The Prison Break

Renjiro’s head throbbed as he was shoved into a large iron cage, the dull clang of the lock echoing through the dim chamber. He blinked, trying to clear his vision, and through the hazy light, he spotted someone in the cell next to his.

“Renjiro?” The voice was soft but unmistakable.

Renjiro’s heart leapt. “Yumeru!” Relief flooded his voice as he reached through the bars to clasp her hand.

She managed a small, weary smile. “I’m alright, just… relieved you made it too. This place is like a fortress.”

Renjiro surveyed their surroundings, his gaze landing on row after row of cages, each holding a prisoner—most of them Luminarians, many wearing the green attire of the Verdance Clan. Anger simmered beneath his relief. “We have to get out of here, Yumeru. We can’t let these hunters keep us locked up.”

Yumeru nodded, her eyes scanning the room. “The hunters are no ordinary mercenaries. We’ll need a careful plan if we’re going to escape.”

Renjiro was silent for a moment, his mind racing with questions. Finally, he looked at her. “Yumeru, do you know who these hunters are? Or why they’re after us?”

Yumeru’s gaze turned distant, her voice low. “It’s not the Red Clan. These hunters work alone, beyond any clan’s reach. But when I saw one of them… the leader… I noticed something.”

Renjiro frowned, remembering the towering man with a spear and strange, orange-hazel eyes. “You mean the one with the black spear?”

She nodded, her expression uneasy. “Yes. His eyes—those intense hazel-orange eyes. I’ve read about people like that… Zitanians.”

Renjiro stared at her, confusion crossing his face. “Zitanians?”

Yumeru nodded, her voice dropping to a whisper. “They’re a bloodline of warriors known to be ancient rivals of all Luminarians. Zitanians are rare, and few survive an encounter with them. But their eyes… they’re known for that striking color, like fire. If that man is Zitanian, we’ll have to tread carefully. Zitanians don’t care for alliances; they have their own motives and follow their own agendas.”

Renjiro absorbed her words, feeling a chill at the thought of Ukuboa’s independent power. “If he’s truly a Zitanian, this could be even more dangerous than we thought. We need to escape before he transports us.”

Before Yumeru could respond, a faint rustling outside the cages caught their attention. A figure approached, moving quietly through the shadows. Renjiro squinted, then felt a surge of relief as he recognized the face.

“Renjiro!” Liko’s whisper held a spark of hope as he crouched by the cage, pulling stems and roots from his belt. He infused Green Lumina shaping the roots into a lockpick. 

Renjiro’s heart lifted as he saw the lock click open, and the cage door creaked as he stepped out, helping Yumeru as Liko unlocked her cell.

“Liko! I knew you’d find us!” 

“We’re getting everyone out,” Liko murmured, his movements swift and careful. The three moved quietly through the rows of cages, freeing others as they went.

Renjiro spotted Kairro, Taro, Rona, Flora, and Emi among the captives. As he unlocked their cages, they joined with looks of determination. “Let’s keep going. We need to free as many as we can.”

Moving through the shadows, they unlocked cells holding more Green Clan members, each captive joining them in the quiet rebellion as they reached the edge of the camp. Then Renjiro paused at a cell holding a man unlike any he’d ever seen.

The man’s skin was rough, almost stone-like, with deep grooves and markings on his face and body in a striking blue, forming tribal patterns. His gaze was piercing, and as he met Renjiro’s eyes, he gave a single nod.

Renjiro unlocked the cage, and the man stepped out, his deep voice resonant. “Thank you,” he said simply, his presence both powerful and calm.

Renjiro nodded in return. “Stay with us. We’re fighting our way out.”

As they freed more captives, Renjiro spotted a few humans among them. He moved to unlock a cell containing a rugged, weary man, but the man jerked his hand away, scowling.

“Get your hands off me, Luminarian,” he snapped, his voice dripping with resentment. “Your kind has put us humans through enough hell. You think freeing us now makes up for all of it?”

Renjiro paused, taken aback. Before he could answer, another human captive beside him added, “This is your war, not ours. But now you drag us into it. Saving us doesn't change anything."

The cold animosity in their voices lingered even as Renjiro freed them, and he could only watch as they moved away with other humans. The words stung, but he forced himself to push it aside—now was not the time to try to make peace.

Finally, they reached the edge of the camp, guiding the small group toward the perimeter. But just as they were about to push through, a horn blared and shouts filled the air.

“They’ve escaped!” a guard’s voice rang out, echoing through the camp. “Raise the alarm!”

Chaos erupted as guards closed in from every side, weapons drawn and ready. Renjiro prepared to fight, his Lumina sparking to life in his hands. Around him, the other Green Clan members, as well as Kairro, Taro, and the stone-skinned man, readied themselves for the fight.

“Stay close!” Kairro yelled as he barreled into a guard, his fists blazing with Lumina. Renjiro turned, sending a blast toward another guard and creating an opening for the others to push through.

Then, from the center of the camp, an imposing figure emerged. Ukuboa strode toward them, his orange-hazel eyes filled with fury, his black steel spear gleaming as he surveyed the fleeing captives.

“Let none of them escape!” Ukuboa’s voice thundered. “Capture every last one!”

The captives surged forward, desperately fighting to break through the perimeter. Flora stayed close to her brother, but as they neared the edge of the base, a powerful hand gripped her shoulder, pulling her back.

Flora’s eyes widened in fear as she looked up into Ukuboa’s unyielding gaze, his grip tightening.

“Flora!” Rona yelled, charging at Ukuboa with rage in his eyes.

Ukuboa blocked his attack with a brutal backhand, sending Rona sprawling to the ground, dazed. He resumed dragging Flora away, unphased by the attempt.

Renjiro turned at the sound of Flora’s cry, his heart pounding as he saw her in Ukuboa’s clutches. “Flora!” he shouted, breaking into a sprint.

Kairro, Emi, Yumeru, and Taro followed with determination in their eyes as they closed in.

Renjiro’s eyes blazed with fury, Lumina crackling around his fists. He clenched his hands, ready to face the one who had threatened not only Flora’s life but countless others in the camp. Kairro, Yumeru, Emi, and Taro joined him, their own Lumina flaring to life as they prepared to confront Ukuboa in a final stand.