Deals Made and Broken

Aurea watched her, lips slightly parted at awe. “I—it is you.”

Elswyth felt a wave of relief through her as held her sword. The steel shone as if it was freshly forged. The hilt fit perfectly in her hand and the weight was perfect. The sword hummed as she swung it, cutting through the night's cold air.

“Well look at that,” Roukan said grinning. "The Guardian with her celestial blade."

"I never thought I'd see the day," Aurea’s golden brown eyes followed her as she walked to them. “Why has the Guardian come to free me?”

"We need you," Elswyth said. "You are Blessed, Aurea."

Aurea snorted. “Blessed with what? I can’t even leave this tower.”

“The weapons you make have Holy Light,” Roukan answered. He hissed in annoyance as another key failed to uncuff her.

She rolled her eyes. “I know that my craftmanship is better than most in the city, but I’m not blessed by the gods.”

“We wouldn’t go through so much trouble if you’re not worth anything.”

“Roukan,” Ellie warned.

“I’ve your work,” she said to Aurea. “Roukan and his men has been scavenging your weapons the Shadow army has been leaving around Dernvale. It's faint and weak, but you can imbue Holy Light."

"We could use your gift defeat them," Roukan tried another key and failed.

“Maybe that’s why,” Aurea breathed. Her eyes suddenly widened. “They took my apprentice, Paz, as punishment. They said I've been making poor weapons and armors for the army."

"Have you seen other prisoners in the tower?" she asked them.

Roukan looked at Elswyth and she shook her head in response.

"Paz is about your age," she said to Elswyth. "Red hair, blue eyes, freckles on her face.”

“We checked every room. You’re the only prisoner we found here,” she replied.

The danger in her eyes was replaced with woe. Elswyth can feel the sense of loss in her.

"Maybe there are other rooms," she mumbled. "The guard said she's in here and if I stop working, they'll starve her. If we check the rooms one more time-"

“We don’t have the time,” Roukan said.

Aurea pulled her hands back, jerking Roukan’s hand away and dropping the keys. “I can’t just leave her. I was the reason why she was brought in.”

“Aurea,” Elswyth took a step closer to her and held her hand. “If we get caught here, the lesser chance we’ll find her.”

Aurea bit her chapped lips.

“We need to go,” Elswyth insisted.

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She looked at her, eyes searching for answers. She let a single tear escape her eyes. She breathed in deep and with a single twist of her hand, they hear a click from her cuff and it gave away.

“You can escape on your own?” Roukan raised his eyebrows, annoyed.

“To throw you a bone. You went through so much trouble finding the key,” she teased. “It’s easy to remove the chains. Escaping the castle is the real challenge,” she said bandaging her bruised and wounded wrist. “Binding my hands made them feel better. But they knew I wouldn’t escape without Paz.”

“I'm not abandoning her," she shook her head. “We have time before sunrise. Let me look for her and I pro—”

Something behind her distracted Auera. She looked astern and saw a soft glowing red light coming from the window. They heard sound of commotion. Roukan carefully peered through the window.

“We just run out of time,” he scowled.

Elswyth joined him and saw that a crowd has gathered at the foot of the tower. The streets were lit by torches held by the city guards.

“Come down from there,” yelled the man wearing a helmet with the red visor. Beside him knelt a man with tattered clothes. The captain grabbed his hair and pulled, revealing the identity of his captive. Her heart sank and hands grew cold. Anwar’s bloody face was black and blue, his eyes almost shut.

“Is there another way out?” Roukan asked Aurea.

“There’s only one way to get in and out if here.”

“Damn it,” Roukan said. He grabbed the lamp from the from the table and placed it on the windowsill.

“C’mon,” Aurea gestured them towards the door. “I know where they keep the swords and shields here.”

Ellie was about to turn. Then, she caught a glimpse of a very angry Edward, looking up at them.

***

“I don’t like this,” Ren said, pacing back and forth. His eyes kept wandering towards the white walls of the city. The city’s dimly lit streets and silence of the night made him feel uneasy.

“Calm down, will you?” Ylva said as she mindlessly sharpened the blade of her long sword. She’s been doing so for the past hour. Before that, she sharpened her daggers and repaired her brace.

Though all of them looked calm, he could see through their thinly veiled anxiety. They masked their uneasiness by keeping their hands busy: making arrows, sharpening their knives and swords, concocting poisons and potions. But just like him, they’ll constantly glance at the walls, waiting for the slightest movement.

“You’re starting to annoy me,” Ulric said through his gritted teeth. “Sit down before I break your legs.”

“No one’s breaking anybody’s legs,” Conri said shooting Ulric a warning look. “But he’s right. They’re gonna be fine."

The night was quiet and peaceful. The sky is clear, stars are shining, and the crescent moon hangs above them. It was funny, he thought. Any other night, he would’ve thought it was the perfect night. But tonight, it felt as though he was being mocked by the gods.

He sat down as they had told him. But he can feel this tingling in his legs, urging him to move. So he tapped his foot, which seemed to annoy Ulric even more. Unable to stay still he stood up again.

“It’s taking too long,” he said as he began to walk mindlessly again.

Ulric groaned. "Hand me one of your darts," he said to Cannagan.

Cannagan chuckled. "They were gone for less than half a day,” he said to Ren. "Come sit," help me with this."

Cannagan handed him a bag of dried flowers. After a quick glance, he knew immediately it was calendula. Without any instructions, he began picking off the petals. Cannagan gathered petals he prepared, placed it inside the vial and slowly poured oil.

"You're preparing a salve," Ren noticed.

Cannagan beamed. "I do like you, mister."

"Are you expecting people will get hurt?" Rahil asked.

The kid shrugged. "People always get hurt."

He looked at Rahil, who was sitting on the floor, his back rested against a rock. He hasn’t moved an inch since Ellie and Roukan left. His eyes were kept on the city the entire night.

“Are you not worried about her?” he asked him.

He did not respond right away. “She made her choice,” he simply said.

"Are you moping it wasn't you?" he rolled his eyes.

“Have faith in Roukan, if you don’t trust the Guardian,” Fridolf said raising his sword, checking the edge of the blade. “He’s been through it all, yet he stands. He’ll come back with the Guardian and the Blacksmith.”

Ren thought he sounded more like he was talking to himself than to him.

Cannagan got up on his feet and pointed at the tower. “Look!”

The rest of the party looked up and saw the window and a faint light from the tower.

Fridolf sheathed his sword and got up.

“It’s time.”