Emily ran to the edge of the quadrant and grabbed hold of the cold railing to stare out at the pandemonium. All around them, the SourceWell was alive with activity as sirens blared and light bathed the world flashing red.

  The watchtower was a kicked hornet’s nest and it wouldn’t be long before they went searching for the intruders.

  Giggling at the chaos Emily clicked her tongue at the golems as she moved back the Alex. The man was already panting from just climbing out of his cell, but Emily didn’t have time to think about that.

  “Alright boys you know what to do!” Emily grinned at her metal giants, her face filled with malice. The Golems moved to the neighboring cells and began bending the bars open to those ones too.

  The inhabitants were shocked but they weren’t about to turn down a chance at freedom. The moment the hole was big enough they began fighting one another to crawl out of their cells with desperate energy.

  “Follow me If you want to get out of here,” Emily yelled to the growing crowds

  Emily didn’t know a better way to escape a place than being carried through the front doors by a full-scale prison break.

  “Move people! Freedom awaits!” Emily yelled as she moved to Alex's side and grabbed hold of him.

  As they went down the corridor, her golems broke through the bars, cell by cell.

  The bulk of the guards had just arrived behind them but getting to Emily and Alex was going to be difficult with the mass of prisoners already in the way. Some scattered in fear, but a good few dove into battle, even without their skills they still put up a decent fight. By that time Emily had freed over ten cells she took a look around and noticed the lifts had been locked down. There were stairs but as they got near she could see guards already gathering there to block them.

  Flicking her fingers Emily had both golems break off from her. Sending one ahead to break open more cells and the other down the staircase.

  The guards scattered in panic as the massive construct slammed into the ground with a thunderous crash. Shouts for reinforcements echoed through the chaos, but it was already too late—the golem swept through the band of defenders, crushing the resistance and clearing the path to Quadrant Five.

  Prisoners surged ahead of Emily's group, overwhelming anyone who dared to stand in their way. She noticed the clever ones, hung back behind her group, their eyes sharp as they watched and waited for the perfect chance to slip away.

  As their numbers swelled, Emily took note of the diverse mix of thugs and outlaws of various races joining them. Most fought barehanded, using sheer numbers to overpower the guards, while others armed themselves with batons ripped from their defeated captors. Mercy was nowhere to be found as they vented their rage on their oppressors, every blow delivered with savage intent.

  Unfortunately, whatever had been delaying the guard's response time was over now, and they began to rally. Pouring out of corridors of the watchtower itself, slowing Emily’s descent.

  They came with their own golems and they were quickly outnumbering her forces.

  Emily snorted but her eyes fell on the blockade ahead. The hairs on the back of Emily’s neck stood on end and she searched the area, someone was coming. Someone strong.

  The sound of a chain rang out as one of the prisoners was sent flying back and crashed into one of Emily's golems with a sickening crunch.

  Emily turned to where the hit had come from and was greeted by the sight of the commander she had seen with Neal. The Jailor carried a flail at their side. Only this one was just a ball of metal.

  Emily quickly scanned the area for the Mage and his followers but when she couldn’t spot him, she let out a brief sigh.

  Her relief was short-lived as the commander proved their title was well-earned, cutting through the front of the group with precision while their soldiers provided unwavering support.

  Emily bit the inside of her cheek and summoned the golems to her side.

  “Stay close to me,” she said firmly glancing at Alex.

  His face twisted into a mask of exasperation, but he nodded silently. The tonic seemed to be working as his hobbling gait had eased, and the swelling around his eyes had visibly diminished.

  Emily's face grew solemn as they advanced on the commander, her golems charging ahead. One got blocked by another construct, but the other tore a hole in the defensive line.

  The Warden turned to see them approaching and dropped their stance low, swinging the flail out at them.

  Emily and Alex ducked under the strike together and attacked together.

  She pulled blood from her chest, soaking it through the suit of armor, and forming a large set of claws, while Alex brought a fist up towards their jaw.

  Seeing the incoming attack the Warden reacted with lightning-fast reflexes and retrieved the flail in time to bat Emily's claw away. Alex’s fist on the other hand managed to get through.

  The Warden reeled as the attack connected and their helm went flying off. They caught themself and Emily saw the textured face of a tree folk come into view, but they didn’t have long because the Warden was pissed.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  He grunted as he swung the Flail around and lobbed it straight towards Alex’s stomach. Unable to react in time, Alex was sent flying backward before the men from the wandering fangs caught him.

  Emily cursed as she created two cords of blood and sent them at the Warden, he seemed surprised at the sight of her blood, but his response was still admirable.

  He destroyed one with his flail and the other he somehow froze in place. It was as though her blood was tied in place by some external force. She tried to get it to move but the cord of blood stuck in place.

  Grunting Emily abandonded the blood and backed off to minimize the chance that would happen to her body. The Warden chased after her, raising his flail and sweeping out at Emily’s legs.

  Seeing this, Emily jumped and pulled a whole lot of blood from her chest to fend the guy off. The wall of blood stretched out in front of her forcing the Warden to retreat.

  But just before it got to him the nearest blood froze in place. The portion of the attack that was not aimed at him seemed to continue on unaffected.

