Chapter 4
"Where is she?" the deep voice boomed from the shadows, "Where is the pale one?! I asked for Humility, not. this. other!"
The two men fell to their knees, bowing to the darkness, "Your majesty, forgive us but they look identical. and the other girl was being protected by the woman here with magic."
Maia stood behind them, ropes binding her wrists, trying to understand what was being said. They spoke neither the English. nor the Japanese that she understood. but something akin to it. Obviously, Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum had done something wrong. Her eyes widened as a figure emerged from the shadows of the palace.
King Jarrol was a man of ice, inside and out. He was tall, probably reaching six foot four inches or more, and was well defined, even through his robes. Eyes the color of ice held one frozen in their depths, seeming to see through to their very core. His face was aristocratic, chiseled angles with a mouth that never smiled. His raven-black hair fell to his shoulders in waves. It was brushed back and shone with cleanliness, at his temples silver streaked back, giving him a distinguished air.
Jarrol inspected the girl, now that he was closer. Indeed she was identical to his Humility.only darker in her coloring. How odd. "Magic you said?" his eyes never left Maia, making the girl cringe within, "If you, Payne, said that you were confronted by boys with armor, that means the Ronin are still here. No bother, I'll have Humility no matter. She will be mine. The angel will be mine."
The men nodded, still kneeling upon the floor before their king. "Do you wish to plan another attack, your majesty?"
"No, Void. Not yet. We may be able to put our prisoner to use." A cruel smile danced in his ice blue eyes, "Do you not agree?"
The one titled Void nodded, "Aye your majesty. What shall we do with her?"
"I don't know, yet. What do you think, Payne?" he looked at them, "Tell me what you see within her."
They both looked at her, and she felt a foreign. ancient. dark magic inspect her. She had no idea how to combat it, but raised her shields nonetheless. "We see fear of men. of pain." their voices rang in synch, like a chant. Maia took a step back, still not understanding the words, but the way they were said unnerved her. "... she's strong of mind and spirit. Only one blemish is upon her aura, that fear and pain once experienced."
Jarrol nodded, watching her closely, he switched to an accented English, "But there's something else." He stepped towards her, roughly taking her chin within his cold grasp, "... what is it that make you different?" he seemed to ask himself more than her, his icy eyes locked with hers, "... there is something within you that draws me... that seduces my Song... my Sight."
Maia tried to move away, but the ropes and his hold kept her from that, she didn't like him. She didn't like how her alarm systems within her mind went insane when he touched her. She didn't like how cold his hand was, it was like having death hold you. She didn't like his eyes. She didn't like him.
"Stop fidgeting... you make it more difficult upon yourself. Void and Payne may not see it... " His eyes glimmered for a moment of an eerie blue light, "...but I see the precision those shields are made. An amateur can't make themselves seem normal. You can."
Cerulean orbs widened in surprise.
"Ah. so I say truth." He tightened his hold upon her chin, it felt like an ice-cold vise and she couldn't move from him, "And I see so much more than that within you." She felt him moving through the layers of her shields. this wasn't right.no one was supposed to be able to do this! "Stop screaming." Maia felt him tear through the last shield and her heat drain into his hand. "Now I see. how. wonderful."
"No." she whimpered as the past flowed from her mind. her pain of the rape. her humiliation.
"Something for my needs. Delicious." He leaned down, taking a breath of her raven curls, "You may not be my angel. but you will do for the night." Jarrol grinned in delight as fear swelled up within Maia's mind, "Oh yes. You know what I mean, Dark One. You know well what I mean, don't you?"
Again she tried to pull away, but couldn't. Maia was frightened, and now that he had torn through that last shield, that fear took control of her Mind Gift. She lashed at him, pushing him away from her maybe five feet, but no more.
"You'll find, Dark One," he came up and backhanded her, throwing her to the floor. Maia tasted blood in her mouth, "That one as old as I am not hindered by your simple Mind Magic." Jarrol stood above her, a cruel smile upon his handsome face, "And you'll also find, that I always get my way."
Humility sat up, suddenly awake with a ripping sensation through her mind. Oww. what the hell was that? She looked to her side, smiling down at the sleeping Sage, his arm about her waist protectively. Oh Sage, what did I ever do to deserve your heart? She felt another white flash of pain race through her mind and she bit her lip to stifle the cry.
