It was a constant pounding in her head now. Xix had been building her power up for too long. There was no way for her to release it here. Those who had captured her had kept her in chains as they searched her homeworld. The item had been found, of course, but there had been a strain. More of her people had died from the strain brought on by the spells protecting the items. The Terpolite warriors were too afraid to use their own forces so they used the prisoners. All the survivors had been beaten so such a bloody mess that even she could not recognise them. When others fought back, they were all killed. She had managed to steady the others, so they did not suffer the same fate.

Xix gritted her teeth as her wounds pounded and stung. Guards tugged her chains as they led her back to the cell she and one of the healers – Ivy – were occupying. She was thrown to the ground. Her chains were reconnected to a small hole on the wall. She spat on the guard. The guard kicked her in the stomach before walking out and locking the door.

She curled in on herself, counting slowly until the pain had faded. Once again, she was trapped. At least on Ozialon she had been outside. She, unfortunately, could not deny how good it was to see her home again, even if it was nothing but rubble. Ivy helped her stand and sat her on the stone slab that served as a bed. Ivy had been using it for the days she was gone. Xix could see why. The Healer had small red scars on her dirty skin.

Xix's blood-soaked clothes were stripped. The cold of the stone bit into her skin. Ivy's hands were rough as she cleaned the many wounds with a metal bucked of water she had somehow managed to get. Xix found herself biting her tongue to avoid crying out in pain. Instead, she closed her eyes, breathing deeply. When she was finished cleaning, Ivy placed her hand on her cellmate's shoulder with a gentle smile. Xix thanked her as she handed back her clothing. With some difficult manoeuvring, she was able to pull her clothes back on. The chains certainly did not help.

Ivy handed her a small metal cup. Xix tapped it on the stone wall. A few taps echoed in response. She repeated the process on the opposite wall. More echoes followed. She sighed in relief. The survivors of those who had been taken to the homeworld were still alive. They had not lost more from that party. They had been lucky this time. Who knows what would have happened had she not been able to stop others from acting out in anger? It was possible that the entire party would have been massacred. They had already lost too many.

"Hey!"

Xix turned at her friend's hushed whisper.

"They say it's almost time."

She nodded. It was true. It was almost time for the escape they had been planning to take place. Ivy relayed her message of acknowledgement, telling her people to let the others know it was almost time. They were close now. So very close.

Xix tugged at her chains with all her strength. Over time they had begun to rust and become weaker. She had hidden it with the ash and dust that was shaken out of her hair and clothing, as well as what she was sometimes lucky enough to wipe off her skin. It was a miracle that the guards had not notice. Perhaps the Goddess of the Stars was watching over them. Either that or the Terpolite guards truly believed she would not be able to escape. Maybe it was a mixture of both.

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The plan had been set in motion through the chains. All the prisoners hid the rusting and waited. It was all they could do. They had decided that the moment they were all lucky enough to be in the same place with their chains rusted enough, they would make their move. It had been agreed there was no time to come up with a second plan. This was a make or break scenario.

Deciding it was best to free her friend first, Xix dropped her chains and begun to tug on Ivy's. The two women strained but the chains broke with a clang. They went still at the noise. If a guard had heard them, there was no way they would be allowed to live.

No one came.

They begun work on Xix's chains.

Like last time, the chains broke, and they held their breath while waiting for a guard to come and inspect. When no one came, they let out a long breath together. Everything was going to plan. There was a chance they would be able to pull this off!

Xix rubbed her wrist. Her power was flowing through her veins and off her body like a dark aura. She sent a message to her people. Her power, now free, allowed her to do so. Her power was restless as it waited to see that all her people had managed to free themselves. It jumped in excitement the second she allowed for it to move once again.

Ivy moved so she was against the heavy metal door and crouched down. She placed her hands over her head to protect herself from what was about to happen. Xix's power whispered in her ear. It told her the others had also braced themselves.

Xix's power jumped with joy at the freedom it felt as she exploded in a wave of darkness. The stone walls of all the cells of her people shot open, the noise almost deafening. For the first time, her people felt the warmth of the sun on their skin while resting in their cells. She felt her people recovered quickly. They jumped to their feet, Ivy doing the same thing.

They ran.

She and her people ran towards the iron gates of the mine they were imprisoned in, all of them letting out enraged cries and freeing their power to clear the way forward. They freed other prisons as they went. Those prisoners joined their cause. It did not matter if they were from her people or not. The aim had been to free as many allies as possible. The guards were overwhelmed. Those who needed time to recover their powers grabbed their pickaxes and stole swords from the guards.

They ran for their freedom, Xix at the head of the crowd. Others moved to the front and back as they recovered their powers, taking up flanking positions and continuing to free more people as they went. Xix's power took out those who came within metres of them. Others behind her joined as the guards begun to fight back. They were so close now! She could taste the freedom.

The crowd took out the gates with a massive bang. Still, they did not stop running. They kept on going. Xix opened a portal away from Terpola. She moved to the side, allowing the others to go before herself. She had to be sure that everyone who made it through alive could get through the portal. There had been a few who had been unlucky. As the crowd of escapees thinned, she could see the frozen bodies of those who had been killed in attempt of their escape. She took a moment to send a prayer to the stars.

There would be time for all to mourn later.

Xix was the last to enter the portal.

Once everyone who had made it passed through, she jumped after them.

Guards threw swords into the black swirling gateway.

She could not close the portal fast enough.