"..lix!" He heard a fading voice calling out.
"...elix!" The voice sounded panicked, yet familiar at the same time.
"Felix!"
He jolted awake, gasping at the suddenness, but that proved to be a bad idea as the cold air emphasized the soreness of his throat and lungs.
Felix sat up hacking, tears still pouring down his cheeks, an evidence that what happened earlier inside the prison room was real.
Wasting no more time, Felix used his water magic and proceeded to heal himself.
It was effective, yet the lingering bitterness in his throat and the stinging pain on his eyes remained.
"Felix, what happened here?" The familiar voice spoke again.
"Julius? Wha-" when Felix looked at his fellow knight, he could only see the blurry outline of Julius.
Light still hurt his eyes and he subconsciously closed it shut, letting it subside.
"Are you alright? What happened to you?" Julius asked once more as he noticed the state of his friend.
"M-My throat is sore and my eyes sting, I -I think it was the smoke earlier." Felix said as he turned head towards Julius, eyes still closed.
"Smoke? Was there a fire?" Julius frowned as he asked.
"N-No, *cough cough* there was this black cylinder of some sorts that produced it, *cough cough* search the floor, you'll find it." Felix said.
Julius raised an eyebrow before looking around, after a few moments of looking, he found nothing.
"Nothing, there's nothing in here that matches your description Felix." Those words made Felix pause.
"What?" Felix's dire tone alerted Julius
Thinking about it, Julius came back after some of the guards noticed that Felix hasn't shown himself.
He and the allies who searched went around the entirety of Priestella for the entire day, until it was night.
The entire city went on a lockdown as the search party scoured the insides of the city.
Yet the search bore no fruit, the gates never had any news, and when Julius heard that Felix hasn't been seen, he immediately went back to the prison.
Only to see the doors locked from the outside and discover an unconscious Felix on the inside.
The fact that Felix said he was locked in with some metia that produces smoke made Julius aware of the potential problem.
The Sin Archbishop of Pride, could still be inside Priestella.
Quickly running towards his feline friend, Julius held the sheath of his sword, ready to draw if the cultist appears.
"Guards! Stay vigilant! There's a high chance the Archbishop still hasn't escaped Priestella yet!" He called out to the outside where he knew some guards are still present.
He heard multiple footsteps scrambling, a sign that they heard him loud and clear.
'He could be just toying with us. If there still hasn't been any news from those who are at the gates, then there's a possibility that he's still here and he wants revenge.' Julius grit his teeth at his thoughts.
Yet as time passes by, nothing happened. Until..
"The Archbishop of *cough* Wrath!" Felix yelled out loud.
The implications shook Julius. Yes, there was that possibility he never concluded.
'Could it be..." He never finished that thought as he immediately grabbed Felix and lumbered outside, searching for anyone around.
Outside, he found three guards guarding the entrance of the prison.
"Is there anyone guarding the other cultist!?" Casting any elegance left, Julius asked forcefully.
"Th-There are 4 guards and 4 soldiers assigned to keep a lookout for any sign of the Archbishop of Pride if he rescues the other Archbishop. So far, there has been no news from them." The guard who spoke managed to stay calm at the way Julius asked.
Julius was silent for a moment, before handing Felix to the guards.
"Send Felix to the medical room, I will take it upon myself to check the other prison." Julius said before turning and running towards south.
Like the Archbishop of Pride, the Archbishop of Wrath was sent to an underground prison made for highly dangerous prisoners, though it's mainly due to her "Authority's" effect that she was sent to a cell far deeper underground.
However, what Julius didn't know was, all his hypothesis and conclusion were so far off and pointless, as the escaped "cultist" has already left.
...
...
1 Hour Ago
It was a good thing that Subaru can keep the Cloak on for a long time, although he'll be slightly visible when he moves, he'll have to stay still when there is someone close by.
However, his only problem was how to escape, as he managed to overhear some guards say something about a Lockdown.
It didn't take a genius to realize that the entirety of Priestella has been locked down. Effectively making Subaru make a decision. That is to find another way out other than the Gates.
And he has a place in mind, but getting there was the problem, as it requires him to swim for a long time inside a current.
During the battle in Priestella, one of the floodgates has been opened, successfully flooding one of the four districts.
In Subaru's mind, if the floodgates' purpose was to submerge the city in water, then they should have some sort of a draining system.
However, one thing is for certain and that was all the drained water goes back to one large stream.
The Tigracy River.
Subaru saw so he knew, the river is dangerous not only because of it's current, but it's dept.
Subaru's costumization with his suit included multiple armor platings mainly focused on his chest, abdomen, spine and outer limbs.
It was no doubt that he will sink if he still wears it when he swims, even with the help of "Power Module", it will prove difficult to even stay afloat.
Though he has tried and successfully disengage his suit a month ago, to see if he can hide his armored suit.
The suits were named M.C.A. suits.
What M.C.A. means? Subaru didn't know, as there was no description on that.
So the best option if he wants to not drown was to fight the current and swim towards the outer banks before he'll get swept and taken to the river.
