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"I know at least part of the way. I can go in front, if that's okay," Rhys offered, lighting a lantern for the second trip down.

Break me, shake me, hate me...
But when the madness stops, you'll be alone.

→τειғι←

◣ ♪ I can't feel nothing at all... ♪ ◥

She felt like her gut was twisting with every movement the group made- they were leaving? It didn't make sense to do it at all, let alone in such a covert matter! They were being protected, housed, fed, cared for... and now they were just going to leave without another word? Teifi continued to follow them, albeit at quite a distance, keeping to the shadows and using what little wind magic she knew to lighten the load she had to put on her injured foot, and thus making far less noise than normal. Though she knew nothing about illusionist magic, she did know enough about sneaky children to take a note from Castello's book and creep quietly after them.

The dancer several times had to double back, making sure that there was at least one area or object she could hide behind before moving after them. A few times, they moved out of sight, but made just enough noise for her to continue her pursuit. When they had descended into the library, she thought for a moment to call out to the others- there would be no way that she would stand a chance against all of their melee weapons here, if they were to suddenly turn on her! Hearing the sound of stone grinding against stone, however, Teifi quickly realized that this would be her only chance to advance quickly without being heard...

And so, the once graceful woman kept to the shelves by them, no more than ten feet away. A shelf of books was all that stood between her and the renegade group, and she was ready to make her move at any point in time.

They wouldn't leave. Not if she could help it.

Once Amelia took the wooden pole, the group began to move. With Rhys leading the way, followed by Octavio, Melethia, and Lucius, that left Isadora and Amelia in the back. Thought Isadora was uncomfortable about Amelia having no armor and with an unlikely weapon, she knew that the General was able to handle herself.

After all, they were sneaking out unnoticed. It wasn't like they were going into battle. Therefore, they had the upper element of surprise to get out of the manor. She wasn't sure what Mika was planning, but she knew that they had to get out as fast as possible. St. Elimine, guide us to safety..... Isadora prayed as they marched into the tunnel of darkness with Rhys holding the lamp as their guiding.

Down, down, down, down, down. Down the stairs they went, soon coming to the room with the waterways. The room felt much more empty and spooky now with Fefga gone--all the torches were now unlit, the rooms pitch-black, covered in darkness. Rhys had seized one of the torches on the way down and lit it for Isadora, but it probably wouldn't last long.

He looked around the room. "I saw nothing leading further the last time I was here..." he turned to Octavio. "Well? How do we proceed?"

Amelia stared at Octavio's magical display. Wizards were still fascinating to her, even if she was able to watch people do magic constantly. Secret passages weren't exactly her forte, though. Amelia turned back as Melethia went back towards the library. "Be careful...!" she called quietly after her. She turned back to the group, whom had already started down the passageway... Amelia inched along behind them, shuddering. She wasn't claustrophobic, but the temptation crept along the back of her neck as she lagged behind the others, holding tighter onto her pathetic weapon.

Break me, shake me, hate me...
But when the madness stops, you'll be alone.

→τειғι←

◣ ♪ I can't feel nothing at all... ♪ ◥

Teifi couldn't believe the noises she heard that the entrance- surely no one was locking her in, right? She hunkered down when Mel rushed by, and heard her warning words- adrenaline flooded her system as she soon realized that it was do-or-die. If she was going to interfere, it had to be done now, lest she never get another chance. Moving as soon as Melethia had started to set up the barricade, she followed the group into the dark passage and grasped Briseschal in her hands.

She fiddled with a glass vial that she had grabbed just before she left her room, but made no move to use it... yet. 'Use it when you need to' was what he'd said- he knew she'd find it useful, one day, and what better time to thank him than now?

Finding it hard to see but knowing that her eyes would acclimate faster than theirs, she used another burst of magic to propel her forward after they had moved fully into the makeshift passage- with several flicks of her wrist and a pull back, she sent criss-crossing blades of makeshift magic straight towards the ceiling of the tunnel, slashing a good part of the rock supporting the roof and rushing forward as the others would have just heard the noise of the roof beginning to shatter and collapse. Aiming for Amelia's throat, as anywhere else would have put her in danger of the spear, Teifi wrapped her arm around the girl's neck and popped off the cork of the vial she held with her other hand.

Opening the gift she received from Domanova all those years ago and praying that the liquid was still good, she withdrew the rag soaked in chloroform and held it to Amelia's nose, not wanting her to accidentally swallow the liquid if she shrieked.

"You'll never take her from me, thieves! Never!" Moving back with the girl in tow, she let the roof collapse on its own, barely keeping a hold of her sash as she struggled to keep the wind magic around her injured foot. She couldn't run- not like this- but she could drag the girl back to where she should be.

She was home, now, as far as Teifi was concerned.

Her daughter was coming home.

As the group walked further in the dark passageway, Isadora heard something odd. It was a footstep, but the pace was quicker. Yet, not one of the group was moving in a fast pace. Before Isadora could investigate, she heard a rumble above them.

"Look out!!!" Isadora shouted as she dropped her torch and pushed Rhys and Lucius as boulders fell down where they were once stood. Bits of small boulders hit her legs, sending her the pain. Isadora winced. It was painful, but she was able to move and there was no broken bone yet. Wondering who could it be, Isadora got up and turned around, drawing her sword out.

Standing before her was the dancer she saw earlier. Within her arms was Amelia with her mouth being covered. The dancer was shouting about not taking Amelia away from her. Isadora lowered her brows.

"You won't get away that easily!!" Isadora shouted as she charged at the dancer. Her pace was getting slow due to the pain in her legs. What was worse, the dancer was quicker as she moved back with Amelia. Soon boulders began to fall.

The paladin stopped her charge and jumped back to avoid the rocks crushing down. Smoke started to fill in as she fell to the ground. It knocked the air out of her.

When the smoke was clear, Isadora looked up to see the tunnel had collapsed and was blocked. The paladin cursed. Amelia and Melethia were left behind. What to do?

Isadora slowly got up and sat, letting the pain channeled through her legs. It would take a while for the pain to go away, but for right now.......

"We have to move forward," Isadora told the group. "We'll get Amelia and Melethia back. But for now, we have to get out and find our comrades before the others knew what we were doing. Mika won't like it if she find out that we're escaping."

Isadora then looked up to Rhys. She knew that Rhys cared very much of Amelia. Though her voice was not in a calm pace, she had to assure him. "Don't worry, Rhys. Based from what that woman said, I don't think Amelia would be in danger."

Once the pain was gone, Isadora slowly got up, using her sword as a support to lend on. She turned her attention to Octavio. "Lead the way."

Octavio looked for a solution. There was none. Nothing he could do would get them back into that mansion right now... They were stuck outside and Amelia and Mel were left behind. "Ah... Are you alright, Isadora?" He looked at her, concerned. Lucius was clinging to him, but he allowed it.

"If you're sure it's ok... Then alright. We'll keep going. This way..." He looked over at Rhys. From what he knew, Rhys and that girl were in love. He wondered if he would be ok. He turned to keep walking.