The clouds lay motionless against the pale night sky. The grass below not showing even the slightest hint of green. Even water dared not flow, but to escape its fate. Silence weighed down heavily on all the people. The land and all the inhabitants were dying out, caught up in the war raging on over all the kingdom. They had but one hope left. There had been rumors of a worrier more powerful than any other who was on a mission to save the land from the growing danger. Little did they know just how much was depending not on the one they called master and savior, but a young child whose life was spent on the run. A fourteen year old girl who was hated by all those around her.

Light streamed in through a small gap in the wall. Saphryn shot up immediately hitting her head on a wooden beam. At the same time the cuffs around her wrists dragged her back down again banging her head on the beam. She let out a breath while boosting herself up more gently careful to avoid another bruise. She had been a prisoner here for a matter of hours, and had not yet gotten used to the idea of this facility being impenetrable, or at least called impenetrable even though she'd managed to make it a few miles away from the gates a couple of times. Of course her freedom didn't last long before they caught her again. In the past three hours she'd managed to sound the alarms at least a dozen times which was most likely their reasoning for knocking her out this time.

Before Saphryn had the chance to try for the eighteenth time, a voice echoed through the halls. It was a voice she recognized immediately as the man who brought her into the hell-hole she was now staying in. He entered swiftly so as not to allow his hostage to escape. "Do you truly plan on trying to get out of here so quickly?" His voice was dripping with mock surprise. "Trust me, if the general has a say, and he does, you won't ever be leaving this facility." Saphryn glared back at him, her eyes full of disdain. "That look won't do you any good either. I would advise against such behaviors during your stay with us."

Saphryn spat at the man's feet. "Over my dead body." The man laughed then sneered at her as if to say that such a task could be arranged. She gazed back. Then she found an opening in the man's guard. "Would you rather I pretend to be a good girl while planning your death down to the last detail?"

At this point the man was laughing like she'd just told him that he was her crush. He knew the girl seated in front of him could not be more serious about this question. "It would be easier for you that way." He paused not sure what to do next. Then he came to a conclusion. "Alright," he began. "you can ask me any questions you want that don't concern escaping in exchange for your cooperation." There was no going back now that he had set a bargain. "Do you accept?" Saphryn nodded in response. "Good. Now where would you like to start?" He stared at Saphryn expectantly.

For a moment there was no response. Then Saphryn began her inquiry. "What is your name, and why did you bring me here?" She thought it was a pretty good starting point, but also used it to test if the man was being truthful or if he was just trying to keep her out of trouble.

The man nodded. The girl had a good strategy in play. "Very well. My name Tyler Dalen. I brought you here because the general was looking for anyone who could help him to put an end to the war. He was planning to get your mother or father instead, but when they disappeared he decided that you would have to do. I was sent to pick you up, and keep an eye on you until he called for you. Since you were so intent on escaping I had to chain you to your cell." Saphryn's gaze told him to continue and he didn't want to get on her bad side. She most likely wanted to know why she was a target to the general. "Your family was trained in war craft from a young age. The general decided that since you father was the best in the business that you would have been trained by him as well." There was no more he could tell her because he knew nothing else on the matter.

Saphryn sat still for a time pondering what Tyler had told her. "Have they found my parents yet?" She didn't need to ask because she already knew the answer. She would have at least been told if they had managed to hunt them down. Not to mention that they really wanted her father instead of a fourteen year old girl with little to no control of her emotions. Saphryn could hardly imagine her father as a soldier of such horrid people. "What are they going to do if they can't find either of them in time," She asked feeling a hint of fear deep in her heart. "and why would they care to have a girl in their life who would do them no good?"

Tyler just stared at her. He could only dream of an answer for Saphryn's second question, and saw no point in answering either when she knew very well what he would say. His gaze again fell from the child's watchful eyes. It was then that his mind finally cleared. He looked again at Saphryn seeing her with new eyes. "You look so much like your father." He whispered. The fire in her sapphire eyes, and the striking white color of her smooth hair. She also had a muscular build even though it wasn't as noticeable as it would have been on a boy. Tyler could remember the man well. It was no doubt that he had taught Saphryn everything he knew about swordplay as well as martial arts. The girl's mother must have also taught her much of what she knew in her area of work which was still unknown. There was truly no wonder why the general wanted such a fine family on his team. He would never allow Saphryn to leave the facility alive if he had any other choice that kept her there. At long last he decided to continue the talk. "There truly is no point in trying to leave again, but I will give you one more question. This one doesn't need any boundaries so you can ask about escaping if you want to, but the others will be on guard for any more attempts to get out of here."

Saphryn looked at him as if she was reading into his soul. "Alright." she replied after thinking for a minute. "How can I leave this place unseen, and unknown without you or anyone else trying to stop me." The question could not have been posed more perfectly than how Saphryn had just put it.

It took Tyler a while to process what she had asked. "There is no way that I can think of, and even if I could, you wouldn't make it very far. At least not on your own." He laughed after seeing Saphryn's darting glances.

"Well there is one way that I can think of." Saphryn muttered under her breath. Then louder she said, "What if I were to get you to call a council?"

Tyler nodded clearly deep in thought. He knew what the girl was thinking. "I really do want to help you, but you know as well as I that I took a oath of loyalty to this facility. I can't let you escape." He paused a moment. In that one instant he knew exactly how to go about this. "I'll tell you what. Later tonight I will call a council to discuss making the defenses better, and keeping the prisoners more or less contained." Saphryn nodded in response. "During the meeting is the only time you'll be able to escape. After that the defences around you would be much greater since you seem to be such a big part of our troubles."

