Ch. 29 Fire Escape (Charles)
“What happened?” Alison shouted at him once again as they ducked under the thick cloud of smoke that filled the room and scrambled towards the tunnel exit.
What happened? That is the question isn’t it… A lie snowballing into more lies. A deranged smoking hot girl that thinks I’m something I’m not, a mage too scared to risk his life, a teleportation circle that needed protecting. For what is a fire but a temporary burst of energy that will eat itself to death? Gorging on the very fuel that gives it life. Can such a destructive force truly give one enough time to save someone? Or is it only there to destroy? The truth-
Charles’ inner monologue was interrupted by Alison smacking him in the shoulder.
“Devin used to think that was funny, I find it annoying!”
Charles shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“When you’re in high stress scenarios, Devin told me you’d occasionally space out and start narrating your life like a film noir detective in a bad black and white movie.”
Charles blushed. He didn’t realize anyone ever caught him doing that. Then again, whenever it happened he would remain silent for minutes on end so it probably was pretty obvious now that he thought about it.
Flashes of energy lit up the black fog with a terrifying strobe effect. Somewhere out in the smoke Douglas was facing down his former master the head mage. Charles only knew this because the two had screamed out as much when they first caught sight of one another in the fiery teleportation room.
I didn’t see what happened to-
Just as Charles thought about her, a dark shape pierced through the smoke behind Alison. Sharon leapt through the air, daggers drawn and eyes flashing with a deranged light.
“Time to take your place, assassin!” Sharon cackled as her blades plunged for Alison’s exposed neck.
Charles didn’t have time to call out a warning. He should have known better than to worry. Alison’s head snapped to the side causing the daggers to miss their target by a fraction of an inch. Swiveling in place, Alison swung her leg behind her to catch Sharon’s legs as she landed. The would-be assassin yelped as her legs swept out from under her.
Sharon fell to the floor in a heap and Alison wasted no time revealing a dagger of her own. Sharon placed her hands behind her head and rolled backwards, feet flying up to kick Alison’s weapon from her hands before she could land a strike against her. Sharon finished her roll in a low crouch as the pair eyed each other dangerously.
“Sharon! Down. Cease.” Charles shouted in what he hoped was a confident and commanding voice.
Sharon clicked her tongue angrily, but didn’t launch herself at Alison again. Alison glanced at Charles.
“Is she your pet or something?”
Charles’ face burned. “N-no. What I meant to say was we have to get out of here so stop fighting each other.”
“I’ll show you who’s weak you spineless coward!” Douglas’ voice screamed in the distance as his fight with his former teacher reached its climax. “Behold my true power!”
A large bolt zipped over the trio’s head and collided with the wall directly above the tunnel exit. The ground shook as the support beams on either side cracked loudly as stones began to fall from the ceiling.
“Run!” Charles took off towards the exit as more erratic magical blasts rained around them.
Douglas was laughing in the distance, shooting magic at random. The tunnel entrance shook violently as more rubble began to fall from the low hanging ceiling. Though he started running first, Alison and Sharon quickly out paced Charles. His lungs burned, his eyes watered, and his legs were pumping harder than he’d ever pushed them before. Even then, it wasn’t going to be enough.
I’m not going to make it. Charles felt the world slow around him as his brain came to the sudden realization that he wasn’t going fast enough to make it through the exit in time.
Sharon turned back, a similar understanding overtaking her features as her anger gave way to concern. One glance between Charles and the exit replaced her concern with determination as Sharon stopped, grabbed Charles by the back of his sweat soaked sweat shirt, and tossed him like a toy towards the exit.
Charles felt his arm twist at a weird angle as he hit the ground hard and rolled through the collapsing tunnel entrance. Before he could even stop himself, Alison’s equally strong hands grabbed his flailing legs and dragged him further into the tunnel. Charles tilted his head back just in time to see the ceiling give way and block the entrance in a thick cloud of dust, smoke, and loose debris filled the air around them.
“We should keep going. This whole section of tunnel is unstable.” Alison coughed and continued to drag Charles further down the dark pathway.
Charles wanted to get up, partly because Alison wasn’t being very gentle as his head bounced off the rough stone surface. The pain in the back of his head paled in comparison to the daggers in his heart. The last image he saw before the rock fall blocked the teleporting room from view was of Sharon. Her beautiful face slick with sweat, dust, and soot, but her expression wouldn’t leave Charles’ mind. It was one of relief to see that he made it through.
“Good luck.” Her mouth spoke though the sound was drowned out by the explosive cave in between them.
The smoke and dust in the air slowly cleared up the further they went into the tunnel. Eventually Alison set Charles’ legs down and leaned against the wall with a heavy sigh. Charles gingerly picked himself up off the ground and held his injured arm close to his chest.
“You okay?” Alison asked once her breathing had settled.
Charles looked down at his arm and nodded. “Doesn’t feel broken. It hurts, believe me, but I don’t think it’s too serious.”
Alison leveled her gaze at him. “That’s good, but I wasn’t asking about your arm.”
Charles’ vision dropped to the floor. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“The girl that tried to kill me. She was doing it to be close to you.” Alison smiled like she was recalling a fond memory. “It just kind of reminded me of Devin and I, you know?”
“Well I never considered you two to be the benchmark of relationships… but…”
How long had he known Sharon? A couple of hours. Her perspective of who he is and why he’s here is all wrong. Yet there was a part of Charles that couldn’t help but feel drawn towards the young woman. Even if she was a little deranged. It’s not like anyone normal had ever given Charles the time of day back in his world.
Charles sniffed and rubbed some smoke out of his eyes. “I’ll be fine. It’s better that she’s gone now anyway. She thought I worked for Basilisk and that you were an assassin working with me to take out a target here in this kingdom. It probably would have turned violent anyway… Man there’s a lot of smoke in my eyes. Give me a minute.”
Charles sniffed again and turned away.
“Sure.” Alison gratefully didn’t comment on the tears in his eyes. “Take what time you need.”