I rushed to help the old wizard while trying not to cry. The old wizard looked at me with a sigh and hurriedly gave me a hug. 

“Samuel, I know you want me to tell you it’s going to be okay, but it won't be. I am just as afraid as you are but for your family, we must be brave and escape this nightmare. You need to be brave for me and I will be for you. Only then will we be able to escape and live to avenge your family.” The old wizard said as he looked into my eyes, his damp with tears on the verge of leaving his eyes. I looked at him and nodded my head. I retreated into myself to hold my feelings together as my father has taught me. 

“No time to feel emotions when in the heat of battle!” My father always told me when training. Words to live by the old wizard always said. 

We gathered the essentials I would apparently need but everything was a blur, so I don't even know what we grabbed, to be honest. The old wizard and I traveled down the corridor, closer to the fighting it seemed. 

"This doesn't feel like escaping, it feels like walking into the fight," I said as I glanced at the old wizard.

"Well, the only way down is the main staircase and the servant one. Unfortunately, they are both near each other, but we will go down the servant staircase in hopes that the enemy is not moving up those. Remember no matter what you see or hear do not stop from following me, you cannot help by allowing yourself to be killed. Promise me this.” The old wizard pleaded with me as he stared into my eyes. I knew deep down this promise would haunt me for the rest of my life, but I also knew it needed to be made. 

“I promise.” I barely said as I fought back tears and the rush of anxiety trying to destroy my barrier I set up to stop my emotions from escaping. 

We continued down the servant staircase, but I was hardly able to focus on my own steps as I continued to hear the screams and loud banging from the fighting. I nearly lost my step a few times and tripped twice into the old wizard. Luckily, he understood and was able to help me from falling down the staircase. How unfortunate it would be to die from falling down a staircase when escaping. That little thought made me giggle but I immediately felt guilty for laughing. 

“It’s common to find something remotely small funny in a very stressful or frightening state, my boy. Just don't be too loud to alert the enemy.” The old wizard said and gave me an understanding look while we slowly moved down the stairs. 

I just nodded and moved along behind him. We finally left the staircase to the servant corridor. I immediately thought of Alice and nearly ran to find her, but the old wizard immediately grabbed my shoulder with a knowing look. 

“Remember your promise. No matter what, don't leave from behind me.” 

“I am sorry, I feel like I need to help no matter the cost.”

“Good, keep that feeling, use it to ignite the flame of vengeance, but save it for when you are able to actually use it for something. You are not ready for the battle of the present, only the battle of the future is where you will find your justice.”

We resumed our walk and just after a few steps that is when I heard it. The screams of Alice, but they weren’t the screams described by my father of someone dying. It was something different. A sob like cry of defiance yet that of giving up as well. It was hard to describe and understand. I wanted so badly to go to the noise, but I knew I couldn’t. We continued moving along and that is when I saw Alice, but I wished I didn't. At that moment when crossing by her room, I wished I never saw her so that I could make a lie to myself that she escaped this place to live happily.  

I saw her in that room with three other people. Soldiers or bandits as that is how they appeared. They were holding her down and forcing themselves on her. I knew what rape was even for my young age due to my father’s teaching about the subject. Even with my mother's refusal for me to learn, my father said I needed to so that in case something happened I would be able to understand what it is, so I can properly use justice in those situations with bandits or the sort. 

I saw the men grinning like madmen. They were laughing as they hit Alice and ramming themselves into her. I wanted to help her so badly, but I couldn’t. I was stuck in place like I was in mud. I couldn't look away. The old wizard quickly grabbed me and carried me away. 

"We must help her," I said barely above a whisper.

“We cannot, it is a sick sight to see but we cannot do anything as it would make others aware of us escaping. The only way to help her is to seek justice in the future. I promise you, you will find it but not now.” The old wizard pleaded with me as he held me down the corridor. 

“Why can’t you save her with your powers?” I said while sobbing. 

“Because they have a sorceress here, she will sense my powers being used and then they will find us. I cannot protect you while I fight her, for I have sensed her powers and they are great. Mind you not better than mine but enough to stop me from protecting you for a while.” The old wizard explained with a hopeful expression that I would understand and move along with him to escape this hell hole. 

"I understand," I whispered.

We continued to the other staircase, this one moving us to the back of the castle where the kitchen was. We passed by other situations that will forever haunt my memory. Other servants, male and female were all being raped or torn apart by the bandits. They screamed for help but received none. It made my soul hurt more than anything. I wanted…no I needed to help them, but I couldn’t. I saw bodies dying in rooms and the corridor with blood seeping out of them. Guts were coming from opened bellies. Some people were still alive looking at us with pleading eyes just wanting us to help them. They were so scared of dying and it showed. I felt guilty, but I had to look away. I had to act like I couldn’t see them because if I did look, I would help them. 

We finally made it to the kitchen, it only took about fifteen minutes but to me, it felt like an eternity. For some reason, the kitchen was empty of bandits but not of bodies. Marian the cook was dead on the floor next to her husband Gabriel the castle hunter. It appeared he died trying to protect her as there was a bandit body in front of them. 

“We must hurry Samuel, they will be closing the walls trying to stop people from leaving soon.” 

“Okay old man, what do we do?”

“We need to go out the side door of the kitchen and move to the northwest side of the castle walls. There is a secret entrance that only the nobles should know about.” The old wizard said while looking out the door. 

“Were clear to go, move now and don’t stray behind.”

We ran through the night along the wall. You could still hear the screaming, but it started to die down now and so did the fighting. Even outside of the castle we still saw dead bodies. I swore to myself I would destroy those that did this and right the wrongs of those that prey on the weak. I will be the strongest so that I can protect those that I love and care for. 

We reached the entrance, but it didn’t look like one, but I guess that is the point. It was a small patch of ivy on the wall, but the old wizard cleaned it off and pushed his staff into a brick. The wall gave in and moved to create a hole about five by five. We ducked through and went out of the walled city and moved to the Auburn Forest. Once near the clearing, I saw the city. Everything was burning in the night. And that is when I saw him, my father hanging by his neck from the castle gate. Even from this distance, I knew it was him. Next, to him, I couldn’t believe it, it was Duke Harold and his son Darren. 

"Those bastards," I said through so much anger I felt blinded by rage and I nearly started running back to the castle to do something. 

“I know, but you need to remember the promise. We will avenge your family this I promise you. C’mon boy, we need to leave. I can now use magic and create a portal to my old home from decades ago since we are out of the range of that despicable sorceress.” The old wizard said as he looked back with sorrowed yet angry eyes at the city of Godwin. 

The old wizard created a portal and stepped through. I looked back and swore to return. 

“I’m sorry father, I was too weak, but I will become stronger. Please be at peace.” I said then I stepped through the portal.