Chapter 2: Ch.1: One Week Away

Syn was enduring yet another review of formal Etiquette that his tutor had grown to favor recently. Syn had been taught these things for what seemed half his life, but he understood that the time was coming that he would need to put these skills to use regularly. Table manners, tact, politeness, social hierarchy, duties, and other such knowledge and behaviors. He was confident in his courtly abilities, he no longer needed to be reminded of the importance of formal "upright" walking as opposed to "feral" movement which was faster, more comfortable, and much more casual.

Accompanying him as usual was his dependable bodyguard and companion Zeritha Airheart. She was a griffin of great talent, and despite her common birth was also well versed in etiquette as a necessity of her proximity to royalty.

When the review had concluded the hawk owl-snow leopard griffin turned her head to Syn and said, "My lord, seems you'll have no issue adjusting to your new responsibilities in society."

"The issue is how society will adjust to me" he returned, winking. There were several things Syn wanted to change about Draconia. Things he knew he didn't fully understand yet, but recognized should be different.

They both exited the room and stepped out onto the balcony. Here they had a clear view of the capital city.

The city Draconia, for which the kingdom was also named after, was a massive architectural dome. The city sprawl underneath was home to many centaurs and skarsh, it spread even far outside the protective walls. The royal central spire connected the ground with the top and also provided structural support with giant archways that ran all the way to the edge of the dome. The dome underhang was where dragons and griffins mostly called home. Enormous window openings allowed allowed plenty of  light onto the city. One could even see the beautiful sunset or sunrise and the wonderful colors they made across the sky.

Syn stood there for a moment, thinking. The sunlight glittered off his golden scales and cast a smooth sheen off his dark underside.

"Oh, and Zee, about that issue with your family. The package I arranged should be arriving today and should cover it until you can solve it the way you wanted to." Syn told Zeritha.

She smiled happily and thanked him, "Thank you sir, thank you! I'm so glad you agreed to help, it's a huge relief. I'll be sure to repay you."

"Don't feel pressured, I think you'll have plenty of time and chances to do so" Syn said. "But for now lets meet up with the others, I told them I'd see them as soon as my lessons were over."

Zeritha nodded and they both took flight, headed upward and across toward Syn's best friend's house. It was one of the fanciest hanging mansions in all of Draconia. House Corana, it was impressive, even for a building that was constructed essentially upside down. It was a sight Syn was accustomed to seeing however, and he was welcomed inside as if he was one of the family. When they had entered the foyer they were greeted by many friends that shouted all at once, "SURPRISE!".

The silver dragon Cyrus approached him wearing an eager smile. "Well well well, one week where waiting will wash away winning with wonder while we work wildly without whining!"

"Ehh, say again Cyrus?" Syn stammered.I could have written said, but i went with stammered instead. Ok enough alliteration.

"I was just trying to be witty," Cyrus admitted. "One week until your ceremony, enjoy it while it lasts. What do you think of the surprise we thought up?"

"I appreciate it, I really wasn't expecting this," Syn said meaningfully. "Though I'm not really dressed up for it."

"Don't give him all the credit!"  Called out the voice of a phoenix-tiger griffin as he made his way towards the guest of honor. "No way this bird brain actually thought of this beforehand, he is footing the bill though," Felix added ironically, patting Cyrus on the back.

"Ah, so the true brain behind this doesn't belong to a bird then, Felix? Then what does that make you?" Syn joked.

"A cat, obviously," Felix deadpanned.

They all shared a laugh.

"I see you brought your own trusty bird with you," Cyrus said, eyeing Zeritha.

Zeritha perked up, realizing they were talking about her. She had been monitoring the room, which had broken into various conversations amongst the party goers. She didn't speak up to say anything.

"Well, you know we sort of stick together like glue." Syn stated.

"Must be pleasant," said Felix.

"Yes, it's good to know somebody has always got your back," Syn said, glancing and sharing a smile with Zeritha.

...

The party lasted for hours and by the time Syn started to head back home, it was twilight and he was slightly inebriated. He could still fly mostly fine, he just needed a little guidance from Zeritha, who had stayed completely sober. Back in the royal spire, she walked him back into his room and then went to her room just down the hall.

Syn went to his ice chest and pulled out a special brew of four-leaf clover that he had stashed there. He rarely drank, and even more rarely got drunk, but he had learned from the first time. This expensive medicine would nearly remove all the toxins in his system, which was useful for the occasions where he would drink alcohol unwittingly. He opened and drank its contents, then fell on his bed, with nothing but the taste of clovers on his mind.

But... he could hear rummaging and movement from the hallway outside, so he went to check on it. When he looked outside, he saw Zeritha fully kitted out, as if she was prepared for battle. When she saw him she stopped.