But that option also means that he could potentially be seen by those who are at the top of the walls surrounding the city.
"Which means I need to make my move at night huh." Subaru whispered as he alley to alley.
It was already dawn, as he spent all those times searching for some sign of a draining system, be it canals or a lid to a sewer. He kept moving, searching for a place he could stop, rest and wait for night to come.
It was a good thing that the skies have turned dark as Subaru decided that he didn't need a more hidden place to rest. He has to stay awake though, accidentally sleeping until morning is too risky.
He sat on an alley, getting his feet some needed rest.
As he stayed there, he heard some people inside the building talking.
The topic is unsurprisingly about the escaped "Archbishop". Subaru sighed, unconsciously still listening to the conversation.
The people inside spoke about how incapable the guards were to let such a dangerous individual escape, how the Sword Saint should have taken the prisoners to Lugunica where he himself will keep them in check, and even how they should have killed the imprisoned Archbishops.
Subaru kept listening to the man rambling, not really knowing how to feel at those statements.
Until the topic goes to the possibility of how the Archbishop could have escaped.
Subaru's ears perked, focusing his hearing on what could be his ticket out.
"Well, he could have used his powers to escape, but why now? I mean, he is an Archbishop right? Then he should have one of those disgusting abilities. But I don't understand why he decided to escape." Man 1 said.
"Or maybe he couldn't use it? Well he could have gone to a carriage and slipped in." Man 2 said.
"Nah, the lockdown didn't let any carriage out, and even in. We're literally locked inside as long as they found the cultist." Man 1 replied.
"We're locked inside, with a Witch Cult Archbishop on the loose huh." Man 2 said with a depressing tone.
"Hmmmm... Or he already escaped?" Man 1 said
"How? I mean, where else could he have gotten to?" Man 2 asked.
"Well... there's the Quagmire, it's the only way out aside from the Gates." Man 1 answered
"Are you stupid? That's the drainage designed to send floodwater directly to Tigracy River. Also, there's the docks, at least there he gets a boat, but I doubt the cultist will get it easily, there are soldiers waiting for anyone with the cultist's description there." Man 2 said.
Subaru has heard enough.
He knew where the docks were when he was strolling around the city. He was quite curious though as how he still remembered that but nonetheless, he needed to move.
...
...
To say Subaru was in luck was an understatement, as he stared at the docks.
There were only 8 guards patrolling the area, and it was a moonless night. The torches kept flickering, meaning if even he was moving, he won't be perceived as a figure.
But despite these positive things, there's that small voice at the back of his head that he has to thread carefully.
But he know he can't stay, as the longer he did, the bigger chance there will be for him to be found.
He went around, going so far as to reach the far right end of the docks.
He passed by a guard, then another, then stopped to see/hear his surroundings.
Once he sees that the guards weren't looking, he continued tiptoeing. Until he found a stairs leading down.
There were no guards overlooking the boats, so he had time to choose a boat.
There were different types, some fancy, some almost worn down, and there's small ships.
Looking further, he found a small newly made boat with an oar on board.
"Perfect." He whispered.
There was still that thought that there's something bad that will happen, but for he put it at the back of his head for now.
He slowly crawled in the boat, untied the rope quietly then pushed the boat towards his freedom.
He still kept his Cloaking on, and anyone who sees it would probably think that a ghost was on a boat rowing.
Subaru kept rowing slowly, kept looking back if he could have been seen, and it was until he was far enough to outrun any boats that will come after him that he rowed faster.
Then, a problem occured. Subaru needed light.
He found himself being swept by a small current in the dark.
Subaru clicked his tongue, now realizing that now was a perfect time for the "Perception Module" to shine, yet it wasn't one of the Modules he chose.
He gripped the oar harder, as his thoughts went on his failures.
"Even after all I went through, I still make the wrong choice?" He wasn't just blaming himself for his mistakes, but also at his slow growth.
He knew that picking the Cloak and Power Module was effective in getting him out. And he had no choice but to pick the Power Module because of how severely weakened he is.
But he still blames his incompetence, as he could have figured out how to escape the city.
But as Subaru wallows in self-deprecation, he didn't notice that the boat he's on is now being swept by a faster current.
It was only when he heard a faint sound of rushing water that he was shook out of his stupor.
"Wha-!" An alarmed tone was present on his voice as he stared forward.
The reason why he felt that something bad is gonna happen, that something will come up and make things worst for him.
The reason why was right in front of him.
Subaru knew that a river could have a dangerous current that will kill anyone who was stupid enough to be in it.
But this? This is something he never even saw in his world.
It was something impossible, as he figured that this world is flat, yet here it is. A very large body of water moving faster than any current he's seen.
And it was only mere seconds before he was swallowed in it.
Thinking fast, he immediately tried to row his boat to the bank only a hundred meters on his right, only to find out that the current pulling his boat was stronger.
"Come on! Come on!" Subaru yelled as he rowed harder.
But it was pointless.
"No! Ahhhhhhhhhh!" Subaru yelled as he gripped the edge of the boat.
And he is in for a very bumpy ride.