Volley of Pyre

Archaic Captivity

"Keep the line moving maggots!" yelled a guard as he cracked a whip at the nearest captive. "Mine you insufferable bastards!!" barked another. "Why are you stopped old man?" asked a guard to an old man who had collapsed mid swing of his pickax."I am sorry my knee gave out on me." said the old man as he began to climb to his feet. The guards did not give him a chance they lunged at him with a flurry of kicks. They beat the poor man to death before chuckling and going back to their post. Koda witnessed all this day in day out at the mines and broke down at the site of it."Kid get up or they will end you next." spoke a mysterious man picking Koda off the floor and guiding him to the closest boulder. "Listen kid I'm not thrilled to be here either but if you don't get it together you wont ever live to see the outside again." "But they just murdered that man and none of us will do anything about it, why is it fair for this to continue!?" The man looked around to check for guards before leaning in to say " it may not be soon but we will be doing something about it we just have to play our cards right." "but what do you mean sir?" Koda inquired " shouldn't we be making... and just then a guard noticed work as stopped and cracks his whip "hey you free loaders back to work or ill beat you with an inch of your life!" "sorry sir" replied the man "just checking on this young one." " it'l all make sense in time kid just keep working and keep your head up" whispered the man before going back to the strenuous work of the mines.

A year went by with no action being taken but Koda was beginning to understand why. The kind man who took him under his wing was named Duke and the two became somewhat inseparable. The captives took in turns gathering intelligence on guard shifts and supply caches around the mines. Koda, who is now 13, is beginning to show strength in his once feeble bones. He learns to actually come out of his shell in some ways actually cracking jokes with other captives and showing signs of life again. Koda became essential for the movement to stage a revolt as he could traverse the crowded minds without being noticed. He gathered all he could from overhearing guard conversations to even finding when a guard would go on break.

"I told you to mind your business!" yelled Duke pushing back at another captive." " why cant we all just get along, I just wanna hang out with you guys." said the large arrogant prisoner who started the whole fight. " Baron I have told you multiple times to back off of me and my group." hissed Duke getting in the face of Baron but looking clearly outmatched by the behemoth of a man. "What do you think your doing stepping to me?" laughed Baron " you are no more than a piss ant." "A piss ant in the comparison to what? you? of course i look that way you fat piece of shit!" Baron lost it and began striking Duke repeatedly in the face. before any permanent damage could be done something unreal occurred. In a flash a streak of red,what seemed like lightning, struck Baron sending him barreling into the side of the wall smashing it on impact. When the smoked cleared you could barely recognize Baron from his charred crushed body. The captives turned to the man responsible for this and all froze in fear.