16. Escape From Brumehold Prison, Part 1

“She’s going out tonight. Alone.” one of the Knight’s voices said, creeping in under the door to Deerin’s cell.

“Does she have a death wish? I mean I get it was her brother, but geez…”

“I don’t know man if anyone can kill one of those things, it’s Catherine.” he answered, over the sound of jingling keys. “I’m glad she’s fun most of the time. It helps me forget how fucking psycho she can be.”

Light poured into Deerin’s cell as the door creaked open, revealing two Cannon Knights standing in the hallway, weapons poised. “What the hell are you doing in here, freak?”

“We heard you mumbling to yourself up here. You were so loud you made us come up all these stairs.”

Deerin was sitting on his cot. Alone. “I just… I don’t feel so good guys.” Azary said, shivering in his prison outfit, steel cuffs clanking against each other. “I think I might need a healer, or a cleric.”

“You think we’re going to fall for that one?” a Knight laughed, lurching forward to sneer in Deerin’s face. Then, Deerin turned, revealing an inky dark splotch on his face. “Ah! What the fuck? Rowan take a look at this!”

The other Knight stepped through the doorway, squinting and reaching his neck forward until he was out of the doorway too. “Oh my God. It looks infected. Do you think I should touch it?”

Then, out of the corner of his eye, Deerin saw a faint shimmer of light, like something invisible, creep out behind the guards and into the hallway.

Blood of the Squid: Camo

Spell Class: Inkantations (Basic)

The caster calls upon the blood of the first Ink Wizards, and channels it into their own body. Their skin becomes filled with dye, changing colours based on the caster’s environment and allowing them to practically disappear into their surroundings.

The first Ink Wizards took many forms. Their bodies were in many ways just as magickal as their spells - some mastered the art of camouflage, others venom, armour, or flexibility. These boons still exist in the ether, ready to be studied and used by the Ink Wizards of today. Such an effect is only temporary though, and unless their clothes are Inkchanted, they won’t disappear with them.

Just down the stairs. Only what, 30 flights? And then I just find a way to activate the drawbridge, and I’m out the front door. Rosalyn thought to herself as she crept down the spiral staircase that ran down the center of the prison, staying blended in with the black metal and descending fog. 300 feet. 290 feet. 280 feet. she counted in her head, holding her breath as she tried to keep the stairs from creaking.

As she made her way down the steps, she recalled her conversation with Deerin, moments before the Guards arrived. “She’s in Fogport Hospital.” he said. “The nurses, most of them are in the Church. They’ve given Issa her own private floor, in the Hospital Basement. There’s no security, but that’s only because she doesn’t need it. I hope she’ll help you, Detective.”

“Are you coming with me?” Rosalyn asked.

“I’ll stay back, distract the guards. I don’t really have anything to escape to, now. My friends are dead or dying, my family is either dead or shipped off to some distant prison… all I have is the Church, Rosalyn. And what matters is that they survive. Not me. So go.”

Then, a splash of ink on his face was enough to distract the guards, long enough for Rosalyn to slip out into the rest of the tower.

200 feet. As she descended, Rosalyn felt an uncomfortable tingling ripple across her body, like static. When she would look at her hand, she’d see the same thing - a static pattern, rolling across her skin and enchanted clothes. SHIT! The spell is wearing off already… I’ve drained too much of my magick just getting in here.

At 100 feet, the stairway ended, as the tower of dungeons gave way to a large armoury. Rosalyn’s heart sank as she saw a cavalcade of Cannon Knights, mingling between one another amongst the shelves of supplies… standing between her and a distant door, on the other side of the armoury. Taking a deep breath (and holding it), Rosalyn quickly scurried across the threshold into the vast storeroom, fashioned from bronze and iron and filled with cannons, blades, and platemails made from the same robust metals.

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“Do you think Catherine is going to let me go with her? I wouldn’t mind doing some target practice on those things.” one of the Cannon Knights laughed as Rosalyn snuck behind a bench, her body magickally changing colour to blend in with the lockers behind her.

“She’s going alone. And you couldn’t go anyways - she’s leaving at midnight, and we’ve got karaoke at the Tavern.” another officer responded.

Further into the armoury, Rosalyn overheard another conversation. “I mean she’s crazy, right? This whole city is gonna go nuts if she actually goes through with it.”

