Enlightened Empire

Within his generation, Naoka was one of House Pluritac's most accomplished ghost warriors. Though he was still young, he had already survived through many great tribulations. Not least had been their most dangerous days, when the entire imperial court had been controlled by 'Empress Mother' Spuria, and Prince Pachacutec had been all but confirmed as the next emperor. However, even back then, he had never been in a situation as hopeless as the one he found himself in this time.

Back when he had entered the Moonlight Ziggurat, he had known that his mission would be dangerous. After all, this place had been the center of medalan politics for hundreds of years. Not only that, his master Itzali's patient had been the grand elder Viribus, nominally the most powerful man in the empire.

And yet, their true mission had been to poison to death this very man. Without any backup or reliable allies inside the Ziggurat, they had no support and no safety net in case anything went wrong. If their true purpose ever were to be uncovered, or if they failed in their duty as the grand elder's physicians, they would have had to face death, at least.

As a consequence of such danger, Naoka's fake master had escaped from his post the first chance he got. Of course, all of this had been planned by his real master, Lady Inti. As a commoner, Itzali was in even more danger here than the warrior Naoka, and as a famous doctor, his contributions to the southern kingdom were also irreplaceable.

Thus, the doctor escaped as soon as possible, while Naoka continued to administer the deadly treatment in his place. Eventually, he would also find a chance to escape this fancy prison with some help from the outside. That had been the plan. However, much time had passed since then, and so far, no help had been forthcoming.

Thus, all Naoka's despairing eyes could do was stare at the humid stone walls of his windowless cell. Sat atop his wooden bunk, the only piece of furniture in the room, there was little for his view to latch on to. This was where he had spent the past month of his life, though he had become a prisoner much earlier.

After his master's escape, he had simply been held in his room, together with additional 'protection'. Back then, his room had not been such a dingy cell, of course. The aim was simply to prevent his escape, and to keep him employed as the physician of Grand Elder Viribus, as his master's replacement.

As part of his mission, Naoka had tried to solve the elder's various ailments as best he could. Yet eventually, his lack of actual medical training began to raise suspicions. Finally, about a month ago, the elder had begun to show serious signs of mercury poisoning. These were symptoms the people of the Ziggurat would be closely familiar with, since the last emperor had suffered in the same way before his death.

Thus, step by step, Naoka's accommodations had gotten worse. By now, he was a simple prisoner, with no access to the grand elder at all. In his current position, he couldn't escape, and he couldn't continue his true mission of poisoning the elder either. All he could do was wait for a chance, or for his final punishment.

As had become routine these days, Naoka mourned his recent misfortune, when his thoughts were interrupted by a sound from the door.

Looks like it's already feeding time, he thought, as he watched the two wordless warriors enter his cell to perform the only other routine Naoka had left. One guard stepped towards him, and handed him a wooden bowl filled with some kind of indistinct gruel. Meanwhile, the other stood guard at the door, his axe at the ready in case the apprentice doctor tried anything funny.

Over the past month, Naoka had tried to start a conversation with his food servants many times, but they hadn't left him a single sound in response, ever. He always wondered whether they were just instructed to keep quiet, or whether they were actually mute.

Maybe I should just take them out, take a few more bodies with me before the grand elder has another manic attack and orders my death.

His thoughts seemed arrogant, but Naoka was fully confident that he could take his guards in a fight. After all, these two still didn't know that he was a warrior as well. This was made abundantly clear by the lax security measures. They hadn't even bothered with restraints for him. If he waited for the right chance to reveal his strength, he would be able to overpower them with ease. Then, he could take their weapons and escape his cell. However, that would only be the start of his problems.

Even if he made it outside, he had no idea where he was, other than somewhere deep within the bowels of the Moonlight Ziggurat. Even if he knew his location, he didn't know the layout of the labrinthian corridors, so he couldn't find the exit anyways. The exit, not to mention, which would be heavily guarded, with dozens of warriors between it and Naoka's cell.

No, he wasn't yet desperate enough to bet on such a foolhardy plan for a slim chance at survival. For now, he would continue to trust his comrades on the outside instead. The ghost warriors had a reputation as the best spies in Medala for a reason. Surely, they were working on a plan to bail him out right this moment.

As he contemplated his escape, Naoka sipped his gruel, all the while staring down his two captors. Of course the two guards simply returned his stare without a word, as always. This time however, there was a break in the routine.

All of a sudden, the warrior at the door turned around and raised his axe, inn response to loud steps, which echoed through the hallways.

"No need to fret, young man," a kind voice sounded. "You may lower your axe. This elder is here on the orders of the Ancestral Hall."

Finally, an old man with a plump, kindly face appeared in the doorway, his empty hands half-raised to prove that he wasn't dangerous.

"Elder Saqartu. What brings you here?" the warrior at the door asked, much to Naoka's annoyance.

So you weren't mute, you bastard!

However, the presence of an elder in his prison still surprised him. What was this old man doing here?

"A riot has broken out outside the Ziggurat," the old man explained. "Many of the guards have left for the outside to restore order. Temporarily, there are not enough warriors available to cover the entire Ziggurat. As a result, some of the elders will have to go around in person to inspect the prison cells and other locations of interest. Thus, this elder has come simply to see if everything is in order."

