30.

Savia sat in silence. The room had been dark. The only sound that could be heard came from water droplets falling from the ceiling. A couple hit Savia on the head. She sat curled up in a ball in the corner of her cell. The cell was small and metal bars kept her from escaping. They had dragged her far underground and pushed her into this cell. She hadn't seen anybody since. She pulled her cloak tight. She refused to cry. Her mother had been a fool, telling her someone will whisk her away. Someone will free her and love her. All of it had been rubbish. She trusted for once, thinking it will be different this time, only for everything to fall apart again. She wouldn't cry. Was she wrong? He did keep up his end of the bargain, he freed her. He did not force her to follow him. That was her own will. Maybe he had manipulated me into thinking that. She shook her head. He wouldn't do that. Why did her mind do this to her? She was torn. She thought she should hate him but she couldn't bring herself to. She thought back to their time together in Isern. He had told her a few cryptic things back then. Why didn't I realise? He had been suffering back then. She felt stupid. She now realised why he felt safe to her. He had been the same as her. Someone who needed saving. Someone who wanted to be free from the burden of their parents. And he had set her free. I forced him to. That was beside the point. Things were finally becoming clear to her now. She had a goal to accomplish. She had to free him now. It was time to do something for him. With her resolve steeled she found new energy. There was still a major issue. She was stuck in this cell and nothing she tried worked. The metal bars were too strong for her to break and for some reason, she couldn't cast in the cell. She spent most of her time trying to chip away at the stone wall behind her with her dagger. She stopped when she heard footsteps echoing nearby. She took her place back in the corner of the cell. The footsteps stopped as a figure stopped before her cell. It was a man dressed in armour that had green accents. Similarly to the commander that dragged her here. She immediately glared at the visitor. He was a tall man with olive skin. He had no hair on his head and had black expressionless eyes. He had not said a word. He moved and put on an intricately designed ring that engulfed two of his armoured fingers. He then put his other hand on one of the metal bars. The hand that held the metal bar shone red and the entire bar began to liquidy. Savia noted the steam that emanated from his hand. He melted another metal bar. There was now enough space for Savia to slip out. The man seemed to realise this and stepped aside. Savia did not move a muscle.

"Are you not going to escape?" The man's voice was deep.

Savia grabbed her daggers. The man in turn shook his head and then sighed.

"I am not here to pick a fight. I am Orvyn Burchard, third no second commander of 'The Eyes'. I am here to ensure you safely escape and join your friends."

"Burchard…You are lying."

"I should have expected this." Orvyn shook his head. "The Burchard family has a long history here in Adhu Aqua. One I will not get into here, just know I have no loyalty to Lord Jerial. I am but a distant relative."

"Why should I believe you?" Savia said angrily.

"You need not believe me because it is the truth. But tell me what do you plan to do here in the dungeon. Starve and rot with the others or are you going to find your friends and do something productive?"

Savia hated that the man was correct. She did not have time to waste. She needed to figure out how to save Alaric. She put her daggers away. For only the second time in her short life, she was allowing someone else to help her. She stepped out of the cell. Orvyn nodded at her. He walked behind her as he navigated her through the dungeon. There were only a few soldiers that they had come across. Orvyn told them that Jerial had requested to see her. Orvyn led her to the back of the castle. The huge void-like lake stood before them in all its glory.

"We do not have much time," Orvyn said as he picked up the pace. He led her to the edge of the lake where a small boat stood. Orvyn handed her two oars. "Head east until the eastern wall is in sight. You will be in the market district. Ask for directions toward the Drucker House. You shall meet your friends there."

Savia did not have time to thank him as he was already on his way toward the castle. Savia hopped into the boat and began rowing.

