81 Found You

"Atrius?? Is that you??", Haelan coughed as she wait for the dusts to subside. She could barely see anything as she struggle to open her eyes. She fanned her hands in the air to diffuse away the dusts blocking her sight. 

"Thank heavens! I found you!!", Atrius hurriedly ran to Haelan as he held her by her shoulders with immense relief. "Are you hurt?", he asked as he turn her to the sides to check for injuries. 

"I'm fine, how did you find me?", Haelan asked as she continue to wave her hands in the dusty air.

"You don't want to know.. but I'm glad I arrived just on time", Atrius said as he release Haelan. "How did you end up here? And your hair..", Atrius looked closely at her hair in distraught.

"What?", Haelan moved her eyes around as she comb her hair with her fingers. Her locks turned black, as it sway down to her shoulders. "Let's catch up later. I need to get out of here, What's happening up there?", Haelan anxiously asked as she beat the dusts off her shoulders.

"Don't worry about it, that's just Jac", Atrius casually answered.

"What? Are you trippers blowing up Brandenburg?!", Haelan's eyes widened in disbelief.

"We have no choice! Things just became complicated. Rowan and Callaghan are traitors. They want to take over the kingdom and they have plans to kill you.", Atrius explained.

"Lord Callaghan? Don't tell me about it. He kept me in here", Haelan replied. Thus, hearing General Rowan's name quisling in treachery didn't surprise her.

As another blow was heard from above ground, Atrius locked Haelan in an embrace as he shielded her head from the explosion and falling debris. "That's five explosions! We have to go", Atrius said.

"I can't get out, there's a containment spell that's keeping me in", Haelan said. "What's that?", Haelan pointed out at the candle peeking from Atrius' pocket.

"This is one of the first batches of apotropaic candles I made. However, I failed and made explosives instead", Atrius said as he handed over the candle.

Haelan took the oddly looking candle and stared at it for a while. Then, she thought of something incredibly insane or rather brilliantly clever. "Maybe, that'll do", Haelan said. "If these candles are of spells, maybe they can blast my way out", she thought with desperation.

Wide-eyed with refusal as he shook his head, Atrius begged to disagree on Haelan's idea of breaking out. "No, no. no.. That can't happen", Atrius discouraged as if he do not trust the candles he made. 

"It's my best chance. Lord Harlan said he'd come back, and still, he hasn't. You said we're running out of time, so I guess, this'll do", Haelan explained. "You've done enough Atrius", she added.

Atrius thought long and hard. He paused at Haelan's fearless desire, and at some point, he wished to have the same valor she possess. "Alright, let's do this", with no other choice, Atrius trusted Haelan's bold ways. 

"Wait for me outside. If I don't come out, just go", Haelan said as he push Atrius out.

Not until Atrius have stepped out, it was only then that Haelan lighted the piece of explosive handed to her. With a hope that her plan would work, Haelan whispered a prayer of courage that she may survive this severely life-threatening plan. She placed the lighted candle at the far-end line of the containment spell as she ran in the corner of the room with her hands covering her ears. In a second, the candle exploded that gave ringing to her lugs.

Atrius waited by the doorway as instructed. After the explosion inside, he clenched his fists as he hold his breath. He waited with an intent to enter the dust-filled underground. "Haelan?", he called as his voice tremble. "Come out or I'm going in!", he said.

Just when he was about to step in, Haelan jumped out coughing intensely. She gasped for air as she crawl out, then laid down on the ground as she catch her breath. "I'm.. com...ing", she said as she breath heavily.

"You scared me!", Atrius lend a hand to his dear comrade. "Here, let's go", then he handed Haelan her chanery.

Haelan took the purse and smiled at the sight of her crest, clothes, some bread, a water receptacle and the three remaining potions inside. Then, she placed the damask arm cuff in before securing it across her body. "Thank you, Atrius. I'll need my dragon hilt, I guess it's with Lord Callaghan", she said.

Atrius paused for a while. As he remembered clearly, he saw Lord Callaghan gave the dragon hilt to General Rowan. "That'll be a suicide mission. I saw it with the General", he said.

Haelan pursed her lips with a creased brows. Apparently, everything have started to be more challenging and out of hand. Without a word, Haelan moved into Brandenburg stealthily. No matter where it is, and with whom the hilt is, Haelan thought that no one would stop her in claiming the only keepsakes her mother left her.

Atrius followed her lead, as he watch their backs. Discretely, and as much as possible, unseen by Rowan's men, Atrius and Haelan looked into the halls. They climbed the rigid stairs without a sound that would uncover them. As they pass by the corridors, they come across Lord Harlan's chancery. With certainty, Haelan peeked in slowly before entering. Then, she searched for the obsidian bracelet that she thought would greatly help her.

"What are we doing here?", Atrius whispered as he keep an eye on the door.

While searching, Haelan found the scepter that she took from the chest. She decided to take it, considering it might as well be of use to her some day. "It's mine, anyways", she said. "Grab this", Haelan tossed the scepter to Atrius to which he quickly caught instinctively.

"What's this for?", Atrius asked as he fix his grip on the scepter while Haelan continued to search on the tables and top drawers.

"That's the one that I got from the chest", Haelan revealed. She continued to open a few drawers until she found the obsidian bracelet that extracted the power of the damask arm cuff. Without thinking twice, she swiped it and placed it quickly in her pocket. 

"Not a sword then?", Atrius said as gaze at the Haelan's staff.

Afterwards, the pair slowly stepped out of the chancery with caution. "Where would Rowan be?", Haelan said as she try to sense his aura within the proximity. She closed her eyes and grazed the walls, sensing the air for Rowan's exuding dark power.