- Indigo Cage

Caelum repeatedly slaps Zarco's face.

.

Zarco just lays down on the floor with his face slightly swollen and chafed.

-I'm sorry...

.

Caelum wipes a bloodstain from her hand, though the blood was clearly not hers. After a small sight, she says.

-No, I owe you an apology, I might have gotten a little angry there.

.

Zarco thought

-A little?! I thought I was going to die!

.

Caelum thought

-That was a mistake, despite him being intolerable, this idiot is the closest thing I have to an ally.

.

Zarco thought

-As soon as I get the crystal I'll kick your ass, you plucked pigeon.

.

Caelum thought

-Now I have to focus on the situation in question, I have to get out of this prison with Sapere! Otherwise...

.

Zarco thought

-But I must save revenge for another time, this dolt might be useful and I don't want to stay in this prison.

.

Zarco and Caelum thought

-I'll…

.

Zarco thought

-Get out of here…

.

Caelum thought

-Save him...

.

Zarco and Caelum thought

-NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES!

.

Zarco and Caelum thought

-And for this...

.

Zarco thought

-I'll use her!

.

Caelum thought

-I'll use him!

.

Zarco thought

-But what do I do?! It's not like I can just go and say to her "Hey, want to get out of here? This prison is pretty boring."

.

Caelum

-Your name is Zarco, correct?

.

Zarco

-A-oh, yes!

.

Caelum

-Do you want to escape this prison?

.

Zarco thought

-Ok, apparently, just asking was an option...

.

Caelum

-Answer me.

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Zarco

-Ah! Of course! Whatever you need, just ask! Let's get out of this together! Yay!

.

Zarco thought

-I think I might have exaggerated it...

.

Caelum thought

-I didn't expect him to be so willing to help me, maybe I misjudged him.

.

Caelum

-Your animation is invigorating, but keep quiet, our plan must be a secret.

.

Zarco thought

-Hoh! She actually believed it! Neat.

.

Caelum thought

-I hope I don't have to sacrifice him to get away.

.

Zarco

-But then, do you already have a plan?

.

Zarco mutters to himself.

-That it's better than the last one preferably.

.

Caelum

-No.

.

Zarco

-Huh? No plan? None at all?

.

Caelum

-I've only been here for a short time, I don't know this prison well enough to come up with a good plan yet, not to mention that we have a little complication...

.

Zarco

-Oh, what? Is this prison heavily secured? Do the other prisoners want to kill us?

.

Caelum

-I have to save Sapere.

.

Zarco

-Who?

.

Caelum

-Sapere, my guardian, the one who raised me.

.

Zarco

-Aaaah, oh yes, I don't know who that is.

.

Caelum

-He was captured along with me but it seems he was taken to another cell, I fear for the worst.

.

Caelum

-The people here only harbor hatred towards us, and as a former high officer, the Sapere has a lot of information they want.

.

Zarco

-Okay, I understand that they kill the old man out of hate, but if he has information they need, ending him seems kind of unproductive, right?

.

Caelum

-They will torture him, and he will not speak easily, now if we add the condition he was in with the torture wounds.

.

Zarco

-I get it, you don't need to continue.

.

Caelum

-You should prepare for that too.

.

Zarco

-Huh?

.

Caelum

-They will also torture you.

.

Zarco

-...

.

Zarco

-WHY?! They already have the old man and you! They don't need me...

.

Caelum

-Exactly, they already have Sapere, I don't understand why they need me... but you, on the other hand, you have information about the crystal that no one else has.

.

Zarco

-A-ah, well, it is not even much information, I just got a quick tutorial from the guys a while ago...

.

Caelum

-Aham, anyway, what are you going to do?

.

Zarco

-Hum, I'm not a fan of cuts, burns, sprains, bumps, or anything that damages my body, so I think it's better for me to just talk.

.

Caelum

-Um, I understand, but knowing how to use this crystal would be a big boost to their forces.

.

Zarco

-And why is that a problem for me?

.

Caelum

-They're the ones who are keeping us in prison, so increasing their power might not be the best idea.

.

Zarco

-Ugh, if I still had my pebble I could get away from here in an instant.

.

Caelum

-Hum, now I am wondering, how did you get this crystal.

.

Zarco

-I already said that some guy gave it to me!

.

Caelum

-I still don't believe it.

.

Zarco

-Well, here is a summary of the opera, I joined a small group there, stuff happened, then I ran away and ended up "getting" this crystal from then.

.

Caelum

-Looks more like you stole it.

.

Zarco

-They gave it to me, I pick it up and run away, it's the same thing.

.

Caelum just stares at him, with a clearly judgmental look on her face.

.

Zarco

-Don't look at me like that, they were a bunch of weirdos...

.

Caelum

-More weird than you?

.

Zarco

-Well, from my point of view all the rest of humanity is kinda weird, but they were on a whole different level.

.

Caelum

-In other words, you stole a very precious crystal and now there is a weird group chasing you.

.

Zarco

-Eh, pretty much, but don't worry, don't worry...

.

Caelum

-Stop.

.

Zarco

-Huh?

.

Caelum

-Don't you dare complete that sentence, the last time you said that...

.

Zarco opens a huge smile

.

Caelum

-DON'T!

.

Zarco, with a huge smile on his face, slowly says.

-I'm sure everything will be fine.

.

<--------------// ~ // ------------->

.

On a small harbor, a big galleon stood in clear contrast to the other small fishing ships, noticing that, four hooded menacing figures approached the harbor as the wind from the sea blew, and one of them stumbled, almost falling, but despite the odds, the hooded figure didn't fall, and managed to keep on walking, menacingly.

.

END OF THE SIXTEENTH CHAPTER