The Mistakes Of Misfits
Chapter 20: Varrin

     We prepared for our part of the strike on the prison. I had no idea where Marline was, she told us she would be watching from afar. Our job was simple, be really fucking annoying and distract from the actual infiltration from the other team. Simple enough and we were very, very good at being annoying. 

      We ran to our position above the prison. We had found a nice platou that gave me a pretty good angle at the prison to launch a few spells. “I just don't think we should trust her.” Kerrigan told Otah. “She probably is leading us right into a trap.” 

     Otah shook his head. “I don't think so, she's been working against the king for years, there's no reason for her to betray us when her goal is so close.” He started to sheath all the many daggers across his leathers. 

      Kerrigan scoffed. “She's a fallen templar who desperately wants to be part of her people again and she now holds the single threat to the king's reign. She definitely has no reason to betray us.” I rolled my eyes at the half orcs' sarcasm. 

      “I trust her.” Otah said with a deadpan stare toward Kerrigan. Kerrigan looked almost insulted by the statement. 

     “Trust her? You don't trust anyone.” He stated. The look of surprise and disgust that crossed Kerrigan's face was hard not to chuckle at. 

      Otah shrugged. “I trust all of you.” He said plainly. That made me even swivel my head over to the old orc. He still sat on the stone, face as unreadable as ever. 

      Kerrigan attempted to read that face like I did. “I genuinely can't tell if the old man is fucking with us.” He told me. Before I could respond a bright shine filled up the corner of my vision. I could see the small team down on the north side of the prison. 

     “It's time… Let's do this shit.” I told my comrades. Kerrigan was the first to act, launching one of the bombs made by that mercenary Fennik. He threw it into the prison, launching it a surprising distance. The bomb hit and… damn. It didn't explode on impact like it was supposed to. The bomb rolled right to the gate catching the attention of a guard or two. I let out a long sigh. “Fuck it.” I muttered. I sent a ball of fire flying at the bomb. 

      The fire lit the volatile substance that made up the bomb and it exploded in a wonderful display of engineering. Every single guard that we could see started to make their way to us. Kerrigan smirked. “Here comes the fun part.” He exclaimed as he ran down the hill to fight. We had a massive advantage with the position we held. The cultists would have to run at us two or three at a time with how narrow the rocky mountainside was. With this plateau above the fight I could easily pick them off as they charged.  

       Otah ran down to help Kerrigan hold the choke point. Together we held them back, it wasn't like we could win a fight like this but that wasn't the point. We just had to hold this for a while, long enough for the others to get our target out.

      For a little bit our plan worked perfectly. Otah and Kerrigan were more than enough to hold back most of the cultists in a close quarters fight. I was able to pick off any massive threats with my magic relatively easily. These cultists walked toward the danger as if they didn't have the good sense to keep themselves safe. Before I could think about it more a large black cloud appeared to my left.

        I felt the dagger attempt to slice me. I was able to dodge back, a split second before my throat was cut open. I looked up at my attacker to find an older looking man, maybe in his late thirties, long beard, brown eyes and perfectly white teeth. He gave me a wicked smile. “You're the mage he wants?” He asked. “You're just a child.” He sounded disappointed by the revelation. 

     I readied my staff. “This child has killed hundreds of your initiates, I wouldn't underestimate me.” I knew the warning would fall on deaf ears, but maybe I could get him to start monologuing. 

     The cultist laughed. “I have no idea why Sabastian cares about you. I should snap your neck right here in the name of our dark go-” god, he was predictable. While he was rambling on I brought up a spike of ice behind him and it ran him through the chest. I smirked, convinced he was dealt with. 

      To my shock and horror, the cultist twisted his body in an unnatural arch and pulled himself off of the spike. “You have much to learn boy.” He said coldly. Oh shit, I needed to get some distance. The cultist didn't give me time to get that chance. He was on me before I could react. He had teleported in a cloud of black smoke and slammed my head into the ground. 

      My red aura triggered in response. The cultist leaned down to say something to me but I brought my head back into his nose. I heard the satisfying crunch of bone as I impacted. He loosened his grip on me and in my rageful state I spun around on my heel and wailed on the attacker. 

     The cultist teleported back after a few punches. His nose was in shambles, and his lip bled. He gritted his bearded face. “I'm gonna make you pay for that.” He warned. The cultist pulled out another knife from a sheath on his ribs. 

     I smirked as I dropped the red aura and pulled out my staff. “You're definitely gonna try.” I told him. I probably shouldn't have been this cocky, but I just couldn't help it. The cultist threw a bolt of lightning at my chest. 

      I didn't bother to use my ward shield; I simply dodged out of the way and sliced my foot through the air, forming a sharp blade of ice, sending it flying toward my attacker. The cultist cut the blade with a whip of fiery energy.  

