~Chapter 6- Diva's predicament~

At the center of the forest was a mountain that shot into the sky, Titus Mountain. A sky platform sat at the top of the mountain, a place which sky riders came to and from between the Sky Lands.

Diva and Corri descended through the clouds over Titus Forest on top of Rojo. The red sparrow glided down to the sky platform at the top of the mountain before they disembarked.

"Remind me what your friend's names are." Diva said, "I don't want to mess up and sound silly."

"Nout and Temp," Corri said as she slung her pack over her back.

Corri led the way for Diva down the mountain path. Soon she could make out a purple tinted Mecarne walking up the mountain to meet her. Corri waved, "Hey, Temp!"

Temp waved his hands back at her. Behind him was a crowd of individuals. A Mecarne woman, a Densius, a sizable Phantine, and a grey-haired Ralosian woman... The Ralosian woman looked familiar to Diva.

Diva stopped in her tracks as she recognized her - Dama of the Fighting Academy. It was about two decades ago when she and Vos came to blows with her after they robbed her academy.

Diva looked at the others. The Phantine and Mecarne were unfamiliar, but the purple-eyed Densius could only be Amethi. The strongest of all the Densius. Why were they here?

Corri turned to the awestruck Diva, "What's wrong?"

Diva tensed up, "Those are all your friends?"

"Yeah."

"All of them?"

"Well, not all of them. Why do you ask?" Corri asked.

Diva was ready to break into a sprint. Amethi was one of the Four, those recognized as the strongest of each race. Dama might've become one of them as well. She noticed Dama whispering to the others.

Damn it.

Suddenly, the earth beneath them cracked, and spires of rock shot up all around Diva, as if to cage her.

Dama, the Phantine man, and the Mecarne woman zipped past Corri at great speeds and circled around Diva. From the ground emerged Amethi. They managed to surround Diva in a matter of seconds. This had to be the Four. Diva went into a fighting stance and readied herself.

Dama stepped forward towards Diva, "Sky Bandit #5! You're under arrest! Submit yourself immediately!"

Damn it! Diva didn't think the bounty on her was still active. It had been over a decade! Before Diva could lash out, Corri hurried to her side, "She's not a Sky Bandit anymore! She didn't do anything wrong!"

Diva looked down at the red-haired girl, so ready to protect her. She looked around at the four who surrounded her... She couldn't beat all of them. The area would undoubtedly be damaged badly if they did fight.

Diva sighed and extended her hands out to be cuffed, "I submit. I don't want a fight."

Dama didn't hesitate. She took cuffs from her robes and promptly put them on her. They were especially sturdy cuffs, the only thing that could restrain someone as strong as her.

"But you didn't do anything wrong!" Corri remarked.

"It'll be okay Corri, trust me," Diva responded.

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Diva discovered they were the Four. The short Mecarne woman was Therma. The big Phantine fellow was Theo, the new chief of Titus Forest. Just her luck to run into some of the strongest individuals in the Lands of Ralosia.

But, it was deserved. Diva and the other Sky Bandits stole from a lot of people in their youth. Even if that was in the past, it was justice that she'd pay for it.

They brought Diva to another portion of the forest where there were cages of bamboo... they had to know that wouldn't contain her. They questioned her.

"Where are the potions?" Theo asked while towering over Diva.

"What potions?" Diva queried.

"The ones you stole a few nights ago."

"I didn't steal anything! We might've been thieves when we were younger, but it's been years since we've done anything wrong."

Theo threw his hands into the air and began to pace away while the others kept close watch over her.

Dama had her arms folded, her eyes firmly on her. Diva could swear the woman hadn't blinked. "There's been numerous reports of bandits riding black- winged birds. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Sky Bandits have always ridden on crows?"

Diva recalled those sky riders she and Corri encountered near the Crow's Nest, "I think I know who stole your potions. There were a group riding ravens that we came across. They tried to steal from us."

Therma scoffed, "Oh, isn't that convenient?"

"Ask the girl that I was traveling with! She'll say the same!" Diva declared.

"I'm sure she would. But you could've told her to lie," Dama remarked. "We already know the other Sky Bandits are on Platt Mountain. We'll escort you to the prison up north, and then, we'll deal with the other Sky Bandits."

Diva's eyes widened, She thought through how such an encounter would proceed... Vos might be inclined to turn himself in, but not Razan and Lucar. They'd fight before allowing themselves to be arrested. It'll get ugly.

Diva looked to the four, "Can I talk to Corri before you take me away?"

Dama gave a reluctant nod.

They put Diva into a cage of bamboo. Diva said, "You know I can break out of this, right?"

"You better not. We won't be as gentle then," Therma replied sharply.

Corri was brought by Dama to see her. The red-haired girl hurried to the side of the cage.

"Diva! What're you doing in there?" Corri shouted as they looked at the cage. She cocked her cage and gave the cage a perplexed look, "...Don't they know you could break out of this? Even I could."

"They know. They're going to escort me to prison, then they're going after your dad and the others."

Corri's eyes widened, "That won't go well."

"I know. I need you to try and find those raven riders we saw the other day. They're the ones who've been robbing people. Find them and clear our names before these four find your dad."

"Okay!" Corri nodded emphatically, "What about you? You'll be in prison."

Diva sighed, "I don't think I can get around that. I'm still responsible for all those crimes I committed in my youth."

"That's not fair. You're different now."

Diva nodded slowly, "Yeah... Well, if you clear our names, it might reduce my sentence. Find those raven riders Corri! For everyone's sake."

Corri paused before giving a determined nod. Diva knew she could handle it.

Diva's cage was carried along by Chief Theo out of the forest. Amethi struck the ground with its stone foot, and a platform of rock formed beneath the cage. The rumors she heard about Amethi were true - the Densius was able to control the earth around it.

The Four stepped onto the platform, and with a sweeping gesture from Amethi, the platform began to glide across the terrain northward, an efficient method of travel.

They were en route to the prison up north. A hill was in the path of the stone platform they rode on. Amethi made a gesture with its arms, and the hill's shape reformed in such a way that they could pass through. After they did, Amethi made another gesture, and it returned to its original state.

They continued like this towards the prison. Diva watched the Four interact with each other as they went and began to grasp their personalities.

Dama was stoic and appeared to act as their leader. Amethi was quiet and was content to let the others do the talking for it. Theo was bold and had a heroic, noble feel to him. Therma was a hothead.

"I don't think all of us needed to escort her to the prison. One or two of us would do. I doubt she's very strong at all," Therma said, staring directly at Diva as she did.

Diva smiled and looked at her through the bamboo bars of the cage, "Really? How would you like to let me out for a quick sparring match? You'll see exactly how strong I am."

Therma seemed tempted to do so, but the others dissuaded her. Dama asked calmly, "How powerful are the other Sky Bandits?"

Diva furrowed her brow, "If you do go after them, not only will you be going after the wrong people, but they'll be the strongest opponents you've ever faced."

The Four stared at Diva curiously. There was a mix of doubt and wonder in their eyes. Perhaps excitement.

Dama said, "We'll see."