Explosion  

Alone in the cabinet, Sorah's sat in a meditative pose once more and reactivated Wind Sight, focusing on a small, simple building located close to the rear portion in Sector A. It was a storehouse for the prison's power generators - massive, cylindrical machines that hummed with energy and emitted harsh steam.

He counted five generators, each connected to a network of tubes and wires that snaked their way throughout the prison complex. The generators were powered by a process Sorah was vaguely familiar with - the absorption and conversion of biological Aether Steam.

He had witnessed similar technology during his travels with his father, Aoi. The engineers back home at the Aerithra Kingdom used Aether Steam Crystals to generate electricity. However, the generators he was observing here were different. They used a more… barbaric method.

Sorah watched as a group of engineers, clad in protective gear, fired concentrated blasts of Aether Steam from their palms into a sealed chamber at the base of each generator. The steam swirled and condensed within the chamber, its ethereal energies were absorbed by a network of tubes that snaked their way into the generator's core.

He could sense the immense power contained within the Aether Steam, the raw essence of life force and elemental energy that fuelled the prison's lights, its security systems, and its torture devices.

Sorah's knowledge of industrial technology, gleaned from his years of studying ancient texts and observing the work of Aerithran engineers, allowed him to grasp the basic workings of the generators. He understood the principles of energy conversion, the delicate balance between input and output, and the potential for catastrophic failure if the system was disrupted.

A plan began to form in his mind, a way to exploit the generators' vulnerabilities and create the diversion he needed. It was a risky plan, one that could have dire consequences if it failed, but he had no other choice.

Despite the stress brought about by the extended use of this new Aeromancy techniques, he focused his Wind Sight on the control panel of the nearest generator, noting the intricate network of dials, gauges, and levers. He could sense the flow of energy, the delicate balance that kept the machine running smoothly.

"If I can overload the system," he thought, "I can trigger a chain reaction that will disable all the generators."

He extended his awareness towards the engineers, noting their movements and routines. They worked with a practiced efficiency, moving in a synchronized ballet of maintenance and control.

Sorah waited patiently, observing their every move, searching for an opportunity to strike. And then, he saw it. One of the engineers, a young man with a fire affinity brand on his forehead, stepped away from his station to retrieve a tool from a nearby workbench. It was a brief moment of vulnerability, a chance for Sorah to act.

He focused his ZenFlow Kana, gathering the swirling winds around him, and with a whisper of "Zephyr Dash," he vanished from the cabinet. He reappeared behind the unsuspecting engineer, moving like a phantom in the reflective glow of the generator room.

The engineer, oblivious to Sorah's presence, reached for the tool on the workbench. Before he could grasp it, Sorah's hand shot out, clamping down on his wrist with an iron grip.

"Don't move," Sorah whispered, sounding like a chilling breeze against the engineer's ear. "Make a sound, and I'll break your neck."

The engineer froze, shivering in terror as he realized he was being held captive by an unseen force.

"Who... who are you?" he stammered.

"I am the storm," Sorah replied, his words carrying the weight of a thousand winds. "And you are about to witness its fury."

…

A few minutes prior, Daichi had slipped out of the storage closet unnoticed. Now he was moving with the stealth and agility of a seasoned ninja. He had memorized the basic layout of the prison during the days he spent there, and he knew exactly where he needed to go.

He avoided the guards' patrols, his senses were heightened by the adrenaline coursing through his veins. He could hear their footsteps echoing through the corridors, their gruff voices and casual cruelty sending shivers down his spine.

As he neared Sector B, he could feel the presence of the Aerithran prisoners, their connection to the wind resonating with his own spirit. He could almost hear their whispers, their hopes and dreams, their longing for freedom.

He arrived at the entrance to the cell block, where a lone guard stood watch. His back was turned to Daichi. The guard was humming a tuneless melody as if glazed over with boredom.

Daichi took a deep breath, focusing his intent. He remembered Sorah's teachings, the principles of balance and precision, the importance of timing and leverage. He was no adept Elementalist, but he was a martial artist, and he would use his skills to overcome this obstacle.

With a swift, silent movement, he stepped behind the guard and struck. His hand chopped down on the back of the guard's neck, striking a precise pressure point that sent a jolt of pain through the man's body.

Thud!

The guard crumpled to the ground unconscious. Daichi quickly relieved him of his Aether Sabre and keys, then slipped into the cell block.

He moved quickly from cell to cell, unlocking the Ethereum Handguards that shackled the Aerithran prisoners. Their eyes widened in surprise and hope as they realized they were being liberated.

"Who are you?" one prisoner whispered.

"I'm Daichi," he replied. "Master Sorah sent me to free you."

A murmur of excitement rippled through the cell block as the prisoners were unshackled. They stretched their stiff limbs, savouring the newfound freedom of movement.

"What's the plan again?" one prisoner asked, filled with urgency.

"We're going to create a diversion," Daichi explained. "Master Sorah is going to cause an explosion in Sector A. That will draw the guards' attention away from here. The high voltage surrounding the aerial net and outer gates will deactivate. And then, we'll make our escape."

"An explosion?" another prisoner frowned. "That sounds risky."

