chapter 5: the seven tattoos

Chapter 5: The Seven Tattoos

The jail cell was cold, damp, and reeked of sweat and rot. Rin sat against the rough stone wall, his wrists still sore from the tight shackles they had used to drag him inside. Across from him, Hudson the Drunk snored loudly, sprawled on the floor like a man who had long given up.

Rin exhaled sharply. This wasn't where he wanted to be. His mind spun with questions—about the letter, his father, the Shirairyu. Every lead brought him deeper into the unknown, and now, he was stuck in a filthy cell with no way out.

But then he noticed the old man.

The man sat in the far corner of the cell, scribbling on the ground with a piece of rock. He was thin, barely more than skin and bones, his robe tattered beyond repair. His long, wispy beard and hollowed eyes made him look like a ghost.

At first, Rin ignored him. But the way the man moved—with slow, deliberate strokes—piqued his curiosity.

"You mapping something?" Rin asked.

The old man didn't answer immediately. He kept scratching at the stone floor, carving deep lines into the dirt. Then, finally, he muttered, "Yes."

Rin leaned closer, his sharp eyes making out the shapes. It wasn't just random scratches—it was a map.

His heart pounded. "What is that?"

The old man's lips curled into a knowing smile. "The way back," he whispered. "The way back to Sky City."

Rin froze. "You know how to get there?"

The old man turned, his eyes gleaming with something ancient and unreadable. "I do. And so did the Shirairyu."

Rin clenched his fists. "Tell me everything."

The old man sighed, leaning back against the wall. "Once, a warrior from the Shirairyu was caught and thrown into this very prison. He was no ordinary man—he was one of the deadliest fighters to ever live. But even he couldn't escape alone. He knew he needed others."

He traced his finger over the carved map. "Seven men shared his cell. Seven men who had nothing left to lose. So the Shirairyu warrior did something… unthinkable. He carved a piece of the escape plan into each of them. A tattoo—one for each man's body. Only together could they understand the full picture."

Rin's breath hitched. "Did they escape?"

The old man's eyes darkened. "Six did. One didn't make it."

Rin swallowed. "And you… you were one of them?"

The old man chuckled, lifting his sleeve to reveal a faded tattoo on his forearm. A strange symbol—a mix of lines, curves, and dots. "I was the last one left."

Rin's voice dropped. "And the one who died?"

The old man's expression turned solemn. "His piece of the map was lost. Until now."

Before Rin could react, the old man grabbed his wrist. His grip was surprisingly strong for someone so frail. "You want to go to Sky City, don't you?"

Rin nodded without hesitation.

"Then take his mark."

The old man pulled out a sharp needle, its tip glistening with dark ink. A makeshift tattooing tool. Rin's instincts screamed at him to pull away, but he forced himself to stay still.

"This will hurt," the old man warned.

"I don't care," Rin said.

The first prick sent a jolt of pain through his arm. It wasn't just a normal sting—the ink burned as it seeped into his skin, as if it carried something more than just color. Rin clenched his teeth as the needle traced along his flesh, marking him with the same symbol as the man who had died.

With every stroke, the old man muttered under his breath, like he was chanting something.

"Seven men… seven marks… seven pieces of the path…"

The pain was unbearable, but Rin forced himself not to flinch. This wasn't just ink—this was history. A legacy that had been passed down through blood, sweat, and sacrifice.

By the time the old man was finished, Rin's arm was shaking. He glanced down at the tattoo—an intricate sigil unlike anything he had seen before.

"You now carry his legacy," the old man whispered. "And his responsibility."

Before Rin could process what that meant, a slow chuckle echoed from the shadows of the cell.

From the darkened corner, a figure stepped forward. He had short, messy hair, a scar running down his cheek, and sharp eyes that gleamed with mischief. His frame was lean but wiry, his posture loose, confident—like a man who had never feared authority.

"Maus the Escaper," he introduced himself, smirking.

Rin narrowed his eyes. "Who?"

Maus tilted his head. "You really don't know? Man, you are fresh meat."

The old man let out a dry laugh. "He's the only man who's broken out of this prison. And now, he's back."

Rin frowned. "Why would someone who escaped come back?"

Maus shrugged. " was caught" he then crouched in front of Rin, glancing at his fresh tattoo. "That mark… yeah, I've seen it before. Guess that means you're part of this now."

"Part of what?" Rin asked cautiously.

Maus grinned. "The escape plan, of course."

Rin's pulse quickened. "You have a way out?"

"That's what I do, kid," Maus said, tapping his temple. "Break out of places. And this time, I've got a damn good plan."

The old man chuckled. "He always does."

Maus sat down on the floor, drawing a rough layout of the prison in the dirt. "We're in Block C, one of the most secure places in the Down World. That means only two ways out—the front door, which is suicide, or…" He tapped the ground. "Through the tunnels."

Rin raised an eyebrow. "Tunnels?"

Maus smirked. "This prison? Built over an old mining site. There are passages beneath us—some collapsed, some still open. I've mapped them out before. The problem is, they're crawling with things worse than guards."

Rin tensed. "Like what?"

Maus's grin widened. "You'll see."

The old man coughed. "Even if you get through the tunnels, you'll need to cross the wastelands beyond the prison walls. And that… is a death trap."

Maus waved a hand. "I've got that covered. What I don't have is manpower." His gaze flicked back to Rin. "You in?"

Rin flexed his fingers, glancing at the fresh tattoo on his arm. The old man had given him a piece of the past—and now, Maus was offering a way forward.

There was only one answer.

"I'm in."

Maus grinned. "Good. Hope you don't mind running for your life, kid. 'Cause once we start, there's no going back."

Rin exhaled sharply. "I wasn't planning to."

The escape had begun.