It was night
when I woke. It somehow felt odd for I normally slept soundly
through the night. Yet, I had a new determination building inside
my chest.
I sat up
ignoring the dull pain that followed. I turned to the wall and
with my claws I began to dig around the bolt that held my chains.
A few times
I stopped to listen. Though Royce and my carnivorous rat friend
were the only beings I had seen since my imprisonment I could not
be too careful. I could very well end up in a cell bound in
something far stronger than chains.
Quietly, I
continued my work.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One might
ask, why not use magic? I knew not whether it was the disgusting
food provided, my weakened state, or the combination of the two
but I could not summon any magic from my surroundings. Nothing.
It was now
two days later from the time I had begun the process of my
escape. The bolt was all but falling from the wall, yet I was
still too weak to pull it out.
During the
periods of rest, I plotted how I would regain my strength and
seek out Ghaleon and Althena. If I could find them, what was I to
do? I knew that I had an unusual power in me, but at what level I
was unsure. Would it be enough to find those whom I needed to
find?
A squeak
from my rat friend brought me out of my reverie. He appeared to
be quite angered at the cuff on my ankle.
"Why so
furious little one? At least you are not imprisoned. Your home is
right over there." To kill the monotony I spoke to the rat
every so often. It helped my voice as well, for now I could pass
as a gravely voiced old man if one could not see my face.
I turned my
attention back to my work and again turned at the enraged
squeaking of the rodent a few moments later.
I leaned
closer to take a look and hopefully find the source of his
annoyance. There was a crack in the anklet! I patted the little
rat who sniffed my hand in return. I tried prying it apart but to
no avail, I was still too weak. I looked around the floor and
found a flat piece of stone...
Success! I
touched the tender, raw, flesh and felt more hope rush through
me. I looked to the other ankle but unfortunately there wasn't a
crevice of any sort. My sight must have been failing me for I
could not believe I had missed such a thing!
I was so
unbelievably happy, yet exhaustion followed, and I had no choice
but to rest against the wall.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I
do not understand your way of thinking Yasuo! All you need to do
is forget Lunar, and your imprisonment is over! Over! You would
not have a care in the world here! Nothing but happiness and
peace. Do you wish to suffer in the other world? Is that
it?"
Kakari was
not happy. That was obvious. It struck me wrong why she was
becoming so forceful about my becoming a permanent citizen of
Akaria. What was the rush? I still wished to live here once my
concern in Lunar was over. I had decided not to tell Kakari my
decision. It would be foolish.
"I
am sorry Yasuo. I forget that you are so used to your dream
realm. You have forgotten what the real world is like. Stay there
as long as you wish. Whenever you are ready let me know... now,
this is your room here in the palace..."
I had been
so caught up in thought that the beauty of the castle I was
presently walking through had totally escaped me. I was sure to
become lost if I had no guidance.
"My
room?"
"Yes,
just the way we left it last time..."
I was in the
middle of the room when I turned to her at the sudden change in
her voice. She had begun to unbutton her blouse.
"I need
some rest now Kakari, thank you for bringing me here." It
was a curt response, but I did not know her and her forwardness
was not something I wished to deal with at the moment.
"You've
been away so much lately Yasuo. Let us spend time together. Come
now..."
I looked
away and gritted my teeth. How could I make her understand? Why
could I not leave? Come back later when surely she was in less of
a... mood, for lack of better wording.
"I am
sorry Kakari. I wish to be alone now." There was a moment of
silence.
"Very
well. Rest now, and I will come back later to finish... the
tour."
She slammed
the door behind her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I leaned
against the wall and held onto the bars for balance. My leg
muscles practically flaccid. Without the chains holding me back,
I felt a new sense of freedom even before my next challenge,
which was to find a way passed the bars.
"Well
my friend," I looked down to the rat. "Think you could
go find the key?"
To my
surprise, the rat slipped between the bars and ran down the dark
hall.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The mine
walls looked all the same... as I made my way down the halls I
saw no other cells. No other windows. No one. It was strange that
there was that one window across from my cell...just where was I?
I had taken a torch from the wall my only source of light. I
prayed that there were no creatures to attack me while I searched
for my way out. I doubted that I would be able to put up much of
a fight.
I stopped
and leaned heavily against the earthen wall. I was a little short
of breath. How many miles under ground was I? Would I ever find
my way out? Would the mysterious individual who had been bringing
the detestable food and drink find me?
"Best I
put those thoughts from my mind. No time to dawdle, I need to get
out of this place."
The rat
squeaked as though in reply as he came scurrying from behind me.
Dare the
corner of my mouth rise in even the smallest of smiles? No
matter, I remembered a lesson from Vane in which rats had saved
the lives of many trapped in such a situation as mine for rats
traveled towards fresh air. I was trying my best to be
optimistic, not many people would let such a rodent hold their
life in its ...paw?
As we moved
on, my legs seemed to strengthen and quicken in step. It was much
easier to breathe as time and passages passed.
"Wait,
my little friend, I need to rest." I slumped to the floor;
maybe I had over estimated my newfound energy...
Again, the
rat surprised me for it sat back on its haunches looking at me
with a squeak.
"I wish
I had some food to treat you for guiding me. Mayhap I will find
some once we reach the surface... Do you hear that my little
friend? I wonder what that could be."
I stood as
the rumbling sound grew louder. I could feel the vibration under
my feet, and the rat became rather excitable and took off.
I did my
best to follow, my legs though much stronger than even a day ago
were still rather unsound.
As I ran,
rocks and other debris fell from all around me as the sound grew
even louder, or rather, much closer. It now sounded like some
kind of machine. I had only heard a few machines in my life, but
this one sounded incredibly huge. What could be so large as to
make such a deafening pitch?
I no not how
long I ran but as I did more and more mining tools crossed my
path.
I must have
been getting closer to the end!
The sound
from the ungodly machine was deafening and I could hear nothing
else but its overpowering growls and grinding.
There! A
light up ahead!
Pain
suddenly shot up my leg as I fell over something. I spit the dirt
from my mouth as I turned over and pushed myself to a sitting
position and then stood. I was not sure what it was. Tons of
horns protruding from its...head? It was covered in a horribly
smelling green substance... or perchance it was just the thing
itself that smelled.
The ground
shook violently and I almost fell again. There was no time left
to see if this creature could be helped ... there was no time to
escape from the cave-in that blocked my path before me...
Or the soil ceiling that fell as I looked above.
§ Chapter 14 § Tear Main § Chapter 16 §
