Part 4: Unbound Chains

"Enough!" A man's voice pierced through the center, commanding attention, even from Bruger, who paused in his advance toward Takagi. The guards and the general appeared confused, but Bruger had sensed that something like this might happen. His gut feeling had told him that the elf hadn't been alone, despite what he had been led to believe.

"Don't break formation!" Bruger shouted. "Okurnion, go find whoever said that."

With clear orders, Okurnion began to walk around, peering into every alley and street connected to the city's center where the well stood. The voice had seemed to echo through the silence, untraceable to any specific location.

As Bruger scanned the surroundings, hoping to catch a glimpse of the speaker, an eerie silence settled over everyone, heightening their alertness.

"You haven't checked behind you," the voice muttered behind Bruger.

Reacting swiftly, Bruger spun around, pointing his sword at the person behind him.

"Bruger!" Okurnion yelled as he rushed back.

"Whoa, whoa, no need for that," the male elf said playfully, a smile on his face. He raised his arms to show his harmlessness, as did the female elf behind him, who wore the same smirk.

The guards, in response to the elves' presence, disobeyed orders and turned their bodies to face the perceived threat.

"It's okay, everyone," Bruger ordered, easing the tension among the guards and Okurnion, who were poised to act at the first sign of trouble. The guards obediently turned back around and resumed their positions, as Bruger had commanded. Okurnion walked back, standing just behind Bruger.

"Who are you, and what are you doing here? Don't you see we're quite busy?" Bruger asked, his tone conveying superiority.

"Their clothing and armor look very expensive, and they are elves. Above everything, though, how did they manage to get behind me with all these guards blocking every entrance?" Bruger thought, puzzled by their presence.

Chains rattled along the cold, grimy floor, their weight evident as they dragged behind a woman. Her ankles were bruised and dirty from the chains and the filthy floor, and she walked barefoot. Four more sets of feet shuffled along, burdened by the same heavy, cold chains, their destination the next room over. Their room had been locked from the outside, but they had formulated a plan, thanks to Clementine, the human maid.

"Clementine, are you sure this will work?" one of the maids asked.

Before she could reply, a click came from the lock on the door. Clementine turned to face the other maids. In total, there were six women, including Clementine. One was a coney named Kabi, with long brown rabbit ears. Three of them were elves: Lomelia, Meira, and Ena, all with blonde hair and blue eyes. The last one was a dark elf named Nerna.

Clementine smiled. "I guess it was easier to pick this lock than the ones on our chains," she added.

"Okay, remember, we need to get to the next room; that's where I saw Bruger keep the keys," Kabi added.

"Are you sure the guard isn't there anymore?" Nerna asked.

"Yes, trust me, I would've heard them moving their loud armor. They all ran out after the horns sounded," Kabi replied.

Clementine twisted the knob slowly and opened the door carefully, ensuring not a single creak could be heard.

"Okay, the coast is clear!" Clementine shouted.

They all shuffled slowly, not only to be sneaky but also because the chains on their ankles were so short that they didn't allow them to run. Unlike the other three, the elves had their arms chained behind their backs most of the time, as they could use a slight amount of magic. However, their magic was not dangerous; they were mere innocent elves who didn't practice much magic. They did, however, possess very powerful healing magic and could have easily healed any wound. But due to their hands being tightly bound behind their backs, they couldn't perform a proper cast.

With the door open, they cautiously peeked around every corner, ensuring there were no guards nearby. Since Bruger was moving to another location, the maids had surmised that he would order everyone to help with the move, meaning fewer guards on duty. They crept over to a storage room where jewels and treasures were usually kept.

The room was typically well guarded, with two guards stationed at the entrance. However, since there was no one there, they took the opportunity to try to pick the lock and gain entry. A click was heard in the long hallway within the building. Clementine felt as though the click had alerted everyone nearby, but in reality, it wasn't loud; it was the tension in the air that heightened their senses to every slight sound.

Clementine slowly turned the knob and opened the door. The maids had expected a much shinier room, with jewels and treasures gleaming in their value, but it was empty. The only items left were a few chests, possibly full of some leftover treasure. However, this treasure was of little importance to them, so they skipped the chests and went straight to a cabinet that contained multiple keys.

"Um, there are so many different keys in here, Kabi. Which one is it?" Clementine asked as she shuffled through the cabinet. The keys clinked together, some rusted and some bent. There had to have been close to fifty different keys in the cabinet, and Clementine grew anxious trying to guess which one.

