It had been two days since William woke up in the cell. Most of that was spent in quiet consternation, but he had also done a lot of exercising, to fill the time. His Second Wind allowed near endless exercise.

For all the effort he gained +1 to Endurance.

During the time, Vesper had continued to lilt more tunes in the cell next-door. Most were songs of misery and heart break, which was a bit on the nose for William's mood.

"There was a maiden, with voice so mellow,

She thought me such a handsome fellow,

Her eyes as bright as summer skies,

Her smile, a beacon in my life.~

But fate, it seems, had different plans,

And took her from me with vile hands,

Her voice now echoes in my dreams,

While I am left, with silent screams.~

Her laughter, once music to my ears,

Now but a memory, bringing tears,

I curse the day she had to depart,

Leaving me, with broken heart.~"

Vesper was going again. The sweat dripped down, filling the cracks on the stone of the cell floor.

"So there's really no way out...", William muttered more as a question to himself.

"Kid, you have got to stop wallowing on about it. What can be done has been done. People don't escape from this. I know I definitely can't with the tools at my disposal. I honestly just wish they'd give us a bit better food for the hassle of it all. This bread is just sad.", Vesper muttered, the sneer evident in his voice.

A bolt lurched through William's mind. Everyday upon awaking there was food waiting near the door for them.

"Where does the food come from anyways?", William had never seen them drop it off or even heard the door open.

"Absolutely no idea. I've never been awake for them to drop it off, probably a good thing, they don't have anything good to say to me or vice versa.", Vesper said.

The idea was born. William had a plan.

----------------------------------------

Hours passed in much the same way. William toiled away exercising, Vesper sang along to the drip of his sweat.

"What are you doing over there that's got you grunting so much, anyways? Don't you think it's a little drab to be getting your rocks off in a cell like this?", Vesper quipped to himself.

"I told you I'm working out. I'd rather this than just lay down and die.", William responded.

"Hm. To each their own I suppose. I'd rather sing a tune and die a lune, than die on my feet tired with defeat.", Vesper replied. The man's propensity for rhyming wasn't as frequent as it seems, but he didn't seem to deny opportunities either.

"Why do you sing so much anyways? Since we're asking questions about our past times.", William wondered aloud.

"Well. I abhor the quiet, I get bored easily, and, well, someone very important to me requested I never stop singing. It was one of her only, and last requests of me...", Vesper concluded the conversation solemnly.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

William continued his pushups. He wasn't destined to gain any reward out of it though, as he all he could do was body weight exercises, and if there was one thing he was lacking it was body weight.

Soon after Vesper's voice picked up again, and William didn't consider it a bad thing.

----------------------------------------

"Alright. I think I'm going to head to sleep!", William declared loudly to his empty cell. His back was pressed against the stone floor, the cool surfaces easing his steaming body.

"Right, I suppose that marks the day for me to then. Another one down, and step closer to the line.", Vesper responded.

William stood and positioned himself next to the door, on the side it opened away from, closed his eyes, and sat against the wall. It may be a long night.

----------------------------------------

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Hours more passed. William was struggling to stay awake. His perk allowed him to workout near continuously, but his mind still was addled from it all. Just about the time he thought the food may just appear miraculously when he opened his eyes in the morning a noise perked him up.

He heard slow steps approaching. At first they were soft, but they grew louder over time. Finally they stopped on the cell door next-door. A quiet incantation followed and a sudden surge ebbed through his cell wall.

Status Effect Resisted

Due to the Skill 'System's Influence' the mind altering status

effect triggered by the skill 'Dead Man's Sleep' has been resisted

That explained it.

This is lucky, they probably have no idea I've been resisting it. It's just luck I haven't woken up when they deliver the food. Vesper's anti-compulsion skill must not be as strong as mine, William thought. Or perhaps he's just a heavy sleeper, he considered.

After the wave seemed to dissipate he hear the sliding mechanism for the cell door open to Vesper's cell. Surprisingly, the door slid open relatively soundlessly. Very little noise followed until the door's latch was being closed again.

Shortly after the steps approached his cell door. The incantation followed again. This time he heard it.

