The chains in the dark, gloomy dungeon rattled gently, a rhythmic clinking that seemed to amplify the silence along with the musty smell of decay. Despite their robust appearance, the dungeon walls showed their age through crumbling mortar; the dark corridor was filled with an unsettling echo from the chains of many skeletons.
Amidst the barbaric scene sat two female elves. The first elf, her pale tan skin illuminated by the flickering torchlight, had blonde hair in the style of a messy ponytail, with sapphire-blue eyes that were lowered as she felt the cold, heavy chains scrape against her wrists and neck.
The second elf's shoulder brushed against the first as they sat, their backs pressed together. Her ebony skin contrasted with her long violet hair as it cascaded over her shoulders, while her defiant, bright red eyes glared, unwilling to accept their fate.
They huddled together on the chilly, wet dungeon floor, their worn clothing doing little to hide their battered and soiled bodies. The dancing candlelight threw eerie shadows on the dungeon walls, creating a disturbing interplay of light and dark across the sisters' faces. The blonde-haired elf shifts slightly, causing her chains to rattle against the stone floor.
"Sister…" The elf with the blonde hair spoke softly, her words almost lost to the faint sound of dripping water in the dark. "How long has it been?" She continues to speak. "Days? Months?"
Behind her, the violet-haired elf's muscles tensed. Unlike her companion, whose resignation seemed to grow with each passing hour, her anger only seemed to intensify.
"Does it matter?" She hisses through her teeth. "Time becomes meaningless when you're rotting in a hole like this." She tests her bonds again, only for them to remain restricted. "Though if I had to say, probably been a few months, but it feels like it's been forever." She sucked her teeth. "However, what matters is that we're still breathing, which means we can still fight."
"Fight with what, sister?" The fair-haired elf exhaled. "These chains are draining our magic; our strength is fading with each passing…"
"And what of it?" Her sister growled. "How much longer do you plan to sit here like a beaten animal?" The ebony elf whispers harshly. "We are royalty, not cattle meant to be chained up like slaves for these pathetic humans."
A sigh escaped the light-haired elf as she let out a deep breath. "Patience, sister. Rage without direction is merely wasted strength."
"And patience without action is merely surrender." Her violet-haired sister retorts, the chains at her wrists clinking as she clenched her fists.
The pale-skinned elf turned her head slightly, the motion sending a bit of messy ponytail to fall onto her shoulder. Her eyes locked with with her sister's gaze, a look she knew so well—the one that always came before a fight, but without genuine hatred—appeared.
"Sylvanie, please. We've had this conversation before." She breathes. "The Order wants us alive for a reason. Rushing in headstrong into whatever they have planned for us will only—"
"Will only what? Get us killed? Hasten our demise?" Sylvanie let out a bitter laugh that echoed off the dungeon walls. "Celestia, look around you. We're chained down. Our home is destroyed; nothing remains but a pile of rocks and dirt. Our people are either dead or scattered around, fearing for their lives. "Her laughter was dying down a bit. "And here we are, royalty, treated like livestock waiting to die. The only question now is whether we die on our knees or standing." She narrowed her eyes. "And I'm damn sure not dying on my knees."
"Standing or kneeling. We're still dead all the same." Celestia responded. "We can't simply act, as of right now; the Order has the advantage." She gestured her head to the chains shackling them. "These bindings are draining our magic. We wouldn't last no longer than a few moments if we tried to fight against them now." She tried to explain. "And that's on the possibility that we can escape these shackles."
"Doesn't matter, I said I'm not dying on my knees." Sylvanie retorted, glaring at the restraints. "Have you forgotten who we are? What they took from us? WHO, they took from us?'
Celestia shifted her position, her blue eyes locking with her sister's intense stare. Despite the dimness, their differences were clear: light and shadow, calmness and rage, illustrating both facets of their shared heritage.
"I forget nothing." A tiny spark of resolve ignited in her calm eyes, which narrowed upon finishing her sentence.
Meanwhile, unknown to them. Running down the hall, a young man, who appeared to be no older than twenty-four, narrowed his bright auburn eyes as he turned the corner. His black boots landed on the cobblestone ground with a thud as he ran. His lower half was clad in black trousers cinched with a brown belt. A black shirt and a silver necklace, featuring an infinity pendant, adorned his upper body. His hands were covered with black fingerless gloves and bandages that reached his right elbow, tightly holding onto a pair of custom-made black and gold daggers. His short, unkempt black hair waved slightly in the breeze as he ran down the hall, the bruises and cuts on his light brown skin clearly visible.
"Stop him!" A shout rang out as a guard in silver armor pointed accusingly. "He's stolen the shard! We can't let him escape!" His shouts drew a crowd of guards in pursuit.
"You've got to be kidding me." The boy glanced behind him as he noticed the small group of guards chasing after him with their weapons drawn. "Don't you guys have anything better to do?" He screamed as he turned another corner, trying to lose the guards in pursuit, but to no avail. "Just great, I can't lose them." He said to himself as he turned down another corridor.
'You're not getting away!" The guard shouted and then rushed ahead, brandishing his sword.
"Whoa, wait a minute!" The boy yelled as the clash of steel echoed in the dungeon, the young thief using one of his daggers to deflect the guard's attack. "Are you crazy? That was almost my damn head!" He yells while dodging another swing, the infinity necklace bouncing around his neck.
"I don't have time for this," He mutters, spinning away from a thrust and slashing at the guard's exposed wrist. The man howled in pain, dropping his weapon with a clatter. "Come on, Oreon, think, you've got to move and find a way out of here." He thought to himself.
Oreon's eyes shifted rapidly to the approaching guards, his mind racing as fast as his heart. He skillfully evaded another strike, the blade passing harmlessly over him. In one fluid motion, he slid across the cobblestone floor, his daggers flashing in the torchlight as he slashed at the guard's exposed ankles, causing the man to fall with a cry of pain, creating momentary confusion among his comrades.
