Even without keys, Ultear still manage to let the prisoners escape their prison cells. Aubrey tend to them, checking those who have injuries. There were also two other knights beside Kurtis.
Commander Ultear is right. Aubrey thought. She's referring to the other knights who are also caught and put inside the prison. Aubrey thought that Ultear was just doing all the trouble to rescue her lover, Kurtis.
Aubrey was sharp enough to notice even the finest detail. The way Ultear and Kurtis stares at each other, their behavior and attitude when end up talking just the two of them, their tone, everything. Aubrey know something was up but she couldn't believe their relationship was to this extent.
A royalty and a commoner, huh. What a complicated relationship.
Though, Kurtis is covered with blood, his wounds isn't that deep actually. He lost consciousness because he depleted his stamina. That's why when Ultear tried waking him up, he open his eyes.
Ultear sigh in relief. She suddenly hug Kurtis tightly, not minding if the others would see them. She doesn't care all when all she could think was how worried she is.
"I'm glad..." Ultear softly whisper. "I'm really glad you're safe. I don't know what I'll do if ever something bad were to happen to you."
"There, there, I'm fine, Love. I'm sorry for making you worried but Tear, what are you doing here? It's dangerous." Kurtis hug her back more tightly, inhaling her scent. It helps calm his nerves. He's been scared. Kurtis thought he would die and won't be able to see Ultear's beautiful face once again. A while ago when he was surrounded by those evolve monsters and beasts but two person suddenly appears, making the monsters and beasts stop attacking. His heart almost stop beating after watching how they manage to make those monsters beasts follow their commands.
"I'm here to rescue you of course."
As Ultear was helping Kurtis walk out of the prison cells, they heard heavy footsteps not far from where they are. It was dark that's why they couldn't see who was coming, and the person coming couldn't see them either.
"Let's hide!" Aubrey frantically help the other 12 prisoners hide inside the cells again. Ultear fix the metal bars back to their original shape to avoid any suspicion. They quietly hide back inside the dark prison cells.
Ultear was holding Kurtis hand as if she doesn't want to let him go agai nor she doesn't want to escape first and leaving him behind. Ultear is also scared. Scared from all the things she and Aubrey had found out. With her status as the princess, she manage to hide her fear, worries and anxiety but that doesn't mean she does not feel any of those emotions. Ultear does.
She got scared. She got anxious. She feels all kinds of emotion a human being can have. Because she is also one.
"How's the experiment going?" A baritone voice ask. There were two pair of footsteps coming outside the cells.
"As for the moment, all things were going smoothly according to plan. By next week, we'll be able to seize Istark City and it's surrounding villages. And in no time the whole Betania Kingdom." the other person answered.
Ultear and Kurtis was both taken aback by what they heard. With just their simple conversation, they have learn a lot of things. From what they just heard and from all the informations Ultear have gathered, she put them all together and connected all the dots. She get the gist of what was happening.
The defeated Calumbias Clan from a hundred year ago hold grudges towards the invader and now one of the continent superpower, Betania Kingdom. The Calumbias Clan wanted to avenge and take back not just their land in the North but also aims to take hold of the whole kingdom by using the monsters and beasts they have experimented.
The Calumbias Clan was not annihilated during the Northern Great War, but was only drove to the depths of the Twin Impassable Mountain Ranges. That place wasn't ideal for humans to live. Aside from its dangerous location, nature and climate, the food is scarce. All the fertile land in the North was occupied by the citizens of Betania Kingdom, leaving only the Twin Impassable Mountain Ranges for the surviving Calumbias Clan members to take refuge with.
"Wait,"
Ultear and Kurtis hold their breathe when the two people outside the cells stop on their track. Ultear could feel the one person was inspecting the metal bars. Unfortunately, it was the prison cell where the both of them were hiding.
As Ultear glance at the metal bars, she made eye contact with the person outside the cell. Both their eyes widen in shock. Shit.
"Oh, shit! Intruders! Simon, get ready we have intruders--" before he could even finish his words, the metal bars fly towards the other side along with his body.
"Commander, let's hurry and leave before the others arrive." Aubrey suggested which they followed.
Before they can escape, the guy who was sent flying stood up like it was nothing and immediately block the only way for them to escape. It was an underground prison after all.
"You don't get away just like that, intruders. Not on my watch." he said. "And don't you dare let our guinea pigs escape. We still have a lot of testings to do. Simo, go and inform the others about the intruders in the underground prison."
"But Gan, how did they manage to get here, though? Aside from being the Twin Impassable Mountain Ranges its location, it's an underground prison for crying out loud!" Simon complain with gritted teeth. He couldn't accept that people have infiltrated thier fortress.
Before Simon can inform the other Calumbias Clan members, Ultear and Kurtis followed him. Gan followed suit but Aubrey and the other two knights held him back.
Simon surprisingly runs too fast and with Ultear and Kurtis low stamina they're having a hard time keeping up with his pace. And so, they reached the upper ground.