So we left off with someone talking to Aryll. Who could it be? Please read on!

Don't own anything except the concept of the story

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: PRISON BREAK

Within the confines of the dingy cell, where the floor was wet and the air was humid, Aryll and a stranger outside the cell were conversing.

"Who are you?" Aryll asked.

"My name…is not important, kid," the stranger replied.

"Don't call me kid. I have a name."

"Then what is it?"

"My name is Aryll."

"Aryll...that's a weird name so I'll just call you small fry."

"Must you call me by other names except my own?"

"…yes…"

The others were coming to. "Where are we?" Raine asked.

"Looks like another jail cell," Tetra replied.

"Then we must make our escape," Wilder said.

"But how?" Anderson asked. "We need a key to open the cell and we're chained together to a wall."

"Except Aryll," Genis replied.

"Except…hey, how come she's not chained to the wall?" Raine asked.

"Because her hands wouldn't fit the cuffs," the stranger replied.

"Who is this guy?" Link asked.

"He won't give me his name," Aryll replied.

"I'm willing to help if you are planning to kill General Smith. Man, that guy's annoying. We must uphold honour, blah, blah, blah; for Lord Ganondorf's sake, blah, blah, blah."

"Anyway, Aryll can fit through the bars," Genis said. "She can find the keys to open the cell."

"Then Aryll, stranger guy, hop to it!" Raine exclaimed.

"Or we're all doomed," Wilder said gloomily.

"You can count on me!" Aryll squeezed through the bars, to the other side. The stranger was wearing a cloak, covering his face.

"Were the keys?" Aryll asked.

"In General Smith's room," the stranger replied, "On the eighth floor."

"Then let's hurry."

The two figures rushed over to the elevators and got inside. The stranger pushed the button that showed the number nine. The elevators whizzed as it moved up. Aryll and the stranger stood together.

"Man, I should have put some elevator music or something in here," the stranger mumbled.

"You can do that?" Aryll asked.

"Damn straight! I can do whatever I want here…except a few things…thanks to that idiot Smith…"

"Why do you want the general killed anyway?"

"Taken away some of my privileges. I can't go out and enjoy myself anymore. And he's constantly badgering me about orders from Lord Ganondorf. I mean, sure, I like a guy that has a sense of loyalty but when you take away a man's right to gambled, flirt and orders you to kill anyone and anything…that's going too far!"

Aryll looked at him funny.

"Constant rambling," he replied. "Sorry, I do it sometimes…"

The elevator stopped at the eighth floor. The two got out and headed over to General Smith's room.

Inside the room were a few medals, trophies and a bed. The key was lying on a dresser.

"This guy's a freak," the stranger said. "I wonder what goes on in his head…"

"We got what we came for," Aryll replied. "Let's go."

When they were about to leave, they found two guards walking in their direction.

"Uh oh," Aryll said. "What do we do?"

"Just leave it to me, bumpkin," the stranger replied. He took off his hood.

The guards stood up straight and saluted. "Lord Kratos, sir! What brings you to level eight, sir?"

"I found this little sea urchin roaming the halls," Kratos replied. "How did she get all the way up here?"

The guards looked at each other. "My apologies, sir, it won't happen again, sir! We will take her down ourselves!"

"Nah, it's cool, I'll do that. You guys might just lose her again." He grabbed Aryll's arm. "Come on, you inferior being. Back down to the hold. You two stay up here and keep a look out for any suspicious activity." He and Aryll got into the elevator.

"Yes, sir!" was the reply.

Inside the elevator:

"You're Lord Kratos?" Aryll asked.

"Heh, small world," Kratos replied.

"No wonder you can do anything, because you're in charge here!"

"Well, thanks to Smith, there has been a limit to what I can and can't do."

"……after we defeat Smith, are you going to kill us?"

"Hell no. I have a debt to pay Lord Ganondorf. He's the idiot that thought of the restrictions to our powers."

"Our powers?"

"He placed restrictions to my powers and Lord Irving's powers. He didn't want a revolt or something."

The elevator reached the bottom floor. The two rushed over to the cell.

"Took you long enough," Tetra said.

Anderson had a long look at Kratos and exclaimed, "You! You're Lord Kratos!"

Kratos scratched the back of his neck and said, "Uh, hey governor guy. We're cool about the whole burning of your island thing, right?"

"It's your fault that our defences are weak and shattered!"

"Aw, come on! I mean, I didn't technically kill anyone. General Smith attacked your island, not me."

"You're the one that ordered him to," Wilder replied.

"No, I didn't. I acted like an idiot and said 'go by your own accord'."

"He helped me save you guys," Aryll replied. "Isn't that enough?"

"I don't care who helps us, I just want out!" Raine exclaimed.

"I agree, we cannot do anything by just sitting here," Genis added.

"Then release us already!" Link exclaimed.