Down in the dungeon, both sisters tensed as the commotion above grew louder. The ceiling dust sprinkled down with each thunderous footstep and shout.
"What in the name of the ancient ones is happening up there?" Sylvanie whispered, her chains rattling as she shifted to look upward. Her sister followed suit as she closed her eyes, concentrating on the sounds.
"A disturbance…It's a battle happening above us." She stated as they both continue to look up, listening to the chaos above them.
"Well, whatever it is, it's not one of theirs. Listen to how they're running…" Sylvanie responded before bringing her eyes back down to glance at her sister. "Someone's stirring up trouble."
Back above, Oreon spun between two more guards, using his daggers to parry a thrust meant for his ribs. "You guys just don't know when to quit!" As another guard attempted to strike him from behind, Oreon dodged nimbly, whirled, and cut the guard down the middle of his chest. "Come on, guys, does it really take this much just to capture one person?!" Oreon blocked another attack with his dagger before quickly countering with a spin kick, knocking another guard away.
"Corner him! Don't let him reach the upper levels!"
Oreon backed away, counting his opponents-six ahead, at least eight behind. The odds were decidedly not in his favor. His gaze darted to a narrow stairwell to his left, descending into darkness. Without hesitation, he feinted right before diving for the stairs, rolling to absorb the impact as he tumbled down the first few steps."
"He's heading for the dungeons!" A guard announced.
"Perfect," Another replies with grim satisfaction. "There's only one way out from there, and that's back up the stairs he just fell." The guards let loose a harmonic dark laughter as they watched his body disappear into the darkness before they slowly began to make their way down the steps. "He's not going anywhere."
"He's as good as dead." The dark chuckles continued as they took their time, knowing that the staircase was truly the only way back up.
Oreon landed at the bottom of the stairs, momentarily disoriented from his tumble. "Yep, that could have gone better." He gently rubbed the back of his neck as he stood up. "Now to see if there is another way out of... Argh!" He quickly covered his nose with his arm. "What the hell is that smell?!" He questioned as the air in the dungeon was dank and heavy with the scent of mildew and despair. As his eyes adjusted, he realized he'd cornered himself on the prison level-cells lined the narrow corridor, most empty save for bones and forgotten chains.
"What the hell is wrong with these people?" A set of muttered words escaped Oreon's lips as he continued to keep his nose covered. "They could have at least cleaned this place up or something. How sick do you have to be to leave a place like this?" A jangling of chains caught his attention, cutting his words short. His eyes swiftly focused on the origin of the sound; two elves bound to the floor, staring intently back at him.
Celestia's blue eyes widened in surprise as she looked up at Oreon, a stranger she'd never seen before entering their cell; then, her gaze dropped, her expression becoming an unreadable mask. Sylvanie, sitting beside her, locked eyes with Oreon, her crimson eyes glaring at the unknown human standing before them.
"What the… They have elves here." Oreon's eyes scanned the area for a moment before returning to the shackled elves. They were secured by having their wrists attached to the wall and their collars chained to the floor. "This…. This is insane. Elves? Here?" The sight of the neglected room and the abused elves made him grimace.
He sauntered up to Sylvanie, kneeling slowly, reaching for her collar. "You come any closer and I'll rip your throat out with my teeth, human." She growled instantly; her threat clear as Oreon's hands stopped in place as he looked down at the violet-haired elf.
"I'm here to help," Oreon spoke calmly. "I promise I won't hurt you; I'm just trying to—"
"Don't touch me!" Sylvanie barked as she tried to lash out at Oreon, her hand nearly coming within mere inches of his face, but the chains restricted her. "Don't you dare touch me with your filthy hands, human!" She screamed as Celestia looked over at her sister, her eyes remaining unreadable.
Oreon raised his hands in a placating gesture, his daggers still clutched but pointed away from the elves. "Easy, look; I'm not your enemy." He insists, his voice is low and urgent. "And we don't have much time. Those guards will be down here any minute now.
Sylvanie's eyes narrowed to dangerous slits; her lips pulled back in a snarl that revealed teeth slightly sharper than a human's.
"And why should we trust you? Your kind has done nothing but betray and enslave us." The Elf growled. "You are all the same—liars," she bared her teeth at him.
Oreon pulled back slightly, keeping his hands visible as he kept his eyes locked with Sylvanie. "Ok, off to a bad start." He took a deep breath before trying again. "Listen, I understand why you don't trust me, but right now, those guards want my head on a spike and they'll probably do worse to you two just because. "He paused for a moment. "Although, I don't know what's worse than having your head on a spike. So unless you want to stay here and let them keep doing..." Oreon glanced around once again before returning his gaze back to them. "Whatever it is they've been doing here, you're going to calm down and let me get those chains off of you."
"Sylvanie." Celestia whispers, her voice soft yet carrying authority. "Wait, perhaps we should listen. This may be our chance."
"Have you lost your mind, Celestia? He's one of them! Another human coming to gawk at the fallen Elven royalty. Or worse." Her ebony sister argued, still baring her teeth as she glared daggers at him. "Don't tell me you're actually considering trusting this--"
"He's down here hiding! Search every cell!" A guard's voice could be heard as the sound of footsteps echoed as they slowly made their way down the steps.
Oreon glanced nervously toward the stairwell, the distant clanking of armored guards growing louder with each passing second. Time was running out.
"Look." He whispers urgently, "I don't care who you were or what you are—No one deserves this. And right now, I'm trying to get out of here, so I don't get my head chopped off, and who knows what they'll do to you now that I found you."
Celestia's eyes studied him intently, seeing beyond his disheveled appearance to the sincerity in his expression. With graceful determination, she extended her bound wrist toward him.
"If you truly wish to help, then do so quickly." She spoke with unwavering authority. "But know this, human—betray us, and my sister's threat will be the least of your concerns."
