Prologue – Down Without a Trace
Cries of torment and anguish echoed down the stone corridors of the dungeon. The rattling of chains and groans of despair filled the damp stale air. The prison of Oasis was a grim place that more than lived up to its gruesome reputation. None who entered its hold as a prisoner lived to tell the tale of what they saw within. Soon a new sound was heard above the noise, heavy footsteps on the flagstones. The captain of the guard Gabriel Reyes marched down the passageway into the dungeon's depths flanked by a guard on each side. His glistening well-polished black armor a stark contrast to the dirt and grime that surrounded him. He marched onwards, paying no mind to lines of cells that he passed and the poor broken souls trapped within waiting only for the hangman's noose. Finally he reached the cold dark heart of the dungeon to find the jailer waiting for him, a list of names in his hand.
"Milord, I have today's executions for you." He said with a bow of his head as he handed him the paper. He swiftly cast his eye over it before scrunching it up in his hand and shoving it back into the guard's chest.
"I don't care about these names, I want the one they call Tracer. I want Lena Oxton!" He said in a low and dangerous tone. The man quickly bowed again before hurrying off, leading Gabriel to Lena's cell. He unlocked the door and stepped aside to let the captain pass. Gabriel walked inside but to his horror Lena wasn't there.
"What is the meaning of this?" He bellowed at the confused jailer as he along with his two guards searched the cell, but there was no sign of Lena. Enraged Gabriel grabbed the nearest prisoner and placed his sword at his throat.
"Where is she? Where is Lena?" He growled at him but received only a laugh in reply which whistled through the gaps of his many missing teeth.
"The Tracer? The little blue racer? No Lena today, she has ran away. To ease the pain, she... she's down the drain." He crackled insanely as his eyes drifted pass Gabriel to settle on the slightly ajar drain cover in the centre of the cell. Gabriel let out a snarl of frustration as he threw the man to the floor. "Hang him!" He commanded as a couple of guards came in to drag the poor man away as he tried to desperately plea for his life. Once he was out of the way he turned to his two escorts. "Sound the alarm. That girl must not escape. Search every sewer and every drain till she is found." He bellowed as he stormed away in order to inform the Minister.
As the alarm bells of Oasis rang out across the surrounding countryside a lone figure watched on from the nearby summit. The figure was clad in all deep cobalt armor with a hood to hide their face. From atop their huge black station the figure listened to the sound of the bells which was joined by the high pitched shriek of the beautiful hawk that sat on their hand. The knight had been waiting for a long time for such a sign and now it seemed that their wait was finally over. They would finally have the justice that had been denied them so many years ago.