9 Light Up The Faint Hope

That night, he revealed his plan to Theo. The two of them waited for the guards to go to the above floor. Then, he explained to Theo about the Cave Structure. The Cave consists of 6 floors.

He doesn't know about The First and The Second Floor, but for The Third Floor, is where The Organisation Base and where mostly the guards spend considerable time there. In other words, it hard to get past the floor. The Fourth Floor is where the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth and The Mana Crystals being kept. While the Fifth Floor is where the children being locked in their cell. Lastly, the last floor is where they were forced to do the mining works.

Their plan will work if the two of them are the only ones who knew about it. They can't let the other children hear it at all cost. Theo didn't know why Ren means that but he had put all of his trust in him and didn't question anything. He knew that Ren would never leave the other children behind.

"We will execute the plan in two days, make sure that you and Clara were there at that specific place that I told you." Ren reminds Theo again to make sure that he didn't forget that.

Later, Theo went through the other day, as usual, woke up early in the morning, eating the food that was given to him and went to The Sixth Floor for the mining work. Seemed like Ren a little bit talkative in these few days. He talked to all the children there. Theo was contented to know that Ren was giving his best to make sure this plan didn't fail. Theo was also moved by Ren dedication, no matter what, he won't let Ren efforts be in vain.

Later that final Night, after the guards went to their Floor. Ren told to Theo what he needed to do tomorrow. He listened to Ren attentively. Firstly, the children will create a diversion to clear all the guards from this Floor. Then, when all the guards have left, Theo just needs to be at the specific spot that Ren told him. That is on the Sixth Floor, there are two passages, go to the left one and when you at the edge of the passage, go to the wall that is opposite to you that have a magic lamp attached to the wall. You should be standing next to the magic lamp that is the fourth from your right. The instruction that was told to Theo was quite simple, all he needs to do is to be standing next to a magic lamp in the mining area.

Is that all he needed to do for all of them to escape? Apparently, at this moment he was doubting Ren's plan.

"What with that face of yours, you still didn't sure about my plan?" Theo shook his head and remained silent. His face was easily been read that he was suspecting Ren plan. "Just make sure that you didn't screw up tomorrow." Ren extends his hand through the bars and put it on Theo's shoulder. "Kid, tell me…do you want everyone to escape from here." Theo glance toward Ren suddenly turned into a gaze. Then he nodded to him, it could be seen in Theo's eyes there's fire blazing of determination, there is also typically less blinking.  

"Good, then promise me you will do everything that I say tomorrow." He extended his little finger to Theo. Then, the two parties interlock their little fingers in a symbolic gesture of agreement. After that, both of them went to sleep but neither of them could even close their eyes that Night.

Sorry, Theo for lying to you. Just this time and the very last time I had to tell an untruthp to you. He covered his head with his blanket. The fear gripped his heart. Copious tears streamed down his cheeks that were trying to calm and control his emotion. That night there he laid on the mattress and cried alone, endlessly.

...…..

The awaited day finally came, Theo had already prepared with Clara with pickaxes on their hand, there at the entry of the passage on his left. When all the children had finally done with their meal, they all went to the Sixth Floor. Ren already had begun mining there. When all the children had gathered there and begun mining. Ren gave all of them the signal, by throwing his pickaxe. As soon as the pickaxe hit the ground and caused a loud sound.

All the children stopped mining, then, gradually one by one fell on their knee to the ground while holding their stomach. Some even fell from their back, some feel as if they went unconscious, and some were screaming in tremendous pain but also some were just fine. All of it was just an act. In any way, most of the children seemed to be in intolerable pain. Then, the guards who were on their duty on the Sixth Floor were all to be in shocked and surprised. They never had thought that this many to reach at that stage on the same day. A few of them went to the Third Floor to request more guards to help with carrying the children to the Second Floor. Some were still there to carry the children to the above floor.

When this happened, both Clara and Theo had already gone to their given task. Both of them were also surprised by Ren's plan to cause a diversion. However, Theo was confused by that plan. Then, how the children who were moved to the above floor escape? What will happen to them? But he put these questions aside and just proceeded with the plan.