       He smirked with sadistic satisfaction as he cracked that fiery whip. “Well boy, it seems I need to teach you a lesson.” He said as he attacked me with the whip of flame. I did not block the attack. Instead I called on his power. It almost called to me as well. It wasn't magic from the weave but maybe, just maybe I could harness it. I focused and as I felt the fire touch my fingertips a power awakened in me. I felt that dark, forin magic cloud my mind. It felt oddly familiar.

      The fire wrapped around my arm. It burned like hell but I could feel the control slip away from the cultist and it was now mine. The cultist looked at me with wide eyes and I knew I had him terrified. I made the fire wrap around his torso and legs. He fell down to the ground. I heard the screams as the fire coiled around him. “What lesson should I teach you?” I taunted.

      He looked up at me, eyes wide with fear. “Please… just let me go! I'll tell you anything!” I tightened my hand and the flames restricted him further. The cultist wretched in pain as I approached him. 

     I knelt down next to the cultist. “Who is Sabastian? Where did he come from?” The cultist furrowed his brow for a moment in frustration, but soon after those flames hit him again he looked ready to talk. 

    The second he opened his mouth a large shard of stone pierced his eye, jutting all the way through to the back of his head. I felt the blood splatter against my face. I turned to see my attacker and my heart dropped. Sabastian Riven, the leader of the entire cult of the depraved, was coming towards me from the exit we were supposed to escape through. 

          He gave me a sadistically entertained smile as the tunnel behind him moved and twisted just from the magic radiating off of him. “Now no one likes a tattle tale.” He crooned. Ibheare the sounds of battle intensifying behind me and I knew Otah and Kerrigan were starting to struggle. 

     “Varrin, what the hell are you doing?” Asked Otah. “We're gonna need to escape soon!” I didn't respond, I simply stared at the cult leader in terrified awe. I threw the fire that I had used to wrap up the cultist in at Sabastian, hoping to catch him off guard. 

     He caught it with one hand, seemingly using no effort. He stared at me but cocked an eyebrow when he felt the energy, like he knew it was from his people instead of from me. “Clever.” He said. “Perhaps I'll have use for you after I tear the information I need from your brain.” 

      I readied my staff. “I'll never work with you. Do you know how many people died because of you?” I could hear Otah and Kerrigan slowly making their way up the hill. I needed to find a new escape route fast. I looked around desperately looking for anything to use. 

      Sabastian chuckled. “Of course I know… where do you think I get all my new recruits?” I heard a groan behind me. I whipped my body around to see the cultist I had fought earlier standing again. The shard of stone was still jutting through his head and his skin was still an ashy gray. 

      My heart dropped. Necromancy, this mother fucker knew necromancy! It was a forbidden magic in Tayrin. I didn't think the Magistrate even dared to learn such things. Anyone who did was usually hunted and swiftly eradicated by the mages. How the hell did he evade us for so long. 

       Sabastian curled his fingers and the dark green energy bent to his will. “Be smart boy, give up now.” The undead cultist started to approach me but was met with Kerrigan's scimitar, decapitating the undead nightmare. I saw Kerrigan and Otah freeze in a moment of realization upon seeing the cult leader. 

      Otah looked at me. “Get us out of here Varrin.” He ordered. I couldn't teleport anywhere Sabastian couldn't counter. If I brought us into the tunnel he would surely close it on us, we could try to go up the mountain but that would leave us exposed to a ranged attack… no there was only one way to go… I would have to go back towards the prison. I grabbed my two friends and teleported the three of us into the courtyard of the prison. 

      We landed hard as I let go of the spell. Kerrigan sat up. “So what now Varrin? You brought us right in the middle of the place we were supposed to be bringing people away from!” His frustration definitely showed through his words. 

     I let out a long sigh. “Sabastian already had magic flowing through our escape route. Who knows what he would have done if we went into that cave.” Kerrigan gritted his teeth and before he could say more we heard the cult rushing down the hill toward us. A certain necromancer floating above them. 

      Otah looked toward the door. “The others think their distraction is still going, we should get to them before the cult catches them off guard.” I nodded in agreement. To my surprise Kerrigan did as well. I launched myself toward the door, shoving them open as the others followed me in. 

        The prison was dark but I just followed the trail of bodies that our friends had left. I threw back spell after spell, putting up walls of stone to block the cultists that were following us in. I could hear the walls of stone breaking almost a second or two behind us. They were somehow gaining on us. I assumed the magic Sabastian wielded had something to do with it. We made it to a small crossroads and I could hear screaming, it wasn't painful screaming, it sounded angry. Kerrigan ran into the room quickly as I put up another wall of stone. I could hear over my shoulder. “Things went bad.” Kerrigan told them. That was the understatement of the century.

      Otah and I barged into the room after him. I heard the last wall of stone break as I shoved the door shut and pumped as much magic as I could into it. The door solidified into hard stone and I planted my feet as I held the magic. I looked back at the group. “Get us a fucking way out!” I screamed. “I don't know how long I'm going to be able to hold this!” 

      Sumi looked at us confused. “Why are you three here?” She asked. “Aren't you supposed to be the distraction?” The door started to move but I held the door for the moment. 

