Before Osvald could step toward the entrance of the tunnel, Emerald approached him. "But first, I have a little something for you," he said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small key, and Osvald immediately realized just what it was. "The key to that muzzle of yours." Osvald's eyes went wide from surprise, and Emerald offered him a low laugh. "I'm locked up now, sure, but I was quite the thief outside these walls." With that, Emerald passed the key over to Osvald. 

As soon as the key was in his hands, Osvald got to work on loosening the lock and then removing the muzzle. The skin on the lower half of his face was far from used to being exposed to the cold weather, but Osvald still appreciated the sensation. It was certainly better than feeling like the skin around his mouth was being fused with the steel. Osvald looked down at the muzzle once it was in his hands, realizing this was the first time in years he would be able to speak freely. It would allow him to cast as many spells as he would like too, and while he was hoping it would not be necessary, Osvald was still willing to do it if that turned out to be necessary. 

"Now I finally get to hear your voice," Emerald went on. Even after Osvald had removed the muzzle though, he remained silent. Emerald stared at him for a long moment, waiting for him to say something, anything, about the fact that his mouth was now free to say whatever it so chose. Emerald's patience quickly grew thin and then vanished entirely when he realized Osvald would not be saying anything on his own terms. "Well?! Aren't you going to say anything?!"

Osvald stayed quiet for another few seconds, staring down at the muzzle and the key. "'S cold," he finally replied. His first words without the muzzle were likely lackluster in Emerald's mind, but to Osvald, it felt perfectly fitting for the situation. Osvald was not the most talkative person even on the best of days, and after all of his words had to be filtered through guards and the warden for the last five years, he didn't have much to say. If he did have anything to speak about, then it was long gone because of how long he had been forced to wait to put it to something verbal. 

Emerald sighed and shook his head. "Now I see why they needed to muzzle you. You're quite the talker," he remarked sarcastically. The true reason obviously had to do with Osvald's magical prowess, but Emerald chose to not comment on that, finding this outcome far more entertaining. 

"There's no time. Keep moving," Osvald reminded him, gesturing down to the hole in the ground that would take them to their escape. Osvald took the first few steps toward the ladder before he thought to pause. "Oh, and eh... Thanks for the key."

Emerald had already found Osvald strange enough before then, but now, all he could do was stare at him from behind. He shook his head, a million and one thoughts racing through his head, but he silenced them as soon as he was able. "You're real warm and fuzzy, aren't you...? Save the thanks for when we make our escape. Off we go, confidant."

Osvald saw no more reason to stand around and talk, and he slipped down the ladder into the tunnel easily. Emerald trailed after him, and a few moments later, they were out of the view of the sky entirely. The inside of the tunnel was dark and icy from years of build up of snow through the entrance and then neglect from the guards not bothering to go down there. Osvald could see that this had once been a region of cells much like the one he stayed in most nights, but the area had since been abandoned. The tunnel hadn't been built under the prison from scratch but was instead an elaboration upon an old area that had fallen out of use. The current group of cells was much easier to access, leaving room for the previous one to be used as a tunnel. 

Osvald and Emerald pulled on their warmer clothing once they were sure they would not be pursued, pulling on the coats and trousers over the top of their uniforms as prisoners. Any extra bit of warmth was helpful right now, and that included taking advantage of the scraps they had been given when they first arrived on Frigit. Osvald was looking forward to being able to dispose of his clothing once he was safe on solid ground, but until then, he would have to use his prison clothing to keep himself from freezing. 

The tunnel was every bit as cold as Osvald had expected it to be, but luckily, it had a few surprises. Osvald could see a few old supplies littering the path leading out of the prison, and he could only assume they had been left behind by the workers that had once carved out the tunnel years prior. Emerald found a dagger on the ground that he kept by his side in case a battle broke out. Osvald, meanwhile, found a staff that had been left to gather dust in the corner of an old cell. It was freezing cold and didn't offer anywhere near as much magical power as Osvald was used to from his staffs back home, but it was something. If a battle broke out, then he would be able to use it to augment his fighting strength, and Osvald knew he would need every advantage he could get if it came to that. 

Osvald followed the path through the tunnel just as he had memorized it, making a note of where staircases abruptly ended on account of the project being abandoned. He wondered just how many prisoners had worked on this tunnel only to die before they could ever dream of using it to make an escape. Countless lives had been lost in the name of productivity on Frigit, and this prison was hellish in a way that few could ever hope to imagine as a result. 

