Chương 16: The Grand Escape Plan.

Midnight came. He arrived at the graveyard and stopped.

"What is this?" he couldn't believe his eyes. The crowd was massive, like the night when Prince Escanor had become king. Thousands of them. A strange silence spoke louder than any words for all the thousands of people, Families stood together, children held tight closer to them. A hope to live, to change their lives, reflected on their faces. He couldn't speak. That many people had believed in Zaku. That many. Oren had memorised the entire plan, He had read it multiple times.

When he arrived, Aeris was already present there. She had ropes and a cloth pouch filled with stones tied to her waist. She looks at him and walks up to Oren.

"Good, you are here." Aeris told him "We all will move when everyone is here, people are still coming." Then another person approached her.

"Aeris, everything is ready." She nods and walks with the person.

"Good." Oren couldn't believe his eyes that this was the same Aeris who was just a little kid that he used to carry around. She wasn't eight years old anymore. Finally everyone was at one place and no one else was left, Oren began to doubt how the plan would be carried out with this amount of people. But then Aeris spoke —"Don't worry, papa… Everything will go according to plan." She smiled at him, it gave him some confidence.

"Let's move." Aeris said. The crowd started marching. Aeris guided everyone behind her. Oren noticed something else, a person — someone was moving ahead of Aeris. Separate from the crowd, further out than anyone else, far enough that he could barely see the shape of his body in the dark. He didn't recognise that figure and didn't understand why he was walking ahead of everyone, all alone. When he stopped, Aeris raised her hands without looking back, signaling everyone to stop.

That one raised hand stopped the thousands of people. He was confused, but he began to see how the plan was carrying forward without anyone spotting them. For a few minutes they stood still and nobody moved. Oren was confused so he asked.

"Aeris, why are we just standing here." She didn't look at him, just kept looking straight, scanning or maybe searching.

"You'll see, pretty soon." Oren saw her then move his head towards the direction where Aeris was staring. For sometime nothing happened then — An orange light started glowing, spreading into the night sky. It was the east of the city as Oren looked carefully, he remembered that location. His jaw tightened.

"That's Drago's storage house…" His heart pounded against his ribs, "Did you do that Aeris?" She didn't answer then, just signaled everyone to move. They all kept marching forward, the fire spread in the storage house and Drago's men started rushing, gathering one by one. Aeris spoke softly to Oren, "Don't worry, that will keep them busy and buy us time papa." He still didn't understand, his mind was filled with fear. Doubts began to flood within him.

"What if someone goes and tells Drago, Aeris." He said in an urgent whispering voice.

"They won't, those men are all afraid of Drago. Whoever goes to tell him will die. They are likely to be occupied putting away the fire." Oren suddenly realised that her plan would work, he was shocked after all these years he missed that detail of Drago and his men, how Drago operated, he had noticed it all this time. Yet it never came to his mind, but Aeris had that in mind. His doubts just kept on coming, What happens after fire dies… When drago finds out about this, what would have happened.

But he kept all those doubts within himself as he looked at Aeris's face. He knew she had already thought of that, whatever the answer was to that question, it didn't bother him, not anymore. He just kept walking holding Freya's hand. His heart was beating faster than usual. The crowd never entered the main city area, just kept going around maintaining the outer edge, every single man was at the storage house. Her plan was working.

But he knew to get to the next area as mentioned in Zaku's plan, they all had to go behind that storage house eventually. Suddenly Aeris signaled everyone to stop. They all stopped, he saw a strange man was heading in their direction. Oren had recognised that outfit, he knew it was one of Drago's men.

"That's… one of Drago's men." He saw Aeris walking towards that person, He didn't think anything, just rushed to grab her hand. To stop her. A woman extended her hand blocking him."It's okay — don't worry." Those words made him stop in his tracks but didn't make him stop worrying, he just kept looking. Aeris started talking to the men, he didn't understand.

"That man is one of us." The woman said.

"They are disguised as one of Drago's men so no one could suspect them." He just stared at them blankly.

