That evening, Brooklyn curled in his room. He tried taking that horrible shackle off quite a bit, but gave up after it hurt him three times.

I hate this shackle... Brooklyn thought, eyes red and sore from crying, wishing for Hudson's comforting arms to tell him he'll be okay.

He had taken a couple comforting sips of his usual glass of water to help him feel better, but still kept having headaches and dizzy spells. One hallucination in particular set him on the edge.

....

One night, he slept rather uncomfortably, before opening his eyes and finding himself in a cage, like at a zoo. Other gargoyles watched him, some with disapproval, others with sympathy, while Thailog displayed him like a rare, extinct animal.

"Before you today is a gargoyle who was chosen to be a leader. But look at him; how pathetic is he to let himself get caught by me?" he sneered, looking at him with mean contempt.

Brooklyn shook, looking away, hearing the crowd muttering.

"I feel sorry for him."

"I could help him, but seeing him reduced to this controlled creature, probably not."

Brooklyn lay on the floor, gazing out pleadingly to any good soul out there that could help him regain freedom from being Thailog's torture slave.

"Please, help me..." he begged pitifully. Goliath saw him, disapproval and sadness in his eyes, before turning and walking away. Brooklyn stood up, grabbing the bars, eyes shining with tears and calling to Goliath to come back.

"Come back! No! Please come back! D-don't leave me!" Brooklyn wailed, tugging on the bars, before agony surged in his stomach and head, hearing the crowd of gargoyles laughing mercilessly at his pain...

....

"Come back... no..." Brooklyn mumbled, shivering, before opening his eyes in fright, shaking as he felt sweat coming down his forehead, which felt pretty hot.

"G-Goliath, don't abandon me..." he whimpered softly, now scared about the idea that Goliath could abandon him to Thailog's mercy, disapproving of what he had been reduced to, making him cry again, now not wanting to see any of his clan because of this.

The door opened, Thailog coming in with a plate of the promised only plate of food, mostly bread and cheese.

He set it down in front of Brooklyn, who backed away, a hand over his belly, looking away from the food he didn't want to eat, because it meant he had to do the test after he ate.

"I say eat up, you have a test to do," he purred, sitting down to watch him eat. But Brooklyn shook his head, glaring at him.

"I-I won't fight your humans, Thailog, I still won't!" He choked, drying his eyes that were still filled with tears. He winced as that shackle squeezed him yet again, and Thailog moved his face closer, eyes glowing.

"You belong to me, Brooklyn. So that means you do what I want you to do," he hissed, grabbing Brooklyn's face, then letting him go sharply.

Hands shaking, Brooklyn reluctantly nodded, pulling the plate closer, hiding himself and beginning to eat as much as he could, the food feeling rough down his throat and in his stomach, which felt like a kick in the guts. This food didn't taste like real home food.

Thailog watched with contempt as his plaything ate slowly, sadness dulling the adventurous and brave spirit in his eyes.

When he had finished, Thailog had the guards haul Brooklyn to his feet, dragging him out to the test.

Brooklyn found himself in a new room, feeling a bit stronger, but not completely with that meal he reluctantly ate, looking about for those he had to fight, handed a staff to use as well by a guard.

"Welcome to your next test, Brooklyn. All you need to do is fight my best guards to pass and prove your fighting skills against a number of foes this time around," Thailog announced.

Brooklyn frowned, as now ten soldiers were coming up, all holding staffs. After that bear a while ago, he didn't even know if he had it in him anymore, his limbs feeling like jelly, unable to support him.

He got into a shaky fighting stance, feeling pain filling his stomach that still had the shackle around it.

One attacked. Brooklyn held up his staff, blocking it, while crying out in pain as another struck him in the shoulder. Brooklyn rolled out of the way, jumping to his feet again, grunting as another staff struck his leg, unbalancing him to kneel on one knee, having him breathe shakily, the humans laughing at him failing.

Something then reignited his fighting spirit. He didn't know how, but no way would Brooklyn let these humans knock him down!

His eyes glowed, fangs bared, standing up shakily, spreading out his wings, eyeing his opponents carefully. He smelled one behind him, holding up his staff, blocking him, then kicking him in the shin, finally punching the human in the face, making him scream, holding his bleeding nose.

Brooklyn could feel his anger and determination rise, knowing that this could be his chance to break for it. Ignoring that he had his shackle still on, he began to fight vigorously, kicking some of them right in the face, and punching others right in the gut.

He pounced on another, scratching his face and chest, but not killing him yet. He was about to, when the man shielded his face.

"No, don't please! Show mercy!" he sobbed. Brooklyn hesitated, eyes not glowing anymore, as he backed away, the man crouching over, crying.

The others took this weakness as an advantage, charging in. Blinding pain hit Brooklyn's head and sides, as he gave out yells and buckled, falling to the ground, along with the shackle tightening again, and he lay there limply, unable to fight anymore, one of the men planting his foot on his back.

"Aww, the big and powerful second in command who fought a bear can't take on my men? Such a shame. I'll see you in your cell tonight so we can chat..." Thailog purred through the mic, knowing that Brooklyn had failed this test.

Brooklyn hardly had a reaction to the men lifting him, and dragging him back, throwing him in.

He couldn't move for a good long while, feeling so hot and sore in his head. Brooklyn gritted his teeth, struggling to sit up, but collapsed again, and slipped into sleep after that.