Chapter 10

As we crept up the steps, I told the group of my encounter with Vardes.

"If Atusa was trying to get Vardes out, do you think there are more magisters who're helping Sourcerers escape?"

"Possibly," Ifan said. "Though it's best not to ask any magister that comes our way."

"Still, someone may know if this sanctuary we've been hearing about actually exists."

We reached the top of the steps to find a new hallway of stone walls. Chandlers hung above with candles lite and torches lined the walls. Barrels, crates and other supple containers littered the corridor. All around there were doors and more stairs. From within the hallways, we could hear distant noses.

"Easy to get lost in here," Sebille said. "Anyone have a clue where to go?"

Before anyone could answer, we heard a voice shouting from behind one of the doors. Instinctively, we hide behind whatever was nearest to us. We heard the voice shouting again followed by what I perceived to be a punch to a face. I looked over at Ifan and I slowly crept to the door. I moved my eye to the keyhole and peered through it.

I saw four magisters standing around a fifth magister who was tied to a chair. His face was swollen, and his left side was bloodied. The leader, from what I observed, wound up his fist and swung it against the magister's face. The other three only stood around with their arms crossed.

"How many was it Del?!" the leader scolded the magister. "How many of 'em did you let go?!"

"I…I…" Del, the tied magister, tried to speak but the pain got in the way.

"Go on, speak!" the leader said. "That's why you're here isn't it?"

Del spat out a wad of blood before replying, "It- it isn't… right!"

"That right, Del?" the leader put his hands on his hips. "Isn't right to save the entire realm from divine-damned chaos?"

Del tried to respond but a sob got in the way.

"P…please…" he said weakly. The leader grabbed Del by the forehead. If Del had hair, the leader would have grabbed him by that instead. He brought his face down into Del's.

"Gods knows how much blood you have on your hands now. You can't let 'em go! This is our only hope against the Voidwoken!"

He pulled his face away and let go of Del's head.

"I ought to feed you to my hounds for this treachery."

I pulled away from the door and crept back into the room. The others gathered around me.

"There's a magister being tortured in there. He might be associated with Atusa."

"Which means he might know of a way out," Sandy whispered.

"You have to save him, Mahilia," Trice said.

"How many of them are in there?" the Red Prince asked.

"Four," I said. "Better equipped and better trained."

"Well, we can most certainly tip the odds in our favor," Sebille twirled one of her daggers. She looked over at Ifan. "Can't we?"

He looked around the room, observing the crates and barrels. I could see he was formulating an ambush.

"If we can set things up right, we could do it."

Everyone else seemed ecstatic about the plan. Initially, I didn't feel it was going to be worth it. We'd have to take four lives to save one. But it was a life that was possibly helping sourcerers escape. With his help, we could find the quickest and safest route out of the fort and into the Hallowed Marshes. It was a sacrifice we were willing to take.

"Okay," I said. "What's the plan, Ifan?"

We huddled together and Ifan whispered the plan. A few minutes later, everything was in place and everyone was in position. We started the first part of the plan. A box was dropped and slammed onto the floor, breaking open and spilling its contents.

"What in the blazes was that?" I heard the leader behind the door. "Vern, check out what that racket is."

Several seconds later, the magister with a crossbow on his back opened the door. He saw the broken box. He went over to inspect it, just out of the line of sight of the doorway. The perfect spot for Sebille to gingerly leap from her hiding spot and land right behind the unsuspecting magister. With graceful motions, Sebille put a dagger into an exposed part of his armor. Before he could scream, Sebille put the second dagger into his throat and forced him to his knees. She withdrew the knives and brought the body gently to the ground behind a pile of creates. After that, she ducked out of sight.

"Vern?" The leader called out. "What's going on? You better not be messing around out there."

The leader let out a sigh of frustration and walked out of the room with the remaining two magisters behind him. They looked around trying to find their missing comrade.

"Vern, where the hell are-" the leader stopped his sentence when he saw a barrel of oil next to him. His eyes widened.

"Disperse!"

Ifan's arrow soared through the air and the flaming tip hit its target. The barrel erupted into flames, consuming the closest magister. The two remaining magisters jumped clear, scrambling to keep out of reach of the ignited flames. They immediately got to their feet only to find another red danger coming right at them. The leader jumped out of the way leaving the second to last magister at the mercy of the charging red lizard. The Red Prince slammed his body against the magister, knocking him into the flames. The magister flailed and screamed as he was burned to a crisp. The Red Prince took his stance and faced down the leader who drew his sword, ready to fight him. But the bolt of lightning I cast into his back left him vulnerable. The Red Prince took his chance and thrust his knife on a stick at the magister. It landed straight into the leader's throat. The Red Prince twisted the stick and the knife broke off still in the magister's throat. The magister's body fell to the floor, gargling his last breath trough his blood-soaked mouth.

