Mika shimmered silver as she transformed back into a tiny fly. Her target: a keyring dangling from a guard's hip. Carefully, she buzzed through the air – tiny, almost invisible.
Two guards patrolled past her, unaware. "That must be it," Mika thought and waited. Patiently, she hovered until the two guards disappeared down a barely visible corridor. Then, in a flash, she zipped between them, shifted back into her humanoid form – and delivered a precise blow to the backs of both their necks. They collapsed soundlessly to the ground.
With a sharp gaze, Mika dragged the unconscious men into a dark corner, tossed rags and sharp stones over their bodies – unconscious and made to look drunk. Then she crept back toward the cell door like a shadow.
Sador was already waiting anxiously. "Did you get the key?" he whispered.
The wings of her fury flashed in her eyes. "Yes – but it doesn't fit!"
He frowned. "Did you get the right one from the guard?"
"I thought I did..." she replied nervously. "I tried all of them."
Footsteps echoed softly from the hallway. "Next patrol's coming!" Sador warned.
Mika cursed under her breath. "I know, I'm hurrying... but... none of them work."
A moment of silence. Then she looked forward. "It's now – step back!"
Tense with focus, Mika transformed again – into a massive stone golem. With terrifying strength, she twisted the heavy door bolt. The cell door burst open. The prisoners jerked their heads up.
"Sador – come quickly!" Mika shouted.
Behind them came the clatter of weapons. The guard had woken up too. "Raise the alarm! Breakout on Level 2! Move!" one shouted.
Mika looked at Sador. "Go – now!"
He grabbed her golem arm and dashed through the door just as it slammed shut behind them – the alarm howling ominously through the corridors...
Wenn du bereit bist, übersetze ich direkt den nächsten Abschnitt.
Mika and Sador stormed out of the now open cell block, the alarm blaring across every level of the grim fortress. Yet Mika's decisive action had ignited something in the prisoners – something thought long dead: hope.
Several inmates jumped to their feet, full of determination. "We're finding the keys! We break out today – either we die… or we go free!" one shouted.
A man grabbed the bundle of keys Mika had taken and rushed to the next cell. But none of them fit. The voices inside the cells grew louder.
"How did you get out?"
"A little creature helped us! She's coming back – we'll free you all!"
Meanwhile, Mika called out, "Sador, we need an open space. I have to turn into an eagle to fly you out!"
Sador stared at her, stunned. "What? You want me to ride on YOU? That's your plan?"
"Yes," Mika said seriously.
Suddenly, five soldiers blocked their path. "There they are!" one of them shouted.
Mika immediately attacked. In a fluid dance, she shifted her form – leopard, gorilla, giant – her strikes were precise, brutal, and unstoppable. Within seconds, the enemies were down.
Sador stepped back, speechless. "Where… do you come from?" he muttered.
At the same time, prisoners finally reached cells that matched the stolen keys – Level 1. A guard unit tried to force them back, but the inmates grabbed whatever they could as weapons. More doors burst open. More prisoners joined the uprising.
A wildfire of rebellion spread through Taskura Fortress. Everywhere, battles raged – guards versus inmates, order versus chaos.
Mika and Sador fought side by side as new keys were found and more doors unlocked. People rose beyond themselves. A wave of liberation rolled through the dark corridors.
Eventually, Mika and a group of prisoners reached the large inner courtyard – right before the pit that led deep into the mines.
"If we make it to the main gate, we're free!" one inmate shouted.
A cry of hope echoed through the courtyard.
But then – silence.
Another prisoner pointed upward. "They… they've surrounded us."
Above the walls, soldiers appeared with bows, spears, and catapults – all aimed at every possible escape route. The main gate slammed shut with a thunderous boom.
Then the commander of Taskura stepped onto the highest platform.
"That's enough!" he shouted. "You're surrounded. Surrender – or you all die here!"
Hope crumbled. No one spoke. Everyone knew – there was no way forward or back.
Mika stood among the prisoners, desperately searching for a way out. She could turn into a fly and escape – but how could she ever look Esmara in the eyes again?
Then Sador stepped forward. With a raised voice, he declared:
"Many of you have been here for years! We've been treated like animals – barely fed, left in the dark. Friends, brothers, sisters, parents have died in our arms. We were dead long before we died!"
He turned to them. "And now you want to go on living like a caged beast? Or do we die today as free men and women?"
Silence. Then he stepped forward with conviction, picked up a sword from the ground, and shouted:
"I'm going! Anyone who wants to follow me – do it. Anyone who wants to go back to the darkness – stay!"
The commander raised his hand. "Shoot him!"
But at that moment – a massive explosion shook the fortress. The main gate was blown off its hinges, smoke billowed into the sky, dust spread across the camp.
The prisoners ducked. As the smoke cleared, seven figures stood among the rubble:
Keal, Unutay, Torgul, Nerion, Kiro, Elandra, and Jarul.
Mika's eyes lit up. She ran forward. "Keal!"
Sador stepped back in shock. "Jarul?"
Elandra: "Are you alright?"
Kiro: "Do you know how far we had to run because of you?"
Torgul: "Someone better not have hurt you!"
The commander screamed: "Who are you?! Attack them!"