Osvald was beyond relieved that both he and Emerald had managed to pick up a few pieces of food from the mess hall before all of this began. They didn't have much, but if they needed something to increase their strength, they had a few plums and grapes. Osvald hoped that wasn't necessary and could be preserved for the ship to solid ground on the mainland. The fewer problems they ran into now, the better off they would be for the main part of their journey. 

Soon enough, the end of the tunnel came into view, and Osvald felt relief wash through his chest. He knew this was the spot where they could find a ladder that would take them up to higher ground and then out of the prison. After that, it would only be a matter of slipping around the soldiers and inspectors so they could make it to the ship without being spotted. Everything was becoming realer by the second, and Osvald was hoping with all he had that it would end in his favor. 

But when Osvald and Emerald arrived at the bottom of the final staircase, it quickly became apparent that their original plan would not be going off as they had hoped. "No! The ladder's been destroyed!" Emerald cried out. "Damn! We were so close..." Sure enough, the ladder that was meant to take them up and out of the prison had been torn apart. The upper few rungs were still intact, but everything below the first three was gone, having been ripped apart by some outside force... No, that wasn't it. The ladder's sides had clearly been cut apart. Someone had done this on purpose, and it had to have been recent enough for it to not be included in the labor report. 

Osvald stepped forward to examine the ladder, and while it was too tall for him to touch even when he stretched his arms above his head, he could still see enough. "The cuts look fresh. This was done recently." Osvald slowly turned away from the ladder to face Emerald. "I fear I've underestimated our opponent."

"That you did."

Osvald was entirely unsurprised to hear Warden Davids' voice come from another path of the tunnel. He had two guards standing on either side of him, and all three of them had their weapons at the ready. "At long last, the scholar speaks! Hello, Osvald. I commend you for making it this far. You even managed to remove the muzzle! But your choice of ally was your downfall. We've been watching Emerald for some time. I suspected you two would work together."

Osvald narrowed his eyes into a glare at Warden Davids. Beside him, Emerald stepped up toward him. "I'm sorry, confidant. I should've known."

Osvald shook his head. "Save your breath. The fault is mine." Osvald took a few steps toward Warden Davids, preparing his staff and letting out a slow breath. "And I will correct it."

Warden Davids laughed, the sound hearty and echoing through the emptiness of the tunnel. "You're not the first, you know. I've seen countless like you. So many have tried, and every last one died a tragic death." Warden Davids slammed his club against his other gloved hand where it was open and waiting. "And so it would be my honor to put you back in your place!" 

The first of the guards by Warden Davids' side rushed forward, his own club at the ready. He swung at Osvald, and the scholar had little choice but to stand there and take the hit. Thanks to his warmer clothing though, he had slightly higher defenses than he was used to. Osvald stepped backward before the guard could strike him again, and Emerald rushed at the man with his dagger at the ready. He opened two cuts across the man's arms, forcing him into a quick retreat to regather his composure. 

That left a perfect opening for the other guard to surge into the battle, and Emerald once again took to swinging his dagger wildly to try and distract him. Osvald, meanwhile, moved toward Warden Davids, his staff at the ready. He was nowhere near as strong with his staff as he was with magic, but Osvald knew that he had limited energy to work with right now. His best course of action would be to unleash his full strength once both Warden Davids and his guards were distracted and disoriented. Emerald had already managed to stagger one of them and was quickly working on the other. That meant it was Osvald's turn to strike at Warden Davids and hopefully keep him from doing anything too damaging. 

Warden Davids hit hard, but he also moved slowly, so when he raised his club high, Osvald was able to swerve out of the way. Osvald returned the blow with one of his own, slamming his staff into Warden Davids' side. The warden was too strong to be staggered by the hit, so Osvald followed up with another swing, this time bruising his opponent's arm. That was enough to distract Warden Davids, and he snarled before moving to go after Osvald yet again. 

By now though, Emerald had managed to strike at the other guard, leaving him dazed and trying to stem the flow of blood from wounds across his upper arms. Emerald turned his attention to Warden Davids now that he was fully free to do so, and he delivered a quick slice across the warden's abdomen. Warden Davids roared in pain and surprise, swinging his club sideways to try and catch Emerald in the chest. Emerald managed to duck beneath it and slice his dagger across Warden Davids' leg. Osvald took that chance to strike Warden Davids' dominant hand, and he dropped the club from the shock of being struck across the knuckles. 

