Prisoner



 Prisoner

 Season 1, Episode 8 of Mystic



Despite my spiteful mood, I was thoroughly impressed - albeit a little daunted - at the castle of Aphyix.

Huge stone walls soared to the clouds above my head. Crystalline steps led up to two grand ivory doors, in which two guards sat, staring intently down. I noticed Keyes barely glanced at them. The guards nodded at him respectfully, and Keyes did the same. "Captain Keyes."

Captain? I almost froze and stared at Keyes, a newfound respect lighting my eyes. I had thought he was like every other cat in Aphyix, but it seemed he had a lot more authority than I'd thought.

"Guard Kerrn." Keyes glanced at the one speaking. "Take the intruder to the hearing room for now, and until further questioning we will keep her there."

"The hearing room is currently at function, with all due respect, Captain," Kerrn mewed timidly. "A cat is on trial as of now."

"Are they really?" Keyes mewed grumpily. "Fine, take her to the cell quarters - mind you, she isn't due for trial or in prison, make sure you tell the cell guards as much."

"Yes, Captain." Kerrn nodded at me and left his post; I followed him into the castle.

It was all I could do not to gasp at the interior. Huge walls flanked either side of me, with a high ceiling lost in the shadows. Little gaps cut into the wall in designs let in light, and the floor was massive and cold, going clickety-clack with every tap of my claws.

"Is this your first time here?" Kerrn asked, almost kindly, startling me from my starings. His voice seemed to echo around the room.

"What? Oh, yes," I answered. Better not say anything about Lazuli or the portal.

"Where are you from?"

"From?"

He stared at me. "You know, from outside of Aphyix. Aphyix isn't the only place here, you know."

"It isn't?" I gulped. I hadn't realized there could, instead of just a small community, be a whole other world down here.

"Uh...no." Kerrn mewed. He turned a corner and quickly descended a flight of steps. I huffed to catch up to him. We approached a gated cell marked '1' and he opened it.

"You'll stay here."

"Here?" I hissed, unable to hide my shock. And I had thought Keyes was a friend!

"Yes," Kerrn mewed, almost sympathetically. "I'll come and pick you up later, when the questioning room is free."

"How is our guest settling in?" I turned and saw Keyes climbing down the stony steps.

"Keyes," I hissed, my claws sliding out, as Kerrn led me in and locked the gate. "Why did you do this to me?"

"By the way," Keyes mewed smoothly. "There is no way out. The walls contain alumirod, an impenetrable forcefield, and only a stick could squeeze through the gates. Only because I know you're one to try." Then he walked right out. Kerrn glanced uneasily at me and then followed him.

How long would they keep me here? Hours? Days? Permanently, if I didn't well enough answer the "questioning"? Suddenly fearful, I realized I needed to get out of here. I couldn't stay for the questioning, I most likely couldn't answer many of the questions about my whereabouts before now and such. And once they saw I couldn't they'd think for sure I was intruding. ''Why is intruding so important anyways? What is the most harm that could fall upon Aphyix with my being in the forests?''

I turned to the bricked wall, poring over it for any holes or gaps. But it seemed seamless; even the section where the wall and floor met was safely sealed off. From the scales of claws against brick, it looked as if many a prisoner had tried to escape, in vain.

"Mind you, she isn't due or in prison." Those had been Keyes' words, though I was fairly certain I was some sort of prisoner.

~tbc~