“As if I’d sign up for that. I only have a year left on my contract, and I’ve already got enough things keeping me up at night. The very day it expires I’m running away with Marisa to settle down somewhere quiet.”
There was a mirthless laugh coming from the gruff voice. “Quiet until the campaign starts that is. Once that happens we’re all fucked.”
Dante cursed internally, the gruff voice killed the conversation, and now his progress was halted only a few feet away from the end of the tunnel.
Now that he was closer he could make out that the flickering light was coming from a small lantern sitting on a round wooden table. The room that it was sitting in seemed to have been carved out of the tunnel itself; directly across the room from where his current tunnel broke off, a new one began.
He couldn’t see the guards, but both of the voices came from the left side of the room, so he had a good idea of where they were at the very least. His Blink awareness just barely reached the other tunnel, already showing the merit of leveling his Chronomancer Classification.
He sat there for a few minutes, waiting for their conversation to continue so that they would be distracted if something went wrong, but they seemed content to sit in silence. He would have waited for a more opportune moment, but the more time he spent in the tunnel, the greater the chance that something could go wrong.
Dante Blinked, reappearing across the room. Just barely making it inside the shadow of the opposite tunnel. He paused, holding his breath and waiting for the reaction of the guards, but they remained silent.
Carefully letting out a breath, he continued down the tunnel, taking even more care than he had earlier to stop his footsteps from echoing.
Only a short distance ahead, Dante came to a staircase that led to a wooden trap door. He was hesitant about opening a door when he didn’t know what was behind it, but his options were somewhat limited, and if Kayla had made it through unnoticed there was likely no one close to it.
Dante opened the trap door slowly, trying not to alert the guards he had just passed, while at the same time wary of any potential dangers that might meet him from the other side.
After lifting the trap door a few inches, just enough for him to peer through, he examined what he could see of the room beyond. It seemed to be a regular bedroom, and more importantly, empty. His eye was immediately drawn to the shut door, letting out a breath of relief, Dante stepped into the room.
So far, his escape was going far better than he had expected.
The security seemed… lacking. It must have been a result of the fighting that the guards were discussing.
Dante walked to the wardrobe, looking for something that could hide his hair. He wasn’t surprised to find it empty upon opening it but was still disappointed. That done, he looked around the room, evaluating his options. There were no windows, which unfortunately made the door his only way out.
He created a small dagger, preparing himself for any situation.
Then, with no other options, Dante walked toward the door and slowly opened it. First, just a crack, waiting for a response from the other side. When everything remained silent, he opened it wider, then looked out.
The hallway was completely empty and had doors evenly spaced on each side. It appeared to be a regular inn, which was great news for him. It was far better than escaping from a secured garrison.
The hallway only led in one direction, the other was a dead end, and Dante cursed himself for not knowing how to pick locks. He could easily make lockpicks with his Create Blade skill, and access to the other rooms in the inn might have provided him with clothes to hide with, as well as the possibility of a window to escape from.
Forcing a door open may have been a possibility, but he couldn’t think of a way to do it without drawing attention to himself. Again, with no other options, he moved down the hallway to what he inferred was the inn’s main room.
Dante had only taken a few steps when he heard a muffled explosion and felt the floor below him rattle, it surprised him so thoroughly that he dropped to the floor, fearing an attack.
Dante looked around for a moment, collecting himself. The explosion seemed to be far away, but it was still too surprising for his frayed nerves.
What in the hell was that?
Wasting no more time, he hurried towards the main room, stopping just before it to examine it. The room was empty.
The fight that the guards had been talking about must have been far more extensive than he had thought. He wasn’t going to complain though, it was likely making his escape possible.
Upon walking into the main room, Dante immediately headed to the kitchen. He knew for a fact that it would have a door for the cook to dump scraps or trash out of. Every inn in Alazel had, and it was a significant help in keeping him fed.
Stepping out of the inn, he Blinked twice to get to the roof. The inn was around two stories in height, giving him a clear view of the academy so that he could orient himself and plan his route of escape.
The sight he took in was staggering. The academy looked nothing like it had only days ago. There were only five arenas still standing, and even they were in poor condition. The others were either completely burnt to the ground or nothing but rubble.
It seemed like no area of the academy was unmarred. Giant swaths of land were completely black from being burnt down or were in the process of burning down. Even half of the buildings that managed to escape the fires seemed to have been physically destroyed.
He could even hear the shouts of fighting combatants coming from the leisure district.
Who could have been strong enough to do this?
No one in the Outer Edge region would be stupid enough to attack House Calman, so it had to be an enemy from the Outer region. But the real question was why they would do so.
It was possible that there was a strategic reason for it, but it was unlikely considering the academy was in the Outer Edge region. Not only that, but the nobles should have been coming together to survive the coming campaign… unless the Calmans still hadn’t told anyone.
