D.E.M.O.N.S: GETTING SUMMONED WEEKLY ISN'T SO BAD

— Gareth —

The jail was built like a fortress in miniature. It wasn’t very large but the walls were three stone blocks thick from what he could see and the enchantments were so powerful as to be visible. Well that or they were really poorly optimised but consider the care put into the construction it made more sense that the enchanted ink just wasn’t quite up to par for where it needed to be to keep it all properly contained. Gareth could already tell that the earth and stone here would reject anything he tried.

The front gate was a solid construction that mixed steel and wood in a number of ways. Perhaps to prevent someone with just one magical affinity from affecting it, or perhaps for some other reason. The wood itself was mostly grey-ish while the metal was more of a maroon. The door was made of two large wooden planks with metal strips running horizontally across the doors where they were melded together in the centre by an enchantment. Hard to pick a lock that didn’t exist.

The head guard passed Frank over to someone else for a moment to press his hand onto the brick next to the door that was bright red in colour. It flashed at the contact and the guard winced, but a moment later the door opened so whatever caused that wince wasn’t an enchantment failure. The gate opened into a small courtyard with a number of wooden stairs that took you up to the top of the jail.

The group was split in two. Nixilei and Green were pushed to the right, while Gareth and Kress were moved off to the left. *Surprised the place is big enough to have male and female sections. That… IS what they’re separating us for correct?* Gareth didn’t see any signage to tell him if his guess was right but he was pressed through a few doors and then down a set of stairs…

Into a room filled with rows upon rows of cells that continued downwards for another three floors. Each cell was a small room with two bunks, a toilet with a low divider that hid only what was necessary and doubled as a shower, as well as a small sink that likely doubled as a place to get water to drink.

Most of these cells were already filled, and the occupants ranged from the clearly drunk and unkempt to the wildly grinning and glaring, even at this time of the night. It wasn’t hard to see that a lot of the closer cells were used as ‘drunk tanks’ where they kept the drunk and disorderly for a bit to give them a chance to cool down. Probably a fine come morning but Gareth was just guessing on that front.

The cells on the lower floors and further in the back had more dangerous folk. Those who were watching the new arrivals with interest. Well, mostly Kress at this point. His dumbass of a best friend was posing at the various hardened criminals and making suggestive leerings in a few cases as well. Gareth decided to comment. “Won’t your boyfriend be upset by you flirting with the prisoners?”

“Nope. As long as I don’t fuck any of them without him it’s all cool,” said Kress with a grin and at twice the volume Gareth’s on question had been. Ensuring that his answer carried throughout the entire complex. This caused a variety of reactions from the prisoners. Many flinching back and away from Kress’ gaze while others sent their own flirtatious winks back.

Gareth felt so done with the night. He wasn’t even happy when the guards stopped outside of the cells right at the back. These were clearly larger and for more well off prisoners. Unlike the others they were about twice the size, had a proper closed in bathing area and just the one single bed that looked long enough for someone to actually sleep on without their legs hanging off the edges. The pillows also looked clean and ready to be used compared to the occasional stains many of the others had.

Gareth felt himself shoved into one cell, with Kress being put in the other. A slot in the door opened up. “Hands,” said the guard. Gareth complied and soon the handcuffs were unlocked and his hands were free. The temptation to grab the guards wrists and break them was strong. They were RIGHT THERE after all… but a deep exhale later and Gareth had brought his hands back in. Wait. I still have my equipment… Gareth turned around and tried to summon something small from his storage ring but felt it getting… ‘stuck’ for lack of a better word. *Nevermind they’re not quite THAT accommodating.*

Gareth sighed, part of him wanted to do something more… but no. Best to sleep and hope that Lily was watching for any issues. Stripping down, Gareth took a quick shower before grimacing and putting his clothes back on. No way to get some other clothes… but whatever he wasn’t the one doing the washing. Settling into the bed Gareth started to relax, wanting to get at least some sleep to ensure that he was fresh and ready for whatever nonsense came about tomorrow.

Five minutes later Gareth’s eyes shot open. There was a loud, rhythmic clanging like… like… Gareth glared at the cell a few doors down from him. Like someone running a metal cup ACROSS THE CELL BARS. “Can you not?” asked Gareth. A beat passed and the guy holding the mug didn’t even seem to have noticed. “I said, CAN YOU PLEASE NOT?”

The guy turned to Gareth who could now see that cup guy was clearly on something. A lot of something. The elf had bags under his eyes except they were bright green. His eyes were a solid orb of colour, and he had a goofy smile on his face like nothing could phase him. “It is the music of my soul brudda! It must be released!”

Gareth bit back a groan. *Is this the plan? Ensure that we’re exhausted come time for the contest? Perhaps only wasting a night or two of our time to ensure that the investigation into the matter won’t be serious enough to merit a disqualification? I can imagine plenty of people could be paid off to… take it slowly. Maybe not put it off completely, but an ‘extra thorough’ investigation that doesn’t conclude until after the event.

Would that work? I’m… not sure. If they were in first place would the committee be willing to allow them to keep it? I can’t remember anything like this happening in the history books… but that might just be because it was never recorded and quietly buried instead. Annoying. What are my options then?

Hmm… it’s basically ‘get Lily to help us escape’ ‘wait for Kat to do the same’ or ‘put up with it.’ Not great options… I might be best sending Lily to look for Thyme?* “Lily?” asked Gareth trying not to speak too loudly. Nothing happened. Gareth waited for a few minutes more wondering if Lily wasn’t close enough to hear him…

But just as he was about to try going back to sleep over the infernal racket that drugged up elf was making a tiny shadowy hand waved at the top of his cells bars. “Ah, nice to see you. Are the others all ok?” The hand showed a thumbs sideways. “So… they’re mostly ok?” Thumbs up. “Right… um… Green is fine?” Thumbs up. Gareth had an idea of where this was going. “Kress is fine?” Another thumbs up. “They’re being annoying about Nix aren’t they?” Lily gave a thumbs up once again. “Can you explain the issue?”

The hand paused for a moment before transforming into a small cage with a tiny figure inside of it. The cage shrunk two sizes until there was essentially no space left. “Dammit… is she fine?” Lily’s shadow hand returned to a sideways thumb position. “Sort of? Hmm… ok what questions should I ask? Um… is she in immediate danger?” Thumbs down. “Ok that’s something. Are you just generally worried about her current spot?” The thumb moved to the middle before slightly rising a bit. I’m guessing that’s ‘maybe yes’? Or something like that?

“Hmmm…” Gareth pondered his next answer. “Do you think… we were meant to go to the central park and meet under the oldest tree in the city for the next round. Do you think you could go there and look around for Thyme or one of his agents?” Lily kept her hand where it was. “Right… probably yes. Do you think it’s fine to leave Nixilei where she is if you go do that?” The thumb lowered to a straight across position, and then lowered just a touch more. “Maybe but perhaps not?” Thumbs up. “Right… ok… I can deal with a night of no sleep… so just… keep watching Nixilei until Kat gets free perhaps? And then go looking come morning?” A thumbs up.

“Ok, good luck,” said Gareth as the hand vanished. Hopefully this would all work out.

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