Dramix and Naleeit both knew that they were too tired and weak to make an escape by air, but what concerned them more was getting out of the room they were in. Time had given them both supplies and patient to make tools. Dramix made them patch armor from the smaller bones they gathered and the leather pouches, as well as anything they could smuggle from the arena fights. Naleeit made weapons, then they came to the door and found that it didn’t have a handle.
They only needed something to pry it open though because they never heard a lock when the guards came in and out of their room. Naleeit broke a long thin bone and started stripping it long ago for opening the door.
The door barely slowed them down, then they came into a long hall that they were sent through every time they went to and from the arena. Dramix grabbed Naleeit’s shoulder, as his leg gave way under him and she caught him.
“You aren’t well.” (Naleeit)
Dramix closed his eyes as he got his feet under him again.
“We stand no chance for escaping like this. We need to get to the chambers of the chief of this place.” (Dramix)
Naleeit took him under the arm and put his weight on her.
“I’m not leaving you.” (Naleeit)
Dramix took the first step out of their cell.
“We’re mates. We live together and die together.” (Dramix)
Naleeit was unsure why he said that, but that gave her strength as she carried them forward. There’s only one passage to take, so they went down it. Their speed wasn’t great, but they were in no real hurry. It will be a full day before the next feeding, and by then, their escape will be known.
“This time, we’ll have either death or freedom.” (Naleeit)
Dramix chuckled at her.
“I would rather prefer the latter honestly, but I fear that my fate may be sealed.” (Dramix)
Naleeit paused, and he fell against the wall with his hand covered in his own blood.
“I’m slowing you down.” (Dramix)
Naleeit looked at him sorry.
“I will not abandon you!” (Naleeit)
He shook his head.
“You’re not abandoning me. You need to get your armor and the amulet. Find me medicine and food as well.” (Dramix)
Naleeit moved toward him.
“Don’t let your emotions cloud your judgment. That is what you said a knight does. You know that if both of us live, you must get what I need, and I’m too slow and moving hastens my demise.” (Dramix)
Naleeit paused and walked over to him before embracing him hard.
She grabbed a bone shank that she made and put it in his free hand.
“If anybody comes, act dead. If they search you, put this in their neck.” (Naleeit)
Dramix nodded as she backed away.
For Dramix, the hardest thing he ever had to endure was watching her go. He sat down again and let the shiv go before checking his bandage. With him no longer moving, it didn’t bleed. He knew that he wouldn’t last much longer. Perhaps he should have asked her to try to bare children with the father with the name Dramix right then. The act would sap what time he had left, but it would ease her burden of escape.
As he sat there wondering, a fog appeared beside him.
“Spirit?” (Dramix’s Spirit Talking)
The fog then formed drakan that he knew was his spirit.
“So it ends here?” (Peter’s Spirit Talking)
Dramix looked away.
“I have neither the strength nor the will anymore to continue. My foundation has worn away, and I have no supports left to be the pillar.” (Dramix’s Spirit Talking)
Peter then sat beside Dramix.
“You know the nice thing about being a pillar?” (Peter’s Spirit Talking)
Dramix barely raised his shoulder.
“Tell me.” (Dramix’s Spirit Talking)
Peter looked at his wound before speaking.
“When they’re built right in a structure, they all support one another. Don’t forget that you didn’t add Naleeit to the structure you belong to, but you were added to hers.” (Peter’s Spirit Talking)
Dramix became confused.
“I don’t understand.” (Dramix’s Spirit Talking)
Peter smiled as he started to fade away again.
“You really must learn to listen.” (Peter’s Spirit Talking)
After he said that, he was gone. Dramix pleasingly smirked. He was a puzzle to the end.
He leaned back to wait for his last breath and rested to prevent it. As he did so, his ears caught a distant scream. It wasn’t unusual for this place to have them, but this one wasn’t from torture. The voice then started spreading.
They were cheers of joy, freedom, and cheers of revenge as others screamed in death.
Dramix smirked a little more.
“Why not?” (Dramix)
Somehow, he found the strength to stand once again and started moving as he heard the screams coming closer, while he moved slower. It soon came to a point of an intersection and he paused as an armored guard fell there as if he tripped when fleeing, and four people were on his back beating him with rocks before he stopped moving.
Dramix kept watching them until they stripped the gear off his body and put it on another person. They were about to split up when they saw him.
Dramix reached for the bone shiv, but it was gone. He must have left it behind.
“You two help this one to the medical wing. The princess will want to see him.” (Escape Prisoner)
Dramix lifted his head in surprise as two of them lifted him up under his arms.
Dramix passed out soon after that and woke up again on a table with someone shoving some form of gruel down his throat.
He turned and coughed up half of it before turning back to the one doing it, but stopped after hearing a voice.
“What about the armory?” (Naleeit)
Another person responding to her.
“Locked uptight. We outnumber them ten to one, but they’re better armored and armed. We funneled them into a wall of death at each junction.” (Escaped Prisoner)
She paused after hearing that, and Dramix leaned forward after taking the bowl to eat properly.
“You must have some swords and spears to spare. Find a good thin wall and start digging through it.” (Naleeit)
Naleeit then turned to see him.
She smiled pleasingly before looking at the one treating him. He only nodded before Naleeit took his hand.
“I feared the worst.” (Naleeit)
Dramix leaned in toward her and she held him.
“It’s not over yet. It seems that I’ve missed a lot.” (Dramix)
Naleeit backed away.
“I took a wrong turn and wound up in general population. There weren’t that many guards, and once they saw me take care of them, the prisoners rose up to fight as well. Most of the men who served my father loyally were sent here when they were captured. One recognized me as the princess and that became a rally cry.” (Naleeit)
Naleeit grabbed a key, then she went behind Dramix’s neck and unlocked his collar before taking it off.
“I’m in good hands it seems. Lead your people Naleeit. I won’t die now.” (Dramix)
Dramix then pulled the armor off his chest.
“Who among you commands the people in name of the princess?” (Dramix)
There was a pause in the room, as a lone man stepped forward and saluted.
“Lieutenant Noa of the thirty-second reserves.” (Noa)
Dramix offered him his armor.
“You now command this lost legion under her name. This is armor made from the bones of your fallen comrades to aid your princess. Wear it with dignity.” (Dramix)
Noa took it and saw that it was similar to the one that Naleeit had on.
He gripped it hard before putting it over the guard chest piece he had on.
Dramix leaned back on the bed and allowed the one treating him to continue to feed him.
“I’m but a broken pillar at the moment. You must rely on the others you know well until I’m able again.” (Dramix)
Naleeit leaned against him happily before gripping his hand.
After seeing that she was rather happy at his survival, he closed his eyes to rest.
