Priestess Isabella reached the cell and, with a slash of her hand, she cut the bars into two and entered the cell.
"Come, child," she said before kneeling down and touching the anti-mana cuffs. They shattered instantly. "We must leave. Now."
Eliora's lips parted in shock, but no sound came out. She couldn't even stand without help. Isabella lifted her gently, but more guards were already rushing in from the stairs with their swords raised.
"Scram," Isabella said quietly.
A single burst of energy exploded from her hand, throwing them across the corridor like rag dolls.
The noise drew the palace elite knights, Governor Theodore's finest warriors. They poured down from above, ready to stop whatever threat had dared enter the prison.
Isabella looked at them and let out a slow, resigned breath. "I see. So I can't take her quietly."
She glanced at Eliora, who hovered beside her in mid-air under the influence of a floating spell. "Your Highness… you're about to go on a ride. Hold tight."
"Eh…?" Eliora blinked, barely catching the words.
Then Isabella's entire form blazed with golden light. The entire dungeon shook at once. Dust rained from the ceiling as the aura grew brighter and brighter until her silhouette vanished completely, and in her place, a colossal light dragon towered before them.
*Graaaa*
It let out a powerful roar.
"Sh*t... It's a dragon!"
"By the Sovereign… Priestess Isabella had a celestial bloodline?"
"Attack!"
"Attack? You idiot, that's a Dragon! RUN!"
Panic exploded among the elites due to the appearance of a dragon. Before they could retreat, the dragon roared again, instilling fear into the hearts of the knights.
And then with one mighty sweep of her tail, Isabella sent the warriors flying, smashing through walls as if they were made of paper.
Clutching Eliora gently in her massive claw, she launched upward. Stone shattered around them as she burst through the dungeon ceiling, through the palace floors above, without a care for what damage she was causing, and finally reached the open night sky.
Isabella beat her wings once, twice, and soon they climbed above the clouds, vanishing into darkness.
*
Hundreds of kilometers away from Iberica, the city of Valencia Nova slept under the quiet light of the twin moons. Neon boards flickered over empty streets, and the distant buzz of skycars drifted through the air, making the whole place feel like half-alive, half-asleep.
But inside a plain-looking house tucked between two tall buildings, the peace of the night's sleep was shattered by a shrill alarm.
*Beeep*
Agastya jolted upright in startle, "Intruders. Who the hell…?" His voice was still rough with sleep, but his instincts were wide awake.
He reached under his bed, grabbing the cold metal of a handheld energy cannon. Rolling out of bed, he moved quietly across the floor.
He slipped down the wooden stairs without making a single noise. The hall lights flickered on and off, throwing long shadows across the walls in the meantime. Agastya's golden-brown eyes scanned everything, the corners, the doorframes, and even the dark spots between furniture. His grip tightened around the trigger.
When he turned the last corner, he froze.
Two cloaked figures stood near the reception. They weren't hiding, though. They simply stood there, as if waiting for him.
Agastya didn't waste a second to point at them. "Freeze there. Tell me who you are and what you want, or else, don't blame me for..." His stance shifted, ready to strike the moment someone moved, but before he finished his warning, the smaller figure raised a hand.
A glint of silver caught the dim guild lights.
Agastya's breath slipped for a moment as he saw the half-broken coin. Slowly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his own half. A perfect match.
His eyes lifted to the intruders, studying them again. "So, which of you is my client?" he asked.
The taller one then dropped her hood, revealing her face. Agastya's frown deepened as he felt like he had seen her somewhere, although he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
But then, as the girl beside her also dropped her hood, Agastya's attention was instantly grabbed by her appearance. It isn't because of her beauty. But it is because of recognition. "I knew it..." He murmured, lowering the cannon.
Isabella then lifted a hand toward the girl. "Mr. Agastya, she is the one you must escort to the academy. Meet Princess Eliora Bat-El."
Agastya didn't blink and simply nodded calmly, "Yeah. I figured. The news is everywhere."
