And the moon wept in sorrow. As did the rest of the island as the last piece of life died.

Without it, the land became bitter and dark. Spreading misery to all who dared to step foot upon the grounds. A dreadful place that snuffed out any shred of light it could find. A place that harbors one of the most dangerous creatures known to man.

Narvaki. Shadow demons were created with a sole purpose in mind. To kill those whose hearts still beat.

For two thousand years, these beasts ravaged Amora’s shores. Slowly making their way inland towards the towns and eventually to the kingdoms themselves.

The newly crowned royals of these developing kingdoms scrambled to their defenses. Over time their techniques grew with vigor, but they weren’t the only ones to evolve.

In truth, no one knows what started the war. That part of history had been lost to time long ago. All that remained were the stories our ancestors told us at night. Tales of grandeur, a life at sea, the battles waged, and tales of love.

Stories that would inspire hope in the darkest of times.

No such stories visited me upon that dreary night. Or the next night or the one after. Nor would it ever because-

Footsteps echoed through the corridor, halting his thoughts. His heart skipped as the figure stopped outside the door. He willed his breath to even as though he were merely asleep. Fast asleep in an undreaming unconsciousness like all his other companions, Companions being a strong word.

The guard paused for a moment before moving along. A few seconds felt like an eternity to Jax.

Despite that, he waited for a few more ensuring the guard was gone to release a shaky breath. His shoulders eased a minuscule fraction as he rested his temple on the cold floor.

Jax muted the whimper that threatened to escape. A numbed hand reached underneath, dislodging a stray stone from his side. The relief was instant. Unlike his other wounds.

He shivered at the memory of the latest addition to the collection. It was only another memory to be forgotten. Lost in his mind like so many others, forever lost like himself.

A concept that wasn’t uncommon in this place.

It seemed every day began and ended the same. Every morning started in a dull haze. You never knew the time of day; all you would know is that it had begun. The sun and moon were void. Time became irrelevant.

Then the only thing that mattered was staying alive.

That is how they got into this mess, he thought sadly.

The stench of rotten flesh burnt his nose, twisting his stomach into a knot. The bodies unseeing eyes stared into his soul, begging, pleading with him not to go through with it. Their Still chests and breath warned him of the consequences should he continue.

A whisper of doubt clouded his vision. No, his heart sang. We must press on.

A storm brewed inside him for the lives of those unfortunate people. Dozens and dozens of stripped bare bodies lined the room.

A morgue called by any other name. A storage hall at best. Any other would still give these souls the respect they deserve.

If this world was like any other then it would be given freely, but this isn’t another world.

Other worlds don’t force a person to crawl through a horde of bodies to escape the guards. They don’t make said person cover themselves in another’s blood to avoid detection. They shouldn’t make someone tear themselves apart in choosing whether they should be doing this. Whether making the choice alone, does that make the former selfish or a coward? And if so, do they even deserve to live freely?

The notion caused Jax to pause in his pursuit. Did he? Did he deserve to escape this prison while others get to relive this nightmare?

Then he remembered why it has to be him, why he needs to escape. He couldn’t fail them, not with so much hanging in the balance.

And that was enough to press on.

He braced himself with his forearms pressed against the ground. Carefully, he raised himself off the hard stone, placing his knees beneath him. Then, he began to crawl.

Steady as she goes, old man Crooks would say.

Jax moved in sync with his heart. Placed one arm in front of him and then the other. Before long his path became blocked by an unseen force. The wall between Jax and his freedom was laid with stones wider than his forearm and heavier than his body weight.

An impenetrable fence designed to keep us in. Moving one of the stones was next to impossible. Jax reached out, laying a hand on the wall. He could feel the ridges in the rock that smoothed out along the edges.

He gasped, finding a gap in the stonework. Following its outline in the dark proves easier than expected. Its long train led downward towards the frozen earth.

He sighed in relief. It was here. Just as they said it would be.

Hidden beneath the rooting body along the wall was his salvation. Jax blessed the men and women who worked the storage houses. It was small compared to what they had done, what they had risked their lives over.

He pulled back the body enough to uncover a hole. Dug through the dirt and past the stone wall.

A one-way ticket. The last chance to flee. The guards would notice Jax’s disappearance by dawn and find the tunnel soon after. Tomorrow was the day of the burning. The guards would clear out the bodies, throwing them into a bottomless pit to be burned.

An unfortunate end to anyone who tried to escape amongst the bodies. A fate that he was gratefully spared from.

Once Jax had gained enough leverage, he heaved himself over on top of the male body in his grasp.

“I am sorry my brother,” he whispered, apologizing as he switched their positions so that his back faced the ground.

Jax carefully slipped inside and pulled the body behind him as he went. Kneeling upon the fresh dirt, he covered the hole once more and turned to crawl.

