Chapter 2

Nora Duncans Chapter

What...

"Nice going, Silas! You freakin' got us lost!" the mysterious, black winged boy snapped, eyes darting around the cell, strangely white hair illuminated by the lanterns hanging from the cell ceiling.

…In the name...

"Me?!" the first boy's brown haired companion snapped, crimson orbs full of irate fury. "I didn't do anything! Blame Lyra!"

Of Lilliancia...?

The first boy rolled his amber eyes in exasperation. "Where's Destiny and Etoile? And where are we?!" He shoved the boy he called Silas. "This is all your fault..."

How on earth did they appear in my cell?!

My fellow captives began pressing up against the barred doors of their cells, attempting to see into mine; fear, shock, and certain curiosity shining in their eyes.

I slid my claws out and my hackles raised, a snarl passing through my bared fangs. My protective instinct arose. The captives had become my second family. During the slave work Finnra forced us to do everyday, the fruits of our labor only benefiting the Shadow Realm, I helped them as much as I could, even taking on some of the elderly, young, sick and disabled's work loads. I might have been extremely sore at the end of the day, but it only made me stronger and I always felt a surge of happiness when those I had assisted thanked me. Whoever these two boys were, I was not going to allow them to hurt anyone, if that was their goal.

They didn't even seem to hear my territorial growl as they continued to bicker.

"We're in jail..." Silas breathed, looking around, eyes wide.

"See, you're the only one who could manage to get us in a freakin' jail cell! Wait... GET US OUT OF HERE!" The first boy yelled in a panic.

"Get over your freakin' fear of jail cells..." Silas muttered in annoyance then looked over to where I was. "Uhh..." he stared at me and I narrowed my eyes.

"One, calm down. You're giving me a headache..." I said and flicked my ears irritably; the fatigue and ache in my muscles from that day's work catching up with me a little. "Number two... Who areyou…?"

"U-um... I'm Silas and he's Ash," Silas explained, Ash following with a resounding: "Get me out of here right NOW!"

I took my human form, brushing my wavy hair from my eyes and tentatively held out a hand. "I'm Stryder... Stryder Elscar..."

Silas reluctantly shook my hand, looking at me confusedly as he replied, "Nice to, uh...meet you..."

Well, at least they're civil enough for a proper greeting...

"I'M GONNA BUST THIS FREAKIN' CELL DOOR OPEN!" Ash bellowed in a maniac craziness, wild tawny eyes nearly glowing gold with fear and fury.

Well... Silas is anyways...

I shook my head in exasperation. "Try it if you want, but it's no use. There are guards everywhere." I warned.

"Well I refuse to stay in... Uh...where are we?" Ash asked and I closed my eyes then opened them after a moment. I was clearly not amused with these two, especially the loudmouthed one.

"Finnra's dungeons. And before we get into where we are, I’d like to know where you're from," I asked evenly, eyeing Ash's white hair and Silas's red eyes suspiciously. Silas shoved his hands in his pockets, his trousers made of an unrecognizable, indigo material, his short-sleeved shirt red just like his eyes. I noticed Ash was in the same kind of pants fashioned out of the intriguing material, his V-necked, short sleeve shirt black, like my own hair. I felt as if his hair should be the same color. How could one be born with snow-white hair? Or did he acquire it somehow?

"A FREAKIN' DUNGEON?! Who the heck puts people in a dungeon anymore!?" Ash demanded and I tilted my head to the side with my brow furrowed, annoyed and confused.

"We're from the Underworld... And just ignore Ash..." Silas said.

"Ignore him? Gladly. And who doesn't put people in a dungeon when this is the- you know what? I'm not answering anymore of your stupid questions until you tell me how you got here and- Wait a second.... By The Underworld you mean...you mean Pentalon...? As in... Hell...?" I asked, eyes widening. Suddenly, Ash's white hair and Silas's ruby eyes took on a whole new meaning.

"My questions are not stupid!" Ash snapped. "They are logical!"

"Uh... Yeah…?" Silas answered hesitantly. "Though we don't call it Hell... And we got here by a stupid mishap with one of our friends."

"You...you're demons..." I breathed, green eyes going wide. I backed up a few steps and began searching for something to use as a weapon, though I knew it was in vain. The other prisoners saw my reaction and began to panic, so I urged myself to stay calm for their sakes.

