Promises

ch.18 rescue

I put my helmet on, following Queen Vania's and Morro's lead. We must be close to our destination if they put on their helmets to hide their identities. Morro then suddenly stopped and hit behind a rock in front of us. Vania followed, signaling for us and her guard to scatter and hide. I dived behind a decent-sized boulder, looking my head out of the side to see what they were looking at. A group of guards was leaving a hatch that was hidden under the sand. I watched as they gathered their things and started marching away from us, possibly to a camp close by. I looked back at Morro and Vania, noticing the signal to approach the entrance of the supposed prison we came across.

I highly walked crossed the plan desert area. feeling the warm sand on my ghostly feet. Vania followed my lead as I slowly approached the entrance. I paused and listened for any sounds through the entrance, not hearing any. I nodded and slowly opened the creaking hatch. Why does it have to be so loud? I paused, examining the tunnel before jumping in. I heard the sound of the royal guards jumping down behind me.
We appeared to be in this warm-looking area, possibly for the guards here. I looked around the room, spotting a metal door and approaching it. I swiftly opened the cold, metal door. Finding the dark dungeon-like area we had expected. I looked back, noticing everyone was examining the room for threats or hidden passages, anything inconvenient. I snapped my fingers catching their attention before pointing back into the room. Vania, Fredrick, and Harumi came over, taking a glance into the room before quickly, yet quietly walking into the room. We all paused at the sound of feet walking down the hall. I remained silent, listening to the steps. At least five guards were coming our way, judging on the number of feet I can hear. I got into my battle stance, everyone else following my lead. The five guards walked around the corner, barely processing the problem before getting jumped by Harumi and Vania, Frederick and I followed their lead. I jumped off the wall, using the speed I gained from doing so to knock out a guard, completely shattering his helmet as I hit him in the head with the handle of my glaive. I looked up, spotting Vania stabbing a guy in the stomach. This continued for a couple of minutes, none of us saying a word. When we finished the guards here were nothing but torn up corpses. I perked my head up from the corpse I was looking at, as I heard a chain move from the room behind me. I slowly made my way to the prison door before opening it, finding a horrified Nerou behind it. He was huddled in a corner, holding his hands that were cuffed to his chest. I wanted to gag at the cage over his mouth. This man was treating them like they were animals. I looked at a guard before snapping my fingers. Ordering them to help him. Two walked into the room, I watched for a moment as they tried to get Nerou to calm down, showing him they are not there to hurt him. I continued down the hall, opening rooms and finding horrified elemental masters behind them. Vania took it upon herself to help Skyler who was trembling, covered in blood. Harumi helped Mr. Pale and Frederick helped Karloff. Anyone else there was helped by a guard as I continued down the path, looking for two certain elementals I was determined to find. I eventually found myself by one of the end doors, slowly opening it. I heard a small whimper as I did so. I looked off into the dark room, barely seeing the two figures there. One hugging the other while looking up at me, glaring daggers into my soul. I fumbled around and found a light switch, turning the light on so I could see who they were. I froze. Cole continued to glare at me as if daring me to come closer. I slowly approached him but he pulled the red figure closer to him, In which I assumed was kai. The guards did something, he won't come to me if I hide my identity. With that thought in mind, I slowly took my helmet off, putting it on the ground. I also put my weapons on the ground for good measure before putting my hands up to show they are empty. "We are not here to hurt you, we're here to help you" I reassured the horrified and protective man in front of me. His glare softened and he looked at me, scanning me up and down before nodding. I slowly made my way over. Fumbling with the cuffs on his hands. "Can you talk?" I questioned. He looked at me. "I can." He responded. I nodded as I got the cuffs off his hands. He massaged his wrists which had bruises from the cuffs. I looked down at Kai, fiddling with his cuffs. "What happened to him?" I asked, looking at the wounds on his body up and down. The most worrisome was the wound on his head. "The guards best us... Hit him in the head pretty hard, he's struggling to remember things." Cole replied sadly. I looked up at him. "How bad?" I asked. "He couldn't even remember my name and I was right next to him this whole time." He mumbled. I nodded. I scanned him up and down, spotting bruises, cuts and noticing his thin stature. I looked back at kai who also had a thin stature. "Cole, what did they do to you?" I asked. He stayed silent. "I prefer not to talk about that right now... I just want to get out of here." He mumbled. I nodded in understanding. "Can you walk?" I asked. He got up shakily and managed to walk. "Yes, not the best but I can walk." He responded. I nodded, picking up Kai into my arms. "Alright. You won't need to walk too much. Just until we get to our camp." I walked out where everyone was waiting. Vania rushed over at the sight of her friends. She hugged cole gently before looking at the boy in my arms, she then gave me a look of worry which I returned. She looked back at her guards. "We need to move. Let's go." She ordered.

Finally they were rescued and honestly, I only have gotten through almost half of the story and there are almost 20 chapters. I'm dying on the inside.