The chains around Galland leapt from his armor, and in the blink of an eye, enchained everybody in the chamber.

The chains sapped the group’s strength. Their fingers were free, but they couldn’t wiggle them. Words bubbled up to the tip of their tongues, but none could speak a single one. Nothing forced them to the ground other than gravity, yet their bodies could no longer resist its influence.

“Apologies,” Galland said, careful not to step on anyone as he marched toward the key. “Just wanted to ensure nobody did anything they’d regret.”

The group watched, unable to move, as Galland snatched the key that would bring them freedom.

“For the record, this wouldn’t have done anything. Watch.” Galland knelt next to Ace and pressed the key against the chain marking on his neck. “[Release].”

Golden light radiated out from the key but was quickly sucked back in.

“The thing’s powerless. It was rendered inert a while back. Once Ronan used the leftover charge, it was my job to bring it back. A bit beneath my station to be honest. I’m sure they were just trying to occupy me.”

“Paladin!” a voice shouted from further up the staircase.

“Steady yourself Ronan,” Galland said. “There’s a gas that’s spread throughout the chamber. Two of the guards have been knocked out by it. Stay above ground for now.”

Galland looked down at the group. “You were lucky Darren heard you when he did. Ronan had a silent alarm. The kind that’s very hard to find.”

Galland knelt on the floor, investigating the papers that littered it. They were all just menial things: letters to family, trade discussions, invitations to events. A personal office provided enough privacy to handle these simple correspondences.

Galland picked up one of the papers to examine it further. The instant his gauntlets touched the parchment, his [Divine Protection] spread onto the page, dispelling an illusion.

“Seems I’ll be staying here longer than anticipated. Now then. For the real reason I’m here.” Galland closed the hand the chains extended from into a fist, recalling the chains.

As they coiled around his armor, the group felt their strength returning. They managed to push themselves to their feet.

“Why’d you free us?” Ace asked.

“You couldn’t hurt me if you tried.” Everything about Galland’s voice and body language made it clear he was not stating his opinion, but a fact. “Ah, which wall was it again? I think it was this one.”

In a single motion, Galland drew his sword from his back and struck one of the stone walls. The wall crumbled into pebbles giving way to a massive steel sewer pipe. Galland plunged his hands into the pipe, ripping through the metal; he dragged his hands down, tearing the steel as if it were wet paper.

With a heavy thud, Galland cast aside the part of the pipe’s wall he had torn open. “I know at least one of you knows the sewers. Use them to get to the west gate. A woman in white will be waiting for you there with a wagon.”

“What was that?!” Ronan shouted from atop the staircase.

“Perhaps another tree uprooted itself. Do you want me to solve your problem for you again?” Galland asked.

He turned back to address the group. “I’m sorry about earlier. We had to let you die to keep up appearances, but now that you’ve escaped on your own, there’s no reason we can’t help you. Now, I suggest you get moving.”

It wasn’t a suggestion. Galland was commanding them to go, and his overwhelming presence demanded that they listen. Their bodies moved automatically; the group piled into the sewers through the opening Galland had made for them. For a long time, they followed Riven—only because she seemed to know where she was going—in silence.

After roughly 5 minutes spent contemplating what had just happened, the looming silence was shattered.

“Hey Halvor,” Riven said.

“Yeah?”

“Could you put your hands through this pipe without using a skill?” Riven asked.

“I’d probably get up to the knuckles,” Halvor said.

“And what about tearing it open like wet parchment?”

“Not a chance.”

“At least he lied to keep Ronan away. That’s good,” Cili said.

“But how did he know it was a gas that knocked out the guards?” Kai asked. “It was already cleared out by the time he got there.”

“It’s Galland,” Draxl said. “Hard to exaggerate when it comes to that man.”

“Is he really that strong?” Ace asked.

“Let me put it this way,” Draxl said. “If Galland decided to lay waste to a city with 100,000 people in it, not a single military would stand against him.”

“Why?” Ace asked.

“What point is there in adding to the casualties?” Draxl answered matter-of-factly.

“He’s someone you can’t beat with numbers. You’d need a group of exceptional individuals to take him down,” Kai said.

“Like us!” Cili exclaimed.

“Sure, like us,” Kai replied.

“You know I met someone like Galland once,” Ace said, a thousand-yard on his face, his eyes fixated on the sewage at his feet. “Well met might not be the right word. Encountered is probably more accurate.

“They both gave me this indescribable feeling. I always thought it was some kind of aura they had, an intense malice or bloodlust that just oozed out of them. But Galland wasn’t trying to hurt us at all. I knew that, but I still felt the same.

“I think that feeling might just be an intense helplessness. Like, you're looking at something your mind just can’t comprehend, so it just shuts down, and your body stops responding. Does that make sense?”

