Thyme Castle , a fortnight later…
Sweet music filled the air as Anise strummed her lyre. Her melodious voice drifted to the air coaxing her audience to follow her very command.
My lord, please grant me the honor of bearing the key.
No harm will befall you as long as you surrender it to me.
But instead of giving her the key that she desired, the man ignored her and almost walked away from her.
“How can you still resist? That was the strongest obedience spell that I have given and yet you still dare to defy me.” Putting her lyre down, Anise narrowed her eyes at the sovereign before her. He was still able to oppose her despite her spell.
Panting and all the while resisting the command given to him, King Connor seethed. “I will never bow down to the likes of you.”
Though he was exhausted, he still fought the witch’s spell. His irises were switching from its original light brown to pitch black as he struggled through the spell with sheer will power and determination.
Huffing with impatience, the woman decided to threaten the king to make him give up. “Very well... If you won’t cooperate, I’ll just have to kill you and take the key by force.”
Instead of feeling threatened, the king gave a mocking laugh. “Do you think I believe a word you said? I am more useful to you alive than dead.” He taunted.
Anise’s lips thinned. “I can always find a way to extract that key.” She waved her hand and a blade made from coagulated mana appeared. Then in a just a matter of seconds it passed through the king’s throat and severed his head.
***
La Vervain Dungeon….
“So what are our plans?” Conrad asked his companions.
“For now, we will have to wait for the perfect timing.” Blaze answered the prince. “please be patient, your highness.”
“I think we should-“ Conrad stopped short as he felt a sharp burning sensation in his chest. With the increasing pain, the flaxen haired teen fell down.
“What the hell is going on?” Kain asked as he eyed the commotion on the other cell. Though he wanted to help the young prince, he could not do so.
Daxton and some of his inmates helped the boy and laid him down the makeshift bed. Conrad kept on tossing and turning while trying to rip his tunic. “It hurts!”
Blaze used the small amount of limited power he had left in order to pass through the steel bars. Just that simple spell left him wasted from the strong backlash. But ignoring the fatigue he felt, he made his way to the prince.
“His breathing is erratic and he seems to be burning up.” He muttered as he checked Conrad’s vitals. When he ripped the prince’s tunic open, his eyes widened.
At first there was this faint golden light glowing below his left pectoral. Then suddenly a tiny dot appeared and gradually it formed into a golden mark. The mark of the Enclave from Thyme settled itself on his chest.
“How come you became the next king?” the wizard asked Conrad when the shock has worn off.
Conrad had finally calmed down after the completion of the mark. Groggily sitting up, he eyed the mark on his chest with confusion. “I am the third son and definitely, I am not the crown heir. And yet…”
“The most probable cause of this must be the death of the King and your older brothers. That is the only explanation I can come up with.” Blaze said.
“So what happens now?” Daxton asked.
“I think it is finally time for us to put our escape plan in motion.” The wizard said with a devious grin. “I need a king’s command in order to break the limiting spell that the old hag cast on me. I will not be able to use high level magic unless the spell is broken.”
Aliester turned his attention to the youngest king in Enclave history. “Will you be able to do it, Your Majesty?”
“Just Conrad will do.” The young king said bashfully. “I will do my best.”
“Wait up. Blaze, you are from Verbana. I thought that only Verbana’s ruler will be able to give you a king’s command.” Kain interjected. “
“If I form a temporary contract, acknowledge Conrad as my ruler, and become his subject, he will be able to give me a king’s command.” Blaze explained. Then he proceeded with the initiation of the contract.
“I am Blaze Marker, a caster of Verbana. I pledge my loyalty to his majesty, King Conrad Harrison of Thyme.” Kneeling down, Blaze kissed his new king’s hand. A pentagram formed on the floor and the contract was completed. “My lord, you are now my king. Command thy servant as you wish.”
“I Conrad, the king of Thyme, command you to use your full potential as a caster to assist me.” With Conrad’s command, his mark began to glow and a pentagram formed destroying the spell that limited the wizard.
With those lights, guards were drawn to their prison cells, but they managed to silence them.
“So what comes next?” the king asked.
After a moment of respite, they were able to lay down their plans.
“I could not cast a high level magic in this cramp up space. I think the best area to do a transportation magic is on the prison grounds.”
“we can go there during meal time.” Aliester suggested. “but the guards will closely watch us. Not to mention the warden himself surveys the area.”
Kain then gave his own suggestion. “What we need is a large scale distraction. What say you about a prison riot?” he finished with a smirk.
The captives were made to go out their cell during meal time. They had to take their meals in the mess hall where they mingle and have a spat with other prisoners. But with the guards and the warden watching the area, most conflicts are easily dealt with.
“Let’s do this.” Kain, the troublesome Earl will have to ignite a fire that could make them slip out. Without speaking much, he approached a group of thugs and began hitting the leader.
One guard tried to stop the brawl but Aliester took him down and hit another prisoner in the process.
With a loud voice, Blaze declared “Prison riot!”
And all hell broke loose. With the riot progressing, Kain, Aliester, Conrad, Daxton and Blaze managed to gradually slip out.
Unfortunately the warden spotted them.
“Stop!” the middle aged man shouted after them.
But the warden was not able to come after them when an older knight from Verbana intercepted him. “Go! I will handle this old man. It’s payback time.”
“Beat him up, Rolo!” Daxton cheered his fellow knight before slipping away.
With the distraction provided by the knight, the group were able to reach their destination. Blaze hastily drew a huge pentagram on the vast grounds. “I need blood.”
The men looked at one another in hesitation.
“I mean I need blood of Verbana’s bloodline, preferably Innocia’s relative. Since we are aiming to find her and transport to where she is, we need a catalyst to locate her.” He explained to his companions.
Without speaking a word, Aliester produced a knife and cut his palm. Rich blood oozed out from the wound and dropped on the ground. Once it fell inside the pentagram, the place glow an eerie shade of blue.
“Blue?” Blaze muttered. “Where was Innocia banished? Is it possible that she is in another realm?”
“What do you mean?” Kain asked.
“It is blue. It means she is not in this world.” The wizard explained.
Before they could activate the teleportation spell, few guards spilled out to the grounds.
“You, gentlemen, go. Daxton and I will handle those small fries.” Kain said as he and the knight made their way towards their enemies.
“No, we won’t leave without you.” Aliester tried to grab the earl but was stopped by Conrad.
“We have to go.” The wizard activated the spell and the pentagram radiated a blinding light. Kain smiled as he saw that the three had already started their journey. But unfortunately a guard managed to unleash a nightshade after them.
The earl tried to impede the nightshade but he was pinned down by the guards.
Daxton, on the other hand, tried to come after the nightshade to stop it from going after the three.
Before the light ebbed from the pentagram, the nightshade and Daxton slipped through and vanished with the three.
“please bring back the princess and save everyone.” Kain muttered before he received a blow which rendered him unconscious.
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