The Escape

 “Now all we have to do is get out,” said Latvia. Like everything except ‘eupnoea’ – easier said than done.

Dark within the belly of the Assmachistani’s Coralendian foothold, Estonia, assisted by isa, began feeling for a way out. Fortunately for them the tunnels could get them very close to the edge of Green City. Unfortunately for them they weren’t gerbils and the magic supply was still just a trickle. After stumbling around in the dark for several minutes, Estonia realized they had diverted from the correct path. Upon doubling back they all realized the correct path had caved in. They couldn’t fit through and it was too far to magic through too.

The only thing they could do was to resurface and dive down after passing the blockage.

Estonia feeled it out. They would only have to run down a hallway before they could dive down again. They could do it. Only problem: Estonia couldn’t get enough magic to sense the people above. It would be a gamble.

Felix was ready to hoist everyone up before pulling himself up. Everyone else was ready to be hoisted and run like mad. Estonia was ready to divine the portals.

1… 2… 3… Go!

They were prepared to beat down un-expectant passersby; they were prepared to duck back down in case of sentinel fire; they were even prepared to see the Mist Lady grinning down at them; but none of them was prepared for what meet them: an empty hallway.

They ran down the hallway expecting an outburst with every step but nothing happened. There was no one in sight or sound. It was strange. It was the kind of thing that only happened when falling into a trap. Or in stories.

Once back in the tunnels, apart from several stubbed toes, everything went smoothly. Within a half an hour, they were at the city limits. That’s where the real problem was.

Now Estonia could sense them or it. She wasn’t really sure what. At first it seemed like it was the Mist Lady but then she realized that she sensed thousands of identical beings all across the city. They were all scouring around the city like a colony of black ants defending their hill from intruders. They were all indistinguishable. This was unreal

“What is it?” Latvia asked dreading the answer by the look on her sister’s face.

“I don’t know. There’s something up there. Everywhere up there. I can’t figure what it is but there are millions of them running around up there and they are all exactly the same. I have no clue what’s going on.”

Looks of bewilderment were her only reply.

“Oh SHIT! Some are coming into the tunnels!”

“It must be the search party,” Felix shouted finally realizing what was happening, “they found out we broke out. We need to run for it!”

Estonia portaled and Felix chucked them up to the street like barrels of hay. With the little magic she could get, isa created a cloud of mist to hide them from fifteen or so Assmachestani guards searching the street.

They tore off towards the woods to a sound track of gunfire and whining bullets. Within the cloud, they could hardly see three feet ahead. Only labored breathing and the random pumping hand and kicking foot let them know that they were still together. But as the ground changed from paved into lawn into tall grass, they knew they were close to the woods. Once in the woods they could have at least a half chance of concealing themselves long enough to get back to the haven.

The first trees came as a godsend and the mist began to fade. Only then did they realize the gun fire had stopped and isa was missing.  

As the mist thinned, they realized why all gunfire stopped. On the yard just outside of the city limits, the Mist Lady stood with hundreds of Assmachestani soldiers and right at the edge of the yard was isa staring the demon down.

winfry lunged out of the woods only to be yanked back by Felix who then needed the sisters’ help to keep him down and quiet.

The stare down continued.

“You’re crazy to face me. You know this of course.”

…

“I’m impressed you were able to get this far. I didn’t think your friends would be so foolish as to come back.”

…

“I will not be so kind to those that ran. Your winfry in particular. Oh how he will suffer.”

…

A hint of frustration slipped into the Mist Lady’s voice as her mouse refused to run.

“So you don’t like the small talk. Well neither do”

A blue bolt of electricity shot out of the quilaire and nearly struck the Mist Lady who dissolved to let the blast annihilate a score of soldiers behind her.

Outside the city limits, isa’s magic was uncapped.

When the Mist Lady rematerialized she shot towards isa as a of missile black flame. There was no time for isa to react. The devil’s fire devoured her.

It took everything Felix had left and Estonia’s magic to pull winfry into the woods.

The soldiers had begun their charge.

Just before they were diving into the darkness of the woods, they saw bright lights streak out of the effigy of flames that isa had become.

Then a star shot out of the black and rocketed into winfry’s sternum.

 isa's quilaire had seared itself into winfry’s chest.

The Assmachistanis charged the woods and winfry finally turned and tore towards the haven.