The guards were coming for them and they had to make ready.
"Seems our little escape attempt isn't going unnoticed," Biast muttered. Biast quickly took a wooden plank and use it to jam the door to the dungeon buying them a few precious minutes. He looked at the Lock and asked, " How do we open this "
Clive held out his hand, flames emanating from within his hands and within seconds, the padlock glowed bright red and liquefied into a puddle of molten slag. Biast was obviously not expecting that seemed quite surprised. He knew the extent of Clive's powers but this was a first even for him. Their relief was quickly interrupted when the door shook violently. Biast unsheathed his sword and made ready in case the guards were to break through. Clive opened the bars of the women's cell walked up to her.
Her hair was unkempt and she looked very tired. Despite her carefree behaviour Clive could tell she was relieved someone came to rescue her. was gently picking her up by her waist and hoisting her onto his shoulder. The inside of cell was very dirty and unkempt. Several empty bowls which were once used to eat food littered one corner of the cell while rats scurried around the other corner. Clive thought to himself, "Even if the Ironblood do not claim their souls, disease certainly would "
Biast stood ready at the doorway and waited in case the guards managed to break through. sweat flowed down his brow, his eyes were fixed on the doorway. He was skilled warrior but no skilled warrior can face off against an entire group of guards.
The spy groaned in pain as Clive lifted her up with care " Ugh, careful there, Feels like I've been tossed around by a chocobo.""
Clive took extra precaution after her remark and cast a wry glance at Biast. "Biast come on, it's time to go "
"Not even a chance to test these rusty reflexes?, "I bet I can take down at least two guards before—"
Clive's voice cut through "Now, Biast! "
Biast spoke "Alright, alright, grumpy. Just thought a little swordplay might liven things up."
After few minutes of running through the same pathway they used to enter the dungeon they soon reached the place where they had dropped down their ropes and began climbing back up. Halfway up, they heard shouts erupting below. Looking down, they saw the silhouettes of guards swarming around the base of the wall, already attempting to climb the rope after them. The spy whipped a handful of forks from a pouch around her hip and proceeded to use them as makeshift projectiles and threw them at the soldiers Each fork found its mark with a sickening thud, the hapless guards, their lifeless bodies crumpling at the base of the wall. The clatter of metal on stone served as a grim warning to the others, momentarily stalling their ascent.
They soon reached the top. the cold night air whipped over their faced. They had been detected and now they had no choice now but to use the flare Tiamat had given them earlier. Clive set down the spy on the grass and took out the flare and aimed it towards the clear night sky. Biast who was hurriedly cutting the ropes turned around, "Light that thing up, and every guard in this forsaken town will be on our tails quicker than a starving goblin "
Clive replied, " We don't really have much of a choice Biast, the sergeant gave us clear orders. we are to use this flare to give him enough time to pack up"
The spy who was listening to this whole conversation seened quite shocked, " Wait what ? There's no way you're using that thing ! there must be another way, maybe we can- "
Before she could finish Clive tugged at the pin at the flare," Sending a shot soaring through the sky, it hung suspended in the sky for but a moment before erupting in a blinding explosion. The red light bathing the sleeping town, alerting every single Ironblood soldier. "
Clive turned towards his companions, "There, that's done. Now time to hurry to the forest"
The spy, clearly fuming, glared at Clive. Her face twitched barely containing the anger. Her gaze flickered from Clive to Biast, as if weighing her options, she looked like she was ready to pounce on Clive and strangle him to death but In the end, she let out a frustrated huff, remembering the mission was more important and turned towards Biast who had just finished cutting the second rope, The screams of several guards falling to their deaths in sewers were heard. The spy told him, " Alright," she conceded, her voice clipped. "But if we're cutting across town, we can't go straight ahead. We'll run smack into the central garrison. There's a back way that will lead us out to the outskirts "
Clive nodded in agreement and hoisted her back onto his back and they took off and followed the spy's directions carefully. After several more minutes Biast and Clive were gasping for breath after being on a continuous sprint for several more minutes. The spy was giving them instructions on the route from atop Clive's back. Soon they reached the entrance of a closed bakery in a quite street. Both sides of the street were filled with closed stalls and shops. The spy nudged Clive's head. He turned his face towards her. She gestured at a sign which said something in the local language and said, " There is a key behind that sign. Use it to open the bakery. We will rest for a few minutes. The guards will gather to devise a plan to capture us. We will resume then "
Biast leaned up and retrieved a small, rusty key from behind the sign. . Soon all three of headed inside .The inside of the bakery smelled of of freshly baked bread making their mouths water. The spy got out from Clive's back and walked sat on a chair beside the counter. The interior of the bakery was small and surprisingly pristine. Rows of unsold golden brown loaves sat displayed on a wooden counter,. Biast immediately helped himself to a loaf of bread, hungry as they hadn't eaten since yesterday morning. there was a single door behind the counter. As Clive surveyed the bakery, the spy finally disengaged herself from his back with a wince. She limped towards chair beside the counter and collapsed onto it with a sigh of relief. Clive turned towards the spy, "You seem to know a lot about us, But we don't even know your name."
