The Light in the Dark ✓

Chapter 4 Escape

Iris straightened and looked around, confused. The Inquisitors were running frantically, weapons ready in their hands. She couldn't quite catch what they were shouting. One of them trotted in their direction. His helmet was gone, probably left by the fire. He was frowning, and his eyes were darting in all directions, searching for a threat.

He was barely a few steps away when Iris heard a whooshing sound, and the knight howled in pain, grabbing an arrow that stuck out of the side of his neck. His sword slipped off his numbed fingers, and he fell on his knees, rasping for breath. He was right next to the cage. Iris could see the agony on his face, the blood spilling out of his lips. She screamed and covered her mouth with her hands, eyes wide in shock.

More shouting and the clunk of clashing steel pierced the night. Iris forced herself to look away from a wheezing and dying knight. More shady figures were fighting with the Inquisitors. Iris was staring, her mouth wide open. She was unsure what was happening, her mind still a bit fuzzy from the smoke she inhaled.

A movement caught her attention. She turned that way to see a young man running towards their cage. He didn't wear armour, just a simple traveller attire - pants, tunic, and knee-high boots.

'Well, finally!' exclaimed the beggar when the stranger reached their wagon. 'What took you so long, boy?'

'There were complications on the way,' the man replied calmly. 'A few wandering Inquisitors. Nothing we couldn't handle, though.'

'Fine, stop boasting and get us out of here!' ordered the old man. His trailing accent was completely gone now, his voice full of conviction and command.

Before Iris managed to utter a word, a young man stretched his arm toward the fire, and his hand started to glow while the flames diminished. Iris stared in awe while the stranger hovered his hand over the cage's lock. The metal started melting with a loud hiss and fell to the grass. The doors opened wide.

'All right, time to get going,' said the old man, and before she could move, he grabbed her hand and pulled her with him out of the wagon. She tripped and stumbled, her legs shaking from staying for too long in a seated position. The man put a hand on her shoulder, supporting her.

'What's happening?' Iris finally stuttered.

'What do you think? We're breaking free. That's what's happening,' scoffed the beggar. 'Jayden, shackles if you please.' He outstretched his bound hands toward the young man.

The Mage drew more light from the fire, the blaze reduced to glowing embers now. Iris was amazed as he used the radiance to form the shape of a key and started to meddle with a shackle's lock. He frowned in focus, sweat pearling on his forehead. There was a loud click, and the bonds fell onto the grass, clattering. The stranger turned to her and gestured for her hands. She raised her bound wrists, and it took him even less time to free her.

'Thank you,' Iris gasped in relief when her hands were finally free.

'We have to go, no time to talk,' said the old man grabbing her hand again and pulling her towards the trees. 'Do you have horses?'

'Yes, but not here. We had to be quiet to sneak up this close,' replied the young man leading them, expertly finding his way in the dark through the thick overgrowth of trees and bushes. The sounds of the fighting faded away behind them, as well as light from the torches. Iris kept tripping and stumbling in the dark, but the old man was right next to her, catching her every time she was about to fall. He moved surprisingly nimbly, considering his age. After a while, her eyes finally got used to the faint light of the moon. The forest got thinner as they approached another clearing, so it got a bit brighter.