chapter twenty two

The loud ringing roused Orion from his sleep, at first he thought the pack house was under attack.

After all there was nothing else that could raise such alarm all over the pack house.

He got out of bed and rushed out of his room In a bid to help out in any way he could.

“What's the reason for this alarm?” He inquired of a guard who was running towards the general hall.

“A prisoner has escaped from the cells.” The guards answered without stopping as he went on his way.

“Akira!” Orion muttered in realisation.

He was impressed, she did what very few since the Inception of the pack house could do.

It was not everyday you heard of a prisoner escaping those dark cells.

“She must have had help” Orion thought as he made his way through the chaos, “there was no way she could have Escaped without help from someone.”

He would have helped her escape but he feared it was too soon to do something and that might draw the unnecessary attention of Kai towards him.

“There's no way it could have been Rune.” He thought he had been acting strangely towards them.

Whatever or whoever that helped her escape was not the issue, he needed to be certain that Akira was truly safe.

He walked straight towards the general hall, the same direction where everyone was headed but as soon as he got close to the huge wall, he slowed down.

The guards all ran past him heading towards the left and right passageway while he stopped at the second lamp holder from the right.

He made sure that no one was watching and he pulled on the lamp holder.

A soft creaking sound resonated from the wall, stopping after a few seconds.

A low grating sound like two stones rubbing against each other filled the air as Orion waited patiently.

A waft of chill air escaped the secret passageway that revealed itself to Orion.

“Well then,” he muttered excitedly as he walked through the secret passageway, “let's get this over with.”

……….

Akira could feel strength leaving her weakend body.

It has been a while since she last had a decent meal,who would have thought of food while they were being cooped up in a cell.

She let out a long breath.

The adrenaline that pumped through her entire body was already losing its effect on her body but was very much active in her mind.

Where she was running did not matter, she just needed to get away to restrategize.

“Sister…”

She almost forgot her dream, who was the mysterious stranger that addressed her in that manner.

She could have sworn that she knew that person even though she could not make out who it was.

She thought she heard some say her name from the darkness.

“Akira!”

“Orion?” She answered,missing her steps in the process and falling to her face.”

“Ouch!” Orion groaned, “I am so sorry…”

“What are you doing here?” She asked, “how did you get here?”

“We do not have time for any of these questions, at least not here, come with me.”

“I can't head back there.” Akira replied,short of breath. “They are after me.”

“Come with me.” Orion ordered as he walked swiftly in the opposite direction.

As they approached a bend they could hear footsteps running towards them.

“I don't think this is really a good idea Orion”

“You're right, and heading back to that passage was a risk I am not willing to take.”

“There's a passageway?” Akira hollered

“There's a lot of things you do not know and there are more things you're about to know.”

“I can smell her!” One of the guards yelled and the footsteps doubled toward them.

“Well Orion…what is it going to be?” Akira pressed.

“Well I've had enough…” he growled, his crystal blue eyes glowed warmly like burning amber.

Pointing with his middle and index fingers to the wall, he muttered words, light and negligible to the wind.

Had she not been close to him she might not have heard it herself.

"Astra porta me, εἰς τὸν τόπον τῆς ἐπιθυμίας (Stars carry me, to the place of desire)”

“What's happening?” Akira whispered as specks of light formed around them.

“Per virtutem ἀστρικήν, teleportatio fiat (By starry power, teleportation occurs)

Velocitas ἀστέρων, me conduc (Speed of stars, conduct me)” Orion continued, nothing missing a breath as beads if sweat formed around his eyebrows.

Fear engulfed Akira, “Orion stop,you're hurting yourself!” She cried whilst she shook him.

Εὐθύς, ἄφιξις (Straightaway, arrival).

The deafening silence hung in the air like a palpable shroud, a heavy stillness that seemed to let only the very breath from their lungs to break through.

It was like time itself had paused, “What's happening Orion?” Akira inquired , holding her breath in anticipation of what was to come.

Suddenly, without warning, the silence was shattered by a loud whoosh, a sonic boom that seemed to rip through the fabric of reality.

The sound was followed by a blinding light, a radiance so intense it threatened to sear her retina.

The world around them dissolved into a kaleidoscope of colors, a swirling vortex of light and energy that seemed to pulse with an otherworldly power.

As the light began to fade, the surroundings slowly came into focus. They found themselves standing in a grand, high-ceilinged chamber filled with row upon row of ancient tomes and dusty manuscripts. The air was thick with the scent of old leather and parchment, and the soft glow of the lamp cast a warm, golden light over the space.

They had materialized in the heart of the library.

“Hurry, lock the door!” Orion ordered as she struggled to breath.

Akira obeyed instantly and rushed back to him, “what did you do? You do not look too well.”

Orion let out a dry cough as he stood, “well magic does take a lot from you especially when you're as old and rusty as I am.”

“Magic? What are you now? A Wizard?”

“There's a lot that you do not understand, And I get it, we would get I to that later. But now I would like to know one thing, how did you manage to escape from your cell.”

“You are yeh first to do so In centuries, it's not like those cells have held anyone for centuries but you get my point.”

Akira sighed, “Mirabel..”

“Mirabel? What did she do ?” He asked.

“She let me out and raised the alarm, I just had to run.” Akira answered.

“Well it's a good thing that you did, Kai has gone mad! This is not the wolf I once knew.”

“Well figure this out, but for the meantime, U think we need to figure out how to get me out of here.” Akira said.

“That's the one thing we're not going to do, you will remain here. The one place that he is not going to look.”