"Ash glared at me. "I am not a demon, and if you say I am one more time I will hurt you."

Silas rolled his eyes and sat down on the cold floor. "You can freak out all you want... But if we were going to hurt you, don’t you think we would have done that by now?"

I sighed tiredly, relaxing slightly, but narrowed my eyes at the both of them. "Ash, sure. Silas, I'm watching the both of you..."

Ash narrowed his eyes as well, fixing me in a golden glare. "I'm a Fallen Angel. Not a demon..."

Silas just shrugged. "When do we get out of here?"

"Fallen Angel, huh?" I replied thoughtfully. "I have heard of your kind... And you'd best make yourself comfortable, because it won't be anytime soon, Silas. At least..." I sighed. "Maybe she'll come soon..."

"Good to know you're not stupid," Ash said bluntly.

"’She’?"Silas inquired.

"You, hush," I growled at Ash before turning my attention to Silas. "Princess Sitkania Atari Vendelsia... She's known all over the world... Surely you've heard of her in passing…?"

My love... My heart ached with the fond memories that flooded my mind. I could clearly remember her soft lavender scent, her melodious voice, her touch, her sword-calloused hands that were gentler and softer than one would expect. I could still feel her shy kisses, remembering the blush painted across her cheeks. She often let me take the lead when it came to acts of affection, her shyness making her quite charming and gave me all the more reason to protect her fierce, yet fragile, warrior's heart with everything I had. Being a nobleman, I bought her many gifts, though she always protested. She said that I needn’t money on her, shyly proclaiming that I was all she'd ever need. The music we made with the instruments she taught me to play and the instruments I taught her in turn, the songs we sang, the dancing lessons she took with me, the pictures we painted. They were all still so fresh in my mind and I still fell for her over and over again with every second we were apart.

"Uh nope..." Silas replied. "I've got no clue who she is...I only know one princess..."

Ash just glared at me. "I don't think I like you."

I growled at Ash. "The feeling is mutual at the moment." Then I turned to Silas. “Perhaps I should more properly introduce myself, since maybe it is because you are unfamiliar with me that you are denying your knowledge of her because you believe I am against her, which I am most certainly not. Stryder Elscar. Nobleman of Casonia, dancing and music instructor, warrior, and Princess Sitkania's lover. Now that we've gotten that clarified, I'd like to ask you... HOW ARE YOU UNFAMILIAR WITH SITKANIA?!" I cried out, completely appalled and letting my frustration at this situation show in my tone. She was literally known all over the world! She's a legend!

"Rude..." Ash muttered, Silas wide-eyed at my outburst.

"Well, I'm pretty sure...We aren't in our dimension..." Silas said. "So...I don't really know anything about this world..."

My eye twitched. That was useful information, now wasn't it...? I was so overwhelmed that I was not thinking rationally, my words bursting forth before I could think about the fact that they must have been just as overwhelmed and frustrated as I was.

"Why did you not tell me that...?" I growled.

"'Cause you never asked me specifically..." Silas replied.

"I'm overwhelmed, alright!" I snapped and began to pace, muttering to myself in Ancient Casonian.

"Calm down...You're not making it any easier for Ash to settle down," Silas said.

"I'm not a child..." Ash protested

"You act like one," Silas replied bluntly.

I sighed and took my true form as a wolf, my black fur still slightly matted and dusty from that day's work, and lied down on the pile of blankets in the corner next to my full water bowl while the captives stared in shocked silence. At least we were taken good care of here. Of course, the Shadow Realm's attention to our health and well being simply so that we could slave away for them at our full potential...

Silas and Ash stared at me in surprise at my born-with ability.

"What are you...?" Silas breathed.

"Shape shifter. Any animal form including my human form; anywhere, any time. Any other questions? I've had a really long day and I want to get some rest..." I replied tiredly.

"No. I don't have any..." Silas muttered while Ash let out a frantic whisper of: "Free me!"

"And if you think of anymore, wait until tomorrow. But I most likely won't have to answer any because this is all a dream!" I replied hopefully and shut my eyes.

"I wish it was a dream..." Silas counters.

"STRYDER, BUST THE DOOR DOWN!" Ash yelled frenziedly.

