He pushes me out of the tent, and the whole way home I run. I still do not know what I am doing. Am I going to go? Should I? It would be dangerous. But, then, again…I could save my family by ridding this place of the Imperium and the Excellensor. I could do it.549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQsSDubXeb
By the time I arrive at our hut, I have made up my mind: I am going. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyTCp3bvYH1
Quietly, I run straight up to my room, making sure not to wake anyone up. I don’t have time for questions. I just need to pack and bolt out of here before anyone will be up and about. When I secure everything in my bag, I sling it over my shoulder and depart, just as light is breaking through the sheet of dark blue. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6fZA9U9uYi
I look out, savoring the beauty of the mountains that often goes unnoticed. The light of the new sun powerfully illuminates Mt. Captivus, saturating it in protection for those on it, while the sun’s rays stretches out like graceful fingers desperately trying to grasp the beauty of nature which it gently aids during its flourishing growth. The sapphire-blue sky envelopes the kingdom, its overwhelming emptiness spreading over everything as a waterful of swirling clouds effortlessly cascades like banners marking the region.549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡevhJHmKikH
Forcing myself to focus, I reluctantly turn because I know that I’m wasting time. Without another look, I sneak over to the mountain’s gate and survey my options.549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ867hoEaNa6
The exit of the mountain is guarded with the Excellensor’s best men, and I know I cannot get past the guards, so I only have one choice. I need to climb. I secure my bag on my back, making sure that it won’t fall off during the climb. I am a skilled climber because every mountain child has to learn, but even for me it is very high and dangerous. 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7fgR0LzJUB
I let my body take control of my mind and act as if it were every hill that I climbed, so, with muscle memory, I take one step, simultaneously shifting my body into a comfortable and familiar position. One step after the other, I climb down. Even though my legs are sore, and my hands are blistered, I keep going until the end, and when I felt myself touch the ground, I exhale over and over.549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRIFjHAYLFK
When I catch my breath, I run toward the city wall, knowing I have to go through the city, where only rich people lived. The wall surrounding the city only has a gate in the front as an entrance and another gate at the back of the city which is the exit, and the gates are guarded by three or four guards who worked on shifts. I waited a little to make sure that they cannot see me. I peek over the side to see who the guards were. There is a bearded man, bald man, and someone else hidden in the shadows of the wall.549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnpD8SbuaYp
“I can’t believe our boss signed us to do this.” Beard says.549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFEEsgXasTM
Bald scoffs, “Yeah, well. It’s your fault.549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLoGJOfYlQ0
“How’s it my fault, big guy?”549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsravGrqsYJ
The person who was in the shadows, walks out of the corner and replies, “Because you didn’t give boss his beauty sleep.”549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4LeC98XSrT
Bald and Blond - the person who was hidden - laughs while Beard scowls and grumbles.549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJqTsl2bz1E
Blond says, “Oh, don’t complain. Look who’s coming. Captain Harper. She’ll give you a promotion. Don’t worry.”549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGF7NXhAe5K
I look to where Blond is pointing and see a frowning lady briskly walk up to them. “Spittle and Oxxy, you’re with me. Some scouts saw a young girl going around early in the morning. We need you guys to help.” 549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQItbdOxzTU
Oops. That would be me.549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQwtao59oVy
Bald and Blond - who seemed to be Spittle and Oxxy - smile and glance at Beard.549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmHcUayWDu8
Beard says, “What about me, Captain?”549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2YgD2rvU29
“You stay here. I’ll give you some new helpers. Oxxy, you’ll join me. And, Spittle, you’ll go along with Captain Lockwayne at camp. Let’s go. And, you -” She turns to Beard - “stay here and don’t fall asleep.”549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJljpVXAVW
After I wait another minute or so to make sure that Beard is occupied, I slide into the city, not really expecting anything too grand. I am right. Even to wealthy people, the Excellensor is anything but gracious. The only difference of life that the wealthy have from the mountain people – like me – is that the residents live in two story houses and have servants to do the work for them.549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09CdugSFV6
My eyes scan the city, desperately trying to soak in everything around me all at once, while I stumble blindly through the streets, uncertain of where I am going. My heart beating violently, I feel rushing blood pounding in my temples as sweat trails down the side of my face. Sore and already exhausted, my arms swing tensely at my side, while my strained fists are tightly clenched so much so that my fingernails dig into my palm like thorns, leaving curved dents of pain. Pushing them to the limits, my aching legs strain and scream for rest during my constant sprint through the city, at the same time that my aggravated heels pound over and over again on the rough gravel that flies up into the air behind me, as if carelessly thrown. When I reach the exit, I again climb over the wall, and immediately sprinted away before the guards see me, before quickly glancing at my map to make sure that I am going the right way.549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDysjcxrCuz
It has been a few hours of an exhausting pattern of walking, then running, then walking, running, and so on with only three or four breaks, when I see a wall of vines. I know that I will have arrived their soon, so this must have been it. There cannot be a wall of vines just sitting here, naturally. With night steadily creeping up, I feel around the wall of lush growth feeling certain that there must be something on the other side. After a few minutes - and just as I am about to give up - I almost fall face forward through an entryway in the wall that created the door.549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1DwiTYhJz
549Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7lckxagpqm
Penana
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