19. Improbable Escape and Refuge
Rory
Moans echoed throughout the cavern as the enchanted prisoners began to stir and sit up. Many of them clutched their stomachs and retched, adding to the din that was building. All of them were in various states of dishevel depending on how long they had been kept here. I saw one man with a knotted beard that fell to his knees sitting up on one of the stone slabs a couple of rows over from me. There didn’t seem to be a pattern to determine whom Jake subjugated to his cruel form of torture but all of their faces held the same expression of terror and bewilderment as they became aware of their surroundings. My heart ached as I realized I couldn’t help them escape. My priority was to get myself out and, for that, the only thing that would help me was chaos. I needed these people to panic and hope that some of them were lucky enough to escape.
I hoped I was lucky enough to escape. Thinking quickly I developed a plan. I shouted out. “The spell is broken! Run before you are discovered!” Turmoil ensued in the room as people panicked.
Several faces near me turned their heads toward me in confusion but I was already darting through the crowd, searching for an exit. Snapping my fingers, I summoned a Probe to help me. “Find an exit,” I instructed the small orb. Buzzing it whizzed off into the crowd. I hurried on, reluctant to remain stationary for any length of time. Moments later the Probe reappeared, flashing red and yellow. It had information. That was good – I needed it. I reached up to grab my Message Orb from around my neck. Amazingly, Jake hadn’t taken the bright silver and blue orb from me when he’d captured me… or he’d just forgotten. I pressed the Orb against the Probe and it slid in easily.
“Status,” it whirred in a mechanical voice, “Twenty soldiers in the passage directly south of your current position. Forty soldiers divided between the two north-eastern tunnels and ten within the south-eastern tunnel.”
“Other exits?” I queried tersely. In response, a 3-D map expanded from the Orb. Examining it, I decided the north westernmost tunnel was the safest escape route. Despite that, the escape would be precarious. It would be precarious anyway, I realized. I was in a lot of danger. The most western north tunnel was relatively empty of all activity. I would use that tunnel to flee.
I withdrew the Probe from my Message Orb. “The western north tunnel,” I instructed it and whizzed off ahead of me. I turned and hurried towards the northwestern side of the cavern, anxious to get out into the fresh air.
I almost missed the tunnel it was so small. I only found it because the Probe, shimmering a dim blue now, hovered in front of the entrance. Quickly I slipped into it, leaving the chaos of the cave behind, and starting the long journey to the surface. I felt a twinge of regret as I abandoned the rest of Jake’s prisoners but I also knew there was nothing else I could have done – at least, nothing I could do now.
My progress was slow and painful; I had no wish to let Jake trap me again. Several times, I had to squeeze into cramped crevices as soldiers passed me. The first time I heard them approaching I panicked remembering the unfortunate incident the night I’d freed Luke. I’d had to create a flood to get my companions and myself out. Had it really only been a week? It felt like so much longer.
A few minutes later, I could see the tunnel entrance and I sighed with relief before continuing just as cautiously as before. I had learned my lesson; I would never drop my guard when I was alone again.
Several minutes later, I stood facing the Jake’s camp. His soldiers scuttled between tents heading out to secure the perimeter and down into the tunnels to contain the rest of the prisoners. It looked like an overturned hornet’s nest. As I took a step forward, I heard an outraged scream echoing through the tunnels. “Rory!” I smiled – Jake had discovered I was missing. If only I could see his face… I contented myself with having outwitted him yet again. I slipped into the darkened camp, creeping among the first few tents before straightening. I’d decided to hide within the camp until the uproar from tonight had died down – they’d be expecting me to try to breach the camp’s perimeter tonight. After a few minutes of fruitless searching for a good hiding spot, someone grabbed me from behind, a hand clamping down on my mouth.
A voice hissed in my ear, “If I let you go will you yell?” I shook my head silently as my shock disappeared. I had no idea who had grabbed me but if they were afraid to be overheard then they probably weren’t friends of Jake’s. The old saying kicked in: the enemy of my enemy is my friend. I didn’t have to trust them but I could cooperate with them – especially if they helped me get out of the camp alive. “Okay, I’m going to let you go. If you want to escape follow me.”
Slowly the hand clamped down on my face loosened, and tightened its grip around my wrist instead. We crept up to a tent and the figure in front held up a shadowy finger, warning me to be silent. Seconds later a patrol passed our hiding spot and we dashed on. As we continued our journey through the camp, I tried to catch a glance of my saviour’s face but it was too dark to see any of his or her features. When we reached the other side of the camp, the person turned to me.
“Do you trust me?” the dark figure asked me with a voice that sounded like bubbling water in a stream. I shrugged. “Okay,” he or she said, “I’m taking you to our Realm but you’ll have to wear a blindfold as a precaution.” The stranger held up a dark piece of cloth that rippled like water and I nodded. Yes, I would wear the blindfold for now. I knew what it was like to have to take precautions for your own safety before anyone else’s. Besides, I had a certain level of trust for the person leading me now. They’d managed to get me out of Jake’s hornet nest without being recaptured. I was sure that Jake would send search parties out into the surrounding forest as well, so if this person had a place to hide where we’d be safe until all the fuss I’d caused boiled over I was willing to follow them there on their terms.
