The Escape - Part 2

“Time is running out,” Leiyu said. “We should get to the stables.”

“Yes, of course,” Prince Thallios said. “I know the way.”

They exited the guest quarters. Although the flowers and trees of the courtyard exuded an enchanted tranquility, commotion was starting to brew in the air. Guards carrying crescent blades ran toward the palace entrance. Attendants scurried in all directions like ants fleeing a disturbed mound. The remaining palace guests were in a state of confusion, and many ran into any chamber they could find to hide.

Prince Thallios pulled the hood tightly over his head so that no one would recognize him. He grabbed Leiyu by the arm and led him through the throng. Leiyu felt his cheeks heat up, but dismissed it. Now was not the time to think about anything other than escape.

They made their way to the stables. Leiyu ran over the scattered hay and found an agitated Bakhat in his stall. He untied the reins from the post and whispered into the horse’s ear to calm him down. When he led Bakhat out of the stall, he saw Prince Thallios holding the reins of a steed. Its tan coat had an almost metallic sheen.

Everything in this palace is gold, isn’t it? Even the horses, he thought, bemused.

“My father said that there should be an escape tunnel around here,” the prince said. They led their horses down the aisle, past the other steeds whinnying in their stalls. At the very back were piles of hay and linen sacks.

Leiyu summoned his wind magic to increase his strength and pushed everything aside. There was a canvas drape covering the wall. He pulled the fabric aside.

“There’s a door here,” Leiyu said. He saw a metal ring, grabbed it, and yanked. The wood split and splintered. He pushed aside the debris until there was a large opening. Peering inside, he saw a stone ramp lead into darkness.

“Are we going to fit?” Prince Thallios asked.

“It looks large enough for a horse and rider,” Leiyu replied. “I can go in first and you can follow, Your Highness.”

“How are we going to see anything?” the prince asked.

Leiyu pulled out a scrap of paper from his sleeve.

“What is that?” the prince asked.

“Light talisman.”

“A what?”

Leiyu waved his hand over the script on the talisman and it glowed. The paper scrap began to illuminate. “This should last for a while. Let’s get going.”

Leiyu mounted Bakhat and waited for Prince Thallios to get on his horse. Once he saw the prince sitting securely on his saddle, Leiyu led Bakhat through the tunnel entrance. He let the light talisman float into the air so that both of his hands could hold the reins freely. He turned around to make sure Prince Thallios was trailing close behind him.

The tunnel was chilly and smelled of damp soil. Their horses walked slowly through the narrow passageway. Leiyu’s breaths became shallow and strained in the stuffy, claustrophobic environment. He turned around.

“Are you all right, Your Highness?” Leiyu asked.

“Yes, I’m fine,” the prince replied. “I’m just worried that this tunnel will collapse on us. I never knew we had such a thing under the palace.”

“Guess it makes sense to have something like this,” Leiyu said. “Always need to be prepared for enemy attacks.”

“It’s been peaceful in Ishkhandar for as long as I’ve remembered,” the prince said. “I don’t understand why we’re suddenly being invaded.”

“But you’ve never even left the palace until just two days ago, Your Highness,” Leiyu said. “A lot of things have happened in the outside world over the years.” He remembered the crying ghost children from the mountains. “Do you know of any past wars in this region?”

“Wars? I don’t know. Those would have happened long before I was born. I didn’t pay enough attention during my history lessons. Lord Oganesson often lectured me about that.”

They trudged on. The light talisman floated above them like a haunted lantern. Through the soil, Leiyu could hear muffled sounds of horse hooves on the ground above. He turned around to check on Prince Thallios. Though the prince’s face was barely illuminated, Leiyu could see his sorrow. He returned his gaze to the front, facing the darkness before them.

After more than a shichen had passed, Leiyu felt a cool draft of fresh air. “I think we’re near the end,” he said.

