34 Winding stairwell

The barracks were alive with uproar. Runners were abounding, circulating information to and fro.

"Illysa has been spotted!"

"The Viscount's daughter is here!"

It made things easy for Julian, who hid silently behind a bush near the towering entrance to the main office and watched the chaos unfold. Together with his alert, it seemed that they had caught wind of real information as well; Julian overheard the guards talking about the fight that happened at the bar.

Waves of troops roused from slumber and barreled out the gates. All after a single little girl, Julian thought absently. Were they really that fearful of her? Just because she was an innate mage with superior circuits.

Julian grinned at the thought.

Then again, they were probably quaking with fear the last time a mage with gold-tier eyes. That of course, being Amari the Mage King himself.

Laughable.

Ignoring his off-topic thoughts, Julian waited until the last of the guards rushing out to chase after their query. He slipped through the door right as the cityguard officers moved out. The main office was a long rectangular building that favored practicality over appearance.

There was a small lobby with cheap paintings hanging on the wall. Lamps kept the place alight despite the ungodly hour, bringing the site a warm glow. There was a counter where a receptionist slept, his snore deep and wheezing. These cityguards sure didn't take security very seriously.

Then again, they probably usually only dealt with small-time bandits. Maybe a few crazy drunks that could just be thrown down into the dungeons in shackles and chains and not worry about much else.

Julian had no problem slipping past the sleeping receptionist and found himself in the wide, stone hallways. There was conveniently a large deep blue carpet that so conveniently silenced his limping steps. He didn't even have to make sure his walking stick made too much sound! How convenient. Now he just had to be wary that he didn't suddenly start barking in laughter.

It was almost too obvious where the dungeon was! He came across a barred gate that led downward into a basement. It was easy to assume that the keys probably set somewhere by the receptionist, but Julian wasn't interested in risking waking the man up.

He hovered his hand over the lock, casting a scything spell first. After the inner workings of the device became known to him, he was able to use another spell that would accurately undo the mechanism as effectively as possible.

A click.

Hah. Easy.

The gate creaked on its metal hinges, and Julian was as light-handed as he could be, watching the guard to make sure he would rouse from his rest. The guard grumbled a little, moaning something about baked goods but ultimately made no notice of Julian who passed through the barred gates and began descending the narrow winding stairwell into the dungeon.

Unlike the warm halls of the first floor, the lights that lit the stairwell were both meager and far apart, the majority of the place was obscured by a damp darkness. His steps echoed along with a wet dripping sound, and Julian was reminded of the caves he had left not so long ago.

With a sigh, he continued downward, until the sharp putrid scents assaulted his nose. Iron, piss, mold, and every other smell of rot mixed and fermented. Each cell was hidden behind a thick metal door with a tiny opening as a window.

Julian was just tall enough to look into that small opening. However, the darkness within the cells hid the prisoner's identity. And so he used a magelight, prodding and inspecting each room with as much time efficiency as possible.

…

By the time Leonel caught up to Illysa, the girl was in a panic, wide-eyed and panting. "You- I thought you-" She couldn't form words properly and rush at the Inquisitor with a hug. He was stunned for a moment, having just come out of the maze of alleys, no foes were about them yet.

But they were coming.

Shouts had them surrounded, riling up others as they went. And there was no longer only drunks on their trail; the guards were alerted as well. Soon he was sure that there were be Inquisitors too chasing them. Leonel supposed this was all part of Julian's masterplan to begin with, but that didn't mean the Inquisitor had to like it.

He felt awkward pushing away the girl, who was gripping to him like a desperate octopus. A protective hand was placed over her shoulder when an arrow whizzed out from out the alley. He lifted the Witch Slayer, twirling to knock the projectile straight out of the air.

The sudden movement startled the mage girl out of her stupor. She pulled away from Leonel, eyes blinking both worried and confused.

The sounds were closing in, torch fire approaching for almost each forking road. Leonel grabbed her upper arm and tugged her forward. "Let's go."

But Illysa was reluctant when she realized the direction Leonel was headed. "Wait, that way is out of the city-- My mother is still in the dungeons! And…where is the Doctor?"

Leonel groaned, having no time to explain. That very moment cost them dearly, giving the vanguard enough time to catch up to them. It was a rogue at first, with a war axe raised and charging at them at full force. Leonel rushed forward to meet their assailant, kicking him in the gut before he could swing downward. With one heavy swing of the Witch Slayer, the axe was knocked right out of the man's grasps.

In the meantime, a guard approached the frightened teenager from behind and grabbed her by the hair, "Come here, you little bitch!"

A shrieking cry wretched out of Illysa's throat as she flailed in her capture's grasp.

Another uniformed man was running up from the road, face paling as he saw his buddy's hand pulling on the innate mage's hair. The guard's friend seemed to have a little more intelligence about him and shouted at the guard in alarm, "Let go of her! You can just put your hands on her like that--"

Leonel cursed as well. Illysa's body began to glow gold as mana bubbled and boiled over around her. He took his Witch Slayer and tapped into his anti-mana. Rushing forth, the Witch Slayer arched downward right at Illysa.

When the blackened blade collided with her golden glow, the mana dispersed with a powerful shockwave. The guard let go and was knocked off balance and Illysa's consciousness dotted white. She staggered, dizzy and unaware that the guard was slowly crawling back to his feet and more enemies were fast approaching as well.

Leonel clicked his teeth, rolling back up in a swift motion. He grabbed Illysa by the arm and this time. She didn't resist him, still confused and dazed from the earlier shockwave.

"I'll explain, so stop worrying so much. We're not abandoning your mom."

He had no idea if his words reached her but either way, Illysa was obediently following him now and they were making their way out of the city as fast as they could. Past a small field of overgrown grass and plowed farmland lay the forest.

Hunters chased their heels with arrows and spears thrown, Leonel dragged Illysa beyond the cover of trees where the canopy obscured even the moonlight.

Waves of torchlight rushed after them, steel raised and battle-cries bellowing. Leonel pulled Illysa's hood over his head and did the same with his own, ducking behind a particularly large tree, hiding in the shadows as their hunters passed them like rabid dogs.

They waited, as still as stone, Illysa's eyes scrunched up closed as her heart beat wildly in her chest. They followed after the thrum of footsteps that thundered across the dirt. Her back was pressed against Leonel, and his slow pulse was the only sense of stability she could latch onto. Murder was promised amidst howling winds.

It felt an eternity when it all finally stilled. The cries went farther than closer, Leonel took her wrist and dragged her opposite of the direction the majority of their pursuers went.

"What now?" Illysa asked, her breath short.

But despite making good distance from their foes, Leonel quickly shushed her, "Shhh."

"You said you'd--"

Leonel put an arm out in front of her, stopping her in her tracks. Before annoyance could bubble up, Illysa suddenly noticed a figure that stood before them. Her hair was reddish in hue, a deep maroon in night's darkness. A Witch Slayer was clasped in her hand. Her eyes were dark.

"Leonel," her voice was high and soft. She would sound wonderful in a choir.

"Nathaire."