Chapter 3 -- The Escape
Lexington awoke. He was still lying on the marble table. He was naked and cold. The torches had gone out, but he could see the faintest of light pouring in. He assumed that was the tunnel that led back.
He used what strength he had left and slid off the marble table. His sphincter was sore and it throbbed with every slow step he took towards the tunnel. More light bled in has he approached the entryway. Once he stepped out, he was nearly blinded by the light. His eyes were slow to adjust. Taking a misstep, he fell flat on his face in the dirt. The cool breeze coming from beyond the bridge was a welcome feeling. He peeked just a bit, forcing his eyes to adjust. He rolled to his back and set himself upright against the mound. Lexington could smell smoke.
Shantei, he thought. He knew it was destroyed. He hoped the people had fled in time. He wondered about Enama and her family. He wanted to get up and run towards the escape vessel on the River Luildel that Albeus had stored there, but he knew it was too late. If they had survived, they would have already left.
Shahemein. That was where they're headed. It's the only city near Shantei though it was almost a month's journey away.
The sun was low in the east. It was morning. He could see the smoke rise from Shantei. He didn't want to go back but he knew he had too. He had to know if anyone that stayed had survived. Lexington willed himself to his feet and headed back towards what was left of his beloved village.
As he approached the north gate of Shantei, he wondered if he would find Hangoot standing there as he was before Thraxa and her Shadowmen army attacked. He doubted it, of course. But still, how could a human have anything to do with a Shadowmen attack? All of this continued to make absolutely no sense to him. There were so many questions he needed answers to. The first being how could a Celestial fall and become human? He shook the thought off. He needed to find Enama and any survivors of Shantei.
Though he was still naked, the warmth of the noon sun was comforting. He found one of the guardsmen dead with most of his armor unusable though the garment under the armor was suitable. He sorrowfully thanked the dead guardsmen then made his way into Shantei.
The smell of cooked pork was a painful reminder that Lexington was starving. To his own dread he had realized that it was not pork that caught his scent, it was the smell of burnt humans. His hunger quickly turned to disgust. He wanted to vomit, but there was nothing to expel. He made his way towards the manor of Albeus. He kept his eyes and ears open hoping to hear someone.
Flashes of the children and families that once roamed this crowded village ran through Lexington's mind. The whorehouse was one of the few buildings standing. He wondered why that was so.
Aside from Albeus' manor, the whorehouse was the only other two-floored building in Shantei. Most of the top floor had collapsed to the first, but the main corridor remained intact. Lexington remembered that there was a basement Selia had used as storage. He wondered. Hope gripped him.
The entrance to the storage basement was blocked by light debris. Lexington merely had to kick most of it off. A cracked wooden beam wedged the door closed. He used what strength he had left to shove the beam aside and pried the door open. It was pitch black inside. He felt his hope fleeting. He wedged the basement door open and proceeded inside. The light from the outside was enough to peek in. Inside he found Selia and the girl who had been pleasuring Hangoot lying on the floor. Adrenaline coursed through his veins as he leaped towards them. He cupped Selia's face in his hands gently.
"Selia" he whispered, but she was dead.
The girl next to him coughed. Lexington turned to her and lifted her head off the ground with care.
"Girl, are you hurt?"
The girl shook her head looking into Lexington's eyes then closed them again. She fell unconscious. He scanned up and down her body. She was scantily clothed as were most of Selia's girls, but she looked unharmed save for minor scratches and bruising on her arms and legs. He picked her up fortunate that she was light.
The sun was near setting and from the whorehouse entrance, he could see the Albeus' manor. The entire top floor had fallen into the manor. The doorway itself was sealed with rubble. Lexington panned around and saw one home that was still standing more so than the rest. Again, hope had gripped him.
Inside, Lexington placed the girl on the bed and found a jug of water that was untouched. He drank as he had never drunk before. He filled a small cup with some and proceeded to serve it to the girl.
"Wake up" he said softly.
The girl opened her eyes. Lexington placed the edge of the cup to her full lips and she drank. She laid her head back down, but seemed renewed with energy.
"What is your name?" Lexington asked.
"Mara" she replied.
"Do you know if the other girls escaped?"
Mara shook her head. "I heard the roar of the bad men, but at that point Selia had only taken me to the basement. We felt the ground shake around us then the door slammed shut. Selia was hit by it and fell down the stairs. I don't know if she..."
Lexington's eyes began to cloud. Mara knew what she had feared. Selia had died. The two wept silently. Lexington leaned himself to the side of the bed where Mara was and closed his eyes. He had no idea what he was to do next.
---
Sunlight reached through the holes in the ceiling of the small house that Lexington and Mara had found refuge. The light that struck Lexington in the eyes was enough to wake him. It was morning. Fortunately, Mara was still sound asleep. Lexington felt reenergized with a sense of purpose. He knew that the only course of action was to follow Albeus' escape trench and go from there.
Lexington searched the house for food and found only scraps of bread. He set aside most of it for Mara when she woke. As he began eating, his chewing had woken Mara.
She slowly sat up. Lexington turned to face her.
"How are you feeling?"
