Yuma stirs awake on a cold, hard surface, the faint echo of distant footsteps reverberating in the small space. He blinks against the dim light, trying to orient himself. As he shifts, he realizes he's not alone—three other prisoners are present in the cramped cell, each caught in their own thoughts.
Rylan, a battle-hardened warrior with a scarred face, sits against the wall, arms crossed. Lira, a young woman with defiant eyes, paces nervously, and Therin, an older strategist with silver hair, observes the scene with quiet intensity. Yuma sits up slowly, covered in dried blood.
"Where… am I?" Rylan looks over.
"Welcome to paradise, kid. You're in Ikati's home away from home." Yuma blankly stares.
"I'm 21 years old, i'm not a kid" Rylan waves his hand.
"Sorry" Lira looks over, staring at Yuma.
"Ikati… You fought against him, didn't you?" Yuma nods, a mix of pride and shame washing over him.
"Not really for long because he quickly took me down." He trails off, lost in thought. Therin exhales.
"What's done is done. We're here now, and that's what matters." Rylan snorts.
"Right, because that's so comforting. We're just pawns in Ikati's game." Lira shouts cheerfully.
"Don't give up hope! We can find a way out of here!" Rylan scoffs.
"Hope doesn't thrive in these walls, sweetheart." Yuma watches Lira's face darken at Rylan's words. He feels a surge of determination.
"He's right, but I can't let this break me." Rylan rolls his eyes, but Lira's expression softens.
"What do you mean?" Yuma glares, his eyes glow.
"I need to get out of here and complete my goal of taking down the oppressive World Government. Rylan snorts.
"Great… the new kid's a crackhead!" Yuma senses the weight of their struggles and realizes he can bring these guys to his cause.
"I'm Yuma. I've been fighting the World Government for as long as I can remember. But… I lost against Ikati… but I feel closer to my goal than ever before." Rylan shakes his head, the bitterness seeping into his voice. Lira glances around the cell, a spark of defiance igniting in her eyes.
"But we can't let regret define us. We're still here!" A moment of silence hangs in the air as they absorb Lira's words.The sound of footsteps grows louder, and the prisoners fall silent. A Guard approaches, his expression cold and uninterested.
"Time's up, prisoners. Back to your corners. The guard gestures for them to disperse. Yuma exchanges a glance with Lira, who gives him a small, encouraging nod.
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The common room is sterile, with flickering fluorescent lights illuminating cold, gray walls. A heavy steel door swings open, and the Guards enter, two of them flanking Rylan, who is visibly tense. The atmosphere thickens with dread as Yuma, Therin, and Lira look on from their seats, their eyes wide with anxiety.
"Time for your friend's little field trip." Rylan glances back at Yuma, Therin, and Lira, a mixture of defiance and fear in his eyes.
"I'll be fine. Don't worry about me… sorry if I ever seemed to mean, I was just… annoyed" Yuma leans forward. A knot tightening in Lira's stomach.
"Rylan, wait!" But the guards pull him away, and the door slams shut behind them. Silence falls over the room, the tension palpable. A moment later, the flickering TV screen in the corner crackles to life, displaying a live feed from outside the facility. Lira looks up.
"What are they doing?" Yuma's heart races as he turns to the screen. The feed shows a stark, desolate courtyard surrounded by towering walls. In the center stands a wooden block.
"They wouldn't…" An announcement begins, Ikati's voice echoing across the prison.
"This is what happens when you disobey me" The guard on the screen gestures, and Rylan is led into view, hands bound. He looks defiant, but Yuma can see the tension in his shoulders. Lira's eyes shimmer with fear, her breath hitching in her throat.
"They can't be serious…" The screen captures Rylan being positioned on the wooden box, his eyes darting around as he takes in the crowd of onlookers, many of them guards and soldiers, their expressions void of empathy. Yuma slams his fist on the table, shattering it.
"No, no, this can't be happening." Lira grips the edge of her seat, her face pale.
"We have to do something!" Yuma shakes his head, his voice steady but low.
"We can't. We're powerless here." The TV crackles with static, and Rylan's voice cuts through the tension as he addresses the crowd.
"You think this will break us? You're wrong!" The guards surrounding him scoff, clearly unfazed by his bravado. One steps forward, a wicked grin on his face.
"Say goodbye to your freedom, warrior." The tension is unbearable as the camera zooms in on Rylan's face, resolute even in the face of death. He glances back at the camera, a final message in his eyes.
"Fight on... for all of us." Yuma turns away, the reality of the situation hitting him like a physical blow. Lira covers her mouth, stifling a sob as the guards lift up a large sword..
"No! Rylan, don't!" Yuma grabs Lira's shoulder.
"We can't do anything, Lira!" But his voice is drowned out by the crowd's cheers and jeers. The guard swinging the blade at Rlan's neck.. Lira collapses into tears, her body shaking with sobs as she processes the loss. Yuma watches the screen, his mind racing. His face was emotionless despite the anger boiling behind his eyes.
As the screen fades to black, Yuma's face hardens with determination. He looks at Lira, who is still crying.