Beneath the blazing afternoon sun, Hera and Quimora shared a silent understanding. As the clock struck the hour, they slipped away from the mundane afternoon routine in the open fields. Guided by Hera's steady hand, Quimora followed the labyrinthine path toward a secret place only known to Hera.

Guaranteed that the said place has no visible guards, confidence overtook their doubt of safety. Hand in hand, they walked towards their destination as they conversed.

"Quimora, do you believe in the Divine?" Hera asked.

"Suppose… Never have I believed in heavenly bodies… Even in the incident five years ago. How about you, Hera?"

Hera smiled, releasing a short burst of exhaled air. "From what I believe, everyone here was put because laws aren't laws. Everyone can create their own laws. Serenity is never an option to an unfair game called life."

For the belief of Serenity, every law made by man was made universally. Even across dimensions, the belief of conscious beings about morals never changed, just like how the laws of physics were made. Luckily they didn’t know that even the laws of gravity were never proven true by people as antimatters exist.

"You hated order?"

"Once you break an illusion called 'law,' you will question the existence of the order of things. You will only face reality once it gives you agony. That's where the truth hurts."

"Then… I suppose you're still a believer, aren't you?"

"It's impossible for a person not to believe in something. In my case, I might be a believer in Prevalence, and I know no boundaries. I give rules to my world, and I condemn the regulations made by a unified and brainwashed group called society. Most of the prisoners think that way."

For the believers of Prevalence, whatever rules made for the masses were taken from the roots of a sole person. Bandwagon as they suggest, every regulation was man-made, and those who believe the same way only follow each other, until the said belief becomes contagious.

"You said it's impossible for a person not to have a belief. How about my case? I'm unfamiliar with those things.”

"Your belief is how your world works. What do you want to believe in the most?"

"Me? Uhm… I suppose I just want to do what I think, and I hope that nothing's fated for me… Like dying I suppose."

"I see. For skeptics, you're most likely a believer of Entropy."

Entropy? Sounds familiar… I suppose. Quimora thought. "Would you mind explaining what that is?"

"That means you control your future, even countless possibilities. I don't do the math, but even if it is a minuscule percentage of chances, you'll likely get it."

"But… I don't control my future, which is why I'm here."

"The fact that you survived for five years in this disgusting arena proves it. It's like luck is guiding you. For thousands of cells, the divines made your way through us."

"I'm glad that you're a kind person, and that you thought disciplined our fellow cellmates to be as gentle as you. However, I think it is just a stroke of luck, and that I suppose there's no higher being that pulls my strings."

"That's denial," Hera smiled.

"Why are you smiling?"

"Do you know the story of the Entropy?"

While walking, Quimora shook her head. Even though she already come across various documents related to the said belief’s propagator, her ignorance made it impossible for her to digest its contents.

"Every divine denied the existence of Entropy, making him an enemy of the universe. The fact that he can turn the tables within low chances makes him a powerful being just by destroying and abusing the balance. The divine combined their powers to eliminate Entropy, which vanished like a bubble pop. However, even now, Entropy is AWOL, and no one ever heard of him. Mentioning this belief in the public will also make you the enemy of the state."

Quimora slanted her head and asked, "Then… Aren't you forbidden to tell me about Entropy?"

"We're in the right place to talk about it, where laws are ideals and restrictions are diminished. Also, we're already the public's villains, and our heads are tied inside the guillotine."

Quimora pouted, reminiscing those days when escapes for high-profile convicts won’t be possible. She didn’t want the person who helped her suffer. However, cheering her up is the only thing that she can do with her current abilities.

"Don't worry, Hera! Once I get out, I will find a way to get you out of this prison."

Hera stopped and tapped her head. "There are other people out there that need kindness. Make sure not to miss a single one of them before going for us."

Quimora gazed at Hera and imagined if she just had a mother who was as kind as her. If she did, she would never have experienced any hardships inappropriate for her age.

"We're here," Hera looked beyond a broken bridge that leads to an island attached to the prison wall.

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The said prison wall contained a rusty metal ladder leading up beyond the walls. However, this restricted place was surrounded by thick dark crimson water which contained a blurred vision of countless skeletons from its translucent appearance.

This route should be the prisoner’s only way of escape. However, since not even a single attempt succeeded in the past, no one dared to approach the ladder. The island became the root of legendary folklore that once gave hope to prisoners in disguise. Now, it’s a graveyard for those who broke the laws of Serenity.

Still, Hera believed that one day, this route would light its path toward living freedom. "Don't worry about letting us free in your way. We also have a way to get out of this place. However, it would be a huge gamble."

Trembling as her eyes bulged open wide, Quimora stuttered, "Y–You're going to escape through here?"

"You may be thinking it's an easy escape. However, your eyes may deceive you." Hera pointed at the nearest tower in the back which had a huge loaded cannon pointed in the middle of the stairs. "That big boy is one hell of a problem."

The tower became the sole reason why there were no attempts to escape from the said place. For the guards, it became a plotted trap for those who tried to escape. Even if the escapees managed to ascend the ladder, without their ability, there’s no safe route that leads them down past beyond the walls. Alas, boats would only appear once there were new convicts or the ruler who managed the place sent guards for emergencies.