"I'm not sure biting my throat out is a lighter sentence," Oreon replies quickly as he gently reaches towards Celestia's restrained wrists.
Sylvanie yanked against her chains, her violet hair whipping around her face as she glared at her sister. "Celestia! Have months of captivity broken you? He could lead us to something worse!"
Oreon looks down at Celestia, his fingers working quickly at her locks, his hands making quick work of the simple mechanism. "Worse than rotting in a dungeon until they decide to execute you?" He mutters, glancing nervously toward the stairs, then back at Sylvanie. "Look, humans, elves; I get the trust issues, but arguing about it while the guards are literally on their way down here seems like poor timing."
Celestia's eyes widen slightly as her restraints fall away from her wrists, and Oreon goes to make quick work of her collar as well. Her slender fingers immediately rose to touch the bare skin of her neck. For a moment, vulnerability flashes across her face.
"Thank you," she says, rubbing her wrists as the chains fall away. "Though I cannot fathom why, you, a human, would release an elf.
"Don't trust him, Celestia!" Sylvanie snaps, still pulling against her restraints. "Humans don't help elves without wanting something in return." She quickly directed a glare towards Oreon." What's your price, human? What kind of sick game are you playing at?" The approaching guards' metallic boots echoed nearer on the stone floor.
"Price? Are you... I'm trying to save you, dumbass." Oreon whispers loudly.
Sylvanie's crimson eyes blazed with fury at his words. "Did you just call me a—" Her voice rose dangerously before Celestia's hand pressed firmly against her sister's shoulder.
"Sylvanie, enough," Celestia commands softly as she turns her attention to the stairs. "We don't have time; the guards are almost here. Extend your hands."
Sylvanie's crimson eyes flared with fury and confusion, torn between fighting and acknowledging that the stranger might be their sole chance of survival.
"If this is some elaborate trap, human, I'll make sure you die screaming before they take us back." She thrust her wrists toward him violently.
"Great, death threats. Just what I needed to calm my nerves." He shifted to Sylvanie's bonds, sweat beading on his forehead. "You know, for someone asking for help, you're really committed to the whole 'threatening the person who's trying to help you' thing."
"I never asked for your help, human." She growled as the lock clicked open with a soft metallic whisper, and Sylvanie's collar tumbled to the dungeon floor with a dull thud. "Finally." With a sigh of relief, she rotated her shoulders, her purple hair flowing around her as she stretched her arms and rubbed her neck. "So, what now, human? You'd freed us; Now, how do you plan on getting us out of here?"
"My sentiments are the same." Celestia stepped forward. "You do have a plan of escape, don't you?" Celestia's question hangs in the air as Oreon calmly glances around the room, not seeing a door of any kind that would lead to the way out. This action caused Celestia to slightly tilt her head with a bit of concern in her voice. "I hope you didn't barge into one of the Order's strongholds and think that there wouldn't be repercussions."
Oreon, looking uneasy, scratched the back of his head. "Well, see. About that." Oreon chuckles nervously. "I've...I've been kind of winging it since I got here," Oreon says shyly, looking away.
Sylvanie's expression shifted from fury to complete disbelief, her mouth falling open before snapping shut with an audible click. "You're…winging it?" She repeated slowly as if she was trying to process the meaning of his words. "Wait a minute, you're telling me you broke into a heavily fortified fortress, found your way to the deepest dungeon level, and freed two Elven prisoners without having ANY kind of escape plan?" With a look of surprise and anger, she grabbed Oreon by the collar of his shirt. "You idiot!" She began to shake him.
"Hey…To be fair. I didn't…Plan…on finding any prisoners here to begin with." Oreon tried to speak as his head jerked back and forth.
"Then you stumbled upon us by accident! Did you even know there was a dungeon here?!" She shakes him harder. "Do you even know where the exits are? The traps? Do you even have a layout of the fortress that you barged into?!" She continues to shake and question him as Oreon could only make gibbered noises as he tried to respond.
"Uh?" That was all Oreon could get out.
"UH?!" Sylvanie repeated, now shaking him faster. "YOU BUMBLING FOOL!"
Celestia quickly stepped between them, her hand firmly separating Sylvanie from Oreon's shirt. "Sister, strangling our only ally serves no purpose now." Her voice carrying a slight edge to it.
"By the ancient forest Celestia, this mindless idiot is going to get us killed." Sylvanie pointed at Oreon, who quickly shook off the dizziness he was feeling because of Sylvanie's actions.
"Hey, I got you out of those chains, didn't I?" Oreon replies "Shouldn't you be grateful that someone finally came and freed you?!" Oreon shot back. "Jeez, I've never heard of an elf being so ungrateful."
Sylvanie, glaring at Oreon, jabbed a finger towards his chest. "Getting us out of chains means nothing if we're all dead in the next five minutes, you absolute—"
The booming sound of armored boots grew nearer.
"Enough!" Celestia called out, her eyes falling on the entranceway to the dungeon as the soldiers began to appear. "What's done is done, from here on out we improvise." She suggests.
With a frantic glance around, Oreon saw his options were exhausted as the guards began to storm into the dungeon. "I think the plan is pretty obvious." Oreon held his twin daggers firmly.
"We're going to have to fight our way out." Determination hardened his gaze as his brown eyes narrowed, fixed on the soldiers. With no prior indication, Oreon attacked. As the first guard swung his blade at the dual-dagger fighter, Oreon nimbly dodged, kicking the guard into the others.
As Oreon engaged the first wave of guards, Celestia and Sylvanie exchanged a glance—a silent conversation born from years of sisterhood. Without hesitation, Sylvanie charged forward.
"Now this is more like it," she snarls, dark energy coalescing around her hands. With a fluid motion, she thrusts her palms forward, sending tendrils of shadow magic snaking through the air. The shadows wrap around a guard's throat, constricting until his face turns purple and he drops to his knees.
