A Dark Cell

Waking came slowly and steadily, like ripples in still water. Nero's eyes would open, but the screaming pain in his head quickly made them close again. His brain felt like mush, thoughts scattered to the wind.

The only thing left was his dreams.

Nero saw a scarred world, twisting and turning in the darkness but when he looked closer he saw the flames. Little pinpricks that shone with red fire, there were hundreds of them, scattered about above and below the ground.

some were brighter than others, some barely smouldered, but others blazed with glorious power... one especially caught his attention.

This was less a fire and more an incredible spark of plasma that waved and whistled intensely, fourscore the size of the others and truly mighty. But, it seemed, docile and numbed, chained and held hostage.

One Flame was very close to another, both were distinguished; One Silvery and the Other gold.

However, on the tallest mountain, was something, unlike fire. It spiralled and gleamed like a gale, tendrils of violet light consuming the entire mountain... it was moving rising upwards towards him, filling him with an air of dread as it grew closer and closer.

"I CAN FEEL YOU. I CAN SEE YOU. I WILL FIND YOU"

When his eyelids slid open again, the pain behind Nero's eyes dissipated and a fuzzy haze dulled his mind. Sitting up, he realised that he was in a hard bed with an iron frame.

Chains clinked; strewn across the bed on the post, uniting with a considerable metal shackle that locked up his entire left arm, forcing the elbow to straighten out with the bicep.

It pressed tightly on the skin, and when he tried to ignite his Mysteria, he found that the tattoos could not burn with the metal constricting on them. That paired with his overall exhaustion meant that whatever happened next, would have to be done the old-fashioned way.

The room was clearly some kind of Prison cell, encased in hard stone of dark beige, with a small basin of water on the otherside of the room, paired with a decrpid table and chairs

Analysing the room, Nero kept his level head despite the ringing migraine that pressed into the back of his neck. Standing was a small challenge, but a challenge nonetheless.

"Feels like I've been asleep for days. If we are still with those strange nomads then that would make sense, they really didn't seem to be a fan of my gentlemanly attributes. But that woman, their leader... Pugio was the closest thing to resembling an actual human being that I've seen on this planet. Are there others like her? I have to find Fiore and Aquila and get some answers."

The Chain had the length required to allow Nero to stand and walk around the room. He had been stripped of Calliope's sword, but still had his black Manticore cloak to stop him from shivering.

He reached into the small pocket within, a smile crossing his face as the small orb he had retrieved from the dessert cave warmed his fingertips.

Nero could feel the dull numbness of his thoughts as he surveyed the dark room, barely lit by tiny oil lamps locked in iron cages so that he could not reach them.

The heavy iron chain locked to the tight brace on his left arm screeching across the ground with every step, made him acutely aware that Clarity had been fully extinguished. The Ease of everything had been drained away, his train of thought had once again become chaotic, complex; normal even.

But Nero was still himself at the end of the day, and so began to plan his escape.

After the first hour, Nero's mouth became dry and his stomach twisted with subtle pains. His arm was beginning to ache from pulling along the chain, but all the more he had searched every inch of the room, from the tattered bed riveted into the stone floor to the windowless, thick cell door that locked him into the shoebox-shaped space.

It was the metal basin on the tall table that caught his eye, it was old and slightly rusted, filled with a smooth, crystal gold liquid: Oil. Beside that was a small curved, but ultimately dull blade with a handle of pearl or bone... it took him a moment to recognize it from one of the books he'd read back in London.

"A Strigil... like the Romans used to clean themselves?"

The ancient Romans would coat the skin in oil and rake the Strigil's blade across the skin to remove dirt. It was far too small and far too blunt to be used as a weapon that much was clear, but that didn't make it useless by any means.

Ancient bathing tools aside, Nero's instinct began to stir in his chest, his plan becoming clear.

Within that hour he had everything set up, crouching on the opening side of the heavy door as he gripped the dull curved blade in his free hand, closed his throbbing eyes and took a deep breath.

The tiny blade pressed into the dark iron, a screaming creak sounding loud as he scrapped it up and down the face of the door. He dug it in deep, scratching harder so that the unpleasant sound amplified, filling the room.

"What in Nothing's name is going? that sound is abysmal!"

A voice from the otherside of the door... Nero grinned to himself.

