Dungeon

"Thank Betor," Ingen's annoyed voice rings out through the dark and damp space, "I thought we'd never reach the bottom of those damned stairs."

The spiral staircase leads into an intersection with three hallways leading ahead, left, and right. Green-flamed Lanterns, black stone walls like those on the outside of the tower, the ceiling low enough that Ingen has to stoop to fit under it. Not a speck of dust or grime can be seen as if it's all been cleaned only hours ago.

Cage peers down each long hallway with narrow eyes. Ahead, green flames light the way, but thick darkness takes over farther down, obscuring where it might lead to. To the left, a corner can be seen maybe a hundred strides down the hallway, continuing on to the right to an unknown place.

And to the right, far down the hall, the green flames shine on an iron door set into the stone wall. Three directions, three chances. One will lead them to Yoru, that much they know. But the real question is; which one?

Cage glances up at Kyro, who studies each hallway with a focused gaze, "Sense anything?" he asks.

"Yes, but..." Kyro scrunches his face, concentrating hard. After a moment, he clicks his tongue, face relaxing, "There's so many sources, I can't tell which one is Yoru."

"We could split up," Ingen says, his booming voice echoing and returning to them in loud waves, "One of us is bound to find her."

"No. Absolutely not," Kyro replies quickly, "Ludan could be anywhere. Together, we may have a chance against him, but alone... It's not worth the risk."

"Then which way?" Cage asks, "Standing here isn't going to do us any good."

Kyro grimaces, "I'm think-"

"Wait," Cage interrupts, putting a hand on Kyro's arm. All eyes fall upon Cage, and he freezes, eyes staring at nothing as he listens for something. Suddenly, his eyes widen, "Footsteps. Someone's coming."

From the darkness of the hallway straight ahead, a figure appears. White robe, spear, cropped black hair, lines on a violet face in a constant scowl. Ingen frowns, squinting at the approaching man, "Is that... Detor? What in Betor's name is he doing here?" He asks in an incredulous tone.

"Perhaps he also acts as the Warden for the dungeon?" Kyro says slowly, brows furrowed, "But then, why did the Wolf act as if the man should not even be close to this place?"

No answers come to him, neither from his mind, nor the two men standing beside him. Cage glances up at Kyro, frowning, "It sounds like you two are close with him. Well, as close as a Collector can be with someone."

"He served in the Rajin army with us, but retired to the City Guard after our first year," Kyro says, "He's the only one that doesn't treat us like a stain on the road."

"Retired...?" Cage mutters to himself. Now it makes sense why every City Guard he has seen looks like an old man. Even in retirement, Rajin men do not escape servitude.

Detor looks up from the ground, the lines on his face not moving an inch as he notices the three men. He halts a mere ten paces away, the butt of his spear clacking against the stone as he looks over each gaze, "I was told that you three are dead," he says, his rough voice grating in the ears of those before him, "You found a way to remove the trackers?"

Kyro nods slowly, hand tight on the hilt of his sword, ready to react to an attack, "You have one too. That thing on the back of your head, it's a tracker, isn't it?" he asks.

Ingen and Cage look at Kyro with equally confused expressions. But Kyro ignores them, his attention is focused on the deep lines on Detor's face.

Detor pauses, eyes staring hard at Kyro, "It is."

"Then we can help each other," Kyro says, gesturing to Cage, "He can remove your tracker, and free you from Ludan's grip. All you have to do is tell us where Yoru is."

"No," Detor responds with firm words. He looks down at the stone, and the slightest hint of emotion flashes on his wrinkled face; exhaustion. The guard looks up at Kyro again, face instantly returned to its natural scowl, "It is pointless. I do not have the strength to change my circumstances. I will die a servant... Soon, I hope."

Kyro grits his teeth, "You have never changed the way you treat me, even after I fell from glory. I do not wish to kill you, Detor, but..." he says, searching for something in the guard's eyes, anything but anger and exhaustion, "...If you mean to keep me from my sister, then I will have no choice."

Silence hovers through the dark space for a moment, green flames crackling quietly. Kyro gulps, waiting. Ingen stares forward, sweaty palms held tightly around his warhammer. Cage tenses his hand, waiting to reach into the vault.

