A Fellow Sinner [Raine]

The gates leading into Baste Dungeon, struck open with no delay. The two guards standing by protecting those gates were struck with surprise as to how fast they were ripped open with a mere yank of the young knights hand. With the large doors left open she'd stride forward into the dungeons themselves, the two guards were left there in silence and they motioned the doors to be closed.

As the knight strode forward, she begun to remove her helmet from her head. Her hair would feather down past her shoulders. The clanking from her boots, would fill the silence causing her to proceed, noticed by all of those held within these walls. As she pressed forth, arms and legs stretched out from the bars toward her, reaching with all their might in attempt to reach her. Their cries of pleading innocence made some of the passing guards laugh, but she'd just gave them a glare of pity.

But she wasn't going to dwindle within the top floors of the dungeon, but beneath them. Where some are thought to be more of a threat to the world above and even those kept in the dungeon. To be kept alone for the rest of their lives, or one would think.

Reaching the 4th floor beneath the dungeon, the young knight would find a group of knights huddled around a door and seem to have been waiting for the knights arrival. "Well if it isn't the Kings Dog, Mari" One would spout and the rest of them chuckled. Though, Mari would solely ignore them and went to reach for the candle before grabbing the handle of the door. The rest of the knights begun to leave. "We'll retrieve the king, you handle the one inside. Do be careful." He mentioned with a sarcastic tone.

She entered the room, darker then most nights, she could hear the chains rattle from the ceilings. It actually made her spine shutter, for reminding her of her past as she was too, once locked up in chains.

"I'm here, to judge your potential."

She spoke.

Just a few months ago Raine was in one of the towers of Baste Dungeon, he had a little window and it was rather nice as that was his cells for years... But however thanks to a small bout of hope he destroyed the wall of his cell and caused a grand skylight for him. He didn't escape but hell the guards didn't seem to enjoy that, so he was moved...

Utter darkness... So this was solitary confinement... Back when he was a cook, he once delivered food to someone in solitary, he was on edge and paranoid, apparently only being left alone with one's thoughts eventually drives one mad... However he couldn't allow this for himself, from that point he spent months just occupying his mind to keep the madness from setting in, the chains he was adorned with didn't help. He used most of this time practicing his abilities, the guards only came to feed him once a day and came to give him some water two times a day. He timed these and waited for whenever he was alone... His chains only came off when it was time to eat, he got used to it.

When the sun is absent you lose your sense of time, he had no idea how long he had been in that room of absolute darkness... Though what he assumed was one day, after they had already given him his food and chained him back to the wall, the door opened rather sporadically and the light! He hadn't prepared his eyes for it, he went blind for a mere moment. As his eyes settled on the figure, his heart started pounding as he heard her voice.

"I'm here, to judge your potential."

He let out a small smile as he had no idea what was happening. "Judge my potential you say? For what? Am I being recruited? Going to send a weak dog like me to the field to die?" He said as he looked at her sharply, he tried thinking of what could possibly have warranted this...

As the candle brightened the room, she can she the faint outline of a body hoist up against the wall. She walked toward the center of the room, as he begun to question her and what she was talking about. Placing the candle in the center of the room, she'd place her golden helm beside it. Pulling her blade from it's sheath she'd walk toward the young chained man. Stabbing the tip of the blade into the stone wall beside his head, she'd bring herself face to face to this criminal.

"For a weak dog, there must be a reason as to why you haven't died yet, correct?"

She spoke in a soft tone as she sighed into his face. To be a chained criminal within this dungeon, who sure had a ton of enthusiasm. She pulled herself back and took hold of the chains attached to the walls, pulling on them, she'd pull out the entire blocks that they were attached to.  

"If I were to break those chains, something worse might happen to you then being held in here. For now, deal with that much."

She walked back and took a seat on the cold ground, beside the candle, leaving her sword behind, stuck in the wall. She pondered the thought as to why the king was interested in this person out of everyone in the world, but who was she to judge, wasn't she in the same situation.

But she wasn't going to let someone as random as this one, be in any way a choice in the matter, without her agreeing to it. Leaving the blade there beside him was but the first test, as to see whether he'd use it to gain way and escape. She might be wearing armor but she was still a short young girl, in his eyes.

