"What do you have in mind, Snow?" Nadia said.

"I will release you. All of you will move away from here."

"We have nowhere to go."

"You do now."

Siderius pulled out the deed for Santa Roberto and unrolled it.

Nadia and the miners stepped into the light. The female miner squatted down to better read the parchment.

"This is… A deed to a monastery. The Baron of Scalize has given it to a high noble called Siderius Satterblade."

Nadia looked up at Siderius with questions in her eyes. She still remembered the fake name Siderius had used before. Or rather, it was his real name but she thought it was just an alias.

"The Baron has gifted it to you?"

"That's right."

Siderius rolled the deed back and tucked it into his pocket.

"What if they find out your true identity, Snow?"

"My true identity is what I claim it to be. No one will care who I am. They only care that I am the White Witch. Besides, I have the Baron of Scalize on my side."

"You did a lot of things these last few months, Snow. A lot of impressive things. But you have to understand, taking me and my men in will make you the enemy of the Bailiff."

Siderius grinned. There was no fear in his eyes, only dense bloodlust.

"I have no intention of keeping him alive, Nadia. He has a role in the death of my mother."

Nadia took a deep breath. She turned back to look at her men. These were the most loyal, most truthful men that followed her. They would die for her like a worker ants sacrificed themselves for their queen.

They had changed since that day. No longer the cowards they used to be. The torture and harsh conditions they had endured only further forge their resilience.

Nadia had also changed. A change that could never be reversed. She endured the most out of everyone. Unspeakable and indescribable humiliation and pain.

The miners looked at her. Their gazes were emptied of hesitation and fear. Only an unbreakable will remained.

"Who will follow me?" Nadia said.

The miners didn't think long. They raised their fists up in the air.

"Nadia! Nadia! Nadia!"

Their answer was clear.

The woman turned back to Siderius. "Will you accept us?"

"From now on, you are my brothers and sisters." Siderius solemnly said. "Follow me and no one will get left behind.

Today, we break out of the Rocky Pit."

The miners screamed in unison.

Ashe took the key from Geofon's cold corpse and passed it to Nadia. She unlocked her shackles and passed the key to the other.

All the miners of this cell were released. They scattered in the mine and grabbed every tool and weapon they found. They mostly found pickaxes and hammers.

The miners broke down the other cells. Their grueling reality had hardened their body and strengthened their body. These loosely held prison bars were nothing compared to the rock they mined every day.

On the surface, the guards circled around the entrance. Geofon had gone down with two strangers for a long time. For some unknown reason, dread filled the heart of the guard. The air thickened like mud and the wind stopped howling.

An eerie atmosphere took over the guards. They could feel that something was going to happen. They just didn't know what.

And then two shadows emerged from within the shadow. Siderius and Ashe appeared behind the iron bars.

But there was no sight of Geofon. Some of the guards were thinking of voicing their suspicion when Siderius pulled out his sword. The fire switch let out a huge spark that ignited the entire blade.

The flaming blade cut through the iron bars, opening the entrance wide.

The guards stepped back in unison. Their jaws were wide open while a few clenched their poleaxes..

Siderius and Ashe stepped forward, bathing in the light of the torch. His golden eyes illuminated, delivering an eerie feeling to the guards.

Nadia appeared behind them and stood beside Siderius.

"That?!"

"Who let that bitch out?"

"Nadia is free!"

The miners flooded out from the mine. Their hands held pickaxes and hammers. Their number was much greater than the guards. They overwhelmed them by surprise.

The poleaxes of the guards did nothing in front of the anger and savagery of the crowd.

"Is this okay, Master? Letting them kill the guards?" Ashe said.

"Their rage must be quenched, my apprentice. One way or another." Siderius said.

Nadia nodded in agreement. "We can't let them live. Not after what they did."

The three walked calmly in the midst of battle. Bodies fell on the ground constantly. Blood splattered out like a water fountain.

There were a few miners that suffered and fell down amongst the guards. But Nadia didn't bat an eye. Nor did any of the miners. They faced death many times and they would mourn for the fallen… after the battle.

The miners knew what they signed up for and they happily died for it.

This would only strengthen them, making them true warriors.

"I have said it before, Nadia. But I have to say it again. You have something special here. A legion that is willing to die for you." Siderius said.

Nadia nodded grimly. A guard rushed at them. Nadia picked up a pickaxe on the ground and slammed at the guard sideway.

The pickaxe broke the poleaxe in two and continued slamming into the ribcage of the guard, sending him flying and falling on the ground. The miners quickly surrounded him and beat him to death.

"I know, Snow. I know. But this responsibility is heavy. I don't know if I can bear this heavy weight."

Siderius placed his hand on Nadia's shoulder. "Don't worry. You won't have to do everything alone."

Nadia was surprised. Her eyes widened briefly. Siderius was different from Alex. Alex wanted to help her too, but he wanted to make decisions for her. Not like Siderius.

Siderius was calmer. With a reliable feeling that she couldn't describe.

The vengeful hunter saw the doubt in her eyes.

"Do you know what makes a great ally, Nadia?"

She shook her head in silence.

"It is trust."

The trio continued walking. Dead bodies kept falling. Soon most of the guards were dead. The remaining rushed to the gate.

"Close it! Close it now!"

They climbed on their watch towers and shut the big wooden gate tight.

Siderius took out his sling and slotted the Explosive Projectile in.

"Allow me."

He spun the first Projectile to the right watch tower. The top of the tower exploded into bits. The guards slammed to the ground heavily, their bodies broken and motionless.

He slotted the second Projetile and destroyed the second tower. This time, all the guards jumped down first, escaping their death. Their legs echoed the crispy sound of broken legs as they fell down.

The miners quickly surrounded them and ended their lives.

The two watch towers held control over the gate. When they were destroyed, the mechanism released itself. The miners slammed into the wooden gate and pushed it out with their might.

Outside the Rocky Pit, the remaining guards used all their strength to hold the gate in place.

"Push! Push, you bastards! Push like your life depends on it! Because it does!"

But it was futile. The miners pushed the gate wide open, sending the remaining guards to the ground. They too were sent to their death as the miners overwhelmed them.

Nadia walked outside. She breathed in deeply.

"It is good to breathe some fresh air," she said.

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