He dismissed the thoughts, unsure of why they mattered. He was done with nobles. Their reasons for doing things were their own. He would be long gone before the campaign started, so what they did or didn’t do no longer concerned him.
Unless I kill the Calmans…
He was still unsure of what to do about House Calman. Kayla had asked him to kill all of them. Even if they killed Mia and collared him, it seemed excessive to kill all of them. Still, he would do something about them. He could worry about exactly what, or how much he owed Kayla, later.
Dante looked around the academy. The area that the trading company was located in was utterly destroyed, so that was off the table.
Most of the academy was covered by the smoke of the fires and made looking for carts close to impossible, so he turned his eyes outward.
The crater that the academy was located in allowed him to see almost all of the wagons that would enter or leave the academy.
From what he could see, there was an active stream of wagons and carriages leaving the academy and moving in the direction of where he had been told Kenguard was. Likely students in the process of evacuating.
Almost directly across from the academy, where the leisure district was located, there was another line of wagons. Those seemed to be bringing in a constant supply of armed combatants and supplies, then going back out empty-handed.
The choice wasn’t a hard one to make. Dante began to make his way toward the area where the other students were evacuating. He moved along the rooftops, keeping an eye out for guards as he traversed through the academy.
There were a surprising number of corpses on the ground, scattered randomly throughout the streets. He glanced at them, looking at their clothing and size.
He was almost halfway to the evacuation site when he came to a sudden stop.
Finally.
He looked around, checking his surroundings. The academy was lik
e a ghost town. He saw a few people running around while jumping over the rooftops, but it was mainly empty.
After making sure the street was clear, Dante Blinked down, quickly disrobed the corpse, then Blinked back up.
He examined the cloak and couldn’t help but be satisfied. It was a large black traveling cloak. Usually used for protecting the wearer from the rain, but in this case, it would hide his appearance almost perfectly. There were a few bloodstains on it, but in the current situation, it shouldn’t be seen as that strange.
Dante put on the cloak, completely hiding his features.
* * *
Alexander Calman
Alexander made his way nervously through the wooden trapdoor, still unsure if he would go through with it or not.
He took a deep breath, calming his nerves.
He made his way down the tunnel, running into the two guards who were standing watch. “My lord, what brings you here?”
“Don’t speak. I order each of you to eat one of these.” Alexander steeled himself and held out his hand, two sleeping tablets sat on his palm.
They had clear hesitation on their faces, but this was one of the few times he found the mana contracts his family forced others into to be useful.
Unable to resist his order, the two of them walked forward and each ate one. “Sit down, and don’t move.”
The guards made their way to the wooden table in the middle of the room and sat in the chairs next to it.
The sleeping tablets would knock them out and erase any memory of meeting him. Alexander let out a sigh, they would likely get in severe trouble for what he was going to do, but there was no other way.
Alexander made his way down the tunnel, emotions conflicted. This was far worse than just bringing delicious food or other pleasantries to collared slaves.
He could feel his hands shaking, and he clenched them until his knuckles turned white.
I have to do this… If I hadn’t asked that he come with us, none of this would have happened.
He had just been looking for someone to spend the rest of his journey to the academy with. After spending so much time with Layla, he would have latched on to anyone.
But after learning about his Blader Classification, he had immediately regretted his choice. He knew Layla wouldn’t allow him to slip out of her grasp. And now this…
Alexander shuddered.
She’s becoming just like mother.
He came up to the stone door, and filled with a newfound resolution, he began to activate the enchantment. The door started to open, and he took the wraith key from his pocket.
I’m finally going to go against Layla’s orders, against my family’s wishes.
He was afraid, but at the same time, he felt free. Far freer than he had in years. The door finally slid open.
The room was empty.
Chapter 41
Dante’s Immortality – Chapter 41
Finally making it to the area of the academy where the other students were evacuating; Dante found an isolated alley, Blinked down, then walked out to join the crowded streets.
Everyone completely ignored him, which he was more than thankful for. They all seemed to be too busy dealing with their own problems. It was rare to find someone who wasn’t lugging around baggage, loading a cart, or just leaving the academy.
There were so many students and workers that were continuously leaving the academy that they formed a rough line leading all the way toward Kenguard. He watched them for a moment, checking to see if any guards were checking the evacuating students, but there didn’t seem to be any.
After making sure things seemed safe, Dante hopped into the line of students exiting the academy.
Their pace was slow, everyone moved at an easy walk to match the burdened wagons that were being pulled by their small horses. He had to resist the urge to move faster, if he were still in range of the Calmans trackers when they found out that he escaped, things would go badly.
Tracker Classifications were rare, Lord Tibbott was one of the few lords in the region around Alazel who had one as a retainer, but he had no doubt that the Calmans had multiple. They were likely even more proficient in tracking than Lord Tibbott’s, who could track a scent for miles.
It made hiding somewhere nearby like Kenguard, which would have been stupid anyway, impossible. Not only that, but it also made every minute count. The time that he spent slowly walking with the crowd could be the time that he needed to get outside of the trackers’ range.
