The sounds of drunken merriment reverberated through the city streets, as patrons of the various pubs and night establishments stumbled away. Dubious merchants followed close by, hoping to offload their less than stellar merchandise on unsuspecting drunk men in hopes of getting rich quick. In the chaos of the nightlife in Erith, Drystan led Mathis, who was helping support his mother, through the streets, with Mathis calling out where they should go as they attempted to avoid bumping into drunk merrymakers.
“Go left at the intersection. The south gate would then be at the end of the street.”
“Got it.”
Drystan, trying his best to blend in with the still sizable crowd in the street, turned and walked down the street Mathis had instructed. “How’re you faring?” Drystan looked back and asked Mathis’s mother, a look of concern on his face. “We’re not going too fast for you, right?”
She shook her head. “Do not worry about me. I’m not so weak yet as to prevent us from leaving the city.”
Several moments later, the three of them spotted the opening in the wall, along with a handful of guards stationed there. As they approached, three of the guards walked up to them. “Halt. We’ve received orders that the entire city is on lockdown. No one can enter or leave the city until the order has been lifted.”
Drystan’s eyes widened slightly before clearing his throat. “Is there a reason as to why the city is now under lockdown? We have some urgent business to–”
“We’ve received orders from the knight’s captain that a skirmish had taken place near the dungeon, and that a prisoner could have escaped during the commotion. Until that prisoner is apprehended, for the safety of those in the city and in the surrounding countryside, no one is to leave except for verified merchants. Judging from your lack of wares, you’re no merchants. So please, go back to your residence. Any attempt to break the lockdown will result in immediate arrest.”
Drystan sighed but nodded. “Thank you. We’ll take you up on your advice.” Turning around, Drystan motioned for Mathis and his mother to follow him. Once they were further down the road, Drystan took them down a narrow alley. “So, now what?” Drystan asked, a bit exasperated. “Unless we’re willing to fight the town guard to escape, we can’t just waltz out of the city.”
Mathis helped his mother sit down on the ground before sighing. “What I fail to understand is just how the news of the skirmish at the dungeon spread around as quickly as it has. Not much time has passed since we left. In actuality, it should be impossible for the guard to have been informed by the knights.”
“The captain must have already known how things might have played out.” Mathis’s mother spoke up, resting her head against the mud-caked wall of a closed shop. “Considering just how much is at stake for the captain, and how well he knows Alfe, he must have known that Alfe’s sense of duty would override his loyalty to the knights. Sending out a carrier pigeon to inform the guard either during the skirmish or just after it took place isn’t out of the realm of possibilities.”
Drystan was silent before slowly nodding. “If that’s the case, it must have occurred after we had entered the city. I highly doubt the guards would have been so accommodating had it been delivered before, and that’s even if that’s what truly happened.”
Mathis was silent for a bit before his eyes widened. “Wait—if he already assumed Alfe wouldn’t comply, then that must mean…”
Mathis’s mother looked at her son. “Then that means that his life…is in grave danger.”
“Should we go back? Offer him our assistance?”
Drystan shook his head firmly. “No. Alfe is risking everything to ensure our escape. His sacrifice could already have been in vain if we go back. We need to focus our attention and energy on escaping.”
“He’s right. We need to think of our escape first and foremost. Then…and only then…will his actions not be in vain.”
Mathis was silent for a bit before finally nodding, knowing they were correct. “Perhaps there’s a few unmapped entrances used by some unscrupulous individuals? Despite keeping busy with my studies, I happened to come upon some rumors that there was a thriving black market in the city that the town guard was keen to stop.”
Drystan placed a hand on top of his chin and rubbed the short stubble that had grown over the course of the past few days. “That certainly holds some promise, though getting information about these entrances certainly won’t be easy. We can’t just waltz up to everyone asking if they know of a hidden entrance. We’d attract way too much attention.”
“Then what do you suggest?” Mathis asked. “We can’t stay in the city overnight. We’d be certain to get caught after morning light.”
Drystan was silent for several moments before smirking. “Actually…that might not be the case.”
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Alfe stood by over the bodies of the unconscious knights, deep in thought before hearing the sound of approaching footsteps. Looking down the path, he could see the familiar form of the captain, flanked on both sides by two large, armor-clad knights, nervousness and panic flooding his body. The captain looked down at the unconscious men before back at Alfe. “Your lighting of the beacon has been seen. What happened, Alfe?”
Alfe swallowed a lump in his throat before standing at attention, large beads of sweat forming under his armor. “Sir, these knights attacked me unprovoked, claiming that you had ordered them to do so. As I was fighting them off, a group of men assailed the others and helped me.”
Alfe’s body almost imperceptibly stiffened as he continued. “After the last knight was knocked unconscious, those who I had thought saved me turned their swords on me, demanding access to the dungeon. To make matters worse, Father Vonder was bound and used as a hostage, leaving me no other choice. They demanded the release of the heretic’s mother…so I led them into the dungeon and released her, but not before being shoved into the cell myself with them taking the keys with them. If I didn’t have the spare set on me like you recommended, I’d still be in the cell until the next watch came to relieve me.”
The captain stood there, motionless, listening to the tale Alfe wove. As Alfe finished speaking, the captain remained silent before menacingly approaching Alfe. “I see…so you personally fought against knights who were following my orders, and then offered no resistance in releasing a prisoner to a group of criminals? Did I hear you correctly?”
Alfe closed his eyes, gathering his courage before nodding. “Yes sir. I did what I thought was best at the time. If you wish to arrest me, I shall offer no–”
“‘Arrest’ you?” The captain asked, his voice dropping in pitch and filled with malice. “My apologies, Alfe, but after what you just admitted, I can only describe you as a traitor. You fought against members of the order who were following my command. You let a criminal escape. Now…now you try to lie your way out of this…I’m VERY disappointed in you, Alfe.”
Alfe shook his head. “I-I’m not–”
“Save your breath.” The captain interrupted, glaring at Alfe before taking a few menacing steps towards him, his armor ominously clinking against the stone. “Lying and subterfuge were never your strong suits. Your body tenses and stiffens up every time you lie. It’s a tell I’ve known for the past few years, and your body has been stiff as a board ever since you started speaking.”
The captain drew his sword, as well as the other two knights. “Alfe, I hereby declare you as a traitor to the kingdom, and a threat to the good citizens of Erith. You of all people should know the punishment for traitors…” The captain continued his advance towards Alfe, who was now backing up and unsheathing his sword, reflecting the moonlight at the captain’s armor. “I’ll pray that the goddess accepts you into her…’loving’ embrace.” With that, the captain and the two other knights charged, the sound of metal clanging once again ringing through the night.
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