Drake’s conversation with the other prisoner provided him with some useful information. Nevertheless, that alone didn’t increase the odds of his escape being safe.

He tried to summarize what he learned to get his thoughts into order.

The place the mysterious shadow had taken him to was a series of tunnels inside a mountain called Icewyrm.

Drake had never heard of such a location and since the name sounded like it was something out of a fantasy book the hypothesis of him being in a game or a completely different world started to become more believable. However, he still refused to accept the latter.

Putting aside how unrealistic things sounded, Drake realized that the likelihood of anyone coming to their rescue was null.

If one were to assume that the nearest community -the one the guy below him came from- is really six hours away, even if they were to send someone out to look for him it’s unlikely that they’ll find them any time soon. 

What’s worse is the storm he mentioned. Tracking him won’t be possible even after the weather clears.

So in the end I still have to find a way to escape on my own…

About fifteen minutes have passed since the cultist left. Drake prepared to make his move, thinking that the longer he waited the higher the chance of someone coming to check on them.

His legs felt weak and his blather was about to explode. The darkness terrified him and only trouble awaited down that tunnel. However, he couldn’t just sit idly and wait for those crazy cultists to make up their minds about what they’d do with him.

Careful not to make any sound, he opened his cage and got out. The rusty metallic bars creaked in the darkness, and though it was barely audible, the kid in the cell below seemed to notice the noise.

“Huh? Y-you… how…” 

The tunnel was dark and neither of them could see the other. Drake could still tell the kid was surprised by his escape, however.

He stopped for a moment and thought; if this was some movie or a novel, the protagonist would find a way to help the kid so they can escape together. Sadly, Drake couldn’t care less so he just turned around and left.

“Wait!” 

The loud shout stopped him in his tracks.

“Please! Don’t leave me here!”

“Shuuuuush! Shut the fuck up!” Drake hissed back at him.

“C’mon! You can’t just abandon me! I don’t want to die!”

“What do you want me to do? Free you? How the hell am I gonna do that?”

“But… you freed yourself!” The kid said in protest. “Surely you can do the same for me!”

“No, I can not!”

Letting this go on any longer put him at risk so Drake decided to just ignore the kid and walk away once more.

“If you don’t help me I will keep yelling until the guards find out!!!”

Stopping again, Drake turned to look behind him. He could barely make out anything in the pitch-black darkness so there was no point in doing that, but the idiot was really pissing him off and he wanted to go back and punch his teeth in.

“HEEEEY!!! YOU CHURCH IDIOTS! YOUR PRISONER IS TRYING TO ESCAPE!”

Not a minute passed before the idiot started shouting and Drake had to quickly get back.

“Oh so you ch-"

Before the kid could finish Drake kicked his face using his voice to locate it.

“W-why did you do that!!”

Even though the kick almost broke his nose, the kid was still rumbling enraging Drake even further.

“I’m gonna kill you if you don’t shut up!” Drake hissed while trying to keep his voice as low as possible. 

Concentrating on the map in the corner of his vision, he opened its window to check the bigger version.

He waited for a few seconds however no red dots appeared. A minute later he sighed in relief and turned his focus to the cell the idiot was in.

“Don’t you fucking realize the situation we’re in!? I can’t help you, and if neither of us escape, no one will come to help either!”

“B-but! I can’t… I don’t…”

“Listen you fucking idiot. I don’t know you! I have no obligation to risk my life for your sake!” Grabbing the iron bars as he tried my best to not lose it, Drake continued. “You got yourself into this because you’re plain dumb! You should’ve listened to your grandpa’s warning! You have no one to blame but y-"

As his rant got out of control Drake started pulling on the rusty metallic bars. One thing was for sure, he never expected them to snap and come off so easily. Because of that, he ended up falling on his behind.

Damn it! How many times is this going to happen!?

It’s not like he had awakened some super strength that allowed him to easily break iron. From the texture and the feel of the rods in his hands, he realized that they were in a much worse state than the ones in his cell which made them too weak and easy to break.

“Shit!”

Drake couldn’t help but curse his luck. Now that the cell was broken, the option to abandon the kid was no longer there. He couldn't use being unable to free him as an excuse anymore.

“Alright. Move it, you little shit!” He said as he pulled on the rest of the bars, bending them with just a little effort. “See if you can squeeze through.”

There was no response for a while but then the kid replied with an energetic “yes!” and began moving.

Drake had to pull him out since the opening was still too small. The kid’s hands being tied behind his back was a hindrance but he managed to get him out rather quickly. 

“Turn around,” Drake said, his voice full of frustration. 

Taking one of the metal rods that broke off, he used the sharp end to cut the rope.

“Thanks…” the kid said, following with an apology a second later. “Sorry for just now, I didn’t know what else I should do.”

“Just keep quiet.”

Drake considered kicking him once more but decided otherwise. Calming down, he tried to look at the bright side again. He could always use him as bait if the need arises. The kid does know his way around the mountain and the forest as well. If the two of them manage to escape safely he’d serve as a guide to the nearest town

With his thoughts back in order, Drake turned around and faced the kid

“You, what’s your name?” He asked. 

“I’m… Rollo…” the kid replied, careful to keep his voice low.

“I’m Drake. Listen, we are trying to get the hell out of here without anyone noticing. We’d be sneaking around so make sure to keep your mouth shut. Once we’re out, we must reach your home as fast as possible unless we want to get caught. Do you understand?”

“… yes.”

“Good. Now, follow me and stay close.”

Stopping to mentally prepare himself, Drake once again began walking down the dark tunnel.