Aurelius stumbled through the palace halls. Blood running down his arm from the sword cut. His leg burning where another blade had found its mark. Behind him, Victor's voice echoed through the throne room.
"The traitor Aurelius has murdered our beloved king," Victor shouted. His voice carrying perfectly through the open doors. "Stop him! Don't let the king's killer escape!"
Boots thundered on marble floors. Guards poured out of side passages with swords drawn. Their faces showed rage and grief. They actually thought he'd really killed the king.
"Commander, stop," one of them called. "Surrender now and we'll make it quick."
Aurelius kept running. His lungs burned as he pushed himself faster. More guards appeared ahead of him. They blocked the main hallway with raised spears.
"There's nowhere to go," their captain said. "Put down your sword."
A young man stepped out from behind the guards. He wore the blue robes of a palace wizard. His hands glowed with magical energy.
"Hold him," the wizard commanded.
Magic slammed into Aurelius like invisible chains. His body went rigid and almost immediately his legs stopped moving. The spell wrapped around him tight enough to stop his breathing.
The guards rushed forward with triumph on their faces while Aurelius felt despair.
Blue words suddenly flashed in his vision.
[THREAT DETECTED]
[COMBAT MODE AVAILABLE]
[ACTIVATING ENHANCED ABILITIES]
Power suddenly surged through his body like lightning. Strength flooded his muscles. His mind then became sharp and immediately he felt the wizard's spell shatter like glass.
"What?" the young wizard gasped. "That's impossible."
Aurelius moved faster than any human should. His sword cut through the first guard's spear like it was made of straw. The man fell with blood pouring from his chest.
The other guards attacked together. Steel rang against steel as Aurelius fought like a man possessed. His blade found gaps in their armor as every movement he made felt perfect and precise.
[PERSONAL KILL: +1]
[COMBAT EXPERIENCE GAINED]
The notifications kept flashing as more guards fell. Each death brought a small rush of energy. Made him faster and stronger.
The young wizard tried to cast another spell. Aurelius threw his dagger before the man could finish. The blade buried itself in the wizard's throat. He fell backward with wide, shocked eyes.
[PERSONAL KILL: +1]
[MAGICAL RESISTANCE INCREASED]
"Monster," one of the surviving guards whispered.
Aurelius didn't feel like a monster, instead he felt alive. More alive than he'd ever been. But there was no time to think about what was happening to him.
More guards were coming and he could hear them getting closer.
The dungeons, he realized suddenly. He had to reach the dungeons.
Aurelius ran down a narrow staircase. Stone walls pressed close on both sides. Torches threw dancing shadows as he descended into darkness.
The dungeon hall was long and damp. Water dripping from the ceiling. Rats scurrying away from his boots. Iron doors lined both walls with small barred windows.
He found her in the third cell on the left just like the last time.
Seraphina sat on moldy straw with her back against the wall. Short blonde hair framed a face that burned with fury. Her blue eyes snapped to his when he appeared at her door.
"Who are you?" she asked, immediately on guard. Smart.
"Someone who needs your help," Aurelius said. He grabbed the cell door and pulled. The iron bent under his enhanced strength. The lock snapped like a twig.
Seraphina scrambled to her feet. "How did you do that?"
"No time to explain," he said. "Can you fight?"
"Better than most," she replied. Her eyes studied his face. "You're not a guard. Why are you freeing me?"
"Because we both have the same enemy," Aurelius said. "Victor."
Her expression changed completely. The fury in her eyes became focused and deadly. "Where is he?"
"Throne room. But we can't reach him now as they are too many guards."
Boots echoed down the staircase. Voices shouted orders. They were out of time.
"We need to move," Aurelius said.
Seraphina nodded. "I'm with you."
They ran toward the back of the dungeons. A guard appeared around the corner with his sword drawn. Seraphina moved like a shadow. Her fist connected with his throat before he could shout. He dropped without a sound.
"Nice," Aurelius said.
"I told you I could fight," she replied.
More guards poured down the stairs. Steel clanged against stone as they gave chase. Aurelius and Seraphina fought side by side through the narrow halls.
She was good. Better than he actually expected. Her movements were quick and precise. Every strike found its target. Blood stained her stolen sword as they cut their way toward the exit.
[TEMPORARY ALLY COMBAT BONUS ACTIVATED]
[TACTICAL COORDINATION IMPROVED]
The blue words flashed again. Working with Seraphina felt natural. Like they'd fought together for years instead of minutes.
They reached the main level through a servant's staircase. The palace was chaos. Guards ran everywhere. Servants screamed and hid in corners. Smoke rose from somewhere in the east wing.
"This way," Aurelius said. He led them toward the kitchens.
They turned a corner and stopped dead.
Mileena stood in the hallway ahead of them. She'd dressed in a simple brown gown with her auburn hair pulled back in a hasty braid. Tears streaked her cheeks.
