Epilogue: Part 5
His cell was bare. No beds for which to lay upon, the brick-like walls gave nothing but a grim cool in this scorching city. The only sign of promise, was a hole in the floor in the back right corner of his square cell. It led many miles into the ground below, Hyo dropped a piece of the petrified stone that still lie upon his garb. The echo was so majestic, ending with a smacking sound. Then a spurt of heat shot up, it seemed that below him was moving magma. Liquid Earth, as his grandfather called it. Said to be one of the most powerful substances of this world, able to stop time itself upon all it touches. Leaving in its wake a land frozen in stone forever. Perhaps, this magic was what the “Wrot” had used upon him. Hyo smiled, pondering just how this magic could help him. From the soldiers he had killed, he had learned some new things. It pleased him to have some inside information, on the workings of the place for which he found himself imprisoned.
As he pondered his escape, his thoughts were disturbed by the tapping of footsteps. He could hear 3 sets of seperate steps, and backed into the darker half of his cell. Hidden from the flickering light of some unknown source. Three soldiers appeared. They were from the troop he had fought. But they didn’t look like they did before, no majestic armour. No royal look, they seemed like rogues. Brutes. He wondered how they had managed to give off such a royal image before…was it a mirage spell? They were mere bandits…poorly trained ones at that.
“So punk. Hows’ it feel?”
Hyo eyed them from the shadows inquisitively.
“Come on answer punk. I can see your eyes, hows’ it feel to be caught by us huh!”
The man grew impatient, tapping the stone bars as his friends grinned and donned jagged daggers. Each cleaning theirs with a cloth, some oil and other impurities slid off into the rags. Hyo smiled at the men, they returned in kind. He cocked his head slightly to the side, attempting to lure them in.
“So. You guys here to kill me?”
The men grinned and let out some unorganized chuckles, as one prepped to open the cell. Putting his palm on a stone in the wall across from Hyo’s cell.
“One question?”
The men stopped.
“What is your question? It’s the least I could grant you, before you die. You don’t have your staff anymore, so you are no threat to us.”
Hyo’s smile faded, and a stern expression crossed his shadowed face.
“Do you know this castle well?”
The man in front answered impatiently.
“What kinda ****ing question is that! Of course we know this castle!”
Hyo put his hood over his head, hiding his face in an eternal darkness that no light can penetrate. The smile he donned now, nobody would ever see.
The creaking of stone lifted into the air, as the man pressed in the cells releaser. The bars shot into their recesses upon the floor, with a large slamming sound. The moment that sound reached Hyo’s ear he pounced upon the leader of the trio, like a panther. He swiftly lifted his hand into the air and then plunged it into the mans chest. A hideous pop filled the room as he crushed the mans heart inside of his chest. The fellow who had stood next to the now siezuring leader thrusted at Hyo with his dagger, a deep scream filled the room as he did.
Hyo spun quickly placing both hands on either dull side of the dagger, and twisting his palms. The dagger left its’ owners hands like butter sliding off a warm pan. As the man continued his lunge unable to regain his balance, Hyo hopped into the air, Lodging the blade into the back of the head of the man as he came down. The man fell limp to the ground, no wines, no sounds, just a lifeless corpse. The man who had opened the cell began running for his life to the exit. Hyo picked up a stone from the unswept floor and stood up. Tossing it lightly into the air, he then leapt nearly parralel with the ground, twisting like a cyclone finally kicking the stone full force it landed precisely on a pressure point upon the mans back. Sending him to the ground paralyzed. Hyo landed gracefully upon the ground, and walked up to the downed man. Kneeling into the mans view.
“You know what. I just got all the information I needed, I’m not even going to kill you.”
Hyo stood, and took a step, then spoke over his shoulder.
“No no, I’m gonna let your body weight slowly press down on your lungs till you grow too tired to breath. It’ll be a slow death, and I imagine, your gonna fight it for a good while. I can’t imagine the burning you will feel, as your brain starves for air. You’ll be like a beached whale. As the kids in my town used to say “Sucks to be you.”
Hyo laughed a bit at his own joke and looked around. The corridor he had walked down seemed so much longer now, he was uncertain how long he had been in that cell. But it couldn’t of been more then a few hours. The light from the great furnaces outside of the castle shimmered in through holes in the cieling, and cracks in the walls. Otherwise he was lucky, this castle was begging to be stalked within. He traversed the ice cold walls, staying clear of any light. The guards that roamed seemed by themselves to be nothing to think of, but if he were to set off an alarm. He wasn’t certain he could stop hundreds of them. And so far he had counted one hundred and thirty two of them. No, make that thirty three.
