The Legend of Yan-Kan Mar

By Madness Jones

"The Sinister Ones were finally dead, but their deaths were only the beginning..." 40 million years ago an advanced race called the Taiko ruled the earth. All traces of them have been lost, and humanity has ruled for thousands of years. Now, however, a skeleton from the past has been unearthed in the form of three Taiko sky pirates led by the formerly infamous Yan-Kan. The pirates are revived from their crystal prison and discover that their world no longer belongs to their people. What will they do with this knowledge? Will they seek revenge, try to start a new life, or attempt to unlock the secrets of their people's forgotten past? The Legend of Yan-Kan Mar is a tale of life, loss, adventure, the undying bonds of family and the discovery of new friendships. Readers from many walks of life will find this an unforgettable read.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Madness Jones
• Release date: Jun 2, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370320165

Book preview

Prologue

Earth is a beautiful planet, isn’t it? Earth is a planet full of great people, strange animals, and beautiful plant life. Earth, however, wasn’t always the planet we know it to be today.

In order to understand everything that happened afterward, we first must travel back in time; 44 million years approximate, and discuss what happened all those eons ago.

There was once a highly intelligent species inhabiting the earth. The name of this species was the Taiko; a name that translates into children of greatness.

The Taiko were physically strong, technologically advanced, and lived by rigid rules of conduct that varied according to territory. It wasn’t always an easy life, but for the most part it was peaceful.

Physically, the Taiko were bipedal just as we are. Their skin color ranged from a pastel orange to dull bluish grey to paper white, with orange being the most common. Their eyes were slit down the middle like a cat’s or a snake’s, and their ears folded back like bird’s wings and separated into three points with web connecting them. The ears would unfurl when a Taiko was startled or trying to hear something far away.

Taiko ruled their world in ways humans can only dream of. Have you seen a skeleton of a dinosaur in a book or in a museum? Well, those bones don’t tell the whole story.

The Taiko were experts at cybernetic hybrid mutation. Many of the giant beasts you see in the museum today were once mechs bred by the Taiko to make their lives easier. They most often used lizard and bird RNA to craft the organic portion of the vehicle, and would then augment their oversized animals with various working parts to make them useful for whatever was needed. In turn, the tank, ship, crane, or whatever it was, could be programmed to lay eggs and make more without having to build a new one from the ground up.

Yes, the Taiko were the masters of their world. Their society was very proud of high intellect and good breeding.

There were, however, four core mutations that could potentially plague a Taiko. These mutations, or manipulations as they were often called, were called Semp, Dal, Osi, and Maran. A Taiko that was considered a manipulator had a difficult time fitting into normal society.

The Semp were feared because they were toxic. A Semp breathed toxic powder through their mouth; a substance that was deadly to Taiko and most plants and animals. The Semp were easy to spot. They had powder white skin; no matter what their parents looked like. They also had dark purple eyes and black hair.

The Dal fared slightly better because they were useful. A Dal was a Taiko that attracted static electricity to an absurd degree. These Taiko were often struck by lightning, but it didn’t matter since the body of a Dal was equipped to absorb it and even store it for future use. Dal had no physical marks at birth to give away their plight, but repeated strikes from lightning would often result in branch shaped scars all over their bodies by adulthood.

The Osi, unlike other manipulators, were not ostracized by Taiko society. An Osi’s body was 97% water on average, which meant an Osi could shape-shift from their normal appearance to a body of water at will. These Taiko had a high level of endurance, but were usually not considered a threat to the public.

The ones who received the worst treatment by far, however, were the Maran.

The Maran were ugly pitiful creatures that could breathe fire and frequently exhaled smoke. They polluted the air and could harm those around them with little effort. Maran bodies were only 13% water on average, and therefore wrinkled early and had leathery dry skin.

The other manipulators had social taboo to worry about, but when a child was born a Maran it was a literal death sentence.

The average Taiko lifespan was around 150 years old, but Maran children usually didn’t grow up, and a Maran that managed to make it to adulthood would likely never see 30.

The lack of hydration meant their bones would become brittle. The hair and fingernails were made from leftover iron in the blood. Due to the fire and sulfur coursing through their hydrogen lungs they burned fat too quickly, which made them look deathly thin. This was a blessing, since too much fat often caused spontaneous combustion. Their hair would grow up instead of down, and their black iron nails were sharp as knives.

To the parents of a Maran child, they had a disease. To the world, they were a disease.

