POV Narrator:
The escape mission from Arcturus prison had a radical change with the presence of the boss showing up for Chariot and Croix, a fire was intense in the prison and the emergency would still take a long time to arrive, besides that a threat showed up there, a pyromaniac with a flamethrower in hand was walking in the corridors to where Du Nord and Meridies were, starting to try to escape, after losing the item that would be precious for the escape of the two, they will have to do it in a manual way, since the situation is not so much on their side.
POV Chariot:
I arrive at the arsenal, I will have to get a heavier weapon, or else this crazy person can kill Croix with those flames, I get a 12 gauge and I go running seeing that Croix was behind a pillar taking cover, I soon start to go shooting with the gun in the direction of the pyromaniac that is taking a few steps back.
"You will burn in hell!" I say firing at the pyromaniac and he took a few steps back and even tried to throw fire.
"Chariot!" Said Meridies excitedly as I appeared.
I take cover and take the opportunity to reload the gun, well I think I can get an idea of how I do it, I put the bullets in and then make the movement of pumping the rifle, the piromaniaco shoots the flames at us, we jump out, I take the chance to shoot with my twelve while Croix was running and shooting with an uzi in hands and with that the piromaniaco goes walking backwards, to the point that he throws a flash in our direction and we were with a tactical mask, it doesn't make effect besides a flash, what we saw was him going away then, how strange.
"It was an attack right out of nowhere, I don't think he'll stop coming at us" I tell Croix.
"Come on Chariot, we have to get out of this prison, I will tell Laura that we are in danger" she said taking her mobile phone and already starting to talk to Mrs McLaren.
Together we were leaving that room, the corridor was still on fire, Meridies was leading me on the way that she said was great for the escape, we were until then only worrying about putting out the fire using ice spells that were ahead on the way, taking the opportunity to give a slide as the way was more accessible, only that soon some guards appeared, what we took cover.
"Damn, they must be everywhere, but we'll soon get on the road" Croix said.
"Don't you think it would be better just to turn yourself in Croix?" I ask her.
"No! This is a matter of survival, if I give myself up we will never be able to change things, besides I might suffer more in here, without Margaret the alliance no longer exists and consequently I would be tortured every day by the guards"
Croix signals and we walk down the corridor, gee I never imagined that the prison would be like this, this damn boss must have killed some lives around here just with this fire, even with the mask is a chaos to breathe around here.
Soon inmates appear, they go running in our direction, kind of shooting what we take cover, this is really weird, so much that Croix throws a grenade and gets hidden in one of the walls, I didn't expect that.
"What? What do you mean I expected that from the guards" Meridies said confused.
"The boss must have paid some of the other inmates to disrupt our escape, but what now? What are we going to do?" I ask her who simply starts to turn around and shoot in the direction of the other inmates.
I'm devastated, but there's no way, I also cover Croix using my pistol, shooting without killing, getting in places like legs and arms, I see that Meridies also doesn't want to hit, apparently the guns are only to intimidate, I then leave the cover, use my magic to give impulse, to the point of arriving before Croix, where I start using blows against the armed inmates, they were using pistols, so it's easy to deal with all this.
"What are you doing? We have to run away from here" I tell them.
"You will be our reward, you will give us a big amount of money and even freedom if we get rid of you two -said one of the inmates that I hit with a volley and then Croix arrives in the middle as well.
"You're going to get the drop on you, Alice, Heather, Martha, you're alliance, are you really going to betray big sister?" Said Croix who was starting to get into a more defensive position.
"Big sister is dead, now we are the ones in place" She said walking up to us with a knife in her hands.
Time to show them what Shiny Chariot was made of, I dodge the stab that they would give me taking the opportunity to hit a back punch followed by a mortal while leaning on the arm of the one who attacked me and this way hitting the back one, which I use to use my magic to kick her in the back of the head, leaning on the ceiling while I look at Croix who was getting into trouble.
I launch myself with an impulse giving a volley of two feet, Meridies headbutts back and I take the opportunity to hit the kick on the one that took the headbutt and this time there were only two left that I give a crawl and the other Croix hit a punch, they were all already on the floor, we use our hands together to use a spell to put them to sleep, perfect.
"Now come on, our Chariot, are you still in shape, have you been training these days?" she asks and I just focus on getting the stuff.
"Let's get out of this place, I don't want to know another minute of this terror" I answer her and she shakes her head.
