Idel's eyes opened slowly, and meeting them was the turbid ceiling of his room.
He could still feel the pain on his lower jaw. Snappy's punch, as expected of an anger Emontarion, was hefty. It literally knocked him out, but to Idel this was just equivalent to when one slightly wakes up in the middle of the night.
Not even becoming unconscious could offer him a reprieve.
Seconds later, he fell into a slumber.
…
"Do you fools know who I am?" A loud voice, followed by violent banging of steel bars, reached his ears.
He grimaced as he twisted his head in position. A while later, his senses caught up. He was lying in a dimly lit room that had a rough cold concrete floor.
"you dare to confine me in here?" the voice spoke again.
The voice was Snappy's, and as Idel slightly raised his head, he found him confined in the opposite room.
The duo were both behind bars, but luckily not in the same one.
Snappy continued shouting at the guard that patrolled the passage. He was slightly terrified of Snappy but managed to put up a bold face.
Finally, after a while, Snappy stopped his noise and, holding onto the steel bars, looked at Idel.
Idel, however, paid him no attention. He was busy thinking of what to do next.
'Should I just serve this sentence?' The suggestion was reasonable. Not only would he get free food, shelter, and water, but also the nightmares would not dare attack him… even they obviously knew the Hitter. He had killed many of their kind during his "prime."
But wouldn't doing that be equivalent to putting others at risk in order to save his skin?
"Sigh," he rested his head on his arms and looked at the floor.
It was pretty dusty, and his pale body lay on its cold surface.
'They took my cloak…' He sighed.
With ruffled long black hair resting on his white-paled, shirtless, and bony showing upper body part, he was very unsightly to say the least… "the least."
He tried to raise his body off the cold surface but realized how tiring it would be, plus there was no way to know if the other parts of the room were any different in relation to warmth… technically there was: he could look for the spot, but he had already convinced himself of how arduous the task could be, and moments later he further reinforced his reason, 'If I stay in this position for a while, the coldness will eventually cease.'
"You happy, freak?" Snappy said, noticing a faint smile on Idel's lips.
'If only this guy wasn't here, this moment would be serene.'
"Still not talking, heh." Snappy hissed and then spoke, "Answer me."
Realizing that the anger Emontarion would not shut up, Idel replied, "Can you please keep quiet, I'm trying to enjoy the warmth."
"The warmth?"
"Yeah…"
Snappy chortled, then spoke, "Do you even understand the predicament you are in?… You will be dead in seven hours' time."
Dead?
But how? His offense was not treason, so the death penalty was out of the question.
Armed with this knowledge, he ignored Snappy's words. The fool was probably trying to frighten him.
Snappy frowned.
"You don't believe me? I will have you know that I am a grade 3 Emontarion and used to serve in the Voldmoth army. I know what happens to freaks like you. You will be transferred from here to the main city—Mazi—and then… that's it. You never return, and your incapability to do so won't be eternal imprisonment but something grimmer."
"And what could that possibly be?" A rare interest piqued in Idel.
Could Snappy's answer provide reasons as to why anger Emontarions allow other Emontarions into their kingdom?
Snappy sighed. "I'm not sure either, but I'm certain that whatever it is, it's not good in nature."
'Not good in nature, how disappointing of an answer. Should've just kept quiet.'
Idel did not dare say a word or look at Snappy. The fool was accusing his own race of doing gruesome things to others, and in front of the patrolling guard for that matter. Was he trying to get himself killed or what?
"You scared to talk? Haha, don't worry, you can express yourself. This buffoon of a guard is a grade 4 and incapable of speech, let alone hearing anything."
'Oh, that's why he is prattling like a monkey.' Idel slightly raised his head and saw the guard walking from one end of the passage to another, paying no attention to the duo.
Unlike other Emontarions, the anger type could speak even at grade 3.
How lucky they were. Harboring emotion, especially rage, is akin to letting a wound fester—one that will, in fact, lead to one's demise.
Idel turned to Snappy. "What about the mustached officer?"
"The door separating this cell section and the receptionist desk is iron-clad and surprisingly soundproof. And with… your help, you freaks and I can escape. Are you in?"
'Freaks?' Idel nodded.
"Good. Judging by your… appearance, I can tell that you are above grade 4, right?"
"Ah… yes."
"So what abilities do you possess? As for me, I wield super strength and can control flames."
Idel thought for a while before answering, "I too am strong to a certain degree, and I'm also kinda fast. Wait, just curious, why would you care if I'm in grave danger? In respect to your earlier claims, it's only non-anger Emontarions who get to "disappear." Then why do you seem to be scared?"
Snappy remained silent for a moment, then he shook his head.
"Are you seriously asking me that question, especially now? We, no! You don't have time for this. My reason is mine alone. You just care about yourself, but don't be mistaken, I still hate you and I'll get back to you for what you did."
"Okay."
Snappy nodded and moved his head closer to the bars.
"So here is the plan. You and your fellow freak will purposefully start a fight, and when the guard approaches your cell, using your gaunt arm, hit him with all your might. Make sure he becomes unconscious.
Then you will take the key and open up your cell. You are to do the same with mine. Don't think about leaving me locked, as the next part of the plan is where I am vital. I, with my amazing strength, will break down the wall, and from there we run. By the time Chief hears anything, we will be on the other side of the desolate mine plains, outside the vicinity of the Hitter."
Idel found the plan to be quite laudable and reasonable. If the two were in good terms, he could have given Snappy a round of applause, but something was off.
Who was the other freak he was to fight with?
On a hunch, Idel turned his head to the left and saw… nothing!
He then slowly turned to the right, and immediately his eyes widened…