Assassin's Eye

Chapter 11.

Nemos had seen the escape attempt. He had seen her leave... He had seen himself betrayed. He felt so hurt... As soon as he was told that one of the prisoners had died during the escape attempt, he had demanded a name... A gender... A description... Anything... But they had refused him any information regarding the incident. He had then asked to be excused and was shown to his room, the top of the tower nearest to the cages. Nemos heard the trap door bolt shut after he had entered. It was actually a very quaint room, the walls painted an unexpected light blue color, with a bed dressed in a pastel green quilt. A small window gave him view of the forest, though it was not big enough to escape easily through. He had spent his time laying on the bed, staring at the ceiling and through the window, desperately hoping that Lucy was ok. He had almost convinced himself that she had vanished, that they'd all be ok, and they'd come back to help him, when his hopes were shattered by a high pitched scream.

The scream sounded wildly out of place, as if from someone who rarely raised their voice, though he knew that was not the case.

He knew it was her scream.

He knew what he had to do.

Nemos went straight to the window and tested how much of his body he could fit through it. It was tight, but it would work. Nemos went feet first through the window, one leg after the other and found himself hanging onto the sill with both hands. He pulled himself up so that he was perched on the sill. Nemos scanned the wall above him for any kind of foot or hand holds, but there looked to be one just out of reach. This would be tricky.

Nemos felt the wind brush across his face, the chill of winter just beginning to vanish into the air, and he tasted the blood on the air. Then, not looking at the ground below, he launched himself into a full spin and lashed out with his hand to grab the hold. Miraculously, he made it and pulled himself further up the wall. Only a few feet to go until he could reach the top. He quickly shot his hand up to grab the next hold.

Within a few more minutes of struggling, Nemos had made it to the top of the tower which was shaped oddly, being completely flat. Another scream rang out through the fortress, and Nemos was motivated to move even faster. He skidded down the opposite side of the tower, landing with a soft thud against the stone. A small cloud of dust floated up around him, and he took off running toward the building in the center of the walls. Two guards happened to be standing on the pathway, and he made quick work of them, hitting the the base of their skull to knock them out but not kill them. He made it to the doors in no time, but two more guards awaited him. One drew his sword and approached slowly while the other stayed fast.

Nemos took a step forward, urging the first guard on, who thrust out with his sword. Nemos used the back of his wrist to twist the sword out of his hands and the man ended up at sword point from his own weapon. Nemos forced him to his knees and the man took one last glance at him and dove off of the edge of the walkway. His companion glanced at the sword in Nemos's hands and followed after him. Nemos furrowed his brow in slight confusion and burst through the door of the building.

He walked inside and the stench of blood made him want to gag. Miki was sitting in her usual throne, and Jax was standing next to something strapped to the wall... Nemos's eyes widened.

Lucy? He ran toward her, but as Jax saw him approaching, he didn't even glance in Nemos's direction. Miki appeared before him. "Sorry, Nem, but she is a traitor and a liar. You can't have her back." She laughed, a sound like bells.

Nemos's voice caught in his throat. He swallowed and looked over Lucy's body. She had huge gashes all up and down her arms, and her hands looked as if they'd been pierced. There were also gashes down her legs and along her face. Blood covered her cheeks and neck. She moved to look up at him and smiled sadly as if to thank him for trying. It looked as though one of her eyes had been gouged out or cut in someway, since it was awoken shut in a painful looking way.