"It is," Daichi admitted. "But it's our only chance. We have to trust Master Sorah. Now follow me. I know a shortcut to the training ground."

He led the prisoners out of their cells and down the corridor, moving with stealth and precision. They did their best to avoid the guards' patrols.

Eventually, they arrived at the training ground behind Sector C - their designated rendezvous point. It was a large, open area surrounded by high walls and watchtowers. A small squadron of Sand Devils were currently engaged in combat drills.

Daichi motioned for the prisoners to take cover out of sight behind a row of empty barrels. "Let's stay here and wait for Master Sorah's signal," he whispered. "Remember, as soon as the lights goes out, the gates will open briefly, but we'll only have a short window before they close again, so stay alert."

Looking ahead they, surveyed the tall ironclad wall that surrounded the prison and the metallic gate which separated them from the outside. They wanted to make a break for the gateway, however, they had to wait for Sorah's signal. Moreover, there was a threatening obstacle blocking the path – over a dozen Sand Devil's were sharpening their martial arts skill for their next upcoming practice session against Warden Poahf.

"I'll go search for weapons we can use during the distraction." Saying this, Daichi separated from the group. He crept towards the edge of the training ground while scanning the area for anything that might prove useful. He spotted a pile of discarded training equipment – Aether Sabres, shields, and dummies.

With a mischievous grin, Daichi grabbed a couple Aether Sabres. The maximum he could carry was three. Despite their sleek design, they were heavy to sneak around with.

"This is all I could bring back." Daichi returned where the others were and commenced distributing the Aether Sabres. He gave one to a middle aged man and another to a young man. He made sure to keep one for himself although he could not activate it.

"Not bad kid." The older Aerithrans were impressed by his bravery. One of them moved to go secure himself a weapon but stopped abruptly upon seeing the troops synchronized movements.

"Alright men… Left flank and right flank ATTACK!" Squad Captain Chek hollered hotly for the Sand Devils to commence their charge against the opposing formation. "Come daybreak we will show Warden Poahf our achievement!"

"ORAAAH!" The Sand Devils yelled in unison.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Just as both teams were about to collide, a loud BOOM echoed through the prison, followed by a series of smaller explosions. The ground trembled, and the lights flickered and died, plunging the training ground into darkness.

"What the...?" Squad Captain Chek stumbled, momentarily disoriented by the sudden change.

"What's happening?" one of the soldiers asked fearfully.

"It's the diversion!" Daichi whisper triumphantly to the others. "Master Sorah has begun his sabotage! Now we just wait for those dust-eating slugs to clear the courtyard so we can escape."

Feeling the residual tremor of the explosion, the prisoners' hearts were pounding with fear as they bide their time for the perfect opportunity to act.

…

Rumble!

"What's going on?" Duke Theodore demanded as he rose from his divan in his guest quarters. His eyes narrowed as he felt the tremors and heard the distant explosions.

"I don't know, Your Grace," one of his Imperial Guard escorts replied. "But it seems there's some sort of... disturbance."

"Disturbance?" Duke Theodore scoffed. "What kind of disturbance could possibly occur in this... barbaric outpost?" He strode towards the window, peering out at the moonlit landscape.

"Perhaps those prisoners are attempting an uprising," the other guard suggested.

"Uprising?" Duke Theodore chuckled. "Don't be ridiculous. Those weaklings wouldn't dare challenge the might of the Dune Empire."

He turned away from the window with a smirk on his lips. "No matter. Let them play their little games. It will only make their capture all the more... entertaining."

…

Boom!

Poahf burst out of her office with her Aether Sabre whip drawn and crackling with pink energy. It served as a source of light among the darkness. She had felt the tremors, heard the explosions, and knew instinctively that something was amiss.

"What's happening?" she sounded like a whip cracking against stone.

"Warden Poahf," a guard stammered, bowing his head fearfully. "There's been... an incident. The power generators in Sector A... they've all exploded."

"Exploded? All of them?" Poahf's eyes widened in disbelief. "How is that possible?"

"We... we don't know, Warden," the guard replied, trembling. "But it seems to be... deliberate."

"Of all the bleeding times for this to occur!" Poahf cursed under her breath as she tried to make sense of the situation. Who would dare sabotage the prison's power generators? And why?

She turned towards the guard and ordered, "Assemble the troops. We have a situation."

…

"Huff…Huff…"

Sorah stood amidst the wreckage of the generator room, shrouded in a swirling mist of Aether Steam and glyphs. He had successfully overloaded the system, triggering a chain reaction that had disabled all the generators and plunged the prison into darkness.

He coughed due to his lungs burning from the acrid smoke and dust. The Sage Curse's burning intensified, a reminder of the price he was paying for wielding such power. However, he had no regrets. He had created the diversion he needed, and now, it was time to rendezvous with the others.

But first…

"Brokk…"

He visualize the map of the prison camp that he had memorized earlier. The area in Sector A, where Brokk and the other villagers were held, was on the far end of the complex. He hoped that the explosion just now didn't cause them any harm. He had to get there quickly, before the guards regrouped and discovered his plan.

With a surge of willpower, he focused his ZenFlow Kana and vanished into the darkness, leaving behind only a whisper of wind and the lingering scent of blazing chaos.