The Unsilenced War: Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Darkness fills the underground prison as a young teen yangs on the chains that bind her to the cold stone wall behind her. On the other side of the room lie the twins who came to this place four years after herself. Her black fox ears on top of her head twitch as the door closes behind them. But her silver eyes widen in shock when the usual clicking of the door locking never comes. He didn’t lock the door.

A giddy form of excitement bubbles in her chest at this. They can finally free themselves. Walking with unsteady steps to the door, she presses her ear against the thin oak door, waiting for the tell tale sign of the outer door being closed. The usual sound of the door being locked as well is missing. Did he really trust us not to leave? A scoff falls from the girl’s lips as she hurries to the other two who are sleeping, blood soaking the ground where they lie.

“Devalis, Aretha, wake up!” Kaida hisses, shaking their shoulders. They have to get out, there probably won’t be another chance after this.

Devalis stirs, sapphire blue eyes blinking at the sudden noise. “What, Kaida?” He groans, not wanting to move after the amount of bruises that cover his pale tan skin.

“He left the doors unlocked.” Kaida urgently shakes Aretha, irritation entering her voice when she continues to sleep.

Devalis shakes his head, “Just break the chains. We can carry her.”

Nodding, Kaida removes a brick stone from the corner farthest from the door. Pulling out from the hole inside, she holds a rather plain ceremonial dagger with strange runes covering its blade. Holding it tightly in her hands, channeling her magic through it as she brings it down onto the chains pinned on the wall, she hisses, “Chēn: Shatā.”

The loud crash of magic against metal fills the basement as the chains fall to the ground, no longer held to the wall. Freeing the other two, the quickly breaking down the oak door and enter a large room full of the man’s tools. Shuddering, Kaida pulls Aretha onto her back, running with Devalis out of the room, stomach twisting at the sight of their blood that covered the tools inside.

The next room holds two doors. Grimacing, Devalis turns to Kaida who moves towards the door on the right with a certainty in her steps. “Come on, Dev. We need to get out of here before he returns.” Kaida calls softly, hand resting on the doorknob.

“How do you know that’s the way out?” He demands, crossing his arms in a childish manner.

Rolling her pale eyes, Kaida explains, “I can smell the sand. We’re in Barrenaba, the forbidden lands.”

Devalis’s eyes widen as he hurries after her. Pushing the door open, they are greeted with the sight of a large amount of sand. Devalis remains silent as they run, the sunlight nearly blinding them at the start. The heat is much harsher than he remembers, but years of imprisonment in a cold dungeon did have its consequences. He and his twin hadn’t been there for nearly as long as Kaida, who he can see is struggling to keep running, the heat really taking its toll even though they had just began to run a few hours before.

Coming upon a large forest, Kaida huffs for air, “Can we please rest for a second?”

Devalis nods in agreement before they both hide themselves in the shades of a large tree with a sigh of relief. They are free, but they have to get farther away. He can still find them if they didn’t keep running. The sound of a branch breaking has both of the teens standing, eyes flickering across the forest in fear.

But their stances relax slightly when a teen their age comes out from the forest path. His pine green eyes immediately gives him away as the DarkSun heir and Kaida whispers, “Hello, Heir to the DarkSun.”

His pale face brightens into a small smile as he bows to Kaida, “Hello, Lady Mordecai, it is an honor to meet the Priestess of Miko.”

Formalities aside, Kaida asks, “Is there someplace we may stay and rest before the departure for the Academy?”

“Of course, you may stay with Master Xander and I. We can heal your wounds as well.”

Devas pulls Aretha closer, eyeing the other teen warily and demands, “Will he be able to find us?”

Israel stares at him for a few minutes before stating in a cold tone, “If the he you mention is the slave trader I have been hunting down for a year who was rumored to have a Mordecai in his possession, he is dead.”

It is then that Kaida and Devas finally spot the blood splatters on the boy’s silk clothing. His green eyes pierce them as Kaida stands up and walks over to his side. There is no reason to not take his offer, especially since he is the DarkSun heir.

Devas turns eyes focus from Kaida to Israel and back with a slight frown. But finally he kneels down and picks up Aretha and motions with his head for Israel to lead the way to his offered haven.

As they set off, Kaida lets out a small smile. It looks like she isn’t the only one who remembered the small child who was always alone when they had to attend social functions. Israel’s pine green eyes are something she couldn’t forget and it kept her sane during the first four years before the twins came.