The Legends Of Chima: Journey to the Lands Below

Chapter 24- Cragger

Seeing Asuri in chains in front of me brought me some sense of comfort, knowing that she couldn't drag me along for a second one of her plots. Though there was still that tiger out there that was no less dangerous, and not to forget how many other members of her guild were out on the streets. I did plan on spending the day with Laval so we could get our supplies and he was much better at combat than I, so if we get jumped by them we'd be able to fend them off ourselves.

We took the map with us on the way out so we could try to get an idea of where to go while we were in there. Everyone else grabbed one too but I doubt Eris was gonna look over it. While I was walking with Laval I was looking at the map and we started drifting away. Before I got lost in the crowds he linked his arm with mine and pulled me close, that certainly got my attention. That and a crowd of people laughing. Sure laughter in the streets is no strange sight to me but a crowd this big was.

We walked over to investigate and saw the people turn towards two birds storming off in the other direction. At the end of the crowd was a merchant similarly hunched over the counter, laughing his tail feathers off. I worked through the crowd to get to him and ask what was going on.

"Do you need something, valued customer?" He said in a scratchy voice as he began to straighten himself up.

He rose slowly while pulling a lumpy bag out from underneath the counter, the top of it impaled on a cruel hook in place of his left hand. He began to rise and revealed more of his features, a dark red mask with a silver outline and behind it was yellow eyes. I locked with them in disbelief as his identity had become clear to me. I opened my mouth to speak but the words were taken right out of my mouth by my companion.

"Razar? How the hell did you get down here!?" Laval shouted over the noise of the crowd. The raven then looked him in the eyes and lost himself in another fit of hysterics. When he came out of it he picked himself back up and spoke again.

"If I had a nickle for every time someone said that to me today I'd be two nickels richer. It's good to see someone from Chima who hasn't threatened me yet, what can I get for ya?"

"You can get me an answer, I know you weren't on the transport ships when we took off."

"I found another way down through an old ship those snakes used to invade us with."

"Ok, but why are you down here?" I asked him.

"I am first and foremost a man of business, my scaly friend, so when I got wind of a whole new world full of untold amounts of riches and customers, I was practically frothing at the mouth."

"Well what are you selling then?"

"Let's see if I'm richer by another 2 nickels today." I heard him say under his breath. He reached under the counter and pulled out a glowing lumpy sack impaled on his hook hand. He reached into it and pulled out a glowing blue orb and I immediately knew what it was. I wanted to shout at him for defiling something so sacred but I knew I had no room to speak in that matter. Laval thankfully took the words right out of my mouth.

"How the hell did you get that." Laval growled while visibly holding back his anger.

"A much more tempered response than my previous customer. However, I still can't tell you, trade secrets and all." The raven squeaked out.

"Tell me now!" Laval roared. At this point he stopped trying to hold anything back.

"Even if I did tell you there's nothing you can do about it now, the chi is already down here and Mt. Cavora has probably replaced it all by now."

"That's not how it works Razar. It has to be used first before it starts replenishing."

"Well how about you help me with that. I know the kind of fights you get into out there so I figured some chi could help. I'll even give you a friends and family discount, ten percent off!"