The dungeon dove into Chaos as Celestia's hands began to glow with a soft golden light as she raised them defensively. As the guard attacks with his sword, she moves aside and touches his chest, causing a bright light to erupt and sending him crashing into his allies.
"Stay close!" Celestia calls out, her voice steady despite the violence surrounding them. "Sylvanie, don't overextend yourself—your magic is still weak from the binding."
"Speak for yourself, sister," Sylvanie retorts, ducking under a sword swing and grabbing the face of the guard, slamming his head hard into the wall, crushing his face instantly. "I've been saving up for this moment!" Wild-eyed, Sylvanie snarls, fangs bared, at the on-rushing soldiers. A bloodthirsty laugh escaped her lips as she whipped her hand back; the dark energy traveled to her palm, quickly forming a custom-made black and red scythe.
"Come, humans!" She laughs as she twirls the scythe between her fingers. "And don't you dare disappoint me!" With the agility of a cat, she darted forward, evading the soldiers' attacks as her scythe sliced through the air with lethal accuracy; her laughter rang through the dungeon. With effortless grace, her blade tore through the guards, dismembering them with each stroke. Sylvanie's brutality knew no bounds as she painted the walls with blood. "More." She laughs. "More, I SAID GIVE ME MORE!" she screamed as she slashed a few more guards in her way.
The once-dungeon was now a bloody slaughterhouse, the sounds of violence and Sylvanie's crazed laughter filling the space as she cut up any guard that was unfortunate enough to cross her.
"Crazy much?" Oreon spoke as he watched in stunned silence for a moment before the guard tried to dismember his head with a wild swing to his neck, but Oreon quickly stepped back, avoiding the strike completely before slashing across the soldier's chest, dropping him instantly.
Celestia sighed at the sound of her sister's words echoing throughout the dungeon. "Sister, your magic has not fully returned. Please show some restraint." As another guard tried to attack her from the rear, Celestia's icy gaze never faltered. She avoided his strike with ease, then tapped his forehead with a gentle flick, resulting in a burst of light that slammed him against the wall. "Humans have always been such delicate beings." With a soldier charging toward her, sword swinging, she stopped him by pressing her hand against his chest, triggering an explosion of light that knocked him down.
Oreon fought his way past the soldiers, felling another guard before turning back to the two rescued elves. "Hey! More are on the way; we need to move now!" As another guard engaged him, Oreon parried several blows before thrusting his dagger into the guard's chest, killing him instantly. "Come on!" Oreon waved.
"Leave? I'm just getting started!" With a wild laugh, Sylvanie's scythe cleaves another guard in two. Flickering with waning dark energy, she sheathed her scythe, conserving her power for another approaching soldier. Believing himself to have the upper hand, he attacked the elf with several slashes. However, Sylvanie's agility was superior; she effortlessly evaded his strikes, seizing his arm before delivering a powerful blow to his abdomen, sending him crashing to the ground.
Maintaining her grip on his arm, she simply broke it, eliciting a scream as she seized his weapon. "Oh, I've missed this feeling so much!" She screamed, her bare foot coming down hard on the guard's head in a crushing blow, sending blood spraying across her face.
Oreon couldn't help but glance over at the scene. "Great, I just released a lunatic into the world?" He says to himself as he jumps out of the way of another attack before jumping forward and slashing a soldier down the middle of his chest.
The sound of more approaching guards reaches Celestia's ears as she quickly moves to her sister's side, grabbing her wrist. "He's right, Sylvanie. We're in no condition for a prolonged fight." She said firmly. "Besides, you put your weapon away for a human, which clearly shows you don't have much power left. We should leave." Earning a slight grunt from Sylvanie, Celestia pulled her by the wrist as they stood by Oreon. Her eyes scanned the corridor beyond the doorway. With a graceful gesture, she summons a blinding flash of light that momentarily stuns the approaching reinforcements.
"This way!" She calls, pointing towards the staircase as the three ran up the stairs with Oreon quickly slamming the steel door shut behind, leaving the carnage below.
The Trio found themselves in a narrow stone corridor, torchlight flickering against the damp walls as the sound of their ragged breathing filled the space.
Oreon pressed his back against the steel door, chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. "Well, that went better than expected, despite how intense someone got down there." He glanced over at Sylvanie as she flexed her fingers, almost like she was trying to get the feeling back into them.
"Intense? That was barely a warm-up." Sylvanie responded back, wiping blood from her cheek with the back of her hand, but stopped as she cast a glance at her trembling fingers. "Tch, those damn chains drained more than I thought. I could barely keep my weapon out for a few moments. Stupid Holy instruments." She spat as she sucked her teeth.
Celestia's eyes swept over her sister's trembling hands, a flicker of concern crossing her ethereal features as she surveyed her own. The golden light around her own palms had dimmed significantly.
"The binding collars were designed specifically to drain our essence over time. It will take days, or perhaps weeks, for our magic to fully return without proper rest." She moved closer to Sylvanie, her voice genuine as she spoke. "You pushed yourself too hard down there. In our current state, we need to reserve as much of our magic as possible."
Don't lecture me about restraint when you were throwing around light magic like confetti." Sylvanie snapped, though her usual aggressiveness was dampened by exhaustion.
"Besides," Her eyes darted over to Oreon. "Someone had to make sure our little human rescuer here didn't get himself killed.
"I'm pretty sure I would have managed," Oreon responded, slowly pushing himself off the steel door. "A couple of guards weren't that big of a deal." He said, now fully standing in front of the Elves, looking down at the corridor that offered a plethora of ways to go.
"You would have 'managed'?" Sylvanie let out a harsh laugh, gesturing wildly with her hand. "You mean like how you 'managed' to break into a fortress without an escape plan? Or how you 'managed' to stumble upon us with nothing but sheer dumb luck. Or how you 'managed' to nearly get your head chopped clean off." Sylvanie's voice was full of sarcasm as she invaded his personal space, her face inches from his.
