I kept my eyes closed and waited for the signal that they would use when they were close. My whole body was sore from being beaten by Camen, and I couldn't wait until I could get out of the shirt that held much of the pain. I was just grateful I had been able to fix my rib and change my shirt before he did start to beat me again.

The plan was simple, make sure that everyone, including Joel and May, was asleep and then go in and get him out quickly. Tito went with Camen this time for whatever reason, and I prayed that they weren't suspicious of him.

If they were, then I had no idea how the king would react. I had no idea if he would still respect me or help me with other "projects" that I wanted to try.

'Cass?' Charlie asked, softly. He had been listening to my thoughts, uninvited but not unwelcome. He was silent, but I could tell that he was worried because I was slowly sinking into depression. 'It's almost time. Are you ready?'

I sighed and shook my head, putting all of my feelings in a closed box and opened my eyes. 'Almost,' I said, pushing myself into a seated position. I moved a hand through my hair and took off my shirt and the shirt that held all of the pain.

'Do... you wanna talk? While you get ready?' he asked, softly.

I chewed on my lip and hesitated, getting ready for the mission ahead, quickly. I trusted Charlie with my life.

He was the one that had welcomed me into the Alpha Beta when Sergio had been on a mission. He had been one of my Guards when I was in that dank cell and had been the kindest one.

I sighed and cleared my throat. 'Ummm... I miss him,' I said softly. I pulled on the mask and placed the hood over my head before quickly gathering the supplies that I would need. 'Let's talk later. I am ready,' I added, making sure that all straps were in place and all weapons were in reaching distance.

Charlie frowned, and I could tell that he was dissatisfied. He wanted to talk about it now, but he understood my reasoning and that I had to focus on the meeting at hand. 'Ok, the Mist has been released. Everyone should be out... now, and we're moving in.'

I nodded my head and slipped out of the tent. I noticed three other Guardsmen nearby and nodded to them before leading them to the tent that held the Soothsayer.

I had no idea if this gray Mist would affect him or not, but I knew I would find out as soon as I got there. 'Is the van set up?' I asked, slinking through the shadows.

'Everything is set up and waiting for you to to get him out and loaded,' Charlie replied. 'I am connecting your earpiece with all the others as well as the Alpha Beta.' He paused, and I knew that he felt my scowl. 'Not a word, Cassandra Marie,' he warned. 'You need to be connected to them, and you know that.'

I huffed but didn't say a word. I heard the buzz of people in the back of my mind while I made it to the tent. 'Stay back,' I said, noticing how the Mist didn't enter the tent like it did the others. My whole body grew tense, and I had no idea if this was normal or not. 'Are you seeing this, C-8-1-18?' I asked, switching to our coded names because of the other members.

'Yes,' Charlie said, and I could feel his dissatisfaction from here. 'You go first and have someone follow. I think R-9-3-8 should be able to help. He's been good at the retrieval end. The other two are good at making sure that no one will get in.'

'Which will not happen because of the Mist,' Sergio said. 'I don't know how that Soothsayer will hold up. Do you have the hood and cuffs?'

'Yes,' I replied. I licked my lips and walked forward until the edge of the Mist. I knew that the male, R-9-3-8, was waiting for my signal to move forward as well. 'I think I should do this part alone. If I have any trouble, I'll contact you.' I looked at the male and felt his scowl. 'If the Soothsayer is awake, then he will be in a very panicked state.' Especially after this morning, I added silently.

'Let her do it,' Commander said. 'She is right. If he gets too panicked, then there is no way of knowing what will happen to him. You will contact him if you need to. Do you understand, C-1-19-19?'

'Yes, Commander,' I said, taking a deep breath in. I took another step forward and felt this wave of energy and magic wash over me while I passed through it. My whole body stood at attention, and it took my breath away because I had not expected this.

'C-1-19-19? Take a step back and send a diagnostic,' Sergio said, panicking. 'All of your vitals are going up a dangerous level. You need to get out of there, now.'

'No time,' I replied. I took a deep breath in and tried to take another step farther in, but I was not able to. I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth while I did that, feeling stubborn.

'C-1-19-19, do as I say, ge-'

'Shut up,' I snapped. 'Let me focus.' I took a deep breath in and pushed my foot down more. However, nothing happened, and I wasn't able to put the foot down. I ignored everything and everyone except for this ancient power around me.

Taking a deep breath, I tapped into the... weird power that I had felt when the Soothsayer marked me and opened my eyes, determined to get through. Let me through, now, I said, silently to the power holding me back.

I slammed my foot towards the ground and was finally able to break free from the binds that held me away from my goal.

'Holy,' Sergio began.

'Shit,' Charlie said. 'The hell was that?'

I didn't reply and entered the tent, noticing how dark it was. My ears picked up the sound of the Soothsayer going '76-24-24-32' over and over again.

He was sobbing and muttering the code, and I knew that he sensed me in the space with him. "Please, see, Master," he sobbed, breaking the code. "Please, see."

I didn't reply as I moved towards him, letting my other senses guide me to him.

It was too dark for me to make anything out except for the shadow of something moving, closer and closer to the other end of the wall.

Slowly, like a predator, I moved towards him. I ignored everything and everyone as I took out a pair of cuffs from my belt.

Unlike my other cuffs, these weren't made of silver and were better made for someone who would struggle like the Soothsayer. If I could put them on him or not, I did not know, but I was going to try because I had no idea if R-9-3-8 would be able to get into here.

"76-24-24-32," he said again. "76-24-24-32."

I didn't reply and moved closer to him. As soon as I sensed him getting ready to move, I lashed out and placed one cuff on his wrist before he shoved me away from him. "Shit," I muttered under my breath, noticing that he was starting to panic.

'Do you need help?' Charlie asked, nervously. There was tension in his voice, and I knew that he was wanting to send R-9-3-8 to me.

'I don't know if he can get through,' I replied. I moved quickly to his right and grabbed the hand that had the cuff and flicked it onto the other one, pushing him onto his knees. "Look at me," I said, speaking for the first time to the still fighting male. I grabbed his face and held it steady.

The Soothsayer stopped struggling and looked at me with wide eyes. He didn't say a word but whimpered, and I could tell that he was very afraid of me. Tears filled his eyes, and he tried to blink them back, but some of them fell to the ground.

I wiped his eyes before pulling my mask down and offering him a tight smile. "Trust me, ok?" I asked, softly.

The Soothsayer whimpered but nodded his head. "I trust, Master," he mumbled, "I trust."

I nodded my head and placed the mask back up. "Forgive me," I said, letting go of him. I grabbed the hood and placed it over his head before grabbing his arm and gently pulled him up. I gently started to lead him out of the tent and passed the border, making sure to have a tight grasp on his arm to keep him from falling.

'The van's ready,' Charlie said. 'Everyone is in position.'

'Good. We're moving out. We'll meet them there. You know your job, C-8-1-18. Make sure that it stays like this until I get back.'

'I will,' he replied. 'You just be careful. We don't know what to expect when he comes back.'

I scowled but didn't reply, surprised that he didn't put up much up a fight as I lead him away from the tent and towards the parked van.

I could feel a fight brimming just below the surface, hearing him mutter '72-24-24-36' over and over under his breath like he wanted to tell me something, even though I wouldn't let him.

The other three filed around me when I made it to them, the ancient power not bothering us now that I had the Soothsayer under my care. They didn't say a word but slinked through the shadows as if they weren't even there, leading a man to his freedom for the first time in years.