Ryltar hung from his rusted chains in the deep, dark, and dank dungeon of the castle. He twisted and planted his feet on the wall near the large iron ring to which his chains were attached. Straining and grunting, Ryltar pushed with all his might to dislodge the chain or the hook but neither budged. Cursing, he dropped back to the ground and gloomily slumped against the wall.
"Their treasure chamber was just too well guarded for me to burgle," muttered Ryltar. "I should've never come here..."
"You got that right," floated a voice from the shadows.
"Who's there? Show yourself or else!"
"Or else what," retorted the voice. "You are chained to the wall as I appear to be."
As the voice said that, the dungeon lighted up a little as the sun rose. The shadows lightened and released from their depths a haggard old woman. When the Ryltar saw this, he recoiled slightly from the vileness of the old woman's appearance. The woman stood up and muttered a few words. The chains dropped off her wrists and ankles and clunked to the floor.
"How did you do that?"
"Magic of course. Now how to get out of here," the old witch muttered mostly to herself.
"I know how to get out of here."
"You do? Please tell."
"First, get me out of these chains and then I may tell you."
The witch considered this for a moment and then agreed. She cast another spell and the chains released Ryltar from their cold metal grip.
"Thanks," said Ryltar, rubbing his wrists. He looked around. "Hey old hag, can you lift me up to the window over that?"
"I am not an old hag, so don't call me that."
"Fine, what should I call you then? Ugly?"
"No you little punk, you may call me Eriu. And say something like that again I will turn you into a toad!"
"Okay then, Eriu could you please lift me up to that window."
"Look down," said Eriu laughing.
Ryltar looked down and would have jumped back if it were not for the fact that he was floating in midair. Eriu floated Ryltar over to the window and he looked out. The sun was barely over the tops of the trees. Just under the window was a rank moat.
"Well, the good news is that the moat is just under the window."
"And the bad news?"
"It smells like rotting carcasses..."
"What about the bars? How strong are they?"
Ryltar grabbed one of the metal bars covering the window and pulled on it. It easily pulled out.
"The stench must have destroyed the bars," laughed Ryltar as he pulled the rest of the bars out and climbed out into the moat.
"Here," cried Eriu as she threw up a shimmering rope.
"Where did that come from," Ryltar wondered to himself as he pulled Eriu up. She was surprisingly light for someone of her large size. "It was probably more magic."
Once Ryltar finished pulling Eriu up and helped her through the window and the moat, the set off running through the woods. The two jail breakers stopped to catch their breath a while later.