Liam, emboldened by a blend of desperation and a dash of hope, embarked on his grand escape. His plan hinged on a simple, yet audacious assumption: no one attempted escape because they thought it impossible, feared the unknown punishment, or believed the outside world too perilous. "Well, time to stop overthinking," he mumbled to himself.
He slipped out of his room, moving with the stealth of a cat on a hot tin roof. The castle, vast and silent, felt like a sleeping giant. Liam tiptoed towards the study chambers, his heart pounding a rhythm of anticipation and fear.
At each corner, he peeked like a nervous meerkat before scurrying to the next juncture. When he reached the double doors, he pressed his ear against them, listening for any signs of life. Hearing nothing but the thumping of his own heart, he cautiously pushed the door open.
Inside, the moonlight cascaded through high windows, illuminating a room filled with books, thick desks, and baffling equipment. "What to steal?" Liam pondered. He needed something he could use to create his minor pocket space.
His eyes landed on several exquisite pens and inkwells, but then he saw it a beautiful vase made from an unknown material, nearly overflowing with step ink. "How am I gonna get this out?" he wondered.
After a clumsy attempt, he dropped the vase, its contents spilling across the floor in a slow, inky tide. "Well, no turning back now," he thought, emptying the vase and casting create minor pocket space.
Overwhelmed by a sudden, crushing wave of fatigue, Liam succumbed to an immediate and deep slumber, right there on the floor.
When he awoke, disoriented and unsure how much time had passed, Liam gathered his bearings. He picked up the vase and walked towards the door where he noticed a few items he hadn't seen before: a colorful wizard's robe, a shoulder bag, and a staff.
Intrigued, Liam examined the robe. It was vibrant and eye-catching, not ideal for someone who was going to make a daring escape. However, upon turning the robe inside out, he discovered it transformed into a nondescript brown color—perfect for blending in and avoiding unwanted attention.
Next, he spotted something that resembled an umbrella. "Curious," he thought, "what use would a wizard have for an umbrella?" He took it too.
In the kitchen, he almost tripped over a sleeping kitchen boy. His heart skipped a beat, but it was just a close call. He loaded up the vase with food from what seemed like a feast laid out in the kitchen.
As dawn approached, Liam found himself at Mela's chamber. He entered quietly, placing the shoulder bag with the vase and staff outside. Mela was fast asleep.
“Mela,” he whispered, nudging her gently. Her eyes flicked open with a silent question.
“I've been given a task, a peculiar one at that. Transport a package to, well, somewhere else.” Liam winced internally. He should have fabricated a more convincing story. “And I can choose an accomplice. I mean helper?”
Mela's silence hung in the air, heavy with disbelief and confusion.
“It's an order. We must leave.” At this, she nodded, rising with a sense of urgency.
That's settled then. Stepping outside, Liam handed her a staff and hoisted a bag over his shoulder, gripping an odd-looking umbrella.
No more skulking like a thief in the night for Liam. He strode down the hallway, exuding an air of purposeful determination he definitely not feel.
They navigated towards the castle's rear, but the door thwarted their escape. Liam's attempts to open it grew frantic until Mela produced a key from beneath the carpet. “Thanks,” he muttered, relief washing over him as the door creaked open, a sound that sent shivers down his spine.
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At the stables, Liam revealed his handiwork - a tunnel. Mela's reaction was a mix of horror and incredulity. “Liam, Liam,” she stammered, her eyes darting between the tunnel and him.
“I have a plan.” Liam smiled hesitantly.
Her response was a melodic lament, a blend of protest and resigned acceptance.
“We should return. Yes, reverse all this,” she suddenly perked up, clinging to a shred of hope.
Liam, sheepish, admitted to inadvertently discarding the ink back in the office. Mela's face morphed into a mask of mute terror.
Frozen, she stood there, unresponsive to the chaos. With a deep sigh, Liam pushed her gently into the tunnel, gathered his belongings, and followed.
On the other side, a forest awaited them. Mela gazed around with wide, incredulous eyes.
“Ever been outside?” Liam asked.
“The beast will kill us if the magus does not catch us first. They can track us. Liam. Liam you know this?”
“Clearly,” he said, taking the lead. Dawn was breaking, casting a soft glow over their path. Curdo, their impromptu scout, bounded ahead, free and wild like a happy dog.
---
Liam was ushering Mela through the dense forest, her gaze unresponsive even to the occasional animal noises that punctuated the silence around them. "Can they track us?" Liam muttered under his breath, a tinge of concern in his voice. The journey, lasting barely an hour, brought them to the edge of a road. "Huh, a road," Liam mused, deciding it was best avoided. As he prepared to cross, an odd spectacle rounded the corner.
Before them appeared a creature so peculiar it could have been the product of a hippopotamus with a widely successful diet plan. Pulling a cart, it bounded along, seemingly oblivious to its own absurdity. Atop the cart's bench, a man slumbered, his posture relaxed to the point of collapse.
"We need to hurry," Immanuel thought to himself, his eyes sizing up the unlikely transport option. "Hello," he called out, rousing the man, who jerked awake and yanked a rope, bringing the scrawny hippo-like beast to an abrupt halt.
"Could you give us a lift?" Immanuel inquired, a hopeful note in his voice.
The man, now fully awake, eyed them with a mix of curiosity and wariness. "You apprentices?" he asked, his tone laced with a hint of trepidation.
Liam seized the opportunity, nodding vigorously. "Absolutely! May we?" he said, gently guiding Mela onto the cart.
"Where are we headed?" the man asked.
"That way," Liam pointed, settling Mela into the cart.
As the cart rumbled along, propelled by the most unlikely of beasts, the sunlight began to kiss their faces with its gentle warmth. Liam rummaged through the bag, producing bread and meat from what seemed like a vase.. He handed some to Mela, who ate with the enthusiasm of a sleepwalker in a buffet line.
"You know," Liam began, a philosophical twinkle in his eye, "I'd rather die a free man than live as a slave."
Mela, her mouth full of bread and meat, replied, "They won't let us die," her words muffled but laden with a grim reality.
"Well," Liam mused, his eyes catching glimpses of Curdo darting through the trees.
The journey continued uneventfully until they reached a quaint stone village that straddled the road on both sides.
The cart driver looked back at them. “I am here to pick up my delivery, then I’ll return the way I came.
His meaning was clear as crystal: their ride had reached its final stop. As he disappeared into a house, Mela remained seated, unmoving, a statue of weariness and resignation.
Liam, realizing this escape would falter if he had to coax Mela at every turn, took the driver's seat at the front. He grabbed the rope and gave it a hopeful slap. The skinny hippo, however, remained as responsive as a boulder. A few more slaps, growing increasingly frantic, finally spurred it into a slow, begrudging trot.
"Come on, come on!" Liam urged, desperation edging into his voice. As they edged out of the village, the driver emerged, catching sight of the commandeered cart. His yell of surprise spurred the hippo into a sudden, unexpected sprint.
The cart lurched forward, speeding down the road, leaving behind the panting, knee-clutching driver at the village's edge. Liam, glancing back at the man now shrinking in the distance, thought, "Sorry, but it's a matter of life and death." The cart, powered by its bizarre steed, raced on, carrying Liam and Mela further into the unknown.