With all three of his foes distracted and unable to fight back for a split second, Osvald concentrated his magical energy. They all worked in the cold temperatures of Frigit, and that meant they were covered in ice and water essentially constantly. That meant that if Osvald struck at them with a blast of lightning magic, then he would no doubt deal more damage than with either of his other primary elements of fire or ice. Osvald called down three bolts of lightning, and just as he had hoped, they all surged across the bodies of his opponents. The guards were left screaming in pain, and because of their existing injuries, they collapsed. Emerald waited until the lightning had stopped before he went after the first of the two men, stabbing him in the chest. The guard only had the chance to let out a soft groan before he went limp, never to take another breath again. 

The second guard was forced to the ground, spasming as he tried to wait out the full force of the lightning attack. He was distracted just long enough for Emerald to go after him next, piercing his heart with a single swift strike. The man collapsed once more, all attempts at standing gone along with his life. That left Warden Davids as the only man alive on the other end of the field, and Osvald knew that the tides of the fight were shifting in his favor. Just as he had thought, fighting with his magic was much more effective than only using a weapon he managed to pick up through chance. He was meant for arcane combat, and Osvald was more than happy to introduce his opponents to the full force of his power. They had spent years looking down on him and mistreating him, but all of that was about to change. None of them would ever have the chance to hurt anyone again as long as Osvald had something to say about it. 

Warden Davids had been hurt the least out of the three though, and the lightning attack did not knock him down. As soon as he had gotten through the bulk of the blast, Warden Davids recovered enough to reach down and pick up his club. From there, he rushed up behind Emerald, striking him in the center of the back. Emerald barely managed to groan before he was sent sprawling to the ground. He was still alive and somehow still conscious, but he was too dazed to even think of rejoining the fight for another few moments. 

That was exactly what Warden Davids had been counting on, and Osvald expected him to go after Emerald to finish him off once and for all. Instead, Warden Davids redirected his attention and his rage at Osvald. "How could trash like you give me so much trouble...? I see now that no punishment is too great for you!"

Osvald hummed, but he didn't rise to the bait of the rage Warden Davids had set out before him. "Hm. I underestimated him. He's a better fighter than I thought," Osvald murmured more to himself than anyone else. Emerald was too out of it to hear him right now, so Osvald was the only one who truly processed his own words. "That won't be a problem though. Based on my calculations, we'll still make it." It didn't matter how angry Warden Davids became by the way this fight was going; Osvald was going to keep fighting. He had made it this far, and he would find a way to escape too. He wouldn't let Warden Davids have the better of him now. There was too much on the line. This was only the first step in Osvald's path to vengeance, and Warden Davids would not interfere with all that Osvald had yet to do. Osvald would not let him interfere. 

Warden Davids' rage continued to burn and hot even in the face of Osvald's determination. In fact, it seemed as if Warden Davids was as upset as he was because Osvald was so firm about overcoming this obstacle and moving forward. "What are you chattering on about?! I'll cut out your tongue!" Warden Davids roared. He rushed at Osvald once again, looking to knock him unconscious with a single blow, but Osvald was able to step out of the way. He struck at Warden Davids' arm with his staff to try and convince him to drop his club again, but Osvald could tell by the way Warden Davids was carrying himself that he stood no chance of forcing him to release his weapon a second time. 

Luckily, Emerald had recovered from his daze by now, and he pressed one hand to the side of his head. There was a small patch of blood embedded in Emerald's hair, but he did his best to ignore it, instead planning to rush at Warden Davids once again. Unfortunately, Warden Davids had called upon other guards to act as backup in case the initial group was eliminated, and two more soldiers rushed into the area to defeat Emerald and Osvald. "They never stop coming!" Emerald muttered even though this was only the first wave of reinforcements he and Osvald had been forced to face. Still, it was enough of a frustration for Emerald to ready his dagger and then rush forward once again. 

Osvald caught a glimpse of the other soldiers over Warden Davids' shoulder. He didn't have much time to breathe since Warden Davids was clearly planning on going after him for as long as he could, but Osvald had a bit more magical strength left in him. He concentrated on avoiding Warden Davids' next two strikes before he swung at the man's side, striking him in the same place where he had been injured previously. Warden Davids gasped in shock, and he tripped over his feet in a sudden and forced retreat. 

Emerald had already stabbed at one of the soldiers, opening a massive wound in the man's shoulder. The guard recoiled from the force, trying to catch Emerald in the side with a haphazard swing. In doing so though, the soldier stumbled sideways into his comrade. Warden Davids tripped close to the duo, nearly knocking them to the ground along with him. That was exactly what Osvald had been waiting for, and he called upon his thunder magic once again. A mighty strike of lightning shook the ground and hit all three of the men at once, and the power multiplied upon itself from the close proximity between the soldiers. 

