Chapter 4: Consequences Part III

I awoke to see MIra standing over top of the bed shaking me awake while fighting back tears. It was night time, but it was not close to the midnight hour yet. I sat up in the bed. I didn’t know what to say to her. I honestly had not idea what to say or where to even begin. I could tell her about the curse I received, but I’m not even sure she would understand. Mira didn’t say anything either. She stood to the side of the bed in the same yellow dress from yesterday. She crumpled to the floor and started sobbing.

“Are they here for me?” I asked Mira sullenly.

“No, they haven’t come for you yet.” Mira sobbed.

“I’m not even sure where to begin Mira. What happened to Marcus back there that wasn’t me. Its kinda complicated, but there’s a few things I haven’t told you yet. I didn’t want you to panic.” I said quietly.

“What do you mean?” She said looking up at me.

“Well technically I’m already supposed to be dead.” I said showing her the mark on my hand. I almost died to a demon sometime yesterday before the city was attacked. I was given the option of living if I accepted a curse. I wasn’t given particulars about it. I was only told It would save me. I didn’t want to die. I wanted to live my life with you.” I explained.

“Do you know anything about the curse?” Mira asked.

“I wish I did. All that I really know is it is supposed to make me immortal and it has a few negative side effects. One of which you saw today. I killed Marcus today because I lost control.” As I finished the sentence I felt like crying. It was hard to resist the urge. I wasn’t sad that I killed Marcus. I was sad that I ruined Mira’s life. All she wanted was to be with me. I couldn’t even keep the only promise I made her. I would be arrested and probably tortured for what I had done. I would also probably spend the rest of my life in prison.

“I see.” Mira said devoid of hope.

“Mira I’m sorry.” I told her as the rush of emotions consumed me and I began to cry. She didn’t say anything in response. She just sat there and stared. I reached over to hug her. She didn’t hug back she just limply sat there.

“Ruthven this isn’t real is it? Were supposed to be together forever. I’m dreaming and I’m going to wake up soon right?” She asked staring at me in denial. A tear fell from her eye and I wiped it away.

“I’m afraid this is it Mira. I wish I didn’t have to go. I wish I could stay here forever with you, but I messed it up and now I’ve got to atone.” I told her. Right then I heard a knock at the door. I walked over and put on a shirt and my gear as well as my cloak. As I turned and started walking towards the door each step made my heart fall even more. I reached the door and I didn’t want to move anymore. If I stepped past this door way it would be like this was all a dream and I never spent time with Mira. This illusion would all just disappear. Mira got up and hugged me around the waist tightly

“Ruthven don’t go.” Mira pleaded. She buried her head into my back and I could feel the warm tears soaking into the back of my cloak. I didn’t want to forget about her, but If I didn’t I wouldn’t be able to live knowing I had screwed up her life. “Ruthven we can run away together. I can wait outside the wall for you in the south part of the forest. You can escape and we can run away from all of this a live elsewhere.” Mira said trying to convince me.

I wasn’t sure it was anywhere near logical. I was not even sure I could actually escape from prison. I didn’t put much more thought into it. If Mira wanted it to be that way I would try to make it happen. “Are you sure you want to live the rest of your life that way?” I asked Mira.

“If it means we can stay together than yes.” Mira said squeezing me even tighter.

“I’ll try to make a break for it tonight if I can. If I don’t meet you by twelve tonight assume its not happening and promise me you’ll give up ok?”

“Thank you.” Mira said shakily. She let go of me and I walked down stairs to hear another knock on the door. I walked toward the door and opened it up. Captain Gen stood out front along with four other soldiers.

“Ruthven, you realize you have commited a crime right?” Captain Gen said.

“Yes sir.” I said looking him in the eyes. I was terrified of my fate, but If I really could escape and live with Mira maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.

“Your sentence will be given today by the King.” Captain Gen said without a flicker of change in his face. “Follow me. We are headed up to Carlisle Castle right now.” He told me.

