"You must pull it off. That's our only chance, Yuri." Sam said to a middle-aged man with brown eyes and beard, speaking nonchalantly while eating a roasted leg of pig, bread and soup.
Normally, prisoners aren't able to get such a meal. They often go by stale bread and thin gruel. But Sam was a fighter, and because of that, he was able to enjoy better meals than others.
After all, if his meal was only enough for surviving, he wouldn't be able to fight and entertain this little gambling den where the rich bet on fighters and had fun while they bled.
Of course, none of this was legal. Officially, prisons were governed by strict rules, especially after King George III ascended to the throne as Ruler of Loen, East Balam, and the Rorsted Archipelago.
The warden should maintain order and discipline, as well as prevent violence... Well, that was his duty, at least.
Yet, despite being illegal, violence between prisoners was rather common. They were used to punish or kill other prisoners, and since most of them were from Balam colonies, the abuse was far worse. The reason for that was quite simple: racism. They saw those people as inferior. And Sam was familiar with what happens when you're considered inferior to man... You become nothing but an animal.
If someone is seen as less than fully human, their suffering feels acceptable.
"Mhm..." Yuri nodded bitterly, chewing his stale bread with a hint of disgust and then drinking water, barely swallowing it.
Sam had spent two months in this prison already, constantly searching for a path to freedom. And the one who would lead him out of this shithole was Yuri.
Normally, escape would have been impossible, but neither of them were normal humans. They were Beyonders. Sam was a Criminal while Yuri was a Prisoner.
As a Prisoner, Yuri was a master of breaking free from prisons. Knowledge gained by this pathway was related to many criminal techniques, such as lock picking with wire, digging tunnels with soup spoons, and killing with seemingly harmless items. Prisoners were also adept at using bombs and explosives.
As for Sam, he was a weapon specialist with enhanced physical attributes and keen instincts. He could use every and any weapon, regardless of how complicated it was.
"Escaping through paperwork or identity confusion is near impossible now... We have to abandon that plan." Yuri cursed under his breath, covering his face and leaning back.
"Why? Did you find out something?" Sam asked, tilting his head and resting his cheek on his fist, seemingly unbothered.
"Yeah... Usually, bureaucracy is slow and prone to errors. Not to mention, there are often mistakes in records and our identities are verified by papers, not faces. Because of that, there was a high chance of escaping but now... Damn it." Yuri gritted his teeth as he spat with venom.
"Just answer the damned question..." Sam replied, irritation creeping into his voice, but then he paused, his expression growing more thoughtful as he considered Yuri's words and why he was so distressed. They were in the northeast side of the Loen Kingdom, and the church with the most influence in this region was the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery. In other words, most of the Beyonders here were from...
"Shit... A Savant?" Sam's golden eyes contracted. He pursed his lips, looking down with a crestfallen expression.
"Yeah, they have perfect memory. They literally can't forget things. Even if there's something wrong with documents, with a Savant here, just by seeing our faces once, they can destroy our plan." Yuri sighed, dropping his spoon and losing his appetite.
"Hmm... That means we have to get rid of the Savant somehow." Sam narrowed his eyes, his discouraged look disappearing, replaced by intrigue as his lips curled up into a malicious smile.
"Are you insane? Even if we succeed, the plan will still fail." Yuri replied with an unimpressed gaze.
"It will... But who says we need to use the old plan? I have a new idea." Sam shrugged, leaning back and resting his legs on the table as he tilted his head back, staring at a guard walking out of the hall.
Sam knew where he was coming from. Of course, it was either the administrative or guard area, like the warden's office or the guards' quarters.
"What are you planning now?" Yuri asked, his tone dubious as he stared at Sam's questionable gaze.
"Sewers..." Sam answered with a faint smile.
"That's impossible. Do you think they're stupid enough to not know that sewers are vulnerabilities? They're always guarded. Not to mention, they're inspected regularly to avoid diseases spreading. Besides that, sewers are highly toxic. Even with our enhanced physiques, we might not make it." Yuri explained firmly, his expression solemn.
"That may be the case... at least usually. But... I'm about to fight in few days. Meaning, corrupted nobility will arrive as well. What does that mean? Guards will be more focused on protecting them from prisoners. Most of them are from the colonies and their hearts are boiling with hatred. In other words, the administrative area will be less guarded. That will give us an opportunity to break in. I'm sure you're capable of doing so." Sam smiled darkly, crossing his arms.
Yuri frowned, touching his chin, lost in thought. "Hmm... From our observation, that appears true. Not to mention, we're in Midseashire County, near Tussock River, too."
Yuri started mumbling to himself, biting his nail. Then, after a few minutes, he looked up and nodded. "I have to send a letter to my fair lady, it seems."
Seeing Yuri agreeing to his plan, Sam nodded in approval. However, he was curious about the identity of this fair lady he mentioned. How would she help them? Was she a noble? Sam didn't know nor did he question Yuri. A man should know when to shut up. Not to mention, there was no way Yuri would answer.
Everyone had secrets, no matter how insignificant or small.
The two of them quickly finished eating since time was limited. If you start enjoying a meal leisurely, then you will starve. Prisons were strict and food wasn't something to enjoy, but to eat like a starving beast. They used such tactics to reinforce obedience and strip prisoners of their identity and dignity.
That was why they were wearing masks right now. Sam knew that the warden was doing it to separate inmates, making them feel alone even in crowded places. Overall, they were breaking both their minds and bodies.