"What's going on, Zee?" He asked.

"My lord, I was hoping you'd have fallen asleep," she said, concerned. "I just read a message from one of my sisters. The loan sharks came and took my littlest sister." 

"Wha- but didn't your family receive my package?" Syn asked, bewildered.

"They did, but the loan sharks said they come to collect for the full debt, and my family could only offer..." Zeritha explained sadly.

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"So you're going to save her?" Syn stated. Zeritha nodded. He continued, "I'm coming with you."

...

It was dark now, but Zeritha knew where she needed to go. The skarsh would take her sister to a compound near the port, of course they would be more comfortable next to the water. They circled above, surveying the area and locating potential buildings to search. Syn followed her lead for once, trusting in her superior sight that exceeded even draconic nightvision.

Only a few lights shown and they gave up the positions of their users. There were a couple of skarsh on watch below. Taking advantage of the dark night, Syn passed above them and breathed a fog over the unsuspecting pair. Before they could realize, the two fell into a deep slumber. Both Syn and Zeritha landed and snuck their way in through the door they were guarding.

Inside anyone could easily tell that this was some kind of prison. There were dark cells with sleeping forms chained up, but Zeritha didn't see her sister as they passed down the cold stone hallway.

Cries could be heard from the end of the hallway, cries that Zeritha recognized as her little sister's. They quietly rushed down the hallway as the cries subsided. They stacked up by the open metal bar door and peered inside.

Here they could see three -no, four bodies. Two skarsh, one standing to watch as the other sat and stenciled tattoos on the body of a small griffin which lay on a wooden table. Holding her head was another griffin, a vulture-panther, which was staring into the little griffin's eyes with a sort of hypnotic effect.

The watching skarsh, a hammerhead, spoke. "Shit, thas some creepy ass ability ya got, quieted that lil bitch right down though."

"Heh, well it wouldn't work as well on someone like you, your eyes are too fucken far apart, flathead" the griffin sneered.

Both Zeritha and Syn took action near simultaneously. Zeritha pulled her crossbow and Syn was behind hammerhead with a sword to his throat. 

"STOP, what is it you are doing to her?!" Zeritha demanded.

Tattoo skarsh and vulture both looked up and froze in shock.

Tattoo, who was also covered in tattoos, answered her. "Ah- um, applying the ritual tattoos to this new slave."

Zeritha watched them both closely, she had the ability to see into the immediate future. With her foresight, she saw tattoos reach for something while vulture stared at her, tattoos then turned around quickly.

She did not give him the chance. Before he had even reached she shot a bolt through his head. Vulture began to stare at her and use his hypnotic eyes and she found she couldn't look away.

Syn slit the throat of hammerhead and pushed him down. He then blew flames into the face of the hypnotist. Vulture flailed with his eyes and face set ablaze. It only took Syn an extra moment to run him through with his sword.

Hammerhead had crawled across the floor toward tattoos, spilling blood prodigiously as he went. When he got to tattoos, whose body had slumped over onto the table, he took a desperately large bite out of his lifeless tattooed arm. 

Zeritha snapped to and stepped towards hammerhead. She smashed down as hard as she could on his nose/head, which she'd heard was an extra sensitive location for a skarsh, and he went down.

This sort of evil was one of the things he had planned on ending once he got into power. But seeing it with his own eyes made it so much worse. Syn was angry, and he decided right then that he was going to do something right now.

He turned to Zeritha and told her, "Get your sister, grab the keys, and free the rest of those who are here. I'll make sure our exit is clear."

Zeritha obeyed, she saw no reason not to free the rest. They thanked her as she loosed their restraints. Many of them had extensive tattoos covering their bodies, and some apparently had bites taken out of them. When she had finished and stepped outside the way they entered, she noticed the two skarsh that were put to sleep had been decapitated. She was glad that her sister, that she was carrying, was still unconscious.

She also noticed that the dormitories for the slavermasters were engulfed in flames. Syn landed nearby and out of breath.

"Sir, you did this?" Zeritha asked, wide eyed.

Syn just nodded, while he caught his breath. The flames were so bright that one didn't need nightvision to see.

Suddenly, they both were pinned under heavy chain link nets. They weren't going anywhere weighed down by these capture devices.

City guard centaurs surrounded them. They must've been responding to the fire and spotted the main culprit.

"Good throws, deputies, we got 'em red handed." A veteran bull guard said, then addressed them. "You are under arrest for arson, murder, and-" he looked at Zeritha's little sister, "-and kidnapping."

Syn stood up as straight as he could under the weight of the chains and announced, "My name is Syn Sevis, prince of Draconia, son of Pyram Sevis, king of Draconia."

He pointed towards the inferno,

"And these criminals deserve to burn."

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