Maia.
She knew instinctively that whatever she was feeling was linked to the darker girl. Oh Maia. and it's all my fault. forgive me. Humility lifted herself gently from Sage's bed, placing a pillow where she had been laying so that he wouldn't wake to the lack of her presence. A gentle kiss upon his forehead and she put her clothes on, going to her room. I'm coming, Maia.
Walking into her room, she tiptoed to her dressers and removed her black cargos and black tank top. Her boots were downstairs, along with her backpack. She would change down there and grab the First Aid kit that was in the bathroom. Whatever was making Maia hurt so much, she might be able to help. The white-haired girl smiled gently at the two lovers upon her bed, Sai and Kento, before tiptoeing out of her room and down the stairs.
Jarrol lifted himself off of her and pulled his clothes back on. Maia curled up into a ball, pain throbbing within her. "Chain her below, Void, and leave her there. I'll think about what we shall do to get Humility later. Go on now." He left the bedchambers, without looking back.
Void sighed, running his hand through his light brown hair, "Forgive me." He took her up in his arms, along with the sheets, and nodded for his lover to take the girl's torn clothes. Payne picked them up, and followed them.
"Go away." her voice was weak; she had given up fighting Jarrol, but that didn't hurt her any less. Oh Goddess she hurt.
"Shush, witch. We're taking you below. Perhaps you'll be healed before he remembers you. Pray upon that. Thank your deity that he did not kill you with his hunger."
Kill her? She whimpered. That would have been kinder. It would have hurt so much less than it did now. Not only did Maia hurt physically, but emotionally and mentally as well. Somehow he had destroyed even her strongest shielding and not only raped her body, but her mind as well. She felt empty, void.
"Yes. That is how it feels, ne?" the brown haired man set her upon the floor, locking a cold shackle about her neck. "Now you know why that is my name." His hand brushed her cheek gently, and frowned as she jerked away. "Rest."
"Will she be alright?" Payne stood in the doorway, emerald eyes worried, "Do you know, love?"
Void exited the cell, closing the iron door upon her, "I don't know. She's survived it once, who's to say she can't a second time. The witch didn't offer as much pain as the master had hoped. I pray that it proves she is strong."
"Come, Void. Master awaits us."
Maia leaned against the cold stone wall, wrapped in the sheets from Jarrol's bed. Sobbing. Alone.
"Kayura?" she looked out, towards the forest behind Mia's mansion. Oh please.please hear me. "Hello? Ancient?" Damn it.where are you?
"Right behind you, Pale One."
Humility spun, nearly slapping the dark-haired woman in the face with her braid. "K-Kayura?" she blinked, wondering how the woman got behind her without her knowledge.
"Magic." The soft voice answered her thought question. "You wish to help the Magic one, ne?"
She nodded, "Yes. She's. in pain." Humility looked at her black combat boots, "All because of me."
"It is not your fault, Pale One. Jarrol will stop at nothing until he has you. You draw him near you with your pain." She lifted a hand, stopping Humility from speaking, "And until you overcome that pain, find that you no longer have to be a victim, understand that you are important and valuable to those who love you; you will be stalked by him." Kayura moved the staff to her other hand, reaching out to Humility. She took the girl's necklace in her hand, "You got this from your mother, no?"
Humility nodded, looking down upon the delicate silver necklace, "She gave it to me the day she left. She said it would bring me luck." Grey eyes met blue ones; "You have to help me get Maia back."
The woman frowned, "You going alone is not the best thing that comes to mind, Humility."
"I don't care." Stubbornness shown in her eyes, "Help me or I'll find a way there myself."
"I know you would." Kayura sighed, then nodded. "It seems you've already made your mind up about this. Come, I'll show you the way there. You'll have to go the rest alone." She whispered a few words, and a ball of golden light surrounded them. "When you are ready to come back, and are out of his castle, take the necklace within your hand and think about the mansion. You both will appear here."
"Alright." Humility looked about as she found herself upon a field, and before her rose a large Japanese palace. "Is that where she is?"
"Yes." The ancient tossed long, dark hair over her shoulder, "There is a tunnel on the right side of the lake ahead, one that Jarrol knows not, which is hidden by a willow tree with silver and blue blossoms. The only of it's kind. Go through the tunnel, never turning, until you reach a statue of the Twins. Touch their clasped hands and follow the tunnel that will open for you then. It will take you to the dungeons in which the Dark One is being held."
