A few days later, Jake woke up in a dark damp cell, a large iron door blocked the only entrance to the cold square room. A small amount of light filtered through a tiny window about 8 feet above him.

Where am I? He thought, pulling himself up on the small bed. His head suddenly ached, Jake softly placed a hand on his swollen head, I feel like crap! His eyes suddenly popped opened and he searched frantically around the small room, “Where is it?”

“It's not here,” a female voice slithered from somewhere within the room.

I know that voice… “Where are you?” he called into the darkness.

“I’m on the wall,” she replied.

“Kagami!” Jake said, seeing her in the mirror, “But… How? I don't have the blade...”

“I am connected to you, as well as the sword. No one else can use the blade for its intended purpose until you die,” she replied.

“Then why haven't they killed me?” he responded.

“They don’t know what they are dealing with…” she guessed in her unemotional tone, “They must want you for something… They must need you alive.”

“Can I get out through the mirror?” Jake asked.

“No, you cannot use any of the blades powers unless you’re holding the blade,” Kagami said.

“What happened to Nathan?” He asked, sitting down, cradling his pounding head in his hands.

“He escaped... I saw him disappear into the bush as you were taken onto the helicopter. They drugged you with something soon after he took off,” she said, watching his reaction.

“How do I get out of here?” he asked her.

“I think I have found a way,” she replied.

“Really? How?”

“Smoke and mirrors,” Kagami said with a smile.

Jake smiled, turning away from Kagami after she had explained the plan. He hid beside the door hinges, out of sight from anyone looking through the tiny window in the door. He waited quietly, for some sign of life from outside. Kagami had removed her head gear, and Jake got to see for the first time what she actually looked like. She was absolutely stunning. By far the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. Her golden braided hair fell delicately beside her perfectly formed face.

“Now we get out of here. Don't look at me though. One of my abilities is to captivate men,” she said with a wink.

Jake quickly tore his gaze away under her instruction. After a few minutes, they heard a man approaching. Jake pushed his body hard against the wall, trying to stay completely out of view in the tiny cell. The guard opened the latch, sliding through a tray of food.

“Can you please help me?” Kagami asked in her most seductive voice.

“Who's that?” hazel eyes appeared in the slot in the door.

“Please help me! He trapped me in here!” she said, pleading with the guard.

“I will just go and get some help!” he responded.

Kagami let out a scream, “Please!” her voice changed from seduction to desperation, “He is going to kill me!”

They heard the guard fumbling with some keys, the next second the door flung open, revealing a tall man in his late twenties, military uniform on, and a green beret covering his short hair.

“Over here!” Kagami said as the man entered the room.

He saw her in the mirror and stopped moving.

Kagami caught his gaze, and the guard didn’t budge from the spot his was in.

He stood like a statue in the middle of the room, eyes fixated on the beauty before him.

Now’s my chance! Jake thought, grabbing the guard’s radio and keys from his belt before running out the door. He left the room, locking the door behind him.

The hall outside was made up of large stone bricks, slowly curving out of sight, meaning Jake could only see a short way ahead. The stone was cold on his bare feet, his captors had taken most of his possessions, leaving him only with his pants and a blue t-shirt. Making his way down the hall, he heard some people approaching, so he quickly hid behind some crates, peering out as a patrol of two guards made their way past.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

I need to get to the vault… Once I have Kagami back, I can get out of here! Jake thought, continuing down the hallway quietly, entering a large stony room, three corridors heading off in different directions confronting him. Take the middle one. He thought, repeating Kagami’s words in his head, the vault door is at the end of it.

Jake ran across the room to the entrance of the corridor, stopping abruptly after hearing a voice echoing off the cold walls. Another guard? He thought nervously, What now?

Running into one of the other corridors, he disappeared, just as the guard wandered into the room.

“Where is he..?” the guard muttered, “He was supposed to come and swap with me after feeding the prisoner...” He kept mumbling, heading off in the direction of Jake’s cell.

That’s a bit of luck. Jake thought, watching him slowly walk off. I will need to move quickly.

He dashed into the hall, moving quickly down to the vault. It was a large steel door, a large chrome combination lock on the front. Kagami appeared on the reflective chrome of the latch.

“Quickly we don't have much time.” She urged, “The guards will find the one we locked up soon. Turn the lock right, I will tell you when to stop.” Kagami shifted to the internal chrome workings of the lock. Jake slowly turned the lock to the right. Kagami reappeared, telling him to stop. He turned the giant wheel to the left and then back to the right, Kagami helping him break into the giant vault.

