Chapter 25

Byron, Thena and Arthur were floating above the mist that Torin and Claire had just made. Because of the mist, the boat team were able to glide over the walls without being noticed. After they crossed the threshold of the castle grounds, Arthur tilted the boat towards the ground so they would descend faster.
After the boat hit the ground, they exited and started walking towards the inner town. There weren't many people here, and the ones who were out of their homes would glare at the trio with fear and worry.
Byron started to feel a little uneasy, "what is this place? Why is everyone hiding from us?" A woman herded her child indoors as Byron approached.
Arthur answered, "they aren't allowed to leave... For the last ten years they've been stuck, abused and drained of everything they had. But the king keeps them here... The only way out is to make a deal with King Ferdinand..." Arthur paused longer than normal this time. "It makes you wonder how bad the deal must be if they still choose to live here..." Arthur clenched a fist tightly.
Thena looked like she was thinking about something from long ago, "anything would be better than this, wouldn't it?"
Arthur responded with a laugh, "ha ha you would think so..." His tone was cold again, "I guess for some people the kings deal is much better than this life." He held his chin as he thought about it.
Byron followed swiftly behind Arthur as he made some turns down alley ways to avoid Drezir. "So how did you escape?"
Arthur hushed Byron. A pair of Drezir walked by where they were hiding. Then after they passed he got up again, "we are almost there." He rushed into the clearing.
Across the way was the entrance to the castle. There was another pair of guards at the main doors. They lazily stood at the doors distracted by a butterfly.
Thena rushed to Arthur's side, "what's the plan?"
Arthur was rushing forward quickly. "There is the dungeon to the side, go there while I distract the guards!" Byron and Thena branched off from where Arthur was and headed for the small door.
Arthur made a loud battlecry, "for the king!" He yelled as he brandished his sword. The guards focused on him and held out long spears made of ice as they clacked their boney jaws together.
Byron and Thena were able to reach the door unnoticed. Just as Byron looked back he saw Arthur fighting the Drezir. He turned forward and continued running. "Will he really be ok?" Byron asked.
Thena was mad, "why didn't he tell me he was planning to be the bait!?" She growled a bit in frustration.
"But didn't you use Torin as bait twice now? Why is this any different?" Byron was trying to peer into the passing jail cells as he ran.
Thena turned her head toward him, "cause Torin makes great bait, they won't kill him. Arthur is a healer, he was a knight yes, but so were the Drezir... He won't be able to hold on long... How will he escape?" Her anger turned into concern.
It never really occurred to Byron that Thena might care about anyone else. "I'm sure he had some kind of plan... He wouldn't just sacrifice himself like that if he thought they would kill him..." It was troubling to think about how Arthur might already be dead... Or worse, a drezir.
Ahead of them was a Drezir guard blocking the stairs down into the dungeon. It cracked and cackled as it moved it's skeletal body. Thena made her sword glow with a white flame. She was still far away from the Drezir, but she slashed towards it anyway. A white arc of magic launched forward towards the Drezir and struck it down. The Drezir body was in shambles as they opened the door and proceeded further below.
"I always thought light magic was useless." Byron did his best to give Thena a compliment. Unfortunately Thena did not catch on.
"lightning is dumb too ok!?" Thena was giving Byron a disgusted face. "Oooo look, shocky shocky! Look at me I make people have seizures!" She was clearly trying to cover up her embarrassment. She put a finger under her eye, pulling it down and then stuck her tongue out. Then she turned around down the stairs. Byrons heart jumped as he was suddenly personally attacked.
Yet another failure at friendship for Byron.