Most Maran were weak and sickly. They were often treated like lepers, and were even called Mar; a racial slur that referred to the back of a dirty stove.

It was in this climate that a group of sky pirates emerged to cause fear in the hearts of men and terrorize the skies.

This group was known as the Sinister Ones.

The Sinister Ones flew a stolen military grade mech known as a Kalabus. Their Kalabus was called the Shadow Star, and it was a powerful machine.

A Kalabus had the wide thin oval shaped body of a silverfish with an orb partially concealed on top to serve as its central processing core. The tail curved over its body like a scorpion’s, and often had an attachment that served as a weapon.

The Shadow Star was a dark charcoal color with a translucent red orb atop its body, and the tail wielded a pendulum blade to thrash other mechs out of the sky. The side of its body had an inscription on it written in the aviator’s language of Ipu Ipu. It read Shadow Star.

The Kalabus was only one aspect to the sensationalism of these bloodthirsty pirates. According to rumors, they were all mutated Taiko; manipulators. Their pattern of attack was sporadic, and their crimes ranged from the mundane to the obscene! One day, it would be a simple cart theft. The next day, they might threaten the country they were in with a biological weapon!

Still, this was not what caused the citizens to fear the Sinister Ones. No, what caused them to hide their children and scream in morbid panic was the leader of this pirate crew…Yan-Kan Mar!

Yan-Kan was something of a mystery to the Taiko. Clearly this Mar wasn’t as weak as most others in the same position. Yan-Kan had the strength of a hundred Taiko men, and a devil-may-care attitude that made the pirate master unpredictable.

Children wrote songs about this monster, and parents would cover their ears every time their own kids would start singing it.

For five years the Sinister Ones pillaged and fought their way into the collective consciousness. For five years the knights couldn’t catch them. Five years seemed like eternity, but then…

The court was full of people that day. It was in the land of Bira; a wealthy Taiko country with some of the best knights on the force. At least, they were considered the best now that they had done the impossible! They had captured Yan-Kan Mar!

The council of Bira, a group of seven men and women in scarlet robes, would oversee the proceedings and sentence the Sinister Ones accordingly. They were already guilty, so a trial was deemed unnecessary.

Yan-Kan was reported to have somewhere between 50 to 100 men working aboard the Shadow Star, but when the Shadow Star was impounded the knights only found Yan-Kan Mar and two crew members.

Citizens clamored in the circular shaped courtroom to get seats to this international spectacle! Everyone wanted to see how Yan-Kan would react to the sentencing. Many hoped for the death penalty, but some wanted Yan-Kan kept alive just to see if the Mar could escape the gulag or the labor camp.

The head councilman ordered everyone in the room to hush, and a double door opened; revealing the criminals and two guards.

Each criminal wore the uniform of a Taiko prisoner; a pastel green long sleeve shirt with matching long skirt and black inhibitor cuffs to prevent the prisoners from using their powers. The uniforms were made specifically to be impractical. The long sleeves weren’t useful in the summer, and the skirt wasn’t useful in the winter. No one wanted prisoners to be comfortable.

Place the guilty on the stone pedestal in the center of the room, the head councilman ordered the bailiff.

The three Sinister Ones were hoisted up to the stand. They were all teenage girls; something many in the court weren’t prepared for.

One was a tall girl with ice blonde curly hair, large ocean blue cat’s eyes, pastel orange skin, and large breasts. Another girl had short black hair that had been unevenly cut, dark green eyes, skin the color of bleached cotton, a bronze tiara with a blue glass stone, and was very short. Yan-Kan herself was deathly thin, tall, had red hair that grew into a spiky afro, and had blood red eyes.

The charges are set against Yan-Kan the Maran, Mukaiko the Osi, and Dia the Dal. You have all been charged with piracy, theft, crimes against the natural order, assault, misrepresentation of your identities, kidnapping, subversion, misappropriation of a Kalabus, assault on a knight, and murder, the council head read off dispassionately, It is the recommendation of this councilman that the prisoners be sentenced to death by Zinc-oxide freezing. Do I hear any objections from the council?

The spectators gasped when they heard this suggestion. This was a new form of execution that was rarely used. It was a horrific death that involved slow suffocation in artificial transparent rock and the body being put on display to warn others of the pitfalls of a career as a criminal. It was only reserved for the most notorious and evil psychopaths in Taiko society. To be fair though, Yan-Kan certainly qualified.

