BXBX NOVEL Chapter 30: Chapter No.30 Rescue (Final)
"P-Promise..." She said while tilting her head up a bit just enough for me to see her sparkling emerald green eyes glistening with tears.
"I promise," I said, my voice firm with conviction. "We'll get you out of here and find a new home-"
"NOOO!!! I want to stay with you... you said you won't leave me..." She shouted the first part in panic and again started crying after saying the latter part in a softer, more vulnerable tone. Her desperation tugged at my heart, and I could see the depths of her loneliness and fear.
I exchanged a quick glance with Liliana, who gave me a supportive nod. "Alright, Sionna," I said gently, cupping her face to wipe away her tears with my thumb. "You can stay with us. You're part of our family now."
A fragile smile appeared on Sionna's face as she heard my words. Her eyes, though still filled with tears, now sparkled with a glimmer of hope. She clung to me tighter, her trust in me palpable.
Liliana, sensing the depth of Sionna's fear and need for reassurance, stepped closer and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We're a family," she said softly, "and families stick together. You're not alone anymore."
Sionna looked between the two of us, her eyes wide and filled with a mix of disbelief and gratitude. "T-Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible. The weight of her words carried the profound relief and tentative hope she felt, a stark contrast to the despair that had been her constant companion.
"We need to keep moving," I said, my voice gentle yet firm. "Mother and Alice are still down here somewhere. We have to find them."
Sionna nodded, her grip on my arm tightening momentarily before she let go, her resolve solidifying. I led the way deeper into the dungeon, Liliana and Sionna close behind. The oppressive atmosphere pressed down on us, but the flickering torches along the walls provided just enough light to guide our way.
As we walked, the silence was broken only by the echoing sound of our footsteps and the distant drip of water. Each cell we passed was a haunting reminder of the suffering that had taken place within these walls. The air grew colder, the darkness more suffocating, but we pressed on, driven by the urgency to find our family.
Finally, we reached a heavy iron door at the end of a narrow corridor. The key I had obtained from the warden felt like a lifeline in my hand as I inserted it into the lock. The door creaked open, revealing a dimly lit chamber beyond.
Inside the dimly lit chamber, two figures huddled together, their chains clinking softly as they stirred at the sound of the door opening. My heart pounded in my chest as I recognized them—my mother and Alice. Alice looked up, her eyes wide with disbelief and hope.
"B-Brother~"
Alice's whisper woke me from the shock that had gripped me. As I gazed upon her frail form, She was chained to the right side of the wall with little to no strength left in her limbs. She tried to move, but the weight of the chains and her weakened state made it nearly impossible.
Mother was chained to the left side of the wall away from Alice, but her chains were embedded with runes that glowed faintly with a sinister light. These were not ordinary restraints; they were designed to suppress her mana and drain her physical and mental strength. Her form indicates that she is currently unconscious and barely responsive.
The sight of Mother and Alice chained in that dismal chamber ignited a primal anger within me—a wrath fueled by their suffering and the injustice they endured. With urgency, I moved towards Mother first, my fingers tracing the runes etched into her bindings with pure destruction energy from my affinity.
The runes, designed to suppress mana, glowed ominously as I focused my power. With each surge of energy I channeled into them, the runes flickered and sputtered, their grip on Mother weakening.
"Samael, be careful," Liliana cautioned, her voice tinged with concern as she supported Alice. "You don't know what these runes might do."
Ignoring the warning, I intensified my assault on the runes, pushing them to their limits. With a final surge, the magic holding them in place shattered, dissipating into the air like smoke. Mother's body slumped forward as the chains fell away, her breathing shallow but steady.
[Ding! Mission Completed]
[Name: Rescue Family]
[Objective: Locate and rescue your mother and sister from Outsiders. (Completed)]
[Rewards: 2500 Destiny Points, New Affinity Unlocked (Nature), Plot Exchange Card x1]
[Do you want to claim the rewards now?]
[Y/N]
'Later.'
With Mother freed from her magical restraints, I caught her gently before she could collapse entirely. "Mother," I murmured again, relief flooding through me as I held her close. Her eyelids fluttered open, and for a moment, recognition flickered in her eyes before she spoke.
"S-Samael... you've come..." Her voice was weak, barely above a whisper, but it carried a thread of hope.
"Yes, Mother," I replied softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "We're getting you out of here. Can you stand?"
"S-Sorry to worry you..." Mother's voice was frail, but determination resonated within it. She nodded weakly, As she tried to stand but her legs gave way, weakened by the prolonged confinement and suppression of her mana.
I quickly picked her up in Princess Carry style, lifting her gently off the ground. Her weight was lighter than I remembered, a testament to the toll this imprisonment had taken on her.
Liliana hurried to Alice's side, easing her sister's trembling form. "Alice, we're going to get you out of here too," she murmured reassuringly, her voice a soothing balm in the tense air of the chamber.
