Chapter 23: The Great Escape
The chamber was silent, except for the faint pulsing of the artifact, its dark energy seeping into the air. Azaymos stood near the shadows, gripping the dagger tightly in his hand. The glow of the runes was growing stronger, but it wasn't ready yet. They needed just a little more time.
Mara's eyes never left the artifact, her tension rising with every second. "Azaymos, how much longer?"
Azaymos looked down at the blade, feeling the magic stir within it. "It's close. But not yet."
Rex fidgeted nervously beside him, his eyes darting to the shadows around the room. "We're not gonna have long once we take it, are we?"
Nox scoffed lightly. "No, but that's never stopped us before."
Darius, the Phantom, stood by the statue, his fingers twitching slightly as he stared at the glowing artifact beneath the stone. A mischievous grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. "You know, if we keep standing around here, those monsters might wake up before we even touch it."
Azaymos shot him a look. "Just be ready."
Darius raised a hand, his gaze locked on the artifact. "Ready? Always."
---
The plan was simple. Darius would use his powers to bring the artifact closer without touching it, avoiding any immediate alarms. Then, once the dagger was fully charged, they would take it and run. They couldn't afford any mistakes the moment they had the artifact, every creature in the prison would know.
Darius's hand twitched slightly, and the artifact began to move, slowly lifting from its resting place beneath the statue. It hovered in the air, pulsing with dark energy, as Darius carefully guided it closer to them.
Rex tensed, his eyes wide. "That thing looks like it's about to explode."
Mara's voice was calm but urgent. "Just hold on. Wait until the dagger is ready."
The artifact moved closer, its dark energy filling the chamber, making the air feel heavy and oppressive. Azaymos could feel it the pull of the void, the power of the artifact growing stronger as it approached. They were almost there.
Mara's gaze shifted to Azaymos, her voice sharp. "Now?"
Azaymos looked down at the dagger, the runes glowing brighter than ever. "Now."
---
Everything happened in an instant. The moment the artifact was in Darius's hands, the entire chamber seemed to come alive. The shadows on the walls twisted, dark shapes emerging from the corners of the room. A low growl echoed through the chamber, and the ground beneath them trembled as if the prison itself was waking up.
And then, from the far end of the chamber, something stirred.
A massive figure, bound in chains, slowly opened its eyes. The Beastlord, the guardian of the prison's heart. Its eyes glowed with an eerie, unnatural light, and it let out a deep, rumbling growl as it locked its gaze on them.
Nox's breath caught in her throat. "We've got company."
Azaymos didn't wait for a response. "Run!"
---
They sprinted toward the exit, the artifact clutched tightly in Darius's hands. The ground shook beneath them as the Beastlord tore free from its chains, its massive, multi-limbed form charging toward them with terrifying speed.
Mara's voice was sharp, her eyes fixed on the path ahead. "Don't stop! The second we're out of here, Azaymos, use the dagger!"
Azaymos gritted his teeth, feeling the dagger pulse with power in his hand. The runes were glowing brightly now, fully charged and ready. But the Beastlord was gaining on them, its monstrous form crashing through the stone pillars as it closed the distance.
Rex glanced over his shoulder, his face pale. "That thing's fast!"
Azaymos didn't respond. They were almost at the chamber's exit, the artifact's dark energy swirling around them like a storm. The Beastlord let out a deafening roar, and just as it lunged for them, claws outstretched, Azaymos raised the dagger.
"Now!" he shouted.
---
In an instant, the world around them shifted. The dagger's runes flared to life, and a blinding light enveloped the group. The last thing they saw was the Beastlord's massive form lunging toward them, its eyes burning with rage—and then, everything vanished.
They were gone.
---
Far in the Future...
The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the desolate remains of what was once the most secure prison in the kingdom. The walls were crumbled, overgrown with vines and moss, and the ground was littered with the debris of a long-forgotten battle.
In the years since the group's escape, the prison had become a place of legend—a tale whispered by the people of the kingdom, a story of the monsters that had once been trapped there, and the mysterious event that led to their escape.
The Beastlord, freed from its chains, had torn through the prison, followed by the other creatures the Voidwalkers, the Etherborn, the Thryvans. Without the artifact to suppress them, the monsters had broken free, tearing apart the prison's defenses and spilling into the world beyond.
The kingdom had tried to contain them, but the power of the monsters, amplified by the void energy that still clung to them, was too great. Entire regions had been overrun, and the once stronghold of the prison had been abandoned.
Now, the place was known by a new name: The Ruins of the Eternal Shadow a place where the darkness of the void still lingered, and where no one dared to tread. The monsters had spread across the land, their hunger for the void's power insatiable, and the kingdom had been forever changed by their escape.
In time, the story of the group who had stolen the artifact became a myth, their names lost to history. But the memory of what had happened here remained a warning to those who might seek to challenge the forces of the void.
And as the years passed, the land around the ruins grew darker, the void's influence seeping into the very soil, twisting the landscape into something unnatural. The people of the kingdom avoided it, telling stories of how the monsters still roamed the shadows, waiting for the day when they could rise again.
But that story… was for another time.
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End of Chapter 23