After checking the number of guards reduced to two at The Sixth Floor, then, Ren went to the place where he had ordered Theo to be. He had already studied the number of guards that were appointed to The Sixth Floor during the afternoon. He realised that it was the lowest out of any time.

Moreover, at this time most of the guards were on The Fourth Floor checking the extracted minerals. This will give them some times.

When he arrived there, Theo and Clara did what he instructed them. When he saw Theo, his face was seemed to be in confused. It was what he had expected. As soon as they had gathered, Ren touched the wall. "When the wall ruptured, enter it and ride on the boat that was made by stone."

Then, Ren forcefully channelled his mana into the wall and a secret passage was opened. However, a sharp pain lanced through his body and colourful spots flashes in front of his eyes, he felt like a jolt of current shot in his body. His mana score that seemed to be in a broken state, became more cracked than before. It was the repercussion of using spell and mana despite he was cursed with a slave mark.

"No, not yet." It visible on his face that he was in pain. After Theo and Clara had entered the hole. "Theo, catch." Ren threw a small book that was wrapped in red ribbon. Theo caught the book. He then looked at the book that he caught with his hand. Ren Garner was written on it. After Theo read the words, ultimately his worst suspicion and fear was confirmed. "Ren.." He uttered the name faintly. He lifted his head and looked straight into Ren's eyes.

"Sorry…Theo...farewell." His eyes were slowly frozen over like the surface of a winter puddle, robbing its usual warmth. His face turned pale, his voice shook as he spoke. Then, he cast a spell on the wall. The wall in front of the boat collapsed and changed its shape. Then, a path was formed. The boat that Theo and Clara were in seemed to be slowly sliding because of the high slope.

At that moment, the time seemed to crawl at a slow pace. Tears were escaped from Theo's eyes. He was utterly dumbfounded and betrayed. His face turned ashen. Then, Ren cracked a painful smile at him.

Then, the boat slid through the path that Ren had paved. Ren closed the hole with his left mana. Again, the pain rushed into his head strongly. He sank onto his knees and laid against the wall.

People that have faith, have hope.  People that have hope, have faith.  Seemingly, a person cannot have one without the other. Thus, if there is hope present you know that there is faith present as well. Hope is always accompanied by faith. Faith is almost always accompanied by hope- but not always. Our hope right now is dim. Nevertheless, you are the only one who can light up the faint hope.

Theo, I didn't have high hope that someone will come and save all of us here, I also didn't have high hope that all of us can save ourselves from here, but… I do have faith in you, You are the only one who can save the children here.

...

A few seconds later, he started having a hallucination. A girl who was about 4 years old holding a pink-coloured bunny doll came walking toward him. Sorry, I couldn't return home again today and maybe forever.

 I'm scared, Anna, I don't want to...

Finally, his mana core shattered into smithereens. His vision became white blank as pure as a snow during winter…..

.....

The tunnel was dark, both of them couldn't see anything. As they were sliding down the passage, both of them were holding tightly to each other. Theo was still crying. It didn't turn out as he had expected. He thought that all of them are going to escape but only the two of them.

Then, they could see there is a small light. They were at the edge of the tunnel. Then, both of them came out of the tunnel and in front of them was still another slope. Then, the boat crashed at the end of the slope.

When they opened their eyes there were a few bruises on their body but it wasn't that hurt. Theo then carried Clara on his back. He remembered that Ren told him that when they reached outside looked for a road and if a bandwagon passed by, hop into it. He remembered it but that was supposed to be the advice for all of the children.

The wind wailed through towering trees and the sun illuminated the landscape.

They walked through the forest for about an hour, then they found a road. Both of them waited there for more than three hours. When Theo was about to fall asleep he heard the sound of the horses' hooves. He quickly woke up Clara who was sleeping, then they ran chasing the bandwagon and jumped into it. There seemed to be a lot of crates and barrels on the bandwagon. Both of them lowered their profile by hiding in between the crates and barrels. Since both of them were exhausted throughout the whole day, both of them had fallen asleep.

The man who was the owner of the bandwagon was a merchant who was on his way to the City of Rura. Since the travelling time took more than a day to the city, the merchant had stopped by at the Catraz village. By then, the two of them hop out of the bandwagon.

...