As Ace’s inner monologue leaked out his mouth, his thoughts slowly overwhelmed him. Whereas before Ace could see everyone ahead of him, there was now nothing but darkness. He looked behind him. Everybody had come to a stop upon hearing Ace’s words; their heads were down, and their minds were absent.

A heavy silence took over the tunnel, only occasionally broken by the sloshing of sewage. Ace’s words resonated more with everyone than he had thought.

At that moment, everyone’s mind was locked in a cell; their only company was memories, dredged up by Ace’s words, that they could never let themselves forget, but like red hot iron burned to hold onto.

Gazing down into the sewage, Ace noticed something strange about his reflection. Previously, when he had looked into Riven’s dagger, he was so focused on the chain around his neck that he didn’t realize his eyes had turned blood-red—a result of him becoming an avatar he reckoned.

Ace remembered that he had just been given the key to his cell. Now was the time to be focused on the future, not fixated on the past. If the others had experienced anything like he had, then he wanted to help however he could.

Ace may not have the key to whatever cells the others were trapped in, but he could give them company aside from their own thoughts—and perhaps they could do the same for him as he tried to topple his own mental prison.

However, Ace didn’t know how to cheer people up. Fortunately, he knew someone who never failed to do just that, somebody who never failed to lift his spirits and put a smile on his face.

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

“Hey Riven, how much longer do we have?” Ace asked.

“Roughly 10 to 20 minutes,” Riven said. “Why?”

Ace put on a bright smile. “Who wants to play 2 truths and a lie? I’ll go first.”

----------------------------------------

The group emerged from the sewers engaged in a heated argument.

“Oh fuck right off. ‘They're all true. The lie is that there were 2 truths.’ I bet you think you’re so clever,” Riven said.

“I do,” Ace said with a grin.

“But that’s cheating!” Cili exclaimed.

“Yeah, doesn’t it defeat the point of the game?” Halvor asked.

“Just means you have to think outside the box,” Draxl said.

“Bro, you got it wrong too,” Kai reminded Draxl. “The only one who got it right was Galina. Wait have you gotten any of them wrong?”

“No,” Galina said.

“Damn.”

“Heads up, I think that’s her.” Ace pointed to a woman wearing white robes with a ball of chains around her neck, leaning against a wagon.

Though they had never met, Ace recognized the woman. She had fought alongside Galland against the possessed tree.

“I’ll talk to her,” Ace said. “The rest of you can be on standby in case anything goes wrong.”

“Roger that!” Cili exclaimed with a salute.

“Hey!” Ace called out to the woman as he approached her. “Galland said you’d be expecting us.”

“That’s right. I’m Nina.”.

“Ace.”

“Well, Ace, let’s keep this brief,” Nina said. “As you’re aware, Ronan’s key isn’t capable of helping any of you. However, that doesn’t mean you’re beyond hope.

“I’ve prepared this wagon, a week’s worth of supplies, and two horses. Take them and follow the road further inland. You’ll come across a town called Wickerbound. Although it’s draped in eternal darkness you’ll find it quite pleasant, I assure you.

“Once you’re there, head for the Night Owl, and ask to speak with the owner. Tell them Galland sent you. If you’re lucky, she’ll lend you a hand.”

Ace didn’t like the idea of luck being a factor in his survival.

“Aren’t you with the order?” Ace asked.

Nina sighed. “Time to make a long story, very short. Galland, Darren, and a few others along with myself are part of the Armistice Order, but we don’t support their practices. Specifically our sect. We’re trying to change the order from the inside out.”

“So why help us?”

“How can you fight for your ideals if you don’t live up to them?”

“Then can’t you get rid of these yourself?” Ace asked. He knew the woman was powerful from what he had observed of her.

“I could, but it wouldn’t be long before the order traced it back to me,” Nina said. “It’s a lot harder to affect things from the outside.”

“Fair enough.” Ace sighed. It seemed there wasn’t any easy way out of his predicament.

“We’ve already spoken long enough. You should get going now. Try to be out of sight of the city by sundown.”

“Will do,” Ace said.

After Nina had wandered off, the rest of the group pulled out from around the corner.

“How’d it go?” Draxl asked.

“About as well as you’d expect. She said to head for Wickerbound and find the owner of the Night Owl. If we tell them that Galland sent us, then they’ll help us out.”

“At least Wickerbound is on the way to Journey,” Riven said.

Galina hopped into the back of the wagon. “Not like we have any other options.”

“Wickerbound. Sounds scary,” Halvor said.

“It’ll be fun!” Kai assured Halvor.

“I always wanted to go on a road trip!” Cili exclaimed excitedly.

“Well now you can,” Ace said, hopping onto the wagon’s tongue. He grasped hold of the reins.