There are no objections from the council on this matter, a councilwoman replied after a moment of silence.

Then the sentence shall be carried out without delay, the head of the council announced in a flat monotone.

The blonde girl broke out into hysterical tears and screaming, and the short raven haired girl silently teared up.

What Yan-Kan did though shocked everyone.

She looked up at the council members, smiled a wicked smile, and laughed as hard as she could! It was a wretched cackle that made the room echo with her contemptuous amusement.

This was no time for laughter. Zinc-oxide freezing was known to most as the conscious death because it would several days for the criminal to die inside the blue-green crystal casing.

Taiko had two sets of lungs; the oxygen lungs and the hydrogen lungs. This allowed them to live almost anywhere in the world, but it also meant suffocation took an exceedingly long time.

The audience watched in horror and fascination as the three girls were slowly swallowed hole by the green sludge seeping up their bodies from the holes in the bottom of the pedestal! Yan-Kan’s two accomplices struggled, but Yan-Kan continued to laugh until the concoction reached her face!

The Sinister Ones were finally gone after five years. Taiko society was safe. Their execution, however, was only the beginning…

Chapter One

Earth

47 Million Years Later

Ryuga Do, a small cave on the island of Shikoku in Japan, was full of echoing voices and bustling activity on this cool spring day.

It was a class field trip for a group of high school students. They were from a private school in Tokyo, and many were eager to learn about the wonders of the rock formations and wildlife in the cave.

Tori was not one of those kids.

She and her best friend Hokuto hung behind the class; speaking in soft tones and not really paying attention to anyone else.

"I am so bored!" Tori whined.

I don’t see why, Hokuto replied in a whisper, Caves like these are full of wonder and beauty. The pools of water allow shellfish to thrive in this environment. The stalagmites and stalactites need specific conditions to even form this way! It’s truly remarkable…

Tori yawned as Hokuto pondered. Tori searched for anything a teenager might find interesting.

Say Hokuto, I see a small opening right there. Dare me to take a closer look! Tori said in a low conspirator’s tone.

No way, Tori! Hokuto hissed, It’s too small! You’ll get stuck!

Yeah, right, Tori dismissed her friend’s concerns, I’m thinner than you, so I’ll probably fit. Just give me your flashlight! I need it to get good pictures!

Well…at least you’re finally interested in the cave, Hokuto shrugged.

Tori approached the crevice gingerly, peeking inside with all the courage a 15 year old girl can fake.

She shone the light inside, but saw nothing but more brown and mossy rock formations. However, when she pointed the light to the left, she saw a glistening blue-green glow.

Hokuto, you have to see this! Tori exclaimed, It’s beautiful!

Hokuto leaned in with her keychain light, and saw the glow.

It might be crystal formations, Hokuto suggested.

You think it’s something valuable? Tori asked.

I don’t know, Hokuto replied.

Hokuto leaned in to try to get a closer look. She held onto the side of the opening for balance, and leaned in as far as she could.

When it seemed that the shimmering light was getting closer Hokuto heard the crashing of the rocks around her and lost her grip! She would’ve fallen into the hole if not for Tori grabbing her shirt!

Hang on, Hokuto! Tori yelled.

Why isn’t anyone else coming for us? Hokuto shouted pitifully.

Our class moved on! Tori grunted, I can’t hold on for much longer! Climb up, already!

Hokuto clawed at the rocks desperately, but they were too slick.

Hokuto slid down the sloping hole, and Tori slid down after her!

Hokuto woke up to hear Tori loudly whining about her bruises.

She looked around. Luckily Tori still had the flashlight. It was a dark place, but she saw that the bottom of the crevice was massive and even had a path they could walk.

Ow…Tori? Have you explored the hole we came down from? Do you think we can climb back up? Hokuto asked softly, afraid of an answer.

I already checked, Tori sighed in an annoyed tone, It’s slippery and nearly impossible to get a handhold on. Even if it weren’t, a wild guess says we fell about 15 meters. The only reason I didn’t lose consciousness is because I landed on you. Can you walk?

I think so, Hokuto replied as she tested her legs, Did you take a look at the path? Does it lead to a major part of the cave?

I don’t know, Tori replied, I didn’t want to go alone.

I understand, Hokuto replied.

The path is where the glow is coming from, Tori informed her.

Hokuto eyed the narrow path apprehensively but sojourned on with no complaint.

