"Kyle!" Marisha dived next to him immediately trying to help in whatever way she could. "Are you alright? You were stabbed and ah-." Her emotions quickly overwhelmed her words as she could only move her mouth in a quiver.
"I'm... okay," Kyle said after a long pause. He could barely feel his legs and arms despite the dozens of cuts across his skin. It all felt numb. "I just need a moment." He breathed in a haggard mess. By all means he should be dead but through extreme luck and determination he'd somehow pulled them through. The fact he had taken Karster's life lingered in his mind, but tired as he was, there were more important things to deal with. For several minutes the two didn't move as Kyle focused on recovering.
"I can't believe you did it," Marisha kneeled beside him speaking in a whisper. "I thought we'd die down here. You're really no longer the baker boy from Tomph are you?"
"I'm still that baker," he smiled softly, "but now I'm also a bit more."
"Then maybe-," before she could finish a sudden yell came from the corridor and the door that was still locked.
The women's voice resounded, "Karster if you're done let me out this instance! Turner isn't looking so good. Stop playing around with that girly boy. Oi Karster let me out!" she slammed on the door again.
"We should go," with a heaving grunt Kyle managed to get back on his feet. Marisha stood by him in support, the silver key now in her hands.
"We need to find you a healer," she said concerned at his paling skin.
"I think I need more than just that," he chuckled as they stepped closer to the trap door. "Listen, if there are more of them. Leave me and try escape."
"What, no! I couldn't."
"It's for both our sakes. If you can, find help then bring them back. If we're both captured then everything would be for nothing. I'd love to say I can protect you but like this... I can't."
She nodded hesitantly, "I understand. But if there's a chance to get us both out I'm taking it."
Kyle couldn't help laugh, "Since when were you like this?"
"That's because in Tomph I always lived differently. I do care... really I do a lot."
"Thank you." They reached the end of the room but a sudden sensation caused Kyle to frown. In a snap he pushed Marisha away, "Hide!" The girl reacted just in time to sneak behind the stack of boxes before the trapdoor exploded into splinters. Kyle was barely able to keep himself upright as the force caused him to step back. All he had left was a small knife for defence but still he held it at the ready.
A suit of slim black armour broke through the stairs and into the room. Kyle dropped the knife as a short barrelled gun pointed directly at him.
"Wait it's me Kyle!" he recognised the armour and dropped all hostility. Councilman Philius Tombre's personnel guards. Knights from Lavise.
"Target spotted sir," the Knight said in a static filled voice. "Checking for hostiles." He stepped past Kyle and scanned the floor easily spotting Tibul and Karster. "Room clear."
"There's still one more locked in the room in the back corridor," Kyle said already feeling the ease in tension. "Marisha you can come out." The girl poked out from hiding as the knight turned her way causing her to flinch. "She's with me."
The sound of footsteps caused him to look up again as an unexpected figure entered the basement. Councilman Tombre himself and behind him another black armoured knight. The old man's expression was soft as he stepped closer. "Mr Barker we've come to rescue you."
"You were a bit late but thank you."
The Councilman stood at the doorway and widened his eyes at the carnage in the room, "You... you escaped by yourself."
"I did. Barely though." Kyle looked behind him. "There's one more trapped in the room back there."
"I see," Philius nodded and gestured to the knight who had already entered. "Take care of it."
"Yes sir," the knight obeyed and headed towards the door which had now stopped shaking. His armoured hand gripped the handle and snapped the lock easily letting the door swing free.
"Finally!" the women's voice called before pausing. "Wait who the hell are-."
A frightening bang ended her sentence causing Kyle to snap backwards in shock. The knight's gun had clearly fired and soon after the first shot it fired again.
"Clear sir," like it was nothing the knight returned.
"Why did you kill them!?" Kyle yelled surprised at his own anger.
The Council raised his hand gently, "Mr Barker please calm down. These men are hoodlums who kidnapped you. They need to be put down." He looked towards Tibul on the ground. "That one seems to be still alive."
"Wait!" Kyle managed to step in between the knight and the unconscious man. "We need him alive. Someone put a bounty on my head. We can find out who."
"Mr Barker it's too dangerous."
"Dangerous? Your knights are some of the finest in our world. You can at least capture an unconscious man alive." He grit his teeth, "If you're not willing to question him, the Hero's Guard will."