"Face it, human—without us, you'd be headless on the floor right about now." Sylvanie finished.
"Without you? I'm sorry, but please remind me of something; where exactly would you be had I not shown up? That's right! Sitting in the same spot that I found you in because from where I stood, it looked like you two were having a grand old time enjoying your accommodations." Oreon snapped back at her.
"Cease your pointless arguing!" Celestia's voice rang as she turned her gaze towards both of them. "This bickering serves no purpose. We're all alive, we're all free, and arguing about the circumstances changes nothing!" She sighed heavily as she placed a hand on her head, trying to calm down before solely focusing on Oreon. "While my sister's gratitude...is lacking, she's not entirely wrong. "Her voice was steady, yet it carried a certain tension. "We are thankful that you stumbled upon us and freed us from our chains, and you've shown a great deal of courage entering this fortress on your own, but courage alone is just reckless.
"Well, sometimes plans don't always go the way you want them to, especially when you're dealing with the Order." Oreon stepped forward, down towards the corridor. "Sometimes, you just have to hope that luck is on your side, just in case your plans fall apart. Now come on, we have to keep moving. With all the noise we made, I'm pretty sure everyone is on high alert now."
Celestia stared at Oreon for a moment before nodding her head in response. "Agreed, our time is running short. Our biggest priority is finding a means of escape." She slowly took the lead as she walked past Oreon. "However, perhaps I should take the lead, seeing as your actions lack a bit of…direction." She sent a slight, almost non-existent smirk his way. "Unless you do have a way to escape this place with all our limbs intact.
Oreon's jaw tightened at Celestia's subtle jab, but he couldn't argue with her logic. "I thought you were the nice one!" Oreon thought to himself as he watched the regal elf move ahead with that infuriatingly graceful confidence that began to return to her.
Sylvanie was next to pass her human accomplice, as she gave a slight mocking giggle as she followed behind her sister.
"Probably should have left you down there," Oreon grumbled under his breath. Low enough so the elves wouldn't hear him, but he begrudgingly followed behind as the trio walked for a few minutes before Celestia decided to speak.
"We should make our way to the servants' quarters." Celestia motioned. "With all the commotion going about, they should be less guarded." She began to explain.
"And you know that how?" Oreon questioned as the three continued their pace. "I would say that they would expect someone like us to head to a place that we 'think' is less guarded. You know, a simple 'bait and switch' just to make us think we're getting somewhere."
Celestia's pace never faltered, though her shoulders tensed slightly at the challenge.
"The servant quarters connect to the kitchens, which have a direct route to the outer courtyards," Celestia explained. "Most guards will be focused on the main exits and armories. They won't expect escaped prisoners to flee through laundry rooms and their barracks. Not to mention, we've spent three months in their dungeons listening to every guard rotation, every shift change, every careless conversation. So, I do believe I know what I'm talking about simply because we have memorized their patterns." Celestia, wanting to prove her point, opened another steel door, but they were met with a room full of guards and soldiers.
Both sides blinked in confusion for a moment before Celestia spoke again. "I, uh, my sincerest apologies." She simply closed the door, and the trio quickly ran off in the opposite direction with a horde of guards chasing behind them.
"I thought you said you knew where you were going!" Oreon shouted, sprinting comically with the two Elven sisters running beside him.
The sound of heavy boots thundered behind them as shouts echoed through the stone corridors. Celestia's cheeks burned with embarrassment, her usual composure cracking under the weight of her mistake.
"Perhaps I…Maybe my calculations were slightly off!" She admitted breathlessly, her voice strained as they rounded another corner. "That was supposed to be an empty room, don't blame me; they probably stationed guards there due to us escaping!"
"That's what I was trying to tell you!" Oreon shouted back.
"The layout must have...changed since our capture." She replied with as much dignity as she could muster while fleeing.
"Changed?!" Oreon panted, leaping over a wooden crate that had been left in the corridor. "You mean you've been down there for three months and didn't account for the fact that they might, Oh, I don't know, MOVE THINGS AROUND?!"
Sylvanie couldn't help but laugh breathlessly as they took a sharp turn. "Oh, this is rich!" She screamed. "The great and wise sister of mine just walked us into a room full of--" A bolt of holy lightning whizzed past her head, crashing into the wall in front of them. "Shit!" She quickly glanced over at her sister. "You see what your great sense of direction got us into?!" She yelled.
"This is hardly the time for your mockery, Sylvanie!" Celestia chided.
The thunderous sound of armored boots echoed behind them as shouts rang through the corridor. The Trio turned another corner, Oreon's lungs burning as he struggled as he tried to keep up with the elves.
"Left!" Celestia shouted, pointing down another passage. "No wait--right!"
"Would you make up your mind!" Oreon gasped, sweat dripping down his face.
"I'm trying to remember!" Celestia snapped back, her usual composure completely shattered as another bolt of divine energy crackled past their heads, leaving a smoking crater in the stone wall. "Let's go left!"
Sylvanie shot her sister an incredulous look as they skidded around another corner Celestia had indicated. "You're seriously going to get us killed if you keep guessing! Just admit you don't know where we're going!"
The corridor ahead split into three different passages, each disappearing into darkness. Behind them, the clanking of armor grew louder, accompanied by the harsh barks of orders being shouted.
"Well?" Oreon breathed heavily, trying to catch his breath. "Which way, oh great queen of directions?"
Celestia's mind raced, trying to recall the layout she'd memorized during their imprisonment. But the adrenaline and exhaustion from their weakened magical state made everything blur together.
"The middle passage!" She declared with false confidence, then immediately second-guessed herself. "Wait, no—that's not...Maybe the right..."
"You both are useless, let me lead; I know exactly where to go! Follow me!" Sylvanie pressed forward, leading the group down the middle as they came upon another steel door. "See, unlike my sister, I know exactly what I'm doing." Sylvanie opened the steel door, revealing another set of guards, although few in numbers, but much bigger in size.
