freedom at last...

[Alezand Jozlyn, Allaine knight]

Alezand had been sitting in the dungeons for seemed like days. A steady drip of rain water leaking through the stones above was all pierced the palpable silence that grasped the dungeon. His mind reeled with the events of the past fey days. Tyanno was passed out across from him. Shadow was silent as was Rith. Adrienne infiltrated his mind over and over again. He yearned to look into her again, alighting the inpenatrable, despairing night of this tomb of injustice. His soul racked in the pain of the death and injustice surrounding the beleaguerd kingdom. Finally,he could wait no more. crawling over to the bars of the damp, dank cell, Alezand grasped them and called out to the guards in the passage way. "I wish to speak with Father Vidar immediately. Surely your runners have returned confirming the validity of my directions. I request my release as agreed to my cooperation." he said to the nearest soldier. He could see in his minds eye the troops marching upon the dark and sinister presence of the Citadel. Destiny was set in motion. time called for action, and he needed to take part in the growing plot. His time had come, and he had done all that was requested of him. all the land's heroes were needed now, including him...

[Cain Ellatar]

OOC: I figured this should go without saying, yet just in case, I'd like pretty much everyone involved in this dungeon thing to post here.

BIC:
"Shut it prisoner!" the guard snapped at him. He had heard that the warrior had struck some sort of deal with Father Vidar, yet the priest had also left explicit instructions that he was to remain imprisoned until Vidar came personally to fetch him and if he attempted any sort of escape, he was to be immediately executed. That time had yet to arrive, nor did the guard think that such a time would ever arrive and, having nothing else to do, thought it might be fun to taunt the prisoner. "Unless you'd prefer that I let you out the easy way, although I would imagine it'd be a bit painful for a few moments. 'Course, after a little bit all the pain goes away." he said, smirking at him, "What do you say, care to give it a try? I could always just say afterwards that you attempted to break free and get commended for my valiant efforts. After all, I’d be more than happy to-"

Yet he never finished his sentence, instead trailing off to gawk in awe at the spectacle that had just begun before his very eyes. The once very solid stone wall of the dungeon near where he sat began to distort itself, twisting in impossible ways as if reality itself were writhing itself to pieces.

Then a tear opened in the wall, bearing every resemblance of one thrusting their hand through a waterlogged piece of parchment to reveal a scene beyond that looked nothing like the twisting lower corridors of the castle that were known to beyond this wall if someone chose to smash their way though them. It appeared instead in the form of a pearly-white city, with tall spires jutting forth all over the place, surrounded in a field of green. Yet it was not the background that caught the guards eye, it was the figures that stood directly within the mouth of this newly formed portal.

Stepping through was a figure clad entirely in black mail, gold-trimmed near his neck, with a flowing cape that billowed behind him as he stepped from one plane to another. After he had entered, more shapes, these ones shrouded by robes of various colors, began to crowd at the portal, as Cain's elites entered after him. The guard could do nothing for a moment except let out a strange stuttering noise, taken completely by surprise as it was.

Yet he was a trained warrior, and took only a few moments to assess the situation, deeming the only logical way to proceed would be to call for help. Yet he found himself transfixed, mouth halfway open to shout for reinforcements as the figure who had first stepped through the portal turned towards him. Extending his gauntleted hand foreword, palm facing the startled warrior, in a gesture one might make to order someone to halt. There was a brilliant flash, followed by a loud clap of thunder as the warrior was thrown back against the far wall of the dungeon, his heart having been stopped the moment the bolt struck him.

As the smell of singed flesh and ozone began to permeate the dungeon, hoarse cries of alarm could be heard from upper levels, as Rianne's formidable standing guard realized there was trouble after hearing the thunderclap and were quickly mobilizing to stop the prisoners escape.

With a nod from Cain, a trio of his mages moved towards the far path of the dungeon corridor, from where the reinforcements would be arriving. One of the trio stepped foreword, making intricate hand gestures and muttering rapidly to himself while the other two stood stoically behind him in expectation. Cain gave another satisfactory nod as the first few of the warriors arrived. They spotted the trio almost immediately and charged, wielding weapons as best they could in these cramped confines, yet mere feet from the trio they halted. Although no physical barrier prevented their advance, they simply could not move any further foreword, no matter how much they tried. The mage who had stepped before the other two and even now continued with his ritual allowed himself a brief smirk even as a single bead of sweat dripped down his forehead from the effort of maintaining the spell as more and more guards piled in, ceaselessly trying to break through the barrier through sheer brute strength.

With this small amount of borrowed time, Cain and the few remaining elites he had went from cell to cell smashing locks and pointing at the portal before moving. Cain himself came upon the cell where Rith was housed. Holding his hand out once again, the air around the lock ignited and burned fiercely, consuming the metal contraption in a ball of fire. When the lock was red-hot, Cain drew his sword and smote it, sending sparks flying as the weakened metal shattered.