Humility nodded, tossing her braid back and sliding on a black knit cap to keep her from the frostbitten air. "I'll see you when I get home?"
Kayura shrugged, "Possibly. Though I think the Ronin will be awake by then. You may have to deal with their wrath alone until I get there."
"Oh well. They'll have to bite me then."
Laughter rang in the chilled air, "Don't tempt them, dearest." And with that, Humility was alone.
"Oh well. Come on feet." She started walking across the field of green, towards the lake that lay ahead. I thought Ryo said that this place was dark and dead when Tulpa ruled. She looked across the lands, beauty was everywhere. Frozen beauty. Nothing moved, no bird sang, no wind brushed her cheek. Maybe it still is dead. but more like a frozen sleep.
Humility soon found herself at the lake, and searching about it for the willow tree Kayura had described to her earlier. She found it, and walked to it. "Now how do I find the damn tunnel?" she ran a hand over the smooth surface of the willow tree, thinking that perhaps there was a mechanism to reveal a trap door. As she gently touched a small knot, there was a click, and the pale woman felt herself fall.
"Damn it." She glared up at the opening, not 2 feet above her head, and then before her. There was hardly any light; save for a small hint of it at what seemed the end of the tunnel. Standing up, Humility set upon the task of walking through a few feet of water, which was cold and chilled her to the bones. I'm gonna get so sick from this. oh Jesus Christ.
The tunnel ended suddenly, placing her before a statue of two sisters holding hands, it reached probably ten feet in height and the women were identical but for the fact that one held a sword in her left hand and the other held a ball of fire in her right. The Twins, Kayura had called it. There were other openings, paths off towards destinations unknown to her. The white-haired girl climbed upon the base of the statue, reaching up to the clasped hands.
Another tunnel opened with a rusty grinding sound, and Humility had to cover her ears against the cruel noise. A hall of steep stairs led upwards, towards yet another source of light. She sighed, then began to haul herself up, no longer able to feel her toes.
Payne felt another enter the Palace, but this was a presence that was familiar to him, though he knew not why. Standing, the man left his lover napping upon the couch, and left for the witch's cell beneath the Palace. As he approached it, he saw a small, dark figure hunched at the keyhole. "Not very easy, is it?"
Humility leapt to her feet, gray eyes wide with startlement.
"Angel!" he took a step back, he hadn't expected her. "What are you doing here?"
"Rescuing my friend." The girl's normally soft voice was cold to him, worst than that of his master's, "What are you going to do about it?" inside she was scared beyond her wits, but perhaps she could hide that behind anger.
Emerald eyes met stormy ones, he knew what he had to do, "Help you." He smiled softly at her reaction, "Void and I have waited for centuries for you to return, it's time to choose sides." He ripped from his side a key ring and handed it to her, "It is the silver key. Unlock it and take her away, quickly. Or else Master shall have you as he wishes."
Humility's hands shook as she took it, "You'll be punished."
Payne shrugged, "Yes. But I will hurt myself in a way that will tell Master that I was taken by surprise. This will lessen my punishment." He motioned for her to proceed, then began to walk away. "Hurry. I cannot guarantee you more than ten minutes leeway time. Run, Angel. And hurry."
She unlocked the door, then ran inside, only to sob at the sight. Poor Maia. The vibrant girl was covered only in black sheets, the clothes beside her were torn beyond recognition. "Goddess mercy." Humility knelt next to her friend, unlocking the shackle about her neck, "Maia?"
At first, she tried to move away, until that pale face was placed with a name, Hugh. Maia whimpered, she didn't want the girl to see her like this. "Humility."
"Shh. here. I brought extra clothes. Try and put them on and then we're gone. But hurry."
Maia nodded, slipping on the other pair of loose cargo pants and sweater. Then she put on the socks and boots Humility handed her, confused as to why she was here. "What.?"
"Later." Gray orbs became silver with anger, "We have to go, can you walk?" she helped her up as Maia nodded, "Good. Come on, before they realize we're gone." She took the darker hand and started to the secret door, leaving the keys upon the floor. Jarrol. you will pay for this.
By the time they heard the alarms behind them, Humility and Maia were crawling out of the tunnel by the willow tree. One last glance, and they were back at the mansion, still holding hands.