True... Why haven't he given up yet... It had been months since he was locked in this dark room, yet he kept on with his hope. Though it seemed that his hope finally came out as he felt less restraint from the chains. She left her weapon behind him as she went ahead and sat in front of him next to a lowly candle. He could fully see himself now, boy even with his training in this dark hell, he was malnourished. He was probably weaker than when he first entered this dungeon but he should still have enough strength for this next feat.

Raine with his new flexibility, he let out a sigh as he would answer her. "You have a point... Maybe I have more gusto than I once thought." He stretched a little as he turned back and looked at the sword. "Judge my potential huh?" He grabbed the sword and pulled it out, he felt it's weight... He loved how it's hilt felt in his hand, he yanked the sword out of the wall and he looked at the sword. "Remarkable Blade..." He raised the blade and swung it down to the cuffs on his chains and cracked though them and pulled them off his wrists and ankles.  "Excellent material as well, cuts iron like fat..." He than turned to the woman and walked slowly to her as her blade rested in his hand. His face could be considered a tad unreadable as he stood in front of her. He raised the blade and than smiled, if a guard would come in it looked like a really dangerous scene but in reality he was simply admiring the sword in the light.

He than lowered the blade and took a seat in front of her and presented her her own weapon as to give it back. "You have a very nice weapon, I've only seen high ranking knights with it. My mother had one like it... You said if you broke my chains, that things even worse than here could happen to me... However the truth of it is, anything is better than this cage... This place has been what my nightmares have been composed of. I assumed your here for something greater than just to fancy my thoughts of seeing the outside by force. I know what I have done and that is the only reason I've chosen to stay. Though thank you for allowing me to break those chains, with those broken hopefully they'll move me, with luck maybe a place where I can see the outside again. Either way... What are you testing my potential for?" Raine asked as he remembered the manners that were beaten into him, he laid the sword in front of her. He than gave her a stone stare as he analyzed the woman. He could tell that she was important, but he didn't know why... Why was this stranger in his cell.

Mari watched as the young lad, with his slight freedom given by herself was being abused before her very own eyes, she gave a slight sigh of distaste. She churned her neck as he pondered at her blade, a weapon of value yes, but something that she didn't need to possess this situation. Breaking free from his shackles using her own blade he acted as if being free from this small cell, whether it'd be actual freedom or just some other portion of the dungeon. As if that would actually be better then where he is now.

"You said if you broke my chains, that things even worse than here could happen to me... However the truth of it is, anything is better than this cage... This place has been what my nightmares have been composed of"

He said making Mari lift a small smile on her face as they'd share expressions, even though his was more emotionless. It was quite funny. To give someone a chance and of course they'd just toss it aside, something she was very experienced with. Though as she promised to not use that power on others without reason, she was instructed to keep him in check.

"Alright then, then allow me to help you move into your new....abode."

She said as she clenched her fist. Thrusting her fist into the ground beneath their feet, the floor would break and crackle. Dust would flush into the air as the floor breaks beneath their feet, the prisoner beneath them shuttered in fear as he shuffled in his chains. Mari stayed in her legged crossed position as she dropped to the floor beneath them. Her blade fell and caught itself in one of the pieces of the floor.

"Listen the test in your potential is for my own accord. For the moment, your not up to par to my expectations. How about telling me how you got in here in the first place......can I assume your mother was involved?"

She spoke with a fishy tone as she snickered toward him, recalling his mother.

His eyes widened as she broke through the floor of his cell, dust and rubble flying everywhere as the floor would cave in and the two would fall through, she was cocky as she stayed in her sitting position even as she fell. He on the other hand would flip in the air and land on his feet, he felt like he was under attack all over again. He cracked his neck and looked at the regal blade which stuck in the ground. "No my mother was not, she was just a simple knight... I got here by committing an atrocity... That's all i'm willing to say about it!" Raine said as he grabbed her sword again.

Raine was truly blessed with skill as a swordsman, it had been so long that he had held a blade... "You know this is the most light i've been in for the past few months... Doesn't it feel nice? Most people don't appreciate it..." He said as his arms started to glow bright as a small dueling saber formed within his left hand, while her blade rested in his right hand. "Thank the nine that you fancy one sided blades, i'm atrocious with double edged blades." He said as he was finally willing to have her test his potential...

