Ael’ark more commonly known as Bamf even in his own thoughts was trapped in a freezer. Though one might wonder at this Ael’ark did not. He knew why he was here. He was only pissed off at being here in the first place. Ael’ark shivered in his nearly naked state. He was deathly cold. His lips had turned blue a long time ago, the fire that perpetually danced across his skin and wings was all but gone. What little heat remained was from his core. His wings wrapped around his torso to preserve the heat of his body Ael’ark was trapped.  Ael’ark’s mind wandered to the time before he came to be trapped in this hell. Wandered back to before he was locked in this prison cold on a swaying ship.<br/><br/><div><hr style="height:2px; width:100%; border:0; color: #FFFF80;background:#FFFF80;"/></div><br/><br/>Ael’ark had been betrayed.<br/><br/>That was what had led to his capture. The anger that burned inside him still even in memory was enough to make the fire rise inside. Ael’ark had been sent with two other men to kill some worthless human official. Something Ael’ark found appealing and entertaining. The slave trade was something he despised. Any human even suspected to be linked to this trade was fair game for Ael’ark. Blood was the price.<br/><br/>He’d seen enough of the streets to be weary even of his partners. No one could be trusted. This had saved his hide more times then he could count. Even today as he walked out into the bright noon day sun and into the street towards the rendezvous where he was to corner the pray and force the human into the dark alley. The man was ahead of him int he crowd. The long black leather jacket covering his wings swung against his legs and intensified the heat of his body. His flames were contained inside and caused his skin to itch and burn. He hated that most of all, when he had to ‘pass as human’, but it was inevitable for now. He tailed the human to the point of no return. The crowd thinned as they reached the mouth of the alley. Ael’ark closed the distance.<br/><br/>Just as he passed out of the crowd he saw the signs that something was wrong. The human ducked into the ally on his own without cohesion. This made Ael’ark slow and that’s when he spotted the others. The two man who were his partners come out and greet the human with smiles and laughter. He turned. Out of the crowd came more humans and his hands reached for his weapons.<br/><br/>The fight that ensued was one that flew in a blur for Ael’ark. Everything happened too fast and no matter the magic he was capable of using he simply was far too outnumbered. Down and bleeding on the floor of that alley chained and too weak to use fire to melt the metal off his skin he looked up to his partners.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FFFF80">”Why?”</span>was the only word he managed. The only thing he could say past bloodied lips and the ache in his chest. He couldn’t even remember what had hit him. His weapons were being stripped roughly from him.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">”They gave us good money phoenix. At last you were worth something to us,”</span>the male on the left said. Right before he kicked Ael’ark in the temple. Darkness soon followed the words.<br/><br/><div><hr style="height:2px; width:100%; border:0; color: #FFFF80;background:#FFFF80;"/></div><br/><br/>Ael’ark could have screamed from the anger that swam inside him. The pure rage that threatened to unleash itself. He wouldn’t go quietly into slavery. He knew they had ways to break even his spirit, but he refused to break under the cold and betrayal of those who had stood at his back. Those who he bled countless years with. For five years he had worked with these two man. Called them friends.<br/><br/>Ael’ark glared at the door that was only a few inches from his hand. Even this close he couldn’t have opened it. Fighting to do so would only hasten his death. That is wen he felt the first lurch of the ship. He knew hope would come swiftly and on it’s heals death. The lurching of the ship could mean only one thing, an attack. This was confirmed a few moments later when his cell door was opened. He blinked at the eyes that faced him in the dark for a moment before they moved on. Orange orbs. Like fire. He grinned. He was free.<br/><br/>He pushed his aching and cold body into motion stumbled out of the door and fell to the floor letting the relative warmth of the surrounding air rush into his lungs, caressing his skin. He blinked back the tears that stung his eyes from the merciless pain that drove needles into his flesh. He could feel his strength slowly return and even though he was weak and tired he had to fight.<br/><br/>He didn’t know how long it took him, but he gathered himself up off the floor. The fires along his flesh were dim and he knew he didn’t have much magic left to fight with. He found his weapons in a small locked chest next to his cage and slowly began to arm himself. Once done he was ready. He was angry, but most of all he’d recovered enough to fight.<br/><br/>He ran up to the top deck were the fight was winding down slowly. Though still there remained enough mayhem and chaos that he would get to kill a few humans to appease the bloodlust. He looked to the gun strapped at his hip and instead drew out two large blades from the sheaths on his arms and swirled the blades through the air in a simple pattern. A silent prayer of strength and speed to the fires he worshiped he spread his wings wide and let the fires inside his soul fill their span making the features dance with bright orange flames. His eyes glowed with reflected firelight in their black depth. He grinned as he dove forwards into he fray screaming out a deafening roar of anger and delight. His blades spun and cut as he went taking pleasure in the streams of blood that flew forth.<br/><br/>The fight to his regret didn’t last long, those humans who survived the fight were lined up and tied. His wings were closed at his back. His blades sheathed in their arm sheaths and blood still dripped along with some water from his hair and flesh. Fire danced merrily around his skin a little brighter then it had been earlier. His strength was returning. Dressed only in brown pants the massive phoenix was a sight to behold. A terrifying sight coated as he was in blood and fire.<br/><br/>He regarded his new allies, those who like him had been slaves moments before, who were now free. The booming voice that spoke with power made him look up towards it’s source. He didn’t know the man who spoke, but he could sense something from him. He crossed his arms over his chest and waited to see what this man would say. From the look of things he would declare ownership of the now freed ship. Ael’ark didn’t have a problem with that so long as he wasn’t forced into the freezer again. He wouldn’t trust the man, but nor would he raise a weapon against him… yet… He would wait and see. Maybe this being could lead them to riches and freedom.<br/><br/>Ael’ark wondered what the future would hold for his mercenary ways. He was after all a sword for hire. Presumably this new ‘captain’ would need a blade. Ael’ark looked onto the man and for a long moment he knew one thing. He wouldn’t be Ael’ark to these people, only when he knew their true measure would he take up his birth name. For them and for the time onwards he would be Bamf. As it was most couldn’t pronounce his name anyways. So Bamf was thus simpler.