S here is chapter 3, it's longer than the others and I must apologise for the delay. I've been busy job hunting after I quit my last one. It was making me ill...

So I hope you enjoy!

Moisture dripped down the walls making it's way through the cracks and crevaces of the hard stone wall, the dusty grey turning darker as it rolled down the wall and onto iron shackles. The drips cam from various places- the sources of which not yet repaired. The windows' remained restrained with black iron bars across it's frame, the residents' unable to cath a clear view with such an obstacle in place.

The only scene from the window was the heavy mist from being at such a height, different hues' of grey tainting the white in eerie shadows of the rooftops and buildings' that surround. The thunder cracked from outside and illumianted the concrete floor littered with hay and dirt, reveiling seperate cells made of the same black iron bars from the window and a similar material for the shackles that had a snug grip on the feet of the prisoners'.

In one cell a lone window was small but the window sill itself housed a seat for one particular prisoner who's tail swished back and forth from the edge as he layed as confortably as possible on the thin slab of concrete. His fur was a charcoal black and his eyes appeared to be between a yellow and green tone which was hard to be determined in such light, he sat contently with his back against the stone and the black shackle falling of his ankle, hanging heavily off the edge which allowed his leg to fall off the side.

"Have you heard?"

"About what?"

The dark male rolled one of his eyes after cracking it open slightly at the sudden noise of chattering. He continued to look out the window, trying not to listen to such silly hear'say that came fresh out of the rumour mill- how anyone knew of the outside world after being isolated he didn't know!

"The High Priest Quaizar was murdered...they say a rogue is killing anyone possible to set innocent free..." one of the voices sated in a tone just above a whisper but with the echo came out louder than what should have been. "What? He was second hand man to Xan...How could he possibly have been attacked? I really don't think this murderer is a good thing, he'll probably make things worse!"

"Nu-uh! He could set us free! We could get away from here, who's to say he isn't doing it for good? What do you think Antauri?" The charcoal monkey looked at the smaller monkey with bright eyes and a stern expression. He had to admire the kid's optimism... he had a good heart but was naive at times. The small monkey had a light green fur and deep coal eyes that shone when he spoke, he may have been young and how he vcame across was somewhat dumb but even Antauri knew that judging a book by it's cover wasn't wise.

"I think it could very well be possible Otto..." his voice was deep and hade so much wisdom behind it. He felt bad for the smaller male but technically he wasn't lying, if the rumours were true it could very well happen but even so he probably shouldn't have given the kid insentive to believe so. "I can't wait! I can't wait to get my hands stuck into some oil! The parts! i've missed them..."

Judging a book by it's cover? Ridiculous.

Otto had been raised in the scrap heap, learning to fine tune any robotics or mechanical equiptment when it was discovered he had a talent for it. Modest as ever Otoo would always say that it was more of a curiousity than a talent, a passion rather than a chore. So yes, this young naive monkey with stars illuminating from his eyes was a mechanical genius- imprisoned for 'tampering' with high range technology that was newly practiced. What was funny though was that the kingdom itself was outdated compared to the other surrounding planets and yet when the technology was merged with the kingdom it had been the professor that had taken in Otto that had done it, so, in theory- Otto had rights to any of the equiptment if he so desired it.

The thunder kept clapping and the cells fell quiet after a while when Otto had calmed down from his excitement. Antauri closed his eys an swished his tail some more before lulling to sleep.

"He could still come! He'll free us!" The small green monkey wailed as tears fell down his little cheeks, he was so sure they would be rescued and he choked on a sob as the other prisoners' yelled at him for going on so much. It had been months but he was so hopefull, that wasn't wrong was it? I suppose the others' didn't want to hear it because they didn't believe it.

"Leave him alone Sprx, you don't need to talk to him that way..." Antauri interupted not moving from his position waiting for the crimson male to argue back but instead hearing him huff and groan, "I don't get it Antauri! I really don't! This murderer has been killing and freeing people all over the place since the Veron Mystics expanded into taking over other territory and yet he has yet to strike here! I'm not gonna lie...I expected it but i've learnt to face the facts...It doesn't happen to monkies like us!"