Tori held onto Hokuto’s shoulders so she would not lose her. That eerie glow grew brighter and brighter the further they went.

Finally, they found where the glow was coming from; a cave mouth that was wide and spacious.

It led to a dead end; a single chamber. In this chamber was a man-sized chunk of blue-green crystal covered in dust on an artificial stand.

This crystal display was obviously left here by someone, Hokuto pointed out.

What is it? Tori asked; never taking her gaze from the opaque stone.

Well, there’s a sign over there carved from sandstone. It has all sorts of indentations that you can push down; like buttons. I’ve not seen this language before. I can’t read it. Maybe this is a shrine, or a monument to a great leader from the past, Hokuto theorized.

A leader who didn’t write in Kanji? Tori asked skeptically.

Well I don’t really know what it is, Hokuto admitted, Maybe I can figure out what type of stone it is by examining it.

"That thing is huge! Tori exclaimed, It must be 5 meters tall! In all my life I’ve never seen such a crystal! It’s as wide as a car!"

Hokuto circled the luminescent crystal with an appraising eye.

Tori watched Hokuto, but then got bored after a few minutes. In an effort to look busy and not think about their plight, she walked over to the sign and started pushing buttons.

After a minute she found one that wouldn’t press down. She had her thumb pressed down on it, but it wouldn’t budge.

Hokuto, meanwhile, looked at the walls of the cavern for clues.

She didn’t find anything, but then she looked up at the ceiling.

There was a small hole up there. No light escaped but there was a deposit of iron shards hanging from the edges.

Hokuto noticed the shards were rusting. It was ten meters high, but even from there she knew it didn’t look natural. It was clearly man-made.

Tori San, get a look at this, Hokuto’s voice echoed in the deep chamber.

Huh? Tori looked up from the sign suddenly.

In a hurry, Tori removed the piece from the sign she was trying to push down!

Uh-oh, Tori said softly.

Tori, you might have just destroyed a national landmark! scolded Hokuto.

Just then, the girls felt rumbling from the cave floor!

An earthquake? Tori whimpered.

Quick! To the entranceway! We’ll be safer there! Hokuto cried.

That only works for houses! Tori shouted after Hokuto came to where Tori was standing, We do that here and we’ll get crushed!

The walls didn’t crumble, however. That wasn’t where the shaking was coming from…

Tori and Hokuto looked on in horror as they noticed the crystal. It was cracking, it was breaking off in pieces, and its weight shook the ground!

A few chaotic seconds later, and the blue-green crystal lay in a heap of rubble.

The girls were reluctant to go near it, but finally Hokuto knew a full examination was necessary.

As she grew closer to the pile of debris, she noticed something in the crystal that wasn’t glowing.

She tried to pull it out, and noticed she was holding blonde hair, which was still attached to a head!

Ah! Hokuto screamed.

What is it? Tori asked.

"It’s…A body…" Hokuto whispered; nonplussed.

It’s a person?!? Tori asked incredulously.

No…Not a person… Hokuto replied softly, still looking down.

Tori looked, and saw that it definitely wasn’t human.

Its ears were long and fit on the side of the head like bird’s wing or a fish fin. The ear broke off into three interconnecting sections at the top. It wore a long sleeve shirt and long skirt the color of foam; a pale sea green. It seemed to be a woman. The hair was curly, light blonde, and long. The strangest part though, was its hands were restrained in black handcuffs that seemed to be of modern design.

Hokuto was reluctant to get too close, but Tori was curious. This was unlike anything the schoolgirls had ever seen!

Tori dug, and found a thin bony hand with long black nails! Tori dug away at the crystals, and found the body attached to the hand. This body was thin, and it had brittle auburn hair that would’ve been very long; had it grown down instead of straight up.

I don’t think this body is as well preserved as the other one, Tori guessed regarding its appearance.

That doesn’t make sense, Hokuto replied softly, as if the noise could wake the dead, They were both preserved in this rock. If my guess is correct, then the red haired monster didn’t get the nutrition that the blonde one did.

So what do you think they are? Tori asked nervously.

I don’t know…Oni? The red one looks like an Oni.

Seriously? An Oni? Tori scoffed.

What? It has the hair of one, and it is red, Hokuto replied.

Its hair is red, not its whole body! Tori pointed out, "It’s clearly the same species as the other creature, and it doesn’t look like an Oni. Maybe we discovered a new species."

Maybe, Hokuto replied noncommittally, Hey, what’s that?

