Chapter 13: clutch

Chapter thirteen: clutch

Brody wakes up and sees Lucas chained next to him. His breathing is heavy, his wrists are injured, but he's still trying to break free from his restraints, mumbling to himself.

"Lucas, what are you doing?"

Lucas immediately looks at Brody, his eyes filled with sadness, desperation, and anger. The only thing he can ask is:

"Where is Ariel?"

Brody sighs before answering.

"She was captured by the organization and sold into the slave market… I'm sorry, but Ariel is gone."

Lucas's eyes widen, and his anger takes over. He yells:

"WHY DIDN'T YOU SAVE HER?! WHY DID YOU LET THEM TAKE HER AWAY?!"

Brody shakes his head, frustration in his voice.

"I tried! Unlike you, I'm actually human. I haven't learned how to use magic yet. You went berserk, destroyed homes… possibly even killed people."

Lucas stares down at his cuffed hands, his voice trembling.

"I… killed people?"

"Yeah, you did. But it was an accident—you weren't in control. You let the rage consume you. But I think people got rescued before they could actually die, so at most, they were injured."

"Tell me what happened there."

"You don't remember?"

"No... I only remember that man grabbing Ariel by the neck, trying to kill her… and then I blacked out."

Brody looks at him, shocked.

"You seriously don't remember anything?"

"Not a thing."

Brody exhales sharply.

"Alright, fine. I'll tell you everything. After that man grabbed Ariel's neck—"

Brody goes on to explain everything that happened.

Lucas listens, his face pale.

"I… turned into a monster? And they thought we were terrorists?"

"Yeah, that's pretty much what happened. And you killed that man—at least, that's what I saw. It seems like every time you get extremely emotional, you enter that berserk state."

Suddenly, a guard in a knight's uniform enters the dungeon.

"Lucas Gidion, you are to be transferred to a cell to prepare for your execution."

Lucas's body tenses.

"EXECU—"

Before he can finish, the guard puts on a gas mask and releases a knockout gas into the room. Lucas and Brody struggle for a moment before everything fades to black.

---

Lucas wakes up in a different cell. Next to him sits a boy—dark-skinned, with dreads, slightly older than him, red hair, and orange eyes.

The boy smirks.

"Hey, cellmate."

Lucas groans, his mind racing.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! I'M GOING TO BE EXECUTED! I NEED TO FIND A WAY OUT OF HERE!"

The boy leans back, unbothered.

"Hey, calm down, man. You're not the only one getting executed. I am too, and I didn't even do anything. Stupid nobles set me up—they needed someone to blame for an explosion, so they pinned it on the only peasant who knew how to make bombs."

Lucas sighs.

"I was accused of terrorism."

The boy's eyes widen.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Terrorism? That's insane."

"Yeah, I guess so… but I didn't do it. I was fighting the real terrorists, but it all went wrong, and they thought I was one of them."

The boy clicks his tongue.

"Damn… I feel you."

Lucas exhales.

"Yeah… but hey, what's your name?"

"Oh, me? Not like it matters, but I'm Miles. Miles Dann. I'm actually from the North."

Lucas blinks.

"Wait, what?! I've never met someone from the North before."

"Yeah, that's what everyone says. Cool name, by the way."

"Thanks. I'm Lucas. Lucas Gidion."

Miles nods.

"How old are you?"

"I'm 14. This past month has been… eventful."

Miles laughs.

"14? Damn, that's crazy. I'm 15. And yeah… this month has been weird as hell."

Lucas suddenly gets an idea.

"You said you make bombs, right?"

Miles raises an eyebrow.

"Yeah. I'm an engineer. I've got a couple of bombs hidden under the bed over there."

Lucas's jaw drops.

"WAIT, WHAT?! THEN WHY HAVEN'T YOU ESCAPED?!"

Miles shrugs.

"If I escaped, they'd charge me with treason and put a bounty on my head. I wouldn't survive. Besides, my family's in the North. No way I'd make it back there."

Lucas grins.

"How about you come with me? Us against the corruption of this fucked-up government and those disgusting royals."

Miles hesitates.

"I don't know, man…"

Lucas leans in.

"Would you rather die by the hands of the government that oppressed you… or die knowiOng you fought back?"

Miles thinks for a moment, then smirks.

"Hmm… YEAH, FUCK IT. LET'S BLOW THIS PLACE UP!"

Lucas chuckles.

"That's the spirit!"

Miles gets to work, rummaging under his bed. He pulls out a small time bomb and sets it against the cell wall. Before he detonates it, he glances at Lucas and grins.

"Oh, and Lucas… thanks."

Then, with a loud BOOM, the cell wall shatters.

The two immediately take off running, their only goal—freedom.

—TO BE CONTINUED.