06-17-2024, 10:03 PM
Tristan stared at Thalia with a mixture of awe and trepidation as she spoke, but the pounding of his heart began to slow as the gravity of their situation settled in. The dead jailor lay crumpled beneath the gate, a grotesque mountain to their desperate struggle. Tristan could see the toll the encounter had taken on Thalia; her face was streaked with sweat and tears, her hands trembling from the effort of summoning the mageia. He felt a pang of guilt for his helplessness, trapped within the bars while she risked herself to free him.
He listened to her, noting the urgency and resolve in her voice. She was determined to find a way out, and ensure that he was at her side when she did. Tristan's eyes, still glowing with their wolf-like intensity, softened as he cupped her face through the bars, feeling the warmth of her skin against his calloused palms. He wanted to tell her to be careful, to avoid the same fate as the creature they had just defeated, but he knew better than to try to dissuade her. Thalia was as stubborn as she was brave.
As Thalia stepped back, preparing herself for another attempt to manipulate the bars, Tristan withdrew similarly and watched her intently. Her focus was palpable, the air around her crackling with energy as she drew on the power within and around her. Tristan held his breath, knowing this was their last chance.
When Thalia finally unleashed the mageia, the effect was immediate. The bars glowed red-hot, then began to melt, pooling into a molten mass on the floor. Heat radiated from the metal, and although his instincts screamed at him to back away, he stayed close, ready to act the moment the path was clear.
As the bars gave way, forming an arch just large enough to crawl through, Thalia reached a hand into the darkness, her voice laced with hope. Tristan didn't need the guidance of her hand, his eyes capable of piercing the dimness better than hers, but he appreciated the gesture, the tangible connection between them.
"It's enough," he said, his voice firm despite the tremor of relief that coursed through him. "I'll fit." He declared though he wasn’t completely confident.
With a cautious glance at the cooling molten metal, Tristan crouched and began to squeeze through the opening. The residual heat bit at his skin like knives, but he pushed through, driven by the necessity of escape. Once on the other side, he stood, taking a moment to stretch his limbs and shake off the confinement of the cell.
He turned to Thalia, a grateful smile on his lips. "You did it," he said softly, awe evident in his tone. "You really did it."
Before they could share another moment, the oppressive surroundings was shattered by a distant sound. He turned his head, straining to listen. From the shadows beyond the molten glow, the unmistakable noise of footsteps echoed, heavy and deliberate. Accompanying it was the metallic scrape of chains being dragged across stone, the sound resonating like a death knell. The sound was distant even to his ears.
Tristan's body tensed. They had little time before whatever new threat was coming found them. He reached out and took Thalia's hand, squeezing it firmly. “Let’s go before something else finds us.”
He acquiesced to the direction Thalia led, but the whole journey, his senses were tuned to any other movements waiting around the next corner. Eventually, he sniffed the distant call of fresh air.
He listened to her, noting the urgency and resolve in her voice. She was determined to find a way out, and ensure that he was at her side when she did. Tristan's eyes, still glowing with their wolf-like intensity, softened as he cupped her face through the bars, feeling the warmth of her skin against his calloused palms. He wanted to tell her to be careful, to avoid the same fate as the creature they had just defeated, but he knew better than to try to dissuade her. Thalia was as stubborn as she was brave.
As Thalia stepped back, preparing herself for another attempt to manipulate the bars, Tristan withdrew similarly and watched her intently. Her focus was palpable, the air around her crackling with energy as she drew on the power within and around her. Tristan held his breath, knowing this was their last chance.
When Thalia finally unleashed the mageia, the effect was immediate. The bars glowed red-hot, then began to melt, pooling into a molten mass on the floor. Heat radiated from the metal, and although his instincts screamed at him to back away, he stayed close, ready to act the moment the path was clear.
As the bars gave way, forming an arch just large enough to crawl through, Thalia reached a hand into the darkness, her voice laced with hope. Tristan didn't need the guidance of her hand, his eyes capable of piercing the dimness better than hers, but he appreciated the gesture, the tangible connection between them.
"It's enough," he said, his voice firm despite the tremor of relief that coursed through him. "I'll fit." He declared though he wasn’t completely confident.
With a cautious glance at the cooling molten metal, Tristan crouched and began to squeeze through the opening. The residual heat bit at his skin like knives, but he pushed through, driven by the necessity of escape. Once on the other side, he stood, taking a moment to stretch his limbs and shake off the confinement of the cell.
He turned to Thalia, a grateful smile on his lips. "You did it," he said softly, awe evident in his tone. "You really did it."
Before they could share another moment, the oppressive surroundings was shattered by a distant sound. He turned his head, straining to listen. From the shadows beyond the molten glow, the unmistakable noise of footsteps echoed, heavy and deliberate. Accompanying it was the metallic scrape of chains being dragged across stone, the sound resonating like a death knell. The sound was distant even to his ears.
Tristan's body tensed. They had little time before whatever new threat was coming found them. He reached out and took Thalia's hand, squeezing it firmly. “Let’s go before something else finds us.”
He acquiesced to the direction Thalia led, but the whole journey, his senses were tuned to any other movements waiting around the next corner. Eventually, he sniffed the distant call of fresh air.