Let's run along the path, now there's no reason to walk, the flames started to appear again, this time still very intense, we were arriving in a corridor that in the middle of the flames there he came out, the pyromaniac, facing us with those red eyes, and giving very heavy steps, he had to be in the way right now? What the hell.
"Witches! Witches! Burn!" Said the madman and I went straight away taking my twelve-gauge out of his hands, while Croix threw a grenade.
"And you get blown up into a thousand little pyromaniac pieces" Meridies said and I even shoot just in time when the grenade is at the height of him who feels the huge explosion.
He must have felt something, a smoke is formed, he was walking back, I keep shooting with my 12 gauge and he was walking in our direction, what I heard was only the sound of iron, he must be really protected under this clothes, soon the bastard launch the flames in our direction, the corridor was closed enough.
I cast an ice spell, enough of using weapons, let's see if he will be able to shoot flames still in this state, I was going with enough power and Croix was also coming to help me.
"Let's see who is stronger, you can't burn everything!" I tell him who then goes on to release the flame thrower.
He picks something from the floor that looked like a pipe and put it on his shoulder, shit this is a bazooka, so much that he aims at us and we try to dodge, he went towards Croix, I jumped to save her, what I ended up being hit, using a magic shield I could protect what I could, but I only felt the explosion hitting me still and throwing me and Meridies a little to the side already the pyromaniac simply disappeared from that corridor, I stand up half hurt and look at Meridies eyes that was fine.
"Chariot! You're crazy, why did you do that? You could die" she said and I just turn around.
"Well you could too, I protected you in time, even though the rocket still broke through my defences, now let's defeat this curse or get out of here" I tell her.
"Chariot you're bleeding from some parts of your back, are you sure you can handle it?" I don't believe it.
"Are you going to give up now? We have to find out who this pyromaniac is and also run away from here, I'm with you on this, if I wasn't I wouldn't be willing to risk giving up my life as a teacher just so I could be by your side" I say to Croix who is a bit dumbfounded.
"Chariot..." She said shocked and all I care about is getting out of here, so much that I pull her hand.
"Let's hurry up, this is hurting too much" I tell her who gives me a potion.
I take the potion and it gives me some relief, I still have pains, but I think it might be enough to run and move fast, we take the chance to run in the corridor lowering the flames, the problem is the smoke which is getting very intense, not even the masks are working, this way I'll end up with the same lungs as my great grandmother.
We manage to get to a cell, this one is very similar to the others, only that Croix ends up taking a C4 bomb from his waist, planting it on the floor, it must be our escape.
"Here, Margaret said she's dug a hole all these years in this driveway, we'll just need to pop the thick layer of cement she's put over it" Meridies said and I'm relieved.
"We'd better get out of here" I say as I see the bomb timer, we have two minutes until the bomb arrives and soon we saw the flames getting more intense.
"Witches! Witches! Witches! Do not try to escape your judgment! You will know the real hell!" said the pyromaniac in that frightening robotic voice of his.
I reload my 12 gauge this time, when we leave the cell two gates close, leaving us surrounded and alone with the pyromaniac that already starts to throw flames in my direction, I take the cover and I am already safe, the flames keep on being shot, I look to the side and I see him setting fire to the cells one by one without releasing the button.
I see that Croix is with a grenade in the hand, she starts to throw it as a bowling ball, the explosion was enough to throw back the piromaniac a little, what we already celebrate, after that she signals that she is going to throw one more and asks me to shoot, what I make sure to do, I take my pistol and shoot at the time that arrives close to the piromaniac that even falls sitting on the ground.
"Now let's put an end to this whole damn thing!" I tell him after throwing the pistol on the ground and picking up the twelve-gauge.
The curse throws a grenade in my direction, I go running and jump passing by it, I even give a roll on the ground after and when he gets up I go shooting more closely with my 12 gauge, what makes him walk backwards with the impact of the shots, but still has that sound of hitting iron, it's not lethal, neither in the chest nor in the head, the sound of this thing even makes me deaf with the intensity that it was.
"Damn you came prepared for this!" I say half indignantly.
"Burn witch! Burn!" He said as he went to prepare the flame thrower and I saw that my twelve-gauge was running out of ammunition, I throw it on the ground.
"You know what? Let's see if this armour can handle that" I say, already accumulating magic in my legs.
The pyromaniac is starting to gather flames but Croix appears shooting with the rifle against the cursed that is starting to walk backwards with the impact of the shots but still not being enough, making him walk backwards, and not being able to use the flame thrower, now I am totally concentrated.