"Where is she?" the deep voice boomed from the shadows, "Where is the pale one?! I asked for Humility, not. this. other!"
The two men fell to their knees, bowing to the darkness, "Your majesty, forgive us but they look identical. and the other girl was being protected by the woman here with magic."
Maia stood behind them, ropes binding her wrists, trying to understand what was being said. They spoke neither the English. nor the Japanese that she understood. but something akin to it. Obviously, Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum had done something wrong. Her eyes widened as a figure emerged from the shadows of the palace.
King Jarrol was a man of ice, inside and out. He was tall, probably reaching six foot four inches or more, and was well defined, even through his robes. Eyes the color of ice held one frozen in their depths, seeming to see through to their very core. His face was aristocratic, chiseled angles with a mouth that never smiled. His raven-black hair fell to his shoulders in waves. It was brushed back and shone with cleanliness, at his temples silver streaked back, giving him a distinguished air.
Jarrol inspected the girl, now that he was closer. Indeed she was identical to his Humility.only darker in her coloring. How odd. "Magic you said?" his eyes never left Maia, making the girl cringe within, "If you, Payne, said that you were confronted by boys with armor, that means the Ronin are still here. No bother, I'll have Humility no matter. She will be mine. The angel will be mine."
The men nodded, still kneeling upon the floor before their king. "Do you wish to plan another attack, your majesty?"
"No, Void. Not yet. We may be able to put our prisoner to use." A cruel smile danced in his ice blue eyes, "Do you not agree?"
The one titled Void nodded, "Aye your majesty. What shall we do with her?"
"I don't know, yet. What do you think, Payne?" he looked at them, "Tell me what you see within her."
They both looked at her, and she felt a foreign. ancient. dark magic inspect her. She had no idea how to combat it, but raised her shields nonetheless. "We see fear of men. of pain." their voices rang in synch, like a chant. Maia took a step back, still not understanding the words, but the way they were said unnerved her. "... she's strong of mind and spirit. Only one blemish is upon her aura, that fear and pain once experienced."
Jarrol nodded, watching her closely, he switched to an accented English, "But there's something else." He stepped towards her, roughly taking her chin within his cold grasp, "... what is it that make you different?" he seemed to ask himself more than her, his icy eyes locked with hers, "... there is something within you that draws me... that seduces my Song... my Sight."
Maia tried to move away, but the ropes and his hold kept her from that, she didn't like him. She didn't like how her alarm systems within her mind went insane when he touched her. She didn't like how cold his hand was, it was like having death hold you. She didn't like his eyes. She didn't like him.
"Stop fidgeting... you make it more difficult upon yourself. Void and Payne may not see it... " His eyes glimmered for a moment of an eerie blue light, "...but I see the precision those shields are made. An amateur can't make themselves seem normal. You can."
Cerulean orbs widened in surprise.
"Ah. so I say truth." He tightened his hold upon her chin, it felt like an ice-cold vise and she couldn't move from him, "And I see so much more than that within you." She felt him moving through the layers of her shields. this wasn't right.no one was supposed to be able to do this! "Stop screaming." Maia felt him tear through the last shield and her heat drain into his hand. "Now I see. how. wonderful."
"No." she whimpered as the past flowed from her mind. her pain of the rape. her humiliation.
"Something for my needs. Delicious." He leaned down, taking a breath of her raven curls, "You may not be my angel. but you will do for the night." Jarrol grinned in delight as fear swelled up within Maia's mind, "Oh yes. You know what I mean, Dark One. You know well what I mean, don't you?"
Again she tried to pull away, but couldn't. Maia was frightened, and now that he had torn through that last shield, that fear took control of her Mind Gift. She lashed at him, pushing him away from her maybe five feet, but no more.
"You'll find, Dark One," he came up and backhanded her, throwing her to the floor. Maia tasted blood in her mouth, "That one as old as I am not hindered by your simple Mind Magic." Jarrol stood above her, a cruel smile upon his handsome face, "And you'll also find, that I always get my way."
Humility sat up, suddenly awake with a ripping sensation through her mind. Oww. what the hell was that? She looked to her side, smiling down at the sleeping Sage, his arm about her waist protectively. Oh Sage, what did I ever do to deserve your heart? She felt another white flash of pain race through her mind and she bit her lip to stifle the cry.
Maia.
