CW: Threats of violence

Inside of an underground cave, water dripping from the ceiling and rats crawling around the ground, people all over the place mined, their clothes all ripped and their hands covered in wounds. A guard, clad in red and black armor, yelled at them for the smallest of things. The lamp he carried was the only thing giving off light in the mines. While they did light the way, it made everyone exhausted, as it reminded them that they are unable to escape.

“What did I say about slacking off,” a guard yelled at an old man who fell to the ground, “Get back to work this second!”

The old man slowly tried to get up. He checked his pocket and immediately went back on the floor, seemingly looking for something.

“The hell?” the guard said, “Get up!”

The elder kept looking at the ground ignoring too focused to hear anything that the guard said.

“Oh, is this how it is then,” he pulled out a whip, “You had this coming you piece of-”

“Enough.”

Right as the guard was about to hit the man with his whip, someone grabbed it behind him and pulled it. The guard fell to the ground, everyone chuckled seeing that.

“Who in the world-tch you again,” he got up, now covered in mud shouting at the girl wearing ripped clothing, “Why doesn’t this surprise me? Do you have a death wish, Zvezdoprah?”

She silently looked at the man who ruffled his short blonde hair, looking at her with condescension as he rubbed his chin.

“Well, if you won’t answer, I’ll take that as a yes-”

“I’ll take over.”

“Now you'll-What?”

“I finished for today,” she threw a giant sack into the ground, “I still have the rest of the day to work, so let me do his fill for today while he’s resting. Is that too much to ask for?”

“Finished you say, “ he grabbed the sack and opened up to see several black rocks inside, dark like a starless sky. He looked back at Alice and smirked.

“Fine, my shift is over anyway,” he walks away from the scene, leaving the old man still on the ground, “But because of what you pulled just now, you’ll have to fill 4 sacks.”

“Four,” she yelled out, “That will take me the entire night-”

“Ahem,” he hit the ground with his whip, “Did I not make myself clear? You’ll fill four sacks even if you lose your arms and legs, got it?”

“Tch,” she rolled her eyes.

“What was that?”

“Nothing. I’ll do it.”

“Good.”

When he left, Alice grew furious, almost sparking some flames, “No,” she puts her hand now looking at the shackles on her feet, “Agh.”

Again today? You’d barely call these flames! These stupid-

“Teodora.”

“Huh?”

“Teodora.” The elderly man kept repeating himself as he crawled on the ground, “Where are you?”

“Mister,” she crouched down to his level, “Are you alright?”

He ignored her as he kept searching.

“Mister-”

“Agh,” when she touched his shoulder, he panicked, keeping his eyes shut, “Please don’t hurt them, they’ve done nothing…wrong.”

He opened his eyes, seeing everyone around him startled and even annoyed,

“Uh,” she gives out her hand, “Mister? Are you alright?”

“Little one? Oh. Oh, Ignia,” he slapped his face, “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to!”

“Oh, I’m fine, don’t worry,” she helped him get back up on his feet, “I’m more concerned about you.”

“Ah,” he looked back at the ground, squinting his eyes. “It’s…nothing.”

“You sure? You suddenly fell to the ground and began searching for something. What is it? Need help?”

“Please,” he looked away, his scarred lips forming a fake smile, “There’s no helping me.”

While the prisoners looked at him with concern, they decided to keep working instead. Alice noticed quickly how the others were too scared to try and help him, so she sighed.

“Welp, here I go,” she grabbed his arm and put it over her shoulder, 

“Uh?”

“Let’s see?”

“Little one? What are you doing?”

“Aha! Over there!”

She brought him over to a flat rock, “Sit here and rest! Hope it’s comfortable! Oh, also this,” out of her pocket she pulled out some bread.

“What next,” she picked up his pickaxe and sack, and walked away, “I’ll finish this in no time! So rest until then!”

“But-”

Before he was able to say anything, she already walked away and began working, the people around her giving her weird looks.

“Tch, what’s her problem,” they gossiped, “Constantly causing trouble with the other knights. How the hell did she even get here anyway.”

“That’s the thing, she's been here for over three years now and no one knows what she did to get here. There have even been rumors that she’s not even from Unia.”

“Huh? An immigrant? That’d explain the magic resistance shackles around her legs..”

“Eh, either way, she’ll get herself into trouble if she keeps this up.”

“What the hell are you standing around for?” a new guard came up, “Get back to work!”

They all did as they were told, and Alice just blankly looked into the ground.

Has it really been three years? That long since I’ve been here? Since that day? Mom, everyone, where are you? Are you even alive? 

...

Hallo, everyone! Chapter 3 has (finally) begun! Things got off to a gloomy start for Alice but it will get better for her (maybe) so keep going! I’d really like to see your thoughts in the comments too! Thanks for reading and goodbye!!!