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"Yeah." Oci nodded, drawing a few shadows into his hand in case he had to cause a distraction. "Uh…" He bit his lip and looked at Marco. "If we don't get out of here… I don't regret it. I'm, uh… I'm glad I met you. Anyways. Let's go."
Marco nodded, "I'm glad I met you too, though I have yet to see if I regret this…" he said before opening the tunnel, leading out into a small private thicket of willow trees.
Oci smiled softly and followed Marco out of the tunnel. He glanced around the trees, wondering how such a terrible king could even be allowed something so beautiful. He loved this wild nature around him, though he didn't get it much, living in the city.
Marco crept over to the edge of the thicket, peeking out into the more open garden space around it, before spotting the wall several meters away. No guards in sight…. he thought, humming worriedly.
Oci followed Marco silently,scanning the area as he went. The garden appeared to be deserted, which may or may not be good news. "Everything okay?" He whispered in Marco's ear.
"Can't tell" said Marco, "The next passage is over there, make it and we're practically home free."
"Alright, then. Let's go, before this place is swarming with guards." Oci glanced around the garden again before looking back at Marco. "Do you want me to lead the way?"
Marco hummed, "I'll lead" he said softly, "I'll need you to cover me while I get the passage open."
"Alright." Oci nodded and held his knife at the ready. He was really hoping there wouldn't be a need for cover, but at the same time, he was sure their luck could never hold that long.
Marco nodded, before taking a breath, then bolting out into the open, glancing back only once before leaping a flowerbush, and ducking behind a tree, halfway to the wall.
Oci hurtled after him, trying not to make too much noise. He kept looking around, waiting for someone to jump from behind a wall or through a doorway. He'd just reached the halfway point when he heard shouts coming from somewhere on top of the wall that surrounded the garden. "Oop, looks like we're going to get some company." Oci looked up to see a couple of guards– three, at the most– looking down at them. None of them appeared to have any ranged weapons, which would give them a little longer to get out of there.
Marco nodded, "C'mon!" he said, dashing off to the wall, looking back every few steps to make sure there were no additional threats.
Oci cast one last look at the guards on top of the wall and followed him. "Okay, let's get that door open as quick as possible. I don't like our chances if anyone brings a bow to the party." He stood with his back to Marco, watching for any additional threats.
Marco nodded, summoning his aura to open the passage, taking only a minute to do so before pulling Oci through the doorway with him, pulling it shut.
Oci stumbled into the passageway, falling into Marco for a second before regaining his balance. "Will they be able to get into here?" He asked, shifting his grip on his knife slightly.
Marco huffed softly, catching his breath. "They probably won't, but theres still a chance they will." he said sotly.
"Okay." Oci nodded. "We should probably leave before they get the chance to get in here. Also, do we need light or does this one have lights in it already?"
Marco nodded in agreement, moving to light up the tunnel as an answer to his question. "Shall we?"
"Yes." A slight murmur of noise came from where the door to the passage was. "Sounds like they found us." Oci wrinkled his nose. "Gods curse them."
Marco nodded, "Let's go then." he said, hurrying off down the tunnel, heading for the nearest way out.
"Alright." Oci followed Marco down the tunnel. As they got farther away from the door, the sounds of the guards got fainter, which relieved Oci's nerves a good deal.
Marco led them quickly through the dark passage, before finally stopping at a dead end, searching for a secret switch.
Oci followed a little way behind Marco. He was straining his ears, trying to catch a sound that might mean that the guards had gotten in. So far, he hadn't heard anything, but that didn't mean they were safe yet. When Marco started searching for the switch, Oci turned toward the empty tunnel, still listening for any danger.
Marco cursed softly, "I know it's here, it has to be!" he whispered to himself, still searching, his efforts becoming more frantic when they heard shouts from far off.
"You'll find it, Marco," Oci said, drawing the shadows towards him. "I'll hold them off for as long as it takes." The shouting grew closer, though it wasn't close enough to cause a total panic. Still, Oci was getting ready for a fight. He would give Marco as much time as he could.