The others were freed from their confines. They were all unsure if Kratos was really revolting against Lord Ganondorf or just playing them for fools.

"How can we be sure if you are revolting against Ganondorf?" Anderson asked. "You could be playing us for fools."

"Now why in the blue hell would I do that?" Kratos asked. "He's taken everything away from me! I want…"

"Freedom?" Genis asked.

"Exactly. See, this guy understands me. I think we'll become the best of friends."

"I think not," Genis shifted over away from Kratos.

"That…was hurtful…"

"Well, should we head over to General Smith and destroy the fortress?" Link asked.

"Whoa! You're not…going to destroy this place…are you?" Kratos asked.

"We have no choice," Wilder said. "This place houses evil."

"But I just had three floor renovated! And I'm planning to build a Jacuzzi on the top of the fortress!"

"You can stay on the ship!" Aryll chirped.

"Kid, I don't do ships! They're too…primitive…"

"Ships are not primitive," Tetra said smugly.

"It's either a life of imprisonment on the fortress or life of freedom on the ship," Link said. "It's your call."

"Hmm…fortress of imprisonment or ship of freedom," Kratos mumbled. "Imprisonment, freedom, imprisonment, freedom, imprisonment…"

"You have ten seconds," Raine said.

"Uh…I'll take freedom."

"Then let us destroy General Smith," Wilder said, "Once and for all."

The group got into the elevator and headed to the ninth floor. When they arrived, General Smith was already waiting for them.

"Mr. Anderson," he said. "Welcome back. I've missed you."

"It ends tonight, Smith," Anderson drew his sword.

"Really? You said that the last time we met. Look what happened." General Smith swung his sword and knocked everyone to the wall. He approached Anderson who was lying on the ground, struggling to get up.

"Why, Mr. Anderson?" he asked. "Why do you do it? Why get up? Why keep fighting? Do you believe you're fighting for something? For more that your survival? Can you tell me what it is? Do you even know? Is it freedom? Or truth? Perhaps peace? Yes? No? Could it be for love (love of his people)? Illusions, Mr. Anderson. Vagaries of perception. The temporary constructs of a feeble human intellect trying desperately to justify an existence that is without meaning or purpose. And all of them as artificial as the world itself, although only a human mind could invent something as insipid as love. You must be able to see it, Mr. Anderson. You must know it by now. You can't win. It's pointless to keep fighting. Why, Mr. Anderson? Why? Why do you persist?"

Anderson got up and said, "Because I choose to." (Got that whole quote from the Matrix)

General Smith was about to strike with a final blow when Kratos came up and stabbed him in the back.

"Gah!" Smith yelled. "Lord…Kratos…how…"

"It's a miracle when you read through the medical reports," Kratos replied. "It seems you were suffering from osteoporosis, a decrease in bone mass and bone density and an increased risk and/or incidence of fracture."

"How could…a mere stab in the back…kill me?"

"Simple. I struck your spine. Due to the osteoporosis, I shattered your spinal cord, causing it to collapse. This would cause you to lose the support to your cervical cortex, therefore losing all control of your body. This would include muscle movement, speech and even…you're breathing." (Alright, I am not a doctor. This is mere speculation. The autonomy of a darknut is very different from a human being)

General Smith started to breathe shorter breathes of air. Finally, he collapsed, dead on the floor.

"You have a surprising breath of knowledge, Kratos," Genis said.

"You can learn a lot from watching medical shows," he replied.

Link approached the machine and said, "Set this thing on self-destruct."

"Got it."

After leaving the fortress, it started to explode. Kratos looked in horror.

"That's coming out of my pay check," he mumbled.

"But you're free now," Aryll replied. "You can do whatever you want!"

"Yeah…but I have no cash…maybe I'll get a job…"

"As what?" Raine asked.

"As a mercenary or something…"

"You can plan your future later," Link said. "Right now, we should head back to Rosevale to figure out what we do from here."

"Uh…I don't think they'll like me there," Kratos replied.

"Don't worry, I'll talk to my people," Anderson said. "Besides, you saved my life. It's the least I can do."

"Uh…thanks, I guess…"

As the ships sail off to Rosevale Island, they were being watched. On the remnants of the once, great, Floating Fortress stood Lord Irving. It seemed that he was talking to someone…but no one was around.

"Master," he said, "it seems that Kratos has betrayed us."

A voice boomed out of nowhere. "It seems so. Placing restrictions on his powers was probably not the best choice."

"Master, do you wish for me to pursue him?"

"No. He has little importance. Right now, the more pertinent task is retrieving the

exsphere from that annoying girl…"

"Master…do you mean to say…"

"Yes. It is time to get Colette back."

"Master, when shall I orchestrate this plan?"

"Whatever time you see fit."

"Understood." Lord Irving flew from the debris to keep a closer watch on the two ships heading over the horizon.

The plan…what is it? Please R&R and find out.