She knew instinctively that whatever she was feeling was linked to the darker girl. Oh Maia. and it's all my fault. forgive me. Humility lifted herself gently from Sage's bed, placing a pillow where she had been laying so that he wouldn't wake to the lack of her presence. A gentle kiss upon his forehead and she put her clothes on, going to her room. I'm coming, Maia.
Walking into her room, she tiptoed to her dressers and removed her black cargos and black tank top. Her boots were downstairs, along with her backpack. She would change down there and grab the First Aid kit that was in the bathroom. Whatever was making Maia hurt so much, she might be able to help. The white-haired girl smiled gently at the two lovers upon her bed, Sai and Kento, before tiptoeing out of her room and down the stairs.
Jarrol lifted himself off of her and pulled his clothes back on. Maia curled up into a ball, pain throbbing within her. "Chain her below, Void, and leave her there. I'll think about what we shall do to get Humility later. Go on now." He left the bedchambers, without looking back.
Void sighed, running his hand through his light brown hair, "Forgive me." He took her up in his arms, along with the sheets, and nodded for his lover to take the girl's torn clothes. Payne picked them up, and followed them.
"Go away." her voice was weak; she had given up fighting Jarrol, but that didn't hurt her any less. Oh Goddess she hurt.
"Shush, witch. We're taking you below. Perhaps you'll be healed before he remembers you. Pray upon that. Thank your deity that he did not kill you with his hunger."
Kill her? She whimpered. That would have been kinder. It would have hurt so much less than it did now. Not only did Maia hurt physically, but emotionally and mentally as well. Somehow he had destroyed even her strongest shielding and not only raped her body, but her mind as well. She felt empty, void.
"Yes. That is how it feels, ne?" the brown haired man set her upon the floor, locking a cold shackle about her neck. "Now you know why that is my name." His hand brushed her cheek gently, and frowned as she jerked away. "Rest."
"Will she be alright?" Payne stood in the doorway, emerald eyes worried, "Do you know, love?"
Void exited the cell, closing the iron door upon her, "I don't know. She's survived it once, who's to say she can't a second time. The witch didn't offer as much pain as the master had hoped. I pray that it proves she is strong."
"Come, Void. Master awaits us."
Maia leaned against the cold stone wall, wrapped in the sheets from Jarrol's bed. Sobbing. Alone.
"Kayura?" she looked out, towards the forest behind Mia's mansion. Oh please.please hear me. "Hello? Ancient?" Damn it.where are you?
"Right behind you, Pale One."
Humility spun, nearly slapping the dark-haired woman in the face with her braid. "K-Kayura?" she blinked, wondering how the woman got behind her without her knowledge.
"Magic." The soft voice answered her thought question. "You wish to help the Magic one, ne?"
She nodded, "Yes. She's. in pain." Humility looked at her black combat boots, "All because of me."
"It is not your fault, Pale One. Jarrol will stop at nothing until he has you. You draw him near you with your pain." She lifted a hand, stopping Humility from speaking, "And until you overcome that pain, find that you no longer have to be a victim, understand that you are important and valuable to those who love you; you will be stalked by him." Kayura moved the staff to her other hand, reaching out to Humility. She took the girl's necklace in her hand, "You got this from your mother, no?"
Humility nodded, looking down upon the delicate silver necklace, "She gave it to me the day she left. She said it would bring me luck." Grey eyes met blue ones; "You have to help me get Maia back."
The woman frowned, "You going alone is not the best thing that comes to mind, Humility."
"I don't care." Stubbornness shown in her eyes, "Help me or I'll find a way there myself."
"I know you would." Kayura sighed, then nodded. "It seems you've already made your mind up about this. Come, I'll show you the way there. You'll have to go the rest alone." She whispered a few words, and a ball of golden light surrounded them. "When you are ready to come back, and are out of his castle, take the necklace within your hand and think about the mansion. You both will appear here."
"Alright." Humility looked about as she found herself upon a field, and before her rose a large Japanese palace. "Is that where she is?"
"Yes." The ancient tossed long, dark hair over her shoulder, "There is a tunnel on the right side of the lake ahead, one that Jarrol knows not, which is hidden by a willow tree with silver and blue blossoms. The only of it's kind. Go through the tunnel, never turning, until you reach a statue of the Twins. Touch their clasped hands and follow the tunnel that will open for you then. It will take you to the dungeons in which the Dark One is being held."
