For all of their stupidity, bulblins managed to learn with time. Volga had never seen a camp like this before. Crude but sturdy gates wrapped around the northern and western edges of the camp while tall ruins flanked the south and east. There was but a single gate covered in a sloppy cover of tattered, presumably stolen shields of various crests. A tower stood on either side of the gate where lookouts kept watch.
At the moment the current lookouts were two bokoblins clad in mismatched, poorly fitting armor. It was probably salvaged from carcasses. When Ilok called up to them, they turned and shouted to whomever was below. Two bulblins pushed open the gates. The groan of rusted metal sent an uncomfortable shudder down Volga's spine.
The bulbo began forward, pulling Volga's wrists and making him stumble. He quickly regained his composure and followed along. The warmth of fire and bodies in the camp were a welcome change from the cold, despite the rank odor that accompanied it. Volga sighed with relief. He'd take the stench over freezing to death any day.
All around tents were set haphazardly up, made from mismatched cloths and animal pelts. While the gurgling language of the bulblin's could be heard, most of the creatures were in their tents. A few gathered around the fire that acted as center to the camp. In the distance Volga could hear snorting from where the bulbos were penned. The small caravan made its way over to said pen where Volga's chain was undone from the bulbo.
Ilok cackled as she held to Volga's chain, "Chief going to like prize."
Volga only sneered in reply. That earned him a violent tug.
"Stupid!" Ilok grumbled. With no more to say, she lead him toward the fire.
A few bulblins were brave enough to jab at Volga with their grubby fingers. When the dragon knight finally feigned as if he were going to bite one's finger off, they backed off.
"Chief!" Ilok walked over to the largest tent. It was a surprisingly well-kept one, what with a lack of questionable stains and makeshift patches.
If anything, Volga expected an overweight bulblin to step out, but who they called chief truly shocked him. A man-a Hyrulean man-stepped out of the tent. Unlike the bulblins, he appeared somewhat clean, if a bit unshaven. Had it not been for the burns along his face and his mangled left eye, he'd have been rather handsome. He turned his cold gaze on Volga.
"What is this, Ilok?" He asked, voice raspy from years of yelling.
"Prize, Chief! Caught prize in Seer Valley," She chirped excitedly.
The man walked over to Volga. He carried himself with confidence, yet caution. When he neared, Volga recognized the man's armor. It was that of a Hylian Captain, although the emblem of Hyrule had been melted off of his breastplate. The deformed guardian bird was strangely unsettling. For several moments, he simply stared Volga down.
"You?" He asked, an air of entertained disbelief about him.
"What?" Volga narrowed his eyes.
The man stood for a few moments as he studied Volga carefully.
"Prize broken in!" Ilok chattered excitedly. She gave a hard pull on the chain. Taken off guard, Volga landed face down into the dirt.
The bulblins around roared with laughter and cheers.
"Ilok!" At the chief's snap, every bulblin fell silent. The man held out his hand to his underling.
Ilok hesitated for a moment before handing over the chain.
"I will reward you later," The chief remained calm even as the seething dragon knight stood. "For now, bring fresh fruit and water to my tent." With a wave of his hand, the bulblins quickly dispersed.
Volga tried to wipe the dirt from his face, but the task proved awkward with his chained wrists.
"Come."
Volga looked up to the chief. "Excuse me?"
"You're in no position to be rebellious. Just follow me."
Fighting had won him nothing so far, so Volga begrudgingly followed the chief into his tent. It was a comfortable and spacious lodge. A plush bed sat on one edge and on the other was a makeshift table with a chest beneath. Warm lamps and a single brazier illuminated the multitude of treasures that laid about. A bulblin slipped in quickly to set a bowl of fruit and a pitcher of water on the table. Despite the calming atmosphere, Volga kept his guard up. Who knew what such a traitor would pull. Those without honor were not to be trusted. Volga had always lived by that principle.
"Take a seat," The chief himself sat down on an aged, probably stolen chair decorated with pillows. There were no other places to sit but the floor.
Volga remained standing.
The chief raised a brow, but said nothing, "My name is Adar, chief of the Lanayru bulblins. I need not tell you that, I see. You seem more intelligent than them."
"Let me go."
The blunt statement didn't break Adar's collectedness, "Excuse me? You were caught fairly. You're ours now."
"Bulblin law is not the law of the land."
"Oh? But neither is yours, nor is the Queen's. The law is what we decide to follow. I learned that the hard way," He chuckled bitterly.
"I'm not here to debate philosophies," Volga resisted pulling at his chains.
"No, you're not. Forgive this bitter old veteran. It's been a long time since I've had someone intelligent to speak to," He waved his hand.
