A candle sits there, illuminating the group's weapons and items (including Victor's harp), and in the drawers are all the pieces of armor. On a lone seat, probably where the guard had been sitting, are the keys Tayro seeks.

Right now, one of the daggers sitting in the pile looks especially useful.

"Oh, there they are!"-the boy exlaimed, his eyes locating the whereabouts of his desired item.
Silently, he proceeded in moving to the chair, snatching the keys in the process. As quick and stealthily as before, the boy returned to the cell doors.
As quick as the boy could, he unlocked the solid doors that trapped everyone inside.
"One challenge overcomed!"-he gladly said.-"Now, to find Alpha and then get out of here!"

The mage apprentice ran to the shelves ansd picked up his own items.
Signaling the location of their posessions, Tayro told everyone:
"Here are your items!"
As soon as he said so, he found a dagger lying in the pile. Grabbing it, he wondered how it got there.
Maybe this was the guard's?

Blank isn't willing to let the man just sleep. Remembering Shada's earlier words - about how they had to kill them all - he walks over, grabs his own dagger, and then slids it through the Hakiem's throat.

He looks up as the others emerge from their confinement to see Shada nodding in his direction. He has done what needed to be done.

A thought suddenly strikes Blank. Looking around, he asks, "Where's Alpha?"

The room grows quiet.

* * *

INTERLUDE 1
A groan escaped his mouth as Alpha slowly opened his eyelids. “About time you woke up.”

The voice rang through his ears, shattering the haze that surrounded his thoughts. “Zaboorak,” he muttered as he raised his gaze up to meet the Zora’s. “What do you want, you beast!”

Zaboorak’s hissing laugh filled the room, and it was at this point that Alpha finally took a good look around his cell. A lone candle burned in a high corner, weakly giving off the only light the room had. It was enough to see by, but not much else. The room itself was small and square shaped, its walls made merely of dirt and stone, though the floor was of a stone that had been smoothed down somewhat. A solid wooden doorway stood on the opposite wall from the one he sat against, though at second glance it the wood seemed ancient - probably harder than the rest of the stone found throughout the room. As the Sheikah lifted a hand to his forehead, he also realized that he had been chained by his wrists and ankles. The chains were lose and long enough that he could move around in about a yard’s worth of space, but the metal was still constricting, and seemed strong enough that it would take a lot to break them apart.

His eyes returned to his captor as the laughter died. “Wraith, Wraith, Wraith…you mussst be losssing your touch - allowing yourssself to be captured by Karunik. Much lesss allowing them to sssneak up on you…the Core mussst work even better than I expected.”

Alpha blinked. “The Core?”

“Thisss right here,” Zaboorak replied, pulling a glowing blue orb from behind his back. “It took ssseveral monthsss of intensssive ssspellcasssting to create it, but it isss the main thing holding you here.” His hand abruptly shot outward, palm facing the Sheikah. “Thunder!”

Without his staff, Alpha couldn’t absorb the electricity. But he didn’t flinch away…even before the sparks slowly died away. Zaboorak laughed again at his prisoner’s surprised look. “The Core cancelsss out all magic, which isss why Karunik carried it with him to capture you. It hasss worked wondersss - it even ssseemsss to weaken the propertiesss of your cursssed ssscar.” Alpha suddenly realized that his scar was indeed glowing, but he hadn’t felt any pain. He quickly tried a little test, only to find that that part of his scar’s abilities had also been drained - the portal to the Void refused to open.

“So what do you want with me?”

“Not merely you, Wraith. The ressst of your friendsss are alssso here…elsssewhere. I trussst your massster informed you of my mossst recent battle?”

Alpha nodded. “You killed the Golden Rito, Horohn.” The corners of his mouth lifted upward into a smirk. “And you let the Rito Goldforce get away.” Zaboorak’s angered look gave him all the satisfaction he required.

“Yes, well -” He closed his eyes, regaining his composure. “Yesss, well I ssstill managed to dessstroy him. In time, the Rito Goldforce ssshall choossse a new bearer, one unssskilled in wielding sssuch magnificent power, and then it ssshall be mine.” He turned away from the Sheikah, placing his hands together at the small of his back. “I brought Horohn’sss daughter here to ssserve asss incentive for him to reveal himssself. It worked wondersss, ssso we have implemented the sssame plan to bring that fool Zarisss out into the open. Once he learnsss of your capture, he will have no choice but to give himssself up.”

“If he gives himself up to the Hakiems, they’ll still kill everyone you’ve captured,” Alpha said defiantly. “Your plan is idiotic. To think that I once respected you for your ingenuity.”

