Child of Mara

Escape

So much time has passed. The prison has changed shape all while Mar was asleep. The voices are changed, some are gone. How can that be? Mar doesn't want to change. Just be free. Free like when the stars were whispering.

Mar opens their eyes and frowns. The dreams were the same for so long and now they're changing. Still they fade before Mar can grab the pieces to examine, leaving just an ache for answers.

They've not mentioned their dreams to Tae and Mar is mulling over whether Tae might be able to find a book about strange dreams, when the door opens with a crash.

Face pale as paper, Tae pants, "We've got to go, Mar!"

Mar sits up. "Go where?"

"Aynwhere but here! The High Academics are investigating Yung. He's already gone, but the Soli are coming."

Tae starts shoving clothes into a bag while Mar's head spins. "Wait, what do you mean Yung is gone? Why are the Soli coming?"

The bag is shoved into Mar's hands. "Because Yung promised them you for protection. The damn man knows how to save his own skin, but I'm not going to let him do this. Not again. Here, put this on."

Tae puts something on Mar's head and hastily tucks their hair up under it. It wobbles, but the strange hat fits over Mar's ears, warm fur tickling. When Tae starts pulling Mar's arm out of the room, they cry, "Wait!"

Half-open bag in hand, Mar tosses in the blue sketchbook, the book on Solis, and the Azir myths. As they reach out for more, Tae tugs them away. "Leave them, Mar. Come on."

With shaking hands, Tae cinches up the bag and puts it on Mar's shoulders. Only now does Mar realize he has a bulging bag on his side. When they reach the ladder, Mar starts to climb, but Tae takes their hand again. "No they'll be coming that way. We've got to go through the tunnels."

Mar looks down the dark tunnel and swallows dryly. Lamp in one hand, Mar's fingers in another, Tae hurries along the stone.

Anxious steps are joined by the sound of running water and Tae mutters, "Please be a path, please be a path."

The stone path narrows and narrows until is disappears below a strange mirror on the wall.

"What's that?" Mar asks.

"It's one of the LMS mirrors. This tunnel is part of the Light Messaging System Difocia uses to communicate with the capital. They should be a way to another maintenance hatch around somewhere..."

Mar helps Tae look even though they don't know what they're looking for.

"Here,' Tae says triumphantly finding steps sticking from the stone. "It looks like this goes down to a lower path."

The metal handles are freezing cold and Mar shivers in their nightclothes. Tae hefts them down the last few rungs and takes their hand again.

Wet creeps along the stones as the path goes further down towards a rushing, icy-cold river. A few times, Tae yelps as the river crashes against the stone, showering them both with mist. Wet and chattering, Tae practically sobs with relief when they meet another ladder.

"I'm right behind you!" he encourages as Mar's numb fingers reach for the next rung.

Their heart is beating loudly in their chest, confused by the speed things are changing. Yung said if there was an investigation he would be ruined, that it'd be the end for Tae. But what of Mar? Why is it so important the Soli don't find them?

Mar leans over panting while waiting for Tae to come up the ladder. When his wet face emerges, the question bursts out, "Why do the Soli want me?"

"To study you and find a way to defeat the Marans who've stood up to them for so long," Tae gasps pulling himself over the ledge.