I launch myself with my legs and give a strong two feet flying towards the cursed that ends up being thrown with everything against the gate that went down enough for me to feel the iron of his clothes bending and with that he was after using magic to launch me a little backwards, but the wind current made me give a mortal and land calmly.
"Who will burn now?" I tell him who aimed the flame-thrower and I take the opportunity to hold out my hand.
"Burn witch!" He said firing the flames, but I didn't give a shit and went about using all my magic to freeze.
It was a shock enough to hit the pyromaniac's flame thrower and thus deactivate it, so much that I was even relieved with all this, then an explosion came, what a relief, our escape route was opened, the pyromaniac without the flames will now have to leave in hand with me.
He went to try and punch me and I just grabbed his fist and kicked him right in the part where his face is, giving magic charged blows to cause more damage and damaging his armor, until at one point he was falling to the ground and turned to me, trying to use a knife, but I dodged it and gave him another punch to the face, lifted him up and threw him forward.
"I can hold my own against such heavy armour" I say confidently.
"A female won't beat me like that, it's time to sort this out properly" he said, taking off his armour, revealing himself to be him.
"You are the boy who was arrested!" I say shocked.
"Surprise? Now let's see if the witch can go against my blows so..." I simply reach out my hand and give a draught that throws him backwards, and that way I'm already running towards him to surrender him at once.
"Chariot! Look out!" That's what Croix said.
I run still yes then I hear the sound of a twelve caliber shot, a pain in my chest comes with everything, I look down and see that I was hit, so much that I take off the mask and see that it was my blood, this no... I can't die like this, he tries to shoot again but he was out of ammo, but I guess the waistcoat didn't protect that much against a twelve gauge, I got caught in the distraction.
"Chariot!" Said Croix crying, running towards me and also taking off his mask and I was only half in pain, kneeling on the ground and with my hand on my chest starting to fill with blood.
"Hahaha, you will now get the end you deserve your..." I just see Meridies taking a pistol out of his holster and simply unloading the shots towards the boy, he goes walking backwards full of holes.
I'm feeling enormous pain, I had no notion that the twelve gauge would do so much damage to my chest like this, I guess that's what death is, anyway, I guess I can say I did my job, I see Croix taking the bullet out of me, it gave horrible pain and then using a healing spell on my chest, I could feel the pain easing.
"Chariot don't die! Ahhhhhhhh! We're going to make it!" she said and I noticed that her waistcoat was starting to bleed.
"What are you doing Croix?" I ask as the pain gets less worse.
"Passing the injury to my body, you still have a long life ahead of you, whatever happens I won't let you die" She said hugging me.
In the middle of it I pull her for a kiss, I felt all honored, she did all this for me, I was already having more strength, feeling the pain more relieved, my chest still hurts a little, but this kiss, it was like a sense of relief, she really is wanting to redmirme, I see her even later leaving the kiss and spitting some blood that gets on my clothes.
"Croix!" I say worriedly.
"I love you Chariot Du Nord" I was devastated and I can't allow this, I went about giving her potions in her mouth, to try and close the wound more.
"I won't let you die now Croix, we'll walk away from this together! I love you!" I say to her who has been taking the potions and coughing up some blood.
"What are you doing Chariot, go! You can get out of here and be free, leave me here!" she said and I got up, even though I was in some pain, carrying her in my arms.
"I'm only leaving here with you! I'm not going to stop protecting the people I love most in this world" I tell her, carrying her in my arms.
I go to where the hole was blown, jump into the tunnel, get rid of all the armament and waistcoat before, just to be lighter to carry Croix, if I'm fast enough I can get to a safe place, we slide down to the beginning of the tunnel and it's kind of well done, I never expected something like this.
"Chariot, you really don't give up" she says and I lay her down on the floor, starting to pick up a couple of potion vials and throw them on her chest, I take the opportunity to rip her waistcoat off and see the bloodstain, I start to look up a bit with the potion and she feels the pain.
"I already said that for the one I love I will not give up" I tell her and she even smiles a little.
"I think it's the best thing to do, I don't want to hurt you again Chariot... You know, all this time I've been a toxic person with you, I've ruined your life, I did it all in such a cold way, I should have at least thought about your feelings" Croix said and I'm not giving up anyway.
"This is no time for that, I'll use whatever it takes to keep you alive, damn it! I don't have enough potions here, damn it! They're running out, I won't let you Croix, even if I have to sacrifice my chest to do it" I tell her while I used the last potion and I can already see her getting less pale.
