Page 54 of Isle of Beasts and Shadows

“Sirius...” she murmured softly, a name laden with longing.

Trapped and desolate, Airella’s spirit teetered on the brink of despair. Her eyes, once filled with determination, now brimmed with unshed tears. The guards led her through the castle’s grand doors, each step echoing her inner turmoil.

The loading docks beckoned, bustling with activity as people boarded ships in search of new beginnings. Airella, however, knew the harsh reality awaiting them—death disguised as opportunity. Her heart heavy with foreboding, she pondered her fate.

Among the vessels, the fifth ship awaited, destined for the prisoners’ journey. Airella stood, now stripped of Dawnbreaker and other possessions. Vulnerability gnawed at her resolve, igniting a fire of defiance within. She refused to be the helpless maiden awaiting rescue; her path to salvation lay in her own hands.

Gazing back at the grand palace, hope flickered within her as she yearned for Sirius to emerge like a beacon of deliverance. Time seemed to freeze, the air thick with uncertainty, as she clung to the belief that their reunion was on the verge of happening.

Yet, there was nothing.

Worry crept through the girl. Could Duran have bested him? Airella attempted to push away thoughts of the worst-case scenario. No, that seemed nearly impossible. After all, Sirius had the advantage of familiarity since they were in Limbo. He was capable, but if he remained hidden, the prospect of reuniting seemed increasingly challenging...

Airella lifted her gaze towards the massive ship while standing on the dock. The guards swiftly secured heavy metal cuffs on her wrists and ankles, linking her via chains to a lengthy line of drowsy prisoners awaiting to board the vessel.

Once all the prison guards loaded the prisoners, they escorted them to the upper deck. Among them were close to a hundred prisoners, clad only in their undergarments andbound in chains. This ship was designated exclusively for their transport, indicating that it would only house them, the guards, and lower-class individuals. The prisoners found themselves vastly outnumbered and filled with a sense of desperation.

A muscular man stepped onto a podium in front of the prisoners as they were all forced to sit on the deck. His shaggy brown hair, tousled by the wind, danced around his face, and the golden hues of the setting sun reflected off his polished silver armor, casting a radiant glow around him.

With a rigid demeanor, he addressed the assembly, “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome aboard this vessel,” His voice carried over the murmurs of the captives. “I’ll be your overseer from this point on. Throughout this voyage, you shall receive rations equivalent to those provided at the castle. Expect fair treatment—no more, no less. Your station is here on the upper deck; no requests to venture elsewhere will be entertained. Eat, sleep, and linger here. No exceptions,” he declared firmly. “Given your current circumstances, confined as you are by the chains that bind you, we’ll all grow quite familiar with each other over the course of this journey.”

As the ships set sail, Airella’s gaze lingered on the vast expanse of the ocean before her. Her vessel, trailing behind the others, cut through the waves with a sense of determined purpose.

Thoughts swirled in her mind, contemplating the hierarchy of the ship’s order. Could it be that the first ship bore the Royals, with social standing descending according to the ships’ sequence? Restless with an unyielding spirit, Airella refused to accept this predicament as her ultimate fate.

A glimmer of hope sparked within her as she envisioned a plan forming in her mind. The island marked the destinationwhere her resolve would be put to the test. Three weeks lay ahead, time that she knew held possibilities for change. Escape, seeking aid, or some unforeseen course of action—options brimmed in her thoughts as she steeled herself for the challenges to come.

“Airella!” A familiar voice rang out from behind the girl, causing her body to freeze in place.

“Arii?” Airella whipped her head around, her eyes locking onto a head full of tousled blonde hair. “Arii!” She cried out his name, her voice laced with a mix of relief and worry.

His whitened smile, contrasting with his dirtied face, sent a wave of emotions through her body, despite the distance that separated them. Chained to many other people, she knew reaching him was an impossible feat.

“I’ll get us out of this. I promise,” Airella spoke with a determined tone, her words carrying a sense of reassurance to Arii. A promise made in the darkest of times, one she vowed to keep.

The first night dragged on endlessly, filled with unpleasant smells and the biting cold of the frosty air. The overcrowded space left Airella gazing up at the dark expanse above, mentally counting the stars for solace. Alongside the rest of the dirtied prisoners, they lay haphazardly on the upper deck, their heads resting on one another to find comfort amidst the chaos. The guards, taking shifts to stay vigilant, maintained a watchful eye over the captives.

Airella brushed her blonde hair away from her face, the metal cuffs on her wrists serving as a constant reminder of her captivity. As she exhaled a heavy breath, a voice pierced throughthe silence, one that she hadn’t heard in what felt like an eternity.

“Airella, are you awake? Can you hear me?” Jonathan’s voice reached her ears, prompting Airella to retrieve the necklace tucked beneath her shirt, a hidden possession the guards had overlooked during their search.

“Jonathan!” Airella’s voice, a whisper filled with relief, cut through the tense air. “I’m so happy to hear your voice! How are you able to speak? We have to be quiet, or the guards will hear.”

Jonathan’s response was hushed yet concerned. “Are you okay? It seems you may be in a bit of trouble. If only I were there to help,” as he spoke, the necklace around her neck emitted a soft, reassuring glow. Airella quickly shielded the light from the prying eyes of the guards with a swift movement of her hand.

“Oh, come on now, Jonathan,” she sighed, a mixture of worry and determination in her voice.

“Where is Sirius?” his sudden question hung in the air, laden with unspoken concern.

Airella hesitated, her mind racing to find the right words. “He—Well, I’m not sure. He and Duran... they went into Limbo, and that was the last I saw of them both.” Her voice trembled slightly, betraying the fear that gripped her heart at the thought of losing Sirius forever. Unspoken emotions swirled within her, undeniable and raw.

“This is Sirius we’re talking about,” Jonathan interjected, a hint of levity in his tone, trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere. “The same guy who beat me in a battle of our own. If that’s not tough, I don’t know what is.”

Airella managed a brief, genuine laugh, the tension momentarily lifted by his attempt at humor.

“What’s going on over there?” a guard’s gruff voice interrupted their conversation, sending a jolt of panic through Airella.

She quickly feigned sleep, her breaths slow and even, until the soldier’s footsteps receded into the distance. With a sigh of relief, she carefully concealed the glowing necklace back beneath the fabric of her shirt.

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