"You want to talk?" Volga furrowed his brow.
"Ha! Barely. What I need is muscle, and you've plenty of it. I know who you are," Adar sat back and looked Volga up and down approvingly, "A dragon is indeed an honorable welcome to my humble tribe."
"I see no honor here. You're just a coward and a traitor. Disgusting."
Adar's cool facade dropped in an instant. Anger boiled to the surface as he stood and strode over to Volga. In one swift movement, he brought the back of his hand across Volga's face. Given that he wore gauntlets, the force sent Volga sprawling to the ground. A small table was knocked over as he fell and the jug of water atop it spilled on him.
"Arrogant dragon. I'll put you in your place," Adar pulled the chain angrily before walking over to the chest beneath his map-covered table. By the time Volga clamored to his feet, Adar had pulled out an ancient branding iron. There was something unsettling about the seal on it, something magic.
Volga's blood ran cold as Adar heated the iron in the tent's singular brazier. Fear turned to rage and Volga felt the fire build up in his parched throat. He didn't care if his mouth was blistered for weeks. "Get away," He growled in warning. The smack took his already exhausted self further off balance. He barely kept on his feet. But he wasn't going down without a fight. When Adar stepped within arm's reach, he grabbed the chain and jolted it back. The force was just enough to rip it from his hands.
Adar cried out as the end of the chain snapped against his palm. Instinctively he released it. The moment was just enough for Volga. Adar didn't have enough time to react as the chain lifted into the air, whipped back, and lashed across his face. The force sent him to the side with a crash.
Wasting no time, Volga grabbed the trail of chain and bolted. Two bulblins were knocked clean off their feet as he ran past. His frozen muscles ached when he ran into the cold, but he paid them no heed even as they grabbed at what little of the chain trailed behind him.
"Get him!"
Volga only ran faster into the desert at Adar's furious shout. Bulblins gurgled from their tents as they awoke. One emerged as he neared another tent. Using the chain again, he whipped it forward and knocked the creature clean off its feet. The knife in its hand fell to the sand and Volga wasted no time in picking it up before rushing on.
The camp's sleepy murmur grew into a flurry of activity. Bulblins shook off their sleep and grabbed their weapons. Luckily the sudden influx of activity also bred plenty of confusion.
"Volga…what are you doing?" Mia poked out from Volga's shirt collar.
"Getting out of here," Volga slipped behind a mess of draped furs and supply crates.
"You don't have the strength. You can't survive in the desert."
"I have to."
"But your hands-"
"I'll find a way to get them off. Just stay down."
Arguing with Volga was futile. She tucked back into his shirt. Soon enough she felt him running and the muffled sound of chaos nearing.
Shk. Shk. Shk.
Arrows whistled past Volga's head.
Please be careful. She thought as she nuzzled close against his warm body. Closing her eyes, she felt him jolt around, dodging as he tried to get a grip on the sand. Bulblins' screams were muffled by the shirt she hid in.
It felt like an eternity before the chaos settled, but Volga didn't stop even when it did. Mia felt as she might get sick as she was jolted about. If only he would slow down just a bit.
She lost track of time. Eventually her prayers were answered and the jolting slowed to a walk. She poked her head out of his collar, "Volga?" She fluttered in front of him.
Sweat beaded Volga's head as he struggled for breath. His eyes stared forward, glazed over. He carried himself as if his body had become lead, yet still he trudged on.
"Volga?" Mia repeated.
No reply.
She fluttered next to his head. A firm yank to his ear should get his attention. She braced herself for his anger and pulled at the pointed tip of his ear with all her might.
Volga turned his head to look at her. He fought to keep his eyes open. The last of his lingering energy had been spent.
Mia's heart began to race as she slapped his cheek with her tiny hands, "You need to find shelter. Come on, just a little more."
Each step he took grew slower and slower. The heavy chain left a snaking trail behind them as the rising sun began to reflect off of the worn metal. Volga opened his mouth to reply to Mia, but quickly turned his head away to cough. Heaves shook his body as he fell to all fours. The world began to wobble beneath his feet. Again and again he tried to stand only to fall back down in a cloud of sand. Mia's pleads began to sound more and more distant. Sleep pulled at his mind endlessly. The fairy's pleads grew silent the instant he shut his eyes.
((author's note: hey guys, I'm SO sorry this chapter took me so long. I kept getting stuck on what to do and how to go about it. I finally went for the big push and finished it for y'all. Enjoy! I apologized if it seems a bit rushed, but I promise that this isn't the last we'll be seeing of Adar. As always, comments are greatly appreciated~))