Walking inside the vault, he saw the sword sitting in a glass case, next to a bag of his belongings. Jake carefully opened the case taking the sword into his hands, relaxing slightly as the familiar power began to flow through his veins.

Thumping footsteps of guards running down the corridor, broke Jake from his trance.

“What now?” he asked Kagami.

“I have an idea,” she responded, “Go into the small room just outside the vault.”

Jake ran out, darting into the small storage room.

“Now, let’s escape,” she said, a gleam in her eye.

Jake stepped out of the small room, directly into the path of the approaching guards. The guards rose their weapons, pointing them aggressively at him. Jake’s eyes looked each guard over, finally resting on their weapons. He shrugged, slowly raising his hands above his head.

“Drop it,” one of the guards yelled out.

Jake released the blade from his grasp, allowing it to clatter onto the ground.

The guards surrounded him quickly, “It would pay to have a plan next time you want to escape.”

Three of the guards walked off laughing, Jake’s hands bound, walking in front of them. The fourth guard, who Jake recognized from the cell, remained behind to put the blade back in the vault.

As the guard entered the vault, the real Jake slammed the door shut behind him. The beautiful sword in his hand shattered into pieces.

Jake stood on the outside with his back against the door of the vault. Always have a plan,” he thought to himself, smiling.

Making his way through the hallways, he realized he was not in a prison, but what appeared to be an old renovated castle.

He approached an open door, light streamed out and Jake could hear voices resonating out of it. Making a mirror on the wall, he quickly jumped inside. “Is there a mirror in that room?” he asked Kagami.

She pointed to one of the walls, motioning for Jake to approach it. Looking out, there was a room that looked like an old library. Bookcases surrounded the circular room, and a large round table sat perfectly in the center. Major Evans, wearing a tidy red shirt and dress pants was talking to Lucas who had his camo pants on, with a black singlet.

“I need you and your men to locate the other target,” Evans said, pouring a drink from a large glass bottle.

“You saw what that monster did to our jungle base. You are sending us to our deaths,” the soldier replied.

“Im sorry…” Evans responded calmly, “I mistook you for a specialist soldier. You told me this is what you were best at. You told me, that you go in, and silently capture your targets alive and extract them… For a price.”

“Even if I took the largest armored vehicle we have we wouldn’t stand a chance. He ripped that last tank apart like it was a wet paper bag,” Lucas argued.

“Haven’t you and your men been trained for this? Isn't that why you said we should hire you over the other mercenaries?”

“I did not expect to be fighting the underworld,” Lucas said, looking Evans in the eyes, an angry tone filled his voice.

“I asked that you be prepared for anything,” Evans said, taking a sip from his drink, “Lucas, I need those swords.”

“Well, we just got a whole lot more expensive,” Lucas replied.

“Very well, but you know what we are up against now. Remember, he is a human like the rest of us. It’s just his weapons that create the danger. That’s why we need to get them off him.”

“Just touching one of those blades killed one of my men,” Lucas began pacing back and forwards.

“Well, what if we use his friend as leverage?” Evans said with an evil smile.

They were interrupted by a knock at the door, Jake watched as one of the guards from the vault entered.

“What is it?” Lucas said, turning to face the soldier.

“It's the prisoner Sir, he has escaped,” the guard said sheepishly.

“What? How did he get out of his room?” Lucas yelled.

“He tricked one of the guards into opening the door,” the guard replied.

“No one was to enter the room! What about his sword?” Lucas said moving closer to the guard.

The guard stood straight, fear filling his eyes, “It’s gone too Sir. One of the guards is currently locked in the vault, another is trying to get him out, and the rest are searching the grounds for the boy.”

“You won't find him,” Evans interrupted.

“What do you mean?” Lucas said, giving the Major a look of disbelief.

“We saw what Nathan Cross was capable of, but we have no idea what Jake’s tricks are. If he was able to trick a guard to that extent… Then if he doesn't want to be found, he won't be.”

“Why are you so calm about this? He was our bargaining leverage, remember?” Lucas said, starting to pace again.

“Patience. We at least know what we are dealing with now,” Evans replied, finishing his drink.

“Call the guards in. We are still going after this guy,” Lucas instructed the guard at the door, “He won't get away twice.”

“That is our cue to get out of here,” Jake said, turning to Kagami. “We need to go and find Nathan. But first work out where we are.”

Kagami nodded, “We need to get out of here quickly. They will take a little bit of time to get ready. So hopefully we can get some distance between us and them. But be wary, they will be following us.”