Captured

[Rith Matou]

After the incident at the City's Entrance, Rith quickly found himself in the Castle's dark, dank, dungeon. Banded to the wall off the groud, Rith couldn't so much as reach his belt, pending his Bag of Tricks hadn't been confiscated yet. The previous few hours had been about as clear as a bucket of black grease, what with him being beaten into submission by a team of Guards and a mob of angered citizens, hateful words assaulting his ears, accusing fingers, and the like. Rith took a short time to retain his bearings and get a feeling for where he was.

"Who is acting ruler around here!? Lord Pendergast would never make such a discriminative decree! Us Mages are not demonic servants, we aren't even a different kind of Human! Why treat us as Monsters? Someone, ANSWER ME!!" He exclaimed, feebly shaking and floundering about in his bindings. Who was he kidding, though? Rith couldn't see far enough to tell if he was wearing his Bag of Tricks, much less see if there was someone on the other side to hear him out. if there was, they'd probably get a good laugh out of what Rith was saying.

[Alezand Jozlyn, Allaine knight]

Alezand and Tyanno were shackled opposite of each other, against the walls where they could not reach each others bonds. They had been sitting quietly, thinking of all they had observed on their way down into the dank dark lair that was their new residence for the time being. Alezand noted where they took his weapons, how many guards they passed and where they were posted, and the turns and passage ways that they took to their very cell. He had been tapping out communication quietly with Tyanno using the "block" method that all soldiers and defenders knew for times of capture. He had been trying to raise Shadow, so far without sucess, using the same method. He didn't know where the others were. He was just wondering if Adrienne had heard of what happened when a loud and obviously distraught voise rose from the vast silence that gripped the tomb like castille, "Who is acting ruler around here!? Lord Pendergast would never make such a discriminative decree! Us Mages are not demonic servants, we aren't even a different kind of Human! Why treat us as Monsters? Someone, ANSWER ME!!" . I'll be damned , Alezand cursed to himself. "Rith!?, Rith is that you!!!?? It's me, Alezand. You were captured too?" He was estatic. He had been hoping desperately to find Rith ever since the pair of Allaine had returned to Avaren. Even now under these bleak circumstances, things suddenly didn't seem so bad...

[Rith Matou]

Rith continued to struggle a bit against his bindings before the sound of a familiar voice met his ears, causing him to go limp in suprise. To no avail, he looked about the pitch dungeon to find the voice's owner before giving up and simply calling back to it.
"Alezand? They've gotten you too? Some welcome back, eh old friend?" He replied, figuring him incarcerated for him aiding Tyanno, a man of magic like himself. He continued to speak, raising his voice again so that if there were guards, which there most assurely would, they could hear him. "I guess this tyrannical new regime punishes even those who know Mages. I would very much like to know what short-sighted Despot decided to turn on those of the Mystic Arts." he called out, rattling his chains a bit to add more noise. If he was successful in rousing Alezand, perhaps there were others in here that he could awaken, he figured.

[Rianne Herculides]

“This so called Short-Sighted Despot.”

That was the answer that came from the entrance of the Dungeons as a figure walked in flanked by two guards. Rianne held herself regally as a monarch would, with grim features etched across a normally beautiful face. Grey eyes were flashing at the many prisoners that were now in the dungeons these days before they rested upon Rith. “And I would not speak to cruelly of the person who has the power to choose whether you live or die at a moment’s notice.” She said very coldly to the mage.

She turned to face him, raven black hair braided down her back while her elegant form was still betrayed under silver armor. A Warrior Queen through and through. “And you are not practitioners of any so called Mystic Art, you are heathens against God, and you will all be punshed. Guards.” At that one of the men near her walked forward and awaited orders. “I want several men posted on this…demon. Make sure that he speaks no more.” She said with a brutal grin on her face.

The guard obeyed his orders and Rianne let her voice raise so that all could hear her. “You will all await the judgement of Father Vidar of the Church. Maybe you should start praying to God for mercy.” Her hand fell to her side where there was her rapier, sharp and ready to flash without any mercy. These prisoners had been taken for their crimes, and here they would remain.

