Chapter 10: Chapter 10

Slowly we're creeping down the corridor. It smells moldy as if nobody cleaned it in years. "Where is this place?"

"It's a secret prison, underground. Only for the cruelest criminals, King Arres must despise you."

"If it's underground, how do you want to escape? I doubt the guards would let us leave."

"That's the good thing about secret places; they can't have too many guards, or rumors will spread." We soon arrived at a large door. Behind it is a stairway to the surface. We came across other entries to four more floors on the way up. A lot of criminals the King has.

On one side, Tom supports me; on the other, I grip the wall. I stumble a lot, nevertheless. So it takes us a while. Finally, in front is a large gate, but it stands open. "Let me check first."

Time crawls as I wait for his return. I focus attention on myself. My arms have basically no skin left, almost like Torsang's head, only fresher. I have thousands of cuts over my body; some are already scars. My face shouldn't be better off.

"Something must have happened," Tom whispers when he returns, "we can't leave now."

"Then, what'll we do? How long are we going to stay?"

"I'm not sure. Do you have somewhere to be?"

"No, but I'm hungry. The last time I ate was three days ago. It was disgusting but better than starving."

"Relax. I have enough with me. Now let's go back down."

I assumed being back, but not this early. My cell's smell is too much for us; that's why we sit in front. It's risky, but nothing will get me back in there. After a while, I can't hold it back anymore, "you said something about food?"

He doesn't have anything on him where he could carry it, but he still answers, "Yes, give me one second." He sits down next to me. Then pulls fruits and dried meat out of the air.

"Where did that come from?" I question him as I stuff my mouth full.

"This's a Mystic ring. I'm sure you never heard of it. The ring is a medium to another place," He shows me a slim black ring; if you don't look for it, you won't see, "you must simply bind it to yourself with Mana, and you can store things inside."

"Really? Where did you get it? Can I have one? How-"

"Calm down. It's a present from my mother. She never told me, and I kept it to myself. The only other Mystic ring I heard of has the King, but it's different. The one I have has space as big as a large chest. His is rumored to be like a large room."

"Why're there so few? It sounds useful."

"It's because only one man could create them. He lived a few centuries ago, and his name was Manu. Nobody knows how he created them, even after all these years."

I finished my meal and went to sleep. It has been a long time since I felt this comfortable.

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I stride down the corridor and wonder why my father summoned me today. Usually, he's so busy I don't see him for weeks. Before I realize it, I arrive at a massive door. In front stand two servants but no guards; it's a sign of weakness if you have them inside your home.

They open the door and announce, "the crown Prince Finn Insani humbly enters." With confident steps, I walk toward the throne. The room is shaped like a hexagon, with seats on the left and right sides. My father, the King, sits high on the other side of the room. The throne is built out of blue stone but without a backrest. Instead, the wall behind is painted purple with a black star.

I walk up to the stairs. Then, to show my respect, I bow with my right fist on my heart and the left behind my back. "Come!" Not my father's, but the King's voice resounds through the room.

"You dare to shame your family like that." I knew this day would come.

"I would never. It hurts me deeply that you would even think like that, father." I immediately regret my words. My father and I have an excellent relationship compared to my brother.

"Don't play with me. You know precisely what I'm talking about, son."

"I don't care about your stupid laws!" I yell at him, "Why can't I decide for myself?"

"Because we're the rulers and have to make sacrifices!" His roar echoes like thunder. I keep quiet. I know he's right, but my heart wins against my mind.

"Father, please, if you would just get to know her. I'm sure-"

"No, we're done here. Leave!"

I storm out of the room. I hate this. Why couldn't I have been born as a commoner? Everything would be so much easier. I ran so fast that I reached the abandoned part of the castle. I recall something about repairs of something.

I walk further inside like something is pulling me. I feel like destiny awaits me, but I walk by a room with weird sounds. I carefully creep closer until I can see inside. Right before me, I lock eyes with my moaning mother bouncing up and down. She shouts at me, but my mind is blank. I see the man's face slowly coming into...
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"Hey, wake up. We need to figure our next step out." Tom shakes me. Why do all my dreams end like that? Always at the most crucial part. As I see it, 'my' exile was much more than I thought.