As he spoke, Elder Saqartu continued to close in on the warrior.

"Everything in order here," the warrior replied and took a step back. Though his axe was no longer raised, his legs were still bent, ready to pounce. Clearly, he was still vigilant. "Why would Elder Saqartu come here, rather than someone else?" the guard asked the most important question.

After all, Elder Saqartu hailed from a Sachay noble house, no less from House Saqartu, which had been the center of southern politics for centuries. Thus, the elder was often politically isolated within the council. How could it be that someone like this had come here to fulfill such an important mission all on his own?

However, faced with the warrior's veiled accusations, the elder retained his harmless smile. Even so, he stopped his advance three steps from the guard, and then raised his hands further to show that he was harmless.

"This elder is the newest member of the council," Saqartu explained. "Often, the youngest will be forced to handle all undesirable work. Even at this old man's age, these are the rules of society." Once his explanation was done, he leaned to the side and looked past the guard. "Since it appears as if your prisoner is still present, my work here is done." When the elder's words were over, his brows furrowed, before he added: "But what is he doing?"

When Saqartu additionally raised his voice and pointed inside, the warriors turned and called out "What?" in confusion.

Though of course, Naoka wasn't doing anything. There was still a second guard right in front of him after all. Despite the appearance of the elder, guard number two never forgot about his duties and never turned around. However, the ghost warrior could see the chance he had awaited.

Naoka was only surprised for a split second, before he realized that his comrades from the outside had organized his rescue, and somehow it had come in the form of an elder. As soon as Naoka had realized the truth, Saqartu pulled out a dagger from within his long sleeve and pushed it into the side of the guard at the door.

A scream let the second guard in front of Naoka turn as well, to provide support for his colleague. However, before he could react to the strange view of an elder attacking a warrior, the ghost behind him had revealed its true face. Without a sound, Naoka jumped off his bunk and smashed the half-empty wooden bowl over his captor's head.

Not enough for a kill, but you'll be dizzy for a second.

A second was more than enough for Naoka. Before the guard had even reacted, the prisoner had one hand around his captor's neck, suppressing the flow of blood to his head. Meanwhile, Naoka's other hand landed on the guard's axe head, to prevent him from drawing his weapon. The warrior bucked and twisted his body, trying to free himself from the ghost's deadly grip. However, he would have surely been shocked at his prisoner's strength and technique. All this time, no one had ever even considered that this weak apprentice physician could be a warrior in disguise. Yet once the truth was revealed, it was already too late.

Finally, after a few seconds of intense struggle, the warrior's air supply was cut off for too long. Without his faculties, he simply sank on the ground next to Naoka's bunk. When the ghost warrior looked up again, he saw the elder Saqartu sit atop the dazed warrior by the door. If the blood under his head was any indication, the guard had fallen hard on the stone floor. Not only his head was bleeding heavily, but so was the wound from the knife still stuck in his side.

Even so, the man was still fighting back, despite his poor position and heavy injury. The elder atop him was unharmed, but looked frazzled, his gray hair and long robes in a mess. Worse, his face was beet-red from the exertion of restraining the warrior in prime physical condition beneath him. Maybe if there was enough time, the guard would eventually regain the upper hand in their struggle. He would never get the chance.

While they were still busy with each other, an axe joined in on the duel, and lay itself onto the guard's neck. Once his position was hopeless, the warrior ceased all resistance. Thus, Naoka stood above them, the axe in question in his hand.

"Not a move, not a sound," he growled, with all his anger from months of prison rumbling in his chest.

Despite the warning, the guard allowed himself a look at his defeated and unconscious comrade, before his eyes returned to Naoka, now fixed in a shocked stare. Meanwhile, the underestimated inmate turned his attention to his savior.

"How are you, elder?" he asked in a quiet, careful voice of respect, as he stretched his free hand towards the man who was still straddled atop the guard.

"Hah, not to... worry." The old man gasped as he spoke. "Maybe you... have never heard the stories... but... I was a fierce fighter... in my time."

In spite of his prideful words, Saqartu spoke through gritted teeth and heavy breathing, and he took Naoka's outstretched hand with grateful eyes.

While the old man stepped back to recompose himself, Naoka disarmed the second guard, and searched him for any more hidden weapons, as well as his keys, just in case they would need them later. Finally, he drove the second guard over to the first by his bunk, who still hadn't woken up by now. Maybe he was only pretending, waiting on his chance, but Naoka kept his distance, so he would never get it.

"Do we have a plan, elder?" Without looking away from his new prisoners for a second, Naoka finally asked the elder, who was still gasping for air, but was now standing upright again.

"We already have their weapons, and their keys. Thus, we will simply lock them up and be on our way." Suddenly, the friendly old man had the bearing of a true elder again, oozing authority as he gave his orders. Thus, the elder turned towards the two guards across the room. "The two of you, if you simply stay here, nothing will happen to you. At worst, you will be punished a bit for your failure, but others have failed to discover the hidden warrior and did not provide you with enough support as well. Oh, and please do not move too much, lest you bleed to death from your knife wound."

Finally, the elder turned towards Naoka again. "We need to hurry. There is not much time."

Thus, the two slammed the door shut behind them, lowered the latch, slammed the bolt, and went on their way, with the two fresh prisoners left behind in the old-familiar cell.