"They are the ones who are continuously lighting fire in the storage house." Oren never imagined that the original plan that Zaku had would turn out to be like this. He realised Zaku didn't just work for drago, he had made some allies that would help them escape. That man he recognised had worked for Drago for years, but he never knew he was a misfit. Aeris came back after talking to that man.

"Let's keep going, it's going according to the plan." They marched ahead and the man was keeping an eye as they moved past. But then a sound hit his ears, it echoed. Small and frightened. A voice of a child crying, it came from back. As he turned back. The parents had managed to calm their crying child, somehow. And then it was silent. But it lasted only for a few seconds. Multiple voices from all over the crowd spread, like a wildfire. A chain reaction stirred up a panic within the crowd.

Chain reaction of babies and children crying. Oren saw the crowd changing.

"We have to run now, hurry." Aeris said. They all ran, Oren looked back, The crowd got scattered, they were running directionless. He understood that they were spotted at that moment. The one flaw of the plan that he never imagined existed. The group ahead just ran faster towards the exit. But as they approached the exit, some of Drago's men were already standing there in the distance, his mind went blank for a second. Then suddenly Aeris said "Stand back!"

She and a few of them started moving further slowly, taking shadow steps. Reaching closer to the group of men.

"No she'll get caught—" Oren again stepped forward to stop her, but this time Freya stopped him.

"Stand back, I know you're worried, but have some faith in your daughter."

"But those people are nobles, they have magic." He said.

"Zaku trained her, she knows how to fight against them." Freya held his hand tighter despite saying those words, he knew she was worried too. Aeris started swinging her arms over her head, others followed. He looked closer, she was swinging ropes, with the rocks tied on it. He never saw such a thing, it was unique to him. Aeris and others threw the ropes towards the group of men. A few of them dropped, Aeris rock hit one of them on the head. She was slinging the rocks on the precise target.

As the men dropped, the remaining of the group got confused at first then alert. They had identified which direction the attacks were coming from. Some of them started rushing towards Aeris and her group. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. She carefully stepped back as she was swinging ropes over her head, The man in front of her extended his hand. Oren knew he was about to do some sort of magic spell.

"No!" He screamed. But Aeris already knew what to do and she targeted the ropes on the man's leg. Tying them up as they fall on ground. Suddenly a slight relief filled inside of him. He just kept looking, how Aeris had defeated the magic user despite never having magic. She and her group never let anyone get closer, they kept away from their magic range. One by one they all fell down, unconscious. Her group tied their hands, their legs and left them on the ground. Aeris shouted and waved her hands "Come on."

Oren and Freya both rushed to her, his eyes were watery. From that distance he saw Aeris, just smiling. He knew, this was not the dream... Beyond that exit was their freedom. He stopped just for a second in front of his daughter. As she smiled wide open. A ray of sunlight appeared. She said with her broken cracked voice...

"We did it... papa." He knew she was trying to keep all those emotions within her, but tears just came anyway. He couldn't be more proud of her. That moment — her smile, Freya's smile — felt like time had stopped. Even when people kept running past them and never stopping. Everything had just stopped for him. A smile came to his face, a smile he never thought existed just came, naturally. Something inside his chest just got lighter. The sun shone over their heads.

Tears dropped not of sadness but of happiness, tears of freedom.... He hugged both of them tightly and screamed louder than ever. Even that scream of his, he couldn't hear it. It was silent. Everything for him was silent.... Aeris, looked at him and gently nodded "Let's go..." They stepped int o the empty lands, where the soft wind blowing through, yellow grass just dancing along the wind. Everything felt peaceful, quieter to him. He had finally tasted freedom. Aeris and the remaining crowd began to walk ahead.

"Where are we going? Shouldn't we just go to Stonehold?" Oren said.

"We can't, Stonehold is now an ally of Edgefall. Going there would change nothing." She said, "Zaku, already planned something that he only told me. Something that he wanted for you." He listened to her carefully.