"It's the Male's cell. He must have awakened! Sentries, will you get in there and put an end to that racket!" another voice commanded. Others spoke from the otherside of the door, although it was difficult to tell at first, He thought he counted three or four speakers.

Despite the nerves in his quivering fingers and the hard thumping of his heart, Nero took hold of his adrenaline rush, cultivating it into focus as a key was pushed into the otherside of the door. "If you can hear me in there, Prisoner. then keep to the back wall or we will open fire."

The door swung open and two figures immediately rushed through.

The minute one stepped passed the threshold, planting their heel on the smooth stone ground, it quickly slipped away on the pool of oil that Nero had rubbed on the floor.

The Solider went flying, crashing into a wall, and when their comrades followed they too fell victim to Nero's schemes. When the second soldier slipped, Nero erupted from the shadows, smashing his fist into their solar plexus and utilizing her staggering fall to **** his arm up and around.

The chain flew in conjunction with his movements, the heavy iron links slithering around the soldier's neck and pulling tight as he wrenched his left arm upwards, the pressure straining against the riveted bed.

Pulling right the Solider collapsed to their knees gasping and **** for air, but Nero did not stop. When the third soldier slid in, rifle in hand, looking about confusedly and disoriented by the chaos -- Nero slid in from behind, swinging with all the strength he could muster.

The Rusted metal basin made a horrible clanging sound as it bashed into the Soldier's spherical helm. Even as their neck shivered and heads jolted, they twisted trying to grab Nero's tall crimson form, cloaked in black fur like a shadow.

Their fingers could not close on his arm, however, instead slipping on his skin which he had coated with oil for this very purpose.

Pulling free the Strigil, which he had kept between his teeth. Nero thrust it down into the soft, unarmoured patch in the back of the knee, opening a hideous bleeding wound.

The Soldier's scream was drowned out as he wrapped his arm around their throat and gently pushed the blade into the skin of the soldiers' throat.

"Scream and I'll kill you, Move and I'll kill you, breathe wrong and I will kill you." He whispered from behind, the soldier immediately dropping her riffle and lifting her hands in surrender.

The Soldier who had fallen had collided with the wall very violently, shambling up to her feet. they clutched their head and looked out into the darkness, seeing Nero **** one with the chain, and holding the other at knifepoint.

He looked at her, his eyes narrow and earnest.

"H-How? What? you fucking vermin, what have you done!" The Staggering Soldier said, clearly badly hurt and disoriented.

"I've evened the odds. Now listen closely because I will only tell you this once, you are going to unlock this shackle, then you'll lock your friends here in this room and we're going to find the people I came with."

"A-And... if I refuse?" The Soldier inquired.

Nero pulled the chain tighter, making the gasping woman writhe and squeal for air while also pressing the Strigil harder into the neck of his captured victim.

"Then your comrades won't get through the night with their necks intact. This one-" He tightened his hold on the hostage, his skin glistening with the slick oil that she couldn't get a grip on. "...Will bleed out rather quickly, I'm assuming you people have jugular veins, right?. But I'm not strong enough to break that one's neck cleanly, she'll be paralyzed or worse. Now, do as I say and they both get to live."

The staggered Soldier reached up, wrenching off her helmet to reveal the same human appearance that Pugio had, with the same long sharp ears and spiralling scarification. Although she had a round face, more youthful with a bright red nose and eyes filled with spiteful emerald fire.

Nero hadn't seen much of the nomads so far, but he did notice how closely they huddled together in formation when they walked down the Arenaduct, guns pointed in every direction as to protect one another from all sides.

They cared for one another that was sure enough. Hence, taking hostages was a sound strategy for escape.

She lifted her hands begrudgingly, brows creasing in pain at the huge bleeding bruise gifted by headbutting the wall. She shifted towards him "Nice and slow, try anything and they die." He warned and she did as he said, making an extra effort to show him that she was no threat.

Gently pulling a metal key from her uniform pocket, the Soldier placed her hand on the massive shackle and began to unlock the bolts that held it in place. A wave of relief swept through, Nero as it clanged on the ground, his arm freed from it's tight embrace.

The Chain loosened from the woman's neck, and a huge intaking of breath echoed in the shadowed cell. "G-Guardian..." She whispered in a raspy voice, grasping her neck.

"Don't speak, just stay there. Everything is under control."