Osvald continued to breathe heavily as he stared at the trio of his foes. The two guards were too dazed to even think of fighting back right now, and that was something Osvald was more than happy to take advantage of. He swung his staff at one of them, dealing a heavy blow to the guard's head. The man was unconscious before he hit the ground, and that left him as a perfect target for Emerald to pick off later. 

In the meantime, Emerald lunged for the other guard and sliced at his neck. The man immediately began to sputter and cough on his own blood, and Emerald delivered a quick stab as the killing blow. The guard hit the ground dead, and Emerald took that as his cue to finish off the other guard. Once again, Warden Davids was the only one left on the field, and when Emerald looked down the tunnel that the guards had emerged from, he did not see any reinforcements immediately. At least for the time being, Warden Davids was a solitary target, and that meant he would be much easier to eliminate now than he had been even a few moments prior. 

Osvald took in a slow breath, knowing that he only had one more blow to deal to finish this fight. His magical strength was getting closer to abandoning him entirely. He had less arcane stamina than he had thought. All his years spent doing physical labor instead of practicing his spell casting had come at a price, it seemed. If nothing else, Osvald was glad to say that he had enough power for one final blow. Beyond that, he knew it would be the one to take Warden Davids' life and finish all of this once and for all. 

For years, fire magic had been Osvald's specialty. It was one of the easiest types of magic to learn, but it was a very difficult element to refine. Fire was reckless and powerful, and if the sage casting the spell was not strong enough, then they could lose control of it and destroy everything. Osvald had come to learn that bitterly well with the deaths of his wife and daughter many years prior. Fire was a destructive force, and he had to be careful with it. 

But destruction was exactly what Osvald was searching for right now. He felt all of the rage and grief that had come with being locked away in Frigit Isle for the last five years burst out of him at once. He extended his palms forward, and a massive wave of flame began to streak toward Warden Davids. The blast was strong, and beyond that, it was twofold. Two strikes of pure fire slammed into Warden Davids, and while the first had him falling to his knees, the second had him screaming in pain. Warden Davids, like everyone else who lived on Frigit, had come to adapt to the cold. Being faced with such extreme heat was painful, and Osvald's extreme skill and precision with magic only made the attack hurt more. 

Emerald found his way back to Osvald's side, but he kept his dagger out and at the ready in case he had to take to combat once again. The blade was soaked up to the hilt in blood, but Emerald didn't bother to clean it off. That would only sully the clothing that Osvald had worked so hard to acquire for their escape, and Emerald was hardly going to waste something that was going to act as his salvation. Instead, Emerald simply stared down at Warden Davids, waiting for the man to finally do something to announce his surrender. 

Osvald could tell by the way Warden Davids was carrying himself that he would not be able to withstand even the slightest bit of pressure. He was barely upright as it was, and the instant he was pushed in the wrong direction, his body would collapse. It was a miracle Warden Davids was even alive after that massive wave of fire, and the second had nearly taken his life from him outright. His entire body was heavily burned, the clothing that he once used as a signal of his status now charred to a crispy memory. "Ungh... You filth..." Warden Davids managed to rasp out. His voice was soft and hoarse, a far cry from the strength that he had always tried to exude. He was at the end of his life, and he knew it well regardless of if he wanted to believe it or not. "Don't think... You can... Escape this place..." 

With those final words, Warden Davids collapsed backward, his spine slamming into the stone. Osvald stared at Warden Davids' charred body for a long moment, and something dark came to life in his chest. He had seen bodies that had been left as only vague implications of the people they had once been, and the sight terrified him. Even though he detested Warden Davids and all that he had put the prisoners of Frigit through, Osvald couldn't help but wonder if there was another way. Perhaps he would be haunted by the corpse of Warden Davids the same way he was haunted each night by the bodies of the other people who he had seen burned to a crisp. 

"C-Confidant..."

Osvald had been so caught up in staring down at the empty husk that had been Warden Davids that he didn't realize there was noise elsewhere in the tunnels until Emerald spoke. It wasn't just any noise either; more footsteps were rapidly approaching Osvald and Emerald's location. Osvald had thought the reinforcements had dried up when Emerald defeated the second wave, but now, he knew otherwise. Of course there were other guards. Warden Davids had said that they would not be able to escape Frigit Isle, and he meant it. The inspectors were the furthest thing from anyone's minds right now. The far more pressing matter was that there were two prisoners on the verge of escaping, and if the guards did not act quickly, then they would get away. 

