Infiltrating the Lion's Den

---Aaron---

Ashley seemed very tense as we approached Devil's Peak. I couldn't blame her; I was pretty nervous too. Darting behind trees and skirting around the edge of the forest, we snuck to the bottom of the trail. Thankfully, no guards were lounging around outside, so we accessed the path without any problems.

"If anyone comes down the path, either I stun him or you blow him off the mountain," Ashley said firmly. "We can't let anyone alert Lord Victor of our presence." I agreed. Now was not the time to be nice. I learned a long time ago that in this world, it was to kill or be killed.

We crept up the trail cautiously, alert to any signs of movement or sounds above. The winding trail was steep and precarious. Before long I was panting for breath and my legs were aching. We stopped a few times to catch our breaths, and I found myself peering down at the surrounding forest in search of our friends. I couldn't see anything except for the dense treetops.

Strangely—but fortunately—we made it all the way up without any trouble. Hiding behind an outcrop, I peered around the corner. Like Rachel had predicted, there was indeed a door built into the rocky wall. The grayish rock extended overhead and continued up, but the trail ended here. Anything above where we were standing was a mystery. We were not at the peak, but we had found the entrance we were looking for.

Two guards were posted outside, each with a spear in hand. Two unlit torches hung on the wall next to them. I shrank back behind the outcrop. "What do we do now?" I whispered to Ashley. "Should we fight them head-on?"

"That might cause too much commotion," Ashley said, peeking around the rock herself. "Maybe we can distract them somehow."

I thought for a bit. "Can you do an invisibility spell to cover both of us?"

"Yes. What are you planning to do?" Ashley asked.

"I'm going to distract them with my wind power. Then you'll hide us while we run to the door and get in. You think you can do this?"

Ashley nodded. "I'm ready when you are."

Taking a deep breath, I summoned a small breeze. It blew over the guards, messing up their hair. A few seconds later, a slightly stronger wind followed, making any loose clothing flap. It slowly gained strength, until a sudden gust aimed at the guard on the far left swept him off his feet and sent him careening off mountain. Of course, I didn't blow him completely off; it just enough so that he was dangling from the edge. His companion abandoned his spear and rushed to his comrade's aid, trying to pull him up.

In the confusion, I nodded to Ashley and she cast her spell. "Obscuro." We ran out from behind the rock and headed towards the door. It was an arched double door, painted black, with two large circular brass handles. Praying that it wasn't locked, I grabbed one and pulled. It didn't budge. I tried pushing. The door stayed shut.

To the side, the guard was clambering up with the help of his friend. I began to sweat nervously. "Ashley, it's locked!" I hissed.

Ashley drew a quick symbol in the air toward the door. "Aperio."

I pulled on the brass handles again. The door creaked open. "Hurry, get in!" I ushered Ashley in and slipped in after her, closing the door behind us. Leaning against the cool metal frame, I waited for my vision to adjust to the sudden dimness and my heart to stop beating so quickly.

Torches lined the wall, their flames flickering. A corridor stretched out in front, with a side hall branching off about fifty steps in. The ceiling extended above our heads, dipping down in some places and arching at others. Rachel was right again: Lord Victor had obviously carved his stronghold into the mountain with magic.

Ashley pushed herself off the doorframe and ventured into the corridor, stopping at the intersection where the two halls connected. I followed her.

"Which way do you think we should go?" I whispered. The place was too silent; any noise would echo throughout the corridors, which would then alert all the guards.

"This way." Ashley started down the side passageway. "No one puts their prison cells in the main hallway."

I followed her, always keeping an eye out for guards. Once, at an intersection, we heard footsteps marching down a parallel hall. I yanked Ashley behind the wall and we stayed there, our hearts in our mouths, until the footsteps faded away. Ashley was looking paler and paler with each passing minute. I was sure my expression was a constant mask of extreme fear and nervousness.

We snuck down hallway after hallway, always peeking around the corner before darting out into the next passageway. "Prison cells should be somewhere in the lower levels," Ashley muttered. "Or at least somewhere off to the side." I followed her wordlessly, trusting that her instincts were better than mine. After all, Ashley was a spellmaster; she should be able to sense things better than me.

Strangely, we didn't encounter any patrols on our way, save for the occasional footsteps we heard. We didn't physically see anyone, human or monster. I considered ourselves lucky; the less attention we attract, the better. If we could get in and get out without anyone knowing, that would be fantastic.

Ashley halted at a T-intersection. I nearly barreled into her. "What's wrong?" I asked in a hushed voice. Ashley shook her head, her face taking on a sickly sheen. I bet this place was giving her the creeps; it was certainly making me feel trapped and sick. My heart was beating at an abnormal rate. The possibility of being caught any second was making me jumpier by the second.

I peered down the corridor, checking left and right for guards. All clear. "Where do we go?" I asked Ashley. She pointed left, but remained leaning against the rocky wall. I furrowed my brow. "Are you alright?"

"I'm okay, just feeling a bit…nauseous," Ashley forced a smile. "I don't like this place. It's making me feel claustrophobic. But on the bright side, just a few more turns and we should reach the prison cells."

I nodded, agreeing. "I'll go in front this time, okay? You should get a rest from leading the way. It'll be less stressful if you're following someone."

Something like guilt flickered in Ashley's expression. "Don't worry, just follow behind me," I reassured her. "No need to feel bad."

I started down the left side, our footsteps echoing softly. Rocky walls with occasional veins of quartz or mica stretched on either side of me, making the passageway seem longer than it actually was.

I followed the path as it curved to the right, and then split into two. I looked back at Ashley, and she pointed left again: "We should be arriving there soon." I could feel a slight cold draft coming from that side; could it be the prison cells? Ashley did say they would be at the lower levels. I hurried down the designated path. It curved to the right, and then to the left, before turning sharply to the right again. I walked briskly around the corner, sure that I would find the prison cells, only to see a blank wall at the end of a ten meter hall.

"What?" I said aloud in disbelief. I jogged down the length of the hall, scanning the walls and touching the jagged rocks in search of any hidden mechanisms. Shouldn't the prison cells be here? Didn't Ashley say we were here?

"Hey, Ashley, I think we went the wrong way," I said softly, looking over the walls once more, just in case. "This is a dead end. Maybe you got one of the turns mixed up somewhere?"

No answer. I turned around to see an empty hallway behind me. "Ashley?" I called out quietly. "Ashley? Where are you?"

Still no response. Dread was pooling at the bottom of my gut. Something bad happened. Something happened to Ashley. She was right there behind me all this time. Where could she have gone?

I stepped carefully back around the corner, searching for any signs of a struggle or any guards. Alarm bells were blaring in my head and screaming danger. My heart was pounding in my ears.

A sound in the dead end behind me nearly scared me out of my wits. I spun around and pulled out my sword in one fluid motion, falling into my battle stance. No one. Just the barren walls with the uneven surface. But I swore I heard something…

A large force barreled into me from behind, knocking me flat to the ground and the wind from my lungs. My sword flew out of my hand. I struggled, but something sharp stung the exposed skin of my neck. My vision faded to black.