NEMO: Into The Depths

Chapter 1: Planned to Perfection

The last rays of the setting sun hit the top of the castle. Castles were rare in the Kingdom of Luminae, a remnant of when it was once divided. Alexander patiently waited, his outstretched hand poised to catch the final touch of sunlight. Perched on the rooftop of a nearby bakery, he observed the imposing walls of the castle. They were about 13 meters tall, but Alexander could see some bricks jutting out, and a path appeared to the top.

He got up to his feet and walked towards the edge closest to the walls. Peering down at the moat encircling the fortress, he calculated the daunting distance of the jump. Eight meters was a significant span to cover. Alexander took a deep breath, moved back a few steps away from the edge, and took out a knife. He sprinted towards the wall, launching himself into the air at the very last moment.

With a resounding thud, he landed on the wall, his hand gripping onto a protruding brick. Pain reverberated through his bones, but he continued onwards, jabbing his knife into a crack to use as a platform. Alexander quickly made his way up to the top till he was just about to climb onto the walkway, when he heard the metallic crunching of armour that became louder each second.

He peered through an arrow slit, spotting a guard in shiny iron armour jogging towards him. Ducking down quickly, ready to strike at a moment's notice. Judging by his armour, the new guards had been hired for extra protection for tomorrow. This would mean it would be a bit harder to get into the castle, but it also presented him with an excellent opportunity. As the sound faded away, Alexander could finally set foot on solid ground once again, seeing the guard jogging towards a tower a few ways up the catwalk.

Silently, he trailed the guard as the sky transitioned into a dusky shade of blue. Once he arrived at the tower, he saw the guard struggling to move a crate of swords. Alexander silently walked up behind the crouching guard, his right hand crackling with electricity, waiting for the right moment. The guard must've heard the slight crackle, turning around with his hand on the hilt of his sword. But before he had a chance to unsheathe it, he found Alexander's hand on his mouth. The guard's body convulsed for a bit, his scream being muffled by his attacker's hand. It took about 30 seconds for the guard to lose consciousness, the voltage of the electricity lower than usual, so as not to damage the armour.

Alexander dragged the unconscious body into the darkest corner he could find. Within moments the sparkling armour was on above his usual clothes, surprisingly still quite loose. He quickly put on the helmet as he sprinted down the tower's spiral stairs. He had learned the layout of the castle grounds when he had visited the city a few years ago, allowing him to easily avoid most of the patrols as Alexander made his way towards the 'garden'. It took about five minutes for him to reach the entrance. The belittling designation of "garden" failed to capture the true essence of what was a meticulously tended woodland, the size rivalling the castle it was a part of, that had been cared for by the Earl's family for over a century.

So far so good

The entrance to the forest was marked by two ash-white trees that both drooped down to form a type of arch. Veins of blue coursed through their boots, giving them a bit of an enchanted look. As Alexander crossed the threshold and entered their domain, their leaves seemed to bow in welcome. The trees towered above him as he ran. The entrance of the Garden created a natural labyrinth, confusing anyone who did not know the path through. But Alexander just kept rushing through, already knowing where it led to. And in a few short minutes, he saw his goal, a thicket of Firewood trees.

The person who first found a Firewood tree was not creative. They had dark brown bark, with fire-red leaves, and even from 5 meters away, Alexander could see the slight shine of its inflammable, translucent sap that flowed within. The trees bore a fruit that consisted mostly of water. Firewood was notorious for catching fire quite easily, and that was exactly what Alexander needed. He kicked off the trunk of the lowest tree in the thicket, snatching a fruit from its branch. Crouching beside the roots, Alexander pulled out a spherical metal device. He twisted it, popping the outer layer, revealing a web of machinery inside, with a slumbering infant fire elemental at its core. Alexander placed the orb gently on the ground as he started to dig a small hole, burying the fruit in it.