Every local channel had reported it. The third princess of Iberica had awakened an angelic bloodline and was marked for death. And now that she isn't in prison but standing before him, Agastya could guess that the Galactic Raiders would probably already set out to hunt her. And who knows how many bounty hunters and guilds will be on the move.
He ran a hand over his face, sighing. A secret escort mission with a celestial... he expected that much, but that the celestial bloodline is a princess... Agastya couldn't help but inwardly groan, feeling that his life had just become ten times harder.
Regardless, he had already taken the money and deposited one million credits into his account. However, he hadn't spent any of it yet. Should he return the money and refuse, or take the job and put a target on his back? The thought came to Agastya.
The choice twisted at him. On one side, a helpless girl and a lot of money. On the other hand, face a guaranteed death sentence if caught. Moreover, the portal-point to the Academy were far from the city. The risks of getting caught are higher because the princess is a high-profile figure. Every media channel would probably report her disappearance, issuing a bounty.
After thinking it through, Agastya let out a deep breath and nodded. "Alright, I'll take her."
Priestess Isabella stepped back and firmly said. "I will create a distraction on the opposite side of the city. It should give you atleast this night, from a Raider Team's chase."
Crossing his arms, Agastya leaned against the counter and stared at her as if trying to read her entire plan in her expression alone. "And what exactly are you planning to do, Miss Client?"
Isabella pulled her hood back into place in response and said, "I carry the bloodline of Light Dragon, Mr. Agastya. If I use my draconic form and fly away, everyone's eyes will be on me. Meanwhile, you take the route to the Sea of Tranquility." She turned toward Eliora, and for a moment her sharp expression softened into gentleness. "Your Highness, from this point on, you follow him. He will take you to the Academy. It's the only place you'll be safe."
"Priestess…" Eliora stiffened, curling her fingers around the edges of her cloak. Agastya noticed the struggle in her eyes, the fear and the doubt. After all, she had to rely on a stranger she didn't know.
"You will be alright," Isabella assured her, placing a warm hand on the girl's shoulder. "He will keep you safe. You can trust him."
Eliora swallowed hard and finally nodded. In the background, Agastya crossed his arms and rolled his eyes as if trying to look impressive. But there is an urgency in his voice. "Okay, we don't have much time to waste on meaningless conversation. Now, if you leave, I'll start preparations for the escort."
Isabella shot him a cold, flat look at first, but then shut her eyes for a second and then calmly said. "Okay, I'm leaving her in your care."
With that final word, she turned and walked out into the night, disappearing into nothing.
For a while, the guildhall fell silent again. There was this awkward tension between Agastya and Eliora for a bit. But he sighed and broke the ice by gesturing toward an old couch shoved in the corner, "Sit. You look like you're about to faint."
Eliora obeyed, lowering herself onto the couch with the same stiff posture she used in the palace. Her back was straight with her hands folded neatly, as though she were still a royal princess.
Agastya sat across from her, resting his cheek on his palm. "You hungry?"
"No," she answered softly.
"Thirsty? Need Water?"
She shook her head.
He stared at her for a moment, then chuckled under his breath. "Princess, you're on the run. Relax a little. Sitting like that won't protect you."
She frowned slightly, unsure how to respond.
Agastya leaned back in his seat. "Anyway, we won't be leaving right away without proper preparations. If you want to stay alive, you need to blend in. Which means looking less like her highness, and more like a normal girl from the slums."
Eliora blinked in confusion. "Change my appearance?"
"Obviously." Agastya stood up, stretching his arms. Then, without warning, he reached into thin air and pulled out several items, like hair dye bottles, a small mirror, and a bundle of plain clothes.
Eliora's eyes widened. "Spatial magic?"
She'd only ever read about spatial magic and creation magic in books. Both were extremely rare.
Agastya only smirked, explaining nothing about his power. He placed the items in front of her. "Alright. Let's figure out how to make you look like the least wanted person in the empire."
Eliora stared at the clothes and tools, and the realization instantly settled heavily in her chest. For the first time in her life, she was about to discard the identity she had carried from birth.
She took a quiet breath and whispered, "please be gentle."