She tried one key after another, but none of them worked. Frustration grew among the group, evident in Kabi's exclamation, "There! Wait, no, you moved it!" as she pointed into the cabinet. Clementine attempted to shuffle the keys back and forth, then Kabi finally selected one.

"This is it, I think it's this one!" Kabi said, holding a key up.

The first to be freed from the chains were the quiet elves, who had never made a peep. Their chains dropped to the floor, and they felt relief in finally being able to wiggle their wrists freely.

"Thank you!" one of the elves said, tears running down her pale cheeks.

Next came the dark elf, then Kabi, and finally Clementine. Clementine, upon being freed, shed a tear but quickly wiped it away.

"Let's go!" she exclaimed bravely, her courage inspiring the other maids, who nodded in agreement.

They made their way swiftly but carefully to another room, finding themselves near a window. From this vantage point, they could hear sounds from outside. The sounds were expected, but the unusual quietness unsettled them. Clementine peeked out the window for a possible escape route but was met with the sight of the center full of guards.

"Who are you, and what are you doing here? Don't you see we are quite busy?" they heard Bruger's voice, sending a chill that raised goosebumps on their skin.

One of the elves peered outside the window, trying to get a glimpse of what was going on. Her eyes widened, and her mouth opened with excitement. A newfound happiness shone on her face, bringing forth a smile none of the others had ever seen.

"They are the Elf Twins!" she muttered with excitement to Clementine.

"T-the Elf Twins?" Clementine asked.

"We are the Elf Twins, hailing from the blessed lands of Minrow, sent by the Great Ruler himself," the male elf proclaimed, bowing before everyone in the center.

"The Great Ruler?! I'm assuming you're talking about the elf king of Minrow, correct?" Okurnion asked, involving himself in the encounter.

"You would be correct, my good sir. May I ask both of you fine gentlemen to leave that elf to us?"

"Oh yeah? Why's that? Don't you see I was busy pummeling his head into the pavement?" Bruger announced, showcasing the blood on his hands and knuckles.

"He is a fugitive who has made a mockery of the Elven people, and we wish to make an example out of him."

"Well, you caught him at a bad time. It seems I'll beat you to that goal."

"I recommend you consider the offer."

"What if I don't accept?"

"We can make an arrangement. I can give you all the coins within this pouch..." The male elf took out a bag full of coins and threw it up to showcase its heft. "Surely a mere elf isn't worth as much as what's in this bag?"

"But he sure is worth more than that if you are clearly offering up such a handsome amount," Bruger thought to himself, rubbing his chin.

"Mhhh… how about as a part of the deal, you throw in your cute little friend back there?" Bruger stated with a smug smirk, licking his lips and imagining vile things.

The male elf maintained his smile, but the female elf grew visibly frustrated, her face contorted with cringe.

"You must be aware that earlier I stated we are twins. That is something that will not be included in our offer," the male elf asserted firmly.

"What a shame, I would've been willing to cooperate if the girl was thrown..." Before Bruger could finish his banter, the male elf's smile disappeared, replaced by an annoyed, cringed stare.

"I said, that isn't part of our offer. I would prefer we come to an agreement through civilized means," the male elf declared.

"Oh? Haha, I'm just pulling your leg!" Bruger laughed. "Anyways, here, be my guest." Bruger finally stepped aside, allowing the elves to inspect Takagi, who lay near death on the floor.

The male and female elves approached slowly, not acting cautiously toward either Bruger or Okurnion, who watched as they advanced toward the body.

The male elf's first task was to verify that the elf before them was the one they were looking for. They had already become annoyed after searching through every town and city within northern Rovkre. Though annoyed, they weren't frustrated with the task assigned to them by their great ruler, for they were extremely loyal to him and craved only to bring great news quickly back to the Great Ruler of Minrow.

The male elf knelt down, attempting to get a closer look at Takagi's face. Bruger, acting out of curiosity, picked up a rock from the rubble he had created when he bashed Takagi's head against the ground. With a swift motion, he launched it in the direction of the male elf. The rock flew relatively fast but was stopped mid-way by a clear magic barrier.

"Just making sure you're the real deal," Bruger stated with a smirk.

The male elf paid no mind to Bruger's comments or the rock that was launched in their direction. He focused on Takagi, carefully examining every facial feature. Slowly, the male elf removed the turban that covered Takagi's head, and the female elf twin peeked, acting out of curiosity.

Before Takagi's horns could be uncovered, a loud scream echoed from the top of the steps that led inside the building at the center of the city, separating the well and the garden that marked the center of Grunthree.

"Alluin! Ramuin! Elf twins, please help us!" The voice pierced the silent air, reaching every ear within the tense center.