I turned around and allowed the person to wrap the fabric around my head. It felt like a screen of water over my face; the cloth didn’t seem to have any substance. Once they had effectively blinded me, they spun me around several times, disorienting me. Then they guided me forward. After about half an hour, I began to hear the sound of rushing water. Just when I thought my eardrums were going to explode, we stopped and whoever was leading me yelled something.
“What?” I shouted, suddenly very frightened.
Relax, a calm voice said in my head, We are almost at our destination but the next stage of our journey is treacherous. I was warning you to hold onto me tightly at all times. No matter what, do NOT let go!
Cool hands guided mine to their shoulders. Hold on and keep close, the warning repeated. It was like Mind Speak but it wasn’t. It was as if they were talking to me through my whole being. The body in front of me moved forward and I followed, holding onto them tightly. A second later, we were walking under the crushing weight of a waterfall. I was terrified. With all my being, I wanted to let go of the person in front of me and run. However, remembering his or her warning, I used all my willpower not to bolt but take one step after another. Finally, the water pressure lessened and I started to breathe more easily. The voice echoed through me; You have done well. The danger is past. You can let go now. The person turned and carefully untied the blindfold. I gasped as the fabric dropped away and revealed a creature I’d only heard of in myths.
Before me stood one of the High Races – of which Humans were the least. The creature - or being, for it had a mind as keen if not keener than any human’s mind – stood on two legs and had pale blue skin. She was tall and slim with dark blue lips and deep sea-blue eyes. Blue hair hung down her back like seaweed and she smiled at me kindly. “Welcome to our Realm,” she said in a musical voice that sounded like water chuckling in a stream. She gestured with webbed fingers. “We do not often take an interest in the affairs of humans – you are lucky young one for we have not revealed ourselves to your kind for many years.”
“I know,” I replied softly, with awe. “You’re a Water Nymph, aren’t you?”
“Yes child,” she laughed, “We are the Water Nymphs.” And for the first time I saw the figures behind her.
“I didn’t know you existed,” I gasped breathlessly, “All the legends say you’re extinct - along with all the other High Races. They say you were wiped out by Humans.”
“We very nearly were,” the Nymph replied, “We realized the only way to survive would be to disappear – extract ourselves from the World into a Realm of our making. However, there will be time for talk later. For now you need rest, fresh clothes… and a bath.” Laughter followed me into the blue halls of the Nymphs. It was true - I was exhausted – and in many more ways than just physical exhaustion. Silently I followed the Nymph deeper into her Realm to a room. “Here is where you will stay,” she said, “There is a bath in the corner and fresh clothes will be laid on the bed for you.”
I walked into the room. It swirled with deep blues and light blues, greens, purples - all the colours of water. Gold shimmered on the walls and some forgotten memory of a legend floated to my conscious mind; Nymphs loved to collect treasure. Walking to the corner of the room, I saw the bath. It was already full of water and I stripped my clothes gratefully and sank into the water before jumping out. It was freezing! Testing it again, I wished it were warmer. Amazingly, the water heated up even as my hand pulled away from it. I stepped in again, testing it carefully before I submerged myself.
My thoughts drifted to all the legends I had ever heard about the High Races. There were five – just like the elements. Even though people didn’t realize Time was an element, it was well known that there were five High Races – one for each of the elements plus one extra. Not many knew what the last Race represented. Humans were of Earth, Water Nymphs of Water, the Afrit were of Fire, Elves were of Air, and the Saern of Time. I sighed and let myself sink until only my nose and mouth rose above the water.
Falling even more deeply into thought, I started to remember half-forgotten stories that I had believed were myths. The one I remembered most vividly was about how the Magicians had conquered Aeirien and eradicated the other High Races.
Legend had it that the High Races had once lived across Aeirian in peace, caring for their element. Folk lore said that each Race had a handful of people who gifted with the ability to use magic. In the company of other Races, the magic users preferred to be called Mages… but each Race had a secret name for their magic-users known only to them. Humans named theirs Magicians – a sort of variation of the word Mage.
In each Race, the magic users commanded a lot of respect within their cultures and were natural leaders. However, this meant when one Mage went corrupt, as Garron of Titan had, they could corrupt the whole race. This was the beginning of Slavery and the Magicians rule in the Human Race. Garron destroyed – expelled – anyone who stood in his way, and once he’d taken over the Human Race, his focus turned to the other High Races and he began his conquest on them as well. The Races fought a great battle during which the other High Races were defeated and killed off one by one.
That was what Legend told us, but I was only beginning to understand that the stories I had grown up hearing weren’t necessarily true. I wasn’t sure what the truth was anymore. I supposed that the Races had gone into hiding within their Realms until it was safe to re-emerge on Aeirien again.
Fluidly I rose from the water and made my way over to the sweeping, round, king-sized bed that dominated the centre of the room. A gown lay on it. Curiously, I slipped into it. The fabric was more liquid than solid. It was like a thin skin of water covering my body. Sighing, I settled into the bed and welcomed a blissful, dreamless sleep.
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