She gazed at him mockingly, " Isn't that the whole point of being a spy ? Besides, what difference does a name make? Ask away if it pleases you, but don't expect a truthful answer "
"Fair enough," Clive conceded, a hint of a smile tugging at his own lips. "But at least tell me that. What is your name?"
The spy hesitated for a moment and replied, " You can call me Amina "
Before Clive could ask more questions she gestured to Biast, " There's a cabinet downstairs, You'll find some medicine there. Bring them back to me, quickly."
Clive wondered if she knew how to adminster the medicine on herself. As Biast opened the door and headed downstairs Clive asked her, " Have you been here before ? "
" Yes a few years ago. My master used this bakery as a safehouse when he worked as spy for a captain in the Sanbrequois army. I came here with my master to these isles back then and stayed here for a few months before we returned back to the mainland "
Clive sensed a great deal of sadness when she mentioned her master and it was evident she wanted release her feelings but he decided not to ask her too many questions.
" For how long have exactly have you been living like this....as a spy ? "
Amina was surprised someone was interested in her past. No one besides her master knew about her old life on Valisthea. It had been so long she had even thought about it that she had mostly forgotten the face of her parents. Clive sensed her hesitation and said, " Its alright if you don't want to talk about it ".
He began to walk away from her but Amina shouted, " Wait.... " She paused for a second and then spoke, "Its been so long since i even thought about my parents. My master has always been the only person for me as far as i remember "
Clive sat down on the floor besides her and began to listen.
" When i was five, my dad was arrested and executed on charges of treason. My home is..Waloed. I don't remember much of it but i ran away from after that. My master found me and took me in. I have been with him ever since then. "
All three of them, Clive Biast and Amina and lost their childhood and their parents and were forced to join the Holy Empire of Sanbreque. Amina then proceeded to ask about Clive's own past.
Before he could reply Biast returned cradling a wooden box in his arms and handed it over to Amina. She opened it and took a piece of linen cloth from within the box. She lifted her torn robes and tried wrapping it around her waist but failed miserably. Clive stepped in to help her. Although she was initially hesitant, after a few more attempts she gave in and accepted Clive's help. Amina sat down on a chair as Clive bent down on his knees and proceeded to wrap the linen cloth around her waist. Several bruises littered her body. He sensed her body tighten when his hands touched her soft skin, " You can relax Amina "
She took a deep breath and tried relaxing her muscles gently and while Clive was busy wrapping the bandage Amina began to speak to distract herself from the pain, "Attacks from the empire are becoming more frequent. We must make haste and go to the capital before the main fleet of the empire arrives. Finding Shiva's dominant is a difficult task as it is and we have been delayed too much already "
Clive didn't understand what she was talking about, " As far as I know Sanbreque has no plans to attack the iron kingdom, what are you saying Amina "
Amina shared them a puzzled look, " Did your sergeant not tell you about this? I presumed he already knew. Insaldur sent a fleet to attack the Iron Kingdom. it is due to arrive any day now. That's why they are keeping Shiva's dominant in the capital, as a last resort against them "
Neither Clive nor Biast could make sense of what Amina was talking about. This was worrying new development.