"They're saving manpower, which is why they made this trap. Also, we can't guarantee that there are boats outside this place. You can't trust the shining stars to lead you to a land. Even if the anti-magic barrier was dropped, it's inevitable to be injured after jumping down the walls."

"That means… it's just pure death," Quimora bowed and wrinkled her eyebrows. While biting her lip, she paced down, thinking that it was a reckless decision to escape.

Hera tapped Quimora's shoulder and boasted, "Ever since you came to us, we believed in opportunities. I guess it doesn't hurt to believe in Entropy as well."

"Hera…" Quimora noticed the sudden shift of Hera’s confidence into doubt as Hera’s smile suddenly became flat and her eyes bulged.

"I suppose we're just too cowardly to defy our fate, but I'm afraid it wasn't now…"

"Hera, what's wrong?" Quimora asked, following Hera’s gaze. She then looked beyond the wall and found two men standing between a girl. They all wore the same prison suit. However, the girl's hair was blonde.

Unlike Quimora’s vision, Hera’s eyes grew sharp across her experiences in the past. She developed the eye of the hawk, capable of discerning targets from a hundred meters away. What Hera saw wasn’t only three prisoners playing house. When she identified the blonde girl’s appearance the moment she turned back, she clenched her fists and gritted her teeth.

Those three weren’t trying to escape. Meetups for prisoners of different genders have been banned, hence the sector division is established. Varying from her past, her conclusion about the situation would never be the same to those who first witnessed this strange happening, even Quimora’s.

Hera muttered, "I've never felt someone in debt of explanation to me before."

After the sun buried itself down the horizon, losing its light across the whole prison, Hera sat and meditated behind their cell bars. Her fellow prisoners scratched their heads, unaware of the situation.

After an hour of waiting in silence, Hera murmured, "That brat never really appeared."

"Were you referring to that blondie saintess?" Jinx asked.

Instead of responding to Jinx’s question, Hera stood up and made an announcement. "Pack your guts and prepare for the worst. Expect an all-out war. Only the king of the hill will remain standing."

The fellow prisoners painted a question mark on their faces. Jinx narrowed her eyes with a slack mouth as the sudden confusion overloaded her simple mind. "Hey, hey! Are you seriously joking? You're not gonna buy me with that."

"You can always call me crazy, but I hope for once, you believe my instincts. I never questioned my instincts once.”

"S–Stop that, Hera! You're giving me goosebumps," Jinx replied as her jaw shook. She caressed her arms while rubbing her back along the wall.

Hera deeply exhaled. "Everything felt weird…. Since that girl came.”

The common knowledge was if one betrayed the temple of Finality, where most saints came from, they would urgently become subject to the death penalty. Hence, it’s the sole reason saints and priests never existed within the prison for years.

As of now, only those with authority have the privilege to stand beyond the walls. Hera already felt that the girl came here not to bear any punishment. Instead, they have a specific goal that can’t be disclosed. With this, Hera already knew that danger would descend from beyond.

“... Unless there would be an invasion–" Hera stopped after a petal of the rare Azure Wisdom Azalea, a fiery-blue flower existing only in the wilderness, fell into their cell from the window.

As soon as the petal touched the ground, the magic lights in the whole prison lit off. Only the small window gave light to every cell, which was soon accompanied by roars. The boasts of prisoners from the other cells echoed, resonating across the hallway. The news scattered as fast as a burning paper.

"Look! I have my blessings back!"

"Haha! I would be undefeated again! What a worthless prison."

"It's showtime!"

Everyone in Quimora's cell shook, not until Hera lit the room using the fire in her fist. It didn’t take long until everyone understood the words Hera meant. Knowing Hera's seriousness, everyone stood up and readied themselves for the fight.

Hera muttered, "There's only one way out. You will all protect Quimora. She should be completely unharmed until she escapes…"

Quimora’s departure should be tomorrow. However, before it happens, there’s a high possibility that the prison will first turn to ashes. Since she never had the ability to secure her safety, her fellow prisoners prioritized protecting her until she managed to survive. Escape is only their side quest.

Explosions resonated in the neighboring cells. Fire crawls on some segments of the ground. Even thunder sneaked through the flowing waters. There's only one conclusion: the anti-magic barrier is broken, and everyone else has their abilities back.

Hera prepared for a blast by stretching her arm away from the door. When she punched the bars, it flew towards a prisoner who passed their cell. The prisoner's body flattened as she collided with the wall. She turned back and asked, "I'll lead the way. Do you have any violent reactions to this?"

The prisoner's worry turned to a hungry smile. Macy took a deep breath and replied, "We're always on your toes."

Hera turned to Quimora who was fidgeting her fingers as she trembled. "We'll advance your dismissal. Is that alright with you?"

"I–I suppose… But you all don't have to risk your life just for me…" Quimora muttered.

"We're already done with our lives, girl," Hera replied. "However, yours are just starting. You haven't experienced breathing the air of life. Of course, you can come back here, but there should be a reason. However, I won't suggest that. You must have missed the feeling of touching some grass. Don't worry about everything, Quimora. This is all our wish."

"Right! It's our wish!" Quimora's cellmates shouted.

Hera smirked and shouted, "Without further ado, let's dive to hell!"