Jailbreak With My Prince Charming

Putri? The gentle healer? Now leading a jailbreak?

It was like asking a serene swan to pull off a heist. Only in my wildest dreams!mToo bad I didn't have a bucket of popcorn to enjoy the show.

"Nanang, no time to daydream! We have to go!" Putri's voice cut through the smoke and confusion, snapping me back to reality. The prison tower rumbled ominously around us.

I scrambled to my feet, as graceful as a half-cooked noodle. My makeshift weapon, a sharp piece of rubble, seemed pretty pathetic now. But hey, I was the damsel here, and my prince charming was calling.

Putri led the way, with our blacksmith friend Nabilah clearing a path ahead, wielding an arsenal of weapons like a one-woman armory. She fended off collapsing debris and any guards brave enough to block us. I couldn’t help but admire her ferocity. Maybe next time, I'd sketch her some popcorn as a reward.

"Hurry ~pyu!" Pyu's voice echoed from up ahead, guiding us through the chaos.

We pushed on, the once-magnificent palace now a raging inferno around us. The heat was intense, with the marble floors warming under our steps and fire nipping at the tips of my hair. My companions darted anxious glances around, their steps quick and deliberate, while the distant echoes of the Queen's fury seemed to chase us.

The palace was a maze of chaos, a cacophony of ruin playing to the rhythm of our pounding hearts. We dodged falling debris, ducked under collapsing beams, and sprinted through hallways engulfed in flames. It felt like a fiery dance, with Putri and Nabilah leading, and me... well, I was doing my best to keep up without tripping over my own feet.

A brute of a soldier blocked our path, his swords gleaming. Putri didn't hesitate, her staff whirling as she engaged him. Nabilah glanced at me, her eyes intense.

"Go, Nanang! We'll handle this. We'll catch up with you!"

I trusted Putri and Nabilah to handle themselves, so I pressed on, leaving them to deal with the soldier. Up ahead, Pyu was waving eagerly. "This way, this way~pyu!"

Minutes later, Putri and Nabilah joined us, their faces flushed from the battle.

"Guard's taken care of," Nabilah said, a hint of pride in her voice. Putri's eyes sparkled, showing evidence of her recent use of magic. The Queen's soldier wouldn't be bothering us anymore. 

We burst out of the palace gates into the cool night air, leaving behind the once-splendid palace, now consumed by raging flames.

"You two make a good team," I told Putri and Nabilah.

"Thanks," Putri replied with a warm smile.

Nabilah just smirked, her eyes on the path ahead.

We didn't stop running until we reached a secluded spot, hidden by trees. There, Nabilah handed me a brush, her face intense. Somehow, she had managed to save my art supplies from the chaos.

"Quick, draw a portal!" she commanded.

"A portal?" I repeated, my voice a pitch higher than usual. Was she serious? I glanced at the brush, feeling like it was mocking me. "I don't know if I can draw something magical like that."

"Just... try it!" Nabilah urged, glancing over her shoulder as if she expected the Queen's soldiers to appear at any moment.

Putri added her soft voice to the mix, a gentle touch to Nabilah's urgency. "Imagine our village. You can do this."

I closed my eyes, allowing Putri's words to guide me, the image of our village taking shape in my mind. The brush danced as if I was possessed, forming an iridescent gateway. Beyond shimmered a familiar forest.

When I opened my eyes, a real, glowing portal stood before us. It wasn't just a picture or a figment of my imagination; it was a door to our home.

"Eldenridge!" Putri exhaled.

With one last glance at each other, Pyu, Putri, Nabilah, and I stepped into the portal, turning our backs on the chaos and the wrathful Queen.

But, just as we thought we were safe, angry shouts erupted behind us. Armored figures burst from the shadows, swords glinting in the moonlight.

"The Queen's guard!" Nabilah yelled. "They tracked us! Seal the portal!"

My heart pounded as panic surged within me. I raised my brush with trembling hands, eyes wide as the guards lunged through. Pyu hissed at them defiantly, her claws unsheathed and ready. With a final desperate flourish, I slashed the brush across the floating portal, collapsing it.

The guards' enraged faces vanished in an instant, their furious cries cut off. We were safe, for now. My heart still raced, and the shock of the close call left me weak-kneed. I sank to the ground, overwhelmed with relief.

Putri knelt beside me, her gentle hands aglow with healing energy. Her soothing aura washed over me, easing the tension that had knotted my muscles.

Her voice, soft and comforting, whispered, "We made it. We're home."

"That's right," I said, looking at each of my friends, feeling a swell of gratitude. "We made it, thanks to all of you."

I managed a weary grin, my eyes tired but my smile genuine. The rush of adrenaline was fading, leaving behind a shaky exhaustion that made me lean on Putri for support. My hand trembled slightly as I wiped a smudge of ink from my cheek.

"So, who's up for some tea and biscuits at Orym's place?" I said, imagining us gathered around Orym's warm hearth, laughter replacing the tension of the night. I could almost smell the comforting aroma of Orym's famous tea blend, hear the familiar creak of his old wooden chairs.

It was a silly thought, but right then, it was exactly the comfort we needed.

Before we continued on to what we needed to do next.