Stellar

Chapter 19

"Ready?" Kai questioned with a devilish smirk on his face. Petra nodded and Kai unlocked the door.

Petra stepped out, feeling the full force of the cosmos. She took a moment to relish in the feeling and looked to the other guards. Hendry was stood the other side of the doorway, normal grumpy expression plastered on his face. Three and Ruby were a little way down the corridor keeping watch. All dressed in similar forest green guard uniforms, making Petra wonder where they had found them. But questions will have to wait, she needed to get out of this place.

"No one there." Ruby signed, and Kai grabbed Petra's hand and walked her swiftly towards the girls. Hendry trailed slightly behind, just in case anyone followed them.

They snuck through the walkways of the dungeon. The candles lining the walls creating strange shadows. Shouts from the other prisoners could be heard as they walked down a corridor of doors.

There were a lot more prisoners here than Petra thought, nearly every cell was occupied, and her mind wondered what they all did to land them in such a depressing place. Most of them seemed to be talking gibberish but Petra knew that their mind must be trapped somewhere just like hers was. Some were asking when they would get out, begging for the visions to stop, but the grim expression on Hendry's and Kai's face told her that they probably would ever get freedom again.

Three led them through a large door made from some sort of metal. This corridor was even more grim than the last. The doors were larger and had several locks on each. It was eerily quiet. Prisoners could be seen in these cells, but they were all docile. Most were sat staring at the walls, silent.

Hendry's breathing quickened and Petra could see the spear he held in his hands shaking. His face however remained emotionless. He gave Petra a quick fake smile when he noticed her staring.

She was about to ask what had gotten him so rattled when a guard with another prisoner marched down the hall towards them. Hendry and Kai thinking quickly grabbed one of Petra's arms each, pretending they were escorting her to another cell. Three and Ruby fell into a march and put their most menacing faces on.

Petra held her breath as the guard walked past them. He had hardly spared them a look, just nodded at Hendry as they crossed paths.

After walking down a series of corridors and through various doors, they turned a final corner. And at the end of it there it was. The door out of here, the door to freedom. They were almost there. Footsteps speeding up as they got closer and closer.

An alarm sound rang out throughout the dungeon and two guards appeared in front of the door.

"We almost made it" Kai said in frustration while drawing his sword.

Several other guards began chasing them down the corridor. They all legged it towards the door. Thinking they had a better chance of getting past two guards rather than the seven or so behind them.

Kai flew himself at the first guard he came to. He was locked in a battle of swords and was trying with all his might to overpower a foe who probably had more than 10 years training on him. Despite only being able to use his uninjured arm, Kai looked like he was winning.

Three took care of the other guard by throwing a few punches in every time he tried to use his Solar casting. Ruby and Hendry turned back and tried to keep away the guards that were closing in on them. Ruby's arrows flying through the air, not striking anyone, just a warning and Hendry using his spear to push back anyone who dared get close enough.

More guards descended and they were closing in on the group. Petra, using her newly found power, summoned a large amount of water and pushed it towards the guards, forcing them back. It brought them some time to figure out the complicated locks on the door out of there.

Petra and Three began to fiddle with different handles and levers in hopes that something would work. But the door wouldn't budge. Petra noticed some scorch marks by one of the holes in the door. As she looked over it more and more appeared. Without thinking about it she put her hands on the two holes and summoned a small fireball. She forced the fireball into the holes and heard a clunk. Three then turned the wheel and the door began to edge open.

"Watch out!" Screamed Kai as he cut the leg of a guard who was about to hit Petra. The two of them worked in sync, pushing the guards back enough so that the others could leave through the door.

Petra summoned all her strength and produced a gale of wind, driving the guards back a few feet. Leaving enough time for them to make their way through the door and for Hendry to block it with a piece of wood. Petra moved a large rock in front of it for extra protection and they ran into the woods.

They soon arrived at Hendry's lodge. Out of breath, Petra collapsed into a chair and took off her shoes. She could feel a blister forming on her right foot from all the running she had done today.

"I'll make some tea." Hendry informed the group, his grumpy façade faltering with a slight smile. The group made various agreeing noises.

"Thank you," Petra said causing the group to give her some questioning looks, "for getting me out of there" They all scoffed at her.

"As if we were going to leave you there." Three said Petra grinned at all of them. She accepted the tea from Hendry and was glad she was back where she belonged. The twins quickly drank their tea and walked home.

They were met with a very concerned and angry mother. They missed their curfew by half an hour. If only you knew. I think you'd be glad we only missed it by half an hour. Petra thought to herself. The twins ate dinner trying to appease their mother who was threatening them with not going out again. She had calmed down by the time they had got to bed.

Petra was just about todrift off to sleep. Flashes of the events plagued her mind. She tossed andturned for a few minutes. Giving up, she got up and quietly knocked on Ruby'sdoor. Ruby immediately shifted over, making room for Petra and Petra slid innext to her