"*pant*…*wheeze*…*gasp*"
Breathless, hungry for air. This is what Hrefna is currently experiencing as of this moment after her fight with that girl. She fled from the Town of Durakhal using her raven form, but she could not retain that form for any long and rested nearby at the border of the Deepwoods. But even that takes a toll of her. She's clenching her chest with seething anger, the anger that which keeps her presence of mind alive.
"Damn her!... Damn heeeeer!"
What was her name again? She wondered, then it hit her, and no sooner than later, screamed the name,
"Isssshnaaaaiaaaaa!!!"
Only the flowing leaves swayed as they heard her anger. The Raven Knights followed her was not present as she'd given them order to quell the chaos at the town. Not one had left behind. They had no emotion to worry about her if they had been commanded to. No reason to be with her. After all, they are not truly thinking beings. It was bound to happen. Moreover, given how deep her wounds are, she would not die, as she is not an ordinary mortal.
The wounds that she took had been gradually closing. Her breathing slowly being returned to normal. But that doesn't mean she can move with haste right away. She needs to be at rest as much as possible so that she could get her strength at its peak again. However, a thought nags her. This Ishnaia girl is not a mage nor a warrior. She fights differently than those who trained for adventurers. Moreso, she could leap and move like no other, only with haste magick could make her like that. But that's impossible. She followed them using her ravens as her eyes, and she saw no mage following them as their companion. What a curious encounter, but also dangerous. She could undo all of their plans. Whoever this is, she must be dealt with swiftly and as soon as possible!
"Her Highness… she must know this... that person, she must be…"
***
Mors Ogtorio and Jina didn't even waste any second to seek the path towards their goal. All obstacles were driven away easily as most of the enemy guards had been annihilated by their allies who invaded with them. In truth, there is no real threat nor trouble in any way. It might be because they got strength in numbers, or they are trained better than these guards. Mors commented that fact that,
"All Talk, no skill! Bunch of higher ranks in name only!"
The place was lacking in any defensive capabilities as they went deeper and deeper down the spiral stairs. Even magick entrapments didn't exist in any way. In due time, they had reached the place that they've been seeking without difficulty, too easy as Jina thought, making her feeling nervous. That's not all, they were beset with machineries they've never seen. Large tin cans or drums made of metal. Boxes powered by something, either or electricity or steam, all hanging from above. Above all, the basement had a large circular metallic space, as large as the prison itself without its borders, for about over 9000 square meters wide. At the middle of all of it, was a large cylinder looming menacingly all in the middle of it.
"What do you expect!" Mors bellowed, "Here is another of the Demon Lord Vladimir's domain!"
"Truly," said Jina, "I never expect it to be this…wide."
"Haha surprise surprise Jina! This feels like back in the olden days! Raiding dungeons, slaying monsters."
Jina smiles in answer, "But we're slaying different kinds of monsters today."
"Yes…we're slaying monsters…" after a pause, he says, "do it."
Jina removes a rectangular shaped object under her coat and placed it downward near the giant cylinder. However, she did not remove her hand to it as soon as possible. She hesitated. Mors noticed this erratic behavior and asks,
"What's wrong?"
"I…got a bad feeling about this boss. There is more to this than just a locking system. This can't be complicated."
"I thought so too, but why should we back out to our objective? I say the sooner we're done with this the better. Let's face whatever problems it causes later!"
Only then Jina puts her hand away from the rectangular object and says, "Just say the word."
Mors nods and says, "Then let's go far enough from here! you saw how this 'see-four' works don't you?"
"It was really a magnificent artifact from the Demon Lord. The blast it causes is like not what I've seen before."
"Right, but it can be only used one at a time, so let us not waste this artifact of his into vain! Let it be the catalyst of revolution! So Jina, As soon as we're out of this place, Press it."
"Roger."
***
"Take this!"
Hardy's axe falls again over the helm of another Beastkin raring for blood. He lost count as of how many times he spilled the blood of these fellows. Some of them were just injured, other's life was taken as necessary action. It's either he or them. The same could be said to Pinta, as she was getting more and more fatigued each time she uses Magick.
"Can you still move?" Hardy said in concern.
"Yes, don't worry about me." She said in a reply.
