Commander Duan certainly couldn't imagine that the person he was searching for, Captain Gao, was now trapped and chained in a basement. And by the person he was indebted to, no less.
Unlike most places in Ashrik's space, the basement cell was never meant for comfort.
Carved out of stone and reinforced iron, it was cold enough to numb one's bones. And its dampness clung to the prisoner's skin in a suffocating second layer.
A few bulbs hung from the ceiling. They sputtered weak, flickering light across the corridor. In the half-darkness, it was only bright enough to outline the prison bars and chains.
This was where Ashrik kept hostages, though it happened rarely. And now, Captain Gao was detained here after being captured almost two weeks ago.
"...ugh."
Captain Gao lay slumped against the wall of his narrow cell, chained at the ankles and wrists. The tight iron cuffs had bitten into his skin, leaving painful, red marks.