Alice managed a weak frown, her gaze flickering between Liliana and me. "W- Who are you? You know my brother?"
Liliana's heart sank momentarily at Alice's words, realizing the extent of the trauma her sister had endured. She kept her voice gentle, trying to reassure Alice despite the confusion and disorientation.
"I'm Liliana, and yes, I know your brother, Samael," she said softly, her hand resting on Alice's shoulder. "We're here to help you, Alice. You're safe now."
Alice blinked slowly, her gaze unfocused as if struggling to process the information. "S-Safe?" she echoed, her voice barely audible.
"Yes, safe," I affirmed, adjusting my hold on Mother as I approached Alice and Liliana. "We're taking you both away from here, away from these chains and this darkness."
Sionna, who had been watching silently, stepped forward hesitantly. "Alice, I'm Sionna," she said, her voice wavering but filled with empathy. "We're going to be okay now. We're going to be a family."
Alice glanced at Sionna, her expression unreadable for a moment before a flicker of recognition crossed her face. "Family?" she repeated softly.
"L-Let me help," Mother said to me as she weakly reached out a hand towards Alice, her voice filled with maternal concern despite her own weakened state. I gently lowered her so she could sit against the wall, keeping her within arm's reach of Alice.
Alice hesitated at first, her eyes flickering between Mother and me, uncertainty etched across her face. Slowly, she extended her hand towards Mother's, her fingers trembling slightly as they hovered in the air.
Mother's hand trembled too, weakened by the ordeal she had endured, but she managed a small, reassuring smile. "It's alright, Alice," she murmured softly. "You're safe now."
With a hesitant nod, Alice closed the distance, her fingers interlocking with Mother's in a tentative embrace as a light green glow came from Mother's hand which traveled up her fingers and into Alice's.
The gentle flow of energy seemed to bridge the gap between them, Alice's eyes gained clarity and she looked up at Mother with a mixture of relief and wonder. "Mother..." she whispered, her voice filled with emotion as she squeezed Mother's hand gently.
Mother's smile widened slightly, a glimmer of pride shining through her fatigue. "Yes, Alice," she murmured, her voice barely audible but filled with warmth. "We're together again."
Before I could control myself my arms enveloped both of them in a careful embrace, their frail forms a stark reminder of the suffering they had endured. Tears pricked at my eyes, emotions swirling within me—a blend of relief, anger at their captors, and overwhelming joy at having found them alive.
"We're going home," I said firmly, my voice wavering with emotion. "All of us."
Liliana stepped forward, her expression a mixture of concern and determination. "We need to get them out of here quickly," she urged, her voice carrying the weight of urgency. "The longer we stay, the greater the risk."
She was right. Despite the moment of reunion, the dungeon walls seemed to press in on us, a reminder of the danger still lurking. With careful movements, I again picked up Mother and Alice, one in each arm, mindful of their weakened states. Liliana supported Sionna, who stayed close to us, her eyes flickering between Mother and Alice with a mixture of relief and empathy.
As we made our way back through the dungeon, the torchlight flickered against the cold stone walls, casting eerie shadows that seemed to watch our every move. The air remained heavy with the scent of dampness and decay, a stark contrast to the warmth that now blossomed within our little group.
"We're almost there," I murmured softly, more to reassure myself than anyone else. Each step felt heavier than the last, the weight of responsibility settling upon my shoulders like a leaden cloak. But despite the physical and emotional strain, I pressed on, driven by the need to get my family to safety.
Finally, we reached the heavy iron door that marked the threshold between captivity and freedom. With a deep breath, I inserted the key once more, the lock clicking open with a sense of finality. The door swung outward, revealing the faint light of dawn filtering through the trees just beyond.
Fresh air greeted us like a balm as we stepped out into the early morning light. The valley around us was quiet and serene, a stark contrast to the darkness and confinement we had just left behind. Birds sang in the distance, their melodies weaving through the gentle rustle of leaves.
"We made it," Liliana whispered, her voice filled with awe and relief as she stepped out beside me, Sionna at her side.
"This way," I said as we traced our way back to the estate through the winding path that led away from the fortress, careful to avoid any potential pursuit. The morning sun cast long shadows across the ground, a comforting warmth after the chill of the underground labyrinth.
Mother and Alice clung to me, their steps faltering but determined. Sionna stayed close to Liliana, occasionally glancing back as if to reassure herself that we were truly escaping. The journey back to the estate felt surreal as if we had emerged from a nightmare into a fragile dream of safety.
As we approached the estate grounds, A group of familiar faces from the shadows.
"Well well well," a familiar voice drawled from the shadows, interrupting our cautious progress. "Who do we have here?"
"Jason!"
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..
...
[To Be Continued]
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[Word Count: 1951]