The night was eerily quiet as Elara and her team approached the royal prison, the towering walls casting long shadows in the moonlight. The prison loomed ahead like a menacing fortress, surrounded by an aura of palpable danger. Every step felt heavier than the last, the weight of their mission pressing down on them. Inside those walls, Lady Seraphine awaited either rescue or an uncertain, likely grim, fate.
Elara adjusted the hood of her cloak, her mind racing through the plan. "Everyone knows their roles," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "No mistakes. If something goes wrong, fall back to the rendezvous point."
Kaelan nodded beside her, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade. "Let's get this over with."
Thalion, who had been unusually silent, gave a grim smile. "If this works, they'll sing songs about us. If it doesn't—"
"We won't let that happen," Elara cut him off. "Focus."
---
Breaking In
The group approached the servant's entrance on the eastern side of the prison, a narrow, inconspicuous doorway often overlooked by the guards. Cedric had managed to obtain a set of stolen keys, which Thalion now held in his gloved hand.
"Let's hope your informants were right about this entrance being unguarded," Kaelan muttered.
Thalion smirked as he inserted the key. "And let's hope these keys aren't fake, or this will be a very short mission."
The lock clicked open with a soft snap, and the group slipped inside, the cold stone walls of the prison immediately enveloping them in darkness.
Elara motioned for silence as they moved through the narrow corridor, their footsteps muffled by the thick layer of dust on the ground. Magical wards shimmered faintly along the walls, a testament to the kingdom's paranoia.
"Cedric," Elara whispered, "can you disable the wards?"
Cedric knelt by the nearest ward, his hands trembling slightly as he pulled out a small pouch of alchemical powders. "I'll try," he said, his voice shaky. "These aren't exactly beginner-level spells."
The group held their breath as Cedric worked, sprinkling the powders and muttering an incantation. After a tense moment, the ward flickered and disappeared.
"Impressive," Thalion said with a low whistle.
"Don't congratulate me yet," Cedric replied. "There are more ahead."
---
Obstacles in the Dark
As they navigated deeper into the prison, the tension grew. The sound of distant footsteps echoed through the corridors, forcing the group to duck into shadowed alcoves.
At one point, they encountered a pair of guards patrolling the hallway leading to the dungeons. Elara signaled for Kaelan and Thalion to handle them quietly.
Kaelan moved with practiced precision, slipping behind one guard and covering his mouth before knocking him unconscious. Thalion took down the other with a well-placed blow to the head.
"Remind me to thank my combat trainer later," Thalion whispered, dragging the unconscious guard into a dark corner.
"Focus," Elara hissed, her nerves fraying.
The group continued, Cedric disabling more wards as they went. Each successful bypass brought them closer to the dungeons—and to Seraphine.
---
Finding Seraphine
The dungeons were as grim as Elara had imagined. Dimly lit by flickering torches, the air was thick with the stench of damp stone and despair.
"She's in the lower levels," Cedric said, consulting a rough map he had sketched based on his informants' descriptions. "Third cell on the right."
Elara led the way, her heart pounding in her chest. When they reached the cell, she saw Seraphine sitting on the cold floor, her once-immaculate gown now tattered and stained. Despite her disheveled appearance, her eyes blazed with defiance.
"Elara," Seraphine whispered, her voice hoarse but steady.
Elara knelt by the bars. "We're getting you out of here."
Kaelan pulled out the stolen keys and began trying each one on the cell door. The first three didn't work, and the tension in the air grew thicker with each passing second.
"Hurry," Thalion urged, glancing nervously down the hallway.
The fourth key clicked, and the door swung open. Elara helped Seraphine to her feet, her hands trembling with relief.
"We need to move," Kaelan said urgently.
---
An Unexpected Betrayal
Just as the group began to retreat, a loud clanging noise echoed through the corridors. The sound of an alarm followed, its piercing wail shattering the fragile silence.
"They know we're here," Cedric said, his face pale.
"How?" Thalion demanded.
Elara's mind raced. Someone had tipped off the guards, but there was no time to dwell on it. "We need to stick to the plan. Get Seraphine out of here."
Guards began pouring into the dungeons, their shouts echoing through the stone halls. The group fought valiantly, but they were outnumbered.
---
Surprising Allies
Just when it seemed they were cornered, a group of young nobles burst into the dungeon, weapons drawn. Elara recognized some of them from the demonstration—nobles who had spoken out against the crown's oppressive traditions.
"What are you doing here?" Elara asked, stunned.
"We heard about Seraphine's arrest," one of them said, a tall woman with fiery red hair. "You didn't think we'd let you do this alone, did you?"
The reinforcements turned the tide of the battle. With their help, Elara and her allies managed to overpower the guards and clear a path to the exit.
---
The Escape
The group fled through the servant's entrance, the sound of pursuing guards fading as they disappeared into the night. By the time they reached the safety of the hideout, everyone was exhausted but alive.
Seraphine sank into a chair, her expression one of weary gratitude. "You risked everything for me," she said, her voice breaking.
"You stood by us when it mattered," Elara replied. "We weren't about to leave you behind."
The young nobles who had come to their aid were given food and drink, their camaraderie with Elara's group solidifying into a stronger alliance.
---
A New Resolve
As the group regrouped, Elara realized that their mission had grown beyond their initial goals. The rescue had shown them the depth of their support—and the extent of the crown's fear.
"This isn't over," Elara said, her voice firm. "Tonight, we proved that we can stand up to the crown. But there's still so much to do."
Her allies nodded, their resolve renewed. The battle for justice was far from over, but they were more determined than ever to see it through.