Figures began to pull themselves away from the darkness, and Emerald stepped backward, a snarl on his face. "Looks like there's more rats where those came from!" he exclaimed. Emerald sunk into a combat stance once again, but it was clear by the shakiness to his posture that he was nowhere near as prepared for battle as he had been before the fight with Warden Davids. The blow that Emerald had sustained during the fight had done a lot more damage than Osvald realized at the time. What Emerald needed now was rest, and the only way they would find it was on the ship they would use to make their escape. 

Assuming they could even still escape on the ship at all. 

Four guards came running out of the tunnel that Warden Davids and the rest of his entourage had walked through. Another four rushed down the stairs that Osvald and Emerald had used in order to make it to that point. Osvald would have loved to turn and run, but there was nowhere for him to go that did not involve passing through far too many soldiers for him to defeat. Even if he and Emerald were able to get rid of this wave through some stroke of luck, they would be at a massive disadvantage if any other guards came after them. Osvald already knew that he did not have the strength necessary to strike down eight men, and even if he split the job with Emerald, it was too much. They had used up too much of their energy to defeat Warden Davids and his initial group, and now, they had very little left to plan out their foiled escape. 

Osvald's eyes surveyed the scene as quickly as he could stand, searching for anything that could be considered helpful in a moment like this. In the end, he found his salvation in the form of a crack in the wall behind him. It would have been hiding behind the ladder that would lead him to safety, but since the ladder was gone, Osvald had a perfect view of the splinter in the stone. That crack was proof of a lack of structural integrity, and if he could hit the wall hard enough, then he would be able to open up a new path for him and Emerald to travel through. It was hardly the most reliable plan, but it was all Osvald had left, so his only choice was to try it. 

"We have to keep moving," Osvald told Emerald as he examined the crack more thoroughly. He had to find the weakest spot on the wall quickly in order to destroy it and then escape. 

"Where, exactly?!" Emerald snapped back, never letting his dagger waver for even a moment. Sweat was beading across his forehead from the stress of having to face so many enemies at once. None of the guards had struck just yet, but it was clear that they would do it at the slightest provocation. "This is the end of the road!"

Osvald shook his head. "No... I have the answer." He pressed his hands forward, and an incantation spilled from his lips. "Flames, reduce this wall to ash!" A wave of fire burst forth from Osvald's hands, pressing against the crack and then forcing the stone to crumble. The resulting pathway led into another passage beneath the prison, and while Osvald did not know where it led, he was willing to try and take it if that was what it took to get away from the guards. 

Emerald stared at the fallen wall in wide-eyed shock. "Whoa! Yeah, I think that'll do, confidant!" Emerald still didn't put his dagger away though, and Osvald could see the question in his eyes. What were they going to do about the guards? Even if they went through the tunnel now, they would just end up being pursued moments later. 

Luckily, Osvald had a solution to that problem as well, and he spread one arm out in a wide arc, creating a wall of flames to surround him and Emerald. Once again, Emerald was stunned by the raw force of Osvald's power, but the scholar didn't give him long to reflect on what had just happened. "We have to go. Now," Osvald instructed. "The hardest part is still ahead."

Emerald did not need to be told twice, and when Osvald took off through the passage, he followed after him. Osvald's heart was beating loud and strong in his chest, and he let both the flames he had left behind and the fire in his breast give him the strength and guidance to keep moving forward. He had lived at the edge of the world for five years, waiting for this single moment when he would be able to make his escape. At long last, it had come, and all that remained between Osvald and the path of vengeance he sought was a stormy sea. It would be a difficult journey to the mainland, but it would all be worth it in the end when he was able to take the life of the man who had done so much to ruin him half a decade prior. 

The hardest part was yet ahead, but Osvald was determined to survive it.

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And that's the end of the chapter ones! Finally!

Before we jump right into the chapter twos, I'm going to give us a brief intermission back in the present where Osvald is talking to the rest of the travelers. I want to break up the flashback section a little bit by offering some room to breathe, so we'll get a quick aside before jumping into chapter two. This is a momentous occasion, after all, and I want to savor it however I can. 

I don't really have much of an estimation for how long chapter two is going to be for Osvald's story, but I'm willing to bet that it will be shorter than most of the other chapter twos given the nature of it. I'm excited to see how it plays out in writing, and I hope you all are too. This is going to be great, and we're getting so close to enjoying the full company of the travelers together. 

Next time, we'll see what's going on in the present and then continue with Osvald's flashbacks. Until then, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Feedback is appreciated as always. Have a nice day, everyone!

-Digital