Project "S-24"

Luke

Before he knew it, the cell door clanged shut with a metallic ring. 

Signing, he plopped onto the rickety bed with only a thick gray blanket folded neatly on top.  His room was barely lit and the air was damp. He raised an eyebrow at the cleanliness of the room.

For a country that is known to kill its prisoners, this cell doesn't seem that bad...

He looked down at his wrists in front of him. The restraints had a faint blue glow from the anti-mana device, and a length of chain between the brackets allowed him to move his hands rather freely. 

Luke stood back up and silently walked to the edge of the anti-mana reinforced bars, and scoffed at the irony. Anti-mana technology was first developed in Naden but became illegal to use on people just a year after due to the extreme side effects. Mana reserves are connected to vital organs, and disrupting one system puts a strain on the other. 

However, as a compromise, it can be used indirectly on prisoners. Hence, the glowing restraints pinching his wrists. 

They had confiscated everything, leaving him with only his white uniform undershirt, blue uniform pants, and army-issued boots.

He peered around as much as he could and spotted a couple of cells around him, which were all strangely empty.

The only other sign of life was in the cell across from him, where the gray blanket was messily bundled on top of the straw mattress. 

Frowning, he returned to the bed. He wasn't expecting no one else to be here. 

... 

Hours later, he heard the security door down the hall open, and footsteps began heading towards his direction. 

Judging by the sound, at least ten others were coming his way. 

As the group rounded the corner, he saw two guards leading nine other prisoners towards his cell. He could tell which nation everyone came from by the color of their uniform pants. The group looked haggard, and one of the men had to be supported by two of his friends. 

Instinctively, Luke got up from the mattress in case they happened to be assigned to his cell.

Everyone was taken aback by Luke's presence in the room, but no one talked as the guards unlocked his cell and the one across from him. 

Four of the men were ushered into his, while the other five were led to the one across. 

As the guard's footsteps disappeared around the corner, the man seeming to be the most seasoned walked over and held out his hand. His pants were gray, meaning he was from Tarpaz. 

"We didn't expect anyone new to be here today. I'm Dane Smith, former vice-captain of the royal army of Tarpaz. Thank you for letting Max have the bed. Since your uniform pants are blue I'm guessing you are from Naden?"

Luke nodded and firmly shook his hand. "I'm Luke Nishihara, captain of the 17th Naval fleet of Naden."

Dane raised an eyebrow, "You seem young, that's quite impressive." He then motioned to the other man in gray pants, "That is Karl Anten, member of the Tarpaz navy."

Karl stiffly nodded. 

He pointed to Max who looked injured and was sleeping on the bed, "As you heard, his name is Max Diop. The man next to him is Tom Altez, he was a medic in my company."

Luke nodded to everyone. 

Across the room, the others began introducing themselves as well. 

"I'm Harold! But you can call me Harry, I was a messenger for Naden's sixth special forces and I was your senior in school Luke."

"Arnold Switzer, a former sniper from the same force, I went to a different academy."

"Sam Zhang, I was just a private in the Naden army I was also from a different school."

"Jackolb Terane, I was also just a private in the Tarpaz army."

"I'm Vyrut Lorraine, a former member of the Tarpaz Royal Navy."

Luke nodded, and asked, "How are the circumstances here?"

The cells went quiet.

Dane signed, "The rumors aren't exaggerated. They think of lots of different ways to try to slowly wear us down. The moment you show that you can no longer hold they take you away. Those who are escorted out never come back and we can only guess what has happened to them."

He looked Luke straight in the eyes and looked grimly at Max. 

"My advice to you? Keep yourself as strong as possible if you want to survive."