Alex watched the crescent moon rise above the trees of the garden, the Elf's footsteps echoing through the attic as he watched the stars appear, growing more anxious with each passing second. He knew what she was feeling at that moment, it was a frustrating reality, being so close to her goal, yet patience was a necessity. Alex had been working on the plan for a week, planned it to a perfection, and nothing could throw a spanner in the works. Not even partnering up with an Elf that he met in the attic of his target's castle, the presence of his new companion had already accounted for the path forward.
The rational side within him warned the rest to be a bit more cautious around someone who had tried to stab him mere minutes ago. Confronting a red-haired Elf with penetrating emerald eyes bathed in darkness would have been unnerved the greatest of heroes, her visage made even more terrifying by the fact that she towered over him by two inches. However, something about the Elf, something in her eyes when they first locked gaze, put forth a convincing argument to not choke her unconscious before she could blink. Maybe he saw some potential in her to continue in his line of work, or that something about the pain in her eyes reminded Alex about himself.
_Do this after you're done._
"Why are we wasting time?" the Elf's impatient voice snapped Alex back to the present.
"Can't tell you, yet." He replied, the words causing him to be hoisted by the brim of his hood, her frustration evident as her eyes remained exceptionally still. The voice inside his head pushed to put her in her place, yet he calmly responded, slipping out of her grip before his words ended, "I know that you're anxious, but there's no reason to get physical."
Brushing off the dust from his cloak, he reminded her, "I don't fully trust you either, so think before you do something that might provoke me," As the Elf clicked her tongue, returning to pacing along the window line, allowing him to check the time. Pulling out his pocket watch, his eyes fell upon its minute hand, calculations running rampant before his mind was sure it was the right moment.
Snapping the copper cover close with a flick of his wrist, Alex added," But you are right. We have waited long enough, and we shouldn't make the Earl wait for his decided fate any longer." The Elf's body exuded relief as she started to move towards the door that was at the back of the attic.
"Not that way," Alex exclaimed, stopping her in her tracks, knowing that he was grinning like a maniac as he motioned her to follow him.
He made his way to the other side of the attic, through stacks of painting shoved into boxes full of jewellery, old forgotten chandeliers, and extremely poorly made replications of weapons from legends, crafting a list of anything that seemed stolen or out of place. It took all the will in the world not to explode into a flurry of sneezes as he pushed past the blankets of dust upon the antiquities, the sound of creaking wood beneath unhelpful. The Elf followed close behind, stepping on his heels multiple times, yet never apologising. Thankfully, he soon arrived to his destination, and immediately he could feel an air of doubt from behind as he pressed his back onto the blank wooden wall in front of them.
"What are you standing there for? Come on, we don't have any time to lose," He grinned through his teeth as he motioned her to do the same, which she reluctantly did. "When I say so, push your entire weight against the wall," he instructed, taking in a deep breath as he focused his muscles for the ordeal ahead and with a tap on the wall, they began. The wall stood there, unwilling to move in spite of their efforts, yet they groaned against it, the planks creaking under their weight, some approaching their limit, crackling echoing through the attic, but finally, Alex felt it cave.
"Move a bit to your right," Alex instructed once again, and the Elf did so hesitantly, another tap on the wall, caused them to start to push once more However, this time, a faint mechanical click echoed from behind the wall, and with it the solid barrier finally gave way. The faux wall fell, and the Elf stumbled with it, but he quickly moved to grab the edge of the passage and her arm, preventing them both from tumbling into absolute uncertainty. A glance behind revealed a small chamber that had stretched itself further, narrowing into a tiny passage, and if it had been relayed correctly, a path weaving through the entire castle, hidden behind the stone walls of every room in the building.
YOU ARE READING
NEMO: Into The Depths
Fantasi"After you achieved your revenge, after that brief moment of ecstasy at finally doing it, killing the person who caused you so much harm, you felt empty inside. It's as if all the actions you took, all the sacrifices you made, all the people you cut...
