The Royal Prison's interrogation chambers were located three levels below ground, connected by a maze of corridors that reeked of despair and dried blood. I had spent the entire day studying the guard rotations and memorizing every detail of the layout. Now, as midnight approached, it was time to put my plan into action.
I had changed into form-fitting black leather armor, enchanted with silence and shadow magic. The original Aldric's combat training was proving invaluable—every movement felt natural, every step calculated for maximum stealth. The system's enhanced perception allowed me to detect guard positions even through solid walls, marking them as red dots on my mental map.
The first phase of infiltration went smoothly. Blackwater had kept his word, arranging for Luna's transfer to the interrogation chambers under the pretense of extracting information about potential accomplices. The guards believed they were preparing for a routine questioning session. They had no idea they were about to become part of a prison break.
I descended through the ventilation system, using the building's own architecture against its security. The original Aldric had been strong but crude in his methods. I was learning to be surgical, precise, efficient. Why fight ten guards when you could avoid them entirely?
The interrogation level was dimly lit by flickering torches, casting dancing shadows along the stone walls. I could hear voices echoing from one of the chambers—guards discussing their shift schedules, complaining about the late hour, completely unaware that death was creeping through the darkness above them.
I found the chamber where Luna was being held and peered through a small grate in the ceiling. She was exactly as I had imagined from the novel's descriptions, but somehow more real, more dangerous. Luna Shadowmere was a young woman of perhaps twenty years, with silver hair that fell in waves around her shoulders and violet eyes that seemed to glow with inner fire. Even chained to the interrogation chair, she radiated lethal grace.
But it was her expression that caught my attention. There was no fear in those eyes, no desperation. Only cold, calculating hatred. She was planning something, even now, even in chains.
Two guards stood watch in the chamber, both looking bored and inattentive. Perfect.
I removed the grate carefully, lowering myself into the chamber with cat-like silence. The shadow magic in my armor made me nearly invisible in the dim light, and the silence enchantments muffled any sound my movements might have made.
The first guard never saw me coming. I struck him at the base of the neck with precise force, dropping him unconscious to the floor. The second guard turned at the sound of his companion falling, but I was already moving. A quick strike to his temple, and he crumpled beside his partner.
Luna's violet eyes tracked my movements with predatory interest. "Well," she said, her voice a husky whisper, "this is unexpected."
I stepped into the torchlight, letting her see my face clearly for the first time. Her eyes widened slightly—not with fear, but with recognition.
"Aldric Von Darkmoor," she breathed. "The Duke's son. What brings nobility to the dungeons at this hour?"
"I'm here to offer you a choice," I said, moving toward her chains. "Freedom, or death. The choice is yours."
She laughed, a sound like silver bells mixed with poison. "Freedom? How generous. And what would you want in return for this... kindness?"
"Your loyalty," I said simply. "Your skills. Your hatred."
"My hatred?" Her eyes narrowed. "What do you know about my hatred?"
I knelt beside her chair and began working on the locks of her shackles. The system's analysis function had already identified the mechanism's weaknesses, and the original Aldric's training included lockpicking among his more questionable skills.
"I know that you were hired to fake Lord Thornwick's death," I said quietly. "I know that Minister Blackwater betrayed you to cover his own embezzlement. I know that you've been rotting in this cell for three weeks, waiting for an execution that was supposed to cleanse everyone else's sins."
The first shackle clicked open. Luna's eyes were fixed on my face now, studying me with the intensity of a predator evaluating prey.
"And I know," I continued, "that you're not just angry about being betrayed. You're angry about being abandoned. About being used and discarded like a tool that had outlived its usefulness."
The second shackle opened. Luna rubbed her wrists, restoring circulation to her hands.
"You seem to know a great deal about my situation," she said. "But you still haven't explained why you're here. What does the heir to one of the most powerful noble houses in the kingdom want with a condemned assassin?"
I stood up and looked down at her, letting my crimson eyes glow with the power that the system had awakened in me. "Because I understand betrayal. Because I know what it feels like to be stabbed in the back by someone you trusted. And because I can offer you something that no one else can."
"Which is?"
"Revenge," I said simply. "Not just against the people who betrayed you, but against the entire corrupt system that allowed it to happen."
Luna stood slowly, testing her balance after weeks of captivity. Even weakened, she moved with the fluid grace of a natural killer. "And what makes you think I'd trust another noble? Your kind are all the same—you use people until they're no longer useful, then you discard them."
