The Dark Side of Who They Trusted [1]
Like in any great rescuing mission, the four split up with no way to contact each other when one eventually finds Esmeralda.
Rina takes the responsibility of covering the forest nearby while the other three search in town. Rules are do not engage in combat unless there is a team member nearby and talk our way to get Esmeralda back if possible.
'If they aimed for Es in particular, they must be somewhere secret but big, preferably somewhere that doesn't allow trespassers...' Mei thought as she pans her eyes around the street rapidly while speed walking — running when it's empty. She's checking the alleyways, warehouses and occasionally asking around.
"Mei!"
A male voice called out her name — in sweats of running and exhaustion, it was Marc; he took a moment to catch onto his breath.
"Any luck?" He asked while still looking around the crowded street. In which Mei replied by quietly shaking her head, so Marc continues on.
"Can you check the Adventure Guild's building? I wanted to take a look at the cathedral." Marc looked at the white tall building in the distance, with a quartz cross on top.
"Why would… We need to check the church?"
"In the off chance that some sketchy cult uses dragon blood for their rituals, I don't really have anywhere else to check."
Mei nodded and the two went on their way. It's been 15 minutes, not including the time they spent getting here from town and no luck of finding Esmeralda.
Meanwhile, somewhere else...
"You sure this little Emerald Dragon is anything special?" A tall man wearing a white suit and a brimmed beret said.
It's a dark place with only a candle to vaguely lit up the surrounding. The walls are dark bricks and stones — with three smaller rooms made out of iron bars, only enough for two grown people to lie down. It's a jail room of sorts.
The only thing left is a staircase that leads upwards to a room that seems well-lit, but the stairs underneath are being guarded by one or two armored guys. Esmeralda is in the first unlocked cell, still in her dragon form and being chained to the wall behind by her neck.
"Here is the status board if you're that skeptical." A lady said, creating a status board and reaching her hand out to show it to the guy.
+Transformation (Human)
Transformation: When in Dragon form, the skill will display "Human" and vice versa, activate the ability to switch to the displayed form. Two hours cooldowns since last use.
"Transformation?" The tall guy with a beret said in a rhetorical tone.
"Eck." Esmeralda said, which translates to "Fuck."
Another candle was lit, Esmeralda took a moment to get a clearer look at the group of four who took her. They all seem to be professionals — judging by their white suit with long smooth trousers; plus they're wearing a silver tag on their chest which said "SSS."
'Is that a Rank?' Esmeralda thought, trying to force open the chain on her neck.
The four of them included two male and two female. A tall serious-looking guy with a brimmed beret, a woman with white short hair, glasses and seems half asleep, which is the same woman that showed the status board. A buff yet non-intimidated guy with spiky hair and lastly, a blue haired piggy-eyed woman with a bow resting on her back, no arrows to be seen, though.
"How did you guys manage to find this?" The tall guy asked.
'I have a name, cap.' Esmeralda thought.
"Same way anyone would find a shapeshifting dragon actually, saw her transforming in the middle of the street." The girl with a bow on her back said with a hand on her chin.
"Kiek reik" which translates to "That's not how you find a dragon."
"That's not how you find a dragon."
"That's not how you find a dragon."
"That's not how you find a dragon."
All four of them, including Esmeralda said.
"Fine, you boring people."
After everyone sighs and shakes their head for a bit. The first guy, who seems to be the leader, spawned out a piece of raw meat from nowhere, walked towards Esmeralda and kneeled down to get close to the smol thing.
"Hey there little guy, do you want this?" He asked, holding a piece of nice round ribeye steak cut in front of her.
"Hey Barack… I'm no biologist, but that's a female, I mean I just show you the status board." the bored girl with glasses said.
'Yeah dude, what kind of name is Barack anyway? Is your first name also Obama?'
The beret guy, Barack slowly facepalmed himself and glared at Esmeralda murderously.
"Fine, let's make this quick — Don, don't let anyone enter unless you have my expressed opinion." he said, charging a flame up from his index finger.
The buff spiky haired guy, Don, quietly nods and walks up the stairs, not before greeting the two guards.
"Kek!" Esmeralda can sense the flame on Barack's finger isn't friendly for her, she tried breaking free from the iron chain on her neck, when wiggling and struggling doesn't work — she tried her best to avoid Barack, by kicking and stomping him away; her small legs did nothing but made Barack more annoyed.
"I don't know if you understand human words, but either you show me your transformation or your meal won't be protein, notice how I say meal in singular?"
Before Esmeralda could think of an answer, she got pinned straight to the wall behind by an invisible force — Barack then squeezes her nostrils, causing Esmeralda to begin breathing with her mouth.
Seeing Esmeralda's mouth now wide open, Barack put the flaming hot fireball inside her mouth and making sure it won't stop burning.
"KREKKKK!"
The flame is more dangerous than it seems, with just the top of Esmeralda's mouth beginning burning — she felt as if her entire nervous system was going down in flame and she's in hellfire. She struggled to breath, she began panic screeching and couldn't think of a way to get out of this situation other than transforming and listening to what these people had to say.