Hokuto pointed to something that shimmered in the rubble. Her friend dug, and saw a faded brass tiara with a smooth blue stone.

She pulled at it, but it was stuck in something. She pulled harder, and partially pulled out another head!

Tori screamed, but then noticed the head was still attached to a body. She breathed a sigh of relief.

They looked, and saw it had short black hair like a person, but a very pale complexion that they assumed was due to it being dead.

The tiara was on the forehead of the creature, and it appeared it had been slightly scorched.

They dug out the new body and examined it as best they could.

Hm…The tiara would suggest royalty, Hokuto hypothesized.

She’s shorter than the other two, Tori observed as she leaned over the corpse.

What makes you think it’s a girl? Hokuto asked.

It’s a girl; I can tell, Tori replied confidently.

Hikai Bowen Ti?

What the crap does that mean, Hokuto? Tori asked.

I don’t know. Why did you say it? Hokuto asked in return.

"Um…I…didn’t… Tori stammered, That voice was awfully squeaky. It sounded like a kid."

Maybe one of our classmates? Hokuto suggested.

Neither one would turn around to check. They just looked at each other, and listened for another sound.

Kichan komani didiya! Dia! Yan-Kan! the high pitched voice called out; echoing amidst the cavern.

Finally both girls turned together, and saw it…

Tori and Hokuto were face to face with the blonde creature! It was still restrained by the black shackles, but it stood erect, and Tori passed out!

Tori San! Wake up! Hokuto shouted worriedly.

She was left alone with the monster! What if it ate her? What if it carried her to some strange underworld?

Please, stay back! Hokuto cried out helplessly, We’re sorry!

The creature looked at her with a quizzical expression. It had blue eyes; slit down the middle like a snake’s, but with the whites on the edges like a person.

The creature looked down beside Hokuto, and saw its companion in the tiara.

"Dia! Kimon Kamin Marachakis! Kishon ya! it ran to its friend; unconcerned with Hokuto or Tori, Dia! Dia! Kishon ya!"

The blonde creature was close to tears, but soon the other awoke and looked around.

This creature’s eyes were deep green. When it sat up Hokuto scooted Tori out of the way so as not to anger them.

Hokuto watched anxiously as they conversed. The tiara monster also had shackles on her wrists, and both worked to remove them.

They had no luck with the restraints, so the blonde one checked on the red haired one; still unconscious.

Hokuto moved slowly with Tori’s unconscious body; trying to get to the exit, but she was too slow; the tiara creature saw her.

As the small pale creature came closer, Hokuto tried to be calm.

Seremi Fignon? the tiara creature asked.

I’m sorry, but I don’t understand you, Hokuto replied feebly.

The creature cocked its head, said something else Hokuto didn’t understand, and then levitated off the ground!

Hokuto flinched in terror! The creature lifted its leg up and bent down with its tethered hands to pull something out of its flat shoe. It pulled out a small grey box with buttons and a bunch of holes.

Kichiney, Thegres Tomony Boi Kochon! it exclaimed eagerly as it held the box up to Hokuto’s face.

I don’t know what you want me to do! Hokuto shouted, Please don’t hurt us! My friend Tori and I never meant to come here!

The creature then looked at the tiny box, cocked its head, looked up at Hokuto, and placed the box back in front of her face.

Kulison, Kempai Tori Ma, the creature said in a warm tone.

Kowi! Machikanaki Dia Dal! a shrill voice echoed in the cave, Kepik Sukron!

Hokuto turned, and saw the red haired creature walk toward an opening in the wall. It pulled out a blue-green speckled bottle.

This creature had red eyes; slit like the others. It looked hungry, and its wide eyed smirk looked intelligent yet maniacal.

The tiara creature showed the red eyed one the box, pointed to a petrified Hokuto, and continued to speak in a submissive manner.

When the red one heard what the green eyed one had to say, the red one laughed; a booming cackle that lingered in the air.

Hokuto, despite her fear and confusion, tried to make sense of it all. The tiara was clearly not a sign of royalty; this creature wasn’t in charge. The red haired Oni looking creature was their leader. In the box was something funny, or perhaps they thought Hokuto’s scared reactions were funny. Were they willing to release her? Why were all three of them shackled? Were they evil spirits?

The black haired tiara creature approached Hokuto again.

Hokuto prepared for the worst, but the creature fiddled with the box for a few minutes before even looking at Hokuto again.