Dante released a sigh, there was nothing that he could do. Drawing attention to himself by running through the crowd would only end poorly. So, walking at the slow pace of the crowd, he made his way toward Kenguard.
* * *
“Don’t be afraid, they can’t hurt us anymore.”
Dante tried not to release a groan. That was the fifth time that she had told him not to be afraid. He didn’t know what could have possessed her to walk beside a fully cloaked figure that she didn’t know.
Who raised her?
Eliza’s brown eyes were lit up with excitement. “Greg said that the fighting can’t hurt us if we leave the academy.”
Dante glanced over at Eliza as she walked by his side. After he joined the line of refugees fleeing the academy, he had somehow attracted the attention of the small girl next to him. “Why don’t you go walk with Greg?”
Eliza stopped walking, and he could see her eyes turn red and begin to water. “Greg died. Someone accidentally killed him when the fighting started”
Dammit. Why would you even bring him up then?
The last thing he wanted was to make a small girl, who couldn’t be more than eight years old, cry. But he had no idea how to stop her. “Uh, why don’t you go walk with your parents?”
Surprisingly it worked. Eliza immediately stopped tearing up, and her expression turned stubborn. She even began to pout. “I don’t want to.”
He couldn’t believe her sudden change in attitude, but he wasn’t going to complain about it. “Won’t they get worried that you’re lost if he doesn’t find you?”
Eliza crossed her arms over her chest. “I didn’t get lost. I ran away.”
Dante stopped walking. “What?”
Eliza said each word slowly, as if talking to an imbecile. “I ran away.”
“Why would you run away… and where are your parents?” They had now traveled for several hours, and most of the groups had already stopped to set up camp. If her parents were still at the academy… that would be bad.
She gave him a proud smile. “They are still at the academy.”
Of course they are…
Dante cleared his throat. “And why would you run away?”
Eliza stuck her tongue out at him. “Our house was gone, and I couldn’t find them.”
He paused mid-step. “Come again?”
Eliza shrugged. “Mommy sent me out to get water from the well, and when I came back our house was smashed and I couldn’t find her or daddy.”
He looked at Eliza for a moment, wondering if she understood the possible implications behind her house being crushed. It was even possible that she knew that something had happened to her parents and was just blocking it out. It would make sense, her personality seemed to erratic and bipolar for someone so young.
Dante let out a sigh, he wanted to help, but he was about to break away from the group he had been traveling next to. It had taken hours, but they had finally made it past the vast farmlands and were now traversing a road surrounded by a dense forest. He didn’t have time to deal with Eliza.
“Listen to me.” Dante glanced over to make sure he had the focus of her limited attention span. “As soon as the groups begin to move in the morning, you need to find a group to travel with. It isn’t safe to wander around alone.”
At his words, Eliza just rolled her eyes. “Obviously, why do you think I’m walking next to you. Without me, who knows what kind of trouble you would have already gotten into?”
Da
nte rubbed his eyes in irritation. “Alright, fair point. I need to go relieve myself, wait here for me.”
He felt terrible for it, but he wasn’t in a position to help Eliza. So with no other options, he decided that the sooner he left her the better. He made his way into the dense underbrush of the forest. Then, as soon as he got out of sight, he used his Agility to move as quickly as possible while utilizing his Dexterity to narrowly avoid any obstacle in his path.
He had made it out of the academy cleanly, now he just needed to get outside of the trackers’ range.
* * *
Tabitha Tolli
Tabitha looked over the groups of people that were finally settling down for the night and sighed. She was more than ready to have this debacle over with.
Her father seemed to be losing his mind. He had been sending her away from the academy to perform every mundane task he could find, like escorting the refugees to Kenguard.
A rider came into view, riding hard as he came towards them. It was Edwin, who had just come back from scouting ahead. “There seems to be a problem, my lady.”
Tabitha looked at him expressionlessly. “Why didn’t you take care of it?”
Edwin looked embarrassed. “I was going to… but it seemed improper given the girls mood.”
Tabitha’s eyebrow arched. “Oh? Lead on then.”
She found the girl only a few minutes up the road, a short ride away, and exactly where Edwin had said he found her.
She could see why Edwin had been reluctant to deal with the situation, the girl was ferociously crying while she paced back and forth along the forest edge. Tabitha cleared her throat. “What are you doing?”
When the girl saw Tabitha, she sobbed even harder. “He’s dead.” The girl ran up to her, latching onto her clothing and crying into it. She was taken aback by the sudden contact. The girl didn’t seem to have any understanding of what was socially acceptable.
The small girl was completely ruining the expensive coat with her tears, but despite the lack of interest in her expression, she had a rather soft spot for children. Seeing her distressed, she felt a need to do something. Tabitha sighed. “Who’s dead?”
Dante's Immortality: Beginnings Page 36