A Place Once Called Home
While shopping for a vehicle to fly, the thought of the three men seemed to evaporate from her mind, not thinking about it again as she focused back on the task at hand. She looked at stores filled with the latest trends of brooms, but decided on a more modern type and selected what looked like a flying bike, but with no wheels and footrests instead of pedals. Jasmin hopped on, feeling refreshed while speeding off. Now this is more like it. The cool breeze was in her face as she raced to the fortress. At this speed, she should be there within the hour.
As Jasmin approached the place she once called home, she could only think of how that scum betrayed her family, stabbing them in the back. Jasmin dreamed of destroying the castle. Thinking it would be better off if it were rubble, then let him sit on her parents' throne. Now only a mile away, she was closing in on the large metal doors. Her heart started to beat faster as the thought of returning to her past home filled her with anxiety. Jasmin knew this place better than most, so getting to the dungeon undiscovered shouldn't be a problem. As she turned to the back entrance, a hundred scouts on a hundred hawk tenedraugs emerged from the metal gates flying behind Gindloc. She shot straight to the ground and hid behind one of the statues. Coincidentally, it was her parent's deteriorating statue that helped her hide her from the scouts.
Did they escape already? Then again, I can't imagine a dungeon strong enough to hold all of them. Still, I must make sure. They probably sent most of their guards to find them. This would be my best opportunity.
Jasmin opened the door and scanned the area to see no one. As she sneaked through the many halls and rooms, a flood of memories consumed her as she pictures the fond memories she had as a child and the people she shared them with. She heard footsteps approaching as a man in his mid-60s and Jasmin's ten-year-old sister walked through the throne room. Nothvan, the man who took care of her, training her day after day, was now one of the generals of this wretched Kingdom. Last time she saw her sister, she was still bedridden, not even able to play outside. They appointed Nothvan to be her guardian and with the castle's help, she would get some of the best doctors in the world taking care of her. Jasmin, trying her best to hold back her urge to give both of them a hug, turned and continued to the dungeon, wiping away her tears and sprinting through the kitchen, letting the wind in her face dry her tears. Amongst all the chaos of lunch preparation, she went unnoticed as she jumped through the armory and grabbed a sword, swiftly attaching it to her waist, not losing a step. With only a short distance left, she ran down a hall filled with paintings and old suits of armor. She felt as if she was being watched by every suit of armor and painting she passed. New artworks of the new king and his army, replacing her family's and kingdom's history, reinforcing the fact that this is no longer the home she once knew.
She turned the corner, stopping suddenly as she found a few men guarding the stairs that led to the dungeon. Knowing she didn't have her full strength yet, she needed to make this quick and efficient. Taking a deep breath and then sprinting down the hall, jumping on one of the guards, sending shock waves through his body. The other two pulled out their swords a second too late as Jasmin swiftly removed the doors from the hinges, smashing them between the iron door and the stone wall, while only their dangling arms remained visual.
As she rushed down the stairs, she could see a red aura lighting up the stairway. Three guards remained between her and the dungeon now. Hearing the chaos from above, the guards already had their weapons ready. Jasmin couldn't underestimate them, for these men were still knights of the kingdom, trained and ready to kill. A dozen crystal daggers shoot out of her wand, each aiming to kill. One guard instinctively creates a barrier, blocking each dagger as they clanked on the stone floor. Realizing she'll run out of energy before the three of them would, Jasmin pulled a pair of metal knives attached to her bracelets, strapping them tightly on her wrist. She let go of her energy, causing the stairway to darken, while only the guard's aura remained. Jasmin used the shadows as her ally, moving swiftly throughout the staircase and barely making a sound. She jumped from wall to wall, using her compact frame to her advantage. The guards frantically scanned the narrow staircase, not able to find her anywhere. They remained still, trying to hear for anything when a loud thud came from above. The three guards looked up as Jasmin's knives drove into the men's faces, following up with a slash to the last guard's throat, taking the key from the guard's belt before he even reached the ground. She slammed the door open and headed straight to the cell.
"Can no one open a door normally around here?" Junichi said while waking up from his nap. Jasmin removed the cell door and threw it to the side. "Hurry, before we're all killed." Jasmin said, yelling at them and motioning to the exit upstairs.
But as they rushed to the opening, the door slammed back shut and the hinges reattached. Jasmin turned and saw Tazul blocking the doorway. "Did you really think I would let you escape?"