"You're right," I admitted. "Most nobles are exactly like that. But I'm not most nobles."
I gestured to the unconscious guards. "I could have killed them. It would have been easier, quieter, safer. But I chose not to. I could have sent assassins to eliminate you in your cell, removing a potential threat to my family's interests. Instead, I'm here offering you a partnership."
"Partnership?" Luna's voice was skeptical. "Between a duke's son and a condemned criminal?"
"Between two people who understand what it means to be betrayed," I corrected. "Between two people who refuse to let their enemies win."
The system screen appeared in the corner of my vision:
[RECRUITMENT ATTEMPT IN PROGRESS]
[TARGET: LUNA SHADOWMERE]
[TRUST LEVEL: 35%]
[INTEREST LEVEL: 78%]
[OPTIMAL APPROACH: DEMONSTRATE CAPABILITY]
I needed to show her that I wasn't just another noble playing games. I needed to prove that I could deliver on my promises.
"Minister Blackwater is upstairs in the warden's office," I said. "He's waiting to hear confirmation of your escape so he can play the hero and cover his tracks. Lord Thornwick is hiding at the Golden Rose brothel on Silk Street, drunk and convinced that he's successfully faked his death."
Luna's eyes sharpened. "How do you know all this?"
"Because I make it my business to know my enemies' secrets," I replied. "And because I have resources that most people don't."
I pulled out a small vial of clear liquid from my belt pouch. "This is a paralytic poison, fast-acting but non-lethal. If you want to handle Blackwater personally, this will give you the opportunity to question him before you decide his fate."
Her violet eyes fixed on the vial with hungry intensity. "And Thornwick?"
"Still believes he's safe. Still thinks his gambling debts will disappear if he stays hidden long enough. He has no idea that his usefulness to Blackwater has ended."
Luna was quiet for a long moment, considering my words. Then, slowly, she smiled. It was a expression that would have given nightmares to hardened soldiers.
"You're not what I expected, Aldric Von Darkmoor," she said. "Most nobles would have sent lackeys to do their dirty work. You came personally. That shows either incredible courage or incredible stupidity."
"Which do you think it is?" I asked.
"Both," she replied. "But I find myself... intrigued. Very well, I'll accept your offer. But I have conditions."
"Name them."
"First, I want Blackwater alive long enough to suffer. Second, I want Thornwick to know exactly why he's dying. Third, I want to know what you're really planning. This isn't just about helping one condemned assassin. You have bigger goals."
I nodded. "All reasonable requests. But first, we need to get out of here. The guards will be changing shifts soon, and unconscious sentries tend to raise awkward questions."
Luna moved to the fallen guards and quickly searched their bodies, retrieving a set of keys and a small dagger. Her movements were efficient, professional, without a trace of wasted motion.
"Lead the way," she said. "But Aldric? If you're playing some elaborate game with me, if this is all an elaborate trap or manipulation, I will kill you slowly and creatively."
"I wouldn't expect anything less," I replied. "But I think you'll find that our interests align more closely than you might expect."
We made our way through the prison's corridors, avoiding the guard patrols with careful timing and the system's enhanced perception. Luna moved like a shadow given form, her footsteps completely silent despite the stone floors. Even weakened from imprisonment, she was clearly a master of her craft.
As we climbed toward the upper levels, I found myself impressed by her professionalism. She asked no unnecessary questions, made no sound that might alert the guards, and anticipated my movements with the intuition of someone who had spent years working in dangerous situations.
We reached the warden's office without incident. Through the keyhole, I could see Blackwater pacing nervously, checking his pocket watch every few seconds. He was clearly expecting news of Luna's escape, probably so he could begin the next phase of his cover-up.
I looked at Luna and held up the vial of poison. She nodded, taking it with the reverent care of someone who appreciated quality tools.
"Remember," I whispered, "we need him alive long enough to extract information. After that, he's yours."
Luna's smile was sharp enough to cut glass. "Oh, I plan to take my time with him."
The system screen flickered:
[RECRUITMENT SUCCESSFUL]
[LUNA SHADOWMERE HAS JOINED YOUR NETWORK]
[LOYALTY LEVEL: 68%]
[SPECIAL ABILITY UNLOCKED: SHADOW COORDINATION]
[NEW MISSION AVAILABLE: ELIMINATE CORRUPTION NETWORK]
Perfect. The first piece of my empire was in place.
Now it was time to begin the real work.