SJ listened as the cell door groaned on its hinges. Shouting and barking filled the small cell that Zigferd had been held in.
"You come," a voice said. Its common was broken as though it struggled to speak the language.
"There's no need to poke me," Zigferd growled.
"Move… now. Chief, see you," it barked, its voice harsh.
"I said don't poke me," Zigferd growled again, his tone menacing.
SJ had to look and lift herself so she could peek over the windowsill. Zigferd had five gnolls surrounding him, all armed with vicious-looking spears. Two of which bore the resemblance of a scorpoid stinger.
A gnoll trying to move him from the cell poked him in the back again. Zigferd spun, glaring at him, his face contorted in anger. That was when SJ noticed that Zigferd was secured with manacles on both his wrists and ankles. They knew Zigferd was a lycan and had obviously used items to prevent him from transforming.
The gnoll snarled at Zigferd, stepping forward, squaring up to him and barking in the gnoll tongue. That was the mistake the gnoll made, as Zigferd, without hesitation, brought his forehead down onto the gnoll's nose with a sickening crack.
The gnoll yelped in shock and surprise from the attack, dropping its spear as it grabbed at its now bloody face. Another gnoll carrying one of the scorpoid stinger spears pushed the tip towards Zigferd's throat, hissing, not piercing, but close enough to make sure that Zigferd knew what would happen if he tried that again.
SJ watched Zigferd's shoulders relax as she clenched her fists tightly. "I warned him not to poke me," Zigferd said, turning away from the cursing gnoll.
"Move," the one with the scorpoid stinger said.
Zigferd glanced at the stinger again and then walked from the cell.
SJ needed to see where he was being taken. She knew she could fit through the cell bars in her miniature form, but once inside, the jail was plain; there was nowhere to hide. The roof would probably be her best option.
"Damn," she cursed as she dropped back down and turned, heading back up towards the roof at the front of the barrack block.
The noise hadn't lessened as the night continued, crying, wailing, screaming, shouting and a multitude of curses heard in equal measure. As SJ neared the corner of the barracks, she peered around the edge. The outside of the barracks was as hectic, if not more so, than the rear, where the jail yard was situated.
A significant number of townsfolk, maybe nearing two hundred, were forced to sit cross-legged on the ground, under the watchful gaze of three draconian lizard riders, their mounts, and at least a dozen gnolls.
Several of the gathered beings started to shout and cry towards Zigferd as he was frog-marched in front of the prisoners.
They ushered him around the side of the barracks, past the training ground, before turning towards the wagonistas' awning. SJ followed around the roof edge. Her pulse raced and heart hammered, wondering what was to become of Zigferd. He was her fatherly figure in Amathera, her friend and now confidant.
Kibble hopped over the roof towards SJ, joining her, peering down. He snarled when he saw Zigferd being escorted towards the awning.
"I know," SJ whispered, even though she didn't understand him; his intention was clear.
A large lizard mount stood to the rear of the awning, one of the largest SJ had seen and raised voices were coming from under the awning's cover. The awning was in full view of the jail yard and beings called over anger, and fear filled alike. Zigferd walked calmly, as calmly as he could with his ankles chained, as his bindings scraped the cobbled street. His head held high, showing no sign of emotion.
The large draconian stepped out, his scaled skin glinting in the lantern's light that lit the surrounding area. SJ had seen this same draconian previously by the gates; he was the one who had killed the lizard Kibble had influenced, who had stepped out from under the awning. It still held Ballentine's great axe. The female draconian Markisha accompanied him, staying slightly behind. There was no sign of Bellakiy.
"You are Zigferd?" The lead draconian said. His voice loud and clear, there was no hint of any accent or issues with speaking the common tongue.
As he spoke, a muted silence fell over the captives and gnolls alike.
The pair were separated by about fifteen feet.
"I am," Zigferd replied, his voice calm and strong.
"You are the mayor of this town, aren't you?"
"Yes. I am the town's mayor."
Markisha stepped up to the leader's shoulder and whispered something. The draconian didn't look towards her, but nodded in response.
"Does your town follow your orders?"
SJ watched Zigferd show his first emotion as he frowned. "The town has rules, which the members follow. I don't order them. The beings of this town work together, and we have a council that makes decisions. They aren't mine alone."
"I see. So, you hold no power then," the draconian said dismissively.
"If you mean power as in authority, not as a dictator. Then, yes, I confirm the council's position and announce the decisions. I don't rule, as you appear to be using fear over your forces."
The draconian laughed. It was unnatural. It may just have been that the being rarely laughed. Several of his followers copied, although it appeared forced.
"Then you're a fool. Only the strong can lead. Your answers already show your weakness. If you have no power over your followers," the draconian waved his hand at the captives crammed into the jail yard. "Then I have no need for you."
Zigferd sneered, the anger now clear on his face. "If you wish to see strength, maybe you should release me from these manacles, and I can show you."
Again, the draconian laughed. It was so unnerving that it made SJ shudder.
"You believe I am so foolish as to release a lycan from its chains? You are a fool."
"Do you not exceed my level? Are you not willing to fight me?"
The laughing stopped immediately as the draconian took a threatening step forward. "Don't be so foolish as to believe you can challenge me. Lycan."
"What if I do? What if I beat you? Aren't the clans controlled by whoever is the strongest? Wouldn't that mean that I would become the clan's chief?"
The draconian raised an eyebrow. "I see you have some awareness of clan traditions, that was buried with our ancestors. They are old and haven't been a thing since the Scrug Wars ravaged our world."
"If so, then what gives you the right to lead your clan, or force these gnoll tribes to your bidding?"
The draconian's face flared slightly as anger briefly crossed it. On hearing the comment, SJ watched several gnolls glance at each other. The immediate reaction painted a picture of how they were controlled. There was no love lost between these beings.
SJ watched the draconian take a deep breath before he spoke again.
"I will show you why I am the leader," he said, turning and speaking to Markisha.
Markisha barked an order in what had to be gnoll, and several of the gnoll hurried off. Silence blanketed the area, apart from the occasional scuffle of movement or clink of armour, as the draconian stood patiently. Zigferd was not moving, as others fidgeted nervously.
The shouts could be heard before SJ saw anything, as the ent councillor who had been in the cell near Zigferd was dragged towards the awning.
Zigferd turned his head and looked at where the councillor struggled against the gnolls who grabbed him. A guard smashed the butt of his spear into its back, sending it crashing to its knees at Zigferd's feet.
The ent turned to look at Zigferd, and in that fleeting moment, the draconian moved, stepping forward. The great axe swung into the air and down effortlessly. The speed of the action made SJ catch her breath. The axe cut through the air, and then through the centre of the prostrated ent. A cry erupted from its lips as its wooden frame cleaved in two.
SJ still didn't understand the biological makeup of ents, yet she doubted the ent would survive such a blow. It flailed on the ground, trying to push its top half upright, as its rear and legs lay still, where it had been chopped in two.
Zigferd looked down at the ent, his face a mask of pained fury. When he spoke, his voice cracked. "I'm sorry."
The ent couldn't speak, it gasped, clawing, trying to push upright, looking at Zigferd desperately fighting. The ent collapsed again, its hand spasmed one last time as its eyes closed.
Zigferd looked up at the Draconian, now only a few feet from him. Tears tracked his dirt-stained face, his eyes burning with untapped fury as he growled. It wasn't a normal growl, and SJ watched as Zigferd's face flickered, the jaws of a bear imperceptibly flashing into existence.