[Rith Matou]

" I do not turn to the Infernal Realms for strength. Mother Earth is my ally and a powerful ally she is! All I ask is a chance to defend those like myself, surely some understanding could be made. I do get a last request after all, don't I?" he proposed, hoping diplomacy could get through to her. His kind were not some Demonic vessels, and he would do whatever it took to get her to see this.
"Just you and I, I will forgo my bag of summoning components...if it's still here on my belt, I am powerless without it. What do you say?" he concluded, looking to what he could see of her through the mass of Guards, trying to appeal to what little humanity she may have inside of her.

[Shadow]

Shadow laughed.
For no reason, seeing as he had just re-gained conciousness. Realizing that he was laughing, shackled to the wall, and had dried blood on the side of his head, he stopped. Clearing away the cobwebs, he heard a very familiar voice... that damned queen...No chao, they would overwhelm you. Shadow, upon hearing the other prisoner's plea, chuckled to himself. Deciding to become part of the conversation, he raised his voice, which slurred slightly before regaining its proper low, threatening tone. "well, mistress. to what pleasure do we owe you?" He shook his head. "My mistake, wrong day." he laughed. "But in all seriousness, Can you explain what we did wrong before we tried to resist?" Shadow realized that there was tapping on the wall coming from somewhere in front of him. focusing, his eyes became adjusted to the light and he could see his surroundings, which included the prisoner on the wall adjacent to him. Shadow looked at the man. "hey buddy, would you mind stopping? that tapping on the wall is getting quite annoying." While he said this however, he tapped his own message, but in thieve's taps, whoch were similar to the warriors taps the adjacent man was using. "So... you and I are one and alike, both heathens...At least in Queenie's eyes. You got any ideas on how to bust us out?" he did this while addressing said 'Queenie' about the current situation.

[Rianne Herculides]

“Whatever you say heathen will not convince me otherwise. You are not doing God’s will and are doing false miracles. That is heresy in terms of law of Avaren and in terms of law of the Church which coincides with Avaren seeing as God oversees us all. So you may call it what you will, you are still a heathen in the eyes of the law. And right now that is all that matters.” She said in a stately tone towards Rith before directing her eyesight towards Shadow who was being quiet…ignorant.

She shook her head and chuckled. “You are a fool sir, you know that. I have announced your crimes many times over. Now you must pray for good fate at the hand of Father Vidar. Though I suppose there is no good fate for heretical behavior in this land other then a gruesome death. Maybe you will be given the chance to save your soul though if you choose to act accordingly. And I would stop that incessant tapping or I will make sure you do not have the means with which to tap anymore.” Rianne stated with a harsh edge to her voice, hinting at what would happen. It would be hard for a mage to tap without any hands.

Her gaze returned to Rith. “And you are too are a fool for suggesting you may have something with which to do your witchcraft.” At that Rianne drew her sword and pointed it at the prisoner in his cell so that the blade tapped at his neck, drawing no blood though a menacing warning. One of the guards entered the cell and simply removed the mage’s belt before exiting and locking it again, a smile on Rianne’s face. “Never reveal your highest card until the game is up lad.”

Her sword remained where it was and she addressed the rest of the Dungeons. “All of you, keep your tongues still or lose them. Keep your hands still or lose them. For in the name of the Lord God I will not hesitate to part you from them if it will mean cleansing our land of another piece of filth, however small.”

[Alezand Jozlyn, Allaine knight]

Alezand decided that he could at least try his luck at diplomacy. His people were peacekeepers, both mage and warrior. And though they fought to protect this kingdom, they preferred unarmed conflict. "M'lady, if I may. I am obviously not a practicioner of said arts, magical or otherwise. I have served this kingdom some time now as it's leader of honor bound and justice seeking militia. But in my witness, on many a battle, these accused have stood beside me to defend this place and all that it stands for. Avaren has always stood as a haven for justice and peace, goodwill and comraderie. This men and women are not evil, even in our God's eye. I would have smited them myself, if otherwise. I have just returned fighting the real enemy, the darkness so cunning, you wouldn't beleive it if I told you so. I have fought it several times in my life and see no connection of it to these good people. Many wouldve died protecting the kingdom that which you are ardantly defending. You are looking at you first and last line of defense for this land. And if you need confirmation of my validity and allegience, you only need ask around the common folk. They have all kowledge of my deeds of good and protection. My blade is alligned with the rightiousness of this city. The people can testify for me, and I can testify for these people. And you speak of our God as one of vengeance. That is not so. He pleads forgiveness, freedom and acceptance and love of you fellow man. These are not Outlanders, they are people with gifts given by God himself. Would you imprison an artist or musician. They have gifts beyond the common man. Afforded to them by God. And these people do not tear down our God. They accept him and you belief. Our faith, our God, is not a blood thirsty one, and frankly, your highness, I am sorely offended of you suggesting him as one..." He paused and toook a breath.
OCC: more to folow, ran out of time. night

[Vidar]

Even above the faint screams of the 'restless spirit', over the background din and complaints of rightfully imprisoned heretics another voice came into being. This one not, however, form within a cell. It came from the figure who now stood at Rianne's side, a hand set firmly upon her shoulder.