Another laugh. “Ah, Wraith. You manage to notice the one flaw in my plan. However, I have that contingency covered asss well.” The Zora turned back to face him. “Zarisss isss the mossst hated enemy of the Hakiemsss Tribe. He alone isss resssponsssible for more than one hundred thousssand deaths in thisss organization. It took sssome convincing, but Karunik hasss agreed that ssshould Zarisss give up -” His eyes met Alpha’s, “- then the Hakiemsss will pardon you and your friendsss.”

Alpha’s mouth fell wide open. “We’d be free?”

Zaboorak nodded. “The Hakiemsss Tribe would never trouble you again. They would only ressscind thisss pardon if you ever killed another of their number. Zarisss’ sssingle life for all of yoursss.”

It was like a dream come true. Alpha had spent his entire life running away…running from the Hakiems…running from His forces…and then from the Hakiems yet again. To stop being pursued would have been Alpha’s greatest wish. Okay, second to getting his scar removed, but still! And yet, as Alpha sat there, pondering this, he knew the truth. “Our lives for his…and the Sheikah Goldforce. Master Zaris knows that that cost is far too great. There’s no chance he’ll come.”

Zaboorak merely dismissed the argument with a wave of his hand. “That fact hasss alssso been brought to my attention. And it isss indeed a posssibility. If Zarisss actually doesss decide to…abandon you,” he said, choosing his words carefully so as to aim assault after assault at Alpha’s spirit and trust, “then you and your friendsss will all jussst have to live out the ressst of your livesss trapped here in our prisssonsss.

“However…there isss one more option that I think you ssshould consssider.” His dark eyes bored into Alpha’s. “Asss Wraith, you performed incredibly. I can vouch for that myssself. You have an innate talent asss an asssasssin, and your life hasss been so full of death that it failsss to bother you like it would so many othersss. I have ssspoken a great deal with Karunik, and he hasss decided that, ssshould you accept thisss gift, we would allow you to join the Hakiemsss Tribe.”

Alpha stared back defiantly. He’d have spit in the Zora’s face if he wasn’t already on the other side of the room. But his look spoke volumes, and Zaboorak merely shrugged. “In time, after the firssst few yearsss of your captivity are done, you may decide to change you mind.” He lightly tapped on the door, and a guard on the outside opened it up for him. “I’ll be leaving thisss right outssside the doorway, jussst to be on the sssafe ssside,” he added, indicating the Core that resided in his hand still. “We’ll keep in touch, Wraith.”

“My name is Alpha. I have no attachment to the name of ‘Wraith’.”

Zaboorak looked at him out of the corner of his eye. “Very well…Alpha.” Then the Zora was gone, and the door was closed, leaving Alpha to what he doubted would be a short stay.


Outside the cell, Karunik followed in Zaboorak’s wake as the two left the . “I was right, wasn’t I,” Karunik said calmly.

The Zora nodded in confirmation. “Yesss, yesss, you were correct in your asssumption. He refusssed to join usss.”

“You realize that the only reason I agreed to this was because I knew he’d refuse.”

Again the Zora nodded, this time choosing to remain silent about that particular comment. Instead, he focused on a more important matter. “Hasss Karsssisss ssstarted on thossse rumorsss of hisss?” A nod from the Hakiems’ leader. “Good. The sssooner Zarisss hearsss about their capture, the sssooner the chance that he will, in fact, give himssself up.”

* * *

Shada gulps as she grabs her twin daggers, slipping them into their normal position at her belt. "Alright, everyone," she calls out, getting their attention. "Get your stuff, and let's get ready to move. Keyru's bound to be here somewhere; we have to find him."


OOC: For now, I will be effectively taking control of Shada to use as my main character. Expect for various interludes involving Alpha, until he gets free from his captivity (by either you guys’ efforts or by his own, I won’t say which ), he won’t be heard from at all.

Shada's profile:
Sheikah, Order, Vagabond//Ranger
Stats: STR-2; DEF-13; AGI-7; INT-3; SPI-1; SPL-19; HP-40
Items: Deku Daggers x2, Bombs, Deku Boomerang, L1 Jerkin, Gerudo Training Gloves
Abilities: Shadowmeld, Elemental Burst L2, Deku Agility L3, Dual Wield L1, Track L2, Exceptional Health L1, Shield L2, Train: Boomerang

Also, you may now check out the Hakiems' section of the Traveler's Hostel to see their abilities and stats.

And now, I must leave you so that I can go home. I'll hopefully see you all in roughly 30-45 minutes.