2 Chapter 1: Absconding the Dungeon

My father's bone chilling scream haunted me through my dreams. Every night, I would see him crippled on the marble ballroom floor. He yelled to me, "run Clove! As fast as y-you can and save my people!" I didn't run, great mercy, why? Why didn't I run? "I am sorry father but I-I can't leave you." I bent down and kissed his check. I could feel his blood running cold. "I love you father, please get up, I can't do this. Please, think of precious Ryia, she is too little to not have any parents, she needs you! Father!" I wrapped my arms around his frail body. I could hear his shaky breath trying to grasp words. After a few moments, he managed to whisper, "I grant you the power to yield the royal magic, save my kingdom. Beautiful Clove, I lo-ove you."

First, my hands burned with a tingling sensation, then the magic caught like fire and spread through my veins, engulfing my body. The feeling was almost unbearable and I curled over my father. I sobbed loudly, telling him that I needed him, everything was filling with surging pain. The room began to sway, the magic burst inside me and I couldn't take it, it was all too much. Darkness consumed me but, as I fell, I saw Veinore standing over me, a massive grin spreading across his twisted face.

Suddenly I flew awake. I could feel a cool sweat dripped down my spine, my breath was rattling fast, reflecting my rampaged heart. The torturing thoughts filled my blood with a thick tar that engulfed every inch of my shattered self. The man I looked up to, the person who I thought was the strongest, so easily ended by the hands of Veinore. I am vulnerable to that wretched man who took my father's life. How could I have let myself become a prisoner of Veinore? People are suffering because of me. To make matters worse, my people and I are imprisoned in the very castle we once called home; the once great Castle of Norlensberg.

I took a deep breath, the musty air burned my lungs but I felt calmer. I needed to keep myself together because tonight I would make my father proud. Yes, tonight, I will escape and bring back hope to my people. I will rise from the jaws of Veinore. Besides, it was about time that level was brought to playing ground.

My stomach fluttered with eagerness as I lay waiting for everyone to fall asleep. Minutes slowly drug by. My patience began to dwindle when finally, the day guards made their last round throughout the prison. They blew out the lanterns and briskly departed, leaving the area vacant. I quietly listened as the despaired moans of the prisoners echoed throughout the dungeon. The cries added an udderly foul, twisting sensation, deep within my chest.

I waited for the noise to diminish before acting; I needed to make sure no one was awake to alert the guards of my escape. Once I deemed it safe, I ever so cautiously got out of my bed matt and moved toward the cell door.

In the darkness, I could slightly make out the massive dungeon lock. I reached my hands through the rusted metal bars and grabbed a hold of the contraption. I began to draw toward the energy that danced within my veins. I could feel my body surge with a barely controllable power that leaped to life after being dormant for so long. I channeled the magic into the lock and immediately it clicked open. I was glad Veinore didn't yet know I was gifted my fathers magic.

The first part of the plan became complete as I carefully pulled the lock through the bars and set it on my bed matt. For a moment, I hesitated. I knew this was the last chance I had to avoid this almost suicidal escape but, the thought of Veinores twisted smile hit me. If I stayed I knew I couldn't live much longer with his wrath lurking in the shadows. I had to leave now, it was my only chance to fix the broken shards left from Veinore. With that in mind, I began to open the prison door.

The door was old and when I opened it, the rusted hinges groaned loudly. I held my breath. If anyone was alarmed by the noise I was done for. I stood motionless and listened, Silence. Though paranoid, I felt safe to continue and cautiously began to make my way down the hall.

After a while of steady jogging, I could see a dim lantern in the distance. I ran towards the dying light but stayed in the shadows upon reaching it. To my dismay, I could only see a small indent in the wall; it was just big enough for a desk and some scattered files.

Noticing a map underneath the cluttered papers, I let out a silent ah-ha and reached forwards, gently grabbing it. I thought to myself, at least coming this way wasn't completely useless after all. I shuffled everything back into place when a neatly written document fell from the pile, slowly, it cascaded to the cold stone.

The words written on the letter shimmered gold in the lanterns dim light. Curiosity began to blossom, who is so important to receive such a divine letter? I quickly looked around. No one was here, I had enough time to quickly skim it before I finished my escape. Kneeling down, I could see the first two words lively sparkle on the page. I gasped, it was for Veinore. Eagerly, I picked up the document and continue to read.

Dear Veinore,

We have successfully captured the princess and her cute little sister Maraira, Ryira, I am not quite sure. We are awaiting your arrival for the execution. Don't worry, the princess is secure in the no man's cage while the other is in the front cell. Also, oh my witch snaps, they did put up a fight during the seperation. You should have seen how the older one fought, I was mighty surprised none of my men were killed in the process! Her fighting tactics were of such rhythmic speed and precision, something I have only seen you do! Outrageous huh? If you two ever fought I might mistake it for a ballet rehearsal. Anyways, hurry on your appearance, the guards are getting a little too keen of the younger one though that probably doesn't matter since you're going to kill them once you arrive anyways.

Best Regards, Captain Joustan

P.S. It's Ryia isn't it?

I held my hand to my mouth and exclaimed to myself, "Ryia! Thank the heavens! She is alive!" Excitement burst from me in silent tears and I quickly pushed them aside. I still had a lot to do before I could celebrate. Quickly, I opened the old map and searched for Ryia's location. Luckily, it was not far from the little indent I was currently at. I made one last search through the area. Nothing seemed of use to me so I once more began down the dark hall. I am coming Ryia! Don't worry!

⤟⤠

The front cells were ironically towards the back of the dungeon. There were only a few dying lanterns but I could see everything clearly. The magic I had summoned earlier left my sights heightened and alert. I felt slightly at ease as I noticed how for the moment, everything seemed at peace with the night.

That moment of peace slipped away as I walked along the cells and peered at all of my battered people crippling under the weight of Veinnore. I felt sick. I just wish I were strong enough to save them all right now, but I knew I wasn't. "One day," I whispered, "one day I will let you all free, I promise." I willed more energy to surge out of me. I could feel my fatigued body trying to protest but insisted it to flood strength into the prisoners. "Hold on just a little longer." I said a quick prayer for them and continued the search for my sister.

Towards the end of the cells, I found the worn body of my once cheerful little sister. She was only seven years old and yet she was here in this disgusting place. Ryia was such a bright minded girl, she didn't deserve to be suffering and on the verge of death. No child deserves to be in all this agony because of this pathetic man's greed.

My throat was tight with rage; I wanted to scream at the top of my exhausted lungs but there was a guard in front of my sisters cell. I knew there was no point in interfering with a man who was just doing his wretched job. He probably didn't know any better, I thought of how easily Veinore's magic could have influenced them. With that in mind, I managed to compress my anger and crept along the wall, molding with the shadows the light of the lantern couldn't reach.

The guard was sprawled on what looked to be a mound of horse hay. His body inflated like a balloon with every snoore that he loudly produced. My magic was dwindling, I knew that I would have to try to find a way to manually open the lock. so I crept over to the guards' coat. His noisy sleep covered the sounds I made when digging through the pockets. I shuffled my hand around until I felt the cold metal of what was undoubtedly a set of keys. Quietly as I could manage, I pulled the heavy metal out and tiptoed to my sisters' cell entrance.