Saphryn saw very few flaws with his idea, and by now had decided to go along with it. "How do I get out of the cell without setting off the alarms?" She stared on doubtfully at the man before her. His eyes were full of mischief, and he was fidgeting with a thread on the sleeve of his royal blue, army uniform.

Tyler laughed. He'd completely forgotten about that part. Again he thought of a plan. "When the servant comes to bring you dinner I will send with her a letter, and say it's from the general. Inside I will put my master key and a map of the building including all five floors."

With all the details worked out Tyler went back to work, leaving Saphryn alone to think. Why does he lock me up then help me escape? She thought to herself. It doesn't make any sense, but he did answer all my questions truthfully. It must be a trap. What else could it be? She looked again at the conversation she had with Tyler. Something about it seemed rather off. He had said that he took an oath of loyalty. He would be dead before he would betray the others.

While Saphryn was still in thought a servant had entered and set a small tray in front of the her. The meal before her consisted of a slice of stale bread, and a tiny cup of water. Next to the bread there was an envelope addressed to her. The servant stood and left without a word. As soon as the sound of the woman's steps faded out Saphryn grabbed the letter and carefully eased the seal up piece by piece until she could take out the parchment inside. True to his word, Tyler had sent her a map of the area, the key, and a quickly drafted note. Even then Saphryn wasn't about to trust him. She then turned her attention to the letter. It read:

Dear Saphryn,

The council men have taken the bait. From now on it's up to you to get out when you see the signal.

Saphryn frowned. He hadn't mentioned anything about a signal, and a bad feeling was beginning to grow inside her. She was now confident the whole thing was a set up, but she wasn't going to fall for it. She then decided to continue.

You'll know it when you see it. The meeting should start at at eight-o-clock. You must be ready by then. When I give the signal run as fast as you can to the third floor training room. Be careful. On the way there you may run into a few guards. If one of them catches you then you're as good as dead. In the training room there is a door hidden under the tapestry. This passage will lead you to the forest you saw during your last attempt. Time is growing short. I must wait to see you again.

Good luck,

Tyler Dalen

Saphryn set the note down careful to hide it from any prying eyes. She then took the key, and unlocked the cuffs around her wrists with much difficulty. Slowly she crept toward the small crack in the wall. After analyzing the shadows she could tell that it was about eight already. She also noticed that a group of soldiers was heading to the council hall.

At the foot of one of the guard towers a red flag was being waved. From what she knew, the red flag had been a signal to the prisoners in an enemy camp that it was time for a classic break-out. She too had seen it as a sign, and had begun her part of the plan. It doesn't matter if it's a trick or not. I won't know until I try. She reasoned as she fit the master key into the lock built in on the door of her cell. The movement made the door squeal as the metal hinge pieces rubbed against each other. She shivered. Even if Tyler was telling the truth such a loud noise would surely draw the attention of one of the guards. She paused for a time to make sure. It was then that she decided to continue.

Within five minutes she had managed to make it from the basement level to the third floor. Saphryn scanned her map for the hundredth time. She was sure she was going the right way, but at the same time didn't want to take any chances. The parchment led her to a big oak door which appeared to be twice her size. The knob was made from gold plated steel. She knew at once that whoever was in charge of the troops who stayed in the facility was a man of many flaws. The rough surface seemed to reflect the personality of the leader. This man was troubled, and cared very little for anyone but himself. His heart was like stone while the air about him was reflective of his current situation. Over all he would likely be a formidable opponent.

After a short pause, Saphryn swung the door open. The inside looked nothing like the training rooms she had seen before. There were chairs crowded into the corners allowing the use of the center floor space. Sure enough, as Saphryn gazed at the beauty of the room she saw the tapestry Tyler wrote about. It depicted an army of men led by the king. The soldiers were all either engaged in battle or protecting the king from those who wished to harm him. Saphryn knew the battle well. It was in this fight that her father had disappeared along with the rest of her family. The battle of Sebralite. He had fought against the shoulders sewn into the fabric. The fight was all because the king refused to care for his people. Because of him many of the people of all ages had died of starvation.

Saphryn had absentmindedly been feeling the stitching, and had been pulled out of her reverie by the sound the fabric hitting iron. The passage Tyler had described to her. Slowly she searched for a door knob finding it under a horse's mane. Saphryn pulled the door from its resting place. What she found before her made her heart skip a beat. Tyler stood next to a small squad of soldiers armed with swords. He laughed after seeing in her eyes that Saphryn hadn't believed him but had come. Immediately the soldiers surrounded her. She was trapped.

"If you come peacefully we promise not to hurt you too badly." One of them spoke though his words were muffled by a helmet. He was grinning the whole time.

Saphryn just laughed. "What makes you think I'd surrender to a bunch of weaklings?" The soldiers made no effort to hide their anger from the insult.

The soldiers closed in on her leaving no escape unblocked. Swords flashed from all directions. Saphryn had managed to dodge all but one which had only slashed her left arm. At the same time she had helped herself to one of theirs that she had pulled from the man's grip with no difficulty. It was then that a light slid through her line of sight, and soon after, the flat of a blade hit her on the back. For a while the impact fogged her vision. She continued to fight for her freedom, and was still able to block all the attacks of her enemies.

After a time she started to trip over herself, and in time fell to the ground unable to stand back up. She stared at the blood rushing out of her cut, and wondered if that was what compelled her to shut her eyes to sleep. With one last breath Saphryn closed her eyes entering a dark abyss.