He took a rather regal stance, something one would expect from a holy knight, he was trained like one. He truly could've aspired more in his life other than remaining a chef... She didn't even move... He lunged forward and swung the sword down, his light constructed saber ready to block or counter at any moment. He didn't know what he was doing anymore... His gut was telling him that this is what she wanted, she was much stronger than she let on, he kept wary of her.

She watched him catch himself onto the ground filled with rubble, the chained man who was being held in that cell was utterly confused and scared as to watch was happening between the two. Where as the young dog, was more then eager to get something started. She was kinda startled as to see him with enough strength to even continue this, she kinda questioned this Baste's lack of torture treatment to the prisoners within her, cause they end up as such and go against them so easily.

"Seems like you've failed the first."

She said as he grabbed her own blade without even asking, which she found quite rude in her opinion. But the next thing did catch her eye as he brightened his own hand and summoned a long blade from and onto his hand. Mari would sigh as she slightly moved her hand in between her thighs, with and open hand she pressed against the ground. The prisoner would dash toward her with her blade swung downward toward her, with her only pulling her arm up and over to block the attack. As the blade connected, Mari was forced through the ground, crafted a hole within the floor, leading into darkness.

To be honest she didn't know what she was doing, she was quite prideful for many things but even she didn't know how to determine ones usefulness, she never needed to, only relied on herself. He wasn't one to be scared easily, nor did he care for his own safety. She hoped that he come to his senses and halt his pursuit to freedom and talk things through but it seems it fell to the latter. Sitting alone she placed her hand on her chin, pondering and pretty annoyed as how things went, but it wasn't boring that was for sure.

To be able to trust him was out of the question, he abused his freedom that she gave him, as well as used her own weapon to attack her. She smiled.

"What was your name again?"

She asked.

Raine clashed against the girl and as a result the floor would collapse under the girl and what caught Raine's attention was the fact that she blocked his attack with her arm without even a scathe, meaning she was even stronger than she anticipated. Raine could see inside that dank darkness, he didn't want to go back into that so stayed on the floor he was. He kept waiting for a moment of retaliation but in return he received... Nothing. The light that shined into the room below barely illuminated enough that all he could truly see was the outlines of her body. She seemed like she was contemplating something, and after a moment a question arose.

What was your name again?"

This struck him as odd... What was her aim... He clutched closed his hand that held his short sword and it would break apart back into the regular light of the room. He would sit on the ground at the mouth of the hole and laid her sword in front of him so she could retrieve it. Seems she truly did want to speak more than fight, or whatever test his potential was supposed to mean. He cleared his throat as he answered her question. "My name is Raine Gray, though throughout my home I was simply just called Raine, sometimes even Gray! Who are you anyway?"

He had to know he was confused as to what was going on. He looked to the side of the other prisoner who's cell he was in, it seemed he passed out from fright. Oh well... He focused all his concentration on his visitor. He also let out a slight chuckle. "So I hope my potential was measured accurately!" He said smiling ever so slightly as he continued to look at her. He wanted some answers, what was she testing him for...

Mari sat in the darkness, listening in on what prisoner was doing, if his movements were irregular and to see if he was planning something while she was away. And it was also safe to say that this person was an acknowledged power user or having the ability to use magic, in any case it was also irregular and could put a damper on her intent to recapture him seeing that his release wasn't in the original plan.

"My name is Raine Gray, though throughout my home I was simply just called Raine, sometimes even Gray! Who are you anyway?"

Raine Gray..the young man answered her question though it did sound rather sarcastic. She never heard of the name, she's kept up with the news rather well but maybe he did something that was to bad to be recorded for public uses, it was something that she disliked but was understandable as to keep public panic at a low. Then again, why is he only asking about her now? Shouldn't it have been weird for anyone to disturb him and questioned her intentions in the beginning. They don't really plan out a prisoners day.

"I am one who challenged a King."

She spoke with pride. In the intention of pushing fear into Gray for her inability to care for others status nor the power they wield, no matter what kind it may be. She crouched down a bit before launching herself toward the ceiling, with her open hands first, she took hold of the sides of the hole. Pulling herself up she sat the edge of the hole.