Detor stands almost unnaturally still, eyes scanning each face slowly. Then, he lifts his spear from the stone and turns sharply to walk down the hallway, "Come," The guard says.

The three men standing in the intersection exchange looks, then follow Detor. Cage glances back at those stairs as he walks, wondering if they will return to them. Hopefully, with Yoru in tow. Cage is sure that Kyro and Ingen are thinking it as well, this could be a trap. Detor could be leading them directly to Ludan.

But somehow, that becomes less of a possibility when Cage remembers that look in the City Guards' eyes. If Cage is right, then that constant intimidating scowl is merely a mask, one that Detor let slip. It was only for a fraction of a second, but if he meant for it not to be seen, then he shouldn't have let it slip at all. Not in front of Cage's observant eyes, at least.

---

After a few turns down the dark hall, passing doors that lead to unknown rooms, Detor leads the three men through an Iron door. A long narrow hall is revealed on the other side, packed together cells lining both walls, thin stone walls the only thing separating them. Those stone walls stick out from the bars a bit, and a green-flamed lantern hangs from each of them.

Cage looks around as he walks behind the others. He had expected this place to be clean like the hallways, but that is far from the truth. Light from the lanterns shimmers on the damp walls, which are covered in thick blotches of grime and dirt. As he passes the first few cells, he sees large, spindly cobwebs in the back corners, and the sight almost distracts Cage from the prisoners residing in some of the cells.

All foreigners. They curl up onto beds made of a plank of wood and piles of straw or sit on the dirty stone with their back turned to the bars, staring at nothing. Some spare glances for the visitors, but not for more than a moment.

Detor halts halfway down the line of cells, turning to one that is locked. The one behind him is empty, the door half-opened and sticking out into the hall. Keys jingle together, and a metallic click echoes through the dreadfully silent dungeon. Detor opens the door to the cell, the amalgamation of metal bars screeching like a disturbed child with the movement.

Detor looks at Kyro with his usual look of anger, then into the cell, "Yoru," he says, words echoing eerily, "Visitors."

Kyro brushes past Detor quickly, stepping up to the doorway of the cell. A rustle can be heard as Cage steps up and leans to look as well. A figure rolls from the pile of straw in the back of the cell slowly, then stands. Blue skin under a dirty black dress, short disheveled silver hair, a sharp jaw, and yellow eyes. Those two stars disguised as eyes shine as Yoru steps from the shadows, mouth agape. She looks at Kyro for a long moment, then at Cage, and finally at Ingen, who stands on the other side of the bars with a wide smile.

Kyro steps forward, leaning down and wrapping his sister in a tight embrace, saying nothing.

A quivering smile slowly appears on Yoru's lips, and she pats his back lightly, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes, "...You had me worried for a while there," she says softly.

"I know. I never would have left if I knew this would happen," Kyro responds, voice shaky.

"I got myself in here, you know," Yoru says as Kyro finally pulls from the embrace, "But, all is well that ends well."

Kyro nods, "That Tanzide, he did not hit you, did he?" he asks.

Yoru chuckles, waving a dismissive hand through the air, "Oh, no. He did threaten me, shaking all the while. That man wouldn't hurt anyone, he probably wouldn't know where to start."

"Then why did you tell him about..." Kyro glances back at Detor, who only stares down the hall. Kyro looks back at his sister, "...You knew what would happen, so why?"

Yoru wrinkles her forehead, leaning forward, "Because his people deserve a chance to survive, to push back at the Utherians just as we have," She whispers, pursing her lips, "I know I could have been more discreet, but I do not regret what I did."

Kyro pauses, straightening his back. He looks down at Yoru, sighing, "We can speak about this later. We're not safe until we're out of the city," he says, turning and walking from the cell.

Yoru follows him, and her eyes widen as she looks down the hall. All of them freeze, Cage, Kyro, Ingen, and even Detor stare at the iron door they came through in shock. Footsteps break the silence, then a single quiet clap of hands.

"Detor, Detor, Detor," Ludan says, clicking his tongue and shaking his head as he halts a few strides away, "Must you add to my constant disappointment in people?"