ARCEUS'S POV
I was organizing my few belongings when I heard the door burst open, mingling with my own uncertainty.
— What is that smell? Is it the smell of defeat? — Reinhardt announced with that mocking tone he always used when something wasn't going well.
— Yes, yes. Close the door as you come in — I replied without turning around, focused on sorting the mess on my bed. Time was running out, and I needed to get everything in order.
I felt his gaze fixed on my back as he approached with slow steps.
— The children are more fun than you — he clicked his tongue in disdain. — Are you already packing your things?
— That's right, this is my last night here — I murmured, savoring each word.
I had waited for this moment for years. The anticipation made my heart beat faster, though my face remained impassive. I let out a deep sigh, probably the tenth of the day.
— Aren't you going to ask about Cassie? — Reinhardt raised an eyebrow, studying my reaction with that piercing gaze of his.
— She'll be fine — I answered curtly.
My face hardened for a moment at the painful memory his words evoked, but I shook my head to push those thoughts away. It wasn't the time for emotional distractions.
— I'm here to discuss our plan, Arceus.
— Well, what do you want to talk about? — I asked, feigning disinterest while continuing to organize my few possessions.
— Susan is formidable, she's been watching me this whole time — he sighed with evident exhaustion, slumping onto the edge of my bed.
After deactivating the artifact, Susan had uncovered part of our intentions. Fortunately, Emilia only had eyes for Cassie, who remained unconscious in the room on the second floor. It was a situation we could use to our advantage. If Susan focused her attention on the two of us, she wouldn't notice what was happening around her.
— I can't let my guard down for a second — Reinhardt continued, running a hand through his hair in frustration. — Even though neither of us made a single move, she never stopped watching us.
He leaned toward me, lowering his voice to a barely audible whisper.
— I've left the necessary measures in the hands of the children, like gathering supplies.
The supplies were our cornerstone for survival. Without them, we'd be doomed the moment we set foot outside these walls that had been our prison for so many years.
— How's their progress going? — I questioned, finally setting aside what I was doing to look at him directly.
— They've already finished all the preparations — he explained with a gesture of satisfaction. — We'll be ready to leave at any moment.
— That's incredible! — I exclaimed, raising my eyebrows in genuine surprise.
The preparation Reinhardt had orchestrated deeply impressed me. He wasn't the best strategist in our trio for nothing; his skills exceeded all expectations. Being pragmatic, if we intended to save the majority, we needed them to be aware of the situation and even actively collaborate. It was to our advantage that the caretakers barely paid attention to them, one of the few weaknesses in the system we could exploit.
The children had initially been terrified, but Cassie always maintained unwavering faith in their abilities. And it seemed, once again, she was right.
— They still have no idea of our real plan — Reinhardt murmured, rubbing his neck with a weary smile.
Our procedure was deceptively simple: pretend we had given up while continuing to weave our strategy in the shadows. It was crucial to keep our true intentions hidden. Like a predator hiding its claws and fangs until the moment of attack, we had to mask our real objectives. The slightest hint of suspicion would ruin everything we had worked for.
— Very well, but why don't you learn to fight like me? You know, to defend yourself better — I suggested, trying to lighten the tension hanging between us.
— For starters, you never learned to fight — he stared at me with those eyes that seemed to pierce through me. — And unlike someone, I don't have the reflexes of a primitive carnivore. If I had to describe it, my reflexes are somewhere between a sloth's and a turtle's. That's why I'm a sorcerer, don't you know?
I couldn't hold back a genuine laugh at his spot-on comparison.
— That's true, you're absolutely right — I admitted, feeling some of the tension leave my shoulders.
His expression suddenly turned serious, like a mask falling to reveal the concern hidden beneath.
— Hey, Arceus. I've been wondering… what do you plan to do to get Cassie out? — his voice dropped to a barely audible murmur.
It was the problem that had been gnawing at me for days. We all knew Emilia was constantly watching Cassie, like a hawk over its prey.
— I don't know… I'll figure something out — I replied, lowering my gaze to the worn floor.
— To sum it up, we're doomed if any of them stops us — Reinhardt stated with brutal honesty.
He was right, as always. No one could escape their clutches unless we found a way to completely distract them. The success of our plan hung on the thread that bound our trio. Without any one of us, everything would collapse like a house of cards. From the beginning, the odds had been overwhelmingly against us. Every small step forward had been the result of our joint effort.
— In any case, who will carry Cassie? — he asked with a mocking smile, trying to dispel the gravity of the moment.
— I will — I stated without hesitation. — Your mission is to gather all the children and open the scroll.
— I figured as much — he chuckled, though the concern never left his eyes.
— In the end, what about the youngest ones?
After a moment of silence, he posed the question we had both been avoiding.
— You know what I think about that — I frowned, feeling the weight of that decision settle back on my shoulders.
— In the end, it's not possible, is it? — Reinhardt's sad smile reflected the torment of his conscience.
We lacked the resources and time to evacuate all the children in a single operation. The escape had to be quick and efficient; carrying the youngest ones, especially the babies, would only slow us down and endanger everyone. The escape required not only strategy but also physical and mental endurance. No one knew what awaited us outside or what dangers we would face. It was evident that the youngest wouldn't withstand the journey or the stress of the escape, which would exponentially increase the risk of them getting hurt in such a hostile and unfamiliar environment.
— Hey, you still haven't told me the requirements to activate the scroll — I fixed my gaze on his. — I assume Cassie explained it to you, right?
— Don't worry — he replied with a shrug —, the only requirement is that everyone must be holding hands in a circle while the spell is activated.
This seemingly trivial detail was crucial: anyone left outside the circle would be excluded from the spell's range and wouldn't be teleported.
— If everything goes according to plan… where will you activate the scroll?
Activating it inside the orphanage would have been a grave mistake. Any of the caretakers could discover us, not to mention the children slept in separate rooms. Our goal was to rescue as many as possible, as long as they could fend for themselves.
— Outside, in the recess courtyard — he replied after weighing all the options.
— Well, that's not a bad place — I licked my dry lips, feeling the adrenaline start to course through my veins.