A whistling could be heard. A whistle that echoed throughout the dark, cruel, damp, miserable underground. The whistle was emerging from a cell strapped with multiple padlocks and bolts.
A whistle so eerie that none of the other prisoners bothered to shut him up. They only sat and listened as it would slowly get softer and softer...until the short break where the person caught their breath. Then the whistle starts over.
" Clink."
A metal gate shut followed by the heavy footsteps of a guard all too familiar to these prisoners. They all stayed in the dark shadows of their cells with no care to reveal themselves.
The whistling didn't stop either as it began to match the pace of the heavy footsteps as they came down the stone steps.
" Crunch."
As the person's feet reached the bottom they stepped on a small pebble...At the same time, the whistling stopped leaving dead silence, The guard stood suited head to toe in armor with small slits to see out of.
The guard stared down the dark hallway as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. Cells surrounded the long hallway with 11 on each side. Inside these cells were some of the most dangerous prisoners the world had to offer not just this specific kingdom.
The guard walked cautiously over to the first cell on his right and began unlocking locks and unbolting the doors.
"...What are you doing?" A man with a deep intimidating voice from the shadow of his cell spoke. The guard unbolted every bolt on the door except the last one while avoiding eye contact and moving on to the next cell.
It was completely silent outside the noise of the guard unlocking each cell. The prisoner awaited although confused as to why this was happening. Sounds of dripping water from the stone roof accompanied the guard as he continued in complete darkness and silence.
The guard continued cell to cell without saying a word. He unbolted every door leaving only one bolt on each door remaining. He made it to the last cell on the left side...Some of the prisoners walked to their door and awaited something.
Something powerful resided in that cell...It had double the locks and bolts and had a costume metal built with mana resistance imbued into it...The guard was resisting the urge to look, but something was pulling him...Although he was terrified, his curiosity wanted to see the man.
[" Don't look"]
[" Don't look"]
[" Don't look."]
[" Don't look."]
[" Don't look."]
These weren't only his thoughts, but all of the prisoners watching him. As they knew what resided in that cell...Among the killers and mater thieves and assassins. . . They all felt nothing, except for that cell.
" Don't look,"
The guard's eyes shot up as a raspy voice emerged from the cell. He could see nothing at first but then his eyes adjusted more...He saw the pale white skin cracked and bruised riddled with scars. His foot was the clearest. The sight of missing toenails almost made the guard puke in his armor.
The guard finished unlocking the door and hurried back to the exit. Before he climbed the steps he turned around and prepared his announcement while swallowing his fear.
" The king has asked you all to fight to the death. The last remaining when he returns will be inducted into his personal regiment into the military."
With that, the guard turned around and hurried up the stairs without awaiting any questions. The prisoners were shocked for a moment, but they soon came to their senses and understood...
"...Wait!" A younger prisoner called out. " How the hell are we supposed to break our cell if the mana restrictor is still active!?"
The guard had left their doors with one bolt each with the assumption they could easily break out of it...Which they could if the mana restrictor wasn't active.
The mana restrictor isn't a machine like the name implies but a cast passed down for generations. It is used in prisons to forcefully restrict mana usage in a given area. Dropping the prisoners from blowing their cells to shreds.
All the prisoners sat confused...Then the sound of kicking a punching filled the room as some tried to physically break them down...Desperate for their freedom they would try anything.
" Fools."
That raspy voice shook them all as the sounds of punching and kicking all ceased. They all turned their heads to see a pale figure standing at his gate with dirt-covered pants rolled up to his ankles and no shirt. His hair was long and grey and his eyes could not be seen as his bangs covered them.
" It takes time to deactivate a cast like this."
A couple of seconds passed where the the whole prison sat in silence. Then they all felt their mana output restored.
" Bang!"
Simultaneously all the prisoner's gates blew off. Using their magic they ripped the gates off of each of their cells. Ice and fire combined creating steam as a few used simple mana reinforcement crushing the walls of their cells to the ground.
With all of them free from their cells they walked out into the dark hallway slowly being filled with steam, but they didn't fight immediately despite what they heard.
" The gates shut up top...No blasting through that one."
They all stood gathered seemingly thinking of a way for them all to escape...but they had no real options. They had no doubt the prison was surrounded.
" And they probably actively reinforced the walls with defensive magic," One said.
" Yea...So it seems we will have to fight to the death huh?"
"Too bad...I was starting to like some of you guys."
A silence fell as a feeling of dread swallowed them. They all turned their heads simultaneously to look at the figure at the end of the hall with its gate on the floor. No one heard or even saw him break it down, while the rest had blown them to pieces...His door was the only thing on the ground.
" Before we all fight...Let's take care of the biggest threat."
The grey-haired man stood at the end of the hall with a stone wall to his back. He had no emotion on his face outside of a smile that expressed nothing. His grey hair covered his eyes and his body seemed frail...Still, the feeling of death and despair was all they could get from him.
"Hahaha!" His voice was raspy...Like his vocal cords had been rubbed against sandpaper. " Ganging up on little old me. How sad, you all are pathet-"
" BAM!"
While he was caught up in his monologue one of the prisoners rushed him. Using stone magic he created a fist of pure stone and struck the man across the face sending him to the floor. Blood splattered the wall as he hit the ground.
The young prisoner looked down on him with a proud expression as he lay limp on the ground. He brought back his stone fist again and was ready to take his life.
" Maybe we overestimated this guy."
" CRANK"
The prisoner's eyes widened as the grey-haired man moved his head to avoid the strike. Then quicker than he could lift his fist he grabbed onto his wrist. The prisoner tried to pull away and drew back his free fist to strike.
" Grabb!"
His punch was caught, and the grey-haired man's smile grew wider and wider as the hand on the wrist began to glow a red color.
" Overestimate me!!"
He tossed the prisoner's punch away. Stones began to appear out of thin air and form around the man's free hand forming a dagger. The prisoners desperately tried to deploy defensive magic but...
" SHINK!!"
The stone dagger punctures threw his stomach. Blood spilled down the man's arm onto his shirtless body.
" Stone magic!?"
"Fwip"
The other prisoners appeared behind his lifeless body all preparing to strike with their summoned weapons.
" Kachink."
Suddenly a dozen spikes appeared around the man forcing them all away. Then a redd explosion of mana followed lightning up the room and sent those spikes like projectiles at them.
All used defensive magic and blocked the spikes. dust and steam filled the room but it slowly began to clear. They saw the body of their fellow in-mate lying next to the tall skinny figure with the stone dagger still formed around his hand.
" Now then." He lifted up his grey hair traveling his lifeless, colorless grey eyes.
"Next."