"Oh…Shit." Sylvanie's ears lowered. "Well," She turned to look at her group. "I messed up. RUN!" She simply spoke as the three bolted from the second room chosen by an elf with now bigger guards chasing them, mixing in with the original horde that was on their tail.
"Are you KIDDING me?!" Oreon screamed as he threw his hands up in exasperation, as they fled down yet another corridor. "Both of you are terrible at this!"
Sylvanie's face flushed crimson, her pride a bit wounded from making the same mistake her sister did. "How was I supposed to know they had big ones there?!" She snarled as she too breathed heavily from running.
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because you two were here for three months!" Oreon yelled back. "Remember that?! The patterns!" Oreon reminded them.
"Oh, shut up and run, human!" Sylvanie screamed back as the three continued to run down a few corridors as the guards chased them in a comedic cinematic Scooby Doo scene.
Their predicament became utterly ridiculous when the three of them raced through endless hallways, with guards appearing from everywhere, accompanied by a torrent of angry shouts.
"This is getting us nowhere!" Celestia spoke. "Perhaps we should--EEK!" She screamed as another holy bolt whizzed right passed the group, colliding into the wall as they turned another corner.
"This is getting ridiculous!" Sylvanie followed up. "We can't keep running from them forever!" Her eyes darted towards Oreon. "Any bright ideas would be great about now, human, I need you to think of something!"
"Will you shut up!" Oreon ducked as a crossbow bolt splintered the wall inches from his head, his lungs burning as he pushed himself harder. "This time I'll pick the door!" Oreon spoke out as they quickly turned right, following Oreon's path. "Come on, this way!" He instructed, as they fled, legs pumping from the sounds following behind them.
The hallway initially appeared to stretch on forever, but it eventually led to a spacious ballroom, in which three imposing knights were stationed.
"Crap…" He said as he skidded to a stop, quickly brandishing his twin daggers, preparing for a battle. Sylvanie clutched the stolen sword, while Celestia assumed a defensive position.
The soldiers that were following them quickly entered the large room and lined their bodies against the wall, as if it was a routine gesture, as the trio stood in the center of the room with the three opposing knights.
The ballroom fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the heavy breathing of the three fugitives. Ornate chandeliers cast dancing shadows across the marble floors as the pursuing soldiers formed a perfect perimeter, their weapons drawn but held at the ready—not attacking.
"Welp, three for three, huh?" Oreon's grip on his daggers tightened. "Now, look at the trouble we're in."
"It appears we've managed to corner ourselves." Celestia narrowed her eyes at the opposition.
'Great decisions we've made, none of us are good with directions." Sylvanie added.
The three knights stood. In contrast to the regular guards, these warriors present a picture of power and self-assurance. Divine magic shimmered faintly around their armor, which gleamed with holy symbols. One wore a golden-winged helmet, another a crimson cape embroidered with golden sigils, and the other carried a massive, glowing hammer in his right hand as it rested on his shoulder.
Celestia inhales sharply, recognition flashing in her eyes. "Paladins," she murmurs, her voice barely audible. "The same ones who led the assault on our kingdom."
Sylvanie's expression transforms into pure hatred, her knuckles white around the hilt of her sword. "Warhammer, The Golden Wing, and the Crimson Oath." She hisses. "I watched them cut down our mother's royal guards like they were nothing."
Eyes cold, the paladin in the winged helmet advanced, his gaze shifting between Oreon and the Elven sisters.
"The thief harboring fugitives and the royal vermin." He announces, his voice carrying throughout the chamber. "How convenient to find all our problems in one place." A soft, dark chuckle escaped him.
"Return the elves and surrender the shard, thief," the red-caped paladin adds, drawing a sword that bursts into holy flames. "Perhaps then your death will be quick."
Oreon, daggers still drawn, glared at the paladins arrayed before him, prepared to strike if needed. "You know, death just doesn't seem to be on my schedule today." He returns with a smirk." So, I'm going to have to take a rain check on that, and as far as the elves go, well, I don't think I'll be handing them over either, so that sounds like you're taking two losses today." Oreon's words echo throughout the grand chamber as his eyes glance around the room, trying to see if he can find another way out of this predicament. "I am curious, though." He says, focusing back on the golden-winged paladin. "What does the Order want with a couple of elves anyway?" He questions.
The Paladin with the golden-winged helmet steps forward, his armor gleaming under the torchlight.
"Such ignorance." He spoke with amusement in his voice. "You steal from us, free our prisoners, and yet you don't even know what you've taken."
The ballroom resounded with the paladin's bitter laughter, his winged helmet gleaming. "Then you demand answers, as if you are deserving of them," he says, taking another measured step forward. "But I guess it doesn't do any harm, considering you're going to be captured and punished for your crimes." He pointed towards the two Elves. "These are not just mere elves- These are elves of royal bloodline, a bloodline that carries ancient magic in their veins. Magic that the Order requires. Especially the elder one- her light magic is…compatible with our needs." To gain a flanking position, the paladin with the hammer moves slightly to the right.
Meanwhile, the winged-helm paladin continues to speak. "The golden-haired elf is Celestia Velyrian, former queen of Vel'Andria." He glanced briefly at Sylvanie as he pointed. "And the dark one is a wellspring of forbidden magic, Sylvanie Velyrian, the second to rise to the throne, should her sister fall. The Purifier believes her corruption can be…repurposed."
"You mean to drain our magic…to fuel your sick crusade," Celestia spoke, her stance remaining as Sylvanie's crimson eyes blazed, her grip on the stolen sword tightening until her knuckles turned white.
"So that's what this has all been about." She takes a step forward, ignoring the weapons trained on her. "You've been purifying and purging the elves just to harvest our magic." Sylvanie growled, baring her teeth. " You destroy our kingdom, scatter our people, and now you want to hollow us out like empty vessels for your precious Order."
