Episode 20: No Looking Back

Ven and Enishi easily fight off the guards that were at the entrance of the cell and escape to the roof of the Tower, where of course, dozens more guards are waiting. During the ruckus, one of the guards managed to escape their assault, and warn the Elders and whoever else was around of what happened. Horns and bells can be heard going off all over the Tower, alerting every person within the Tower's proximity that they have escaped and to capture them, alive.

"DAMN! How many guards are there?!" Ven asks as he blocks a water whip attack from one of the guards. 

"Be happy that it's just these guys and that the real problems haven't arrived yet!" Enishi ducks a kick and then counters with a left hook, breaking a guard's nose. 

“Where are they?” Ven asks Enishi as he dodges an attack from another guard and kicks him off the roof of the Tower.

“Don't ask! Just be GRATEFUL we haven't run into them yet. We need to make a push and get into the forest!” Enishi responds. He avoids a punch from a guard, grabs his arm, twists it back, breaking it, and then sends him flying off the roof. "Once we get there it will be a lot easier to lose them."

“It would be nice to NOT run into them I REALLY don't want to fight them! ESPECIALLY Kia. I'm SURE she's pissed and I don't want to experience that.” Ven says as he shoots a ball of fire at a guard, knocking him off the roof.

"You REALLY don't! If she really believes Ezreal, neither one of us will be making it off this roof, alive!"

*Whoosh*

Suddenly, Ven is swept off his feet by a strong gust of wind and falls, hard. He quickly looks up and sees Nyx coming down from the sky towards him, fast and furious like a bat from the pits of hell. He rolls out of the way just in time to avoid Nyx, whose attack puts a hole in the roof. 

“Spoke too soon!” Ven shouts as he gets to his feet, blocking his eyes from the numerous splinters that have been kicked up into the air. He scans the area for Enishi and realizes that they are both now surrounded by a group of guards, and in the middle, standing with their arms folded, stands none other than an unamused Kia. "Shit." Ven mumbles.

“Enishi. Ven. Enough.” Kia says dryly as her icy gaze dances between the two of them. 

Enishi swallows and pleads, “Get out of the way Kia. Please.” 

“Running makes you look guilty, Enishi.” Nyx says, joining Kia from the sky with a loud thud.

“GUILTY??! Me of ALL people!” He shouts. “You know something is wrong here! Something has BEEN wrong.”

“Come with us so that we can discuss what happened. The Elders will listen to what you have to say if you stop this right now,” replies Nyx. He puts his hand out in an attempt to offer a truce.

Enishi scoffs. “Wake up! Ezreal has been manipulating us this entire time! Hell, our ENTIRE lives! He has been working for the Wielder all this time! Who knows what his real plan is and what the Wielder truly knows. This whole thing has been a set up from the beginning! He wanted us to-”

Enishi stops talking. He looks at Kia and notices that that she has raised her hand to silence him. He looks into her eyes and can see that the deadly side of Kia is on the verge of making an appearance. Judging by her intimidating demeanor, she'll be coming out any minute. He stiffens. Not only because he knows what that look means, but it's also because of how calm she is. He knows that when Kia is calm during a battle, she is at her deadliest. Other than when there is a full moon and he thanks the Gods that there isn't one tonight.

“We can sort this all out. Just stop Enishi,” Nyx pleads. “We do not want to see you as the enemy. “If you do this, you know what that will mean and we will do what we must to you. To the both of you.” Nyx looks at Ven. "Stop."

Ven grunts and takes a small step back.

Enishi looks at Ven and then looks back at both Kia and Nyx. He sees the hurt in Nyx's eyes.

Nyx, his brother and his closest friend.

Kia.... he can see the pain and disappointment in her icy stare.

“An enemy huh,” Enishi chuckles. He clenches his fists and locks eyes with Kia.

 “You both are mine now.”

Enishi then shoots a blast of fire at both Nyx and Kia, throwing them off for a few seconds and then rapidly forms a gargantuan firewall that blinds and separates him and Ven from everyone else. Nyx, Kia and the guards cover their eyes from the blinding flames. Enishi grabs Ven's hand and he drags him through the wall of fire. They run through Kia, Nyx and the guards and leap from the Tower’s roof and into the forest and run until the Tower is no longer visible.

*Hours later*

Enishi and Ven run for hours. They run and run until tears fall from their eyes and their lungs feel as if they are going to burst. Not once do they look back. Their only focus is on what's ahead of them, the unknown. They only stop running once the forest has become unfamiliar to the them both. Both of them are drenched in sweat and are tired beyond measure. There are no signs that they are being pursued by the guards and of course, Kia and Nyx. No sounds of footsteps behind them, only the sounds of the night.

“I think we’ve put enough distance between us,” Enishi says as he gasps for air. “For now, at least.”

“What do we do now?” Ven asks while bending over, holding his stomach in attempt to not vomit. “We can’t run forever.”

“Well, we are traitors to the Tower now. That means there is a bounty on our heads.... a hefty one.” Enishi says as he wipes the sweat from his brow. “Ezreal will hunt us down and will send his dogs after us. We need to keep moving and get out of the area. There are many cities and villages nearby, it will take time for them to find us so we just need to be smart and lay low. We're going to need help.”

“Help? From who?” Ven asks. "We can't trust anyone."

Enishi places his hands ontop of his head. “We need to disappear." He looks down at his singed shirt and says, "We also need new clothes and.....we need to do something about those.” Enishi points at Ven's ears. 

Ven nods his head in agreement. “Kia and Nyx….You think they are coming for us, seriously?” Ven asks. “Are we really to believe that they are the enemy now?”

Enishi doesn’t say anything. He bites his lip, and ponders for a moment. He goes to turn his body to the direction of the Tower but he stops himself. He sighs and clenches his fists.

“They have chosen their side.” He walks forward, and proceeds to head deeper into the forest's dark abyss.

Once Enishi is out of sight, Ven takes a quick glance in the direction of the Tower. He reaches for the necklace his mother gave him and squeezes it tight.

"I'm sorry," he whispers and then runs after Enishi.

"Where do we go from here?” Ven calls out to him.

Enishi smiles.

“Ashkar. The City of Blood.”