as written by Nevan and Sentry
The outer ring of Aramathia City was full of life and laughter. The commotion, the crowds, the business deals and bartering done by market stalls with merchants trying to shout their greatest deal over the sound of the criers and news sellers.
Vale was among them, a stranger not only in title but description. He was certainly 'stranger' than most of those around him, with his scruffy hair and a cloak that hid his shoulders and arms as much as his back. Occasionally, people would step out of their path to avoid him and normally laughing children would quieten as though they were afraid he would eat them.
He snapped his jaw at one group, then laughed to himself as they yelled and ran down one alley to never be seen by him again.
"Stop being so childish, Sir. You're scaring children and upsetting the common folk," spoke an obviously noble lady, in her clean, noble gown designed to show enough of her breasts to attract a husband.
"You have a spider in your hair, you know," Vale told her, raising a slight brow, reaching a hand out to her in a gesture to brush it away.
The lady stepped back, pushing the open palm away. "How dare you try to touch me! How dare you make such frivolous and ridiculous claims!"
Vale closed his palm into a light fist and nodded in complete understand. "You are right, my nobly lady. I lied. There is indeed no spider in your hair," replied he as he opened his hand again and tossed a small, black creature at her nose with a flick of the wrist. "It's on your face."
The hilarity of the vicious, terrified screams and the dancing of the insane lady caught the attention of others in the street, who laughed and pointed as her pride was ruined and her face became purple and disgustingly fat due to the arachnid's venom. The lady soon fainted, caught only by her bewildered attendee who stumbled due to her unexpected weight.
As the children gathered round and giggled, the flesh of the woman's sides, stomach, thighs and breasts began to expand. Her dress tore, revealing embarrassing undergarments and a corset that nearly popped open. Perhaps it did, but some kind soul quickly covered her in a blanket and called for the guards before anything was seen. A few seconds later, Vale retreated straight back into a squad of guards and before he could do a thing he felt irons being clapped around his wrists.
"She's fat, not dead," he protested to his sudden arrest.
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"Don't you types have anything better to do than terrorize and clown the good local people?" sighed a young elven man skirting around the guards. He was dressed all in snug leathers and a cowl that rested around his neck. A bow hung over his shoulder. He was very plain an elf compared to many of his kind, all brown-haired and not particularly as gorgeous. He did seem young, though it was hard to tell if that was accurate.
"What else do you want the well-to-do guards of Amarathia to do?" He smirked. "You're not gonna get out of this too easy."
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"It's a perfectly harmless prank," replied Vale to the Elf, before one of the guards gave him a whack on the arm with a wooden baton.
"Quiet. I have no idea what you did, but I'm quite sure it's illegal!" The sergeant butt in, keeping Vale held by the irons and locking them to his belt via a long chain so the man couldn't escape. "Public endangerment and bodily harm should land you some time in jail, good man."
"I'm sure we can settle this," Vale replied, keeping himself still. "She'll return to normal after a few days."
"I see. Suddenly regretting committing a crime, are you? A wild man not used to authority or law?"
"We'll pay you, won't we friend? Think of it as a fine?" Vale asked, nodding over towards the Elf. "I'm sure he'll pay."
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The elf pointed to himself. "Me? Oh, don't count on it. I'm as law-abiding as my friends here in the guard. I'm merely watching the show. If the woman truly is okay in a few days, you'll get out with a slap on the wrist, I'm sure. Until then..." He splayed his arms out in a shrug. "You'll be locked up in the cellars. Unless you want to try and make a run for it. I'll give you three seconds before I run after you,
promise!"
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"I see," Vale replied, slightly disappointed. "Well, I guess there's nothing else for it. Off to the jails then guardsmen, I haven't got all century!"
Vale had a slight frown on his face, wondering if the act of pranking such a snobbish woman was worth either the effort or the punishment involved. He had spent time in an iron cell before this, but never for too long or for something so relatively harmless. It was his first taste as to the personality of the people of Amarathia City and he wasn't entirely happy about it. He was beginning to miss the outside world before he even got to the jail.
The guards pushed him along towards a small tower that sat in the outer ring. It was mostly for housing local guardsmen, but the effort put into the architecture was rather extraordinary. He was led inside, then down below the street where several dungeon cells containing petty criminals were separated from the water system via thick, dry walls. As Vale found himself pushed into one and locked in with nothing but a candlelight to let him see, he soon realized the walls weren't enough to hide the sound of running water. He knew it would quickly get on his nerved, so he sat down on the provided sleeping slab and moaned.
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"You are surprising," came that similar voice, the elf who had been chiding the man before. "You look so nefarious that I thought you were going to curse everyone in that spot and make a getaway, but I was wrong. Did you get a case of the nerves? Found yourself unable to cast a spell?" he asked, leaning up against the cell bars. "What is your deal?"
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"Even if I could make a daring escape, what would be the point? It would most certainly get me into more trouble than I am now and there's really no point in doing that, is there? My business in Amarathia is no more than fleeting curiosity. Nothing to become wanted for an actual crime over," Vale explained as he looked at the Elf. He couldn't see him as clearly as he would have liked due to the dimming of the candlelight, but he recognized the voice and basic outline.
"I would return that question to you. What are you doing here? Do you have a habit of being in dungeons?"
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"You could say I was a little curious. Perhaps I just like torturing the guilty with my gabber, too. I doubt you're a truly nefarious person. Either that, or you're so dastardly intelligent that you're fooling us all with simple trickery." His shoulders raised up in a shrug.
He moved over what seemed to be a tiny stool and landed himself on it.
"What's your name? Where do you travel from?"
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"Vale of Ayabal," spoke he, speaking the truth as plainly as a man could. There was little point to hiding his identity, or the location of his origins. Either Ayabal was known to the man, or it wasn't; with a similar outcome on the subject of his name. Neither result was likely to change his current predicament.
"I suppose you're not here to help me out, then? To spring the lock and set me free?"
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The elf's eyes flew open at the mention of the name. He leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees. "The Vale of Ayabal! What a brave and corrupted soul you are, to have been able to come back from such a dark place. I will not let you out, no. But if that woman really is alright, you
must tell me the story of how you escaped, and I will help you stay out of trouble afterwards. Deal?"
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"No escape, no tale," Vale declared rather stubbornly, before turning back to where the rather uncomfortable bed had been set in the dungeon cell and sitting down. "Staying out of trouble is boring anyway, don't you think? Boring still to be stuck in here though, and since I can't actually get in trouble in this cell, seeing as you're not going to let me out and all, there's really no point in me speaking is there?"
He smiled, then pushed his legs up on the bed and lay down in the dark. "Besides, the stories people tell of Ayabal are interesting. I don't want to ruin them with truth."
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"Some servant of the Queen I'd be if I let out a prisoner for a few stories," the elf laughed. He held up a hand in defeat, then shook his head. "Very well. Perhaps in a few days you'd be more willing to give me these stories. If the woman does not have any true ailment, I feel you will get off lightly. Though, there will be some kind of repercussion, I expect. You'll have eyes on you." He stood up from the stool, opening the door. "I'll drop by for a visit in a few days."