Ileus: The Dark Prince

Ileus led the team that built the tunnel towards the palace. Though Caleb was using all his energy to maintain the façade for over hundred soldiers, by the time it was midafternoon, his energy weakened. Sitting in the room from where he was stretching his mana to mask all of them, he was now perspiring heavily. His eyes had become watery and his throat was parched dry. His breath had become shallow and if they extended it for another hour, chaos would break loose. 

Every soldier felt a small snag when they passed through his magic shield. It was as if a thread had bound them to Caleb. However, now the thread was weakening and they felt that Caleb was calling them back. 

The first team hadn't gone very far and their leader, Prince Rolfe asked them to retreat the moment he felt that Caleb's magic had weakened.

The second team led by General Yion consisted of fae soldiers only and they had gone very far in their work. The moment they felt the pull from Caleb, they abandoned their work and started running back. 

The third team was led by Ileus and they had only two demons with them. The tunnel that went towards the palace was the most difficult as they realized that every time they shoveled, they met with water logs, which could drown them easily. They had to bend a lot from the design. The moment they felt Caleb's weakening mana, Ileus gestured to all his men to abandon the work and go back. When they reached the room where Caleb was sitting, they found that the first team was already there but the second team members hadn't reached.

"Fuck!" Kaizan grunted. He looked at Caleb, who was holding to the point that his eyes were rolling back in his head. He was in a frenzy and he was doing his best to come out of it. Every time his eyes rolled back, he would drink brew from his leather skin in order to numb the pain that was shooting through his shoulders and chest. "We need to get out of here as soon as possible!" Kaizan grunted, pacing the room. 

"Let me go and get them!" Rolfe said and started walking towards that tunnel, but Ileus stopped him. 

"No!" he said sharply. "If they don't come here in the next fifteen minutes, we are leaving!" 

"Are you mad?" Rolfe growled. "The king would come to know and will slaughter not only them but every person who has his house above the tunnels we are creating. And even if he would know that we have done it in a clandestine manner, he would kill all of them just to set an example of his cruelty and let them know that he is against me! I cannot risk the life of so many men!"

"The king is already against you!" Ileus scowled. The demon was extremely dedicated to his people even at the cost of his life. "If you go there, you will only hamper their speed. They are faes and they must be racing to reach here." What Ileus didn't say was that Rolfe was too important for them to loose. 

"He is right, Rolfe," Iona asserted. "We should start evacuating because going back is going to take a long time and Caleb's condition is worsening by the minute." 

Rolfe narrowed his eyes. He stood there with his arms crossed across his chest mulishly. "Then I am going to wait for all of them till I can, till Caleb is here." 

"Why?" Iona asked, exasperatedly. Has this man gone mad?

"Because there has to be someone who can carry Caleb back!" 

"I will also stay back," said Kaizan, looking at Caleb. 

Ileus pursed his lips in a thin line. He balled his fists in frustration. "Fine. I am taking the rest of the team out of this place. One of us has to stay alive." He looked at Iona and gestured to her with his chin to move out. 

He looked so dangerous that Iona couldn't say no to him. She looked at Rolfe, planted a chaste kiss on his cheek and whispered, "See you soon."

Rolfe's expressions softened. "Soon, love," he said. Even he wanted her to go. 

One by one they got out of the pit and this time as soon as the demons came out, the faes picked them up and flew in the air. They kept as low as possible to the ground but they didn't take a chance to travel by foot. The bogs were just too risky. 

Back in the tunnel, Caleb was weakening faster than before. His body shivered and they knew that he was almost on the verge of breaking the magic layer. The second team hadn't arrived. Vise-like panic gripped his throat. If he left these men, he had a lot to lose. If he stood for them, he would risk his life. "Take him away from here," he instructed Kaizan. 

"What about you?" 

"I will wait for them," replied Rolfe. 

Kaizan gave him a nervous look. "Remember one thing Rolfe, when you are in a situation like this, evaluate what you will offer them if you stay alive." 

Rolfe nodded once… tightly. "I will wait for them." 

Kaizan walked to Caleb and gave him his skin of water, which Caleb chugged hungrily. "We don't have much time…" he said in a shaky hoarse voice. 

"I know…" Kaizan said. "But you need to get out of here!" 

"What about the rest?" he asked as he shivered to a fever pitch. 

"They must be coming…" Kaizan pulled him and supported him. "I am shifting," he said to Rolfe. "Help him climb me." 

"But that would use a lot of energy, Kaizan!" Rolfe shot back. 

"Do we have a choice?" Kaizan snapped. 

"Don't shift till we reach the entrance of the pit," Caleb said.

Kaizan growled and then nodded his head. "Okay!" 

Along with another demon, they picked up Caleb and sprinted towards the entrance. Rolfe saw them leaving. He exhaled a long breath and then looked at the second tunnel, hoping against hope that the team came, else he would simply have to use his magic to protect his people, even at the risk of his father finding out about him. 

Caleb and Kaizan reached the entrance of the pit. "This is too risky," said Caleb in a barely audible voice. 

Kaizan didn't answer. He looked at the entrance where the owner of the hut was standing with a panicky expression. He was pacing over there and as soon as he saw them, he rushed. "I heard that the king's men are marching on this side. You all have to leave!" 

"Fuck!" Kaizan fisted his hand into his palm. "That bastard Rolfe!" 

"Don't you say anything to my prince!" said the demon, his horse straightening. "He is very loved and the only man in the royalty who deserves our respect!" 

Kaizan stifled the anger rising up his chest. He looked at Caleb and said, "I am shifting. You climb on me, okay?" Caleb nodded weakly. No option was left. 

Kaizan was about to shift when suddenly they heard heavy footfalls.. The ground beneath them rumbled.