"What doesn't happen?" Antauri questioned as he sat up, his eyes now open revealing an olive green colour as he watched Sprx fold his arms in a huff and shake his head in anger. "Good things Antauri, good things don't happen to us. The sooner Otto learns that the better!" Antauri now shook his head at Sprx's rash behaviour as Otto silently sobbed on the floor with his head in his knees.

Sprx sighed after a while and unwound his arms from a crossed position to walk over to his green brother and place a conforting hand on his shoulder, looking guilty when Otto flinched at the touch. "I'm sorry buddy...I didn't mean it. I'm just tired..."

Antauri felt a tiny smile tug at his lips. Sprx loved his brother alot and always looked after him, as far as Antauri knew Sprx had refused to leave him after their mother had disappeared and Otto was wanted to work on technology. Sprx himself had become a pilot after test running alot of Otto's conteraptions whether the success rate was high or not, he had been fascinated by the freedom of birds' and to be locked up in a dungeon like this was like torture for the red simian, if it weren't for his brother he would have opted for any other punishment.

The night had fell again and the white mist had turned grey again with the navy sky behind it, the rooftops still visible but barely. Something kept Antauri from sleeping that night, no matter how much he wanted to succumb to sleep he physically couldn't and with his insincts on alert he found himself concentrating on the outside more than he had ever done in his whole time in captivity. The scenery hadn't changed, it was all the same but in the back of his mind he knew something was there- someone was there.

Suddenly in the dead of night flashes of light kept the mist at bay making the rooftops light up, the siredns sounded with an ear-piercing shreik waking Sprx, Otto and the other prisoners' from their deep sleep.

Antauri jumped down from his ledge and growled at the entrance opposite, the flashes and bombs were a distraction and by bthe sounds of onslaught throughout the stairwell he braced himself, Otto and Sprx behind him backed against the wall. The door flew oped and a figure clad in black appeared at the door, it's black robes were soaked through in a liquid that would have been unrecognisable against the colour if Antauri hadn't seen the blood poor off it and onto the stone floor.

Growling he kept his stance and the figure just looked and lulled it's head as if it were rolling it's eyes, it was clear that this figure was a monkey. It walked over unfazed by the charcoal simian's behaviour- taking out a vial of liquid and pouring a small amount on the shackle causing the iron to melt, leaving Antauri free but the shackle still attached to his foot. He looked confused as she did the smae to the others' before arching at the sound of more guards and heading back down the stairwell, lurching onto their backs and snapping their necks, using their ow weapons against them and tripping them.

Antauri followed and watched knowing very well that Otto and Sprx were following him, he had to give the murder his due, he fought well. Antauri then cauught sight of one guard the murderer clearly had not seen and launched himself to push the man over and sent him flying down the stairs. He turned and nodded at Antauri in thanks before jumping up to a window ledge and jumping out of it.

"WAIT! Follow him!" Antauri screeched as he also jumped to the ledge hoping he could still be hot on his tail, Sprx and Otto follwing just as quick with them all panting at the sudden exercise and fresh air entering their lungs. Rain dowsed the slabs of slate on the rooftop and it was hard to see where they were going let alone try not to slip off.

"Antauri! Go on, catch him!" Sprx yelled from behind, "We have your scent we'll follow!" At the reassurance Antauri's legs started to burn under the strain he had now applied, his legs kept going as he urged himself on, refusing to let his legs cave in.

Closer, Nearly...

They were past the boarder of the town, the rooftops had come to an end and the murderer had jumped onto trees before heading out into the vast fields on foot, the grass camoflaging nicely. Daring to peer back he caught sight of the two brothers' who had made it out of the town safely and lost all need to hold back, faster and faster the murderer wasn't too far off now...

The carcoal monkey felt himself near enough and dived, it was one shot and he took it no matter what the risk. He collided with the figure and sent both of them hurdling to the ground, mus everywhere and grass torn up by the sudden interruption.

His face ached, his chest ached and infact he felt pain in his whole body from the over- exhursion. He could barely lift his body up when he felt the force of the monkey he had tackled push him off firmly whilst trying to hear what Sprx and Otto were shouting as they began to catch up.

So what do you think? Who could this 'Murderer' be?

Read and review!

-L-W