Long was a bit stunned, could Izrun notice that? Well, he's the guardian's son, maybe that's why, he's very talented.
– Yes, I'm without powers for a while.
Izrun kept looking at him, remembering the situation a few days ago when he had gone to the capital with Alba. The prince had disappeared and was later found unconscious, but they said he was fine, nothing was wrong.
Izrun spoke again, asking – How did this happen? For a while... then you can get them back, right?
Long nodded – Yes, it's only for a month... I think...
Before he could explain further, Long heard a different noise coming from the forest, with a serious expression, he looked around.
Izrun noticed his discomfort and seriousness, he had heard it too, but he didn't take it seriously until he saw the other's expression. He asked worried – What was that?
The noises came again, they were voices, they might even think they were the guards of the institute if the voices weren't male.
Long pulled Izrun behind a tree, and the moment he did, two men appeared.
– Are you sure about this?
– Absolute. There are many here, if we can catch one we can sell it at a great price.
– There's no way this place isn't protected... you see, there's a barrier, I told you.
– Shut up and lower your voice, if we get caught we are dead.
– We're dead if we leave here empty-handed.
– Ahh, if we are going to die one way or another, why are we doing this?
The men glared at each other as they argued in low voices, frustrated as they circled and circled that single spot.
Long whispered to Izrun as he watched them – Go back first, I'll lure them somewhere else.
Izrun looked at him confused and particularly irritated – what if you get caught?
Before Long could answer that he could get out easily because of his skills, Izrun reminded him – You are without your skills.
The black-haired boy pursed his lips as he glared at the white-haired boy.
A shiver came suddenly as a different breath came from behind them.
A third man had appeared, looking at them with a scary look.
The two who were talking earlier heard several screams, and when they looked in the direction the sound was coming from, they saw their colleague carrying two children on his shoulders.
As soon as the third man got close to the other two, he threw Long to one of them – Carry that one, he's noisy.
Long kicked in every way trying to get rid of the grip, the man who was empty-handed quickly pulled out a rope and tied him.
Izrun knew this would happen so he just freaked out as the prince of dragons was tied up and kidnapped by some strangers, there was nothing to say as he himself was also being kidnapped.
He had only met Long twice, and both times they got into trouble.
– And this other one?
The man pointed at Izrun.
The man holding him smiled strangely.
– Beautiful isn't she? I've never seen such a cute little girl.
Izrun was thinking about how he would get out of there, he could already use magic, but he didn't know the level of these men, they seemed to know they were dragons because they were here to kidnap Silverleak students. Therefore, they should not be underestimated.
– Let's go, I'm going to win a great reward with this little girl here, how much is she worth?
The other laughed – Surely a fortune, she is very quiet, surely she will be well disputed by those old men.
Izrun wasn't listening to the conversation, focused on getting out of this situation, only Long looked at the men in disbelief while still trying to break free, cursing them with all the possible curses he knew, in his language and in many others he had learned.
– What a noisy boy, let's just dump him in some hole and that's it.
– You are an idiot? Can't you see that boy is a dragon from the eastern lands? They are also worth a lot, I won't have to work my whole life if I can sell them.
– And to whom shall we sell?
– I know a great buyer, in fact, the best, he doesn't hesitate to spend some gold bars or huge pieces of diamond.
Tired of Long's voice, they covered his mouth with a cloth and then followed the path out of the forest.
Kidnapped at dawn, they spent the entire day in a dilapidated carriage.
His repetitive movements made both boys anxious.
One of the three men was in the carriage with them, so they couldn't talk.
Long thought that when his presence was missed, his father would definitely come for him.
He just needed to protect Izrun until the guards came, but how was he going to protect the other when he himself was defenseless.
They didn't eat for all this time, Izrun looked everywhere. They are kidnappers, who would sell them at specific points of sale the black market was usually between different nations, transactions were carried out with foreigners, and local buyers were rare, given their own proud and lonely nation.
From the weather they were probably heading south, the southern docks, business with Yuugen maybe? Or Kelet?
Long stared at the man who was with them with a deadly look, the man just hadn't beaten him because his face would help in deciding the price, anyway, this brat will suffer later at the hand of his buyer.
When the carriage stopped, the men came and blindfolded them, apparently, it was dark and they were in a very inconspicuous place. Both could not see where they were going, so, at the mercy of the kidnappers, they were taken downhill to an abandoned cabin.
It was easy to distinguish sounds thanks to their good hearing. They were in an old wooden cabin and the floor creaked. They felt they were on a slope. After walking for a while, a sound that sounded like an old door opening was heard.
Soon they felt that they were descending, the door was actually a trapdoor, and now they descended a small vertical ladder that entered the hole.
One of the men, who was carrying Long on his shoulders, commented tiredly – Finally, this boy shut up.
The man lighting the front laughed – He must have gotten tired of screaming.
The path followed with only the voices of the three men, who randomly discussed prices and rewards. This only lasted a few minutes, until they finally arrived at the scene.
The sounds were horrible, there were so many different types that it was difficult for the two boys to concentrate and place themselves.
Screaming sounds and music mingled together. The smell was the worst, it stank of everything you could think of.
The men led them through this location, until by the time the area seemed to have calmed down, only a few voices and clinking sounds could be heard.
Finally, they seemed to have arrived at their destination. Only their blindfolds were removed, but before they could get a good look at where they were, they were pushed off, landing on a cold, metallic surface.
They were trapped in a small cage.
– What is it now?
A man with delicate features approached the cage.
– Oh! Sir Karayan, how lucky to find you so quickly.
The man nodded, smiling sweetly as he looked at the new guests – Where did you get such delicate children?
The kidnapper grinned – I can do a great price for them, we found them in a forest to the north.
The handsome man raised his eyebrows, a little surprised – North? Are they dragons? It's very difficult to capture the little ones, you definitely have some skill.
– You flatter me, my lord, answering your question, yes, both are dragons, we were going to bring only the little girl thanks to her very sweet features and her withdrawn personality, but we ended up bringing the boy because his characteristics are quite rare.
Karayan, as the kidnappers referred to him, approached the cage, staring at Izrun – I see. What about their skills?
– We checked my lord, and both of them don't have any magical ability.
Karayan sighed – What decadence, at least their appearances remain dignified. I will take it. How much does it cost?
The man laughed excitedly, clapping his hands together – I can give you a discount. Will you take both?
Karayan smiled – No, I just want the girl.
The man nodded – I can make it for 1500 gold ingots, plus some emerald pieces and white diamonds.
Karayan stood up, pulling a paper and quill from his clothes. He wrote for a while on the paper and wounding his own thumb, he left an impression in the corner of the sheet – Take this and give me the girl.
The man gladly took the document, motioning his colleagues to remove Izrun from the cage.
Long had a cloth in his mouth, and as soon as the man approached he threw himself between him and Izrun, trying to prevent the other from taking him.
Karayan laughed lightly at his attitude, pushing him slightly – I won't hurt her, don't worry.
Izrun couldn't resist, there was something familiar about this man, but he couldn't say what it was.
He was taken quietly, lest he is discovered as a boy and change the man's mind. Long looked on desperately as Izrun was led away. Whatever it was, this place smuggled creatures out for different and often peculiar reasons. He felt afraid of what they might do to Izrun. And this was all his fault, if he hadn't gone to Silverleak and gotten the boy out, none of this would have happened.