The space was absolutely massive
Soren stepped through the gate and immediately felt the scale of it hit him like a physical force. The cafeteria wasn't just large. It was enormous. The ceiling stretched so high that it seemed to disappear into shadow despite the magical lights hanging suspended throughout the space. The walls were equally vast, carved directly from the mountain itself, creating a sense of being inside the ribcage of something ancient and enormous
This was a hall. Not a cafeteria. A proper hall that could house hundreds of people
To the left, the kitchen area sprawled out in what seemed like organized chaos. Large metal counters. Cooking fires. People moving with practiced efficiency, handing out food to prisoners who queued or milled around the occasional sitting areas scattered throughout that section. The smell of cooking filled that part of the space, not entirely unpleasant, but heavy and thick
Everywhere else there was absolute chaos
Groups of prisoners clustered throughout the massive hall. Soren could count at least a dozen distinct clusters, each one separated from the others by invisible social boundaries. Some groups were large, maybe twenty or thirty people strong, clearly organized along some hierarchy that Soren didn't yet understand. Other groups were smaller, tighter, more insular. If Soren had to guess, there were around four hundred people here in total. Four hundred prisoners in this massive space, creating a complex web of social dynamics and power structures
Straight ahead, next to another giant metal gate that was nearly as large as the one they had entered through, were the bathing facilities
Showers. Toilets. All separated into distinct areas for men and women. The facilities were crude but functional, carved into alcoves in the stone wall. Prisoners moved in and out, the sound of running water occasionally cutting through the general noise of the cafeteria
All the way to the right, there was noise. Loud, heavy, rhythmic noise
Soren looked closer and understood immediately what was creating the sound
A massive blacksmithing area occupied that section of the cafeteria. Forges. Anvils. Metalworking equipment. Around forty people worked in and around that space, their movements coordinated and purposeful. The sound of hammer on metal was almost constant, a heavy banging rhythm that echoed through the entire hall
In the centre of the cafeteria, suspended by massive metal chains, was a notice board
It was enormous. Wooden. Made from thick timber that had been treated and maintained despite the damp mountain air. On it were displayed names. Pictures. Faces of fighters. Images of monsters. The board seemed to shift constantly, with people approaching it, studying it, then moving away with expressions ranging from triumph to despair
It was the fight schedule. Soren understood that immediately. The board was telling prisoners when they would fight next. Who they would fight against. Whether their opponent would be another prisoner or a creature from the lower levels
This was the heart of the prison. This notice board controlled the rhythm of existence here.
Noelle stood beside Soren, her green eyes taking in the sight with the same serene calm she brought to everything. She didn't seem overwhelmed by the scale or the chaos or the complexity of social structures visible in this massive space
Soren, however, felt the weight of it all pressing down on him
Four hundred people. Four hundred lives. Four hundred stories of how they had ended up in this place. All of them trapped in this mountain, all of them subject to the whims of the guards and the notice board and whatever hierarchy governed the Iron Pact and whatever other gangs or power structures existed here
The moment Soren and Noelle stepped fully into the hall, every head turned
It was instantaneous. A collective shift of attention. Hundreds of eyes, all turning toward the new arrivals at once. The effect was almost physical, like a wave of pressure washing over them
Soren examined the vast majority of gazes. All types of people were here. Old. Young. Big. Small. Some with prosthetic limbs, their bodies reconstructed or replaced by metal and artifice. Others with weapons strapped to their sides, kept for whatever purposes were permitted within this space. But they all had something in common
They all wore that familiar metal collar around their neck
Soren's own destroyed face drew the most attention. His features were a map of deliberate damage and violent healing. Large patches of his scalp were completely bare, the hair torn away during his self-destruction in the arena. The hair that remained was matted and unkempt. His left eye was swollen permanently closed, a crescent of scarred tissue where it should have been. His right eye, still functional, was surrounded by discoloured tissue and healing wounds. His cheekbones were asymmetrical, one side flattened by impact, the other side jagged where bone had been broken and reset improperly. His nose was crushed, his mouth twisted. He looked like something that had been destroyed and then reassembled by someone who hadn't quite remembered the correct arrangement
He ushered Noelle to move closer to the kitchen area, moving deliberately slowly and staying on edge in case anyone tried anything. He could feel all the eyes tracking their movement. Could feel the weight of attention pressing down on him from every direction.