I rolled my eyes and got to my paws. This boy needed a little first hand experience on the struggles of escaping that Elsparcio-forsaken place.

I took the form of a rhinoceros, thank Lilliancia our cells were spacious, and used my horns to begin slamming the heavily locked, barred metal door off its hinges. I had done this before, and the guards standing watch at the entrances to our corridor of cells became alert, drawing weapons. The two second-in-commands of the Shadow Realm and Prince Ritsu's, Finnra's son, closest advisors, Likoro and Tatsar, were amongst them. They took their formidable true forms as lion and musk ox and were standing with their comrades right outside the cell door with weapons poised to force us back in. Just as I knew they would... Funny they didn't start a riot when Ash and Silas unexpectedly dropped in. It was as if they were expecting them... Interesting…

"YES!" Ash cheered when the door gave way with a clang as it hit the floor.

"I think...I'm going to remain here..." Silas said and I nodded.

"FREEDOM!" Ash declared, seeming to nearly burst with joy and excitement.

Yeah. Watch that last...

"Of you go, Ash," I said, trying to withhold a smirk, stepping back from the door and taking my true form. This is going to be amusing...

The guards were already at the entrance, forcing us to remain inside with their sharp spears and scythes.

"I'M GETTING OUT OF HERE AND NO ONE WILL STOP ME!" Ash yelled fiercely and plants suddenly began to sprout from the metal floor, growing impossibly long and thick and wrapping around the shocked guards, who dropped their weapons.

"How far...do you think he will go?" Silas asked in somewhat of a daze.

"Umm...considering his powers... great lengths..." I replied, wide eyed and shocked still.

"I don't think so...he is careless with his powers," Silas said in exasperation.

Ash grinned triumphantly and ran out of the cell past the trapped guards.

I nearly snickered at his confidence. "I've gotten halfway to the front gates of the palace before. After months of careful planning and trial and error, that is. Trust me, he's not going to make it."

"But he doesn't even know where he is or where he's going," Silas said as Ash continued to race for the exit.

"Exactly," I said. "Besides, the door out of the dungeon is locked tight. It's taken me months to learn how to undo it," I said, getting a sudden impulse, adrenaline coursing through me. I brushed past the guards, leaping on Likoro's back and down to the floor gracefully, hearing him growl in irritation at my using him as a springboard. I howled, eyes bright with the prospect of having a bit of fun, and took off down the cell-lined hall after Ash, my tail waving behind me like a black flag. The captives began cheering me on, taking their own wolf forms and howling encouragingly, eager to see me in action. Whenever they saw me rebelling, fighting for our freedom, it seemed to give them courage and I had been making creating and executing escape plans just another part of my day for ages.

"FREEDOM!" Ash screamed in victory and I rolled my eyes, bounding right next him.

"I'll be here...waiting...'cause you two aren't goin' to get anywhere!" Silas called after us.

"I know," I called back to Silas. "But there's nothing wrong with stretching your legs, right, Ash?" I chuckled, stopping at the massive, heavily locked door.

"I'm not stretching my legs..." Ash protested. "I'm getting out of here and no one is gonna stop me!"

"Alright, well, if you're so confident, undo the lock," I retorted as the guards slowly but steadily began to free themselves from their leafy trap. I flicked an ear back to hear their struggling. "You had best hurry..." I said in a singsong tone.

"I don't freakin have time for locks!" Ash yelled, frustrated. "I have to find Destiny and get out of this crazy place!" His knuckles turned grey and he began to punch the door repeatedly, hardly making progress. If there was one thing I had leaned during my failed endeavors at freedom, brute strength alone got you nowhere.

I pricked my ears up and said calmly, "Now. I don't know who Destiny is, but I do believe she is special to you. If you would like to see her again, you're going to have to listen to my instructions, follow the rules around here, and help me set everyone free. Calm down. Stop punching the door. And unless you'd like to be roughed up by Finnra, get back to the cell."

"Why would I listen to you?!" Ash demanded.

"I'm kind of the alpha around here," I said evenly.

I spun around at the sound of a lion's roar. Likoro had gotten free first, the red gems in his golden kindar glinting as wickedly as his enraged tawny eyes. He ate up the ground in long strides and attacked Ash, comrades following suit.