The Crimson Oath shifts his flaming sword. "Your magic serves a higher purpose now. The corruption in your blood can be cleansed and redirected toward the light."
"Draining the elves dry," Oreon breathed "Are there no lows you people won't stoop to? Aren't your purges enough?"
The winged paladin's expression darkened beneath his helmet, his voice turning cold. "Purges are necessary to cleanse corruption. But waste not, want not--their magic serves the divine will far better than rotting in elven graves.
"Divine will Ha! Divine will my ass!" Sylvanie returned. "You lot are nothing but parasites feeding off what you've murdered." Her eyes flicked to the hammer-wielding paladin moving to flank them. "Tell me, how many of our people have you drained already?" She gritted her teeth.
"None of that concerns you dark elf." The Warhammer paladin spoke. "All you need to do is follow orders and head back to your chains, nothing else is needed from you." He chuckled.
"So this is just one big harvest?" Oreon took his turn to speak as he eyed the golden-winged paladin. "Draining elves for their magic, purging the so called corrupted, to what end? What about the beastkins? The dwarves? The rest of the humans? What exactly are you trying to accomplish here?
The golden-winged paladin's gauntleted hand gestured dismissively at Oreon's questions, his voice carrying certainty of absolute faith. "The world must be united under divine order, thief. Beastkin are little more than animals--useful for labor, nothing more. Dwarves for their craftsmanship." His helmet tilted slightly studying Oreon. "As for humans like yourself--those who serve the Order prosper. Those who don't..." He let the threat hang in the air.
The crimson--caped paladin stepped forward, his flaming sword stretched out as he pointed it at the trio. "The Orders vision is simple--one world, one faith, one people serving the divine light. Magic flows to those worthy of wielding it, not scattered among lesser races who corrupt its purity."
"One People? You mean one boot stomping on everyone's neck." Sylvanie hissed.
"You're a damn cult." Oreon's gripped tightened on his daggers. "The heretics are the ones that stands there preaching about divine light, when if you look deep enough behind the facade, there's nothing but souless hearts. There's nothing divine or holy about you, just walking hypocrites killing for the sake of killing." He stood in front of the Elven sisters.
"You misunderstand, thief." The winged helm paladin continued to speak. "We don't kill for the sake of killing. We reshape the world according to the divine mandate, passed down from the high seats themselves. Every death serves a purpose--every drop of elven blood spilled waters the seeds for a greater tomorrow."
Celestia's jaw clenched, her eyes burning as she narrowed them. "You speak of reshaping the world while standing in the ruins of everything beautiful you've destroyed." She gritted her teeth."You've enslaved entire races! you butchered innocents and call it holy work. You've committed purges and call it a divine mandate. People, both human and non-human, live in fear because of your actions, and you dare say it leads to a great tomorrow?"
The golden-winged paladin's laugh echoed through the ballroom. "Beautiful?" He repeated. "Your 'beautiful' kingdom fell in a few days, elf. Your people scattered like leaves before a storm. If your way was truly divine, would it not have endured? If your magic was truly almighty, would you not have been victorious?" He gestured with his hands as he made his point. "Regardless of how you see our transgressions, time showed that your way was weak and you crumbled just like the weak vermin you are."
"You damn bastards,' Sylvanie snarls, gripping tightly on her stolen sword. "I can't wait to shove this sword so far up your...
Forward strode the paladin, his red cape billowing, the flaming sword in his hand sending dancing shadows across the walls. "Stay your tongue, dark elf. "He turns his attention back to Oreon." The shard thief, hand it over, and perhaps we'll only take your hands instead of your head." He threatens.
"You know what? I'm starting to think you paladins have a real communication problem." Oreon shifted his weight, muscles coiled. "Because I'm pretty sure I already told you—death is not on my schedule today, and I'm not handing over squat."
The hammer-wielding paladin's laugh boomed through the ballroom, his massive weapon beginning to glow brighter with divine energy. "Bold words from a cornered rat." He hefted the glowing hammer with one hand. "The shard belongs to the Order, thief. As do these elves."
"Actually," Oreon responded with a grin that didn't reach his eyes. "I've got a counter proposal," He flipped one dagger in his hand, the motion casual despite the deadly situation as he pointed it towards the paladins. "How about you all go screw yourselves?"
Divine energy began to build as the paladin, wearing a helmet with wings, lifted his hand." Enough games!" He growls, "Seize them! Retrieve the shard and the elves!" He turned his back towards the trio, but not before slightly glancing over his shoulder at Oreon. "And kill the thief." He uttered darkly.
The chamber erupts into chaos as guards surge forward from all sides. Celestia raises her hands, summoning a dome of golden light that momentarily shields the three of them from the initial wave of attackers.
"We cannot defeat three paladins in our current state," She warns, strain evident in her voice as she maintains the barrier. "Human, you have to find us a way out of here and be quick about it!"
Oreon's eyes darted frantically around the ballroom—ornate pillars, massive chandeliers, stained glass windows depicting holy scenes. Suddenly, his eyes locked onto the large windows. He quickly glanced over at Celestia and gestured his head towards the window as she nodded imperceptibly.
"On my signal then! "She speaks, the light growing brighter. "Be ready to run!" She says as Sylvanie quickly shifts her weight, ready to spring into action, her crimson eyes darting between the approaching soldiers and the window.
"Hey, human, if we survive this." She mutters to Oreon. "I might consider not killing you in your sleep." Her eyes do not leave the incoming horde of soldiers coming their way.
Oreon's head quickly snaps to Sylvanie. "What? You were going to kill me in my sleep!" he exclaims.
The paladins and soldiers advanced, their divine auras flaring with power. The Warhammer paladin raises his weapon, which begins to crackle with holy energy.