  Seeing this, Emily realized the attack had to be aimed at him to trigger whatever defensive skill he had in place.

  So calling to the golem she sent it toward the line of guards trying to get the others under control.

  They weren’t expecting that massive giant to suddenly change direction and they couldn’t block it when it suddenly battered several of them out of the way.

  “Alex!” Emily shouted.

  However, even before she made the call he was already on the way. Charging through the gap she’d made.

  The Wandering Fangs and other prisoners forced their way into the opening, shoving past the Warden and his men.

  “Don’t let them escape! The city can’t afford to lose them right now!” the Warden screeched.

  The guards tried to push them back, but over half the prisoners managed to break through the line.

  The Warden’s gaze snapped to Emily, and with a clenched fist, he activated a skill. The air around her thickened, turning heavy and sluggish as if she were moving through molasses. Struggling against the restraining force, Emily felt her movements slow to a crawl.

  The flail came hurtling toward her, and though she couldn’t dodge in time, she could block. Blood surged upward in response to her will, forming a barrier even as she pivoted with agonizing slowness.

  An explosion of sound echoed out as the ball of metal smacked into the screen propelling her forward.

  Alex turned to catch her and the moment he made contact the slowing effect faded. Emily recalled her golems, but she never got a response from the one she had sent behind them. Turning to the area she saw her golem being ripped to pieces by two others.

  Emily would mourn its loss, but not right now because another construct rose to block their path forward. Point ahead Emily sent her remaining fighter at the construct and the two began to rip one another apart.

  As she passed Emily slammed a hammer made from blood into its back knee then had her golem throw the other off the edge of the railing.

  There was a grinding of steel and then nothing. Emily turned just in time to see the Warden chasing after them.

  “I don’t know how you got in here but I’m going to lock you in the deepest darkest cell I have and take my time finding out!”

  Emily Smirked under her mask. She was tempted to mock the man for asking her out on such an interesting date, but instead, she addressed the masses.

  She couldn’t risk attacking him on account of his skills so she did the next best thing.

  “The Warden has the key out of here, we need to kill him to get it!”

  What came next was even more chaotic than battle, as multiple sets of desperate eyes fell on the man.

  Once again, there were smart ones who realized it was a trick, but there were also prisoners who turned on the Warden, only for them to get mowed down by a flail or frozen in place.

  Using that opportunity Emily bolted after Alex and the rest of them as they hurlted down the corridor. When they rounded the gradual corner Emily spotted something interesting.

  In front of them was a large open cell, but this one was different. It seemed to have some kind of machine inside it, and standing just outside was Neal. The guard here had been trying to escort the prisoner Emily had seen earlier, which was probably why the Warden had come from this direction.

  The prisoner in question had broken his shackles and placed either foot on the sides of the doors in an attempt to prevent himself from being locked inside.

  Neal’s expression was one of suffering, but then he spotted Emily, and a keen look of interest appeared in them.

  Emily ran just near the front with her remaining golem trailing her. The thing was missing an arm and its chest plate was heavily damaged, but it was still running, and Emily would make use of anything she had.

  So sending the Golem forward, she attempted to block the Mage. Seeing the construct coming towards him, Neal began casting and flicked a bubble of water at the charging freight train. The projectile grew as it traveled and when it hit her golem’s chest it was already the size of a car. It was only a matter of time before the spell encased the construct completely causing it to float upwards uslessly.

  “My, what are the chances of us meeting again? I’m so glad I’ll get a chance to pull this thing apart. Am I to understand you’re not one the Jailors that work here?”

  Emily didn’t wait for the man to finish talking. Her stolen uniform set her out from the rest so there was no hiding the fact.

  Emily grabbed a baton from a nearby hand and began casting the lift spell. With a sharp flick of her wrist, she hurled the stick straight at the creepy man, channeling the full force of her strength into the throw. She timed the final gesture perfectly, releasing the spell's energy just as the baton left her hand. To her dismay, about ninety percent of the power she had packed into the spell seeped away into the room. Still, the remaining ten percent was more than enough.

  The baton flipped end over end and struck a barrier Neal had summoned with a powerful crack.

  The mage looked almost insulted by the attempt, but Emily paid him no mind, making use of the opening. Her focus was locked on the prisoner, who had just shattered a pair of metal shackles using nothing but his raw strength.

  The distance was not far and Emily swiped a single bloody claw up across his runic bindings, sheering through them all in one go.

  In the brief window that came after the man's shackles were cut, Emily’s eye locked with his.

  She could see wonder on his face, overshadowed only by a look of relief, and though some would have missed it, Emily didn’t. She had seen his kind many times before, hiding where no light could find it was a kernel of madness, twisting in the depths of his eyes.

  No sooner was he free than his muscles bulged and Neal let out a string of curses.

  “You fool, what have you done!”

  Emily refused to stick around to find out.

  “Alex! Remember what I told you?!”

  Alex’s face was one of stoic denial.

  “I can’t leave them-!”

  “I know, but you owe me!”

  Emily didn’t let him finish, she charged away from the man and tackled Alex, extending her range with blood and binding them all together and with a grunt pulled all eleven of them over the edge.

  Blood points: 333