I merely nodded my head and followed along behind him. Although it was night time there were many people lined the streets watching me. I saw a few familiar faces. I saw Henry who hadn’t been there and only heard rumours. His mouth was just open blankly staring at me. I saw the Old Man who I often bought from. I saw the faces of all of the soldiers I had trained. Many of them looked like they wanted to speak out as if to say I may not be at fault or maybe Marcus deserved his fate. However, none of them spoke they just stared. Everytime my eyes met one of theirs they merely looked away with a pained expression.

As we got to the stone steps at the base of the castle, and began the ascent, every step I went up seemed to only further ensure my fate. The stairway to the castle started with a split and both stairways intertwined to create the single path up to the castle. When we reached the single stairway headed up to the castle the aged steps seemed fragile almost as if they might crumble under my feet. We finished our ascent and stopped right in front of the large, oak doors of the castle. Beyond that door I would be judged for my crime which sent a shiver down my spine. I had always been so proud of the majestic castle, but now that pride had turned to fear and terror.

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“Tie his hands up. We can’t risk anyone else’s life.” Captain Gen said to the soldiers behind me.

They pulled my arms behind my back and began tying the ropes. I didn’t resist. I couldn’t resist. I felt powerless. I needed to escape. If I didn’t try now would I be able to later? I didn’t have much hope in escape, but if I believed it could happen then an opportunity would present itself and I would know. Now was not the time to escape. Captain Gen had probably ordered soldiers to remain throughout the city in preparation I would escape. The best time to escape would be when everyone thought I had already been caught. I would plan my escape after my punishment had been settled.

They pushed me forward as the wooden doors swung open. The castle’s interior was revealed to me. The main entrance was mostly empty. There was a single red velvet rug that went up to the King’s throne. The rest of the stone room was empty except for the banners that hung from the ceilings and the various doors to the left and right of the walkway. We walked down the long red rug to where the King sat above us and one soldier pushed me on my knees. The rest of them all bowed on one knee as well and kept their heads down.

“Vice Commander Ruthven I don’t believe we have ever met. I didn’t think we’d have to meet either. At least not under these circumstances. Your crime was killing Marcus Friar today during a punishment exercise. Is that correct?” The king asked me.

“Yes, your majesty.” I replied trying to at least remain respectful despite my situation.

“I am aware that he did try to kill you at some point by attacking you while you were unarmed right?”

“Yes, your majesty.” I once again replied.

“Under these circumstances it is normal for you to be arrested and have your title stripped. Typically you would also be imprisoned for a minimum of ten years if you were found guilty. I’m sure you are already aware of all of this.” The king said with a chuckle.

“What are your plans for me your majesty?” I asked quietly.

“You will be stripped of your rank and imprisoned for five years. I’m cutting down on your penalty because of the circumstances.” The king said. “Take him away to the cells tonight and torture him to see if you can any more information out of him.”

“Yes, your majesty.” Captain Gen said. He ripped me up off the floor by my arms. He guided me towards a room to the right of the throne. As we entered the hallways it was dark because the torches were spaced farther apart and interrupted any natural light that would be coming from the barred windows at the top of the outside walls. We went down a series of corridors and then we started heading down the stairs to the dungeon. Captain Gen opened the dark metal door leading into the dungeon and dragged me inside.

Captain Gen turned around and said “You guys head back up. I’ll join you in a few minutes.” He guided me towards the last cell on the end. I couldn’t see any of the other prisoners because it was too dark. The general atmosphere of this place was perfect for prisoners. It smelled so bad you constantly felt like puking. It was so dark that your own mind would drive you crazy and to top it off it was moist which meant the mold in here after a while would get in your lungs and you’d die from the infection. I reached this conclusion because although it was dark I didn’t even heard a shuffle from the cells. They had probably all already died and been taken away.

Once we reached the cell on the end Captain Gen opened the door he kicked me in and I landed on my face. He then kicked me in the stomach hard enough to wind me. He let out a breath trying to calm his nerves but he couldn't take it. He turned to his left and hit the wall with a full force punch. “God dammit. Ruthven I can’t believe you. You fucked everything up. You were supposed to be the perfect soldier and eventually take my place. Why did you screw it up?” Captain Gen asked furiously.