Many of the rooms he passed seemed to be there just to be there. Nothing in them looked of substance, just a chair and a table. He wondered why one would have so many rooms, and nothing for them. His walk was suddenly cut short, to his pleasure. The great doors that made the entrance to this castle, were but a hallway away. The knowledge he had taken from the rogues, told him what stood between him and ‘freedom’. The entrance to the royal chambers, the small man who had captured him, was named “Gurant”. He was the king of this place apparently, but that was all the rogues had known. Hyo peaked in through the large archway to the royal chambers. Many well armoured, and most likely well trained guards stood on either side of the only elegant thing he had seen in the entire castle. A rose red carpet, with incredibly complex designs upon it. Leading up a short flight of steps, to two large steel doors. Hyo knew what…or rather, who was on the other side. So close to the staff, and yet…so far. He knew that his chances were very slim, if he wished to rush in. He dashed from one end to the other of the opening, hoping he had not been seen.
One of the guards eyed the opening, and then whispered to the man next to him. Who in turn did to the man next to him. Suddenly they all began walking to the entrance, Hyo knew he had been found out, and now was not the time to plan. Without a second thought he dashed for the giant doors, upon either side of them were two large arched openings, broken glass spoke of past times of beautiful murals. But for now, they would be speakers of his escape. Hyo closed his eyes and leapt into the air, crashing through the little bits of glass left. Blood trickled into the air, as he soared. Hyo expected to hit ground quickly, the lack of impact worried him as he opened his eyes. For a second he saw a light grey, then black. The sound of ripping fabric filled his head. As he felt a warm squishy substance beneath him. He opened his eyes to find himself in the cart of a fruit vender, stairing through a hole in the venders cart roof. Some 20 feet above him, a bridge came across from the elevated castle. It would take the guards some time to traverse down to where he was, and he figured this was the best time to make his escape. Hyo leapt from the cart and dashed off through the city. Suddenly an arrow landed in the leg of a villager next to Hyo, the man fell the the ground in pain, before freezing. His body becoming engulfed in stone. Hyo leapt into the nearest house. Closing the door behind him. When he spun around from the door, a young girl stood in the kitchen of the house looking at him. He cracked a slightly uncomfortable smile.
“Ugh…heh. Hi. I’m Hyo.”
The girl smiled and ran up to him, grabbing his hand she brought him into the kitchen. Pointing to a small seat at a very small table. Around the table many stuffed monsters sat, in front of each a small plate and teacup. Hyo looked at the girl.
“I’d love to but, I’m kinda short on ti…”
She frowned, a small tear under her eye.
“Ok ok. You got me, I’ll play tea party for a moment. But then I gotta go.”
The girl smiled and sat down at the other side of the table.
“My names Poly!”
The girl pointed at the small orc doll next to Hyo.
“That’s Mr. Pickles, He’s gonna grow up to be a great Hero someday!”
She then moved down the line. Pointing to a tiny pig doll.
“That’s Mr. Squiggles! He’s gonna be an actor someday! He loves poetry.”
She then pointed to a bunny and a frog.
“That’s Mr. Flumpy and Captain Cuddles, They plan to make a great bard Group someday!”
Hyo enjoyed playing games with kids, they were always full of imagination. But now was a bad time to be playing tea party. Hyo looked at the girl with a concerned expression, she smiled stood up and walked into a room.
Hyo stood, wondering if she was going to rat him out now. Before he could finish his first step towards the room, she walked out carrying a uniform. It seemed to be a mining uniform.
“My daddy used to wear this. He looked lots like you, it’ll fit perfect!”
She smiled and gave the uniform to Hyo then pointed to another room.
“That’s the bathroom, go change…before men come.”
Hyo took her advice and shot into the room, changing quickly. The uniform covered him from head to toe, a large steel helmet with goggles and filtration mask donned his head. He was like a different person. It was also pleasantly convenient, the uniform came with a large leather satchel for tools, He folded his robe neatly, and placed it in there. Once he exited the girl smiled and giggled.
“Perfect! Nobody can tell who you are! I call you dad!”
Suddenly the door swung open, some of the guards barged in, one ran up to Hyo. It took all he had not to strike the man.
“Have you seen an outsider here! He’s murdered some innocent men, we must find him before he kills more people!”
The girl latched onto Hyo’s Leg.
“Dad! They are scaring me!”
Hyo turned from the girl and looked back at the guard who backed up to the door, bowing as he left.
“My apologies sir. I didn’t mean to frighten your child, just don’t let anyone in, there is a killer loose.”
The guard looked outside the door, where many more guards ran by and yelled.
“This ones all clear, move on down!”
Hyo let out a sigh of relief, then thought to himself. How could he escape a city under full lock down…and how was he going to get his staff back…
…To Be continued.
- Tue -
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