Leo looked around. There were people running with confusion. Smoke entered the building. From the looks, one of the explosion was close to Leo. He cannot waste any more time.

Leo grabbed one of the people who was running. The man had sweat all over his body. Leo's hands gripped the person's neck as he pushed the person to the wall. “Tell me where are the people who you capture kept?”

The man had a confused look on his face. His lungs went up and down from all the running. “What?”

Leo’s grip tightened as he took out Tenebris on his left hand. “I asked where do you keep the people that you capture?”

The man gulped. “I… don’t know the exact location, but I can take you near it.”

Near is good as he did not have much time. Leo loosened the grip. Both ran towards the location. If this person was lying then Leo would kill him for wasting time.

It took them ten minutes to reach the location. As Leo guessed it was in the same building. They got delayed because of the commotion and smoke which made it hard to breathe.

“This is the general location. Please, I don’t know the exact one. I need to get to my family,” The man pleased.

Leo did not respond. The man took it as his cue to leave and left. Leo’s eyes focused on the area. Where could Xander be?

As Leo thought this a figure came in front of him. “So, you are the one that entered with the other boy.”

Leo had not seen this man before, but he had some resemblance to Aldous. “Are you… Xavier?”

The man smiled. “Indeed. I must say I did not think you were here.”

Leo summoned Tenebris and got into fighting position. “Eager to fight me? You sure about that?

Well, It’s not like I have an option.

But before Leo attacked a white beam of light came crashing towards Xavier.

Xavier dodged the attack and remarked. “Too slow.”

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It was Mia.

She did not stop her attacks. “What are you doing Leo? Go save the others!”

“Don’t worry about me. The others will be here soon.”

Leo looked at the fight. She would get defeated soon, but he could not waste time.

Leo moved. There was a room behind Xavier. When Mia attacked Xavier had moved out of this way. This made it easy for Leo to get inside.

The room was lit by torches. The corners of the walls had webs. There was a table at in the center. On it was many files they looked older than the ones Leo had handled. Leo searched the room. He checked everywhere. Then he came across a part of the wall that felt different than the rest. When he used Tenebris with the other walls Tenebris would be hard to pull out, but in this section it was easy. A secret entrance? He attacked it using Tenebris. The wall came crashing down. It was a tunnel.

Leo went inside it. Rough bricks covered the walls. The path was narrow and sharp. Water dripped on the sides of the tunnel. Echoes of his footsteps rang across the passage. Dust filled the air.

After three minutes of travel through the tunnel, he reached the end. In front of him were countless doors. All had a small window at the top with metallic bars. Leo looked inside the cells. There were people. He searched twelve of them until he found Xander on the thirteenth.

Xander lay on the floor covered in blood. His eyes were wide as the moon. His breath was calm despite his situation. Leo used Tenebris to break opened the door. The worn out wood could not stand against the blades of Tenebris.

But as soon as he entered Leo stopped in his tracks. Five while circles surrounded Xander. Leo called but he got no reply.

Leo looked around and found a big stick. He used that and tangled it with Xander’s pant. He then pulled Xander. Leo then looked at Xander who stared back at him. “Why?” A low voice sounded.

“With this, I no longer have any debt towards you,” Saying that Leo lifted Xander and supported him by the shoulder.

When they both walked out of the cell a figure came in front of them. It was Bartel.

Bartel looked around. His eyes stopped near the entrance where there was a key.

Bartel took the key near the entrance and opened the cells. They were in bad shape. Some had fingers and hair missing while others looked dead. The psychological trauma of this would be with them for a long time. For some, it may not even leave them till they die.

They ran in the direction Bartel came which was a different one from which Leo had taken. None of them waited for Leo and Xander. Injuries and blood covered them, but when freedom stood in front of them how could they not take it? They took that freedom except for Xander…

Leo carried Xander through the entrance he had used before. He did not use the one the others took as that could be dangerous. There were too many people which would lead to mass panic and confusion if attacked.

He still had to kill Artos and Aldous, but where would he find them?

“Have you ever got tortured?” Asked Xander.

Yes, he had. Many times back in his old world, but he could not say that. “No.”

“Have you ever wanted to die?” Asked Xander again.

Yes, he had, but he could not say that. “No.”

Xander did not ask another question. He felt tired. Drained of everything he had.