The warforged’s eyes slide open, his joints creak as they unlock. Leaf was awake. He’s surrounded by dark stone, absorbing what dim light leaks through tiny cracks. He turns to see metal bars, and he already knows where he is. He reaches through the bars and grabs a torch from the sconce, lowering his other hand to light it.

“Well, this really puts a halt to our plans,” Leaf groans as he puts the torch back in the sconce. “Wake up, Canary, we have some-”

“Already awake.”

“How... How long have you been awake?” Leaf asks

“Danger doesn't sleep,” the dim glow of the flame casting long shadows across the cell, "Neither do I."

“I guess that-” Leaf looks over and sees a... Llama? “Why did someone arrest a Llama?”

The animal rolls its eyes, unimpressed, before making an awful retching noise.

“Woah, easy girl, I'm just as stuck as you are.”

The animal raises an eyebrow, blurring the line between beast and true sentience.

"Good to see you’re making friends, Maple,” a voice chimes out, soft and polite. "Tavlan, Tavlan Brightmarsh, Guild Trader from the Emerald Sun; At your service."

“If you're part of the guild, what are you doing down here?” Leaf asks, incredulously

“Shot a man,” Tavlan scoffs, “He was selling someone as a slave on a corner. I don’t like having to make things messy, but…”

Canary and Leaf look over at each other.

“I’d do it again if I had to,” The trader looks up at the two, his emerald green eyes shimmering in the torchlight. “We are all equals under the sun, and it’s a shame that people use that as an excuse to oppress others.”

“You can say that again...” The warforged chimes, “I can't say I'm here for doing something so noble, I was falsely accused of stealing some gems.”

“I’m just a humble trader, sometimes trades are of services, not goods.” Tavlan says, petting Maple and offering her a sugar cube. “I travel from town to town offering goods and services for well… Goods and services.”

“And I take it she's your traveling companion?” Leaf asks, watching the animal eat the sugar cube.

“Yes, she helps me carry my wares and… She’s actually saved my life a few times, believe it or not,” Tavlan says, looking over at the llama once more. “I was ambushed by bandits. I killed two of them, but the last one bested me. But, right before he got the final blow… Maple slammed into him.”

“Sounds like she’s quite the beast,” Leaf says, looking at Maple, who is eyeing him back.

“Not right,” Canary chimes in, “Too smart.”

“At first, she started as a pack mule, then a pet, and now she’s family.” Tavlan says warmly, “She’s as tad strange, but I wouldn’t have her any other way.”

“Family…” Leaf mutters

Leaf goes quiet.

“I can’t waste time here, I need… I need the find the mayor.” He walks over to the bars, examining them for a moment. There isn’t a gate, so how do the bars open and close? He grabs the bars and tries to bend them, but it’s no use.

Then it clicks. Up.

He begins to lift the bars, slowly at first, the sound of iron scraping the stone blending with the sound of his joints grinding as steam rushes out from his cracks. He underestimates the bar’s weight as he positions himself underneath it — it’s too much for him. The weight begins to crush him, pops and snaps, audible from his frame. His vision darkens.

Then, the memories hit him.

Visions of every moment with the mayor flood his mind: the gentle hands that patched his wounds, the quiet presence that mended broken gears and soothed restless nights. The mayor had given him purpose, had treated him as more than mere metal. Leaf’s heart — if such a thing existed — ached with gratitude and determination. He could not fail. Not now.

Then the bars stop falling, and Leaf opens his eyes.

“I protect, ” Canary coughs out, holding up the bars.

Leaf snaps out of his stupor and ducks under the bars. Right as he gets through, the bars slam shut with a horrible scraping, followed by a crash.

Leaf eyes the trader up and down. “Let's get you out of here, you're a hero, you shouldn't be rotting down here!” he then begins looking around for some way to properly open the bars.

Leaf, reaching up, grabs the sconce and pulls on it. The bars begin to slide up.

“Well… That would have been good to know before I nearly died,” Leaf grumbles to no one in particular.

Tavlan gives a little bow, “Thank you for freeing me, kind sir.”

Maple, following Tavlan’s lead, also does a little bow.

“Freedom, Let's ride.” Canary chirps, he cracks his neck with a sickly pop and snap.

"Let's ride!" Leaf echoes

The four brace themselves for what comes next, putting on brave faces despite the lack of their usual gear.