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Everard was running through the streets of Adhu Aqua alongside his pet ocelot, Yago. He only had one goal and that was to get out of the city. That goal was shortly extinguished when a pale yellow barrier formed around the entire city. Everard stopped in the middle of the street. He could hear people complaining as they walked around him. He was drenched in the storms of Adhu Aqua. He did not know why he had been scared. Great Lord Jerial had passed on before he had even been born. A man that had no right to terrify him. But he heard the tales of that man. A man that was dangerously too smart for his own good. A man that stopped at nothing to get what he wanted. A hero to some and a menace to others. He remembered the joy the people of the capital spoke with when explaining his death. The thorn in Meinspir's side had passed away. That was all they had said. How they had been wrong. Everard had been trembling. His presence was surely the catalyst for change in the Zidal Empire. A terrifying thought. Everard had left his room early in the morning only to be met with a horrifying image. Men with slit throats had laid out on the floor. Their blood staining the carpets. Other soldiers had been decapitating the already lifeless bodies. Everard knew he had to escape the castle. So he ran, not looking back at the soldiers who called out to him. That's how he found himself here. With the announcement that was spoken inside his head complete, he knew that he messed up. He got involved with the wrong people. He just tried to help. He couldn't watch and do nothing when he saw Florian dying in Chapman's office. They seemed at first glance like kind people, who would've thought he was travelling with one of the greatest casters. The big tidal wave made sense now, Alaric had help he was able to do it with the power of his father. I have to get out of here.

Florian sat alongside his sister in a spacious room. They were in one of the highrise buildings close to the eastern wall of Adhu Aqua. They had a good view of the city. He noticed Ashe had been looking out of the windows the entire time. The door to their room opened, he immediately turned his attention to the figure who entered. The man that escorted them here.

"Y'know I was surprised when Commander Orvyn asked me to escort you here, y'know." "Y'know Commander Orvyn does not speak much but he seemed in a weird mood, so I like had to help him y'know."

"Commander Orvyn?" Florian asked. "And where is here?"

Ballack nodded. "Forgot you are new to the city y'know. Commander Orvyn is the third commander of 'The Eyes'. Y'know the group of really, really strong casters y'know. A big, big deal he is y'know." "And you are in the main house of the Drucker family y'know. Also known as my house. Y'know my brother is a commander of The Eyes. Compared to him I am just a no-name y'know. That was why I was surprised when Commander Orvyn approached me, y'know."

The bombardment of information was giving Florian a slight headache. He was still struggling to recover from Jerial's attack earlier.

"Slow down, sir. I can hardly keep up." Florian said.

Ballack chuckled.

"What were Commander Orvyn's intentions?"

"Y'know he said that the Drucker family should keep you three hidden until he arrives y'know."

"Three? We are the only two here."

Ballack shrugged. "Y'know he said he was freeing a lady from the dungeon and she will arrive here shortly."

That must be Savia.

"And the boy?"

Ballack had been puzzled. "Boy? Y'know the commander did not mention a boy. He said there were only three of you, y'know."

Where in the world is Everard?

Florian glanced at Ashe who had still been looking out of the window. He followed her stare and noticed she had been looking at the castle this entire time. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Y'know what a crazy announcement earlier. Great Lord Jerial's resurrection has got the old heads excited y'know. I mean I get it but something is off about the whole situation y'know. Like something stinks, y'know."

"Y'know it is time for me to get you two some food. I'll be back later, y'know."

Florian nodded as the man made his way out. Ashe turned to him.

"What are we going to do?" She whispered.

"My idea might not be as good as Alaric's but I do have an idea." He did not wait for her to question him before he explained. "We have to use Commander Orvyn. We do not know if he is helping us or trying to kill us but as long as we are alive we have to use what we can." "Ballack said that Orvyn freed Savia from the dungeon. Which means Jerial had lied to us about her escaping. Orvyn went against direct orders by freeing her. Which means we might have an ally in one of the strongest casters in the city."

"But how are we going to separate Alaric from his father?" Ashe asked.

"I don't know…but we will find a way I am certain. Let's just wait for Savia."

"I am worried about her." Ashe continued. "Alaric seemed to be all she had. Did you not see how she looked at him? She adores him and now that was taken away from her."

Florian shook his head. "He is not gone just yet. He is fighting in there, I know it. Savia knows it as well.

It was late that night when Savia joined them with a determined look in her eyes.