Immediately, the Red Prince threw his now useless weapon away and ran over to the nearest water barrel. He picked it up and tossed it onto the flames. The water surged out and doused the flames. The path to the room holding Del was clear now. Ifan, Sebille, the children and I then emerged from our hiding spots.

"Well done everyone," Ifan said with a smile.

"You were all amazing!" Paulie said.

It did feel good being able to accomplish a successful combat encounter as a team. Still, a quick glance at the bodies gave me an uneasy feeling in my stomach. But I put it aside to focus on the task at hand. I immediately ran into the room and kneeled in front of the battered magister. Sebille walked behind Del and began cutting the ropes.

"It's okay," I said to him. "We're here to help you."

"Please," Magister Del coughed blood out of his wheezing mouth. "Please! Healing… I need healing!"

He was hurt badly. Too much for my simple healing spell to cure. It was useful only for small injuries like cuts and stabs like the injuries Sebille's needle inflicted onto Stingtail. I looked over at the table and wouldn't you know it, a small healing potion sat on it. I grabbed the potion just as Sebille finished freeing Del's hands. I took my hand and gently tilted his head back. I popped the cork off the potion and slowly poured the potion into his mouth. He swallowed the liquid, gulp after gulp until the bottle was empty. I let go off his head and took a step back.

Del inhaled sharply, like he had emerged from below water desperate for air. He brought his freed hands to his head, massaging his face. He opened his eyes to see me kneeling in front of him.

"T-thank you lizard," Del said. He looked over at Sebille and the others, seeing our source collars. "You must be trying to escape this place, aren't you?"

I nodded. "We overhead the interrogation when we passed through here. We thought you may know of a way out of this place."

"I do," Del said. "I couldn't take the sight of Alexander and Dallis doing the terrible things to the sourcerers, especially the children."

"Does that mean you're associated with Magister Atusa?" I asked.

He looked at me with some surprise. "How do you know about her?"

I prepared to give him the bad news.

"Dallis executed her earlier today. I'm very sorry."

Del looked away and swore under his breath.

"She was planning on getting an elf out by the name of Vardes. But they-"

"Already got to him," Del finished the sentence for me. "I've only been interested in getting children out of here, but Atusa insisted we get Vardes out."

"What is so important about that elf?" the Red Prince inquired.

"There's a camp in the Hollowed Marshes. It's occupied by a group calling themselves the Seekers. They wanted to rescue Vardus above everyone else here. They never said why."

"Who are these Seekers?" I asked. "Are they rebels who fight the Divine Order?"

"I'm not aware of their true intentions. They offered sanctuary to escapees other than children. I, and a handful of others here, were able to smuggle the small children off the island to passing ships."

"And how exactly did you get the children out of the fort?" I asked.

"There's a boat docked in a peer under the fort."

Del got up from the chair and pulled out a map from the nearby bag on the table. He laid it out and marked a path on the map with an inked quill.

"Follow this path and you'll find the dock. Two associates of mine run it. Tell them Madam Zoor sent you, and they'll let you pass."

I raised my brow.

"Why the name Madam Zoor? Who is she?"

"She's the headmistress of the orphanage we smuggle the children to in the far north. I can think of no nobler soul in all the realm."

I turned my gaze over to the children. Perhaps this orphanage could be the place where they could be safe once we escaped the island.

"Thank you for your help, Del. We deeply appreciate it," I bowed my head to him. "What'll you do now?"

"Don't you worry about me. You've given me a second life. I won't soon squander it. Or forget what you've done."

He bowed his head.

"Thank you, and good luck."

He walked out of the room and proceeded down a corridor opposite of the stairs to the next level.

"This Seeker camp seems to be our best bet," I said to the others. I took the map from the table and held it for the others to see.

"A straight shot to the dock," Ifan said. "We should head there right away. Not long before patrols will notice our handywork here."

"Right after I get myself a proper weapon," the Red Prince went out to the hall. He quickly replaced his former weapons with the sword and shield of one of the dead magisters. Ifan did the same with the crossbow of the magister Sebille killed. Sebille replaced one of her knives with one of the magisters' daggers.

