I didn't want to go back, we were starting to run out of time, there is no telling when Lord Skarde will be here which is going to be any moment from now since the guards are yet to arrive.
"Let's get out of here first, we can come back for them another time!" I said turning to leave but one of the prisoners grabbed me by my arm.
I turned around only to see the old man holding me by my sleeve. "Please, they will kill the rest if they don't find us there!" He pleaded, "It's better we get out of this place altogether or better yet leave us here so that way we won't die with guilt when we get out."
I stood rooted to the place at the words the old man said. His desperate tone transmitted a weight which crashed down on my shoulders. His grip on my sleeve felt feeble yet he maintained entire steadfastness.
"I really want to help, I really want to." I told them my voice pleading, "But we need to leave now, there's no time and if we stay here, then we will all die!"
The old man's eyes were misty with tears as he stared up at me. "Leaving will lead to punishment for those who remain. Do you desire to have others' blood dripping from your hands?"
Fuck! I thought to myself as the room seemed to shrink with unspoken accusations. The old man was right, but there was no way I could get them all out of here. Lord Skarde's men were all well trained, I was barely holding my own with the guards from earlier and there was no doubt more on their way now.
Yet, as I stared into the old man's gaze and the rest of the prisoner, I knew that there was no way I was going to convince them to leave this place without the others.
Their desperate eyes of the prisoners held mine as they waited on my choice that was either going to protect or doom them all. The pressure from my responsibilities so trapped my chest that I could barely breathe.
Dammit to hells! I thought as I groaned out in frustration but I knew my choice had already been made. "Alright, let's go get them but we need to hurry and you guys should stick close to me, got it?" I asked them.
The prisoners all nodded with eager looks on their faces and then with a sigh I turned back towards the dungeon. I walked quickly and stealthily towards the dungeon my senses on high alert as I walked and with each echoes of distant footsteps in the air, it warned me that time wasn't on our side.
The prisoners moved closely behind me just like I had instructed with shallow uneven breathing and clear signs of nervousness. I was just about to turn to the corner of the dungeon, when I suddenly stopped pressing myself back against the wall. I motioned for the rest of the prisoners to do the same which they immediately comply.
Standing right in front of the dungeon iron gates were two guards who chatted casually, unaware of the trouble that had been caused few minutes ago. A quick glance at the prisoners showed me that they were afraid, for good reason.
But there was no time to waste! Without hesitation, I reached down and grabbed two daggers hidden in my boots. I glanced back up and motioned for the prisoners to keep quiet. A quick nod showed that they understood me.
Satisfied, I walked out of my hiding place. "Well hello there gentlemen!"
"What the hell?" One of the men cursed as he tried to unsheathe his sword but he wasn't fast enough.
I struck the first dagger through his throat perfectly before he could finish pulling it free. He stumbled backward as he struggled to stop gurgling then passed out from the jugular strike and fell to the floor.
The other guard turned towards me, striking forward but I dodged it, bending down and throwing a punch to his legs and then to the other leg causing him to buckle. Just as he bent over, I stood up and grabbed him, then kneed him right in the nuts, hard.
The guard wheezed in pain, his face turning red as his knees buckled and he crumpled down to the ground. He wouldn't be getting back up anytime soon! I thought to myself as I stood over him, then I lean down and searched his body for the key.
I found a bunch of keys tied to his waist belt, then I pulled it out. I wasted no time in pushing the key into the doors of the dungeon. The creaking of the doors opening were a little too loud for my liking but I pushed it open and inside the prisoners were a lot more than I had expected.
Most of them were mostly men of all ages, but most seemed to be in their thirties and twenties, there were a few women and children too. There were about a dozen a them but what was the most shocking was that there was a pregnant woman right there.
I tried not to stare too much and I had a lot of questions swimming in my head but there was no time.
"Who…who are you?" A man asked, "Have you come to kill us all?"
What? "What? No, no, no, not at all!" I breathed out through the mask I was wearing on my face. "I am here to help you of course, but we need to move quickly."
"And why should we trust you?" A man asked me sitting right next to the pregnant woman.
I couldn't stop the groan of frustration that came out of me, we were running out of time! I was running out of time and I needed to get back to the castle! "Listen to me, we need to get out of here fast!" I said with a certain urgency, "You stay here you die, now if you are so desperate for survival you will do as I say and get out of here fast!" I told them and without waiting for what their responses would be, I turned and walked out of the dungeon.
I heard the sound of people getting up and walking out of the dungeon, following closely after me. The other prisoners were waiting for me. I led them out of the dim lit corridor, while checking back to make sure all of them were following after me closely. Each wall torch created mismatched shadows which gave every hidden corner the appearance of danger.
And just as I ran into a corner, about to get out of the exit, I ran into the devil himself!
Lord Skarde!