Lucian felt the binds fall away, freedom was close. He lunged for the door, fingers grasping desperately at the iron handle. It refused to yield.

"No," he whispered, yanking harder. "No, no, no."

The door remained immovable, mocking his efforts. Frustration boiled over, and he slammed his palm against the wood. Pain lanced through his hand, but the door didn't so much as shudder.

Stepping back, his chest heaving, Lucian berated himself. "Idiot. As if escape would be so simple."

His eyes darted around the cramped cell, seeking salvation in its sparse contents. Stone walls loomed, indifferent to his plight. A rickety cot sagged in one corner, while a chamber pot squatted in another. Nothing of use presented itself.

He ran his hands through his matted hair, forcing himself to think. Surely there was a way out of this pit. But his mind, dulled by hunger, refused to cooperate.

He eyed the door once more. Even with inhuman strength, that slab of oak would remain steadfast. It had been built for one purpose: to keep men like him securely locked away.

"Think," he muttered. "There's always a way."

As seconds stretched into eternity, despair began to creep in. Had he merely exchanged one form of captivity for another? Before, he'd had the cold comfort of knowing rescue was impossible. Now hope taunted him, dancing just beyond his grasp.

He slumped against the wall, utterly spent. Perhaps he should have left the binds on. At least then he wouldn't have to face his failure.

Then, a sound jolted him from his brooding.

Footsteps. And voices.

He pressed his ear to the door, straining to catch the words.

"...new orders. We're to move the prisoner tonight."

"Tonight? But I thought—"

"Don't think, you lout. Just follow orders."

The voices grew louder, and with them, a flicker of opportunity. Lucian flattened himself against the wall beside the door, willing his breath to slow, to silence itself.

The footsteps drew nearer.

"I don't like it," the second voice grumbled. "Movin' a prisoner in the dead of night. It ain't right."

"Your job isn't to like it," the first voice snapped. "It's to do as you're told."

They were just outside now. Lucian tensed, coiled like a spring.

A key scraped in the lock.

The door swung open with a plaintive creak, and two guards stepped into the cell. Their eyes widened as they took in the empty space where their prisoner should have been.

"What in the—" the first guard began, but his words were cut short as Lucian launched himself from the wall.

He slammed into the guards with all his might, catching them off-balance. The first guard stumbled backward, his armor clanking like a discordant bell. The second let out a startled yelp as Lucian's shoulder connected with his chest, sending him crashing to the floor.

"Prisoner escaping!" the fallen guard shouted, his voice muffled by his helmet.

Lucian didn't waste a heartbeat. He bolted through the open door, the corridor stretching before him like a promise. Left or right? He hesitated for a split second, indecision freezing him in place. The sound of more guards approaching from behind made the choice for him.

"C…come on, hurry up!"

"Damn it all," he muttered, and sprinted to the right.

His bare feet slapped against the cold stone as he ran, every muscle screaming in protest after a long time of confinement. But the intoxicating taste of freedom drove him forward, each step carrying him closer beyond these walls.

Behind him, he heard the guards struggling to their feet, their curses bouncing off the stone.

"Sound the alarm!" one of them bellowed.

Moments later, a horn blast tore through the corridors, its clarion call spelling doom for Lucian's escape attempt. This is about to get complicated, he thought.

He rounded a corner, nearly losing his footing on the smooth stone. The sound of pursuit grew louder, boots thundering against the floor like a herd of angry bulls. He had no plan, no destination. All he knew was that he couldn't stop. Couldn't let them catch him, not again.

Another horn sounded, closer this time. The corridors seemed to be closing in around him, the walls leaning inward, threatening to crush him.

Suddenly, more footsteps ahead. Lucian's heart sank as he realized he was about to be caught between two groups of guards, trapped like a fox between hunting parties.

Without conscious thought, he veered towards the nearest door, sending up a silent prayer that it wasn't locked. The handle turned under his desperate grip, and he flung himself inside, slamming the door behind him with a resounding thud.

He leaned against it, chest heaving, trying to quiet his ragged breathing. Outside, he could hear the guards' voices, barking orders and questions, their words muffled by the thick wood.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Listen up, you lot!" a gruff voice commanded. "I want this area surrounded. No one gets in or out without my say-so. Understood?"

A chorus of "Yes, sir!" rang out.

"Good. Now spread out and find that prisoner. He does not leave this place. Go!"

The sound of armored feet scattering in different directions filled the air, then gradually faded, like the last rumbles of a retreating storm.

Lucian let out a long, shaky breath. His legs, finally given respite, felt like water. He slid down the door to sit on the floor, allowing himself a moment of relief, a fleeting taste of victory.

That's when he noticed the smell. A musky, animal scent that hadn't registered in his panic. He turned his head slowly, his eyes adjusting to the darkness of the room. What he saw made his blood run cold. He found himself staring directly into the amber eyes of a massive lion.

The beast regarded him, its tail twitching like a metronome counting down his remaining seconds. Lucian's breath caught in his throat, his body frozen in terror. A single thought pierced through the fog of fear: What in Hades is a lion doing here?!

The beast’s eyes never left him, trying to gauge the thing in front of him. Lucian's mind raced, searching for a way out of this new predicament. He had escaped his cell only to find himself face to face with a predator that could end his life with a single swipe of its massive paw. Freedom, it seemed, had a twisted sense of humor.

