The Tales of Scora

Chapter Ten

 "..ad idea! Beira, do you not have that tiny voice inside your head that says 'Uh-oh! This is a bad idea!'?" Rydel argued with the chieftess as Raelyn slowly awoke. Her vision focused on the iron bars enclosing her, and the cell across the hall where Rydel and Beira were arguing.

"Raelyn, are you okay?" Chibi asked gently, kneeling beside the royal as she sat up.

"What in the world...?" Raelyn ignored the question, waving her hand back and forth as water swished with every movement. "Are we underwater?" She asked in shock.

"Yes we are!" Ailia yelled from the cell next to theirs. "This is really weird!"

"How are we breathing?" Raelyn asked, accepting Chibi's hand and pulling herself up, trying to adjust to the way she would float upwards slightly with every step, bubbles ascending through the water with every exhale. She jumped at the sight of a glowing, blue orb with small fairy wings, circling her. The being was emitting small chirps and high pitched noises, as its ragged blue wings fluttered excitedly.

"That thing." Chibi giggled, pointing to it. "They're water sprites, and they have the ability to share their water breathing ability."

"Huh..." Raelyn hummed, holding out her hand for the creature. She smiled and laughed as it nuzzled her palm, swirling around her face too. "Where is Elida?"

"I think I saw her hide in a tree when we were taken." Chibi replied.

"Rydel, could you like, shut up?! For five minutes, that's all I want!" Beira shouted, messing with the lock on their cell.

"Nah, because I don't want to die! Stop messing with things!"

"Alright, alright, calm down!" Rivka groaned, coming from Ailia's cell "Beira, you obviously can't pick the lock, so stop!"

"Yeah, we're just gonna get in trouble!" Drago said from his cell with Ailia and Rivka. Raelyn finally had a chance to look around their prison, and couldn't help the scowl that formed on her face when she met Ren's eyes.

"You're still angry at me?" She asked.

"Not another word." Raelyn replied, looking away.

"I said I was sorry..."

"I don't care!"

"Alright, enough!" Ailia shouted, everyone's bickering dissipating at the sound of her strong voice. "We all need to calm down. Arguing won't help us get out of here at all. We need to—" The loud sound of a heavy door echoed through the long chamber, multiple sets of footsteps striding towards their cells. Raelyn gazed at Chibi, who looked about ready to pass out.

"Hey, it's okay—" She began to console her as guards came into view—with blue and green tinted skin, seaweed-green hair, and fins coming from the backs of their legs and arms, adorned with copper colored armor—making them all jump. The guard in front slammed the bottom of his spears on the ground, making sure their presence was made known.

"It is time to approach King Marin." He announced, his fellow guards unlocking the cells and letting the prisoners out. "You are to be on your best behavior, or you will be executed immediately. You're outnumbered."

"Sir, you don't have to threaten us." Raelyn said firmly. "We aren't a threat—"

"Let's go." He commanded, making her grumble under her breath. They were taken out of the dungeon, tension filling the air as they walked—or, swam rather— down a grand white and copper colored hallway in deafening silence.