A hail of arrows rained down – but Nerion stepped forward and hurled a shockwave that deflected every projectile.
Keal drew his sword. "Get ready! We're getting Mika out – and if everything turns to rubble doing it, so be it."
Torgul: "Since we're already here – let's tear it all down!"
Nerion nodded. "We're in too deep anyway."
Elandra and Kiro fired elemental arrows at the upper ranks. Torgul leapt forward and destroyed a guard tower with a single blow. Nerion cast a protective barrier over the prisoners.
Unutay and Keal stormed the stairways – one left, one right.
The final battle for Taskura had begun.
Nerion stepped forward with a firm voice:
"Kiro, follow Keal.
Elandra, go with Unutay.
Torgul, Jarul, and I will protect the prisoners."
He drew his staff-blade, magic flickering in his palm. "Now go!"
Kiro nodded and dashed after Keal, bow at the ready.
Elandra hesitated for a moment, then followed Unutay – but what she saw made her freeze.
Keal carved his way through the chaos, moving with unwavering determination toward the commander of Taskura. His blade gleamed in the sunlight, every strike radiating resolve.
Unutay, on the other hand, stormed through the upper level – where the archers had taken position.
He moved like a shadow made of raw power.
Before any of them could raise a bow or cock a crossbow, they were already down.
A kick. A strike. A precise jab to the gut – silent, brutal, and devastatingly effective.
Elandra lifted her bow, ready to cover him – but never fired.
Her fingers froze at the string.
Unutay moved with such speed, such control – she had never seen anyone fight like this.
Not Keal, not Leon Virell, not even the R9 warriors.
It was as if he merged with the wind itself.
"What… are you…?" she whispered, unable to look away.
The first archers panicked and dropped their weapons. Others fled.
Unutay's mere presence filled them with terror.
Finally, the commander stepped onto the upper platform, sweat shining on his forehead.
He stared at the two closing in – Keal, cutting through the last line of guards, and Unutay, racing toward him like a storm.
"What... what are you monsters?!" he gasped.
Then, in panic, he screamed:
"Call the King! Call him now! We need backup!"
A guard at the upper tower fired a red flame into the sky – a bright flare slicing through the air. The emergency signal was activated.
Jarul saw it with horror. "That's it… the King's Guard will come. And they're not like these sentries – that's a different league."
Meanwhile, Keal and Kiro stood before the commander. Keal's voice was firm:
"Tell your men to surrender – or you all die."
The commander, shaken by the sheer power they had unleashed, hesitated. Then he grabbed the radio.
"All units – lay down your weapons. We… we surrender."
For a moment, there was silence.
Then, from cells and courtyards alike, a collective cheer erupted.
"Did we… win?"
"Are we… free?"
"Free!" someone cried. And then many joined.
A scream of joy swept through Taskura – one the walls had never heard before.
The roles had shifted: the prisoners were now the masters. The guards – their shadows.
Jarul ran to Keal. "The King… his army will come. We have wounded, elders, children. We can't escape with them…"
Mika approached Keal, her head bowed, shoulders heavy.
"Keal…"
He pulled her into a hug. "Are you alright?"
A tear slipped down her cheek. "Yes…"
"Good. But don't think you're off the hook. You'll get in trouble later. For now, you're safe."
Elandra rushed over, calling Mika's name and hugging her tightly.
Keal turned to Jarul. "Tell everyone to get ready. We need to leave before the King arrives."
"Where to?" Jarul asked. "He'll catch us."
"Don't worry. I've got a plan."
Jarul looked doubtful – but Keal's determination was unwavering.
The prisoners gathered, the wounded were carried, children guided.
Nerion stepped beside Keal. "The crystal is fully charged. We can open the portal at any time."
"Good. But not until everyone is safe. We're not leaving anyone behind."
At the pass between the mountains, Esmara waited.
When she saw her father, she ran.
"Papa!"
"Esmara…!"
They embraced tightly. Years of suffering melted in that single moment.
Mika watched the scene with a soft expression.
Keal gathered his group: Torgul, Nerion, Unutay, Kiro, Elandra, Mika.
He looked them in the eye. "We have two options. We run – and leave these people to their fate. Or we stay. And fight. Even if it means delaying our mission… or dying."
Silence. Then:
"No one's dying today," Kiro said with a grin. "We'll kick the King's ass – and keep going after that."
"Now that's my style," Torgul added.
Elandra nodded. "If we walk away now… that will haunt us forever."
Nerion: "The crystal can wait."
Unutay: "I'll fight with you."
Keal took a deep breath. "Then it's decided."
Jarul had overheard everything. "You… you'd risk your lives for us. Even though you're not from here."
Kiro grinned. "What difference does that make? If someone suffers, we help."
Torgul: "We're not all from the same world either. But we're a family."
Sador stepped forward. "I'll stay too."
"Papa…," Esmara began.
"You'll go with the others. I have to stay. I can't watch others fight for my freedom."
Esmara nodded sadly. "Promise me… you'll come back?"
"I swear it."
More prisoners stepped up.
"We'll stay too!"
"The injured and the elders will leave – the rest of us will fight!"
Keal turned, voice resolute:
"Good. Then let's prepare a welcome for the King… one he'll never forget."