The Book of Time: A Guardians of Time Novel

Chapter Twelve: Breakout

Ayden moved the blade of his staff into position underneath the metal bands of his cuffs, praying that he could muster enough force the cut them. He had been fiddling with them for nearly an hour when he decided to shrink his staff to its dagger size in order to manipulate it better.

"Are you ready to try again?" Asher asked when all was quiet.

"I think so." Ayden replied. "Here goes."

With his arms bent in their awkward positions, the muscles in his forearm cried out painfully as he pushed the blade against the iron chain-link between his cuffs. He grunted as he pushed, desperate to break the holds that had kept him in the dungeon for days.

"It's no use, Ayden." Asher mumbled. "I have been here for centuries. The bonds are unbreakable."

Ayden pushed harder. The muscles in his arm flexed under the pressure; subtle veins coming to the surface under the strain.

Come on! He grunted to himself.

With determination, he thought about Edin and his family. He had to break free of this prison and return home to be with his wife and child; to show that the king of Edin was not dead. He pulled magic from the very center of his being and let it flow through his veins. Instead of allowing it to flow freely around him, however, he concentrated on moving the power to his arms. Beads of sweat formed on his brow as he pushed his appendages to their limit.

With a shout, he was rewarded.

The reverberating ping of metal breaking filled the cold dungeon and Ayden felt his arms fall freely to his sides for the first time in days. 

He laughed out loud and reached his tingling arms to the ceiling. He wiggled the numb fingers and shook them out. Once the blood was flowing normally again, he reached down with his blade and in one swoop if the dagger, his legs were free. With his hands, he broke the cuffs that still latched onto his wrists and ankles.

"Okay, uncle, your turn." Ayden said to Asher, who was staring at him in wonder.

"You're free." Asher said in amazement.

"As are you." Ayden said as he approached him and quickly removed the bonds on his wrists, the bonds on his ankles never having been replaced.

Asher let out a glorious laughter as he stood and Ayden heard, what he thought was every bone in the man's body, pop and moan in protest. When his uncle stood he was well over ten feet tall. Though he had been kept in the dungeon, the muscles of his chest, arms, abs and legs had held their well defined powerful tone.

"Oh, to be free!" Asher shouted.

"Shhh." Ayden shushed through his grin. "No need to be back in chains, eh?"

"Right." Asher whispered. "Let's go get the Keeper." He started for the dungeon's entrance.

"We need to get your stone back first. Then we need to try and stop Sheena from going to Edin, if we aren't too late." Ayden said.

"What is it you're planning?" Asher asked, his large feet pounding the concrete as he approached his relative.

Ayden looked down at his naked form and then at the broad naked shoulders of his uncle.

"Well, I think clothing is our first line of business. I am not  swallowing my staff again and won't be sticking it anywhere else." He replied with a smile.

Asher laughed as the moved through the cold air; their bare feet slapping against the moist stone floor. Ayden reached up to his neckline as they made their way to the door and was surprised to feel that his necklace was still there. He smiled to himself.