Fall From Glory

Futile

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Alvar asked, crouched by the cell bars.

"Keep your voice down," Gethen hissed, "and yes-if everything goes according to plan."

"Would you chill out, Gethie?" Ruy's voice chimed. "Alvy will be just fine."

Alvar shot him a look-which Ruy probably didn't see in the near-pitch darkness cloaking them all.

"Quit your inane blathering. They're approaching!" Trix whispered harshly from his position at the corner of the grating.

"Let it be known that I will not hesitate to pull out the repudiate lie." Umber grumbled, right before the footsteps sounded.

Trix sighed but said nothing in contrast.

The heavy footfalls sounded down the corridor, right on time. Thunder shook with each step, chilling the nerves of each Neverseen member as they hunched over in shadow.

Soon, the light drew back a curtain around the ogre guard as he stomped uniformly into view.

Alvar took his telepathic cue from Gethen and Vanished.

"Escape, attempt number twenty four, here we go," Umber whispered under her breath as Gethen took center stage in front of the cell bars.

"Guard!" The Telepath called, having no time to waste glaring at the Shade.

"Yes?" The guard grunted as he approached the cell.

"Alvar has escaped! I just woke up to find him missing. Where else could he go but out?"

The guard rolled his unflinchingly pale eyes. "In the corner?"

"I checked all the corners, including the ones on the ceiling. He's nowhere to be found!" Gethen protested, his worried face sliding back on like a mask after the guard's unexpected response.

"Well, I suppose I could check the corridors," the guard grumbled assent.

"Or I could check the area near the cell bars where he's waiting, invisible. How dumb do you think I am?" 

Alvar contained his yelp as the ogre's kick barely missed his head, and he soundlessly rolled out of the way, still using his layered vanish ability.

Just then, Alvar appeared in the corridor a few yards away from the guard. "I don't think you'll want me to answer that. Come and get me, you big smelly thug!"

The Vanisher turned and bolted down the narrow expanse of prison, not bothering to check over his shoulder if the guard was following.

Sure enough, the guard cursed and sprinted after Alvar with heavy footsteps and rattling metal, throwing a well-aimed dagger as he went. Somehow, Alvar managed to duck and keep going at high speed.

"Next phase," Gethen directed as Alvar-the real Alvar-reappeared at his side. "Glimmer, Umber, keep it up."

Ruy created force field spheres, which Trix promptly levitated and formed them to the bars in the shape of a wide circle. Several spheres later, and the shape would be big enough for them to crawl through.

The Psionipath took over holding them in place, then expanded them until the bars cracked and broke, bending away from Ruy and the others loudly. 

"Shoot, that was louder than I thought it would be," Ruy whistled, drinking in the damage he and Trix had caused.

Gethen was already in the hallway. "Hurry! Knock out the guards and take their weapons, then escape somehow! Stay together, since we don't have a Teleporter."

"Shouldn't we conquer in groups?" Alvar asked.

"We already tried that, remember?" The Telepath fired, on the verge of taking off down the corridor in the direction that guard had came from.