Moonless - The Eternal Night

Escape

Orion

Loudly, his heart pounded against his ribs, loud enough that he thought they might break. Pressed against the rough, stone wall, he struggled to control his breathing, forcing himself to be calm so they wouldn't hear him. The footsteps, that echoed in the corridors.

His left fist clenched around a knife, while his right held the small flashlight he had stolen from John's room. He had asked the doctor for a refill of medications, only to take advantage of the moment. The temptation had been great to take one of the scalpels and ram it into the owner's flesh. To vent his anger on the elf. To yell at him. To shake him. For the way he could simply eat while knowing that a child was trapped in this place. Could be bitten at any moment. That cold-hearted indifference.

Typical elf.

Damn elf.

He didn't do it. And in the end, he was glad. John didn't stop him. No one stopped him. The castle was like a ghost town as he stealthily descended the floors. At least until now. Until the bottom floor. Hardly had he reached it and paused to orient himself, the echoes had traveled through the hall. Warned him, so that without thinking, he turned into a corridor, then into the next, sneaking along the wall, breathing shallowly, forcing his heart to calm down.

Quiet, Orion, quiet.

Remember your training.

You're a rebel. One of the best. Not just a simple slave.

With his eyes closed, he focused. On the fights. All the fights he had fought before. When he was still free. By the side of his men. He focused on the training. Orion had never been good at sneaking, he was used to using his anger, his rage, in battle, like a weapon. But now he had to calm down. He had to find this place. The eye of the storm. Everything in him could continue to rage. His emotions could roar and howl and tug at him, but he had to find the center. The calm.

Slowly, deliberately, quietly, he exhaled and listened to the footsteps. The voices.

"...Ambassador of Midnight. Just like that. If she messes with them, I'm out. They're by far the most powerful family. Involved in everything."

"Don't forget Ataraxia. They're the oldest. And the richest."

There was a brief silence, then a pensive sound. "But have you heard the rumors? About the head of the family?"

"Oh, they're just rumors."

"But..."

"Shh!" the sentence was interrupted. "Do you smell that? Smells like human.!"

Silence again. Then the sound of sniffing. Scenting. By the damn dawn. "Surely not...?"

"Come!" Footsteps abruptly changed direction, became faster. Coming towards him. Exactly in his direction.

Orion didn't hesitate but whirled around and ran, his fist clenched around the knife, almost convulsively. He dared not turn on the light. He knew he could only distract the shifters in the darkness, hoping they weren't of a species that possessed night vision.

Blindly, he stormed ahead, his heart immediately leaping, pounding in his throat, behind his temples, as he reached out a hand to avoid stumbling in the darkness of the corridors.

Although his tall figure always made plenty of noise, the carpet muffled the steps of his bare soles, leaving only a slight, soft, rapid drumming sound, while behind him, two other drums beat. Fast, rushing. Voices flew over the noise. He didn't listen. He didn't pay attention.

His heart raced.

He felt the pursuers at his back. Felt his skin crawl, felt it reverberate through his entire body. Faster!