This was not all like Aurora Arkov expected, it was not the Emperor’s Palace, it was the Fortress, a place where heartless prisoners went to rot for eternity. She should not have been there. This was a mistake, why did I get caught? Val is probably captured now too.

‘The Emperor will see you now.’ The prison guard unlocked her cell. ‘And while we get to where we are meeting him, do not try any funny business with me. This is the Fortress, and it is nothing like the prisons in the other parts of the kingdom. The majority of prisoners who come here hang themselves after three days. I am curious to see how long you will last.’ His smile beamed at Aurora. These guards were even worse than the Sentries.

‘I should not be here.’ Aurora muttered, under her breath. The prison guard looked over at her. His face was solemn, like a Sentry, but more complex.

‘Why? Do you think that because you are famous, you get special treatment? The only special treatment we give out here is death.’ His words were harsher than Aurora was used to. The prisoner could tell that this was no joke. It was real, although Aurora hoped it was not.

‘Why am I here? What crime have I committed? I am just trying to stop the Empire before there are no magic users left.’ Aurora felt so stupid. Why did she purposely get caught, all for a girl she had met a week ago?

‘Maybe you can ask the Emperor, I am sure he will know. For now, shut your yap before I shut it for you.’ He dragged her along the corridor by her ear, opened a heavy, metal door, threw her in the room, and slammed it. She pounded her fists on the metal door, before turning to see the ugly face of the Emperor. He cackled.

‘The infamous Aurora Arkov, caught by two pathetic Sentries! It is truly remarkable how foolish you are, child.’ He mocked her. Aurora wanted to slit his throat, but she knew that the Fortress Guard would preferably do the same to her.

‘What do you want with me? Because if it is about the Resistance, I would never tell someone like you where it is. I would rather die!’ Aurora spat in his face.

‘Guard?’ The Emperor called for him. ‘Show Aurora Arkov the true meaning of pain.’ His words were like venom going down her throat. It was typical of the Emperor to get someone else to do his dirty work.

‘Yes, Your Majesty.’ The Fortress Guard came in and held Aurora by the wrists, and put metal chains over them. Then, he pinned her up against the wall and punched her repeatedly in the ribs. Aurora knew she could not crack, or else the whole of the Resistance would crumble and would be put in severe danger. Her ribs ached. Please end this. I cannot take it much longer. I cannot fight back, it would be too risky.

‘Fine, I will tell you!’ She shouted, stopping the pain. Aurora was reduced to tears. This was torture, they could not do this.

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‘Good,’ The Emperor smiled, ‘You are finally ready to cooperate with us, Miss Arkov. Now, tell us where your little outpost is, or my friend here will do much more than punch you.’

‘You piece of scum!’ She shouted impulsively at the Emperor. ‘This is illegal! 847,000 magic users were killed last summer because of you! Can you even comprehend how many innocent people that is?’

‘You do not understand what they did!’ The Emperor retorted. Aurora was testing his patience bit by bit. It was like waiting for a bomb to blow up.

‘You do not understand what you did! The whole kingdom is afraid to do anything because they are scared of your jurisdiction. Deep down, they all want to kill you. Except, none of them have the guts to.’

‘And do you think you could?’ The Emperor was playing a dangerous game. Aurora could tell what he was trying to do.

‘No,’ Aurora lied,’ It would make me as bad as you if I did so.’

‘What is morality though? If you have to kill someone, does that deem the act wrong, even though you were just trying to save yourself? Now, back to business. Where is the hiding place of the Resistance?’

Aurora did not want to tell him; she knew she had to. I am incredibly sorry, I feel terrible for doing this.

‘The hiding place of the Resistance, it is-’ Aurora hesitated,’ The hiding place of the Resistance is in Meridia, past the Retyl-Hern. Promise me that you will not harm them.’

‘I do not need to promise you anything.’ The Emperor clicked his fingers. ‘Take the girl back to her cell at once.’

The Fortress Guard obeyed the Emperor’s commands and took Aurora by the wrists. She had given up the safety of her friends for her own. I feel terrible, but they would kill me otherwise. What would the Resistance do without me as their leader? I had no choice.

The Fortress Guard took Aurora back to her cell. She sat down on the concrete floor, staring at the dull wall to the left of her. White markings had been made on the wall to represent each day spent in the cell. There were only three markings. The Fortress Guard had been right: people only lived a few days before committing suicide due to the horrendous conditions of the prison. I must warn the Resistance. Aurora requested the jailer outside of her cell a feather, a pot of ink and a piece of parchment. The prisoner received them. She began to write in bold letters, trying not to use up all of the ink.

Dear friends

I am afraid that our location has been breached. Evacuate to the backup location immediately. Make sure that the Empire finds nothing. If they find any of our weapons, they could modify them to be used for evil purposes. I bid you all good luck. I am sorry, but I was the one who betrayed you. They threatened me with the penalty of death. Stay safe in these tumultuous times.

Aurora.

She got out an envelope and sent the letter to the Warden, a person who delivered letters to family, who also checked the contents of each letter. There had to be another way. Aurora pondered, trying to think of any way she could get the letter to the Resistance without it being examined by the Warden. The only way the prisoner could think of was to send it to them herself. That would be impossible, for in the thirty years the building had stood, nobody had ever escaped the Fortress alive. Aurora looked around. In the cell beside her was an asleep man who kept an empty bottle of beer next to him. Perfect. The prisoner reached over and grabbed it, stuffing the letter inside of it. With another piece of paper, she labelled it with the words: IF FOUND, DELIVER TO 15 LETRAN AVENUE, MERIDIA. A message in a bottle. Through the small window, Aurora threw the bottle into the ocean, in the hopes it would reach the Resistance in time. The girl could only hope that that would be the case and that the Resistance could escape from the clutches of the Empire while they still could. This was all her fault. If any of the Resistance members were killed, their death would forever be on Aurora’s conscience. The Resistance would crumble and it would all be her fault. It would be the end of the Resistance if the Outpost was found by the Empire. Everything she had worked for would be ruined, all because she was selfish, and decided to save herself instead of her friends. That was the harsh reality of it all. Aurora did not know if she would ever see her friends again.