"They would seek to rock your faith. Evil does that. Normally I would advise a woman to step back and not allow a weak heart to prevent god's will to be enacted to it's fullest. Yet your faith is strong and the will of god flows from your every command. The true lord is very pleased with you and wishes to re-affirm in your heart the indisputable knowledge of your divine right as queen. So it is, child of god, that you are blessed." He said, touching her briefly upon the forehead before stepping back and bowing low before her. "Your majesty, I would ask now that you leave the interrogations to me, yet still accompany me so that you may see with your own eyes the punishments that must be inflicted to the children of evil and thus wholly commit yourself to god's will."

Gesturing behind him, he beckoned a pair of white-robes figures behind him to step foreword. Drawing forth quill and parchment in unison, they turned their eyes to Vidar, awaiting his orders. "Now tell me everything that has transpired, from the very beginning, so we can see which of the accused might have already condemned themselves." he said, addressing both the queen and the guards, "Leave no minor detail out, especially not their statements, so that god's will be done."

[Rith Matou]

"So my pouch has been confiscated...Good. Then you know I am incapable of harming you, not that I would have if I did have access to it... but now how am I to keep my pants up?" Rith stated with a brief laugh, despite the situation, a calmed smile rose across his face as he shut his eyes and began to think. It was odd, surely one of the Guards told her of his Puffers, since one was responsible for the escape of the mysterious woman who had tried to warn him. Regardless, he knew it was in the room and he would have to act fast.
His train of thought swiftly derailed at the sound of a detatched spirit, barking garbled orders and creating quite a ruckus. Using the echoing wails of this person as cover, Rith quickly focused on his bag tightly. Within moments a small "Pop" emanated from inside the pouch on his belt, muffled slightly by the pouch itself, and if he was lucky, drowned by the screaming deralect enough that it could be confused with the Allaines' rhytmic tappings. Squirming out of the pouch, came a tiny Fly which flew willy-nilly about the Dungeon as any normal fly would, for whatever reason Flies had for such misguided flight patterns as it made its way into Rith's cell. There it was, pacing about the general area of Rith's cell, waiting.
"Do you mind, Sir? Some of us would rather be unjustly murdered in the name of prejudice in peace. Your maniacal ravings are just making things worse." Rith called out to the voice in an annoyed tone continuing to carefully put his plans into action.

[Cloud Strife]

Strife woke up and remembered what had happened. He growled and bang the bars,shouting,"Idiots!" He tried to contact Eragon with his mind and could not do it...he's not blocking his mind,but he can't contact him. There could only be one reason for this........

Strife kneeled down and wept silently...his friend...his first friend...had died? Strife closed his eyes and drew his dagger from his sheath. He raised it up and shouted,echoing throughout the dungeons,"Everyone that can hear me,listen up! I wil not be under the hands of the enemies that killed my friend!" After finishing,he brought the dagger down,right into his heart. He closed his eyes and smiled,collapsing on the floor...he will meet eragon soon...maybe somewhere...eragon had revive...maybe he will too,for he is a wizard too...but all that does not matter now...he is free...

Strife collapsed onto the floor and knew no more,returning to the hands of god..................

[Shadow]

Shadow sighed as he felt strife die. "well, im guessing that eragon is gone to. Oh well. No nonsense. hearing the 'ghost' Shadow began to think. I know for a fact that that is no ghost... It was just a matter of figuring out what it really was.
But shadow's brain didnt want to follow through on that. It was then that shadow realized that he'd been drugged. no wonder i cant use magic... Or even feel it... Shadow heard the voice of another, this time male. He could tell that this man was a man of the cloth. great...Judgement time... shaking his head, he tried to focus. the drug was beginning to wear off, but not nearly enough for him to use magic.