"All make for the portal, escape to the city of Aesir!" he commanded, addressing all the newly freed prisoners, "For when we leave, we leave. There will be no lingering for reluctants or stragglers as the portal closes with my own departure. This is your one chance of escape, so take it or die at the hands of your twisted dictatorship."

[Lucy Pevensie]

Lucy took no time to waste she ran down to solitary confine ment to her sisters cell it was to late she scooped up her body and dashed throught the crowed back to the portal and jumped threw shouting thanks to Cain

[Alezand Jozlyn, Allaine knight]

OCC: I appologize to anyone who read the previous, unedited version of this post. It was poor in its content and information. I have since corrected it and hopefully not screwed up the plot too much. I had just went home for a few days leave before I ship overseas, so stress is high. I appreciate your understanding.

Alezand showed no surprise when the distorted vision of the portal appeared. Nor when the the dark and heavily clad mage king stepped though followed by his troops. Alezand had not given the true location of the entrance away. He had given a false location as to draw forces away in hopes that the powers of Aesir would act on time. He had a hunch that the elite of the mage city would not let this crime to carry on whilst their bretheren were executed for unproven violations. Thankfully, destiney, it so seemed, was with them today. He watched as they made short work of the remaining guards on post and set up security down the halls. Bowing as best as he could in his bonds, Alezand spoke most humbly, "Greetings, great Mage King, your highness. It is good to finally meet you under such dire circumstances. My sword is at your disposal." He was calm despite his growing adrenaline rush. After his bonds were broken, he assisted in freeing Tyanno, Rith and Shadow and helping them with getting to the portal. He then ran off down a short way as best as his memory could serve him to locate his weapons. After a few minutes, he returned, strapping the last sheath to his belt. Turning though, he bowed his head in respect and humility, "Grand Magus, your highness, I do request to fight as one of your own. It would do well to quell the pain they have caused my friends, as they mean more than the world to me. Please, I wish to stand in your command.

[Nexus Fretius]

He glanced at Cain.
"was this for real? WHO CARES I'M OUTTA HERE!" he thought.
He began to run for the portal... "Where is Fae, where is Susan..." He muttered.

[Tyanno Dynam, Allaine mage]

Tyanno watched, his strength returning in the form of reassurance that the rescue party brought. He knew, being a mage himself, that what Alezand had told the priest and the guards was all a ruse to draw away forces. Whether he had planned on the rescue or had a intricate idea of escape, was unclear to Tyanno. But he knew his pal all too well. And he knew the position that Alezand would take on this matter, no doubt in his mind. And he, like Alezand, would give his life in the sake of defending truth and justice, rather than betray the oppressed magi forces and their location of sanctuary. Unfortunately, Tyanno was in no shape to deal out some of his mistreatment. He felt Alezand reach over and swiftly gater under him and rise with Tyanno across his shoulders. He watched the stone gound go by as he was passed to someone on the otherside of the portal and smiled at practically nothing. Despite all the events falling around them ,he was still one of Alezands primary concerns. Something like that kind of care was rather foriegn to Tyanno, though in the back of his mind and deep in his heart, he knew all along. He was Alezands brother in arms and that was way it would always be. As his care was passed on to another, he allowed himself to slip back into mental hibernation as the danger had passed, for now...

[Rith Matou]

The actions of the Mage King had all happened so quickly and unexpectedly that Rith initially thought his mind had been playing tricks on him. Being beaten and suspended from a wall for what felt like a lifetime apparently isn't conducive to a normal train of thought. It became apparent that this was actually happening when he felt the intense heat coming off of his locks before they were broken, causing Rith to slump to the floor limply, more out of suprise than utter fatigue. With his glazed-over eyes, he gazed upon the man who freed him, or at least what he could see of him as he gradually rose to his feet.
At the mention of a portal, Rith's eyes searched about thoroughly, spotting the area of twisted space that the once prisoners entered and dissapeared through.

"My...pouch. Where...is my pouch?" Rith asked, his voice hoarse slightly from all the yelling he had been doing lately. His eyes resumed to scan about the area, he shambled his way around the regal-looking gentleman and out of his cell. He simply would not allow himself to leave this horrid place without his father's Bag of Tricks. It simply was not replacable in his eyes. He recalled one of the Queen's guards had removed his belt which bore the bag and another had confiscated the lone Puffer he managed to temporarily smuggle from them. He continued to search as his senses slowly began to return, checking fallen Guards' bodies as he came upon them, but he might as well have been looking for a needle in a haystack.

