Skyrise

Prisoner's Plight

Spectre

     At first, I was scared. Don't get me wrong, I was terrified. I was already on low health from hunting, then Cerberus decided to capture a Skyrisian to show his father. However, it actually got better when I got to the dungeon, as Mephiles actually promised to get me out of there.

     Cerberus decided to torture me one day because he was bored. Mephiles was hanging out near my cell when we returned. "That was fast." He said when we were alone. "What'd he do?"

     "Chinese water torture."

     "How'd you get out?" He asked, eyebrows raised in skepticism.

     "He got tired of waiting for me to go insane. So he brought me back."

     "I see. Yeah, my big brother's a great soldier, but he doesn't really get 'slow torture'."

     It became a low-stakes game of cat and mouse. He'd try out some sort of new method, but I'd always end up outsmarting him. The last trap he devised was a wall that was supposed to slowly crush me, but I stopped time, slipped free, and went back to my cell. "Oh. There you are...but how?" Mephiles asked.

     "SKYRISIAN!!" We heard a shout down the hall. Cerberus raced toward us. "HOW DID YOU ESCAPE?! THE DEFENSES IN THAT ROOM ARE IMPREGNABLE!!"

     "I took a shortcut." I shrugged, fidgeting with my zipper.

     "A shortcut. Really, bud? Even I  know that's a boldfaced lie, and I prefer to stay out of there." Mephiles smirked.

     "If you're smart enough, you can get out of any jam."

     "Fine. Get out of that cell." Mephiles ordered.

     "Okay." I hummed a tune and grabbed Cerberus's keys while his back was turned. I stuck them into the lock and jiggled until the door swung open. "Done."

     "HEY!! THOSE ARE MINE!!" Cerberus yelled. I allowed a giggle, but what came out was a deranged voice crack.

     "What. Was. That?" Mephiles asked.

     "Oh God!" I shouted, laughing uncontrollably, bringing Mephiles with me.

     "COME ON, GUYS!! THAT'S NOT FUNNY!! IT'S...IT'S... Okay, it was adorable!"

     "I don't think I've ever heard you talk normally, brother. Good for you!" Mephiles patted him on the back and winked at me. "Nice one, bud."

     "You guys remind me of my brother and I."

     "You have a brother?" Cerberus asked.

     "...had." I muttered, remembering his tragic end.

     "Oh."

     "I see. I'm very sorry...uh... What did you say your name was, Skyrisian?"

     "My name is Spectre."

     "Sir! The Skyrisians are here." The Shadow Bros and I slammed the cell door shut as a soldier was coming in.

     "The Skyrisians? Welcome them warmly!"

     "Sir... They're attacking us. They're invading."

     "Oh. I see. How many of them?"

     "Only five. One of them refuses to fight."

     "Dragonfly!" I yelled. "My friends came to get me! If you'll let me go now, we can prevent--"

     "Attack. Kill them at all costs."

     "What?! No!" I yelled. "I made sure you wouldn't hurt me so that they'd have no reason to hurt you!"

     "Brother. Subdue the prisoner at all costs. I don't care what you do with him after that." He turned to me. "I wanted to be friends, but it's my people before yours. I hope one day you can understand. DO NOT BE AFRAID!!" He shouted to his troops.

     "Brother! We can't kill a friend of a friend. It's not fair." Mephiles came to my aid.

     "DON'T LET ME THINK YOU ARE A TRAITOR, TOO!!" He thundered before rushing off.

     I was devastated. I sank to my knees in horror and regret. "This... This can't be happening! There's no war, is there? Please tell me there isn't. I told Dragonfly to be a pacifist. If he gets into a fight, he'll--"

     Mephiles stepped into the cell and hugged me to him. "I know. I know. It'll be okay." He got this sudden gleam in his eye. "Hey, I have a way to end it without going against Cerberus's wishes. I'll 'subdue' you by tying you up in my sister's room. She isn't allowed to fight, so she'll be in her room. She'll untie you and bring you back peacefully, if anybody's still fighting."

     "And you think it'll work?" I asked.

     "It better." Is all he said.