His head throbbed as consciousness returned, his sight blurred by the lingering effects of the gas. The faint sound of dripping water echoed around him, and the air was damp and stale. He blinked against the darkness, forcing his eyes to adjust.
He was lying on a cold stone floor inside a narrow cell.
A single, dim torch flickered in the corridor beyond the bars, casting shifting shadows on the walls.
He sat up slowly, his first instinct was to reach for his bond stones. His hand darted to his belt, but the familiar weight of Leizage's stone was gone. Panic set in as he patted himself down. His satchel was missing too.
"Damn it…"
He glanced around the cell but saw no sign of his belongings or Sunnycluck.
He stood, steadying himself against the wall, and began to search the small space methodically. Every crevice, every corner. Nothing.
The absence of his bond stones felt like a missing limb.
"You're awake..."
Ren froze, his senses sharpening as he turned toward the source. A figure shifted on the other side of the cell, sitting against the wall in a relaxed posture.
The figure leaned forward slightly, the torchlight catching her face. A woman, her dark hair tied in an intricate braid, regarded him with piercing eyes.
She wore a tattered cloak that didn't match her dignified aura.
Ren's breath caught as recognition struck.
"You're that woman from the tournament."
Lady Shin. He hadn't seen her since the Tournament of Tamers.
"You remember me but not my name?"
"What are you doing here? How did you—"
"Same as you, I suppose. Ambushed and thrown in here like common thieves."
"How long have you been here?"
"Long enough to know we're in trouble. These bandits aren't just common thugs. They're part of the dark guilds."
Ren leaned against the bars of the cell, his frustration mounting.
"They took my bond stones."
"And your satchel too, I'd wager... They've taken mine as well. Every last coin, and my family's insignia."
"I have to get out of here."
Shin smirked at Ren's words, her expression both amused and grim. She leaned back against the damp wall, crossing her arms.
"You're welcome to try."
"What do you mean?"
"We're deep underground," Shin replied, gesturing toward the faintly dripping ceiling above them. "No sunlight. No fresh air. Just miles of rock and tunnels. Even if we break out of this cell, there's nowhere to go."
The oppressive atmosphere was suffocating. Shin wasn't exaggerating—the walls seemed to press inward, and the faint echoes of distant movement hinted at a sprawling network of caverns.
"How do you know?"
Shin tilted her head, her smirk fading into a more serious expression.
"I've been awake longer than you. Listened to the guards talk. This isn't just a hideout... it's an entire underground fortress. The dark guilds don't do things halfway."
"Then what's your plan? Or were you just going to sit here and wait?"
"Patience is a virtue. Rushing headlong into things is how you end up dead."
Shin leaned back against the wall, crossing her arms as she observed Ren. The tension in his posture and the furrow in his brow were impossible to miss. After a moment, she spoke, her tone curious but firm.
"You should rest."
"I'll be fine. I don't need—"
"Don't argue." Shin straightened, her voice taking on a commanding tone. "Exhaustion will only get you killed. If we're going to escape, you'll need your strength."
Ren frowned, but before he could respond, Shin added.
"You can use my lap if the floor is too uncomfortable."
His eyes widened.
"What?"
"My lap," she repeated, her tone entirely sincere. She tilted her head slightly, as if confused by his reaction. "It's softer than the stone floor, isn't it? You look like you need proper rest."
Ren stared at her, unsure whether to laugh or question her motives. Her expression, however, remained completely innocent, her eyes meeting his without a hint of embarrassment.
She truly didn't see anything strange about what she'd just said.
"You're joking."
"Why would I joke about something like this?" Shin's brow furrowed, and she crossed her arms. "You're clearly too tense to rest properly. Back in my family's castle, when my mother is tired, I let her rest on my lap. It helped her recover faster."
Ren blinked, utterly at a loss for words.
He studied Shin's face carefully, searching for even the faintest trace of amusement or mockery, but her expression remained as steady and sincere as ever.
She genuinely believed this was a practical solution.
"I'll pass," he said firmly, standing straighter. "Thanks for the offer, but I'll manage."
Shin sighed, looking vaguely disappointed but not offended.
"Suit yourself."
Ren finally relented, lying back down on the cold stone floor with a resigned sigh.
He folded his arms behind his head, trying to ignore the discomfort seeping into his bones.
The damp chill of the cell made it impossible to relax, but exhaustion eventually won out, and his breathing slowed as he drifted into a restless sleep.
****
Warm... It's warm...
His head wasn't resting on the hard, unforgiving floor anymore. Instead, it was cushioned by something soft and warm.
He turned sideways, touching something soft.
His eyes opened, and he immediately locked gazes with Shin, who was staring down at him with a calm, almost indifferent expression.
He froze. His head was on her lap.
Before he could speak, Shin's hand shot out and covered his mouth. Her other hand gestured sharply for silence.
"Shh..."
She whispered, leaning slightly closer. Her tone was low and measured, her eyes flicking toward the cell bars.
Footsteps echoed down the corridor outside, growing louder with each passing second.
A shadow fell across the bars as a bandit appeared, his hulking frame illuminated by the flickering torchlight. He peered into the cell, his expression suspicious.
Shin turned her head toward him, her demeanor shifting in an instant. She looked down at Ren's still form, her voice loud enough for the bandit to hear.
"He's not waking up anymore."
The bandit grunted, stepping closer to the bars.
"That so?"
"See for yourself."
The bandit hesitated, then unlocked the cell with a rusty key, the metallic click echoing through the chamber. He stepped inside, his massive frame looming over them.
"Move,"
She gently slid Ren's head off her lap and rose to her feet, her movements slow and deliberate. She stepped aside, giving the bandit room to inspect Ren.
As the bandit leaned over, Shin struck.
In one fluid motion, she lashed out with her elbow, striking the side of his neck with pinpoint precision. The bandit staggered, his hand shooting toward his weapon, but Shin was faster. She swept his legs out from under him, sending him crashing to the ground with a thud.
Before he could recover, she snatched his dagger from its sheath and held it against his throat.
"Don't move..."
The bandit froze, his eyes wide with shock.