Nero flexed his fingers, bending his elbow... He tried to reach inside, to grasp that strange burning feeling that activated his Mysteria, but could not find it. He was too exhausted to use his powers.

"That Rifle, give it here." He demanded.

"Let her go first." The Soldier replied sharply.

Nero scowled silently, pushing the tip past the skin, drawing a droplet of blood as the woman in his arms gasped.

"Alright alright, stop! I'll do it." running her fingers through her cropped oak brown hair to stop the blood from falling into her eyes. She crouched down, picking up the rifle spear and placing it in Nero's hand.

Never once averting her gaze from them, he fingered the hatch to check that it was loaded and felt the pins and needles in his fingers where the bolt anchor touched them. He lowered downwards slowly, withdrawing the Strigil from the woman's throat and taking the rifle in both hands.

The staggered soldier stared at the barrel and the bayonet pointed at her face "Move." He growled and she complied.

The Cell door boomed as it closed with the two guards inside, locked with the key that the sharp-eared woman provided. He gazed down the long passage of sandy stone, lit with flaming torches.

The Woman turned to him, hands still raised and staring daggers "You will pay for this, Man-Filth."

"Someone will." He nodded, taking a long breath as he lent against the wall, staring long and hard at the woman's strange features.

"Why are staring like that? if you're going to kill me-"

"What's your name?" He asked suddenly.

The Woman paused but spoke in an uncertain tone "Guardian Sera; head jailor."

"Sera..." He tasted the words in his mouth, thankful to hear a name that resembled simple English "What are your kind called exactly?"

"My... Kind?"

"Your race, long ears, red noses." He listed trying to be clearer.

Guardian Sera was clearly lost in the enigma of this man, but answered all the same "I am an Extremis, obviously. What, do they not school you Vermillican nobles about every providence, too busy hiding in your Ivory tower to visit the High-Forge?"

Nero tried his best to hide his ignorance while also making note of every new word he heard. If he was going to survive in this strange new world, he'd have to learn as much as possible, as quickly as possible.

"I've... been indisposed. Now I don't want to kill anyone unless I have to, but I need to find Griffin of Blades and the girl she had with her. Take me to them and I'll let you go."

Sera cocked her head, completely lost "A Male and a Coward, how quaint. Even if I did take you to Griffin of Blades, we have three hundred of the best Markswomen on Marte here. They spot you and-"

Nero's ear twitched, he tensed actively pointing the rifle at Sara again "sounds like we've got company on the way..." He grabbed her arm to pull her forward, standing with the gun at her back. "I don't want to hear a peep out of you, remember what I said, I will shoot if you make me."

Sera said nothing but kept her hands raised as they both looked down the hall to see shadows creeping around the corner.

Just as before, a dozen armed gunwomen marched into view. Uniformed and shrouded in their cloaks of tattered ribbons they spotted Sera and Nero behind her. "Firing line, now!" one shouted, the group fanning out in a firing line, guns at the ready.

Nero held strong as he saw a familiar figure emerge from the squadron. Pugio's face was not angry as before but intrigued as she walked down the hall towards them.

"Stay back!" He roared, poking Sera with the rifle's sharp spear.

Pugio smirked as she stopped in her tracks, folding her arms "Well well, you are a crafty one, aren't you? Barely awake for an hour and you've escaped your cell, I must say that I am impressed."

"Bring me Griffin and Fiore, or I'll impress you even more."

"See, that's exactly what I mean. Noble or no, I've never seen a male with so much... agency. It seems you were right about him, Ghost." Pugio turned and another emerged from the firing line.

Nero raised an eyebrow as the tunnel was filled with the bright ivory gleam of Griffin of blades, the many shining daggers strapped to her arms and legs almost glowed in the firelight. "Of course I was!" Griffin chuckled, striding pridefully towards him.

She closed the space between them, gently pushing down the barrel of his gun and guiding Sera aside. "Stand down, Nero. It's alright we're safe now."

He lowered his gun and grunted as his legs nearly gave out, his exhaustion nearly getting the better of him, if Griff didn't catch him he'd had faceplanted into the solid rock. "Griff? What's going on, where is Fiore?"

"Don't worry, she's safe and waiting for you. Come on, Gio wants a little chat over supper, you must be hungry."

Nero huffed in relief "Starving."