[Alezand Jozlyn, Allaine knight]

What was happening? Strife died quietly in his cell, alone and cold. Shadow had been asking him a question of how to get the hell out of this hole. Tyanno still seemed out cold, and Rith was yelling at a diembodied voice that wailed along it grudgingly slow trek through the dungeon. An the worst of it was this so called queen. A ruler that pretested her alliagnment with God, yet was breaking every rule and curtesey outlined in the holy bible. If there was any heathen here, it was this maniacal leader. God was merciful, and warned of abuse of power. Jesus taught of acceptance and loving of one neighbor. She was violating her own so called faith, if she even beleived it. "Queen Rianne, I am addressing you. Though I am a suspect right now, I am still a subjuct of your realm, and am allowed the same courtesy of any citizen in your command. You wish us to behave, await to be tried fairly. But you have murdered, I say again, murdered a man without trial. He and his creature defended your walls. You arrest us for 'looking like mages', whether they presented powers or not. And now you don't even listen when a man tesifies his cause. Power alone is not evil. It is how power is used that makes it good or evil. And you are weilding yours much more dangerously than these men and women. You are putting your people in danger, not by us, but by persucuting and killing those that have and still defend this kingdom. You are fighting the wrong enemy, and I can prove it. And right at the time at which the real danger is approaching your city's walls right as I speak. " Alezand was red in the face, and breathing hard with this. He still held his emotions in check, as best as he could.

[Rith Matou]

OOC: I grow bored, so I am posting again! Prepare to feel the wrath of a guy chained to a wall!

Rith's eyes remained closed, donating a much larger portion of his concentration than usual into maintaining the Fly's form. He had only recently regained conciousness, and everything was still somewhat hazy, so naturally it took more effort to focus his energies to keep the Puffer in its current form, even if it is just a fly. If his concentration slipped, and the object returned to normal, he was dead. Plain and simple, dead.
"Tell me something...Queen I presume. Since I was incarcerated mere moments of returning here, I've not had the opportunity to properly learn your name or title, you understand. But this is besides the point...What I want to know is what has become of Ricard Pendergast? Did you have him killed, or is he just another prisoner these days?" He asked, his speech pattern sparce and somewhat distant as the Fly weaved about in his cell until landing in Rith's open palm. That question had been plaguing him since he had caught wind of the Queen's proclamation, it was only able to properly surface recently now that his bearings had slowly began to regather.

[Rianne Herculides]

Rianne breathed a visible sigh of relief when she felt Vidar’s trusty hand on her shoulder. So one of the Church was here now, and so the Cleansing could begin with these criminals. She listened to his word and nodded her head when he bowed. “Father Vidar, you do know that you do not need to bow to me. You are a man of the cloth.” She said in a serious tone, she didn’t demand the formalities of those of the Church that she did of those that were…not of the church. When he was done she went to speak but bit her tongue as some of the prisoners were not being cooperative.

One of them managed to stab themselves with a knife that they got out of thin air. Because really, do you think Rianne would have allowed a knife in a cell? She just shook her head and motioned towards the body and a guard unlocked the cell and dragged it out, allowing the cell open for another person. “Have the body burned please, do not bury it, and do not give it last rights.” She said in a tired voice. Then there were more interruptions!

The Queen turned and looked at the prisoners and listened to them speak with frustration on her face, but they just weren’t getting the game were they going to have to play if they were going to live. First she turned to the solider and smirked at him, each move of hers grateful. “I almost find it humerous that you are calling me the evil one heathen.” She began angrily, wanting to keep this short. “And it doesn’t matter what you have done in the past, what matters is the present. You may have been a warrior for our country but if you work through dark forces or aid dark forces, you are no more then a heathen. You have no right to address me in such a manner sir.” And with that she reached in through the bars and backhanded Alezand smartly across the face. “I am still your monarch.”

Her eyes then turned towards the other smart-mouth and she sighed and shook her head. “I know not of this Ricard Pendergast. The House of Herculides has reigned over Avaren for years, and you know that. And yes, I am the Queen of Avaren and you will address me as such or you will find your food supply mysteriously disappears for a while. It would be hard to plead your case on an empty stomach.”

With that she turned back to Vidar and made sure she was regaining her posture. “As you can see there has been nothing but unrest in here. They are denying they are heathens, insisting they are heros of Avaren, and that they have been given no chance to speak. Nothing but bickering, not an ounce of true cooperation.” She said simply to the Father with obvious reverence in her voice.