Jax hugged his body close, making himself as small as possible to fit through the narrow tunnel. Even with his head hung low the roof of the tunnel scraped against the back of his neck. Too tight of a fit for anyone else. Jax’s small form and stature were ideal for the plan to work.

The tunnel seemed to go on forever. Finally, he came upon the end of the hole. Jax reached up, placing his hands flat on the roof, and then pushed with what little strength he had.

The ceiling caved above him, dirt spilling into his eyes. Then there was a light seeping through the cracks.

He pushed the makeshift door off to the side. Fresh air flooded the musty tunnel. Eyes peeking over the edge to scan the horizon.

Not a soul within sight. The stoic mountains waved at Jax as he emerged from his prison. The wind ruffled his hair playfully, rising off the mountain range.

He laughed, breathlessly. His gaze traveled from the foundations of the Earth to the brilliance of the stars above. The heavens held his eyes in awe.

For the first time in his life, nothing else mattered and at that moment, Jax felt some semblance of freedom. Though, the journey was not over.

Jax took advantage of the opportunity despite having no idea how to proceed. There had been little faith in anyone making it this far. None of the other plans had succeeded past their initial presentation. The tunnel was a shot in the dark, one of the riskier ideas.

Jax spared no thought to seal the hatch. The action, while it would help cover his tracks, would also cost him precious time that he did not have time to spare. Under the cover of darkness, the journey through the mountains was not an easy feat. A dangerous road enhanced by the lack of light.

No sane person would dare to cross the obsidian range. For they were given a choice that he was not given. The treacherous trail held the only hope of escaping this dreadful place.

In the dead of the night, when the moon was at its highest, he made his escape. The rocky terrain tested Jax’s strength and will, his barefoot catching on a rock almost pulling it out from under him. A momentary shock to the system.

Jax grunted, his frail arms protesting. The climb to the top proved to be harder than he thought. Exhaustion pried at his strength piece by piece.

The grip from his fingers slipped from the diagonal slope. Quickly regaining his place upon the mountainside, he let out a sigh of relief. Jax stared fearfully into the depths below. His stomach clenched as fear raced through his heart.

With the surge of adrenaline, the race to the summit began, and then, come the descent.

By the time Jax reached the striking distance to the foot of the mountain, the sun peaked over the horizon. The dawn greeted Amora with a good morning.

The star smiled down at Jax as she rose into the sky. Its glowing rays warmed his skin in a way Jax had never known. Its light guides the path ahead into the unknown. To a place where anything is possible.

That is when Jax paused. He was free. A smile as bright as the stars appeared. He was free! Finally free.

A determined glint in his eye.

“Soon. Soon my brothers and sisters. You will be free. I will ensure it,” he promised to the sky. Praying they would hear his pledge and remain hopeful for there was much to be done. Much to do before he could free them.

The trek through the mountains would be nothing like what lay ahead of him. Then, he thought, there is no time better to start.

The plains outside the Mozartian mountains were a vibrant shade of orange. The grass swayed in the gentle breeze along the cliffside.

Jax gave a breathily laugh when the grass brushed against him. His smile softened, running a hand along the top of the field, the sensation tickling. The feeling sent a rush of emotions. All of them jumbled up on top of one another until one came out on top.

As fast as his feet could carry him. Jax ran across the field. Keeping the horizon within his sights helped him navigate the land. He just needed to keep heading west.

Going as far as he dared until he reached the Kingdom of Arearis and from there, well, he wasn’t sure. The main goal is to find help but finding someone willing to help would be a problem. Not everyone was to be trusted.

He sighed, slowing his stride. It was a risk he was going to have to take.

A pause in his step raised an alarm. The hair on his neck stood straight when his foot caught the edge of something.

Aquatic eyes drifted down, widening upon the sight. A wire stretched to the brink attached to an alarm set to go off if the ware was to be disturbed. If Jax moved the slightest bit, everyone would know where he is.

Slowly backing away, inch by inch, a deathly game played. Too swiftly of a movement would cost him dearly. Steady as the mountains and the sea were his actions. Calmed by the sway of the land, Jax released a breath in relief. His feet were safely on the ground.

Nothing ever stays that way for long. A hand muted his scream as his arm was forced behind his back.

“Well. Well. Lookie what we have here. Boss will be wanting to meet you,” a voice said into his ear. The hand yanked him backward.

Jax’s legs flailed out in surprise, kicking into the empty air and snagging the wire. A singing siren spread wide and far between, sounding off in unity. For as far as the ear could hear, soldiers would come to its call.

The man cursed. “You’re going to pay for that,” he hissed.

Jax whimpered in pain. The man twisted his arm in his iron grasp. Fire flares down his back, aggravating new and old injuries.

Shoving the boy forward, the man dragged them into the forest. Jax’s eyes widened as the shadows from the trees fell upon their heads.

The Endless Forest of predators and shadows lay before them. Those who enter are rarely seen again. A constantly changing maze in the making.

They tracked further into the woodlands until the sun disappeared behind them.