The lion took a step towards him, its claws clicking against the stone floor. Lucian pressed himself back against the door, as if he could somehow phase through it and escape. But the beast didn't attack. Instead, it lowered its head and sniffed him, its hot breath ruffling his hair.

Why wasn't it attacking? Then, like a bolt of lightning, a memory struck him. His uncle Linus's words went into his head: "You are the son of Artemis. You have an affinity with the forest and its animals. They will recognize you as one of their own."

Could it be? Was this beast, this apex predator, actually recognizing him as kin? Lucian hardly dared to breathe, afraid that any movement might shatter this fragile moment of truce.

The lion continued to sniff him, its whiskers tickling his skin. He felt a laugh bubbling up in his chest, a hysterical reaction to the absurdity of the situation. Here he was being inspected by an animal like a mother cat checking on her kittens.

But the moment of levity was short-lived. His stomach started to ache again. The sound rang in the quiet room. The lion's ears perked up at the noise.If he didn't get out of this prison soon, it wouldn't matter whether the guards caught him or not, his own body would do their job for them.

He needed a plan, and he needed it fast. Lucian's gaze settled on the heavy metal links that tethered the beast to the wall. An idea began to form in his mind, a desperate, crazy idea that just might work.

"What if I possessed you?" he murmured as he met the lion’s gaze. "No, that would be a bad idea. My hunger would be even worse if I did that."

He shook his head, dismissing the thought. He had to conserve his strength, use his skills instead of his powers. But then another thought occurred to him, a twist on his original plan.

"What if I release you?" he said. "That might be a good idea. With you loose, it will cause panic, confuse the guards."

The lion, as if understanding his words, let out a low, rumbling purr. He reached out a tentative hand and patted the beast on its head. The lion leaned into his touch, its purr deepening.

"How about we get you out, buddy?" Lucian continued, a smile tugging at his lips. "Would you like that?"

The lion's purr was his only answer.

"I bet you do," he nodded, and moved towards its feet.

The chains were thick and strong. Lucian tugged at them, testing their strength. They didn't budge. How was he going to get the animal out?

He looked around the room again, this time with a specific purpose. There had to be something here, some tool or weapon that he could use. His eyes fell upon a large stone lying in the corner of the room. It was roughly the size of his head, with jagged edges that looked like they could do some damage. He moved towards it, conserving what little energy he had left.

The stone was heavy in his hands, the rough edges biting into his palms. He carried it back to where the lion lay, its eyes tracking his every move. Kneeling down beside the beast, Lucian took a deep breath, then, with all the strength he could muster, he brought the stone down on the chain.

The clang of rock on metal rang through the room, making his ears ring. But the chain held strong. Gritting his teeth, he tried again. And again. Each blow sent shockwaves up his arms, making his muscles tremble with fatigue. Sweat beaded on his brow, ran into his eyes, but he didn't stop.

Time seemed to stretch, minutes bleeding into hours. His hunger gnawed at him, a constant ache in his belly, and his vision swam with exhaustion. But still, he persisted. The lion watched him, silent and unmoving, as if it understood the importance of his task.

And then, with a final, resounding crack, the chain snapped. At the same moment, the stone shattered in his hands, the pieces falling to the floor with a clatter. He sat back on his heels, chest heaving, a triumphant grin on his face.

The lion rose to its feet, shaking out its mane. It took a step forward, then another, the broken chain dragging behind it. Lucian pushed himself up, his legs wobbling beneath him and reached out, burying his fingers in the lion's mane.

"Come on," he whispered. "Let's get out of here."

Together, they moved towards the door. Lucian cracked it open, peering out into the corridor. It was empty, the torches flickering on the walls. He stepped out, the lion following close behind.

They walked through the corridors, the stone walls seemed to narrow around them. But Lucian remained resolute and kept moving forward.

Suddenly, voices resounded from around the corner ahead. He froze and pressed himself back against the wall, the lion crouching down beside him.

Two guards came into view, their armor clanking with each step. They froze in their tracks, stunned by the sight of Lucian and the lion facing them. A tense moment passed before the lion let out a deafening roar and charged at the guards, its massive paws slashing at their armor and its sharp teeth ripping through it like butter. The guards' screams were filled with fear as they desperately tried to escape the ferocious beast, scrambling away and running down the corridor for safety.

Lucian didn't wait to see if they would return and ran in the opposite direction, the lion loping along beside him. They sprinted until his chest heaved and his limbs throbbed, until the corridors blurred and became unfamiliar.

In the distance, he caught a glimpse of it. A luminous beam calling out. Only a little further now and he’ll be out, he thought. He picked up the pace and together, they burst into the open space. There, he saw where they were; in an empty arena, bathed in darkness. The stands were deserted, its sands untouched except for their own frantic footprints. He gazed around, mouth falling open in surprise. Of all the places to end up, this was the last one he expected.

"What the hell is this?" He asked.

"An underground arena," said a voice from nowhere and everywhere. "Do you like it?"

Lucian scanned the empty stands for the source. "Who are you?"

"You know who I am."

"No, I don’t."

"Guess."

"What? Is this some kind of joke?"

"I assure you, I am not joking," said the voice. "I’ll give you a hint. I’m the one you and your master have been looking for."

He paused, gazing down at the ground. After pondering for a moment, he spoke up. "The Whisperer."

A shadow detached itself from the darkness at the top, taking the form of a woman as it stepped into the moonlight filtering through an opening high above.

"The Whisperer," she repeated, smiling. "Greetings, Lucian. We have lots of things to talk about."