"Your true potential will be shown depending on your action. Chain yourself once more. This isn't a request neither."

Where as he was willing to break through for the object of his desire, he must know at some point where he'd must return his blade back to its sheath. Without self control he'd be nothing but a wild card and be more of a threat then anything else. Something she didn't need or want. She sat there awaiting an answer as she reached for a pair of chains that were lying on the ground.

He sat there and listened to her statement, it was bold but if she meant what he thought, she was far more interesting than he thought. He nodded a little as he stood up and looked over at the passed out criminal and crossed his arms. He just looked as she climbed up and demanded him to go back to his chains... He truly didn't want to but it seems that she was serious, he stretched a little.

"Fine... You win! I guess I stretched enough, god I really hate those chains... I really want to see what you're trying to do!"

He looked at the hole from his cell, light was pouring into his cell, he should be fine. He jumped up and climbed back into his cell with no trouble at all, leaving her sword in front of her. He than sat back down and clasped the broken cuffs onto his wrists, leaving his ankles bear since hey he was still chained either way. He waited for the girl that challenged a king, he was curious about what she wanted... He just hummed a little as he was getting anxious.

She climbed up to her feet as she grabbed the hilt of the blade up from the ground and placed it back into it's sheath. She kicked around the fallen pieces of stone that was left all around the ground searching for her helmet. She listened as Raine jumped back up to his cell, though the ground to his cell was pretty broken as it was so staying up there was pretty dangerous so she might have to take em to another cell in the end anyway. Finding her helm under a piece of stone, she found it battered and scared.

"I really want to see what you're trying to do!"

His voice ringed throughout the cells, but she could just smile. He was brave but he knew when to call it quits when things were getting sticky, then again if he knew that she wasn't allowed to destroy the place he'd just abuse that, then again who was stopping her from doing so.

"Www-What have you done. You dam Mutt!!?"

A sudden voice entered the room. Mari turned around to witness the same knight from before came to down. He was sweating from his neck so she assumed that once the noise from her breaking the ground reached them he came running down to check out what happened. He strutted in the room with a menacing snarl before he grabbed the rim of her collar and pulled her close before lifting her up to his height which was about three feet taller then she was. She just stared at him without much emotion.

"We were told to let you interrogate the prisoner, not kill him! Where is...he!?"

He continued shouting as he searched around the room for a dead body but as he brought his attention up, he noticed Raine sitting down with his hands in chains. He changed his view back and forth before dropping Mari back onto her feet, he spat to the side before returning toward the door.

"I'm not cleaning this up! And get the prisoner ready! The king will be here soon!"

He shouted to get the last word in as he left the area. His foot steps echoed as he got further. She let out a large sigh as she put back her helmet on top of her head. She looked upwards toward Raine before motioning him to come down.

"Just keep the chains on and act like your obedient. I'm moving you to the containment room on the 1st floor."

Her voice was forced but she kept her body in control. She stepped outside of the cell on the bottom floor and begun to walk toward the stairs and upward.

Sure he was back in his chains but my God the scene that was enveloping was so amusing, this powerful woman, being called a mutt! Ha! He would smirk as he watched the scene conclude. That guard that criticized her, he recognized that voice. He is one of the most aggravating guards in this damn dungeon. Whenever he cares for Raine, he just berates him and nearly abuses him even though Raine himself never truly talks to 90% of the guards. He rolled his eyes as his smirked remained bright on his face as the voice of that guard left slowly.

The woman climbed back up to the cell below him and told him to be obedient and go with her. His smirk slightly faded as he stood back up and cleared his throat.  "Alright, I'll follow you than..." He guessed the chains that were attached to the blocks of stone was the ones she wanted him to take. He slung the chains and stones over his shoulders as he jumped back down to the cell below. He smiled at her as she left the room, he following suit.

He hadn't seen this floor before, however it was a dungeon, not a castle... It all looked the same. He heard countless of these prisoners beg for mercy and plead innocence, he was disgusted by these men, they know what they have done, they should just shut up and endure their punishments...

Finally at the first floor, she escorted him into a containment room and he placed the stone blocks down and used them as a chair. Just think he still had no idea what was happening, oh well... At least this cell had a window, the sky looked so nice... HE looked back to his guest and remained quiet, he shot her a smile and waited for... Wait did that annoying guard say King? Like the king? of the kingdom? What was the king doing here?

