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[color=orange]✦[/color] Changi Bay, Singapore [color=orange]✦[/color][/center]
	A strained grunt echoed throughout the empty freight, masqueraded by the sick jeers of three burly, bearded men wearing drenched raincoats. It was just Nicholas' luck that these brutes decided to have their smoke break where he was stowed away. He was backed into a corner. Backed up against the wall, clutching his ribs with a pain wince, Nicholas hoped they had had their fun. One of the men stepped forward, grinning before delivering a swift knee straight to the young man's gut. A sharp pain rang throughout Nicholas' stomach. Sliding down to the ground, Nicholas glared up at his assailant through grit teeth.

	[color=silver][i]Life outside of the Island is dangerous.[/i][/color] the words of Sage Manatoa rang through Nicholas' head. The friendly Sage had been a wonderful friend and superb mentor to the young elemental for the last few years. He was the only one who sympathized with Nicholas' desire to leave the island; albeit reluctantly.
[i][color=silver]You must control your temper. You will be as good as dead if your powers become known to the world.[/color][/i] How Nicholas would have loved to teach these guys a lesson. He wasn't a particularly violent person, but he wasn't the type to just sit still and take a beating. Another men stepped forward, muttering something under his breath and spitting on the helpless young man. Nicholas couldn't speak Malay, but he knew when he was being insulted. Nicholas sprang up and slugged the bastard with a fierce haymaker. Caught off guard, the man fell back in a heap clutching his cheek whilst presumably cursing.

	"[color=orange]How you like that, Fu- Gah![/color]" Nicholas grunted, clutching his ribs once the adrenaline wore off and reminded him of how hurt he actually was. The other two, recovering from their surprise at his sudden attack, quickly grabbed Nicholas by the shoulders and threw him violently to the ground. One of the two stomped the young mans back, sending another pang of fiery pain through his lower ribs and abdomen. Before he even had a chance to cry out in pain, Nicholas was pulled up by the hair as the other man drew a switchblade and held the knife uncomfortably close to his throat. Now the man was shouting at Nicholas; not that he understood anything was saying through the language barrier and intense fear of what he might do to him with that knife.

	Then a loud, voice boomed through the freight, stopping the men in their tracks. It was a bit hard to make out details, but it appeared to be the ships captain. Storming in with strong, echoing footsteps, the Captain yelled at his crew in Malay; spraying them with spit like a mad dog. The men let go of Nicholas almost instantly before hurrying off from the cramped space. One shot a nasty look back at Nicholas, but with his rabid captain present he wouldn't dare make another comment.

	Nicholas clutched his ribs and groaned, shakily getting up from the floor onto his knees. He felt a pair of strong, heavy hands hoist him up onto his feet. The captain slung the boys arm over his shoulder and helped him walk out onto the deck.
"[color=silver]Consider yourself lucky,[/color] He spoke with an accent, but was otherwise fluent. "[color=silver]dirty stowaway rats like you deserve to be gutted.[/color]"
"[color=orange]Should've just let ya goons finish me then.[/color]" Nicholas smirked, acting more courageous than he felt at that moment.
"[color=silver]I ain't dealing with the trouble of some stupid kid being killed on my ship. Once you're off I don't care what happens to you.[/color]" The dry, lifeless tone the captain spoke in was the only assurance Nicholas needed to believe how true that statement was. As the two approached the pier, a thought crossed Nicholas' mind.

	"[color=Orange]Uh, sir. Where am I?[/color]" Nicholas questioned, his naivety reflecting his age. The captain stopped in his tracks before letting out a hearty laugh.
"[color=silver]What kind of idiot stows away on a ship without knowing where it's headed?[/color]" Before Nicholas could defend himself, the captains strong hand shoved him down the ramp and tumbling into the peer. Staggering to his feet slowly with his hands wrapped around himself in pain, Nicholas leered at the Captain.

	"[color=silver]You best find a map real quick boy. Singapore ain't as safe as it used to be, and it'll be dark soon.[/color]" The captain had answered Nicholas' question, albeit in a rather cruel fashion. Without so much as another word, he turned and left the young boy alone on the pier in Changi Bay. The questioning gazes of bystanders pricked against Nicholas' skin like thorns, which only furthered his anxiousness. With a few deep breaths, he resolved to walk down the pier towards the land. He wasn't sure where he was headed, or how he would begin his search for the Tyrant, but he knew he had to take it one step at a time.