"Why are you attacking me? Attack him!" Ash yelled, eyes wide, pointing to me as he was pinned to the floor by Likoro's massive, sharp-clawed paws. The other guards rushed up to restrain Ash as they waited for a new door for my cell.

The musk ox, Tatsar, took his human form and leashed me, saying, "Because this one knows his way around here instead of running around like crazy. We don't want you wreaking things with your insanity."

I shrugged and gave Ash a wolfish smirk.

"That was rude!" Ash snapped. He needs to calm down...

Silas stepped out of the cell, his fists engulfed in flames. "I advise you to release Ash..." he demanded. "I need him." Then he muttered, "Sadly..."

"And three...two...one..." I murmur and Queen Finnra of the Shadow Realm herself came bursting into the hallway behind Silas, her royal black, red, and golden royal robes flying out behind her dramatically. She raised her spear, most fittingly named Chaos, and sent a wave of power at Silas, knocking him out and grinning wickedly.

"Who's she?! Silas get up!" Ash yelled, struggling to free himself. "This isn't good!"

Finnra pointed her spear at the door and repaired and fortified it with a burst of magic from Chaos. She was always behind the scenes, planning schemes that her son would carry out for her so that she could lounge away and gain the energy to use powers such as that.

"Silas, Ash. I've been expecting you,” she declared with a gleam in her dark eyes.

She knows of them... That's not good either...

"What!? How the heck does she know me!? I'm not from here!" Ash declared and I shook my head in confusion.

She has dark powers, potions and other abilities of witchcraft. She might have foreseen this...

Finnra snapped her fingers and the guards dragged the three of us back in the cell, bolting it heavily before leaving to return to their posts.

"If she knows all of this...what does she know about Destiny...?" Ash breathed after the guards were out of earshot.

I sighed and took my human form, running my fingers through my hair. "I do not know... But she's pure evil, quite powerful, and when she wants something she'll go to great lengths to get it. I'm hearing rumors of her using illegal tactics to overtake the kingdom of Casonia... It's where I'm from.... A kingdom of good and noble shape shifters with a monarchy that is nothing short of extraordinary... Especially.... especially Sitka..."

"She's horrible...how long have you been in here…?" Ash inquired.

"I was captured at sixteen...I just turned eighteen... It's been a few years..." I sighed. "Listen, I'll tell you everything you want to know about me... If you swear help me and the others escape..."

"If you help me return to Destiny...then I'll help you with the captives and I'm sure Silas would say the same thing," Ash replied to my relief. He might have been too impulsive and had a big mouth, but he could be a valuable asset to my fugitive plans.

I fingered my golden, oval-shaped locket, wondering if Sitka still wears the matching silver one I gave her. "Sitka... I need to get back to her... I love her more than anything...to the point it's almost an obsession... I have a burning desire for her love that cannot be quenched... If necessary, I would lay my life down a thousand times over for her... If dying in here were inevitable...just kissing her one more time would leave me in a state of pure bliss that would still live on even after my death in this Lilliancia-forsaken place..." I looked at Ash. "I've always been labeled a hopeless romantic, but that's the way I feel... I'm desperate for her now... Do you feel the same about Destiny...?"

Ash sighed. "I've put myself in harm's way for her a couple times now...not once do I regret it...so I understand what you mean when you say you would lay your life down for her... But yeah, I do feel the same way about Destiny...if only she felt the same way about me..."

I carefully stepped over an unconscious Silas crumpled on the floor and placed a hand on Ash's shoulder. "We both have a person we love and that will be useful in urging you to never give up in here. So... If you're going to help me get us out of here..." I trailed off and raised an eyebrow.

"I kind of have no choice. It's either stay here forever or get the heck out...so I'll help," Ash replied.

I shrugged. "You do have a choice, actually. If you're going to help, you have to be open to a little mentoring."

"Fine..." Ash sighed. "But you boss me around too much, I'm not gonna be too happy."

"Very good," I said brightly and chuckled, stepping back over Silas before turning to face Ash.

"Lesson number one, please don't go running around like a chicken with its head cut off..."

Author's Note

~Nora Duncans chapter~

Reviews

[Dark Rider]

Stryder is the only mature one in the whole group. XD I loved this, and I can't wait for more!