As they entered the containment, a long stone table rested in the center of the room. There wasn't any chairs to be found within the room itself, Mari would shrug it off and wait as Raine entered behind her, before closing the door. Raine seated himself while she laid back against the wall in wait for their special guest.

"As for your question. Like I said before, that was for my own determination and I'd appreciate it if you kept it to yourself."

She spoke in a soft tone that would echo throughout the room.

~

Outside of Baste Dungeon a royal cart as big as a house pulled by three large Ox's consumed in fur that would hide their bodies but their large horns extended outward far enough to interlock into one another's horns. The side door would swing open with a butler walking out and placing a set of stairs in front of the door. A old man with a beard that reached his ankles slowly walked down the few steps he needed to reach the ground before taking a large deep breath to catch it. Stretching backward the sound of bones crackled, his face resembled relief as he continued forward to the large gates into the dungeon.

~

Moments later a knock on the door brought Mari's attention as she threw herself in a static straight position, opening the door. The old man stood there with a smile on his face as he walked into the room. "Yahoo, I've arrived. I hope I didn't make anyone wait." He mentioned as he continued into the room onto the other side of the table. He noticed Raine sitting on pieces of slab, with his chains still connected to them, lifting a brow in confusion. "If you don't mind, I'd like to talk to Raine alone." The old man asked Mari. She kept her silence and nodded her head as she started for the door. "But before you go, you seem a lot more relaxed then usual. Did you get what you needed?" He asked. Mari stopped at the front of the door with her hand on the knob. "....Yes. I'll wait outside, if you need anything else." She answered with a soft tone before exiting the room.

"Well, I'd say you hit the mark. She usually fights me to stay in the same room, this time she left without a word." He spoke with a grin before returning his attention to Raine. "So I'm sure you know who I am by now. But let me ask you one thing.....How would you like to be freed?" He said with a soft tone, but the glare of seriousness in his eye could pierce the moon.

Raine nodded silently to her guest, apparently testing his potential wasn't a part of what she was supposed to do, but hey having a favor from her couldn't be a bad thing. So he waited, he could hear it, he was close to the entrance, seemed like it was large... Was it a prisoner transfer? No... It had to be their extinguished guest. The King! He could feel his heart beating up his throat in anticipation... He just waited, it's all he could do, damn was this stone slab not comfy, it was all porous so if he moved it made his ass feel like it were on fire. At least the stone on the floor was flat and sort of comfy... Oh god has been there that long that flat stone felt amazing compared to this porous hell?!

Either way the door finally opened and an elderly regal man stepped in. This was him! He'd seen a portrait of the king once before, it was splendid, he heard of the man and couldn't really believe that he was standing in front of him. He didn't move as he spoke to Mari and watched the two interact. He was just in awe as she left with out a fight or anything, the King himself even praised Raine for some how pleasing her enough for her to go without a fuss. He was awestruck for the moment as the king started speaking about his freedom.

God his stare seemed as it could kill, he would bowed down as he muttered, "Your majesty... You honor me..." He said as he raised back up and cleared his throne and tried to smile. [b]"I would love to be freed, I'd do anything for it... But why me your highness? I do not feel worthy to even be in your presence. What are you offering me?" He answered in Full sincerity. What was worth his freedom? What did the king want with him...

"Your majesty... You honor me..." The king laughed as Raine spoke to him using such honorifics. For a man who was imprisoned within his own dungeons. Either he was playing it safe or he was plotting something underneath those words. Either way the king himself came to do something, and he was going to do it. "I would love to be freed, I'd do anything for it... But why me your highness? I do not feel worthy to even be in your presence. What are you offering me?" Raine spoke again with the same honorifics but it might be just his own personality. The king put his hands together as he stared into Raine's eyes.

"I'm asking you to join a group I'm constructing. It's formed of some of the most dangerous and cruel criminals found within Britannia. You just hit the mark." He spoke with a small grin on his face mostly cause this wasn't an offer he could be refused mostly because the fact that Raine's main goal is to be released from the prison, then again he might attempt to do it any how. But he found a sense of righteousness. "Please think it over." He suggested