The light from Celestia's hands intensifies until it's almost blinding, pulsing with raw power that makes the air around them shimmer. With a determined expression, Celestia hurls the concentrated ball of light toward the ceiling above the paladins. The explosion is deafening, sending chunks of stone raining down, temporarily cutting off the paladins from their prey.
"NOW!" Celestia shouts, her voice carrying over the chaos.
Following their improvised plan, he burst towards the large window, pushing past the few obstructing soldiers as the elves followed close behind.
"So, what's your big plan?" As they neared the window, Sylvanie cried out, "Will we be fighting with our backs against the wall?" She posed her question as Oreon looked back, then redirected his gaze forward.
"Nope, we're going to take a leap of faith!" He shouts.
"What!" With a cry from Sylvanie, Oreon charged forward, smashing through the glass window with his shoulder. He tumbled outside, the two elves following in a seemingly perilous drop.
For a breathless moment, only the wind rushed past, and glittering shards of glass surrounded them, like diamond stars in the night. At the bottom, a deep cliff exposes the fortress perched on the Cliffside, with a thick canopy of trees far beneath.
Celestia's eyes widen in alarm as she realizes there's nothing but air beneath the group. With remarkable composure, she extends her hands, golden light erupting from her palms as she attempts to slow their descent. "By the ancient light, protect us!" she calls out, her magic forming a shimmering barrier that slightly cushions their fall.
Sylvanie, meanwhile, is far less dignified in her reaction.
"A LEAP OF FAITH?!" she screams, tumbling through the air beside Oreon and her sister. "I'm going to kill you if this fall doesn't do it first, you stupid human!"
Oreon looks over at Sylvanie, no less dignified than her. "You already said you were going to kill me in my sleep; you damn psychopath!"
"Brace yourselves!" Celestia shouts.
As they fell at an alarming speed, the three shouted as the treetops rushed up to meet them; Celestia's magic only partially slowed their descent, and branches snapped and cracked under their weight.
The three figures' bodies tumbled like rag dolls as the sound of their grunts echoed throughout the forest. Their bodies hit the ground, flipping and flopping before they came to a stop as they rolled down a steep hill, with Oreon finally stopping on his back and the two elves landing in their positions.
Oreon winced as he sat up, rubbing his lower back. "Well, that could have been better."
Celestia was next to rise, her movements graceful despite the fall. Leaves and twigs cling to her pale blonde hair, and a thin scratch marks her cheek, but she appears unharmed thanks to her protective magic. She brushes herself off with dignity, as if falling from castle windows were a regular occurrence for Elven royalty.
"That was…Resourceful, unexpected, but resourceful. "She offers diplomatically, though her tone suggests she might have preferred a plan with fewer bruises. "Are you injured?"
Sylvanie groans loudly as she pushes herself up from where she landed face-down in a patch of ferns. Her Violet hair is wild and tangled with forest debris, and her expression promises violence. "Resourceful?" she snarls, spitting out a leaf. "We could have died! What kind of escape plan involves hurling ourselves off a cliff?"
"The kind that gets us away from three paladins and a room full of soldiers," Oreon winced as he stretched, testing his limbs for any serious damage. "Besides, we're alive, aren't we? it couldn't be avoided" He questioned, brushing dirt from his daggers before sheathing them. "
Sylvanie snarls again, wincing as she pulls herself up to a sitting position. "We could have avoided it entirely with something called a PLAN! Are all humans this reckless, or are you a special kind of idiot?"
"Calm yourself, Sylvanie," Celestia spoke softly, placing a steadying hand on a nearby tree trunk.
"We're alive, which is more than we would have been had we stayed." She turns her sapphire gaze to Oreon, studying him with a bit of curiosity. "Though I must admit, I do have some questions of my own. Why risk your life for two Elven slaves? And what is this shard they spoke of?"
Before Oreon could answer, something drew his eyes upward, narrowing in response. "Right now, it may not be the time to talk about that." He calmly spoke as his eyes remained narrowed at the Fortress from which they fell. "They'll be on top of us in no time." He redirected his gaze to the two elves. "We need to move."
Celestia follows Oreon's gaze upward, where torches are already appearing along the cliff edge. The distant shouts of soldiers echo through the night air as search parties mobilize.
"You're right. The Order's trackers are relentless," she concedes, straightening her posture despite her obvious fatigue as her gaze fell back on Oreon. "We should head east, towards the forest trees. They will provide cover for us.
"No doubt about it. East could be our best chance. West also would give us some great cover." Oreon poundered a bit.
Sylvanie yanks her stolen sword from the ground and rises to her feet, still glaring at Oreon with suspicion despite the immediate danger.
"And what makes you think we should follow you anywhere?" She challenges, though she's already checking the forest for signs of pursuit. "For all we know, you're leading us to another slave market."
The distant sound of horns echoes from the fortress above, followed by the barking of hounds. The hunt for the order has begun.
"We don't have time for this," Celestia interjects firmly. "East or west, human? Choose quickly
"Let's just get moving," Sylvaine mutters, rolling her shoulder with a grimace. "Those paladins won't give up easily, especially if they want whatever this 'Shard' is so badly." Sylvaine kept her eyes narrowed at Oreon. "So, our dear human savior, please choose a path for us." She started as Oreon looked at the two of them and then turned his attention to the directions he was left to choose.
Oreon looks towards the forest and then backs up at the fortress as the order moves. "Let's head east." He suggests. "The forest should give us cover and make it harder for them to track us. Also, there's a small town that we'll be able to hide in. We just have to get there first." He finished as he brought his gaze back towards Celestia, who nodded before turning to her sister, who silently complained as she began walking in the direction that Oreon chose.
"We'd better hurry off into the unknown then, before we become a blood sacrifice for their horrid rituals," Sylvanie grunted, her footsteps thumping against the ground. "Or return to chains."
Celestia remained silent as she walked gracefully behind her sister, who quickly turned around to face Oreon. "Well? Are you coming, human?