The guard followed behind Mona and the others, their feet tapping against the metallic floor that made up the structure. In this prison, each cell was on different floors, and each floor was connected my metal girders, rusting under the hot desert sun.

Each step on the floor gave the sound of squeaking metal, an odd yet frightening sound. After all, the group was walking on flooring that was four levels high. The chance of dying for a Mortal from this height was gravely high.

The guard, on the other hand, enjoyed the sight of Reithar's trembling steps on the pathway. Thanks to being an Auric warrior at the level of a Warrior, falling from such a height would only cause slight muscle strain. The chance for injury was practically slim.

Reithar's trembling came to the halt after Mithal whispered quietly.

"Use your Aura to scan the area around you. This pathway is secured by Aura." The information brought Reithar's steps to ease.

Going down the stair case, Mona's group gradually joined other groups from various floors. Turning his head around, he could see that the prison was made up of various blocks. Five of these blocks held prisoner cells, and the rest were used by the Alberdan troops for their own use.

In the center was the open courtyard, where the server was quietly passing out meals. The fights over meals were escalating between groups, but they kept the rowdiness to a minimum. They knew that killing was prohibited, and many of them could die where they stood.

Of course, food was a great incentive. That, and dominance among the various captives could make their lives easier later on.

As Mona took his first steps on the courtyard, he lost his breath at what he felt. The ground itself was a Creation. As he didn't have a shred of Aura, Mona couldn't inspect it, but through the prisoner shoes he received he could feel what seemed like slight electric pulses.

The quartet felt their cuffs and sighed. They could feel the cuffs working, sending out some sort of signal to the Swarm Creation. One false move would zap them with millions of bolts of electricity.

Mona's position among his cellmates won a few gazes of suspicion from other guards stationed around the courtyard. However, after trading gestures, they instead resumed their post without much thought.

The guard motioned for Reithar and the rest to line up. Step by step, one would get closer to the bubbling cauldron.

His gaze in the sky, Mona found no clouds to pass the time. The Creation that made up the floor still sent out pulses with their footsteps. His thoughts went back to inside his body.

Examining himself, Mona felt nothing. Or at least at first.

His concentration shifted from his whole body to his feet, then to his head. Nothing at all. What was that feeling?

His movement matching the other prisoners, Mona walked forward in the line. Reithar gazed at Mona, wondering what was he thinking about. He was about to speak, but then didn't know what to say. Just leave him be. Maybe my sister isn't here but elsewhere...

His thoughts on his sister, his sadness was seen in his slow, heavy movements and his blank gaze. Seeing his family die before his eyes, his sister torn away from him by soldiers and stuffed into a separate box cart. He hoped to see her here. Her shadow was nowhere, yet it was lunchtime on the second day.

Could they eat elsewhere? He thought about it, then Reithar threw away that thought. There was only one courtyard, their current one, and it was full of males of varying ages. Not even the guards here were female. Chances were they were separated. He didn't know when he would see her again.

Following Mona's earlier request, Aeron and Mithal Varlier seemed to be oblivious, but in reality they kept their Aura hidden and charged. One false move by the various vultures would earn their empowered blows.

Mona's attention scattered across his body. His hips, his chest, his mind, his feet. Nothing came up, nothing was sensible.

There must be something here! His thoughts surging, his attention focused on both of his hands. Then, his figure visibly shook.

There in his left hand was a faint signal. Undulating waves came from that specific area in his palm. It was unclear and vague, but something was there.

In the center of his palm was the source of that weak signal. His left hand clenching and loosening, the waves responded with two distinctly different wave rates.

The tighter his fist, the stronger the waves. This brought joy to Mona's gaze. So does this mean my Mortal Curse? I have to find a way to train. Mona made up his mind.

He would devote every reasonable chunk of time to training one of these Alberdan Auric training techniques. Then with it he would scan his hand carefully. Perhaps that foggy sea would become clear.

Soon Mona came back to his senses, only to be see himself being scrutinized by a guard. Reithar and the Valier brother's gazes fell on Mona, pale.

What was he doing? Stopping in the middle of the line like that. Reithar couldn't express his feelings for Mona's actions.

Mithal was watching attentively to Mona. He trusted Mona wouldn't stop for anything foolish. His mind was determining possible endings.

Mona gazed into the eyes of the guard. Apparently his earlier movements were strange, and one of the men came to understand what was wrong.

