Over the past dozen or so hours, Lee had gotten enough time to think through his current predicament, sort through all his items in his Hidden Cache, and mentally amp himself up for the ‘break your arms and legs without Anetheliosurge’ escape.

During this time, not one person entered to check on any of the prisoners. At this point, he assumed that the man who’d originally checked was just there to check on his well being. And, going by the other prisoners, he wasn’t sure if that extra attention was wanted.

Now, he had to ensure that his plan would work. Like all plans, having an extra pair of hands wouldn’t be a bad thing. He spoke out into the darkness, knowing that everyone could hear him. “I’m breaking out of here. I’m going to fight my way out of this godforsaken hole and kill every single person along the way. If I free all of you, will you fight with me? Speak now, or forever hold your piece.”

After waiting a few seconds in the silence, he continued. “There is no life to be had here. You eat the others who couldn’t last any longer. When will it be your turn? Better to die fighting for freedom than to waste away and suffer this… evil. Living here is worse than death.”

The shifting of chains echoing off the cavernous walls was the only sound left after his speech. He wasn’t sure if they were the ‘maybe this guys talking sense’ rattling of chains or ‘please shut the fuck up and let me be’ ones. “I’m a healer. If you’re hurt, I can heal you after we break free. I have weapons stored in one of my abilities, and I am a mage with expert tier spells. This is the best chance you’re ever going to get for freedom.”

“You’ll never make it…” A harsh, nearly wispy voice bounced around towards him. He wasn’t sure where the sound originated from, but it wasn’t the person who told him to be quiet when he arrived, as that was a woman.

“I’ll take my chances. Say if we don’t make it, do you really want to be here? Or would you rather have Death lead you to somewhere better? I’ve met him, and I can guarantee he isn’t evil. Not like… this sick fucking concentration camp knock-off.” Lee wasn’t actually sure if there was an afterlife in the religion here, but he’d bet there was. Why else does Death collect?

“You in?” He finished.

After a beat of silence, the wispy voice responded. “What weapons you got?”

Without a pause, Lee answered. “Lots of daggers, a singular sword, and enough blunt objects to bash people's heads in.”

“... If they catch me, kill me. I…” Lee heard the hitch in the mans throat, the tightness was bone chilling. “Promise me, swear to the gods. If you do that, I’m in.”

“I’m sure you can tell by my eyes that I'm well acquainted with many of the gods. I swear to you before all the gods, I will not let you go back here. One way or another your suffering ends.” Lee spoke softly, and solemnly. He’d only killed two people in his life, but he wouldn’t think twice about ending those who wished for it. This was a swear of mercy, and mercy is one of his core tenets at this point.

“Kill me… Please.” Another voice echoed through sobs, a female, although not the original voice. “Don’t free me, I can’t go on. Just—-Just kill me.”

Lee projected as much confidence as he could. “You can get out. Life is worth living as long as it’s not here.”

“They—They took my legs. I CAN’T leave!” The voice was broken. With only sounds to go by, it put the sheer pain and anguish in the prisoner’s voice in a whole other light.

“When? Recently?” Lee asked, insistent.

“Before you came… It hurts… It hurts so much…” at this point, they were ugly crying. Lee didn’t need to see them to tell.

“I can heal them. As long as your soul hasn’t adjusted, I can heal them. I promise you.” Hope was hard to give in this hell hole but he was trying.

“Okay…”

“Anyone else?” Lee asked.

No responses came. At least three would be better than one.

“I’m going to break my own arms and legs and tear myself free from these chains. Once I’m free, I’ll heal, then break out with my magic. I’ll free you, arm you, and even give you real food and water. Then, we kill everyone in our way… This isn’t a position where we don’t share our levels. I’m level fifty-seven. What about you guys?” Lee asked, mainly to get his mind away from the pain that was about to erupt within his body in less than a minute.

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“Two…”

“Three…”

Lee chuckled, causing the shifting of chains to ramp up in discomfort. “Believe it or not, I was level one until a few months ago. You’ll hear no shame from me. A blow to the skull doesn’t care about levels.”

He took a deep breath, “Now, if you hear me screaming like a little girl. Do your best to ignore it. I’m breaking my bones, after all.”

Lee placed the soles of his feet along the cavern wall then leaned forward until the chains around his wrists were taut. After a singular, audible deep breath in, he blew out the breath slowly and steady… Then, with as much force as he could muster, Lee sprang off the wall with his fifteen strength.