The gazes on Soren were mostly disgust and fear
As they moved through the expanse of people, whispers began
"Hey, aren't those the two new rank 2s here?" someone said
"Fucking hell, that one's ugly," another voice responded. "What's he doing with a beauty like that? What am I doing wrong?"
Others simply avoided eye contact entirely, as if looking at Soren directly was something dangerous. They turned away. Focused on their food or their conversations or anything except the scarred fighter and the beautiful woman moving through their space
The constant whispers died down wherever Soren and Noelle passed through, only to resume again once they had moved beyond earshot
As they approached the front of the kitchen, Soren felt two heavier gazes on him
Different from the others. Intentional. Focused
He looked back
Two people stood near the blacksmithing area, watching him with unmistakable interest. Both were clearly individuals of significance within this space
The first one had a larger, muscular build. His straight hair was long and white reaching his shoulders, contrasting sharply with fair skin. His eyes were cold and dark black, showing no emotion whatsoever. But the most noticeable feature was his lower jaw. It had been completely replaced with what looked like a heavy metal prosthetic. The artifice was well-crafted, creating a jaw that looked stronger and more imposing than any natural one could be
The second one had a leaner, slender build with darker skin. His hair was braided, the ends dyed red. His brown eyes were sharp and calculating. He wore a combat uniform that tightly fitted his upper body, showing his defined musculature, while his lower half was covered in baggy trousers. But the most striking feature was his left eye. It had been replaced with a mechanical prosthetic. A dark red gemstone served as the pupil, creating an unsettling contrast with his natural eye
Both men were clearly looking at Soren and Noelle
They were chatting with each other, their conversation too distant for Soren to hear, but their attention never wavered
When Soren made eye contact with them, both men immediately went their separate ways
The one with the mechanical eye turned and headed back to his group within the blacksmithing area, disappearing among the workers and the noise and the chaos of metal on metal
The one with the metal jaw turned in the opposite direction entirely, moving toward a group of what seemed to be around twenty people clustered in another section of the cafeteria. They parted slightly to allow him passage, then closed ranks again once he had joined them
Soren watched them go, his mind immediately processing what he had just witnessed, those two they seem different than the rest of the people here. I cant put my finger around it but they seem dangerous but for now I should focus on gaining more information
When they left Soren turned back around and when Soren and Noelle approached the kitchen line, everyone else waiting instinctively moved out of the way. It happened without coordination or discussion. Prisoners simply saw them coming and stepped aside, creating a clear path. The effect was immediate and complete. Within seconds, Soren and Noelle were at the front of the line despite having just arrived
Soren found this weird
He thought back to some of the conversations he had heard as they walked through the cafeteria. People had put a lot of emphasis on the fact that they were rank 2s. The way they had said it carried weight. Significance. Soren guessed that was why they were afraid. He had always been surrounded and chased by powerful people, so this was not new to him. But it really put into perspective the rarity of being a higher rank in this world. Rank 2 whilst not being rare to see what not common and was seen as being very respectable often allowing you to rise to many positions of power in this world
While they waited for the food, Soren examined the kitchen itself. He could feel the heat coming from it, the warmth rolling out in waves. But the kitchen was closed off, isolated from the main cafeteria space. Only a couple of slits in the wall allowed passage. Trays seemed to be passed through those slits, containing the food that would feed four hundred prisoners
After a bit of waiting, both Noelle and Soren received their portions. They decided to eat while leaning against a wall, observing the space around them
Soren looked at his food. A sandwich filled with some sort of meat. A dessert on the side that looked like chocolate but he couldn't be sure
He was surprised at the quality
For a prison, the treatment here was surprisingly good. The cells were decently spacious. There were showers and toilets. The food was edible. He took a bite, finding it awkward and difficult to eat because of his injuries. He had to take smaller bites, chewing carefully
The food wasn't good, but it wasn't bad either
Maybe that's what it means to be a middle rank. Power comes into play, but it also means you get better treatment?
But Soren could only guess at this for now. He needed to confirm it. Needed to understand the full scope of what rank meant in this place
After finishing his food, he decided he wanted to gather more information