Kor's New Friend
This was one of the last true Froglok villages, one that until only a short time ago was safely hidden from the evil hunters and their kind. Kor and his friend Balfola used to visit the village and trade with them, but upon growing up into adulthood the area was becoming dangerous to travel to. The villagers had shut them out and sent them away when it was learned that the hunters had discovered the area the secret village resided in. That was the last that Kor had seen of the village's inhabitants.
His father was killed by the hunters just over a year ago when they had attempted to reach the village. Apparently the hunters took all the inhabitants captive and sent them to either the Freeport jails or off to Tae Ew. Ever since, Kor came back here in the hopes that he would find clues to his father's whereabouts. With the hunters aware of Kor and his presence near the village it was dangerous for him to even be here, but he didn't care as he knew that some of the Froglok's still inhabited the surrounding forest. If it was Kor's last breath he'd find the location of his father and perhaps get revenge for the terrible deeds of the hunters and their ruthless games. If only he could make it safely to Qeynos, where there was the possibility of gaining the help of Antonia Bayle, but that was a dream that had no hope of fruition. He had no money to make neither the journey nor the necessary protection across the hunter's lands.
Kor looked around one last time at the huts and overgrown weeds that threatened to consume the last of the village's buildings, and then turned and headed deep into the forest back to his home near Cazic Thule, an ancient temple that was rumored to be the holy grounds of the once proud Froglok people. He'd never actually entered the temple before as it was infested with creatures of all sorts, but he thought about it from time to time as there was rumored of many ancient Froglokian artifacts and historical scrolls. After all, it was merely rumors and thus not worth risking his life for.
It was perhaps a kilometer or two into the forest before he sensed a presence around him. "I see a stranger in the midst of our camp." Kor spun around at the voice behind him. To his surprise it was another Froglok, a younger female by the look of the spots on the Froglok's back.
"I am only a visitor passing through your camp. I'm sorry I frightened you, I was only looking for clues to my father's whereabouts." He looked around for a sign of this camp that she spoke of. There was only trees and overgrown brush to be seen.
She crossed her hands. "I wasn't frightened. We see hunters pass by here regularly, so another Froglok while being a stranger and a rarity in this part is nothing to be frightened about." She stared at him for a long moment before speaking again. "I must confess that I need your help. I was heading back to my camp when I must have made a wrong turn somewhere. I don't understand how this could have happened as I travel regularly between Kodogup and my camp." She looked around, a clearly lost look on her face.
How could he not help her with a look like that? "Let us walk back to Kodogup and then perhaps you'll be able to find your way from there, but we must hurry as it is getting late." The sun was dropping further below the tree line. Night's shadows crept across the forests canopy at a growing rate. They slowly retraced his steps back to Kodogup, almost becoming lost together on their way back but eventually reaching the abandoned village, the buildings shadows outlines casting an eerie glow across the central courtyard.
Kor watched her look around in various directions before stopping at the far end of the camp and smiling. "It is this way!" She shouted excitedly to him.
Just then five hunters jumped out of the forest from around nearby tress and brush and knocked both of them to the ground. Kor, by pure reflex, released the deadly poison on his back nodules, it seeping into the hunter grasping Kor's hands. The hunter stiffed and began to shake, quickly releasing his grip from Kor. The hunter fell to the ground and for awhile shook intensively before resting still, a terrible look of agony on his frozen face half sunken in the sandy ground.
Another hunter came up to Kor and knocked him on the ground again but this time the hunter had protective gloves equipped and a hardened leather suit of armor that effectively prevented Kor from doing any significant damage with his poison. Trapped and overpowered they lay their as Kor and his new friend were tied up.
They were escorted onto a small, dirty, and non to sturdy cart that took them away from the camp in almost the opposite direction they wanted to go. By now the sun was nearly set and the only remaining light was the driver's cabin light and the eerie glow from the moons.
It wasn't until two days later, still tied to the back of the wagon, unfed, unclean, when the direction to their destination had become apparent. Kor's worst fears were realized when they pulled up to the west gates of Freeport, dragged off the cart by a group of guards at the entrance, and brought straight into the dungeon cells that lie far beneath the city. They were thrown in separate cells across from each other, the guards locking the doors behind them. They left without giving any food or water to the prisoners, heading back down the hall in a hurry, the sounds of their footsteps being the only way to know they had really left due to their being virtually no light in the dungeon.
Kor began to shake in fear of what they might do to them. Not only that but it was cold in his cell, dusty, and very dry. His skin was already cracking and with a Froglok that was a serious condition. This was bad enough that he'd gotten himself into this situation but someone else he'd not even known for a full day. What were they to do? He began to croak himself to sleep at his great misfortune.
"Riiiibiitt."
What was that? The sound came from the cell next to him, not across from him where his new friend was. The sound definitely came from a Froglok, but a Male's voice, and had an awfully familiar tone to it. Standing up, out of curiosity he croaked back to the stranger.
"Oh thank Mithaniel Marr, is that really you my son?" It was his father! That voice was unmistakable, and he clearly recognized his own. Kor croaked with happiness at finally finding his father, even if it was in such a dismal place. "I saw two figures bring in prisoners, you and someone else that was put in a cell across from me. I honestly never thought I'd hear from you again."
If Kor had tear ducts he would be crying. "Nor did I think to find you again even amongst my desperate searching." At last the true reality of their situation began to sink in. Kor sat down against the cold stone wall and dirty floor, burying his head into his hands. "I'm sorry father but I tried to rescue you. Now what are we to do?"
His father croaked lightly. "It doesn't matter now for we're together and we have the faith of Mithaniel Marr with us. That is all that matters. As long as we keep our faith we'll get out."
They heard a small croak across from them. It was Kor's friend agreeing with their statement.
