Howard pounded once more on the steel door. Five others, he thought, a silent mantra that he had been repeating to himself since his escape.
He had woken in a puddle of green, thick, liquid. Upon further investigation, he saw a few pieces of paper on a table that was misted over with spider webs and dust. Brushing away the debris, he realized that the sheets of paper were blueprints. The top page delineated a circular arena, and six holding cells. He felt a chill creep up his spine as he saw his own name, "Howard Alt-Eisen," printed neatly in pen. His eyes darted across the page, taking in the other names. So there were five others. He shuffled through the other pages – floors. And six more captives held on the second floor.
Three floors, and twelve people. Perhaps some of the others would have more knowledge as to what had happened.
All he could remember was the reason why he had come to Lighthalzen. A refining technique for Oridecon had just been perfected by a master blacksmith of the name Tyron Scarson, and he was offering to share it with the world in a public demonstration at Lighthalzen. He and a few other smiths had headed there in hopes of learning the technique. He had left his son and wife behind, and now he was glad that he had done so. No matter what had happened to him – at least they had been spared.
He gathered up the sheaf of papers and stuffed them into his pack. No doubt they would come in handy later on, when they needed to escape this foul prison. He grasped his trusty hammer, Mjolnir, and strode towards the door. Lifting the latch that barred the door, he gave a mighty shove. No use. The metal hinges had refused to budge, and he could only assume that there had been a mechanical failure.
After a solid hour of futile pounding on the door, Howard took a break. He racked his brain, trying to think of other escape possibilities. The diagram showed clearly that there was only one exit to his cell – the one right before him. And suddenly, unbidden, a skill came to his mind. Melt Down. He didn't know how he knew it, and at the moment, he didn't care. He focused his energies on Mjolnir, turning the hammerhead red-hot. Smashing it into the door, the metal behind melted away, leaving a smoldering hole. The wall's integrity compromised, it caved in, leaving Howard free to leave. Taking his first step into the hallways of the biological laboratory, Howard finally got a good look at the strange world outside of his cell.
A/N: Super short chapter is super short. x_x