Drip. Drip. Drip.
I twitched at the dirty pipe water dripping onto the rusting chains. The iron tethers rustled in discomfort. Blisters decorated my ankles from being shackled to the wall. Metal gloves covered my hands, the prison guard tightly securing it to the ceiling to prevent my ability from aiding my escape.
Moans and groans of other prisoners bounced in the large, darkened room. They're mostly young girls who were captured in the streets of Yokohama, the unlucky few to catch the eye of Hades. Some don't last long in this prison—I'm merely an exception. Others get auctioned out, sold to the black market as most of Hades' profits come from but I'm their weapon. Their upper hand in case something goes awry.
I've been trapped here for years, waiting to for a chance to escape.
Well…today's the day.
"M-mama…mama…help…me," A helpless voice cried out. Judging by the sound of her voice, she seems to be around ten or eleven years old.
A bang pierced through the air. Rough footsteps stopped in front of her cell, and a gruff voice spat out, "Your mom's dead, kid. No one can help you now." A sick laugh bellowed from his lips. I scoffed in disgust.
"Alastor," Annoyingly, I know his name, "Leave her alone." His boots pounded until he reached my cell. He smirked at the sight of my weak body suspended in the air, his two front teeth still remain missing when I shoved his head onto the pavement in an attempt to escape the first time.
"Fine, I'll leave her alone," Alastor chuckled, producing a knife from his pocket. He unlocked my cell, and stepped right in the musty cage. "I'll play with you instead,". He lined the knife to my calf, the blade glinting against the dimmed light. Raising his arm to slash through my skin, I forcefully tugged on the rusted chain wrapped around my left foot. The shackles broke free from the wall, and I barley avoided a scratch.
I slammed my heel on his head, and he fell to the ground face first. Blood splattered on the ground as I tugged my other foot free from its chains. When Alastor attempted to stand, I swung my leg, hitting the side of his head which connected to the solid wall. His body limped to the floor but I know I only have little time before he wakes.
I started swinging my body back and forth, loosening the nails attached to my metal gloves. Alastor began to regain consciousness. So, mustering all my strength, I swung one more time, and the chain detached from the ceiling. I landed straight to Alastor's back, the metal gloves clanging as it met the floor.
Crouching down to his form, I patted his pockets, discovering a ring of keys. I snuck past my cell doors, locking it behind me to keep Alastor from following. I hurried to unlock the other remaining doors when an explosion rattled the whole room.
Debris rained from above. Screams of trapped girls rang in my ear. I dashed to find the right key but there were too many and the ceiling is threatening to fall.
"Help us!" "Don't just stand there!" "We're going to die!"
With no other choice, I thumbed the sharpest key, and pricked my index finger.
"What are you doing?" One of the girls asked in panic. Blocking her voice, I quickly used the blood to write on my arm, "Ability: Inkheart." A bright light surrounded us, and all the girl's cells opened all at the same time.
My ability allows me to re-write ten seconds into the past, but I can only do this using my own blood. I have to have seen the event occur or else they wouldn't work. Now, I re-wrote that I was able to unlock the cell doors 'cause I don't have enough for me to nitpick each key.
We ran towards the metal door at the end of the hall. Another explosion ignitedd. This time nearer and possibly could kill us if we don't escape right now.
I searched through the keys and found a pair bigger than the rest. Hurriedly inserting it in the keyhole, the girls and I managed to leave just as the wall burst, a ball of fire at its tail.
Sewer water rapidly streamed past us. We were underground. For years, we were kept in the dirtiest, horrible, rat-infested prison. My eyes scanned for another means to exit this hell. And, just our luck, a ladder leading to a manhole was on the other side.
"There's the exit. Go, go, go," I pushed the girls to cross the rushing waters, frequently looking behind me in case the fire follows our trail.
One by one, the girls got to escape, except….a young child stood at the base of the ladder. I assume she was the one crying for her mother a while back. She stared at the slippery ladder, shaking and afraid.
"What's wrong? Why aren't you climbing up?" I asked her, another loud 'boom' erupting. Fire spread past the door, flames licking the hall. I covered her frail body thinning from the lack of food they give them.
"I'm scared. I-I don't—h-how do I—" I grabbed her trembling hands, placing both of them on the mossy steps.
"What's your name?" "Satchi." "Well, Satchi, we're going to do this together, okay?" I felt her nod against my chest. The scratches on my wrist and ankles burned in pain. Warmth kissed my back, and I know the fire was reaching us faster than I would like to.
Up, up, up the ladder we go. It wasn't a far climb but Satchi held onto the ladder for dear life. The girls screamed at us to pick up the pace just as the fire pinched at my feet. And, as we appeared at the top of the manhole, the rest of the girls pulled Satchi to the ground while I covered the hole just before another explosion ensued.
"You saved us," They cheered. A helicopter hovered in the air. The trees swayed against the mighty wind, and I know this isn't over yet.
"No, this is only the beginning. You need to run far, far away from Hades unless you want to get captured again." I started walking away else the pilot spots me.
"Can I come with you?" Satchi asked.
"It's too dangerous. You're better off on your own," I replied, not stopping for a second. Satchi's voice called out, "You never told us your name,"
I refused to reply. She didn't need a reason to attach herself to me. I vanished within the trees, hoping to get away from Hades' territory. With a final gaze, the spot the girls once stood now hung empty. Relief flooded my chest knowing they free.
Meanwhile…
Tanizaki burst through the doors, panting heavy breaths. Naomi crouched beside her brother, asking, "Onii-sama, are you okay?"
"Hades," Tanizaki muttered, and the rest of the Armed Detective Agency gathered around him. "Hades?" Atsushi repeated, curiosity laced in his town.
"What about Hades, Tanizaki?" Kunikida questioned, pushing his glasses onto the bridge of his nose.
"They're back," Tanizaki revealed, "And they're on the loose,".