Chapter 131 Chapter 131
Chapter 131 Chapter 131
The guard's footsteps faded down the corridor.
Leo waited.
Three seconds and then he looked at Kai.
Kai was already watching the door.
“Thirty minutes,” Kai whispered again.
Damon glanced at the cuffs around his wrists. “You’re sure?”
“I’m sure enough to try.”
Zyran leaned against the wall, studying the lock. “And if you're wrong?”
“Then we improvise.”
Leo gave a quiet laugh. “That's a terrible plan.”
“You have a better one?”
“Not yet.”
Damon stood. “Then we're going with his.”
The four of them moved closer together.
At first, nothing happened.
Then Kai's cuffs flickered faintly.
The metal loosened.
His eyes narrowed.
“Now.”
Damon grabbed the chain between his cuffs and pulled.
The metal snapped.
Leo grinned. “Finally.”
“Don't celebrate yet,” Zyran said.
Leo ignored him and twisted his wrists until his own cuffs fell loose.
Damon freed Zyran next.
Kai crouched beside the door and examined the lock.
“No key?” Zyran asked.
“No.”
Leo stepped forward. “Move.”
Kai stepped aside.
Leo drove his shoulder into the door.
Nothing.
He tried again.
The hinges groaned.
Damon joined him.
Together, they slammed against it and the door burst open.
A guard standing several metres away froze.
“What—”
Damon was on him before he could finish.
The guard hit the floor.
Leo picked up his sword from where it had been left beside the wall.
Kai grabbed a small knife from the fallen man's belt.
Zyran looked down the corridor.
“Three guards coming.”
“Left or right?” Damon asked.
“Right.”
Leo was already moving.
They rushed down the opposite passage.
Their footsteps echoed through the fortress as they passed empty rooms and narrow staircases.
Kai led them.
“The entrance should be ahead.”
They reached another corridor.
A heavy iron door stood at the end.
Beyond it, daylight spilled through the cracks.
Leo's pace quickened.
“That's it.”
Damon grabbed the handle.
Locked.
“Move.”
Zyran stepped forward and placed his palm against the door.
The lock cracked.
He pushed and the door swung open.
Cold air rushed over them.
For the first time since being captured, they could see the outside.
Freedom was only a few steps away.
Then a voice came from the courtyard.
“Leaving so soon?”
They stopped.
Ares stood beside the fortress gate.
He wasn't alone.
Warlocks surrounded him, weapons already drawn.
Ares looked almost amused.
Leo's grip tightened around his sword.
“You.”
Ares smiled. “I was beginning to wonder when you'd figure out the cuffs.”
Damon stepped forward.
“You knew?”
“Of course.”
“Then why leave the door unlocked?”
Ares shrugged. “Because watching people convince themselves they've escaped is entertaining.”
Leo raised his sword.
“I'll entertain you.”
Ares laughed.
“Still impulsive.”
Leo charged.
Ares didn't move until the last second.
He caught Leo's sword with one hand and twisted.
Leo was thrown sideways.
Damon attacked immediately and Zyran followed.
Ares blocked Damon, ducked beneath Zyran's strike and released a wave of force that sent both brothers flying backwards.
Kai fired an arrow he found by the gate.
Ares turned and the arrow stopped inches from his face.
He stared at it.
Then at Kai.
“Good shot.”
He flicked his fingers.
Kai was thrown against the stone wall.
“Not good enough.”
Damon struggled to his feet.
“You're not taking us back.”
Ares tilted his head.
“I don't have to.”
He raised his hand.
The ground beneath them shook just like earlier.
A powerful force slammed into the four of them and they hit the ground almost simultaneously.
Leo tried to stand but his legs gave out.
Ares walked towards them.
“You had your chance.”
Damon glared at him.
Ares crouched.
“And before you try something stupid again, remember where Hayley is.”
Damon's expression hardened.
Ares stood.
“Take them back.”
The warlocks dragged them inside.
> > >
Hours later, Ariel finally saw the fortress.
She pulled her horse to a stop.
Behind her, dozens of warlocks emerged from the forest.
Some were exhausted and some had cuts across their faces.
One was carrying an injured companion.
They had searched through abandoned villages, underground passages and half the eastern forest.
Nothing.
Until now.
Ariel stared at the fortress.
“There.”
Mark stepped beside her.
“You're certain?”
“I've seen that stamp before.”. She said referring to the sign on the gate.
She dismounted.
“Spread out.”
The warlocks formed two lines.
“Don't rush the entrance,” Ariel ordered. “We don't know how many are inside.”
A young warlock raised his hand.
“Chief, there are guards on the western wall.”
Ariel nodded.
“Then we start there.”
They moved.
Quietly at first.
Then an arrow flew from the fortress.
It struck the ground between Ariel's feet.
Everyone stopped.
Ares' voice carried from the wall.
“You took your time.”
Ariel's eyes narrowed.
“Ares.”
He leaned against the stone barrier.
“I was wondering how long it would take you to find us.”
“You have my family.”
Ares smiled.
“That's one way to put it.”
Ariel lifted her hand.
“Attack.”
The courtyard erupted.
Warlocks surged towards the fortress.
Arrows flew over the walls.
Ares' guards charged through the gate.
Magic collided with magic.
Ariel moved through the chaos with her blade drawn, striking one guard across the shoulder before spinning away from another attack.
Mark fought beside her.
“There's too many!”
“Then stop counting.”
He laughed despite himself.
“That sounds like something you'd say.”
Ariel ducked beneath a blade.
“Focus.”
A blast struck the ground nearby.
She stumbled while Ares watched from the wall.
Then his smile disappeared.
Because beneath the noise of the battle, something else had happened.
A scream came from inside the fortress.
A familiar voice.
Ariel froze.
“Hayley.”
She turned towards the entrance.
Another voice followed.
Damon.
“Ariel!”
Her grip tightened around her sword.
“Break that gate.”
Three warlocks stepped forward.
They raised their hands together.
The iron gate began to bend.
Ares' expression changed.
“Stop them!”
His guards rushed towards the gate.
Ariel smiled coldly.
“Now.”
The warlocks released their magic.
The gate exploded inward.
And Ariel ran straight into the fortress.