Rod stepped back into the dimly lit prison corridors, the scent of damp stone and sweat clinging to the air. He had barely taken a few steps when the old man, the one who had been by his side for as long as he could remember, turned to him with narrowed eyes.
"Who was it?" the old man asked, his voice rough from years of hardship.
Rod didn't answer right away. He stretched his arms as if shaking off the weight of something unseen, then muttered, "A teacher. Leon Varen. He made me an offer."
The old man's brow furrowed. "Nine Star Academy, huh?" He clicked his tongue and crossed his arms. "And? Did you accept?"
Rod gave him a look that made it clear the answer should have been obvious. "Yeah."
The old man's reaction wasn't what Rod expected. He smacked his forehead with his palm and groaned. "You idiot! You should've accepted right awa—" He stopped mid-sentence, blinking. "Wait… Did you say you didaccept?"
Rod nodded. "Is that strange?"
The old man chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. "It's just… I'm not used to you accepting anyone's help, let alone something like this."
Rod leaned against the cold wall, arms crossed. "This is different. He said he'd tell me why I was imprisoned."
At that, the old man fell silent, his amusement fading. His eyes darkened with something unreadable. "So that's the reason…" He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "And when do you leave?"
Rod exhaled, watching the flickering lightbulb above them. "Tomorrow."
The old man studied him for a long moment, then asked, "You gonna be okay out there? You weren't raised to be normal. You were raised to survive."
Rod smirked, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I won't change myself for them. But I'll adapt."
The old man didn't say anything after that. He just nodded once, as if acknowledging something unspoken between them.
—
The next morning came faster than expected. For the first time in his life, Rod was led through the prison gates to leave rather than to be dragged back inside. The heavy cuffs around his wrists clanked as a guard unlocked them, but the man's hands trembled slightly as he did so. Rod noticed.
"You scared of me?" Rod asked, his tone flat.
The guard looked up, swallowing hard. "No," he lied, before stepping back.
Rod didn't press further. Instead, he took his first steps outside.
Blinding light struck his eyes, forcing him to shield them with his hand. He had spent so many years in the dim, suffocating walls of the prison that sunlight itself felt like a weapon. As his vision adjusted, the world beyond the prison walls came into focus.
Water. Endless water.
The prison was on an island. The waves crashed against jagged cliffs, surrounding the place like a natural barrier. There was no escaping this hellhole unless someone let you out.
And someone had.
A small plane waited a short distance away, its engines humming. Standing beside it was Leon Varen, dressed in a sharp, dark coat that barely moved in the breeze. He watched Rod with an unreadable expression, as if evaluating something only he could see.
Rod approached the plane and stepped inside without hesitation. Leon followed, shutting the door behind them. The interior was simple, functional. No luxury. Just a means to get from one place to another.
The plane began to ascend, lifting Rod away from the only world he had ever known.
"Now tell me," Rod said, turning to Leon. "Why was I imprisoned?"
Leon leaned back in his seat, resting an elbow on the armrest. A faint smirk tugged at his lips.
"Why are you in such a hurry?" he asked. "It's still too early for that. Let's focus on something more important first."
Rod narrowed his eyes. "And what's that?"
Leon met his gaze, his expression turning serious.
"Rehabilitating you into a functioning member of society."
Rod scoffed, looking out the window at the vast ocean below.
This was going to be a long ride.