The guard's gaze has trained on Mona, his Aura simultaneously activating the Cuff sigil and also examining Mona. For several moments of silence, he couldn't find anything. Failing to find an answer through his Aura, he queried Mona directly.

"Is something wrong?" His words were empty of emotion, monotonous and cold. Mona was a mere 3 meters away from his sight as he shook his head.

"Then why did you stop?" The guard's voice grew slightly cold as he probed further.

Mona thought for a moment, then motioned his cuffs.

"They...they are too tight." Mona replied back, controlling his voice.

The man frowned, his Aura channeling into the cuffs with Mona's outstretched hands hanging in the air.

"There." The guard returned back to his post, with Mona facing him. Feeling his wrists, the guard had loosened them by a few centimeters, but Mona couldn't take them off. Safe.

Mona joined back into the line, which by now was largely finished. After three more people passed would Mona get his share.

Upon seeing the line proceeding, Reithar's heart settled. Please don't let this happen again.

Aeron followed his brother closely behind Reithar. The short conversation seemed normal, but only to those that didn't know about their plans.

As Mona went up to the server, his eyes retracted at seeing the man up close.

His brown hair was messy and had split ends. His eyes carried traces of melancholy on his downtrodden face.

His movements carried the weight of his heart. It would be more fitting to say he was an undertaker than a cook,

"What do you want?" The man asked, mournful in his voice. The man didn't notice the bread and soup was all there was.

"I'll have some soup and bread." Mona didn't attempt to correct him. Mona felt the need to grieve over his family after seeing this man, and crying was not the smartest decision here. Do he hurried the conversation away.

"Whole or wheat bread?" The man continued oblivious to the cooked dough beside him.

Mona stammered. Just let me leave.

"Any will do." Mona replied. He didn't want to talk with this depressed man any longer.

The man gazed into Mona the first time in their conversation. His eyes grew wide at the sight of Mona's figure.

Mona hid his own alarm deep within his heart. How did he come here?

Surprise and happiness filled the server's gaze. Clearly Mona's appearance was important to this man, but just when he was going to speak, he noticed the former noble's brow grow intense. Alright, I understand.

Mona felt the gazes of several sentinels fall upon him. Apparently they didn't know who Mona was under his frail frame and his poor garments. The actions of the server flickered in their eyes.

The server calmly gave Mona his bowl of soup and coarse bread. Of course, Mona noticed his soup had extra bits of meat, and his bread was more fresh than the others. The man tried to create the facade of gloominess once again, but to no avail. What was seen could not be unseen. Mona was getting several unwanted stares from not only the guards, but also the various prisoners in the yard.

I didn't think Joseph would be here... Mona thought back to his life as a noble, to the time he first met the chef Joseph. Before he was head chef, Joseph was quite warm and open to Mona, and occasionally sent his daughter Claire to bring him snacks.

They were intimate with him, and he treated them as equals. But Claire died that day... He knew why Joseph was depressed. How could any father not be after finding himself alive, his child dead and not even properly buried? It devastated Joseph beyond compare.

Sigh... Living came and went for mortals like sunrise to sunset. As one rose in Aura training, one would be able to extend the time they remain soaring in the sky. Unless one reached a significant level, one would die.

Mona's eyes flickered upon seeing several of the prisoners rise up. Behind Mona, the trio was still getting their meals. Seeing that Mona was friendly with them, the server treated them with similar warmth. The guards, however, were watching Mona carefully. A few cracked grins on seeing the prisoners rise from their seats.

The few guards that knew of Mona's fatal condition did little to hide it. By now, quite a few guards had learned of the famous Aurum child with the curse of being a commoner for life. They likely wouldn't save Mona unless he was seriously injured first.

On the ground, Reithar received his meals, making his way towards Mona. Mithal was on his way, with Aeron still in line. Although the three were somewhat lacking, they clearly didn't want to see him in severe pain.

The three had made their way to Mona, only for all of them to be surrounded by the prison gangs from various sides.

Their Auras blasting, anyone that trained in Aura could tell the other side had several members at Mortal level two and level three in various Arts, whereas the leader was a Mortal level 7.

His physique well built, he likely trained in an Art built for close quarters combat. His face spotted a warm smile, but his words were sharp and veiled his malevolence.

"Mona Aurum. It's a pleasure to meet you." The man feinted a bow, and then suddenly charged straight at the person inflicted with the Mortal Curse.

Throughout the compound, various figures were jeering and enjoying the escalating conflict. A show was about to start.