Garrett couldn't believe his eyes. Sitting there in a cage before him was none other than Iadre. Her eyes were closed and she looked depressed like she had given up all hope. The cage wasn't too big, like a modified birdcage, but with smaller gaps in the bars. She still glowed, but it was faint and barely there.
"Captain Desmond?" Garrett asked, turning but keeping his eye on Iadre, "You said you captured all these monsters, right?"
"That's right," Desmond said, walking over and patting one of the cages. The creature, which resembled a rat mixed with a ferret, jumped slightly at the sound before laying to rest. "Part of our job is to clear out the monsters and make this safer for Illimas."
"But, aren't these their natural habitat?" Garrett asked, not quite sure still about how the world of Asuria worked outside of the Darge.
"These monsters, if left alone, will grow to uncontrollable populations." Desmond patted the cage again, as if to reinforce how strong it was. "We have to keep the Illima of Prosia safe."
Garrett turned his head again to the cages, focusing on Iadre. "Are they dangerous? They don't look like they could hurt people."
Desmond stepped closer toward Garrett and looked him dead in his eyes. "They are monsters, Young Garrett. As a fellow adventurer, I'm sure you understand." Garrett gulped a little in fear. "I can see it in your eyes. Monsters have taken much from you. Close friends? Loved ones, perhaps even." Garrett tried to avert his gaze from Desmond, turning back to the cages. "I've lost ones as well. We are Illima, and must watch out for our kind. Danger could lurk in any place. We must make this world safer. Do you agree?"
With a slow nod, Garrett reluctantly agreed. This world needs to be safer. After all, that's why he's here as a Hero.
"I'm glad to see you agree," Desmond said, staring down the rat ferret. "I have to keep everyone safe." His eyes were holding back years of pain and suffering, anger, and regret. "This is the sacred duty of the Sunrir, bestowed upon me by King Ewing the Fourth."
Immediately upon hearing that, Garret's heart began to race. His mind flashed back to the first timeline when he met Min-Tul and Cerezie. The ones who had raided and killed Min-Tul's village were under King Ewing the Fourth. Was it possible that these men were the same? If that was the case, then these monsters were in danger. Desmond clearly hated anything that wasn't an Illima, so that meant both Lyman and Iadre were in danger.
"When does this wagon head out?" Garrett asked, feeling his muscles begin to prime themselves.
"In a few minutes. Miles is loading on the last few monsters now. Hey! Be careful with that," Desmond shouted to some of the other men. "You'll get us all killed. Let me handle that." He walked off to handle the problem, leaving Garrett staring at Iadre's cage.
Once Garrett was certain Desmond was out of range, he leaned in close to Iadre's cage. "Hey, I'm going to get you out of there," he whispered. The small fairy slowly opened up her eyes and looked up at Garrett. She blinked softly, clearly low on energy. He gave her a smile and began to look at the cage.
It was held down by chains, but they seemed familiar. As he looked at them closer, he recognized the metal as BlightSteel. That meant if he used his bracelet, he might be able to break the chain. However, as soon as he did that, all the people around would be alerted to him and likely attack him. There was also a small window that was closing of when he could save her. Clearly, there was only one reasonable choice.
"Flariseo!" Garrett aimed his bracelet at the BlightSteel and fired a blast of fire from his hand. The flames scorched right through metal, breaking the links. As he expected, there was a loud rattling as the chains rattled against the cages.
"Hey! What was that?"
"Time to go!" Garrett grabbed Iadre's cage and booked it into the forest.
"Hey! He took a cage! Stop him!"
Garrett didn't turn around to see how far behind they were. He couldn't go through the way that he exited the Darge. It would take far too long to open up the door. There was only one option left. He quickly used the surprise of the commotion to bolt past the armored men and into the entrance of the Darge. He had to make some distance and lose them. He had no idea what would be awaiting him, but it was far better than being caught right now.
As he ran down, he didn't recognize any of the layouts. Garrett expected as much, but part of him hoped that he'd encounter the area that he already went through before. Still, he could hear the armored men chasing him and he had to act fast. Up ahead, the pathway split into three hallways. He turned back to make sure that the men weren't in the line of sight of him. Then, without thinking much of it, Garrett went down the left hallway, hoping to lose them.
Entering the next room, there were several minecarts on railways, ready to move at a moment's notice. "Okay, let's bait them away." He put Iadre's cage into one minecart that wasn't on a track and pushed a minecart that was on a track. It squeaked and began to roll into the darkness. Quickly, he jumped into the minecart that he put Iadre's cage in and waited as the footsteps became louder and louder.
"There! He went down the mineshaft!" Garrett heard one of the men say.
"Quick! That one!" He heard the men clamoring to get into a different minecart, then the squeaking of the wheels as it rolled away. Garrett waited a few more moments before popping his head out. Empty. With a hearty sigh, he picked up Iadre's cage and ran back the way that he had come. As he neared the entrance of the cave, he noticed that there were a few men left behind to guard the equipment, but thankfully no sign of Desmond. If the fight against Krotos and the giant robot from the previous timelines were any indication, there was no way he could fight Desmond right now.
As he looked, there was one guard between him and the path to the secret exit he needed to go through. Garrett tensed up and looked down at his sword. His hand shook at the thought of what he'd need to do. If he left the guard alive, they'd tell the others where Garrett had gone. Slowly, he gripped his sword and charged forward.
He blinked and he was inches from the guard's face. He blinked again and there was a spray of red in the air. He blinked again and he was running through the leaves and foliage. He blinked again and the secret exit of the Darge was in front of him. He blinked again, and he was back inside the Darge with the door behind him shut.