2-DAYS PASSED
Ankrit, still crying from the pain of being abandoned, stood in front of the closed doors for 48 hours, waiting for his grandfather to return and take him into his arms again. The tears never stopped flowing. He had been abandoned in a place that felt colder and more isolating with each passing moment. At just five years old, he couldn't comprehend why the world was so cruel.
Why had he been thrown away, rejected by everyone, even his grandfather?
The Hackle Room—a forsaken place where those who were deemed unworthy of magic were abandoned—felt like a prison with no escape. Ankrit clung to the hope that his grandfather would come for him, but it seemed like a fading dream.
As he sobbed, Ankrit couldn't understand how the world had become so heartless. He sat against the cold, stone wall, trying to hold onto the memory of his grandfather's arms, but the hours stretched on endlessly.
After a while, other kids began to notice him. They had all been abandoned here, just like him—discarded because they were considered unworthy. Some of them had become resigned to their fate, but others, like Yukta, still held on to the flickering flame of hope.
Yukta, with her keen eyes, immediately recognized Ankrit. She had seen his face once before—his innocent, tear-streaked face—and a deep sense of compassion rose within her. Despite the fear that constantly loomed over the children in this place, Yukta had developed a sense of resilience. She had grown strong in spirit, though the Hackle Room had tried to break her too.
She approached Ankrit slowly, her footsteps quiet but firm, as if each one was a step towards bringing him back from the abyss of despair
Yukta:
"Hey, Ankrit… It's okay. You don't have to be alone anymore."
Ankrit (sniffling, still trembling):
"I don't understand. Why are we here? Why did they leave me?"
Yukta (sitting beside him):
"This place is where kids like us go when we don't have powers. The king's sons—the twin sons—they decided we were unworthy. They lock us here and forget about us."
Ankrit:
"So... we're just... abandoned?"
Yukta:
"Not if I can help it. I've been here for three months. I know this place better than anyone else. We can escape,
Ankrit. We just need to be smart, and we need to trust each other."
Yukta, despite being just five years old, had learned quickly. She had already figured out some of the hidden paths and weaknesses in the Hackle Room's magical seals. She wasn't ready to give up, and she didn't want to let Ankrit fall into despair.
Yukta:
"We will escape, Ankrit. I promise you that. We can't give up, not now, not ever. You're not alone anymore."
The first year passed slowly, with Yukta and Ankrit training their bodies and minds. They studied the guards' routines, the seals, the magical barriers, and every inch of their surroundings. Yukta taught Ankrit how to move silently, how to hide in plain sight, and how to wait for the right moment.
Each failure made them stronger. Ankrit's body grew stronger too—he was no longer the fragile five-year-old who had cried at the door. He was becoming more muscular, more capable, and ready to take on whatever came next.
Year 15 – Resilience and New Plans
The years passed, and by the time Ankrit turned fifteen, he had grown into a powerful and handsome young man. Yukta had also grown, now a smart, strategic young woman. The two of them had failed 94 times in their escape attempts, but each failure only taught them more.
Their lives in the Hackle Room were defined by a shared purpose—to escape, to conquer the world, and to take control of their destiny.
They had spent the last 15 years learning the secrets of the Hackle Room—its dark corners, hidden rooms, and secret doors. They had mastered stealth and quick thinking, but it was no longer enough. They needed a new plan, a more precise and dangerous escape.
Yukta (in a low voice, looking at Ankrit):
"This is the 95th time, Ankrit. I can feel it. We're getting closer, but we need to act quickly."
Ankrit (clenching his fists):
"I'm tired of failing. I'm ready. We've been training for 15 years. We're not kids anymore. When we escape, we'll take their power—the king's power. I don't care about escaping anymore. I care about changing everything. Conquering everything."
Yukta (smiling):
"We've been through too much to turn back now. I believe in you, Ankrit. And when we're free, we'll have the power of all four countries. The world will bow to us."
They discuss their next moves. They plan to escape in the dead of night, using their knowledge of the weak spots in the magical seals. The twin sons of the king had made mistakes—they thought their seals were unbreakable, but Yukta and Ankrit knew better.
They also started thinking bigger. They had learned that each country had unique powers—powers they could use to change the world. The world's nations would fall, one by one, and Ankrit and Yukta would be the ones to rise above it all.
Ankrit (with quiet determination):
"When we escape, it won't just be freedom we'll get. It'll be power. We'll take control of the Jeshna, the teleportation, the power to control nature, and even the Morphic Daemon abilities. We'll have it all. We'll rule it all."
Yukta:
"We won't stop until we have everything. The four countries will fall at our feet."
Year 20 – The Final Push
By the time Ankrit and Yukta reached their 20th year in the Hackle Room, they had become unstoppable. They were no longer just trying to escape; they had set their sights on something greater: taking the power from all four countries, using it to reshape the world in their image.
The Hackle Room had tried to break them, but it only made them stronger. Yukta had perfected every detail of their escape plan. They knew the guards' schedules, the rituals that held them here, and the weaknesses of the walls that surrounded them.
But escape wasn't enough anymore. They needed more—power.