"Search every corner and shadow! That wretch must still be within these walls, for he knows not the way out!" cried one of the guards.
The soldiers scattered, each bearing a torch that flared against the prison's stone gloom. Their prisoner, A-in, pressed himself close against the wall, breath quickened, chest heaving. He covered his mouth lest even a gasp betray him. Around him, prisoners stirred from uneasy slumber, some cursed, others whispered in confusion, their voices blending with the restless clang of armor.
When the guards turned their backs, A-in darted forth. His feet struck the ground softly yet swiftly until a shout pierced the air.
"There he is! Seize him!"
In an instant, the chase began. Torches weaved through the darkness as the guards pursued in a wild, zigzag course.
Where in heaven's name is the exit?! He thought, panic rising like a tide.
The corridors wound endlessly, twisting upon themselves. He had no memory of the path, for when he was brought into this accursed place, they had blindfolded him. He had never seen the way in, and now he could not see the way out.
"What is happening?"
"Was he not one of the prisoners?"
"A prisoner escaped?!"
"Hey! You! Did you have a key? Give it to me!"
A-in turned toward the voice, a man behind the bars, eyes gleaming with desperation. He hesitated. Should I entrust this key to him? Was this man guilty or falsely condemned? Would he use his freedom for good or to continue the wickedness that led him here? Yet who was A-in to weigh another's soul? He was no god, merely a man.
If that man should steal or kill again, so be it. The gods themselves cared not for men's intentions, only that they bowed before them.
The sound of boots thundered nearer. In that instant of decision, A-in clutched the key and hurled it toward the man.
The prisoner caught it with a gleam of triumph. He unlocked his cell, laughter rising from his throat like one resurrected from the grave.
"Pass it here!"
"Let us out too!"
"Hurry, the key!"
Voices broke forth like the cries of starving hounds begging for meat. Chains rattled, fists struck iron bars, and the air trembled with frenzy. The man glanced at A-in, awaiting command as though A-in were now his savior and master.
A-in's heart ached. So easily men kneel to those who grant them mercy. One gesture of kindness becomes a debt, invisible yet binding the burden of gratitude.
He gave a silent nod. The man flung the key to another prisoner, who freed himself and passed it on, until cell after cell burst open. The dungeon roared with life and rebellion.
When the guards arrived, chaos swallowed them whole. Prisoners struck with chains and stones, others fled, vanishing into the labyrinthine dark. Amidst the chaos, A-in ran swift as a shadow, desperate as the wind.
"Does any of you know the way out?!" he called amidst the frenzy.
"This way! I know it well! I have been cast in this dungeon more than once!" shouted one man.
A-in followed, along with a tide of others. The narrow corridors widened, and ahead, a pale light shimmered, it is a light of the moon.
At the gate stood a handful of guards. Their eyes widened as the horde approached.
"They've broken out! Someone call the other guards near the area! We need reinforcements!" one cried, voice cracking with terror.
Before the information could relay, the wave of prisoners crashed upon them. Some fought with bare hands, others fled toward the light. And there, through the clash of men and the clang of steel, A-in crossed the threshold.
A cold wind swept over him, sharp and freeing. The moon bathed the field in silver, the stars glimmering as though the heavens themselves bore witness to their flight.
Laughter erupted from the escaped men, wild and trembling with relief. A-in smiled faintly, though his chest still burned from running.
He was free.
Yet freedom carried its own peril. He must tread carefully now, unseen by both his mother and his master, for word of his escape would soon spread like wildfire.
He lifted his gaze to the night sky, breath misting in the chill air.
"Now… where shall I go?"