     Otah sighed. “Sabastian is here.” He muttered. “He blocked our escape.” I could feel magic trying to bring down the wall that I held up. I pumped as much power as I could into my spell. 

      Sumi looked around. “We're pinned in this room!” She exclaimed. I turned back and saw that we were in a dead end. The only thing in here was the three cells. Shit! We sure as hell couldn't go back out the way that we came. 

      Otah looked over at the prince. “Why the hell are you all still here? You should have been on your way out of the prison at this point.” He sounded almost disappointed at the positioning of the team. 

     Kasious sighed. “We had a few problems once we found out who the target was.” He gestured to the older woman standing beside him. I didn't know who she was… but Otah did. He glared at the prisoner but said nothing. 

      I could feel my body starting to give out. “Hurry the hell up!” I screamed at them. I could feel the magic pushing me away from the wall. I kept my feet planted and gritted my teeth as my red aura activated to keep up my strength. 

      A voice invaded my mind. “Nowhere left to run little mage, and do I hear more of your friends in there?” Sabastian's voice was dark and sinister. “Maybe if you're a good boy and give me what I want I'll let them live.” 

      I gritted my teeth. “Go fuck yourself.” I told the cult leader. I felt the power trying to destroy the wall intensify. I let out a guttural scream as I held firm with my red aura powering me. 

      “Varrin!” I heard Sumi's concerned pleas behind me. She sighed as she grabbed her medallion. “Guide me in my hour of need, mother of the hunt.” The amulet glowed and Sumi didn't look at the walls or even to the doorway… She looked at the floor. “Fennik, plant a bomb right here!” She ordered. 

      Fennik looked confused by the order. “Why are we-” he started. 

      Sumi grabbed him and dragged the soldier to the spot she needed the explosive. “There is a sewer system below us, I need a breach charge right here!” Fennik did as ordered and layed down the explosive. “Clear the room!” She ordered. 

      The group made their way to the edges of the room as Fennik shot the explosive, sending small bits of debris through the room. I felt that dark voice wrap around my mind once again. “What are you planning, little one? Do you really think you can escape me?” 

      I heard the others hop down into the sewer. I felt my aura starting to fade as I fell down, catching myself on one knee, but I held my power tight. I felt Sumi's hand on my shoulder. “It's time to go Ace.” She told me with a small smirk. I felt the power on the other side of this wall. I knew that If I dropped our defense we would be overtaken in moments. She must have seen just how tired I was because she wrapped an arm under my shoulder. “Let's go. We can handle it from here.” 

      I let out a long breath, then I dropped my spell and took off running. I felt Sumi's arm guiding me and pushing me forward when my tired body couldn't. I was almost thrown into the dark sewers by the orc. I luckily kept my footing and didn't plummet myself into the sewage. Sumi landed behind me as we took off running. I didn't know where the others were. I couldn't see much other than a few feet in front of me. 

      I heard the wall of stone break. “Hunt them down!” Screamed Sabastian. I heard some feet hit the sewer water but I didn't dare look back at the people chasing us. I could feel my entire body screaming at me to stop but I continued running, one wrong step could mean death at any point. Sumi didn't pass me, even though I knew she could run faster than I could.

       Sabastian's voice filled my head again. “Why do you run from the inevitable?” He asked. I could feel his power somewhere behind us. I tried to turn down every corner, making my movements as random as possible to try and throw off our hunters. 

      Sumi saw a large light to our right and guided me toward it. “Go right, trust me.” I did trust her. I ran to the light. Before I could reach the escape a cloud of black smoke formed in front of us. 

     Sabastian smirked as he lit up his hand in green fire. “You two are good at throwing people off, but these are my sewers! This is my city! You cannot escape me!” Sumi stepped in front of me, holding her greatsword steady. Sabastian almost rolled his eyes at her bravery. 

       A voice boomed from the staircase behind Sabastian. “This isn't your city” Said a cold calculating prince. Kasious stepped out of the shadows, ready for a fight. “It's ours.” A shot from Fenniks weapon emerged from the darkness and hit the cult leader in the shoulder. Before he could recover a Javelin hit him from the other side. 

     Another shot, this time coming from a different place and with a pistol. Then a knife from behind us. Shots and blades flew from the darkness and Sabastian attempted to shield himself from the attacks but it seemed another was always primed to strike from the other direction. I smirked at the attacks flying from every direction, they had him on the ropes, our friends had caught him off guard and now wouldn't give him a moment to breathe. Sumi looked at me. “You've got enough in you to end this?” She asked. I nodded my head to her. One last burst. 

Sumi rushed forward and grabbed Sabastian and threw him behind us. He seemed to be distracted enough by the attacks to give us this one moment. We both rushed forward and I knew exactly what she wanted. I took the last little bit of magic I had left and brought down the ceiling of the tunnel on top of him as we all ran for the exit. The entire tunnel started to fall. We rushed up the stairs and back out of the sewers into the light of the city.

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