"Alright everyone," Ifan said. "Follow me and keep low."

Ifan crept up the steps first followed by the Red Prince, Sebille and I with the children bringing up the rear. We followed the directions of the map. Turning corners and opening doors. We came to a flight of steps leading to the hallway that lead straight to the dock where the boat was held. Ifan went first. He peeked his head over the top of steps. He ducked his head almost immediately. The children gasped from Ifan's jerk and I along with the Red Prince and Sebille put a hand on our weapons. But Ifan motioned us to stand down when he peaked again. Then he stood up and walked over to the wall of the hallway. We each went up to top of the steps to see what Ifan was looking at.

Standing there with its back against the wall was a human man draped in a blood red robe. But that wasn't the unsettling part. That part was the man was completely oblivious to our presence. He only stood there, slightly swaying left and right like a puppet with the strings cut. His eyes, lips and the silhouette around both were completely black. Like his face was a mask hiding something underneath. Only it was his true face we saw.

Ifan looked into the man's eyes, then waved his hand in front them, as if to find something, anything that resembled a sentient being in them. But even from where I stood, I could tell this creature was not a living being. It was a husk. An empty being. A soulless vessel.

It was then that I looked down the hallway to find even more people of all species wearing the same blood red robes. All standing still and silent. My mind was a mixture of disgust, awe and horror.

Ifan turned back to the rest of us. His face displayed a feeling of anguish and defeat.

"I thought I'd seen the worst that life can offer," Ifan paused and glanced back at the man. "I was wrong."

"W-what's wrong with him?" Trice asked nervously. Her voice snapped me out of my horror filled trance. I knelled and averted the rest of the children's eyes.

"This is the handiwork of the Divine Order," Ifan answered the question. "I don't know what happened, but this man used to be a Sourcerer."

I was scared. More than I ever was since the moment the Magisters surrounded me on the streets and took me away. I started to crave the sounds and smells of the Empire. I wanted to plant my feet into the ground and let the sun cleanse all the horrible feelings I had. To be welcomed back into the arms of my parents and Brell.

"W-we…we need to get out of here right now!"

I started down the hallway first. The others followed. We passed several more of these husks before we arrived at an opening. Down a flight of steps was a waterway and, along with it, a rowboat docked on a wooden peer.

On the peer were two magisters; Del's associates I assumed. But they were holding a human boy by the arms. I could hear some bickering between them. I immediately sprang forward. The two magisters turned their heads. They noticed me and let go of the boy.

"What the flying hell…?" one of the Magisters looked over at his partner. "Carin, you said this way was clear!"

"Th..that's what the log said!" the other Magister said. "No-one's authorized to be here!"

"Well, the log was wrong, you idiot! I hope for your sake no-one will miss them."

I quickly put on my persona.

"Relax," I firmly said. "Madam Zoor sent us."

The first Magister cocked his head. He showed surprise in his eyes.

"That so?" he said. "Tell me: what would a lizardkin know about Zoor?"

I remembered what Del had said about Zoor.

"That there's no nobler soul in all the realm," I said.

The magister pursed his lips together. I could tell he was convinced.

"That she surely is. That she surely is…"

The other Magister spoke. "So, are you here to take this run?"

I continued my act.

"Yes," I said. "Yes, we are."

"Well the kid'll have to go with you. He's a little troublemaker, so be ready."

I nodded my head.

"Alright, come on Carin. We have guard duty coming up. At least we won't be late this time."

Both Magisters walked past us and disappeared into the hallway. I stowed away my persona and approached the new boy. He stared up at me. He didn't show fear but rather caution.

"Who are you?" he asked.

I didn't need a persona to convince him of anything.

"My name is Mahilia," I introduced myself. "Are you one of the children Magister Del has been smuggling out of Fort Joy?"

"No," the boy said. "I came in to help someone escape and got nabbed before I could sneak back out."

Helping someone escape?

"Were you looking for Vardas?"

The boy's eyes widened with surprise.

"Y-yes. He was close to some people I know. I was too late though."

"Does that mean you're one of the Seekers?"

"Yes. My name is Han and I know where the camp is. I can take you there if you want. Just jump in the boat and I'll take the oars."

I felt relieved by the notion. We were going to get out of this fort and the horrors that it had within it's walls. I looked back at the others and they showed they were ready to get out too.

"We're ready to leave. Lead the way Han."

Han nodded and ran over to the boat. We walked onto the peer as Han checked the boat over.

"We should have enough room for all of us," he said.

