Veil of Shadows

Chapter 25. How Not To Escape Prison

"That would be me." Patch said, standing up.

The unfamiliar person tilted his head to one side, studying the lock on the cage. Then he knelt down beside it, a thin metal rod in hand, and inserted it into the lock.

After a few moments of shifting the rod, the lock clicked, and the person stood up, the metal rod vanishing into a pocket in his hoodie.

Patch pushed the door open without resistance and stepped out of the cell. Equinox seemed to be in a state of shock, which was understandable.

"Who are you?" Patch asked, and the unfamiliar person shook his head.

"A friend. That's all you need to know." His voice was still monotone, and he quickly closed the door as another guard walked by outside, plunging the room into darkness once more.

"Listen closely. When I open this door, twenty guards are going to come after you. No matter what, it is essential that you keep running until you find the prison exit. Understand?"

"And what about you?" Patch challenged, and as the person opened the door again, she got a better look at him. The first feature she noticed was his eyes. They were the color of burnt gold.

Wild blonde-ish hair swept over his face, almost covering one eye. A small pendant dangled from his neck. It was either a tooth or claw of a wolf. But there was no time to look into it further.

The person remained unsmiling still, his face a mask of grim determination. But there was a dangerous glint in his eyes - they looked almost like the eyes of a feral animal.

She made sure not to voice that comparison.

"I don't carry these swords for show. Now get moving." The person replied, gesturing to the door. Patch didn't hesitate to think about the consequences before bolting for it.

Immediately, she heard a shout of alarm, and pushed herself to an even greater speed, practically flying down the hallway. A heavy iron door blocked her path.

It wasn't the prison exit, no. Far from it.

She turned back, prepared to fight, when-

The unfamiliar person appeared, swords drawn, held tightly at his sides. "I'm going to give you peasants in armor one chance to get the Nether out of my way."

Predictably, the twenty guards went on the attack.

His twin blades were like steel whirlwind, cutting and slashing and stabbing at everything that moved. Patch watched in awe - and a little fear - as the guards were cut down one by one.

The dangerous light in his eyes had become more prominent with the thrill of the fight. Soon, the twenty guards were reduced to one. That guard had taken one look at the person's bloodstained swords and ran.

The person sheathed his swords and ran at the door full-speed, jamming his shoulder into it, breaking the hinges and sending it flying open. "GO!" He roared at Patch.

Patch hesitated a moment, then asked "At least tell me your name."

The person replied "Zero. Happy now?"

Acknowledging Zero with a quick nod, Patch took off down the hallway, turning down random other hallways. She had no map and no memory of this place - she was going by instinct alone.

And instinct was not always reliable. But, somehow, after around half an hour of running, Patch stumbled upon a stone staircase that seemed to lead upward. Another iron door blocked the way.

By this time, she had no idea what Zero was doing, or what he was up to. He had told her that it was essential for her to run, and she had no intention of disobeying that single order.

What Patch failed to notice was five guards standing at the foot of the stairwell. They were as surprised to see her as she was to see them. Nobody had gotten out of their cells before.

Nonetheless, they drew their swords and daggers and charged.

Patch cursed under her breath.