I turned my curse into a blessing

The fish comes once a day to give them their rations. A mixture of corals, fish, and seaweed. Although it looked unappetizing the 4 had no choice in the matter, they needed to keep their strength up. For Kol he needed to heal and recuperate, for the 3 it was a matter of keeping up with Eden during playtime.

For the past three days after Kol woke up, they timed the basic schedule of the comings and goings of the fishes. Since there is no sign of morning light their timer begins when one of the fish comes and collects the utensils left by the previous fish during meal time.

Today was Zar's turn for playtime.

After Drew was dropped off, he never spoke, he just crawled up in one corner and kept silent.

"Do you have anyone waiting for you outside?" Balfir asked Kol.

Caught off by his sudden question, Kol took a while before replying.

"Yes, I have people waiting for me."

"You're lucky," Balfir gave a small smile. "I have no one."

"Really?"

"Yes, they all left. I am the only one left in Oakheart." He said reaching into his chest, he pulled out a locket. "Last I heard she was already making small sentences." Balfir opens the locket revealing the ketch of a baby beside the sketch of another elf woman.

"She's beautiful."

"Thanks,"

"Your wife?" Kol already finished the question before realizing the sensitivity of it.

"Wife another elf," Balfir replied.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to."

"It's alright." He says as he pulls the locket off of his neck and hands it over to Kol. "Here. if any one of us deserves to escape, it should be you."

His tone was heavy, determined. In the face of so much conviction Kol folded. Taking the locket and placing it inside his bag.

From the corner, Drew approached the two and sat beside them. He looked tired and defeated. Kol knew playtime with Eden was taking a toll on them, sooner or later their window of opportunity would vanish.

Kol volunteered to come up with a plan out of desperation to escape. Only now did he feel the heavy weight he placed upon himself. His mind was full of doubts, full of possibilities, one mistake, and their lives were forfeit.

"Where are we on the plan?" Drew finally spoke.

Kol was reluctant to reveal the plan circling his head. But he knew these people depended on him. Whether they like it or not, at the very least he was able to form a foundation to which they could add on.

"We will be escaping tomorrow," Kol said taking a deep breath in before continuing. "But for this plan to work we will need Zar, he will be the key to our escape."

The guards looked at each other in confusion but quickly dismissed all of their Ill notions regarding the half-orc.

After sharing his plans with the guards Kol remained silent and waited patiently for their feedback. Surprisingly they both agreed.

"Honestly, your plan is more thought out than mine, which makes it better than mine," Drew said as he patted Kol's head. "I planned to just rush them and break down the bars."

They broke down in laughter.

Their laughter felt strange. As if the small flame of a campfire in a dense dark forest in the middle of the night. After going through what they have been through the past few days, laughing felt weird. As if they don't have permission to laugh.

After their laughter dies down, the distant splashes of water can be heard approaching. The fish bringing in Zar. They open the bar doors and then throw Zar inside.

'The timing is off, that was too short for playtime.' Kol thought looking at Zar on all fours.

The barred door closes and the fish walks away.

"Kid, you better come see this," Drew called.

Kol rushed over to see Zar, pale, cold, and sweating profusely.

"I'm sorry, I had to," Zar said turning over and dropping to the ground, prone.

Zar lay on the floor, his flat lower half submerged in the salty water. The dark water reflecting the torch light begins to turn red. Following the blood, its source was Zar, his lower region gushing red.

"What did you do?" Balfir asked his voice concerned.

"All you had to do was go through it and do what she asked," Drew said holding his upper half above water.

"I don't swing that way," Zar said before fading to darkness.

After a while, the group placed Zar in the single plank of wood held aloft by two sets of chains tied to the wall. This was the bed where Kol woke up.

"This won't change the plan, would it?" asked Balfir.

"Of course it will, the guy is unconscious what can he contribute?" Drew asked looking at Kol. "Look I never liked the guy but even I know he cannot go far. Bringing him would only jeopardize the plan."

"Are you suggesting we leave him, captain?"

"No, what I'm saying is what if we wait a few more days? Wait until he heals."

"No, our only opportunity is tomorrow. Before her mother visits." Kol clarified.

"Why? it's only her mother." Drew asked.

"Right now, all of the information I've gathered is still valid. When her mother comes things might change. Maybe Eden will no longer need you for her playtime. Maybe she'll double the guards. She might even relocate. Any change to their current routine will result in the current plan's failure. To remedy this more days and more time is required to study them again to formulate another plan." Kol said hiding his anger. "We have no choice; we have to do it tomorrow."

"And what about him?" Drew asked.

"The two of you are the only melee fighters we have; both hands must be free to protect us." Kol took a deep breath. "I will look after him as long as you can watch our backs."

"Where would we be without?" Drew asked.

"We'd probably be dead from following the captain's absurd plans." Blfir said with a small giggle.

"It's settled then. Tomorrow, we escape."

 --

"Interesting," Eden says looking at the prison cell through a crystal ball. "Mother will like you indeed."