"Ogh...what?...ah! Psycha! Kids! Where are—oh no, where am I? I demand you let me know what's going on, you sick freaks! If you've laid a hand on my family—"

"Took you long enough."

"A—wah—who are you? Can you explain what's going on?"

"You were still out when they were talking. You can relax by the way, we're in the same boat here. I don't know about your family. What I do know is that we're in the SkyWing Madness Chamber."

"The—the huh?"

"Still clueless, I see. You know the gladiator ring, as everyone does. This is something much more obscure, because no one has lived to tell about it. See, they put two of us in here, and wait. Easy as that."

"...I don't get it. That's not much of a punishment. I mean, do they just starve us?"

"No, there's plenty rations. It's more of an experiment to see how long it takes before we go insane. —So they've said."

"Scarlet's cruelty really knows no bounds."

"Tell me about it. ...So I guess we better settle in for the long haul—this place is near inescapable. I'm Grayscale."

"Yes, that's true. Then what's your name?"

"Grayscale."

"O—ohhh, right. Sleet. Third Circle."

"A pleasure, though kind of awkward in here. I'm glad it's a fellow IceWing this time—they tossed a SandWing in here once, and within a week she bit off her tail and killed herself by bashing into the wall."

"I see... so you've been here a while?"

"More than I'd like to admit, but honestly, there's worse. If I'm not mad yet, I'm not sure I'll ever be."

"And...you said there was no way out?"

"Looked. Tried. Teamed up. No success. Your best shot would maybe be brute-forcing through the guards if ever they open the door to add a new prisoner, but that's extremely hard in itself. Funny enough, they let you live even if your escape plan fails, cause they're just so confident. Maybe it's more of a mental blow that way."

"Man...well, those 'Dragonets of Destiny' better hurry up. I have places to be, rather than rotting in an insanity camp."

"Oh yeah, you mentioned a Pyscha? What was your life like?"

"Yes, my wife. Things used to be so lovely..."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I don't want to bring any memories."

"No issue. It's helpful. We had plans to run a business, as I had retired from the army due to a slightly crippling joint injury, and Psycha had political immunity to service because she had some famous relative or something. It was gonna be great with our four dragonets, but the Succession War had everyone spread thin and they forcefully re-drafted all the exes. The newbies are getting younger and younger too..."

"True. Sometimes I wish the IceWings weren't such a warring society, because it makes far more problems than solutions."

"Right? Still, got captured cause of this bad leg, and here we are. I just want to see them again...it's been a while..."

"Mm. You're lucky to have something that drives you."

"And you don't?"

"...I watched my reasons to live die."

"..."

"Ahem. So! There's not much for us to do, but I'm open to ideas. Wall ball? Dig an escape tunnel with a spoon? 'Who Has the Colder Breath' challenge? Ooh! We could sketch in the dirt!"

"Heh...sure. I'd like that, Gray."

Two Weeks Later

"Haha! Got you! Checkmate!"

"You do realize we're playing Tic-Tac-Toe? Chess is nearly impossible without pieces."

"You always ruin the fun, Sleet. —Ahhh, boy. This is life, eh? You'd think they'd get tired of watching this eventually. Hey SkyWings, watch! I'm gonna do something interesting! Hup—oof!—"

"Ehehe...Thanks, Gray."

"Huh? What?"

"Just glad I'm stuck with someone who has a sense of humor."

"Anytime. Gotta do something in here."

"...Question. Do you ever think we're getting out of here? And if so, how?"

"Well, the chances of those charlatans growing consciouses are next to none. Maybe we could hold out until Scarlet is replaced. Maybe our tribe would attempt a jailbreak for the many imprisoned, but I highly doubt it. Who knows, maybe that prophecy business has some form of credence. But it's surely not going to be soon. ...What, is two weeks already getting to you?"

"No, I feel fine. Just...there's so much I'm missing. My life is getting wasted in here, no offense. This isn't where I should be. Not to mention my relatives are worried sick if they're alive. There's so much going by."

"..."

"Gray? What? Did I say something wrong?"

"Sleet, you should know. I've been mulling over this the whole time, but now should be good enough. There is...a much more direct way out of here. Faster, higher chances. Thing is, I don't think you're going to like it."

"Ffff...mm...alright, lay it on me. My tolerance for secrets is short, and if there's at least a chance, I feel compelled to know."

"Whisper about this so they don't hear, okay? ...Sleet, you have a life. There are people still who love and care about you, and that's great. I might be one. My point is, like you said, you're wasting valuable time in here. Now, I know because I've seen this, but when one of or both of the two prisoners in this room die, the guards come in to dispose of the body and try to find a new inmate. It should give you enough time to fight back."

"W-wait, what are you implying?"

"If it's cuts and slashes though, they might think you did it, and that would make them more wary. I think suffocation is best."

"Woah. Woah woah, slow down."

"Do you want me to say it? ...Look, you're going to have to kill me."

"Gray, stop! Just—uph...I'm not going to take a life just for some small feeble chance of escape. Especially not yours!"

"You're not taking a 'life'! Listen to me, Sleet. I'm far beyond my prime. My family is gone. My loved ones are gone. I have no direction. There's nothing left for me here! But if I can turn my meaningless death into something beneficial, and help someone get back to what's important, then by Glacier's talons, I will. Do you understand?"

"..."

"I know this is gonna be hard, but how hard would it be for Psycha and the kids to learn that you simply gave up on them and wasted away without taking any chances?"

"...huph...F-fine."

"There we go.Now let's not waste much time. When this happens, you're gonna say I offed myself, alright? Make sure it ends up in the back corner so they have to go that far to get it. They come in, minimize the watch at the door, and you go off best you can. Good?"

"I'll try..."

"That's all we can do. —Alright. I'm ready for this. Make absolutely certain I'm gone, and not just passed out, alright? Now you just grab my neck. I'll attempt not to struggle, heh. ...Go on, don'tbe shy. That's more like it. Just give 'er a little sque-ek! No, that's good, keep—ik!"

"Stop acting so c-casual about this!"

"Aw—urk—look, he's cry—ah!—ing for me guk! Can't breathe—!"

"S-shut up! I—it's not helping!"

"Shut me up then—ehk! Uch—hngk..."

"I—oh, I...I'm so sorry, Gray...I'm sorry..."

"It—gak—it's o—kay..."

"Just hurry up! I can't take this!"

"Al—ways so—impa—tien—!"

"How long does it take to choke someone?! I'm losing my nerve!"

"S—Sleet—!"

...

"...Gray? Grayscale? Oh moons. I actually did it. I just—I shouldn't be crying—ah! Gray, you were so good to me, and I just! ...Hoooooh, man, okay. I can't waste it. I've gone so far. —Thank you for this, Gray."

"...Hey, prisoners! What's going on in there?..."

"Oh! Uh, we got in an argument, and he kind of went mad! Dead now; must have had enough, cause he killed himself a bit ago."

"...Alright. We'll be right back. You better not try anything!..."

Okay, this is it. Do it for her. Do it for the kids. ...Do it for him.

It won't be in vain.