Unfortunately, his wrists didn’t immediately snap, his constitution was finally showing its worth. It also didn’t help that every second he was healing forty-four HP a second just from Healer’s Touch and his title. With painful grunts, Lee strained and struggled against the chains. Surprisingly, and in hindsight was probably not as surprising as it should have been, his thumbs were the first to break. The flashing white searing pain jolted up to his elbows as he screamed and continued tugging.

The next to break was his index fingers, right where they connected to palms. It was tortuous, not because of the breaks, but because his bones were trying to heal as they were squished within the metal bracelets that held him prisoner. It took roughly thirty seconds of full straining effort to slip out of the chains, causing him to fall forward and face-plant the ground now that they weren’t holding him aloft.

The ankles… The ankles were harder and took a solid five minutes each. By the end, he was surprised that his voice didn’t give out completely—Oh wait, his vocal cords would have healed as they strained and snapped.

As soon as he was able, he cast Anestheliosurge on himself, bringing a wave of relief to his shaking body. The next order of business was getting free from the cage itself. Simple done, with a cheap and effective Earthen Strike. A solid chunk, the size of an exercise ball, ripped itself from the wall and brutalized the locking mechanism with a deafening sound of an unstoppable force that met an immovable object.

The tiny rusty hinge sound in the aftermath was anticlimactic, but it let everyone know he was free. “I’m going to make some light. Watch your eyes.” With a flick of will, Lee summoned a dull Orb of Light, enough to see inside the earthen room, but not enough to blind those who’d grown accustomed to the darkness.

Lee did his best to keep his face impassive as he scanned around the surroundings, at the people held within their cages. It was obvious to tell who had been here the longest, as they had larger piles of… waste in their cells. Every single one of them were nothing more than skin and bones, making him look like an athlete in comparison. They all had cracked and dry lips, and little to no clothes on. What they did have, were mere scraps from what they had worn in the past.

Seeing someone’s ribs highlighted through their skin wasn’t new to him, as he’d stared at his own in the mirror for longer than he’d care to admit, but seeing them on someone else was new.

With a quick scan of Identify, Lee found his first breakout partner.

Sarah Halliper - Human - Level: 2

As was foretold, Sarah didn’t have any legs. They were cut off just above the knees and were poorly wrapped in what looked to be her own dirty clothes. She was bare chested and emaciated, her robes being used to save her from blood loss. It was also apparent that it has been awhile since she’s seen the light of day, as she was as white a sheet.

Lee blasted open her door and yanked the remains off the hinges. He flicked an Anetheliosurge her way as he laid his hands on her shoulders. “Look at me, don’t look down.”

From the corner of his eye, he could see the surge and rippling of flesh as she was being ‘healed’. Sarah’s lip quivered as her brown eyes stared deeply into his. After two seconds, she was as good as new. “You’re gonna live.”

Then, without warning, Lee used Depth pressure to cut off her wrists, freeing her arms from the chains that bind. She didn’t even react, as she couldn’t feel the pain. Her hands were back within a second, and he tossed one of his spare robes toward her along with two daggers, one of his favorite scones from the local bakery, and his old waterskin.

As she shakily got dressed and scarfed down the offered food, Lee did the same exact thing for every single person in cages—totaling seven. Several stayed put, but more than his original two partners in crime stepped out.

He tossed out every single weapon he had, each enchanted with Sharpness, then looked around at those still huddled in their cages. “Now or never. It’s time to fight like the weight of the world is nothing, like every step is a breath of freedom you've been starved of. The chains behind you are not stronger than the hope ahead. If this is your moment… then live it—because this taste of freedom is going to remind your soul what it truly means to be alive.”

By the end of his speech, everyone huddled out of their cages. Everyone was fearful, but they were more accepting. This was going to be it, live or die. All cards on the table. He looked each of them in the eye with his rainbows and make them feel like part of the group. “When we make it out of here, I will set you up with money and the freedom to go wherever you wish. Gold, not palty sums.”

Lee turned to the flickering flame from the exit. “Now…” He turned on Healer’s Beacon. “If you see this silver turn to black, stay away. You will die in less than a second. Are we ready?”

Nods and the shifting of posture was the response. “Then, let us fight for our lives.”

Lee led the way, each step taken causing the moisture in the room to coalesce around him. Wispy trails of fog fell off his shoulders as a frigid suit of armor formed around his body. Joining the armor, a long jagged blade of glacial ice rested in his hand.

Do or die.