I nodded. I told the children to get on first. One by one, Trice, Paulie and Sandy joined Han and sat in the bow of the ship. Next was-

"Stop right there!"

All of us drew our weapons and turned to the one who shouted. In the archway were a dozen magisters along with two hounds who barked and snarled in our direction. Source hounds. Dogs who were trained to track down those with the scent of source. The same kind that tracked me down when I was captured.

"You're outnumbered," the Magister in front told us. "Drop your weapons and surrender now!"

We all exchanged glances with each other. I could tell we had the same thought. If we surrendered now, we'd face the same fate as the husks we had seen or even worse like Vardes. We couldn't give up now. But the odds were stacked against us and there wouldn't be a diplomatic way to get out of this one. What were we going to do?

"My word Commander, what's going on here?"

The magisters suddenly stepped aside to let a more white than red magister through.

"High Judge Orivand?" the Magister Commander showed surprise but bowed his head. "What are you doing down here?"

"Oh, I'm just stretching my legs," the Judge said. "It can get rather tedious performing my duties in the chapel for hours on end."

He looked over at us.

"What do we have here, Commander?" he asked.

"We caught these escapees just now, your excellence. I suspect there are traitors in our ranks that lead them here."

"I suppose so," the Judge said. "We'll deal with that issue in time. Now, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to have a word with these misguided souls. Hopefully we can avoid any unnecessary bloodshed."

The Magister was baffled by the Judge's request.

"Y-yes, sir," the Magister said. He signaled the Magisters behind him to stand down. They all did so.

"Thank you, Commander," the Judge said. He walked out of the formation of Magisters down the steps toward us. He stood at the beginning of the peer, right where the stone met the wood. He was an older magister, almost the age of Dallis, from my observations of human age.

"There's no need for violence," he said in a calm voice. "Let me explain everything."

One by one, we relaxed our stance just enough to appear to be none threatening. The judge nodded his head in thanks.

"Tell me, what have you heard of our good work here? Not much?"

None of us replied to him.

"Well, allow me to educate you about our work," he said. "The world is no longer safe. With sourceres running free, the Voidwoken come to terrorize all that inhabit the world of Rivillon."

He then pulled out something from his robes. He held it out for us to see. It was a wand of some sort.

"The Divine Order has found a solution for that. A technology lost to the time of Braccus Rex and brought back by Dallis herself. A cure for source. A way to save us all from the Voidwoken."

I could feel the build up to the revelation he was about to give. I had seen all the pieces to the puzzle and already put them together in my mind. What it showed was disgusting and horrid. I started to feel something inside of me. It was… rage. Burning and growing from my heart to my whole chest. I strode past the Red Prince and Sebille and stood in the open right in front of the judge. I looked directly in his eyes. No persona, only my true self presenting my raw emotions to him.

"Are you telling me you've used that wand to pull the source out of sourcerers and turned them into those lifeless husks?!"

The judge payed no real attention to my emotions and only pursed his lips and looked down at the wand.

"I know it's quite hard for you to fathom. But you must understand. The realm will be destroyed if you were to be left unchecked. The sourcerers here have sacrificed their source. Some would say the spark of life within them too. But they have all done so in the name of us all. The humans, the elves, the dwarves and even your own kin. They are all heroes. And you could be that too. You can save everyone else in Rivillon. Only if you make the sacrifice for the greater good."

There was a word that humans had to describe their state of being. Humanity. It could be described as the human term for morality, tenacity, spirit and sentience all put together. This man standing before me; he had none of that. What he was saying, of taking people of all races by force and taking away their souls to become husks that were neither dead nor living, it was… inhumane.

I tightened my fingers into fists. I squeezed them tighter and narrowed my eyes displaying. I felt a burning sensation inside my belly. It grew hotter and hotter like a fire. I closed my eyes.

"Whatever happens. However it happens. Either by the voidwoken or even from the might of the Ancient Empire…"

I opened my eyes and looked at the Judge. The fire that burned in my belly reached the back of my throat. I started to raise my voice…

"This order will…"

…until I screamed.

"BUUUUURRRR-"

What happened next, I didn't know for sure. The only things I remembered was a torrent of flames erupting and engulfing the peer and the judge before the world around me suddenly faded to black.

Author's Note: Dun, dun, duuuuuuuun…

Thanks again for reading my story. If you feel it deserves it, please feel free to share your thoughts, feelings and opinions about this chapter or the story in general with a review. Hope you enjoyed and I'll see you next chapter.