Going outside, Sam calmly watched the giant, damp stone walls surrounding him from all sides.
He scanned the area, his eyes moving rapidly from east to west, and lastly north. He noticed guards with rifles watching over them from raised platforms. Their faces were expressionless and cold. Even they weren't allowed to show emotions to further pressure inmates.
Scoffing, Sam continued walking, his hands chained as he moved, keeping his distance from other inmates and remaining silent. It wasn't because Sam was an introvert. It's just that any deviation, be it stopping, speaking or even turning around would result in punishment.
Another interesting thing about the exercise yard was that it was too bleak and hollow. There was no greenery or benches, and it was biting cold.
Sam shivered as the chilling winds of the Mirminsk Mountains hit him. It was damned winter...
What a cruel bastards, he thought with a shake of his head. They were giving them air to breathe without freedom. Luckily, he wasn't forced to work and overexert his body because of the upcoming fight.
Without lingering too much, he walked ahead calmly and started training. After warming up, he casually left his training area, moving towards the other inmates.
While masks existed to separate them, they weren't perfect since close inmates knew their friends and could recognize them even with their faces covered.
Because of that, Sam quickly distinguished Yuri from the other inmates by his brown hair and athletic build.
Approaching him, Yuri too recognized Sam because of his bizarre golden eyes, smiling faintly under his mask and shaking his shoulders.
Then both of them took a deep breath. Yuri raised his guard, elbows tucked in as he observed Sam, who cracked his neck, feeling a little tired, and planted his feet firmly, his forearms raised and his weight balanced.
Guards didn't intervene, even if they should. Prison fights were common, and guards often enjoyed watching them, sometimes even betting on who would win. They would only stop a fight if it went too far.
Not to mention, they knew Sam needed to train for the fight. That was another reason they allowed it.
There wasn't any dramatic wind, nor shouts and cheers. Sam just dashed, closing the distance. He knew that Yuri liked fighting from a distance, so he had to remove that advantage.
His eyes narrowed. His fist lashed out toward Yuri's chin. Yuri instantly raised his fists to defend, but it was a feint. Sam's body shifted fluidly as he redirected his momentum, his lower shinbone sweeping into Yuri's leg. He used its flat portion to redistribute the impact and reduce the chance of self injury.
Sam didn't waste any more time. He grabbed Yuri's arm while slipping past a right hook, then pulled him close and drove his knee into his diaphragm, hoping to cause a spasm. But he only got a ragged breath from his friend.
Sam clicked his tongue in annoyance, cursing the Beyonder's superior endurance. He pivoted and drove his elbow toward Yuri's jaw, but Yuri quickly composed himself and leaped back, creating distance. Instead of defending, he pressed forward with a furious series of blows aimed at Sam's nose, chin and jaw.
Sensing the danger, Sam raised his elbows, his stance defensive yet versatile. By blocking, he could also punish his opponent's strikes.
Yuri's fists were strong and firm, and he was skilled, carefully avoiding Sam's elbows while circling and waiting for an opportunity to land a clean hit. That opportunity came as Sam lowered his arms.
Yuri was a bit confused by his actions but he quickly realized it was a trap. Though... he would willingly take the bait. He knew his single hit could cause more damage than Sam's five. So he went in, delivering an uppercut that snapped Sam's head backward with brutal force. Then Yuri followed with a right hook, the strike whipping his face sharply to the side as he hissed, spitting blood. However, despite receiving the painful blows, a wild grin appeared on Sam's face. His plan had succeeded. Yuri was lured in.
Grabbing his arm firmly, Sam changed his fighting style entirely, closing the distance and pulling him in. Both of them crashed onto the cold, damp ground.
In one fluid motion, he encircled Yuri's neck and his right arm with his legs, then he leaned back, pulling his arm with all his strength while tightening his hold on Yuri's neck and arm with his legs, applying relentless pressure to constrict his blood flow.
Yuri's expression twisted into displeasure and pain as he felt his consciousness slipping. His face drained of colour and his breathing grew laboured.
Sam already knew from experience that it took around ten seconds for an opponent to lose consciousness, but Yuri was a Beyonder and as such, his physical attributes allowed him to last longer.
However, it still wasn't enough. He was effectively trapped, his struggles growing weaker with each passing second. It was ironic. A Prisoner whose greatest strength was escaping had been restrained.
Soon, Yuri's hand slapped frantically against Sam's arm, tapping repeatedly, acknowledging his loss.
Sam released him immediately. Both collapsed onto the cold, grassless ground, chests heaving as they gulped down frigid air. Sam lay there for a moment, his muscles burning, his forehead slick with sweat despite the biting cold.
Because speaking wasn't allowed, neither of them uttered a word. They pushed themselves up slowly, their movements deliberate, and walked away in opposite directions as though the fight had never happened.
Sam wiped his bloody lip with the back of his hand, spitting crimson onto the frozen earth. The metallic taste lingered in his mouth. Beyonders could heal much faster than ordinary humans, and those with pathways focused on combat were even quicker. Already, the throbbing in his jaw was beginning to fade.
Stretching his sore limbs, he yawned, then looked around in boredom, scratching the back of his head. Life in prison sucks...
Still, he couldn't care less about enjoying life right now. In a week, he would escape. And for that, he needed to prepare.
Hmm... How I missed freedom, he grinned, his golden eyes lifting toward the dark skies above.