The tunnel sloped upward. Bakhat walked up the incline carefully and the prince’s golden horse followed close behind. Pebbles rolled down behind them. Leiyu held out his hand and the talisman returned to his palm. The darkness of the tunnel gave way to a dusky sky.

A gust of wind welcomed them. Leiyu and Prince Thallios were surrounded by wild grasses on uneven ground.

“Where are we?” Prince Thallios asked.

“Outside the city,” Leiyu replied. “I think we’ve ended up on a hill.”

“What’s that?” the prince asked. A faint orange illumination dusted the clouds in the distance. They rode their horses uphill until they reached the peak.

Prince Thallios gasped. His amber eyes filled with new tears.

“No!” the prince cried. “Ishkhandar is on fire!”

Dark plumes of smoke billowed from Ishkhandar. Flames peeked over the ramparts. The city was surrounded by enemy soldiers, and their war cries filled the air. From Leiyu and Prince Thallios’ vantage point on top of the hill, it looked like a horde of ants descending on carrion.

Prince Thallios gripped his reins with trembling hands. “Father…” Tears flowed freely down his face.

Leiyu looked at the burning city. A crushing weight cratered his chest. His thoughts drifted to Chen Yun, Liang Fusheng, and Wang Yihui. They were probably in the bazaars, haggling over glassware or some such, when the attacks started. Now they were trapped in a raging inferno.

I promised I’d protect them, he lamented internally. I promised…

“Father said they would be able to last for months,” Prince Thallios said tearfully. “Why is Ishkhandar falling so fast?”

“I don’t know,” Leiyu said solemnly. “Maybe he didn’t know the enemy would be so strong.”

Prince Thallios’ face contorted in grief and despair. He buried his face in his hands. “Why did this happen? Why?”

“Your Highness,” Leiyu said. He sighed sadly. “We…should go. It’s not safe to remain here.”

“Where? Where can we go?”

Leiyu looked around. “Towards the mountains? Your father asked us to look for a sword?”

Prince Thallios uncovered his face. “The Sword of Ages. I can’t believe he asked me to look for it. I thought it was just a myth.”

Leiyu looked at the sky. “It’ll be evening soon. We should find somewhere far from here to take shelter. Shall we go, Your Highness?”

Prince Thallios took one last look at the only home he had ever known. “Once we leave, I’ll never see Ishkhandar again. Even if we find the Sword of Ages and come back, it’ll never be the same.”

***

They rode towards the mountains. Eventually, the sounds of the invasion died down and were replaced by wind rushing through the grasses. Another shichen had passed. Dusk turned to darkness and faint starlight. They entered a forest and kept riding.

Leiyu spotted a cave hidden in a copse of trees. He rode towards it and pulled on the reins until Bakhat slowed down. Once the steed had come to a complete stop, Leiyu dismounted. Prince Thallios and his horse also came to a stop. Leiyu helped the prince get down from his saddle.

The cave’s opening was large enough for the horses to pass through. Leiyu and Prince Thallios went inside with their steeds. Once the horses were settled, Leiyu pulled the light talisman out from his sleeve and activated it. As the paper scrap floated to the middle of the room, Leiyu glanced over at the prince.

Prince Thallios sat with his back against the cave wall. He had brought his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. His face was buried in his arms.

Leiyu walked over to the prince. “Your Highness,” he murmured. Prince Thallios looked up. “If there is anything I can do to help, please let me know.”

Trembling, the prince reached out and clutched Leiyu’s cloak. He buried his face into Leiyu’s chest and began to sob, clinging onto the cloak as if it were the only lifeline he had to keep from drowning.

Leiyu’s heart sank. What could he possibly say to the prince after all of this? In a single day, they had gone from casually chatting about stories to seeing the whole kingdom destroyed. Prince Thallios had already lost his mother years ago. Now his father was gone as well.

Leiyu slowly put his arms around Prince Thallios and held him close. “Your Highness, I’m so sorry…”