(0A) The Lands of Ralosia: The Inmate (8k words)

In the Icy Tundra lies a prison for criminals too powerful to be contained by normal means. The Warden asks an old inmate named Brass to befriend new prisoners from the infamous gang known as the Sky Bandits. While Brass tries to learn about their leader, the Sky Bandits are gathering intel for their own pursuits.

Self-edited, Audio edited, and peer edited (5/24/2023)

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~Chapter 1 - Brass~

~Age 973B~

In the Northern regions of the Lands of Ralosia lay the icy Ichino region. Populated by snowy mountains, an icy tundra, and frozen lakes. In the Northwest, amidst the mountains, lied a stone structure far away from society.

A stone structure where snow-covered towers shot into the sky. The building was laced with a particular type of metal. Its doors, walls, ceilings, and floors had this metal grated within them. In one of the corners of the building, the stone had crumbled away, but the metal grating beneath it stood true - all to ensure the security of this facility. Not from anyone who might enter, but any who would attempt to escape.

This prison held the Lands of Ralosia's most powerful criminals. Those capable of shattering boulders, jumping over buildings, and racing across the plains. Those too strong to be contained by normal means. The metal was a material so strong that even these individuals could not break free.

Cell Block E held ten individuals, all of them either male or genderless. An old inmate lay back in his bed, reading one of his novels. On his windowsill sat several other books. Cold, wintry winds blew into his cell, but it didn't bother him.

With flesh that almost looked metallic, sharp features, and narrow eyes, the inmate was one of the Mecarne. Harsh temperatures didn't affect them in the slightest. This Mecarne had a goldish tint to his skin and showed his age with wrinkles and discolored spots. His name was Brass.

Around Brass's wrists were metal cuffs; the same durable metal that ran through the entire prison. These cuffs had hung around his wrists for years. He wore the same thick garb that each of the inmates wore.

A knock came upon the bars of his cell. He looked over and saw two guards, both comprised entirely of stone. Densius.

"How're you doing, Brass?"

Brass nodded, his eyes still partially on the page, "I'm well."

"Do you feel like looking after the library today?"

Brass swiveled his feet off the bed and stood, "I'll be happy to."

Without being prompted, Brass placed his hands behind him and crossed his wrists. There was a click, and the two cuffs linked together. He turned around and tugged on the cuffs so the guards could see he was properly restrained.

"Very good," the guard said, fashioning a key and unlocking his cell.

The guards escorted Brass through the facility, passing through his cell block. The individuals there were all either the Mecarne or Densius people. Temperature-sensitive prisoners were held in the basement cell blocks that they kept warm. Women were held in a different wing of the prison entirely.

The guards came to a door made of the same durable metal that Brass's cuffs were made of and unlocked it. He recalled a humorous instance where one of these doors became jammed. For months, everyone in the prison had to circumvent that door until they brought someone in who figured out how to unjam it. The metal was simply too durable to be forced open. There'd been enough escape attempts to prove that.

They left the men's wing of the prison and entered the central hub where new prisoners were processed. Beyond that was the recreational area - a large auditorium with a few tables set out. Food was served at one point from the kitchen. Brass recognized a few of the cooks as other well-behaved inmates. Showers and bathrooms were accessible from the recreational area as well as the library.

Many of the prison guards were stationed here, ready in case any of the prisoners misbehaved. Most of these guards were Densius. Their imperviousness to cold, genderless nature, sturdiness, and lack of need for sleep or food made them perfect guards.

There were ten Ralosian women in prisoner's uniforms occupying the recreational area. Hair on their heads, sand-colored skin, and varying builds; The primary people of the Lands of Ralosia.

The guards escorting Brass brought him to the locked library, undid his cuffs, and ushered him inside. Many bookcases lined the walls of the room, as well as a wooden table at the center. There was a balcony above him where more books rested, accessible by ladder.

At one end of the modest library was a window barred with metal. But through it, Brass could see the outside gate of the prison, where new inmates would be brought in. From the library, he had a decent view of the recreational area as well.

"Just let one of us know when you're ready to return to your cell," a guard said.

"Sounds good," Brass replied with a soft smile, and the guards left him be.

Brass first checked the return bin and set all those books on the table. He slid out a ledger that tracked which inmates were holding onto which books, checking who had returned theirs and who hadn't. He spent time reorganizing the books into their proper sections.

One of the books belonged in a section up on the balcony. He considered placing the ladder so he could climb up. But he took a quick look around to make sure no one was looking and jumped several meters up to the balcony.

Even in his old age, he was still strong. Not as powerful as most of the other inmates, and certainly not as strong as the guards. But still strong. Though the prison would discourage anyone from flexing their muscles like that.

After everything had been sorted, Brass spent his time relaxing in the library. Sitting in a chair, his feet propped up on the table as he leisurely re-read one of his favorite novels.

Every hour, a different cell block would be rotated into the recreational area. Each cell block had about ten inmates. The Warden deemed that the appropriate number. Any more than that would be difficult for the guards to keep under control. Some of the newer prisoners would get into fisticuffs, but the guards would settle them down promptly.

"Hello, old timer!" A brutish Ralosian man named Oscar entered the library.

"Hello, Oscar!" Brass greeted, "Looking for a book today?"

Oscar pulled out a chair and sat across from Brass. He could hear the chair crack a little as Oscar threw himself into it. "Not today, old man."

"It'll make your days here go faster. Trust me. How many years will you be staying again?"

"Seven."

"Ouch!" Brass replied, "I'm sure I can find a good short story for you. You might like that."

"I'm good mate!" Oscar stepped up, looked outside the library for guards, then threw himself on the ground and began doing pushups effortlessly.

Oscar beat his fists together as he came up from each pushup, "I've got to make sure I don't get soft."

Brass chuckled, "Sure."

Brass was pacing around when he noticed the front gates of the prison open.

About twenty guards entered, circling a few new prisoners.

The individuals were six Ralosians. Three men and three women. They all looked to be around twenty years old.

"That's sad," Brass remarked.

Oscar bounded up to his feet. "What is?"

"Young people like that winding up here. They're still practically children."

Oscar nudged his way to see through the window and looked down at the new prisoners. He bellowed, "I know them! Those are the Sky Bandits! They're supposed to be incredibly strong!"

"Can't be too strong if they were caught."

Brass looked down at the young group. Their movement was full of cockiness and bravado. There was no fear there. But many new inmates were like that. They believed their strength could get them out of any situation. All of them underestimated the prison's capabilities.

They were all Ralosians, so they'd probably end up in the basement cell blocks.

"I heard they ride on the backs of crows and raid towns from the skies," Oscar added.

"That sounds menacing. How big are crows anyways?"

"Pfft, I've never seen one. They're big birds though. I think two people could easily ride on the back of one at the same time."

Brass watched as those youthful thieves entered the prison, "I wonder how they were caught..."