“She can’t kill a Ghost Whale. First of all, they’re already dead. Second of all, they’re ginormous. She’s gonna get herself killed out there.”

A third Knight chimed in. “Don’t be sure Kowalski. She has that spell, remember? That cannon shot… the one that can kill even death itself.”

Rosalyn wanted to listen in more, but she had already wasted too much time, and so she quietly scampered to the exit door, the tingling sensation growing stronger by the second… she could her soul flickering, like a candle in the breeze. The door! There! Rosalyn thought as her eyes locked onto the bronze gate, with only a single Cannon Knight standing in her way.

But the Cannon Knight was looking at her.

Rosalyn felt the last of her spell wear off as the lone Knight’s eyes widened in horror, staring down at the short, enrobed Detective standing in their barracks. Soon, all of the other Knights turned and looked too, their conversations trailing off as they peered at the intruder. Damn. Rosalyn thought as she watched the Knight in front of her nervously fumble for his weapon - but not before Rosalyn leapt up and pressed her hand against his face.

“AH!” the Cannon Knight screamed as Rosalyn ran behind the Knight, grabbing his arm and forcing him to the ground. As she did, the officer’s face started to turn a sickly blue.

“NOBODY MOVE!” Rosalyn screamed as the other Cannon Knights looked on in a mix of confusion and shock. “I just cast a spell on your friend here - right now, a magick venom is coursing through his veins, and the only one who can save him is me.” she explained as she grabbed the back of the pinned Knight’s helm and showed the barracks his face. His veins were quickly turning a violent blue, deep and wretched, as small rings began to emerge across his skin. He started to scream, howling as his veins began to bulge beneath his face, and his eyes grew to a deep shade of purple.

Blue Rings of Venom

Spell Class: Inkantations (Advanced)

Upon touching a target, the casters fills them with a venomous ink, dyeing their skin blue as the poison courses through their veins. As it does, small rings begin to appear across the target’s skin - rings which the caster has the power to burst, spraying more venom in the area around them and potentially infecting others.

The caster has the power to heal or slow the poisoning of a target, but if they don’t, then they will quickly perish as the blue dye melts through their tissues and covers their organs in rings. Venomous ink was concocted by some of the first Ink Wizards, combining their curiosity and love of knowledge with a perverse sadism. For this reason, it remains somewhat taboo, and is only taught to the most advanced of Ink Wizards. But for those scholars, it remains a tool of great self-defense.

One of the Cannon Knights started to move towards Rosalyn and her hostage. “DON’T!” she shouted, barely audible over the captive’s wailing. “If you come near us, these rings on his skin will pop like pimples, and you’ll all turn out like him. And don’t even think about shooting me… the venom in his body will spray everywhere, and if I’m dead, then nobody will be left to cure you. Not a cleric in Blackwater can save someone from this… but if you let me pass through those front gates into the rest of the city, he’ll be cured, and you can all survive long enough to do as much karaoke as you want.”

“YOU’RE LYING!” one of the Knights in the far back shouted. “We’re not letting you leave Brumehold. Fogport’s safety depends on us, keeping this prison-”

Then Rosalyn’s captive vomited onto the floor, spraying a mixture of cerulean ink and crimson blood onto the shining bronze tiles. The other Cannon Knights recoiled in shock. “Okay fine. They don’t pay us enough for this, just… just get out of here.” the other Knight finished, and Rosalyn turned and bolted towards her escape route.

Clamouring down the remaining feet of the tower, Rosalyn cursed to herself as she mumbled furiously. I fucked this up so bad. If I can’t get Catherine on my side now, I’m going to the Cauldron of Sinners for sure. she thought as the metal stairs clanged beneath her boots. She passed a few more Cannon Knights patrolling the stairwell, but they were quickly dispatched by a jet of ink to their eyes and a touch from Blue Rings of Venom.

Soon, she could see a bright light leaking into the Prison. THE GATE! IT’S OPEN! Rosalyn thought, trying to keep herself from cheering as she reached the base of Brumehold Prison. Standing in a large atrium, she could see the enormous drawbridge that led into the rest of Fogport had been lowered, opening the path to her escape into the rest of the misty city. Even just a few minutes in this prison made the outside seem so intoxicatingly appealing… she wanted to just sprint out onto the bridge and into the mist.

But there was a problem: someone was standing in her way.