"A place where he could call home." Those words touched his soul. But he never imagined what she had planned next. Perhaps, it was more dangerous.

"We have to go on the other side of the cliff." She said, his eyes widened.

"Aeris, that place —" She jumped in the middle of the sentence.

"I know, it's Elderwilds. But we have to go there. They need to believe that we are on the other side." She looked down as she spoke further.

"Drago is smart. He will send some of his men or he might come himself, he will eventually follow the footprints and track us. Crowds this size, their footprints are easy to track. He needs to believe we are on the other side of the cliff. I know it's dangerous but –" Oren put his hand on her head, gently and smiled.

"We will follow you." She looked at him.

"Just look around, they all trust you with their lives." He saw a smile come to her face. As she walked, he followed and people followed her. After walking for hours they reached the cliff surface.

"How will we go to the other side?" He looked up, the cliff felt never ending, just extending to heavens. Aeris didn't answer immediately, she just walked along the cliff face, he followed. Her hand trailed the surface, then she stopped. The cliff didn't appear any different at first.

"Through here." she said. His eyes widened and stared at the path that Aeris had just shown, he never imagined the path beyond the cliff would be like this. Just a moment before it was the solid rocky surface, identical to everything beside it. Then it was dark. Like a tunnel that appeared out of nowhere. As he took his first step the temperature dropped drastically, suddenly it was cold. The dark cave with no light source whatsoever.

As he walked closer to the other side, the light source was now visible through the cliff opening and just got brighter with every step forward. Oren was out on the other side and just stopped, frozen. As he looked at the massive overgrown trees and plants in the distance. His ears began to hear echo roaring voices in the distance. His mind went blank.

"Shhh…" Aeris put a finger on her lips signaling everyone to stay quiet, then she tapped on her ear twice and pointed towards the elderwilds. The crowd acknowledged her by nodding. Oren swallowed hard, he understood what she meant, that the elderfangs could hear them. One wrong step and they are dead.

"Stay close." She whispered.

"Don't wander around. Don't stop, no matter what just keep walking." He nodded. They continued the path, which was near the cliff and never went deep inside the elderwilds. Everyone just followed her and stayed close at all times. The group moved towards the north west side. Hours went by. He didn't think how much had passed, for him the time stopped completely. He kept his eyes on Aeris ahead of him and held Freya's hand whilst walking.

"How much longer… Aeris?" He whispered.

"We are almost there. I am making sure, when we are back to the other side of the cliff, we'd be as far as possible from the Edgefall." They walked and never stopped, The sun was already down and the dark deepened and still they walked. Suddenly leaves rustled at his side, in that moment time stood still. Nobody moved, not even a noise. Aeris signaled everyone by putting a finger on her lips and waving her palm to the direction ahead. The group kept walking slowly, following Aeris's lead.

The leaves rustled again, his heart was pounding against his ribs, Each step felt heavier. A figure popped its head out, from the leaves. It stayed there for one — Then two — And three seconds. The figure appeared in front of the crowd. Its body stood there, tall as the tree itself. Larger than anything he ever saw. Somewhere deep in the crowd, someone screamed.

"It's the Elderfang." His head towards the direction of the scream and saw yet another elderfang. Two of them.

"RUN!" Aeris shouted out loud. Her words sent a shiver down his spine, He just ran further holding Freya's hands, when he looked at her. The eyes were teary, fear reflected on her face. For a moment everything came back to him, a deja vu of him running during escape ten years ago, he couldn't help but notice that she had the same expression on her face. The crowd broke, nobody was moving the same as before, no plan — just sprint. Sprinting for their life. A scream came from the rear.

"AHHHH!" He didn't look back just kept running. The massive footfalls getting closer to him each second, the tremor beneath his feet increased. People ran without thinking, panicking. A push, he felt it on his shoulder from the people running. Freya's hand started to loosen from his hand. It slipped inch by inch, until the fingers left his palm. He turned but she fell just beside him.

"Freya!" He stopped and dropped beside her. His hands were pulling her up.

