Away from the comfort of one's own home, prisons prove quite hostile opposites. Instead of the warmth and soothing embrace, they provide harsh weathering conditions tagged along with putrid odors. Foul cages would best describe them – sullied with the grime of past accompaniers who departed from this life to the next. Death clung to each cell like a dire stain, disintegrating the morale of hopeful souls trapped within. An angst air would eventually choke all existing breath stored within the lungs of the living, and no hope of escaping the morbidity would ever present itself. That is unless destiny otherwise strode through on gilded chariot providing a way. Yet, even in the times of darkness, destiny would provide even in the most unlikely of circumstances.
The dark times in Kenrick's life began when he and his father nearly finished the planting of their crops at the end of Last Seed. Perhaps it should have indicated dreadful times were near when a crimson sun rose that fateful morning. Even the darkened misty air seemed enough to drag whatever life existed into the timeless abyss. However, "work must go on" Caen, his father, habitually stated as the day drug out longer than usual. Yet, the long, arduous day offered little merit to Kenrick and Caen as they finally finished with sore ridden hands.
Caen, a man with one leg, plopped down in his chair with the aid of his crutch and looked to the fire pit, deprived of warmth. Sullenly he gazed back to Kenrick who in turn knew what Caen desired. With a simple nod of his head, Kenrick grabbed his machete and hatchet to fell a tree in hopes of providing his father that single uncomplicated wish. Exhausted enough as he was, Kenrick persevered through the struggles, reminding himself of how in the end life would turn out for the better. He adored his father's commitment to live on, especially after losing a wife. Though, never again would he be able to enjoy that luxury.
Two ominous figures garbed in blood red cloaks infringed on their territory, demanding the sudden confiscation of the land for "construction". Overhearing his father yelling for no such deal, Kenrick crept to a nearby bush to investigate the pair of miscreants. Waving their hands around in an eccentric manner, they brutally murdered Caen, incinerating his flesh to nothing more than a mere pile of ashes. Heinous laughter leapt from evil tongues as they loomed over Caen's remains, spitting and kicking the cinders of a once living being - Kenrick's only remaining family.
Torment and anguish welled within Kenrick as he witnessed the horrific act committed, bringing tears to his pale blue eyes, barely believing what they accurately perceived. Fury raged inside, driving him to the act of revenge. With machete and hatchet in hand, Kenrick rushed towards the inattentive mortals, slaying them with no remorse and spilling tainted blood upon the grounds with which they stained through their cruelty.
In spite of the attempt to rectify his father's soul, Kenrick was misconstrued as a brutal and savage murderer as two legionnaires witnessed his relentless onslaught upon the hapless victims. Forgiveness just so happened to be the farthest thing from their minds as the rightful lad attempted to claim his act a just cause. Though, with merciless intentions they clasped irons around both his wrists and ankles, ending the determined efforts of Kenrick.
Now, with little less to do than wait his own ultimate sentence, execution, Kenrick pondered on his past experiences – trying to keep blissful thoughts alive as long as possible. Though, one look at those dark and dreary cell walls immediately brought back misapprehended "crimes" from the grave to plague him until the end.
A week had nearly passed, yet no form of final sentence arrived at the gate, leaving Kenrick in a constant mind of weariness. "Why won't they just end my misery?" cried Kenrick, tears streaming down his cheeks behind unkempt brown hair. "What form of cruelty do they house in this hell hole to keep one destined for death from his untimely end?"
Despite the constant ranting, guards never came to take him away… away from the unknowing and hopeless cage. Definitely, they enjoyed to hear him wail. His voice, though, began to die out, quiet he became, and only a set of eyes peering from the darkness would alert you to a form of life living there. But even though all hope seemed lost, Kenrick's future became apparent with the arrival of an unexpected visitor.