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Zyk had been gnawing on the ropes for nearly ten minutes before he had to take a break. He hadn’t yet managed to break through a single one.
“You need to get the hell out of here,” Nox said, wincing as the sharp teeth brushed against his broken arm.
“Confound these ropes!” the fox hissed, ignoring the advice. He hopped down from Nox’s lap, looking around the room as he stretched his jaw. “Maybe that guard has a knife on him or something.”
“Don’t,” Nox whispered, stopping Zyk in his tracks. “I don’t want you to get hurt again! I told you to go!”
“I can’t get through them with just my teeth. He’s too drunk to wake up, right?”
Nox took a deep breath, trying to calm his panic for Zyk’s sake. “Just leave me here. You need to get out of the city before they realize who and what you are.” He stared into Zyk’s golden eyes, willing him to understand. “Please. It’s enough knowing that you’re okay. Go on your adventure and find what you’re looking for.”
“You’re really dense, you know?” Zyk replied, staring back at him with no small amount of anger and frustration. “I limped all the way back here to save you and that’s what I’m going to do. Now shut the hell up or help me think!”
“Little f-fox,” a timid voice said from the next cell over. “I... I can help.”
Zyk turned and trotted over to the Bledig who was sitting near the bars.
“Zyk! Don’t go near him!”
But he ignored Nox. “How can you help?”
The Bledig stared at him for a long moment, then produced a knife from under a small pile of straw. There was sticky blood dried onto the blade. It wasn’t until that moment that Nox realized the Bledig’s bindings were gone from his hands and feet.
“The c-captain,” he quivered. “He left this b-behind.”
“May I use it?”
The Bledig held it out, but pulled it back as Zyk reached out with his teeth. “Will... Will you get me out t-too?”
“No we won’t!” Nox hissed through his teeth, trying to stay as quiet as possible, the snoring guard only a few feet away. He knew the Bledig would attack at any moment, trying to finish what he’d started the day before.
“Yes. I’ll make sure you go free,” Zyk responded, ignoring Nox completely.
The knife was held out to him once again and he took it in his teeth, pulling it through the bars and carrying it over to Nox. The blade was difficult for him to maneuver, but he managed to hop up to Nox’s lap without dropping it. He awkwardly worked the blade against the ropes, sawing away one tiny fiber at a time. It took him a few minutes to finally get the first rope to snap. With a few stifled gasps, Nox managed to wriggle his broken arm free, letting the blood finally flow into his aching fingers. The pain was unimaginable as it all came back to life, but he ground his teeth together, forcing himself to pick up the blade and begin work on his other arm. In a few moments he was completely free, stretching his legs out in front of him and wiggling his toes to get the feeling back.
Zyk had hopped down to the floor and waited patiently for Nox to finally get to his feet. The first few steps were treacherous, but he managed to keep himself upright, using the chair for support.
“Now what?” Nox asked, looking down at the fox. “I’m free but I can’t get out of the cell.”
“That’s the easy part,” Zyk smiled, slipping his lithe form between the bars.
He trotted over to a small table where the guard was seated, his tankard still in his hand as he drooled all over the wooden surface. The keys to the cells were hanging off his belt, well within reach.
“Zyk! Don’t!”
Nox watched anxiously as Zyk put his paws on the man’s leg and slipped the key ring into his mouth. With a careful lift he pulled it from the hook on his belt and walked awkwardly back to the cell, trying to jingle them as little as possible. Nox wobbled over, bracing himself against the bars. He reached a hand through, taking the key ring in his hand and shifting toward the lock. There were five keys on the ring and he had to try three before he found one that fit. The lock made a loud click as the internal mechanism released the door and Nox froze. The snores suddenly stopped. He looked up to see the guard had lifted his head and was staring in his direction, blinking stupidly.
“Captain?” he slurred, wiping at his eyes. His movements were dull and stupid. “Is that you?”
Nox slowly opened the door, leaving the keys in the lock. With the dagger held behind his back he walked toward the man, trying to keep his gait as normal as possible. As he stepped up to the table the guard turned up to look at him.
“Captain... I can explain,” he mumbled. He rubbed his eyes one last time, blinking in the dim light. “Wait... what are y–”
The blade flashed through the air and a splatter of blood splashed over the floor. The guard’s eyes grew wide as he clawed at his throat, trying to staunch the flow. His expression was one of bewilderment as he slowly sank to the table. It only took a few seconds for the horrible gurgling to stop.
“Nox...” Zyk whispered, staring from a few feet away, worry clear in his voice.
“Come on,” Nox replied, cutting him off before he could say more. He had his freedom. The spilled blood awakened a rage in his heart that needed to be satisfied. “I have things to finish,” he said, his voice flat and emotionless.
“W-what about me?” the Bledig stammered from his cage.
Nox looked at him with contempt. He glanced over to Zyk who was still very much alive, having survived the attack by the Bledig. Stumbling back he yanked the keys from the lock and tossed them into the cage at the Bledig’s feet. He had nothing to lose.
“Thanks for the knife,” he smirked, flashing it in his direction.
The Bledig muttered words of thanks, but Nox wasn’t listening. He was already a few steps ahead, starting up the stairs to the rest of the guardhouse.
“Nox,” Zyk called, rushing up behind him. “Where are you going?”
“I’m going to kill Ragvir and his men. As many as I can take with me.”
“What?! After all I did to get you out you’re going to commit suicide?”
