Tyura bit into the sandwich that was brought in by one of the workers. From a couch by the side, he  glanced at Santon's brother, Johnas, as he worked in the dim lighting. Tyura wondered if Nave and Fade had killed the two men that were sent out yet.

Johna caught Tyura’s look and smiled. “I’m sure your parents are fine.” He lied. “How is the Sandwich? Unfortunately we don’t have anything sweet to give you, since we just arrived here ourselves. Things still have to be brought over haha…” He trailed off, twisting his pen.

“Just…sorry.” He then looked at Tyura with so much sympathy that he had to look away. To Johnas, he was talking to an orphaned child, not knowing that Tyura was helping to put him in his grave. 

Tyura felt a bitter taste in his mouth.Why was he helping Fade and Nave in the first place? The men here looked strong, maybe they could actually take those two out. Maybe this was his chance to escape.

Tyura looked at Johnas. Debating whether to tell him about Nave and Fade. Did he have to be responsible for another person’s death? Was he really going to help a man kill his own brother? 

With his mind made up Tyura opened his mouth to speak, just as Johans stood and walked over.

“I’ll be right back ok. You stay here.”

Tyura hesitated but nodded. Johans smiled again and rubbed Tyura’s head. His hand was large and warm and it made Tyura feel even worse.

—- —- — — - - - — - - - - - 

 Tyura didn’t know when had fallen asleep,but he was woken by an explosion that rattled the walls. He jumped up, tossing a blanket that had been placed on him aside.

He pushed open the door and ran the way Mott’s had brought him and saw that the attack had already begun. Smoke filled the once lively room, and the men were up in arms when Fades' ax cut through the smoke claiming its first victim.

Tyura turned back running the other way. Maybe he would just warn Johans against his brother. He would tell him and then escape through a back door.

‘’Johans!” He called twisting and turning through hallways until he saw a cracked doorway that almost blended into the wall.

Tyura pried it open with some effort revealing a steep stone stairway leading down.

Tyura cautiously followed it down, pouring a small amount of mana into his eyes so he wouldn't fall. The stairwell was slightly humid and the farther he went the more he could smell something foul.

At the bottom he found prison cells only lit by a few small torches.

Tyura wrinkled his nose slightly. “Johanes.” He called looking around, he just happened to glance into the first cell and saw small figures.

Tyura froze before rushing over and grabbing the bars causing them to rattle. The ones inside coward in fear. He infused his eyes with more mana ignoring the burning pain. And he could see them, clear as day.

Children. About five of them in the tiny cell huddled together and looking at him in fear. He looked around slowly. All of the cells had children in them from all ages.

His heart started to race as he realized what type of storage this was. What type of business Stanton thought was worth killing his brother over.

One of the children whimpered, bringing him back to attention. He tried to use mana to break the lock but he had used too much of it to see. Tyura cursed at how useless he was.

“Hang on. I’ll help you escape ok?” He didn’t know if they heard him or not but he kept talking. “I’ll just have to find the key.”

Tyura rushed up the stairs and just when he had closed the door and rounded the corner he ran right into a solid body. He stumbled back and looked up. 

It was Johans.

He looked surprised. “Boyd, what are you doing here?”

Tyura forced himself not to look back in the direction of the hidden door and stared up at the man.

“I-I heard an explosion."