[Cain Ellatar]

"Very well then," Cain said shortly, "I shall hold you to your word then. In which case I order you to help drag any stragglers through so they don't end up left behind, as I'm afraid things are going to be a bit messy when we make our departure. Do this and I shall swear you and the rest of your willing friends into my service." he said in reference to the rest of the refugees.

"You, boy," he called towards Rith, "Into the portal with you, there's no time to waste, forget anything you've left behind as more likely than not it's past the barrier," he said with a gesture past the three mages who were holding the guard at bay, "If the guards took it, they might still have it. We have no intention of letting anyone pass the barrier until the last moment when we leave, so it would be best to ask which you value more: your personal items or your life?"

With most current prisoners set, there was only one left, as far as Cain could see. It was the mage known as Shadow. While the man had been released and now the mages bindings lay in shambles, it was painfully clear that the mage had been heavily drugged by the guards, to the point where Cain didn't believe him capable of walking on his own. Hefting the mage over his own shoulder unceremoniously, much as one might carry a large sack of potatoes, Cain walked back towards the portal, depositing him in the arms of a black-robed mage who carried him through to safety.

"Not much longer....." came a voice from the corridor where the guards still attempted to break through the magical barrier. With a glance Cain could tell they didn't have long, as the mage who had been casting the spell was sweating profusely and panting for breath, clearly unable to keep his spell active for more than a couple more minutes. "Everyone, leave! Now!" he commanded, stepping aside from the portal to admit the last people back inside.

[Shadow]

"My thanks... But it really isnt-" he decided to shut up. the drug could have destroyed my motor skills.. I dont know. and I kinda like being carried... "Thanks... we were goners. just hope the other entrance is well defended...." Shadow closed his eyes, and the world went black.
((really short...))

[Rith Matou]

With an audible grunt of frustration, Rith lifted himself from the ground. Although he hated it, the man was right. If he tarried any longer, then he and the rescuers would be back to square one. Taking one last pass across the castle's "Hospitality Suite" Rith let out a reluctant sigh.
"I'm sorry Father. I'm sorry the last of you must be buried in this hellish place."Rith said before turning on his heel and making haste for the portal. Though he was unsure of where the portal would lead him, he was certain that it couldn't be much worse than this place.

[Cain Ellatar]

There is was, the last of the prisoners were free, given a couple seemed reluctant to leave and seemed to only leave at the threat of being left behind. It was time to end this and make their escape. "My lord, we are ready to depart, the mission is a success," was the voice of one of his mages, before they slipped through the portal, leaving only Cain and the three standing a short ways down the hall remaining in the dungeons.

"Mayra," he commanded one of the three robed figured who stood in the corridor. She silently turned to await his command. "Go through and prepare to close the portal the moment the rest of us make it through. If anyone but us starts to come through; close the portal immediately, do you understand?" With little more than a brief nod, she broke away form her group and disappeared a moment later through the portal.

"Shiro, wait for my command then take Alton and leave," he said. Shiro, being the one who was not currently maintaining the spell, nodded briefly and places a hand on Alton's shoulder, who appeared on the verge of collapse from the strain induced by his casting; it was clear he would need the extra assistance to make it back to the portal after he had broken his spell. At the moment, he only waited for the command from Cain before he dropped his arms and ceased maintaining the barrier that kept the guards at bay.

"Now![/i]" Cain bellowed, raising his sword to point at the lead guardsman. With that word, Alton released his tight focus and allowed himself to slump against Shiro for support, who began to walk/drag him towards the portal. Even as he did so, tendrils of fire snaked from Cain's hand along the blade of his sword before he shot a brilliant jet of white-hot flame at the foremost guard, who promptly exploded into a fireball.

Standing in the middle of the hallway, his imposing figure accentuated by the flickering shadows caused as the dying guard writhed on the ground, unable to douse the flames that consumed him. Even the guardsmen, who outnumbered Cain by a vast margin, hesitated, afraid that their own fate would be the same.

Hoping they would simply flee, saving Cain a bit of trouble finishing this mission, he barely had time to react, instinctively holding his free hand up at the familiar 'twang' of a crossbow being fired, causing the quarrel aimed at his head to ignite and turn to ash scant inches from hitting him. Unfortunately, this act seemed to rally the guardsmen, who began to mass towards him.

With a swift gesture, a wall of fire flared into being across the floor, stretching from one wall to another in the dungeon, even as Cain turned to move swiftly towards the portal. About the same time he reached it, the resourceful guardsmen had managed to brave the flames, leaping quickly through so that they were in and out too quickly to do more than singe themselves a bit.

Stepping through the portal, he heard more crossbow quarrels clanging against the stones around the portal, a few massing through to the other side yet none luckily striking Cain. In another moment, it was over, as he had been through the portal for less than five seconds before it faded, distorted and finally, disappeared from existence.