A/N: OLAF! It's me, IFYOUCOULDFLY! So…whoa. You guys are too amazing for words. I went to SLEEP, and my reviews doubled! Hehe…wow…I'm so grateful! Anyways, read on! Oh…yeah…the dis- Jenny: I'll do it, I guess! Me: Oh…well I was kinda going to ask- Jenny: Why, am I not good enough? Me: WHAT? NO! Well, I mean... Jenny: Just say it yourself! Me: NO! Jenny: Fine, then, be difficult! *crack! Me: OW! Did you seriously just hit me with your ladle? OW! STOP! FINE! I DON'T AND NEVER WILL OWN RANGER'S APPRENTICE JOHN FLANAGAN DOES ARE YOU HAPPY?!...just read.

-CHAPTER FIVE-

*Halt's P.O.V.*

"You have got to be kidding me." The Ranger growled. He hated boats. He hated sailing. And he especially hated sailing in a boat that was basically a hunk of wood messily nailed together. The skipper in front of him shrugged. "I'm sorry, sir, but we can't wait any longer. We have a good idea where the ship was headed and this is the only ship we've got right now that's ready to sail. If you want whatever it is that you lost, you'll have to get on."

"Just go with it, Halt." Horace said with a slight hint of amusement in his voice. It wasn't often he got to see his friend's old mentor so sickened. "Halt, really," Gilan said with mock disappointment. "Don't be such a baby!" As soon as he finished, he collapsed, wheezing. Realizing his old friend had just knocked all the wind out of him, he clambered up, trying to recover.

"We'll take the offer, thank you very much!" Horace rushed, seeing the horrified look on the skipper's face before Halt could protest, and Gilan could stop gasping, they were shoved onto the rickety ship, their mounts in tow. The skipper shrugged, climbing on after them. "Make yourselves at home. There's open beds downstairs."

The friends nodded their thanks (except for Halt, who just grunted), and climbed down to the bottom deck, unaware that the man they had just left behind was grinning evilly. Of course, the real captain of the ship was in his cabin. He couldn't take any chances revealing himself, that cursed pony might recognize him. Indeed, he was the very man that dragged away Will that one night. The man that organized the stealing of Larkshire's best ship. The messenger.

*Will's P.O.V.*

Will was pacing in circles. The guards outside his cell kept whispering that he'd gone mad, but he knew he had to keep moving. And keep thinking. Every day, he went through all the people in his life- Halt, Tug, Horace, Gilan, Alyss, Evanlyn…each time thinking of all the things he loved about them.

Finally, he sat down again, rubbing his wounded back. "How on earth did I get into this mess?" He thought, resting his head in knees. For a moment, he almost slipped away, nearly let his emotions loose, but just in time, the guards grabbed him.

"C'mon, Ranger." One of them, Gerald, grunted. "Yeah, Lord Vasanistis had something…special in mind for you." The other, Finley, smirked. "Great…." Will thought, but walked along with them, refusing to be dragged like helpless rag doll.

Soon they were in a large room that Will had never seen before. What was more, it was completely white and completely empty, save Brutus, a white table, and two white chairs. What shocked the young Ranger was that Vasanistis was not there.

"Will, we're here to help." Gerald suddenly whispered in his ear. Will's head sprang up in shock. "Yeah, you don't think we really like Vasanistis, do you?" Finley prompted. Seeing the look of disbelief on his face, the pair let go. "Just talk to Brutus. He'll help you escape." They left the room in a hurry, leaving Will and the man that had tortured him alone.

"Sit, Will." The large man ordered, gesturing to the chair opposite him. The Ranger made his way across the room hesitantly, but obeyed. This man had caused him enough pain to know that disobeying him was a very bad idea.

"I suppose you want to know what's happening here." Brutus stated, and Will nodded warily. To his surprise, his torturer smiled. "Obviously. Will Treaty, I hate Vasanistis. With all my heart. Sadly, I cannot do anything. But you…you can. Only if you escape, and I fully intend to aid you in doing so." Will's eyebrows shot up. Every Ranger instinct was telling him not to, but for some reason, he believed Brutus. "I'm listening…"

The burly servant smiled again. "I thought so. I plan to give you an opening. There's a rescue ship coming, as Vasanistis's spies have discovered. They plan to recover a stolen ship we have stored here. It's the perfect opportunity for escape." Will suddenly sensed that something was wrong.

He couldn't explain, but for some reason, Brutus's eyes were like a magnet. They were so big…and deep black…like the pupils were swallowing him whole…. A flicker of fear ran through Will's mind as he realized what was happening, but was quickly replaced with complete calm. "What is there to be worried about? I'm safe here…" he thought sleepily.

Brutus quickly recognized the clouded look in the Ranger's eye. He had been successfully hypnotized.

Ever since he was a boy, Brutus had had a peculiar talent. He could easily let people's minds slip under his control. This talent scared him, and he kept it hidden, but Vasanistis had discovered it. Though Brutus could not remember, he had a wife and son that meant the world to him. When Vasanistis had threatened to kill them in exchange for hypnotizing himself, he knew what must be done. Soon, he became Vasanistis's personal servant, never disobeying a command. He had gathered people from all around, convincing them to join the army of the son of Morgarath.

"Will? Can you hear me?" A voice came from behind Brutus. Vasanistis, who had been listening from another room, had slinked in like a shadow.

"Yes." The Ranger replied in an even tone. "Good. I want to ask something of you. I believe it would benefit us both if you would simply do as I ask from now on." Will nodded. Gone was the slightly childish, quick-to-anger Vasanistis Brutus typically knew, here was the smooth-talking Lord that had slipped into so many people's minds.

"Good boy, Will." Vasanistis smiled, and Will's face lit up at the sound of his master's praise. "Now, Will, I want you to forget all about what happened here when I ring my bell, okay?" He said, holding up a small silver object. The Ranger nodded.

"How strong is his mind, Brutus?" He asked, turning to Brutus. "Very strong my Lord," he replied. "You will have to keep him controlled at intervals, maybe only thirty minutes at a time. I imagine, however, that after being kept in your control for long periods of time, he will begin to stay hypnotized longer. Eventually he will be permanently yours, my Lord."

A freezing smile played across his lips. "Wonderful. Now, Will, whenever I ring the bell and you are…erm…calm," Vasanistis said, choosing his words carefully, "I want you to forget all about it. But if I ring the bell again, become just like this again." Will nodded obediently. "Yes, my Lord."

After allowing himself a moment to revel in his success (a Ranger! He controlled a Ranger!), Vasanistis shoved him out the door, down the hall, and into his cell. "Good night, Treaty," he sneered, then rang the bell, quickly running off to his room.

Will awoke abruptly. There was a slight thought in his mind, something warning him that he was in great danger, but he quickly shrugged it off. "Strange, can't remember my dream," he thought, then went back to sleep.

A/N: MWAHAHAHA! The things I do to poor little Will….hehe. So I'm glad to say I overcame a tiny bout of writer's block and now I have a fairly good idea of what I'll be doing with this story…NOT THAT I'LL BE TELLING YOU! But anyways, thanks SO super much to all you that have reviewed, followed, and favorited! I LUV U GUYS! Anyways, keep reading! Next update tomorrow!-FLY