"What an exaggeration Chariot, just go, I don't think there's any way out... For me, I don't deserve to be in this world, I've destroyed too many lives... Chariot Du Nord, I love you..." She closes her eyes and falls unconscious, I don't believe it, Croix! Croix! Croix!
"Croix!" I scream in despair and I think I'd better run, I put my head on her chest, her heart is still beating, only very weakly, she can still breathe with difficulty.
I hold her in my arms and start running through the tunnel, I hope that soon find the exit from here, I was walking just a little to realize that there is a slide and on it had a gate, only with password, I typed "Diana" on the kick and it opened, as I imagined the face of Margaret Ford.
I pass through the door which then closes, so no one can reach us, I sit down on the slide and go down at full speed.
Croix don't worry, I'll be able to save you, we'll get out of here, I'll be able to keep you alive on this one, if it wasn't for the tension of the moment I'd find the slide fun because it's long, I think we should be going down the whole mountain from the prison to the surface.
"Croix Meridies I love you" I say that on the way.
This here is too fast, it's not for nothing that it must have taken so long, it was years assembling a slide to escape from prison and digging the tunnel all the way down here, down the mountain, this I can credit Margaret, hold on to your tips love that we'll soon be in Doras living together and preferably alive.
The slide is over, I was still sliding on the ground hitting the earth and lifting all around, but at least we reached the end, I take the chance to check the vital signs and Croix is still alive, whew... I think she fainted by the loss of blood or something else, still her life is in a countdown, on the other hand her breathing stopped, what the hell no... I start doing mouth to mouth breathing to get her breathing again.
"Croix no! React Croix!" I say desperately and she goes on to have a brief return to breathing, thanks to magic I can actually pump air into her body, but I'm already running out, so I can hold the ends of her lung working.
I reach a ladder, I go up it and with that you can notice that everything gets pretty dark around here, you can't notice where it reaches, until I hit my head and keep pushing up, where I come across the outside, it was already getting dark, I see that Laura was waiting for us in the exact location, how wonderful, I soon bring Croix out and breathe relieved.
"You guys did it!" She said and I'm still desperate.
"Tell me you brought potions!" I say desperately and she goes on handing me some.
I in desperation rip the chest of Croix's clothes and start throwing potions on the injured region, the potions take effect, the wounds close up and it really was an ugly mess that the blond boy gave me before Croix passed the wounds on her.
"Has she been shot? I don't know if you'll be able to save 'er in time Chariot" Laura said, already a bit desperate.
"I took the shot, it's a long story, but she passed the injuries to her body, she made this sacrifice for me, I can't let her die" I say in despair and cheer up as I see her chest finally closing up.
"Look de 'ole has closed up but de damage inside could still be pretty big, I brought some clothes too, I know Croix can't show up in prisoner's clothes so I brought those" Said Mrs McLaren using magic and changing Meridies clothes that was going to breathe at least, now she can breathe, I put my head on her chest and it's beating.
"She's alive! We did it!" I say excitedly.
"Now let's go straight to Doras, can you 'old on and fly there?" I nod my head in agreement and pick up the broom keychain, tranforming it to normal size.
"I'll tell you back in Doras what happened, it's a lot" I tell Laura.
"I imagine it is, I've already 'eard about the deft of de flute, it seems dat de boss 'as fooled us once again, but she's already shown 'er face in front of you, it's a sign, even so we have to find out what de identity of dis witch is" That was almost it, there's still a lot of rottenness that ended up happening.
We get the brooms, flying away from the prison, I just stare at Croix and a bit behind, seeing an avalanche falling over the prison just in time, at the same time it caught fire, apparently it was not a good idea to build a prison on an icy mountain, the damn boss will be responsible for all those lives, I hope.
"It's de end of Arcturus prison, it hurts me even more to know dat Naomi was dere and now she might be dead, so many years waiting to see 'er missing wife again and on top of dat being sabotaged all the time, one of my great friends" Laura said and I remember Naomi, I had even forgotten that she was stuck there, it's been 20 years of all this.
Arriving in Doras...
We land in Doras, strangely I see a lady there, on closer look, it was my great grandmother Adeleine, I get confused, but the priority is to leave Croix in a bed, I get into the most despair, I wave to Sifla, I run to the room, where I see there is a bed, I lay Meridies there and soon check the vital signs, everything is fine, until then, I see Laura appears later.
"Let 'er rest a bit, you 'ave done too much now, soon she will wake up into your arms" Mrs McLaren said with her hand on my shoulder and I agreed with my head.
"Be well Croix, know that you were too brave today and also that you deserve my trust back, not just anyone risks their life for another" I say passing my hand on her face.