"Sure. Any suggestions?" I have something in mind, but first, I'll hear him out.

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"No, not really. I checked upstairs again, but it was still heavily guarded. My companions started too early."

"What are you talking about?"

"To get you out smoothly, some of my men are causing a little trouble outside. So the guards concentrate on them."

"Your men? Who are you?"

"You know the Partnership of Peace, right?" I nod, "we're the small part that's less focused on talking, if you understand what I mean. We call ourselves the Sehvler."

"So you're rebels."

"More like freedom fighters. In the last years, oppression has gotten stronger. The rich and powerful get everything and dump their leftovers on us. Now they even plan to invade the Insani Kingdom. Nobody since the black King did something like that."

"Right. But why are you telling me all this? I mean, isn't this group supposed to be undercover?"

"Yes..."

"...Okay, why?"

"I was initially skeptical, but my mother assured me you're trustworthy."

"Your mum did?" I exclaim a tiny bit too loud. I like his mum, she's hot.

"Yes. Now how are we going to leave?" Isn't he here to break me out? Weird that he asks me. Whatever.

"One idea is to wait here and take them out one after another or wait for an opportunity to sneak out," I hold my hand up to stop him, "I know there're too many things that could go wrong. My other plan is dangerous, more for the civilists than us."

Now skeptical, he asks, "What kind of plan do you have in mind?"

"We're releasing the prisoners and concealing us amongst them. That way, your identity should still be unidentified."

"How is that going to help us? They are rapists and murderers who got tortured for the last few years. I would be a surprise if they could walk."

I give him a minute to figure it out, but he doesn't. Am I the weird one for thinking like that? Uh, don't go in that direction, nothing good there. "We leave the political criminals here. The scum we're going to use as meat shields."

"No, that's immoral. I can't do that. No-No-Even."

"Shut up," I interrupt him, "Do you have children?" He shakes his head. "But you have a mother. Think about it, the people here raped or killed a mother, a daughter, a sister, a brother, or a father, and they landed here because they did it numerous times. They didn't think after the first time, which is once too much; I made a mistake, and I'll do better. No, they did it again and again until they got caught. So even if the King of the Elves is an ass, he did the right thing. We would give them the release of death, which they don't deserve."

"I-I guess you're right, but what if they escape?"

"Like you said, they're the walking dead after the treatment they got here."

On this floor are nine more cells. Tom unlocks them all and the prisoners. Strangely, there's one key for every lock, so I ask him about it. "Actually, this key doesn't exist. I got it from my mother, who said something about old times."

One of the prisoners is dead, which leaves us with eight. I lie that we're here to help them escape, and they believe me readily. We repeat that on all the other floors. In the end, we gathered 41 prisoners. They wanted to storm out immediately, but I could stop them.

Tom and I climbed upstairs again because there was one cell that we didn't open. We thought it was for an extreme criminal, but now that we stand in the door, we're shocked. On the wall sags a small boy not more than fours old.

The shackles were made for kids. I can't believe what I'm seeing. All kinds of emotions erupt in me; pity-sadness-hate-rage. I clench my fist and step toward him. The closer I get, the more I'm sure he isn't human. He's too broad for his height. He seems unhurt but so dirty that his once-white hair is now grey. I remove his shackles and carry him down. He sleeps through everything.

"What is this kid doing here?" One of the prisoners asks. Oliver is one of the few who doesn't complain or make trouble and also is human.

"I would like to know too. I found him upstairs."

"He's a Dwarf! Are the Elves crazy?"

"What did you say?" "I'll show you crazy." "Disgusting Human, let me taste you." The Elves yell.

They continue until I shout at them, "Calm down. Are you trying to let the whole city know we're here?"

We let them rest for a couple of hours and then climbed the stairs for the last time. Tom, me, and the kid are in front of the closed gate. We wait for everyone to arrive upstairs. Then, Tom carefully creeps to the entrance to unlock it. He puts the key inside, and everybody holds their breath. Finally, the lock clicks, and the door opens. No sounds are coming from the outside, so you hear all the breaths being released.

"Where am I? Mummy! I want my mummy!" A young voice shrieks through the silence.

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