Pinta does not plan to die right here. She wasn't ordered to. Only Vandaldor had the right to take her life after all as she was ordered to. Yes, with these all that were happening, there must be no doubt that Vandaldor must be in danger too. At times like this, she needs to be on his side. No buts or ifs must delay this thought. She, after all, was his. That is why this is not the time to embrace weakness in any form. Only strength and resolve should remain as she forces herself to move forward.
"…"
But it was clear enough for Hardy that she was showing fatigue in her movements. He knew that telling it on her face will not help the situation. After all, he was no mage, and was a prisoner earlier. He got nothing to help this girl. Thus, he can tell only these words,
"Just tell me if you need rest alright?"
"…"
In which no reply was heard. Pretty much as he expects.
As Pinta leads the way, they've found their encounters against these Beastkin invaders fewer and fewer. Moreso, they've found guards that are willing to help them who had yet fallen to the enemies, However, Pinta quickly dismissed them away to reasons like
"Scout Ahead, we'll follow"
Or
"Don't worry about us, make sure no prisoners escape!"
When Hardy asks why, Pinta replies,
"They know what they signed for. They will just slow us down if we're cramped here as a party."
And He didn't really argue further as he will only meet with silence. He might be stubborn for many times, but he knew that there are people like her that felt like talking to a wall, and now is not the time to irritate her in this precarious situation. Not that he thinks that this would get any worse than this.
*Boom*
Or so he thought until they've heard a loud noise underneath their footsteps, shaking and rocking the whole place like some sort of a small quake.
"What the!?" Hardy
"This is bad…" Pinta widened her eyes, realizing what was going on. She turns her head towards Hardy and yelled, "HARDY! WE HASTE IMMEDIATELY!"
Hardy was a little taken aback by the sudden shift of demeanor of Pinta, but that doesn't matter, for her to act differently, something terrible must had happen.
"Why? What's going on?" Hardy asks as calm as possible he could muster while being also stricken with panic as they run, having Pinta on the lead
*Shhhhhk*
But he didn't need to hear her reply to his question. The sound of Iron grating one by one is the answer he needed for that. Like a cacophony, the iron cells slide open one by one, releasing the terrible beastkins that was locked into it, flowing like a water in a bottle being released from its containment.
"SHITE!" Hardy yipped.
***
A few minutes earlier, Jina and Mors had finally returned to the hole they've blasted earlier in which they've came from. Mor's stopped and turn his head back toward the cells of the numerous beastkins trapped within. And commanded,
"Jina, Stop. This is far enough isn't it."
Jina then halts her movement and turns around to look at Mors, "Yes it is." She replied.
Mors then moves forward towards the first cell he sees. The same one he saw earlier. There, he stare them in the eyes, the eyes of those who where yipping and yapping while barging themselves in the bars, and said to them,
"Brothers and Sisters, alas I have failed you before. However! No longer you will be locked here anymore. The time has come to fulfill the freedom in which we all seek! This time, Glory will be OURS!" he turns around to Jina and yelled with conviction, "JINA! PRESS IT!"
"Are you serious!?" she quipped,
"NOW! I WANT TO SEE THEM FREE WITH MY OWN EYES!"
"YOU'RE INSANE!"
"DAMN IT JINA JUST PRESS IT!"
Even so, she appears to be reluctant doing it. What lunacy came to him this time? she wondered, but maybe… he is lunatic after all, or they would not be here. Jina stares at him with longing smile and pushed the button of the bomb's remote contraption. The whole building shook with vibration as if a quake struck the land. While it was happening, Jina threw the remote to the ground and speaks loudly,
"Farewell Mors, it was fun!" before pacing her feet quickly away from Mors, leaving him alone. Staying will be suicide, and she is not fool enough to be included in his lunatic shenanigans. What an idiot he is. Even so, she respects him as fellow kindred and as a leader. If circumstances differ, he could have been a chieftain of a city, or even as a wise king, one that will be remembered and recorded in the annals of history. That is what she thought.
"Glory to Dvor…" Jina muttered.
Shortly, all iron cells slid one by one, opening the doors of the caged beastkins to freedom. Mors, who was left alone with the rabid beasts and corpses, feels a frenzied joy as he saw their moment of freedom with his eyes.
"HOOOO! FINALLY!"
Drooling and Roaring maniacally, as soon as the cell doors opened, they flow incessantly as if a provoked rabid beast just got out. And in an instant, they attacked Mors, severing his Carotid Artery in his neck and ate his arms first, his feet, then his head.
He died brutally, all the while he ecstatically laughs in joy.