Breaking Free

The night sky stretched vast and endless, a beautiful silver crescent moon ascended the sky drowning the whole world in its ethereal glow. Black clouds lingered in the sky, veiling the twinkling stars. The air felt heavy and moist with the promise of a shower.

"It will rain pretty soon" I mumbled as I gazed at the night sky. It was a sight you don't get to see in modern cities mostly due to the pollution. Aside from that, the time was ripe. It was the perfect moment to make my escape.

I gazed at the vast garden from my window, the yellow lilies and the white roses were now drapped in the moonlight, giving them a peaceful look. But amongst them, few oranges can be spotted.

"Guards" I muttered under my breath. The routine today also seemed the same, four guards currently patrolling the garden area, and two guards should be near the back gate. I turned around and held the bedsheets that I had tied together to form a rope. The old princess Rapunzel escape method but instead of hair, it's bedsheets.

'I hope it can support my weight'

Even though I had lost 17 kgs in the past week or so, I was still heavy around the weight of 98 kgs. So still I had my doubts, if I were to fall it would literally create a sonic boom and alert the guards.

I checked my supplies—A few health potions, a few bandage rolls, a dagger, 200 gold coins, and a hooded dark cloak that covered my body and face. The clothing I wore was a dark tunic along with black trousers which might help me to blend with the shadows.

I did not have a sword in my room, so a dagger should suffice for now and it definitely should. Because Blitzfeld Swordsmanship focuses on dual-wielding a rapier and a short sword or dagger, it was inspired by the Italian Florentine Style of Swordsmanship.

The gold coins were obviously necessary for my survival out there in the town of the duchy so that I wouldn't starve to death.

I looked outside again to see if any extra guards were stationed around but it was clear. I threw the tied-together bedsheets down the window which reached a bit high above the ground not completely touching it.

I tied my end of the rope to the frame of the window hoping it would stay intact. Grabbing the frame and holding onto the rope, I slowly moved my legs over the window frame and slid the rope slowly.

The sliding left an irritation in my palms but it was bearable. I slowly descended onto the soft grass beneath my feet, touching it made a slight rustling noise but not too much to alert the guards.

I looked around again the path was clear but taking precautions was a priority.

'Dante, do you sense anyone?' I asked.

[No, for now, the path is clear but be careful around the Gazebo, I sense a strong presence there. Stronger than the guards stationed] He warned.

The guards who were patrolling should be Squire tier aura users, not very strong but still strong enough to hand It to me but now one more problem was there.

'Who is it?'

[I don't know but that person is stronger than you, a low adept mage]

'Okay so it must be some random mage or one of my sisters but why are they out at midnight'

[Don't know]

But that should not be my priority now, it's a low adept mage only tier above me. I should be able to deal with that person if I calculate things properly. Thank god, it was not the duke or the duchess both of them were strong.

I made my way to the garden pathways which were separated from the garden by a grass hedge wall, which reached to my abdomen. It was perfect for hiding out of the guard's line of sight.

I treaded along the hedges passing the first guard carrying a lantern, a sword was strapped around his waists and he wore normal steel-plated armor with a helmet. He was surely tired due to the way he kept yawning.

As he walked past me, I slowly made my way towards the back gate. I crouched and walked along the hedge walls I passed the white gazebo where I had talked with Elisabeth two weeks ago. Shit had gone wrong there only.

I glanced over the hedges towards the gazebo and stood there a figure gazing towards the opposite side of the garden. Her blonde hair which was a darker shade than mine was flailing due to the gentle breeze of the night. Her white nightgown elegantly covered her delicate frame. Her fair skin glistened in the moonlight and her teal eyes matched the silent atmosphere.

Her hands were crossed behind her back. It was my sister from another mother, yes a concubine's daughter, Alea Von Blitzfeld. Even though she was a concubine's daughter, she had better treatment than me due to her abilities and early legacy awakening. Even the duchess treated her kindly, my own fucking mother.

[Ethan, it would be better if you just move along now] Dante suggested.

'Yes, you are right' I let out a small sigh and moved towards the back gate, leaving the insomniac sister alone. As for her behavior towards me, it was flat ignorance. In Noah's memories, she just ignored him and avoided him at all times. Which was the best treatment I got in this house yet.

But don't be fooled she still ignored my beatings and tortures. The one who stood up for me was my Eldest Brother Micheal, he even said that he would leave the estate alongside me but this guy—Noah was too obsessed with making his father acknowledge him.

I moved slowly to not alert her and went past the gazebo towards the back gate, two guards there were keeping watch. After the back gate was a small forest, by crossing the first I could reach the town of Donnerwall, where I could catch a train.

The guards held two spears in their hands, their bodies covered with the same steel-plated armor but one of them was not wearing a helm, revealing his face etched with dark circles. This was good for me if I could get one of them out of there by distracting him and then sneaking up on the other one and hitting him with the hilt of my dagger to knock him out.

[It might just work] Dante remarked.

'Yeah' I took a stone nearby and threw it onto the hedge wall a bit further away, it created a rustling sound as it touched the grass surface.

"Hey did you hear that?" One of the guards asked.

"Huh...no" The one without the helm replied his voice tired due to the lack of sleep.

"I am going to go check it out"

"Okay, suit yourself"

The guard who was wearing the helm left his partner alone whose face was drowsy with sleep creeping in, he leaned with the help of his spear. 

Making sure the other guard was now further away, readying my dagger, I muttered under my breath. 

[Voltstep]

-Crackle

Lightning arced through my veins, crackling around my legs. My muscles tensed and then in an instant, I vanished in a flash of amethyst light, reappearing just inches away from the guard. His eyes widened in shock and disbelief, but before he could react, I drove the hilt of my dagger into his skull with brutal precision.

His eyes rolled back and a bruise formed on his head with blood oozing out of it but before he could fall, I grabbed his body so that his armor wouldn't make any noise. I dragged his body behind one of the hedge walls and placed it.

I took his steel-plated gauntlets and boots along with his spear and its holster. I moved quickly before the guard arrived back at the gate, I had to knock him out too because it seemed he was the one who had the keys to the lock.

I hid behind one of the bushes again and a bit later the guard returned.

"Ugh, must've been the wind" He mumbled as he yawned while stretching his body.

His eyes flickered to the back gate, "Huh, hey whe-"

But before he could create a commotion, I swiped in and hit him in the face with the back of the spear, knocking him out cold. But this time I was not able to catch his body which made a metallic sound upon touching the ground. 

I searched his body for the key and found it hanging near his waist. I grabbed it and headed for the locked back gate. Putting the key through the hole, it opened with a click noise. 

I exhaled, a smirk tugged at my lips, and my heart raced. It was finally the moment I was going to escap-

"Stop!"