"Dead Man's Sleep, let the soul rest, silence to keep, slumber to bless.", a soft voice called.

Status Effect Resisted

Due to the Skill 'System's Influence' the mind altering status

effect triggered by the skill 'Dead Man's Sleep' has been resisted

William's heart was hammering in his chest. The phantom of fear hung there, but William didn't feel it. He thought he should be scared, but only a crackling determination rested within.

The slide on his cell door slid, and slowly the door swayed open. William kept his eyes closed and his breathing even to sell his show.

The attendant shuffled in slightly, then crouched down to place the mold covered bread on the floor of his cell. In that moment, focusing heavily on his Eye's of the Hypnotic Hunter skill William lunged away from the wall toward the crouched figure. He wrapped his hand around a surprisingly dainty neck and pulled with all his might to force eye contact between them. What he found made his stomach lurch. A young woman with bright green eyes sat beneath him. They had tumbled into a pile on the cell floor, the moldy bread crushed beneath them. Her eyes were wide but otherwise her face was completely slack. William could see his on wispy blue eyes in the reflection of hers.

What am I supposed to do now, William thought in shock. He was fully intending to kill whoever was attending their cells, then lock the body therein to delay the knowledge of his escape from spreading.

Quickly considering, he maneuvered to stand both himself and the attendant up. Then slowly shuffled out of the cell. Luckily there was no one else present in the antechamber that housed the entryways to Vesper's cell, his cell, and a third, seemingly empty cell. Connected to the antechamber was a long stairway leading down. William slowly stepped over to Vesper's cell door and opened it, while maintaining eye contact with the woman.

He shuffled them inside to stand next to Vesper's snoozing form.

The man was average height, but built with a lean, wired-muscle frame. He was seemingly malnourished, but in very good shape. He had sharp facial features, dark skin, and black hair, reminiscent of what William had heard of typical Harang features. Suspicion bloomed, but William had little choice in his current predicament.

"Hey. Vesper. Wake up.", William enunciated each word quietly with nudges to one of Vesper's bare feet.

With a small roll, Vesper turned toward him and his eyes fluttered open. Then shot open, Vesper bolting to his feet. He quickly took what appeared to be a combat stance and started scanning William and the woman, as well as the cell.

"Who are you, what's going on!", Vesper hissed.

"I'm William. I need your help. We're going to escape. I can't kill her.", he motioned toward the woman in front of him, careful not to take his eyes off her.

"Oh.", Vesper relaxed quickly, a small smile appearing on his face, "I expected you to be much bigger, with all that working out. Well, pass her here then, poor gal."

Carefully William passed the woman over to Vesper, as soon as his eye contact ceased she heaved over, looking like she'd been kicked by a horse, eyes wide and breathing very heavily.

Vesper quickly placed his hand gently over her mouth, and sidled up to the woman. A mask of charisma coalesced over his features, an easy smile emerging.

"Hush now dear. Look at me. Yes just like that. You succeeded in your duties. I want you to return home as soon as you can slip away. Grab only your important belongings, and all your money, and run. You need to go as far as you can away from here, as fast as you can. Use a different name, start a new life. You won't know why you need to do this, but you WILL do it. Do you understand lovely. Nod yes.", he said smoothly, like it was rehearsed.

She nodded slowly. The fear completely gone from her face.

"Good. Go.", Vesper said, she turned and left down the stairs.

"What... Was that. I just expected you to know how to knock her out or something. And why'd you tell her to run?", William said in bewilderment.

"What's that supposed to mean kid. It was my skill. Lucky for us she doesn't play for the other team, exclusively at least. My skill works far better when the target is at least a bit attracted to me.", he said with a chuckle. "As for why she's going to run. She'd wish we killed her if Hammon finds out she's how we escaped. The cells probably have a magic that reports back on whether or not we're here on a regular interval, that's typical for the Empire, hopefully the next one isn't for awhile. If she manages to get far enough away and slip in at some village she may just get a chance at life, here's hoping.", he finished, his face grim.

"Oh.", William's face sunk.

"Well kid. What's next.", Vesper smiled again.