Unspeakable Secrets The Alchemist Series (A Dark Medieval Progression Fantasy)

Chapter 59 Stairs

Connor opened the door and stepped into the hallway, making sure to close it behind him before heading up to the door that stood between him and the rest of the ship.

He crouched down and peered through the keyhole, his heart thumping with the fear that another patrol would choose just that moment to come through. What he saw was much the same as before with the staircases, mast, and guards conversing near one of the staircases.

So, he got to work, pulling upon his alchemy power and eating through the bolt of the lock.

He tore through the metal as fast as he could, while still doing what he could to keep the cut clean. It was only a matter of time before the guards noticed something was off. He didn't like relying on the guards' habits and sheer luck but there was nothing for it.

He paused periodically to look through the keyhole, just in case another patrol was coming. But each time he saw nothing, so he kept working on the lock.

Thankfully, its enchantments didn't include a regeneration one and he sheered through it rapidly.

His alchemy was starting to feel more than a little fatigued for burning through multiple locks in so short a time.

But, the time he'd spent trying to heavily refine the lock of his cell had made him stronger and granted him more than enough endurance to be up to the challenge.

Once he'd cut through the last of the lock, he blew away the evidence and peered through the keyhole.

Between the dim light of the room beyond and the limited view offered by the keyhole, it was hard to judge the situation beyond the door all too well. For all he knew, there were guards standing right next to the door with no way for him to see them.

But, what choice did he have?

Connor stood up, forcing himself to look something like a guard as in the low light he could potentially pass for a patrolling guard but if anyone saw his silhouette creeping along, it would instantly draw attention.

He opened the door and stepped through it, swiftly closing it behind him and moving with purposeful stride toward the closest stairway. He didn't try to fish the cut piece of the bolt out of the door as he wanted to minimize the time anyone had to see him there and potentially wonder what he was up to.

He hoped it wouldn't fall out at the wrong moment...

As he walked, he saw around the mast and got a better look at the rest of the room.

There were indeed three stairways. Three only went up with the remaining two possessing a way down directly under the stairs up.

There were several grates running through the centerline of the ship through which Connor saw barely a glimpse of the deck below.

Across the way from him was another door similar to the one he'd just come through.

Another prison section no doubt.

He reached the stairs without any reaction from the guards who seemed absorbed in their hushed conversation and walked up it as though he knew exactly where he was going.

The floorboards creaked softly as he stepped onto the deck above. There, he saw a walled-off section similar to the prison he'd come through, with a door of the same design as the one to the lower security area. Yet another prison section, he was sure.

But, there were rooms here too. With far less sturdy doors and no visible viewports.

Connor saw no guards about. He crouched down and peered through the keyhole into what he thought was another prison section. He saw another prison hallway, confirming his suspicions.