The creature then opened the box, and there she saw syringes.

Hokuto wasn’t afraid of shots, but she was afraid of being injected with a foreign substance by an unknown being.

The creature pulled out a syringe, which was filled with glowing blue fluid. The creature then injected it into itself!

Konjai! Konuji! Kotest! Testing! Testing…Do you hear me? the creature asked.

Yes, I hear you, Hokuto replied calmly despite her fear.

Good, then the language transfer is complete, the creature’s accent was still a little odd; like a British accent, but she had a beautiful voice and a calm demeanor, Now, I still need information.

W-what kind of…information? Hokuto stuttered.

Ooh! Tori moaned next to Hokuto; finally awake, What’s goin’ on, Hokuto?

Tori then looked up from where she was sitting, and nearly passed out again from the sight of the tiara creature.

Hokuto! What’s happening? Tori yelled; terrified.

Dia! Mikchen tomogai! the red haired creature yelled from the other side of the room.

What did it say? Hokuto asked her alien guide.

Yan-Kan told me to keep you two quiet, replied the creature.

If I may ask…what’s going to happen to us? Hokuto asked, but she feared she already knew the answer.

Well, first of all I want to know more about your culture, and if the Taiko race still exists, the creature replied.

The what? Tori asked.

The Taiko. It is the name of my species, the alien replied, You have already given me the answer by way of your ignorance. So, at the moment we are at a crossroads. It will be up to Yan-Kan to say whether or not you should live or die. I will consult her now.

The small pale creature then turned to speak to her red eyed master.

Hokuto and Tori looked at each other with narrowed eyes. Their only chance to escape would be this moment, so the tip-toed away quietly.

Once out of the chamber, they picked up their pace and ran!

They panted with the exertion, and Tori felt ready to faint again once they had finally stopped.

The opening was still 15 meters up; still too slippery. They knew no one would hear their cries for help; except the Oni. How could they get out of this cave alive?

Tori San, in case we don’t make it out, I just want to say… her words were there, but Hokuto just couldn’t say them.

I know, you’re my best friend too, Tori finished for her.

No, I wanted to say I was the one who accidentally broke that good china plate in your mother’s cabinet. It was an accident, and if we get out of this I will replace it, Hokuto confessed.

Okay, Tori replied; too tired to even be angry about it.

So, how can we climb this wall? Hokuto asked.

Dry it off first! said a mirthful, barking voice; like that of a witch.

Tori and Hokuto quickly turned around and screamed!

It was the red haired creature smiling menacingly at them.

Her white fangs were visible; despite the poor lighting. Her eyes looked even more evil than before. It was indeed a woman; despite the lack of feminine features. Her voice and stance gave it away.

Please, don’t eat us! Hokuto pleaded pitifully, We’ll do whatever you ask of us if you’ll just please let us go! We never meant for you to awaken from your eternal rest. Please!

Yeah, what she said! Tori added.

The troll-like creature cackled and nearly fell on the floor with a fit of laughter!

"Ha! Anything you say! Hahaha! Sorry, you say! she laughed, I don’t have time for this crap! You really wanna help me? See these cuffs? Get ‘em off! I’ll get you out of here after that."

I’m not sure if we should- Hokuto began to say.

"Hey! the creature interrupted her, Did I ask you your opinion on this? Get me out of these things, or I’ll burn you alive!"

The creature was suddenly very serious. Her face was severe as small flames blew from the corner of her mouth.

Okay, okay! Tori snapped, We’ll get you out of the cuffs, but if you attack us anyway you’re in big trouble!

Ooh, I’m so petrified, the creature smirked sarcastically.

The creature lifted up her hands; her black nails nearly jabbing Tori’s face as she bent down to examine the cuffs.

Hm…Where’s the keyhole? Tori asked.

What are you talking about? the creature asked impatiently.

Well I mean…How am I supposed to unlock them? Tori asked.

Feel around for a smooth round part, the creature ordered, At the center of that is a finger scanner. Just leave your finger there.

…And? Tori asked.

It’ll open for you, replied the monster, It’s designed to keep criminals from being able to open it.

Tori did as she was told, and before long the shackles fell off.

Ah! Much better! the creature said as she felt her sore wrists.

Excuse me, ma’am, Hokuto interrupted, But I just realized. If you can breathe fire, then why didn’t you just melt the cuffs?

"Because that little demonstration was all I could do. With the cuffs on