"That man is a wanted felon. We can't give a chance to escape. Now step aside. It's for your own good Mr Barker."
"Then just- wait...," Kyle paused. "How did you find me?"
Councilman Tombre frowned, "The Guard is looking all over for you and we chose to help. Now is not the time for that."
"But how did 'you' find me?" Kyle said again forcing the sentence. He had spotted it earlier but the entire room had been etched with runes designed to stop divining magic to reach it. The basement was as good as invisible. Injured as he was his body began to tingle as it sensed something off. There was the chance that they had found him after a random search, or even from looking at suspicious locations within the city but then if that were the case it was far more likely that the Guard would have found him first. By far however the most dubious act was the fact the Councilman himself had appeared to find him.
"We traced some illegal activity in the area," the Councilman said unfazed. "It was by luck we found you."
"Don't lie to me," his eyes narrowed.
Silence filled the room but then from nowhere the Councilman smiled and sighed, "Well really I'm quite the bad actor. There's no point keeping this up."
Kyle was surprised at his sudden compliance as the feeling of shock threatened to overcome his composure, "You set me up. How could you- Why would you?"
"Various reasons actually," Philius remained perfectly casual as if he hadn't done anything wrong. "Of course me coming to rescue you was meant to go quite a bit differently. I didn't expect you to be so capable. Hedging my bets on that maniac didn't quite pay off. You were meant to be on the brink of despair, practically broken even."
Kyle finally understood what he had wanted all this time. Ever since their conversation back then the Councilman had never given up. He had just changed his methods. "You wanted me to owe you.... To get me to give up one of the children." If Kyle had never broken those chains then he'd have fallen straight for the old man's ploy.
The Councilman clapped, "Right you are. I've always found the strength of gratitude to be quite something."
"And now what? After all that you've done do you expect me to just go along with what you want?"
"As much as I'd like it to, of course I don't think it'll be that easy. Regardless," the old man gestured towards Marisha.
"Stop!" Kyle tried to move but his body barely let him stand let alone run. He froze in place as the knight behind the Councilman easily held Marisha in place pointing the gun in his hands towards her body. The girl could only gasp in fear as the situation went far beyond her imagining. Meanwhile Kyle's body clenched unable to do anything, "You're just as bad as these thugs."
"I'd disagree," Philius shook his head. "I only go so far because of you and your unwillingness to be of any help. I'll ask you once more Mr Barker. Agree to hand one of the Hero candidates to me and this can all be over. Otherwise your friend here may just disappear in a most horrendous way."
"Blackmail? That's what you're resorting to?" A mess of thoughts span around Kyle's mind. The desire to protect Marisha, his promise to Jana and the children. When it came down to it, he simply didn't have the strength to carry out his goals and now he was paying for it. "Please Mr Tombre you don't have to do this. I can't give you the children. It's not my decision to make! Marisha has nothing to do with this either. Just let us go and I'll say nothing."
"I've already gone far enough Mr Barker. I'm not prepared to leave without benefits," his expression was firm. "Now this is what will happen. You'll be put under my spell and until you carry out your end, both your life and the girl's will be forfeit."
Kyle sneered disgusted, "You'd go so far to even bind me with magic?"
"Nothing too severe. After all the Hero's Guard would find out if I tried to enslave you. Just some incentive."
The seconds passed as Kyle stood unsure what to do. His eyes cautiously met the eyes of those around him. Marisha who's was filled with an unknowing fear. The knights whose cold black helmets seemed to shine with clear resolution. Finally Philius' who's remained clear with the slight edge of victory glancing at the corners.
"I... I give up. I'll do it, just don't hurt Marisha," Kyle raised his arms in defeat.
"A wise choice Mr Barker," the Councilman stepped forward. His hand reaching out with a sinister glow. "Remember what you're doing is for the good of our world. Now lower your defences and this will only hurt a small amount."
As the hand came forward Kyle bowed his head but just as it was about to touch his scalp, his body snapped into action. A discharge of mana lit the room as the Councilman was pulled closer and the prepared magic fell to pieces. The click of weapons readying filled the room as tensions rose to unbearable levels.
"Don't move!" Kyle yelled out fiercely as he held the old man in one arm and with another pointed a knife towards his neck. "A single step and he dies."