Escape from the Ziggurat

The moon was high in the sky, casting an eerie glow over the city of Babylus. Rufus had always found it beautiful, with its towering buildings and majestic temples dedicated to the gods. But tonight, his mind was elsewhere.

He couldn't stop thinking about his friends, wondering where they were and how they had managed to escape the clutches of their captors. His thoughts were interrupted by a movement in the distance.

At first, he thought it was just his imagination playing tricks on him. But as he focused his gaze, he saw a figure climbing up one of the towers of the city. The silhouette was small and nimble, moving like a shadow against the night sky.

Rufus leaned in closer, trying to get a better look. But just as suddenly as it had appeared, the figure vanished from view.

He stepped away from the window and was about to go to bed when he heard a commotion outside the door. His heart raced as he realized that something was happening.

The Ursang, who had been silent and unmoving until that moment, suddenly sprang into action. "Step back, human," he growled, moving towards the door.

Rufus obeyed, watching in awe as the Ursang stood ready for whatever was coming their way. The sound outside stopped, but the Ursang remained alert, ready for any danger that might present itself.

Then the door flew off its hinges, as a thick smoke enveloped the room. Assassins clad in black armor and cloth, similar to those whom Rufus had met many times met earlier rushed through the breach and assaulted the Ursang.

The saint of Xerxes stumbled backward, momentarily stunned by the sudden attack. But quickly, he regained his composure and sprang into action. In a blur of motion, he drew two short curved swords, their blades glinting menacingly in the dim light. The assassins charged at him, their weapons raised and ready to strike.

The clash of steel echoed throughout the small cell as Rufus watched in awe at the Ursang's skill in battle. Despite the odds stacked against him, the saint of Xerxes fought with ferocity and precision, his curved swords slicing through the air with deadly accuracy.

The assassins were no match for the Ursang's prowess, but they continued to pour into the cell like a never-ending stream of darkness. Rufus could feel his heart racing as he watched the Ursang weave through the throng of attackers, his movements fluid and graceful.

The thick smoke made it hard to see, but Rufus could hear the Ursang's grunts of effort and the sound of steel meeting steel. Someone then grabbed Rufus's arm and said in a female voice," come with me!"

It was the same assassin Rufus had met on Isra and in the cells of Perizad. She took out a knife and with waved her hand above Rufus to find something. With her touch, she found the yearns of Erlik and grabbed them all. The same strings that were keeping Rufus stuck to the room. With the knife in hand, she cut the cords, freeing Rufus's soul. The dagger immediately melted away, and the assassin let go of it before it burnt her hand.

The Ursang spotted this and started to move more sporadically in trying to prevent Rufus from escaping.

Fiercely, the female assassin hurriedly dragged Rufus off the bed and onto the floor, her hands shaking with adrenaline. She knew that time was of the essence, and that they needed to act fast if they were going to make it out of this alive. With a small cup in hand and a strange liquid inside, she took out dry branches and lit them ablaze. Her eyes darted around the room to make sure they weren't caught off guard as the saint was battling her subordinates, distracting him.

Meanwhile, the Ursang was on a rampage, dispatching all the assassins one by one with brutal efficiency. The female assassin looked on anxiously, her heart racing as the dry branches failed to ignite. She could feel the Ursang's hot breath on her neck as he charged towards them, his massive body casting a shadow over her small frame.

But just as he was about to land a fatal blow, the dry branches suddenly burst into flames, and the female assassin quickly placed them into the cup, causing it to explode into a thick mist that filled the room. The Ursang brushed off the fog with a single swipe of his hand, but when it cleared, he found himself alone in the room, with both the assassins and Rufus nowhere to be found.

Outside the window, he could see nothing but the darkness of the night, and the Ursang's heart sank as he realized that they had escaped. Hamael and two other Ursangs rushed to the room, their faces etched with concern as they surveyed the scene.

"What happened?" Hamael demanded, his voice laced with anger and frustration.

"The old man's assassin took the human," the Ursang replied, his grip on his blades tightening.

Hamael's face went pale.

"Xerxes will be furious with me," Hamael said, looking sullen.

"Lord Hamael. This was not your mistake. I am the one to blame," the Ursang who was left to guard Rufus said.

"That is true. That is very true," Hamael said, thinking to himself.

"Our god can not lose faith in you. He needs you," the Ursang pleaded.

"He does, doesn't he,"

"I will do what is necessary," the Ursang said, grabbing one of his blades.

"....yes. Yes, you will."

The Ursang then stabbed himself right into his chest, stabbing his own heart. To make sure he died, he was able to even twist the blade. He fell to the floor, with his blood covering the marble floor.

Hamael then turned to the other two Ursangs," God Xerxes must be told that the human escaped, with the assassins being able to kill one of his saints. He needs to understand the gravity of this situation and immediately move to capture Rufus once more."

"Yes, lord Hamael."