Throb, throb, throb.

  Ash rolled out of unconsciousness well aware of the pain rolling in waves from the side of his head.

  The gloom around him made him second guess as to whether he had even opened his eyes, the smell of damp, disuse, subsequent mould and freshly cooking meat.

  He ventured a hand to the side of his head that came back sticky with clotting blood. Keeping his hand to his head to steady himself he tried to look around his new environment.

  He was inside, which was a plus, the smell and condition of the place was a minus from the flowery meadow.

  ‘Hello’ he ventured ‘Anyone there?’

  A young man’s voice replied but not in a language that Ash could understand.

  ‘What’s going on?’

  The voice replied but again it just sounded like gibberish

  There was a moments silence and a light began to dully illuminate the room, well room was a stretch. Stone walls falling apart with disrepair, old straw and general dirt lined the floor and rusted bars that screamed tetanus he was in fact inside of a cell.

  When the light shone rats and various pests vacated the vicinity with a scurry, squeaking and scratching fading off into the distance as Ash was left alone with his thoughts and fellow prisoner.

  Through the bars he could make out a taller male, clean shaven and dirty wavy blonde hair sticking to his forehead, we wore what looked like an old knights costume with a great bear depicted on the front.

  Ash’s eyes adjusting to the light could see that rather than a torch the man held up a stone, glowing from his enclosed hand the light came down upon a handsome friendly face

  ‘Alastair’ Said the stranger holding out a hand

  Ash pointed his finger at the man and repeated ‘Alastair’ then turned the finger upon himself and likewise stated ‘Ash’ reaching out to shake the man’s hand. Alastair’s smile widened as he repeated the name ‘Ash’, nodding and took Ash’s wrist in a grip firmly and shook.

  Alastair started to ramble in his language looking expectantly at Ash but he could do nothing but look dumbfounded at the man.

  ‘Can, we, get, out’ Ash said pointedly while pointing to the door.

  Great I’ve reverted to the stereotypical British person on holiday in a foreign country, speak English, cut out most of the words and over enunciate.

  ‘Ow woot’ repeated Alastair then walked over to examine his door, he shook it a few times, rattling it to show that his door was locked, he turned to Ash expectantly shrugging his shoulders.

  Ash walked over to his gate and saw mostly rust, metal and shadows.

  ‘Can you pass me the light?’ asked Ash

  Alastair looked at him blankly, then Ash pointed to the rock ‘Light’ and then to his own hand.

  Comprehension ran over his cellmates face ‘Lie yeet’ he parroted passing over the stone that immediately went dark the moment it left his hand.

  Alastair made some panicked vocals and Ash held out his hand proffering the rock back.

  After fumbling for his hand in the new gloom Alastair’s fingers found the stone in Ash’s palm, back in his hand the rock glowed once again.

  Alastair pointed to his chest taking a deep breath and breathed out slowly running his finger across his shoulder, down his arm and over to the stone.

  Handing it back over, Ash gripped the object and closed his eyes breathing out imitating what Alastair had done with his free hand.

  A strange sensation overcame him, from his chest it felt like a trickle of water was being drawn across and down his arm to the stone, it flickered and started to dimly light up revealing it to actually be some sort of crystal radiating the light from within.

  He held it up and moved it around his door and saw it was a simple bolt and cylinder affair he saw something startling which both made him excited and made him feel like slapping his head.

  He turned excitedly to Alastair when the trickle moving to the crystal went from a thread to a weighty pulse, for the briefest of moments the rock shone with such an intensity it physically hurt his eyes. The crystal shattered and the gloom swept in like a cape made of midnight.

  A door opened from the top of a set of stone stairs there was guttural screeching, some mutterings and then the door slammed shut but rebounded slightly allowing through just a slice of light orange and flickering.

  In the shock Ash had tripped backwards landing on his backside but then became aware of a sort of glow in the sides of his vision when up popped his TOOL screen at the mere wonderment, whilst the screen was as clear and bright as it was in the day it did not illuminate the cell at all.

  Ash kicked himself for not trying it earlier regardless of whether it worked or not.