"Get up!" The footfalls got closer. She tried, but her legs shook. A roar.

"Leave me — Just GO!" Another roar, Oren's chest breath caught in his throat.

"GO OREN!" his wife shouted. His body refused to leave her.

"NO!" He refused.

"I'll not let you die…. Not you as well." He said picking her up on his back.

"Don't be stupid Oren, we both will die." He didn't listen and still picked her up. But as he stood up with Freya on his back, he saw it. it was here. He turned and stepped back, swallowing hard. Its steps got closer to him. He couldn't think. Something flew towards his direction. It landed on its head.

"Heyyy!" He heard that voice, he knew that voice and it was Aeris.

"I won't let you hurt them." She shouted and started swinging another rope over her head.

"LEAVE" the rope started swinging faster.

"THEM" faster.

"ALONE!" The rope left her hands and hit on its head again. Then it roared louder.

"Take them to the other side." she shouted.

"No we won't leave without —" She smiled at him.

"Go, papa." It turned and ran towards her. Before he answered she had already turned and ran into the deep forest while it chased her. His chest got heavy, watching her leave before his eyes. It crushed everything in him.

"Aeris!" He shouted.

"We have to leave." The man who Aeris shouted, grabbed his forearms and pulled him.

"Please, we have to leave."

"Don't forget you have her on your back… Aeris can make it, but your wife can't if you just stand there." He listened to him.

"Please." He ran picking Freya up on his back and running. She stayed quiet as he ran. But then —"Why Oren." she whispered in his ears.

"Why didn't you listen to me?" Her words cut like a deep scar.

"Why didn't you leave me there?" He didn't answer, just kept running.

"How can you let her go..." He still kept quiet.

"She wanted to save you, she always wanted to save you. It didn't matter how many times she hurt herself over and over, she just wanted her papa to come back to her." Those words felt heavier within him. Her face popped in front of his vision. The smile,'Go papa!' He knew that smile, it was the same when Zaku died. His eyes filled with tears but his feet never stopped. The way in the cliff appeared. He stepped in along with the crowd and put Freya down. Then he turned and took a step forward.

"Oren!" she said.

"Where are you going?" Those words felt like a warning to him, but he still moved forward.

"Oren!" she shouted… The man extended his hand and blocked him, his eyes steady. Focused. He shook his head, no. Oren shoved his hand behind him and kept moving further. The man grabbed his hands and pulled him in. Oren's body moved back and fell on the ground.

"I said no." Oren breathed heavily as he stood up. He walked up to him, and stared in his eyes. That look in his eyes never appeared in his life as he tightened his fist. Breathing heavily. A punch swung in the air and landed on the person fist. The person dropped on the ground.

"You want to save her, Fine. You can go." He turned toward the entrance and took a step forward.

"Just know this." He took two steps further.

"Once you take a step out of this cliff." He paused.

"It will close." Oren's step stopped.

"If you go out neither of you can come back." He turned to him and just dropped to his knees. Everything in him just screamed louder, and that scream left his mouth. As he turned toward Freya, she was already sobbing, while looking at him. The person stood up, and put his hand on shoulder.

"We still have an hour before the cliff closes." His eyes looked at him, desperately. Then he walked closer to the cliff entrance. Looking everywhere hoping for her return. He didn't know how that man knew about the cliff, he didn't ask. The only thing that mattered to him was his daughter. Beside him Freya moved her body barely and came to the cliff entrance. He felt her hands grabbing his leg tighter. Then his eyes looked at her, he knew she was hoping for the same thing but also keeping him in.

Her hands were shaking as she looked out. Seconds passed.

'She has to make it.' Then a minute.

'Aeris. Please!' Time was passing by and each second felt like time moved faster. Eyes still searching in every direction. Less than three minutes left, his grip tightened. His breath got heavy by each second. Eyes looking around desperately.

'Please.' A sound, faint from the other direction where he was looking. His head turned. He stopped breathing. Somewhere in the dark — something moved. A figure. Running.