Her brown eyes went wide when she saw him. "Aurelius? What's happening? They're saying you... they're saying you killed the king."
The words hit him like a punch to the gut. She looked so small and scared. So beautiful and innocent. Everything he was fighting to protect.
"I didn't kill anyone," he said softly. "Victor did this. He's framing me."
"But the guards said..." she started.
"The guards are wrong," he cut her off. "Mileena, I need you to listen. Get out of the palace. Go to your sister's house in the city. Stay there until this is over."
She stepped toward him. "I want to come with you."
"No." The word came out harder than he meant. "It's too dangerous. I won't let you get hurt because of me."
Seraphina grabbed his arm. "We need to go. Now."
More guards rounded the corner behind them. They shouted when they saw Aurelius. Swords scraped out of sheaths.
Aurelius looked at Mileena one last time. Memorized her face. The way her eyes held so much love and trust even now.
"I love you," he said.
Then he turned and ran.
Mileena pressed herself against the wall as they passed. Her hand reached out like she wanted to touch him. But she pulled it back at the last second.
"I love you too," she whispered behind them.
The words followed him down the hall like a knife in his heart.
They burst through a side door into the armory courtyard. Ten men in First Order colors stood in formation near the weapons racks. Aurelius's heart sank as this meant more comrades to fight.
But when they saw him, something unexpected happened instead.
One if them, Sir Garrett, stepped forward. The grizzled veteran had served under Aurelius for five years. His scarred face showed relief instead of anger.
"Commander," he said. "Thank the gods you're alive."
"Garrett?" Aurelius stopped running. "What are you doing here?"
"Looking for you, sir," another knight said. Sir Roland, a young but steady knight. "When we heard about the accusations, we knew they were lies."
"You believe I'm innocent?" Aurelius asked.
"We know you're innocent," Garrett replied firmly. "You'd die before betraying the crown. Any man who says different is a fool or a liar."
The other knights nodded. Their faces showed the same loyalty Aurelius had earned through years of leading them. Fighting beside them and bleeding with them.
"Victor's spreading lies," Sir Bradley said. "Says you murdered the king in cold blood."
"Victor killed the king," Seraphina said coldly. "I know firsthand what that lying bastard can do."
The knights looked at her with surprise. They hadn't noticed her in the shadows.
"Who's this?" Garrett asked.
"Someone who wants Victor dead as much as we do," Aurelius replied. "Can you accept that for now?"
Garrett studied Seraphina's face. Whatever he saw there must have satisfied him. "Good enough for me."
Palace bells rang out across the courtyard. Emergency signals that meant lockdown. No one in or out until the threat was contained.
"We need to leave," Aurelius said. "Now. Before they seal the gates."
"Where do we go?" Roland asked.
"Away from here," Aurelius replied. "Somewhere we can plan our next move."
Garrett smiled grimly. "The old servant tunnels?"
"You remember," Aurelius said.
"Hard to forget crawling through rat-infested holes for training," Garrett replied. "But they'll get us out."
The group moved quickly through the armory. They grabbed weapons and supplies while the bells kept ringing. Seraphina took a pair of daggers and strapped them to her thighs.
"You know how to use those?" Sir Roland asked.
She smiled coldly. "Would you like a demonstration?"
"Maybe later," he said quickly.
They reached a hidden door behind the weapon racks. Aurelius pressed a series of stones in the right pattern. The door swung open to reveal a narrow tunnel.
"After you," he said to Seraphina.
She disappeared into the darkness. The knights followed one by one. Aurelius went last, sealing the door behind them.
The tunnel was pitch black and barely wide enough for one person. They crawled on hands and knees through dust and spider webs. The stones were cold and damp beneath their palms.
Behind them, the palace bells kept ringing. Emergency calls that echoed through the walls like screams.
"How far?" Seraphina asked from ahead.
"Two hundred yards," Aurelius replied. "It comes out near the market district."
They crawled in silence after that. Each man lost in his own thoughts. Aurelius couldn't stop thinking about Mileena's face. The way she'd looked at him with such trust even as his world fell apart.
He'd protect her. Somehow. Even if it meant staying away from her forever.
The tunnel finally opened into an old storm drain. They emerged one by one into gray morning light. The market district was quiet this early. Most shops were still closed.
But smoke rose from the direction of the palace. And the bells kept ringing their warning across the city.
"What now?" Garrett asked.
Aurelius looked back toward the palace walls. Somewhere inside, Victor was probably celebrating his victory. Probably planning what to do with the kingdom he'd stolen.
But the game wasn't over yet.
"Now we disappear," Aurelius said. "And we plan how to take back what's ours."
The group melted into the narrow streets like ghosts. Behind them, the bells kept ringing. But ahead lay freedom.
And chance for revenge.