Humility nodded, tossing her braid back and sliding on a black knit cap to keep her from the frostbitten air. "I'll see you when I get home?"
Kayura shrugged, "Possibly. Though I think the Ronin will be awake by then. You may have to deal with their wrath alone until I get there."
"Oh well. They'll have to bite me then."
Laughter rang in the chilled air, "Don't tempt them, dearest." And with that, Humility was alone.
"Oh well. Come on feet." She started walking across the field of green, towards the lake that lay ahead. I thought Ryo said that this place was dark and dead when Tulpa ruled. She looked across the lands, beauty was everywhere. Frozen beauty. Nothing moved, no bird sang, no wind brushed her cheek. Maybe it still is dead. but more like a frozen sleep.
Humility soon found herself at the lake, and searching about it for the willow tree Kayura had described to her earlier. She found it, and walked to it. "Now how do I find the damn tunnel?" she ran a hand over the smooth surface of the willow tree, thinking that perhaps there was a mechanism to reveal a trap door. As she gently touched a small knot, there was a click, and the pale woman felt herself fall.
"Damn it." She glared up at the opening, not 2 feet above her head, and then before her. There was hardly any light; save for a small hint of it at what seemed the end of the tunnel. Standing up, Humility set upon the task of walking through a few feet of water, which was cold and chilled her to the bones. I'm gonna get so sick from this. oh Jesus Christ.
The tunnel ended suddenly, placing her before a statue of two sisters holding hands, it reached probably ten feet in height and the women were identical but for the fact that one held a sword in her left hand and the other held a ball of fire in her right. The Twins, Kayura had called it. There were other openings, paths off towards destinations unknown to her. The white-haired girl climbed upon the base of the statue, reaching up to the clasped hands.
Another tunnel opened with a rusty grinding sound, and Humility had to cover her ears against the cruel noise. A hall of steep stairs led upwards, towards yet another source of light. She sighed, then began to haul herself up, no longer able to feel her toes.
Payne felt another enter the Palace, but this was a presence that was familiar to him, though he knew not why. Standing, the man left his lover napping upon the couch, and left for the witch's cell beneath the Palace. As he approached it, he saw a small, dark figure hunched at the keyhole. "Not very easy, is it?"
Humility leapt to her feet, gray eyes wide with startlement.
"Angel!" he took a step back, he hadn't expected her. "What are you doing here?"
"Rescuing my friend." The girl's normally soft voice was cold to him, worst than that of his master's, "What are you going to do about it?" inside she was scared beyond her wits, but perhaps she could hide that behind anger.
Emerald eyes met stormy ones, he knew what he had to do, "Help you." He smiled softly at her reaction, "Void and I have waited for centuries for you to return, it's time to choose sides." He ripped from his side a key ring and handed it to her, "It is the silver key. Unlock it and take her away, quickly. Or else Master shall have you as he wishes."
Humility's hands shook as she took it, "You'll be punished."
Payne shrugged, "Yes. But I will hurt myself in a way that will tell Master that I was taken by surprise. This will lessen my punishment." He motioned for her to proceed, then began to walk away. "Hurry. I cannot guarantee you more than ten minutes leeway time. Run, Angel. And hurry."
She unlocked the door, then ran inside, only to sob at the sight. Poor Maia. The vibrant girl was covered only in black sheets, the clothes beside her were torn beyond recognition. "Goddess mercy." Humility knelt next to her friend, unlocking the shackle about her neck, "Maia?"
At first, she tried to move away, until that pale face was placed with a name, Hugh. Maia whimpered, she didn't want the girl to see her like this. "Humility."
"Shh. here. I brought extra clothes. Try and put them on and then we're gone. But hurry."
Maia nodded, slipping on the other pair of loose cargo pants and sweater. Then she put on the socks and boots Humility handed her, confused as to why she was here. "What.?"
"Later." Gray orbs became silver with anger, "We have to go, can you walk?" she helped her up as Maia nodded, "Good. Come on, before they realize we're gone." She took the darker hand and started to the secret door, leaving the keys upon the floor. Jarrol. you will pay for this.
By the time they heard the alarms behind them, Humility and Maia were crawling out of the tunnel by the willow tree. One last glance, and they were back at the mansion, still holding hands.