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  The TOOL showed a new window titled SKILLS, this looked promising.

  Skill Increases as follows,

  Blunt Weapons – Lvl 1

  Climbing – Lvl 1

  Linguistics – Lvl 1

  Mana Manipulation – Lvl 1

  Night Vision – Lvl 1

  Congratulations,

  You have gained a total of 5 skill levels please pick a skill to increase by an additional level.

  Maybe this is a game, Ash thought to himself, although dying in a game meant very little, the loss of items and experience. Dying in reality meant, well, dying. Better to think of this as real-life in that case but with some game like mechanics. He didn’t fancy being the fool that found out there was no respawn.

  ‘I guess I have to start from somewhere’ said Ash

  From the five options, Night vision and Linguistics stood out to him the most, he had no blunt objects, nowhere to climb and no little crystal thingy.

  It occurred to him that his greatest weakness at the moment was a lack of information, whilst it would be helpful for him to see better it seemed more important that he be able to speak with his fellow detainee. With a decisive mental nod he applied the extra level to linguistics.

  Skill increase

  Linguistics – Lvl 2

  Once he was finished his quest screen jumped into view.

  New quest available

  Quest – In the darkest of places

  Objective - Escape your captors

  Bonus reward available

  Requirement

  Free other prisoners

  Do you accept

  Yes No

  Selecting Yes and closing down the TOOL Ash became aware that Alastair had been vying for his attention during this time.

  ‘Sorry, what?’ asked Ash

  ‘Broke Light’ said Alastair

  ‘Sorry’ Apologised Ash suddenly realising Alastair seemed to be speaking the same language now, the same realisation dawned on Alistair’s face and he began to speak very quickly only the odd word making it through.

  ‘Light, door, lock?’ Alastair seemed pleading

  ‘Okay calm down’ said Ash motioning downwards with his palms facing down.

  He moved over towards the door again and felt around until he felt the bolt of the door. A smile curled on his lips as he realised his capturers must not be the brightest of the bunch, there was no lock on the other side door just a simple bolt and catch, he slid the bolt free and opened the gate slowly to avoid attracting attention.

  He felt his way around to Alastair’s door and repeated the same action cautiously, the man came hurrying out and made his way over to the bottom of the stone stairs, he eyed the door at the top while beckoning Ash over.

  Ash made his way over carefully and could smell a warm smell that seemed to make his mouth water, he hadn’t eaten since the previous evening and whilst it wasn’t unusual for him to miss breakfast completely his stomach had taken this time to remind him with a long drawn out gurgle. He looked down at his stomach holding a hand to it.

  ‘Sorry’ he said then immediately tripped over something on the floor landing at Alastair’s feet.

  Both men froze waiting for any acknowledgement of the ruckus, when non came Alastair looked around arms reaching around the floor. when he came back up he held what looked like an iron poker in one hand and with the other handed Ash a table leg looked him in the eyes and said ‘Quiet’.

  Holding his hand to his face and closing his fist, Ash recognised this as his way of saying shush and nodded in response.

  Alastair led the way up the stairs at a crouch looking like a wired trap ready to spring, one careful foot after another until they reached the zenith just before the door, he held it in place gently and brought his eye slowly to the gap.

  He gazed around for a while then looked back at Ash giving a look that said this may be rough but we might be ok, he spoke in his language in a hushed tone pointed to the door then brought his fist together ‘Fight’ he said.

  Ash nodded and readied his questionable weapon in both hands finding the sturdiest grip.

  A sudden idea hit Ash and he reached out for Alastair's sleeve,

  ‘Wait’ whispered Ash while grabbing Alastair’s arm.

  He guided him away from the door, trading places and very quickly brought his face to the gap and scanned the room then drew away, the light had impacted on his ability to see very well but hopefully it worked, he opened the map function of his TOOL and indeed saw a round stone room with 4 red dots spread around, his white dot on the other side of the door and Alastairs was yellow.

  He raised four fingers to his fellow prisoner and received an approving nod in response. Alastair then took point again shuffling around on the steps and slowly began to open the door making his way inside.