“I made a promise,” Nox replied simply. “I’m going to cut his fucking heart out.”
“Nox, please, you can’t do this. You won’t survive!”
“That doesn’t matter anymore.”
“Nox...”
He held a hand up to silence the fox as they reached the top of the stairs. There was a long spotless hallway in front of them with doors on either side. The torch light was brighter, but still burning low in the brackets. A large set of double doors stood slightly ajar to the left. Through them Nox could see the main part of the guardhouse that civilians could access with a skeleton crew of guards milling about. The other smaller doors on the right remained closed along with one at the very end of the hall. He needed to know which one led to the captain’s quarters on the second floor.
One by one he tested the door handles, trying to keep as quiet as possible. The first door creaked open and he saw a storage room full of supplies, swords, and bits of armor. With a blood stained dagger already in his hand he pulled the door closed, moving onto the next. He wanted to cut Ragvir down with his own knife. The next door opened to a large room filled with tables and chairs. At the far end were two guards, sitting around a wobbly table with cards in their hands. They looked up at the squeal of the door. Nox immediately pulled it shut before they could call out. Within seconds he heard the chairs scrape against the floor as the soldiers got to their feet, their voices full of confusion.
With his heart pounding in his chest, Nox bolted to the third and final door on the right side. Finding it locked he proceeded to the one at the end of the hall. The latch lifted freely and he slipped inside with Zyk on his heels just as the soldiers stepped out into the hall. Keeping the door open only a crack he watched as they looked about. After a moment of searching they headed toward the jail in search of the disturbance. Nox knew what they would find there. He was running out of time to enact his revenge.
“Nox,” Zyk called from the other side of the room. “I found something.”
Turning on the spot Nox looked across the room, which turned out to be a large office. An overstuffed chair sat near a fireplace on one side while the center of the room was taken up by a large desk. Stacks of paper and tools littered the surface. Behind it were a few smaller tables, each with its own array of paperwork, odd trinkets, and metal armor that looked like it was in the process of being cleaned. Zyk had disappeared behind the desk and came out dragging a leather bag with his teeth. It was the same one Nox had been wearing when he was captured.
“I think it’s your stuff,” he said, dropping the bag at Nox’s feet.
Crouching down, Nox pulled it open. Most of his items were gone, but the rolled up scrolls, the glowing crystal, and his dagger were still in the bag. It seemed Ragvir had been holding onto them to hand off to Prime Ibran once he got the ring. He pulled out his trusted dagger and strapped it to his belt as a backup.
“I don’t need this junk anymore,” Nox said, standing back up and turning toward the door. He held the bloody knife up for Zyk to see. “I have everything I need to kill Ragvir.”
“We can use the scrolls to get out of here!” Zyk urged, nudging the bag toward him. “You can come back when you’re healed up.”
“No,” Nox said, ignoring his pleas. “This ends tonight.”
“Nox!”
But he was already out the door, heading toward the locked one a few feet away, knowing it was the right one. He reached into his pocket, but cursed under his breath as he realized he’d given the keys to the Bledig in the cells. Ragvir was behind the locked door that stood in his way. Everyone knew he always stayed in the guardhouse when he was working on someone, disappearing for days at a time. Every fiber of his being was screaming to break the door down, but with his injuries he knew it would be impossible with force alone. Instead he jammed the dagger into the lock, putting all his weight against it. The blade lodged itself inside, but wouldn’t go any further.
Voices sounded from the jail below. He was out of time.
Reeling back Nox lifted his least damaged leg and kicked, driving the heel of his boot into the pommel of the knife. The door shuddered as the lock snapped, the latch breaking off its setting. Slowly it swung inward. The dagger however was destroyed and permanently wedged into the lock. Nox left it behind and pulled the spare from his belt. He’d wanted to use the same knife on Ragvir, but his trusted dagger would do just fine.
More cries from the jail drew his attention briefly to the stairs. A dark figure appeared at the top, blood soaking his guard’s uniform. A short sword was held in his hand, dark liquid dripping to the floor. Nox held up his dagger, ready to fight as the man started toward him, shouts still echoing from the jail below. It wasn’t until he stopped a few feet away that Nox noticed the mop of greasy hair and the bright green eyes.
“What the fuck do you want?” he snapped.
“I... I’m here to h-help,” the man replied, shifting nervously. He glanced down at the sword. “I can fight... and I owe you for s-saving me. My d-debt has to be repaid.”
“I don’t want your help. Besides, I’m the reason you got caught in the first place.”
The man shook his head, staring at the floor. “The thing living inside m-me nearly killed you. Because of me you’ve s-suffered unimaginable horrors... I don’t d-deserve to live.” He lifted his gaze to Nox. “But if I’ve been b-blessed with a life, I’m going to s-spend every moment of it defending you.”
Nox rolled his eyes. “Well, it’s only going to cost you about five minutes.”
Without waiting for a response he pushed through the door, heading up the set of stairs just inside. He was tired of the distractions. The captain was close, he could almost smell it. Just the thought of dragging his blade across Ragvir’s throat caused a surge of murderous elation through his body. He wasn’t doing it for just his mother anymore. It was for Abi, for her long-dead brother, for the citizens of Kald who’d been tortured to death by the captain. And most of all, it was for himself. His entire life had been spent living on the fringes of society, doing everything he could to stay out of sight and on the right side of the law even if it meant he starved half to death. But all that was over now. All that mattered was blood and he was going to have it one way or another.