PYRRHUS
Night descends, shrouding the moon in a tapestry of deepening shadows.
A rhythmic pulse of drumbeats echoes through the darkness, a primal counterpoint to the silent flight of the blood hornets as they embark their hunt for blood.
A brief flurry of boisterous voices momentarily disrupts the stillness, but the spiked wine soon takes its toll.
One by one, the guards succumbed to its potent influence, drifting into the embrace of death's sister, slumber .
Emilia glides through the halls with preternatural grace, a skill honed during her time on Nimwei island. She moves like a phantom, slipping past unconscious guards and even evading the watchful gaze of a Sith.
She heads for the gladiator dormitories where she locates Kane's cell. A sight stops her; the seven-foot champion, casually seated on Kane's cot, a length of rope cinched around his waist like a makeshift belt.
At the sound of footsteps behind, she turns swiftly to find Emmet and Kane behind her; "Don't worry. The giant is with us", Kane says, hands placed on her shoulders to calm her nerves.
The large sound smacks at the gates of Grimstone. It continues for a while and everyone looks at the other, silent as footsteps of guards and Sith begin to head toward the gates.
Out of the blue, Maeve appears and Emilia swiftly grabs her by the throat, "It's me", she struggles.
"Calm down love, you seem quite jumpy tonight", Emmet helps to loosen her grip around Maeve's neck.
"Sorry", Emilia bows her head lightly, "I am guessing it is time, isn't it?", Braga speaks out, "Yes. Let's go". They begin to make their way toward the northern wing, for a night like this where Grimstone face attackers, it is almost certain that the northern wing will be unguarded.
They rush with haste when Kane suddenly stops, "You guys go ahead, I will join you", he says, giving them no time to react as he runs away, backwards whence they came from, "Emmet, what is wrong with your friend?", Braga raises voice, "I don't know. Let's go".
The group's heart lighten up when they see the gates of the northern wing, a delight short-lived as it opens up and a threat comes forward. A Sith, Ashara. Her hair is tied in a double-braided style while her attire hugs her body tightly, "Shit", Emmet curses.
"Where are you going slaves? Return to your cells, immediately", she says sternly.
"Little girl, move aside and we won't hurt you", Braga's voice, thick with misplaced bravado, he commands.
A dry chuckle escape Ashara, escalating into full-throated laughter. She extends a hand and crimson lance of energy hurls Braga backward, slamming his against the ground.
"You must not know your place, slave", her tone laced with chilling amusement.
"Looks like we going to fight a Sith", Emmet grunts, he charges with fists but doesn't get close before she begins to send red beams of magic blast his way.
The half-elf, light on his feet, sways from left to right to dodge her attacks.
He closes in on her and throws a punch, she gracefully dodges and lands several body shots to his body until he catches her hands and head-butts her.
She groans and a torrent of red blasts escape her body, blasting Emmet away.
Ashara's gaze moves to Emilia and Maeve who stand in shock or fear. The Sith opens her hands to reveal red bolts of magic sparking within them, she smiles at the women as the imagination of the torture she is to bring pleases her.
Suddenly, a rope goes around one of her wrists, "What?", she stares, confusion designed upon her face as Braga pulls at the rope, dragging her across the floor.
He spins her around and smacks her against the wall.
"We have to kill her", Braga says, "But she is just a teenager", Emilia's heart does not agree with the champion's suggestion.
Ashara struggles, slowly getting to her feet. "I warn you for the last time, stay down and you won't be hurt", Braga says.
Ashara stands up, brows furrowed as she grits her teeth, "I am going to kill all of you", she snarls and charges toward them.
Braga charges forward as well, a contest he feels he will win but one does not become a Sith at a young age through weakness.
Ashara jumps to the side, her feet landing on the walls like she were a spider. She fires blast of red energy from her unexpected position, hitting the women and Braga.
She smiles as their groans act as confirmation to their pain.
Emmet charges toward her, a blur of motion, sprinting a few distance on the wall before swiping a kick across her face.
The impact sends her tumbling from the wall, though she recovers quickly, rolling and unleashing a barrage of fiery projectiles at the half-elf.
Emmet, forced into a series of evasive manoeuvres, twists and weaves to avoid the scorching onslaught.
Braga charges and picks her off the floor, slamming her against a wall, he jerks her by the neck. Hands tight against her throat as he attempts to send her to the afterlife.
Her hands, feverish brands of red light, clamp around his arms, searing his flesh as he struggles to withstand the agony. Without warning, scarlet lightning erupts from her, lashing into the towering gladiator.
A tortured scream rips from his throat. The Sith's gaze snaps to Emmet, and she unleashes bolts of crimson energy.
He evades the assault, the errant blasts tearing chunks from the stone walls.
Emilia sneaks up behind Ashara and delivers a blow to the back of her head with a piece of the damaged wall, the Sith quickly recovers from the attack and attempts to punch Emilia when Emmet delivers a drop kick to the side of her head.
Ashara falls to the ground, blood trickling down the side of her head, "You are all going to fucking die", she snarls.
She slaps her hands together and begins to chant words, "Don't let her finish her spell", Emmet alerts them.
A stab to her abdomen interrupts the spell as Maeve appears beside her, hand clutched at the hilt of a dagger while its blade is plunged into the Sith.
A red glow comes over Ashara's fist and with it she plunges her fist into Maeve's chest.
Blood stains the earth as the snake-skin coughs, lifeblood bubbling forth before it collapses.
Ashara yanks the dagger from her side, the blade clattering against the stone floor, "I will kill you all", she roars, the force of her cry rippling outward in visible shockwaves.
Emmet's eyes widen as Maeve's body drops to the floor, he grits his teeth and charges as she begins to shoot beams of red light at them. "Attack at the same time", Braga shouts, compelling himself and Emilia to join in the attack.
Emmet reaches the Sith first, but before his fist can reach her, she blast him away. Skin smeared, he groans in marvellous pain.
She turns her eyes to the champion but receives a blow to her bleeding abdomen from Emilia who attacks from behind.
She grabs Emilia by the hair and punches her face multiple times before Braga catches her off guard and snaps her neck, body dropping to floor.
"We have to fucking leave this place", he says as he helps the dark elf on her feet. Emmet walks to Maeve's body, life faded from her eyes as she crosses into the afterlife.
"Fuck", they hear a familiar voice say in shock. They turn eyes to find him with Saphina at his side, "Let's go", Emilia says, brows furrowed as blood trickles down her nose.
They run and make haste through the northern gates, urgency feeling their flight. Reaching the northern wing's imposing walls, Kane swiftly produces a grappling hook.
Braga secures the rope and hurls in skyward, the hook catching purchase on the ramparts.
Silent as shadows, they scale the formidable barrier, finding the wine seller patiently awaiting them with his cart just a short distance beyond.
They rush towards the cart, hope filling their chest as finally they see their plans come to fruition. The escape they have so dreamed of, finally becoming a reality.
The closer they get to the cart, the more their hearts yearn of rejoice but they must first be far away from Grimstone before they can celebrate their freedom.
Kane, for the first time, feels like the goddess has finally smiled upon him.
Just as they reach the cart, Memnuh steps out with two Siths, Celine and Uda, accompanied by armed guards. The escapees feel their hearts sink as their vision ends with a massive flash of red burning light.
An end to their plans. An end to their hope. An end to their freedom.