Gods of Malcea ✔️

T H I R T Y - F O U R

Drops of water splashed onto his face from the ceiling. He could hear the footsteps of the soldiers walking up above. He even heard some of their conversation as the frigid water reached his neck. They swam in the murky water smelling of waste until they reached the end. 

Karos rose and wrung out his clothes before opening the door. It creaked and groaned but, from what he could tell, no gaurds had been alerted. He gripped his sword and went up the stairs one foot at a time. They were closer than he thought they would be from the bridge. That was a good thing. 

"As soon as we reach above, we must get to the third floor of this palace. If he had not changed it, his rooms would be on that floor," Karos turned his back and whispered. 

"Third floor? Have you lost your mind? How are we to escape?" 

"Analia, you are not new to this. You run to the most expected escape route as we discussed. It will be the least expected because it is so obvious." 

Anaia scoffed and shook her head.  

"And do not ever look back," he finished. 

Rakkaus continued to stay silent and unmoved by his words. He had nothing but the look of distaste written across his face. It was his decision to bring him and he would be responsible for his actions, Karos knew. It was too late to have him leave as his gut feeling was telling him to. 

"Stay close to me," he murmurred into Analia's ear. Her black hair brushed against the side of his face as he did. If Fariel could not find the blacksmith in Klu, Analia was all that was left with the knowledge of forging obsidian weapons. Nothing could ever happen to her. 

Karos cracked open the door ahead and peered out looking for any signs of soldiers patrolling the area. There was torches lit across the sides and two soldiers walking with two bottles of mead in hand. Just as they passed, he ran to the first pillar and hid further into the shadows. Analia ran to the next one.  

Water dripped down his face blurring his vision until he swiped at them with his free hand. He pushed his black hair back and looked around for Rakkaus hoping he had made it to the walls already. He looked to Analia and held out two fingers before putting down one.

As the gaurds came close to them, Karos took out a small dagger. He crouched down further into the darkness making sure his steps were as silent as possible. Before they could look to the sides, Karos lunged from the shadows and wrapped one hand around one gaurd's mouth before sliding the dagger across his neck. He dropped his body down along with Analia and dragged him into the darkened corners. 

They continued to crouch and continued silently through the outside of the first floor. As soon as Karos spotted another staircase, he waved Analia over. He looked around for Rakkaus and saw him appear seemingly out of nowhere before brushing passed him. Karos narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips but he did not bother to address the issue right here and now. Later, he thought and continued up the stairs. 

Before he reached the last step, Karos heard the sounds of swords being unsheathed and hollering soon after. He clenched his fists and hissed under his breath as he took out his own and rushed into the commotion. Instead of fighting, Karos saw five dead bodies of the soldiers laying in a pool of their own blood. Their eyes were wide, their mouths agape. It brought on the surge of memories of when he had first met Ake and saw the horrors that he could do. 

"This is going far too slow.  I was losing my patience with this," Rakkaus drawled as he continued to pick the skin and blood from under his fingernails. 

Karos' eyes found Analia sprawled on the floor with blood splattered across her face. Her eyes were wide as her lips parted trying to form some semblance of words. He tried to pick her up and shake her back into reality. When he had first seen what a dragon could do, even in human form, he was just as shaken. However, they had no time for this.