I paced, feeling Avyn's pain as he was curled up in his own cell, feeling pain from all the blows he had received today while working. The dragons got out at 5:00, but had to go right back to work at 12:00 AM, which gave them just about seven hours to recover their fire and their strength.

I glanced down at my watch. It was nearly 6:00. My heart thumped, and cold chills ran up and down my back. I couldn't help but feel immense terror as I imagined what the escape would be like. The plan was that at 6:00, Navi would come and deal with the four guards down here. We were break out of our unlocked cell, and along with Aiden we could steal the guard's keys and release the dragons. From their it was simple - sneak out of the Fortress, and come back a few days later to storm and ruin the place, making sure Erridor was never released.

So what was I worried about?

Well, things are always easier said than done.

"Two minutes," I growled under my breath, trying to steady my breathing. I could tell both Amber and Thalia were nervous too. Amber was doing pushups while Thalia was silently communicating with her beloved Erberos, who I had yet to meet.

Time ticked by. Every second felt like it's own minute. I twitched, feeling my heartbeat. You know that feeling when you're so nervous that it feels like you have a boulder in your stomach? Yeah. That's what I had.

Remind me, which cell are you in? I asked Avyn mentally.

I'm not entirely sure, but I know it's like 4 or 5 cells closer to the stairs than yours. I can smell you from here, so that's what I'm basing my guess on, he replied.

I inhaled and exhaled slowly, trying not to panic, while excitement flushed through me as well. How good it would feel to wrap my arms around Avyn's neck again!

"It's time." Amber's voice interrupted my thoughts and I whirled around to face her. For weapons, Thalia had a beautiful broadsword with a smooth black hilt. She had the most difficulty sneaking it in, but managed to hide it in the right leg of her baggy pants that she wore specifically for that reason.

Amber, meanwhile, had a defined shortsword with a sapphire encrusted hilt. She, like Thalia, strapped it around her leg and acted like she had a limp so she wouldn't have to bend. I still couldn't believe just how easy these guards had been to fool.

In my bag I had hidden my smooth double daggers in my bag. I handled them now, making sure I could use them quickly and efficiently if need be.

We had gotten the weapons from Professor Rapashka, the melee combat professor. When asked why we wanted them, we had responded with just to study the different types of weaponry. As long as we promised not to use them on school grounds, he allowed us to take them for the day.

Well, we weren't on school grounds.

At 6:01 I was getting impatient.

And then, silent as the flutter of a bird's wings, a silver flash emerged from the stairs, and instantly barreled into two of the prison guards in one fell sweep, sinking her teeth into them and ending their lives before they could even scream.

The other two were shocked, but drew their primitive guns and turned towards the bloodied dragoness, who snarled before leaping at them.

Meanwhile, I pushed open the cell door and turned to my left, towards the direction of the stairs and where I thought Avyn would be. Two gunshots fired before the sound of screaming filled the air, as well as the growling and hissing of troubled dragons.

In the corner of my eye I saw blood seeping from a wound in Navi's neck, but it wasn't really serious and I knew she'd be okay. I scurried down the hallway, demanding as to where Avyn was, until finally I met his eyes in a dusty, dirty stall.

"Avyn!" I whisper-shouted; after all this mission was supposed to be a quiet one.

Aiden, meanwhile, and taken the guard's keys and, since there were four of them, me, Amber, Thalia, and Aiden all got one. I quickly snapped open Avyn's cage door, but wasn't prepared for the indigo dragon to launch himself at me and cover me with slobbery licks.

I laughed, nuzzling against my dragon's muzzle, as we embraced. I felt complete again, like someone had ripped away half of my soul but now it was sealed back together. I hugged Avyn, letting tears slide down my cheeks, laughing and crying.

We don't have much time, Avyn reminded me after a minute.

"You're right," I spoke aloud, "Let's go free the other dragons!"

With that I ran from cell to cell, Avyn bounding after me, letting out wary and exhausted dragons from their confinements. Each dragon paused for a moment to rest their head on my shoulder as a way of thanking me before they moved on towards the stairs.

Once we were sure that all the dragons and even some of the imprisoned riders were freed, the remaining ones sped up the stairs, following the herd. I'd say that about twenty dragons in all had been working here at the Fortress.

I reminded everyone once again to stay silent, and the large crowd crept up the stairs, not once murmuring or whispering to another, silent as a mouse.

I wormed my way to the front of the crowd, Avyn by my side, to make sure there were no dangers. But, we were good. We slunk through silent hallways without anyone stopping us.

I saw the evening sky from the exit up above, and couldn't even believe our luck. I grinned, beckoning the crowd along, when suddenly I was chilled to the bone.

"Well, well, well." I didn't recognize the voice, but I knew who it belonged to. Aiden, who was nearby, let out a shivering gasp.

I turned to see a weaselly looking man, scrawny, with patchy stubble and yellowing teeth, but very tall as well, standing in front of a massive army of soldiers who looked like duplicates of the ones that had been guarding the Fortress.

"Duke," I heard Aiden hiss from behind me.

"Oh, Aiden, m'boy. Why are you over there, with the enemies?" Duke growled, his dark eyes seeming to glow.

Aiden didn't answer.

"When your daddy gets out, he will be very disappointed." Duke made a tut-tut-tut sound with his tongue and waved his finger.

Aiden's wild eyes turned to the far corner of the massive room, and I followed his gaze. In the back, indented into the wall, I could see what appeared to be a cage. I couldn't see anything inside it, except the dark silhouette of a man.

"Well that's not going to happen." Thalia spoke up from behind us. I didn't risk looking back at her.

"And why not, puny child?" Duke grumbled.

"Because we're getting out of here." Thalia tried to keep her voice from shaking.

"Well," Duke smirked, "Think what you want."

Then Duke pushed through his army of men, retreating further and further to the back, while the army walked forward and blocked the exit.

Then I heard the familiar whistling, screeching sound of shadows, and the room came to life with the blood and screams of battle.