“You driving?” Riven asked.

“Time outside the chapters turned me into an adequate equestrian.”

“Ok then, Mr. Adequate, get us out of here,” Riven said.

“On it.” The moment everyone was comfortable in the wagon bed, Ace cracked the reins and the group set off toward Wickerbound.

“Fuck you Kaimen! Fuck You!” Kai screamed, his middle fingers pointed high to the sky.

Cili was quick to join in. “Yeah fuck you!”

Bonk!

Draxl hit Kai on the head with the pommel of his dagger; at the same time, Galina hit Cili with her staff.

“Do that when you’re out of earshot,” Draxl said.

“Fine.” Kai sighed. “I’ll wait till we’re far from the city.”

“I meant out of earshot of me.”

“Why are you like this?” Kai asked.

“Yeah Draxl, why are you like this?” Cili said, echoing Kai.

“Oh god help me. There’s two of them.”

“Perhaps a drink would help.” Galina handed Draxl a cup with steam rising from it.

“Is this alcohol?”

“Better. It’s tea.”

“I’ll pass.”

“Here.” Riven tossed Draxl an unlabeled dark green bottle. All he could see was some dark liquid sloshing around inside. He removed the cork and took a sip.

“Ah!” Draxl exclaimed, choking the alcohol back. “What is that? It’s strong as hell and tastes like shit.”

“Heard they based it off your personality,” Riven said, taking a sip from an identical bottle without flinching.

Draxl rolled his eyes at Riven’s response and took another swig of the bottle.

During this time, Halvor had creeped his way out of the wagon bed, up to Ace.

“Sounds rowdy in there,” Ace said, moving aside.

Halvor took a seat next to Ace. “That’s an understatement.”

“Is that so? Do you prefer quieter places?” Ace asked.

“More so homely places,” Halvor said. “I actually quite enjoy a noisy home. Makes things feel lively. But everyone needs to step out of the house once in a while.”

“Yeah I get that.”

“Would you mind if I try?” Halvor asked, pointing to the reins in Ace’s hands.

“Sure.”.

Once the reigns were in Halvor’s hands, they went slack. Halvor didn’t tense his hands at all.

“You haven’t done this before, have you?” Ace asked.

“No. I’m afraid I’ll hurt them,” Halvor said.

“You’re tough but so are they. You gotta keep a tight grip.”

Halvor’s hands squeezed as hard as he could. It looked like he was trying to form a fist and the reins were in the way.

“Not that hard,” Ace said. “The horses move on their own, so you don’t need to put all your strength into it. Use just enough to guide them.”

Finally, Halvor found the sweet spot. A firm grip that didn’t restrict the horses, while still maintaining control.

“Is this good?” Halvor asked.

“Looks good to me.”

Halvor breathed a sigh of relief.

“Alright I’ll let you handle that,” Ace said. “Tell me if you need anything.”

“Will do!”.

Now that he didn’t need to focus on the road ahead, Ace’s gaze drifted off into the fields of grass that surrounded him. Old memories flowed to the forefront of his mind. A group of kids huddled together began to take shape.

“And my third one is—”

“The second one was a lie. You’ve said it before.”

“Ace! You’re not supposed to say it out loud. Everyone guesses at the same time.”

“Sorry Lumina. Sorry. I forgot.”

A smile settled in on Ace’s face as all the children, including his younger self, burst into laughter. He had reminiscenced on moments like these many times before, but this time was different. The laughter sounded clearer. He could feel it. Like it was real.

Ace snapped out of his fantasy. The laughter sounded so real because it was real. Glancing over at Halvor, and peering into the wagon bed, he saw everyone had erupted into laughter. Despite not knowing what had happened, Ace couldn’t help himself from joining in.

For the first time since everything had been taken from him, Ace laughed with others; the laughter didn’t come from what he had lost, but from what he had gained.

Once the laughter died down, everyone else was briefly taken aback as text suddenly scrawled itself in front of their eyes.

“Figured if we’re sticking together, we’re gonna need a name,” Ace said.

“Good idea, but isn’t it a little … macabre,” Draxl said.

“Isn’t that the best part though?” Riven asked.

“True,” Draxl conceded.

“I think the name is sick,” Kai said. “Love the wordplay.”

“It makes us sound like heroes!” Cili exclaimed.

“Heroes isn’t the word I would use. Though, it is a reminder of how we met. I like that,” Halvor said.

“Me too,” Galina said. “Oh, I’m feeling nostalgic already.”

Ace smiled. “Then that settles it.”.

[ Party Formed! ]

[ Current Party Members: Ace. Riven. Halvor. Draxl. Galina. Cili. Kai. ]

[ Party Name: The Hangmen. ]