“Captain I lost control.” I said wheezing.

“No shit you lost control. What the hell happened back there? That wasn’t the perfect soldier I was training. Did your morals go out the damn window?” Captain said fuming.

“It’s a long story, but you honestly wouldn’t understand.” I said as I rolled over on my back and sat up.

“You are completely right Ruthven. I have no idea why the hell you would ruin your future. You didn’t just screw yourself over you screwed me over. It was harder than hell to find a Second in Command like you.”

“Shut the hell up! I shouted. You were willing to lose your second in command earlier today when told me to fight Marcus.” I said infuriated.

He fell silent for a few moments. “I knew you’d win the fight.” Captain Gen stated.

“What if I didn’t? What would you have done?” I said while I stood up. I got in his face and said “You would have been screwed over. Nobody can fill that role except for me.” I said brusquely.

“There were many candidates for it. You only got the position out of luck.” He said looking away.

“You weren’t saying that a minute ago.” I retorted. “If I recall correctly you said it was harder than hell to find a good candidate.

“Well it doesn’t matter now. You screwed up everything.”

“Yeah whatever. You don’t give a shit. Get out of the cell and lock the door.” I scoffed.

Captain Gen punches me in the jaw. “I don’t give a shit? I practically raised you Ruthven. Your piece of shit parents left you and you had no family.” I didn’t respond to this. He was completely right. At age twelve he took me under his wing and trained me. I had never felt connected to Captain Gen in a familial sense, but he was definitely someone I admired.

“If you wanna talk then lets do it at a later date. I want time to think.” I told him.

“I’ll talk to you later then. There will be people down here to torture you in a half hour or so. I don’t have a choice in that matter.” Captain Gen explained to me.

“Thanks for the heads up Dad.” I mocked.

“Tsk.” Captain Gen walked out of the cell and locked it. He was pissed, but he walked away without another word.

It was problematic that I would be locked in here. I didn’t particularly want to be tortured either. I looked around for any possible way out. The walls looked loose enough to break, but since I was underground there was a possibility the walls connected to upstairs and that the floor would collapse. If that did happen I would end up getting trapped and with my hands bound from behind I wasn’t ready for that. If I could just get my hands free I could get out of here. I looked around for things inside the cell, but the only things in here were a pair of chains connected to the wall and the bed which was bolted to the floor. Truthfully I could probably just use the door cell. I gripped the rope and started moving it up and down along the metal door frame to produce friction. After five minutes straight the rope ripped and my hands were free.

I pulled the remainder of the rope off and got ready to shoulder check the wall. Before I could start moving I heard a familiar voice outside of my cell. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” The voice said. I turned to see Inferos standing outside the cell. “The wall looks loose like you could break it right?” Inferos asked me.

“Yeah.” I said.

“Take a gander about what’s behind the wall.” Inferos said.

“They dug a hole behind it didn’t they?” I asked.

“Yes. They dug a very deep hole behind the wall. It allows prisoners to choose their fate. If they want to escape then the only way out is through death.” Inferos explained.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“I’m here to check up on you. Do you still want to escape?” Inferos asked me.

“Yes I need to go see Mira.” I told him.

“Well you have a very simple choice then.” He said while dropping a bag on the floor in front of the cell. “In this bag is all of your gear and the key to your cell. I will give these to you for free. However, making the escape is on you.” He slid the bag up next to the cell with his foot. “You have five minutes to get out of here before they return. If you really want to escape now is your only chance. If you make it out I’ll explain how your curse works. With that I’m going to bid you adieu.” Inferos said. He stepped back into the shadows and disappeared.

I reached my hand forward into the duffle bag and felt around for the key. The bag for being only about two feet in length and maybe a foot in height was rather deep. It must have been some sort of bag of holding. These items were supposed to be rare. Although as a god he probably could get his hand on one with ease. After I grabbed the key I slid the bag further away from the door so it wouldn’t set off the explosion orb. I then unlocked the door and kicked it open. With that single act I felt freer in my life that I had ever felt.