"What I wouldn't do for Bernadette too... I wanted to pass de illness she was in to die instead, at least Diana would 'ave de care of a loving mother, my other daughters would still 'ave my mother and father to look after..." Laura said and I quickly got up.
"I completely understand, I know how it is to deal with the loss, now let's see what my great grandmother wants so much, it's too suspicious she's around here" I say leaving the room.
Together we were reaching my great-grandmother, she was with open arms wanting a hug it was definitely her, only shining in a strange way, I was feeling as if it was a magic flowing through my body, as if it was something she wanted to pass on to me.
"What's all this Great-grandmother Adeleine?" I ask, still a little confused.
"This is my goodbye Chariot, I knew you were in a complicated situation and want to defeat the boss, she also affected in my life, I lost my mothers because of her, I am with you to give you strength to continue this journey, that's why I came to give a goodbye to my so dear great granddaughter" Said my great grandmother and she will kill herself? Wait a bit.
"You will..." She nods her head in agreement.
"I think 102 years is already a very considerable time of life don't you think? I could still live longer thanks to magic, but here I am, I think that my cycle as a witch comes to an end, I will be giving the opportunity and trust to this new generation, you in this case Chariot, you are important for the change of the world and the witches' revolution, I may leave, but I will still be part of Doras, as a tribute to the great Sifla that was my best friend here, goodbye... Chariot" She put her hand on my shoulder.
The magic started to flow into me, in a very powerful way, the greenish effects went through my body, I was seeing a spiritual shadow of Louise, Diana III, my own great-grandmother, all putting their trust in me, even seeing other faces, like Cavendish's, including a relative, it was...
"Bernadette..." Said Laura beside me and I went feeling everything in me until my great-grandmother starts to glow.
The glow got intense to the point of making me walk backwards, what I see next is a tree, my great grandmother really sacrificed herself for us, she gave all the trust and magic to me, I can feel a magic power that I never felt before, it's strange, how she can keep all this hidden from all of us, we always saw her as a quiet old lady, but she is actually an even stronger witch than me.
"Goodbye Adeleine Du Nord" said Mrs McLaren.
"Goodbye dear great grandmother, I promise I will do my best to honour your death, I will miss your advice and teachings very much" I say placing my hand on the trunk of the tree.
"It seems that one more person is going in dis world... I feel every loss... One more... What a bitch... Dis just makes me more sure dat we have to change dings. Your great-grandmother didn't have to sacrifice 'erself. But dat damn boss who ended up doing de damage, I just want 'er to be defeated soon" Laura said crying and I even hug her.
"We will make it Laura, for all the witches who fought bravely for everyone, now I am going back to take care of that person who is special to me" I tell her who even pats my head.
"You are what brings 'ope to Croix, know dat your presence to 'er was very special, you made de right decision to be with 'er, I am sure that with you around de mechas will be ready and de witches revolution will 'appen, now I 'ave to go, I want to see if Naomi is still alive, I 'ope she is" Said Mrs McLaren flying away from there.
I walk to Sifla's house, I see that she was playing Fortinite, I wave to her who waves back, I enter the room and see that Croix was with her eyes open and with that I go running towards her, giving her a hug which makes her give a few coughs and then seeing those green eyes I also see a smile.
"You saved me Chariot" she said.
"And I would save you as many times as I needed to, the one who saved me was you" I tell her.
"Sorry to get you into trouble, looks like things have reversed themselves now heh" Croix said and I put my finger on her nose.
"It's okay now Croix, the important thing is to see that you are alive and well, now we can do our mission of defeating the boss" I tell her.
"Yes, I'll try what I can, but... About what you said... Forget it's bullshit" I just shake my head.
"It's not that much bullshit, I love you Croix Meridies" I tell her who blushes.
"I love you too Chariot Du Nord" We ended up kissing afterwards, now yes I can let my feelings flow more.
POV Narrator:
In spite of the occurrences, the escape from Arcturus' prison ended up being a success and thanks to the work of Chariot and Croix, they could escape even with the near death of both of them by the hands of Louis Blackwell (1999-2020) that ended up not resisting to the several shots that he ended up taking from Meridies that was extremely pissed off when he saw that his beloved was shot by a 12-gauge.
But things didn't finish here, there will still be a lot of tension ahead, mainly to solve these new issues of Chariot and Croix's fugitive life and the coming of the witches' revolution that is taking place, besides the reaction of some people to know that Meridies escaped from prison.
See you, free witches...