Entropy

Ramsey ran down the halls of the castle, slowed by the weight and awkwardness of his hands, which had been sealed together in a block of concrete. He looked over his shoulders and didn't see anyone coming, but he could hear the sounds of the guards closing in on him. His stupid hands had been what had gotten him in to this mess, but he wasn't going to be able to get out without them.

He slipped into a crevice, having to hold his arms above his head to fit because of the bulky block around his hands, only barely strong enough to hold the weight above his head, and a few moments later the group of guards rushed past him. He waited, arms shaking, blood rushing out of his arms and making his head turn red with the stress, all to make sure that the guards were all gone. When he was absolutely sure he was safe, he ran back out the way he had come, having seen a spot on the way that he might be able to free himself using.

He rushed into the courtyard and into the corner where a spare anvil was being kept. He lifted his arms up above his head once more and brought them down hard on the compact and solid anvil. A loud clang sounded out, echoing among the castle walls, and a powerful vibration shot through his body, making his bones shake painfully. The concrete did not break. He knew that the guards would not be long. He had to break free soon. He lifted his arms once more and brought the down again, harder this time. Another ringing. Another shaking of his bones.

And a crack. It was small, barely anything worth noting, but it was there in the concrete. He was making progress, tiny as it may be. Once more he struck. Another crack. He could hear the guards getting closer. He only had enough time for one more strike. He had to make it count.

He knew that the blows he had been making weren't going to be enough. He took a deep breath and leaped into the air, throwing his arms above him for momentum to rise higher, then brought them down with all the strength he could muster as he fell back to the ground. The pain that shot through his body was unbearable as he made impact, only amplified by his face slamming into the anvil only moments later as his momentum carried him down and pushed him off balance.

The guards were rushing into the courtyard as Ramsey forced himself to sit up. His entire body was numb with pain, except for his face, which was burning in pain. He brought his hand up to touch his nose, checking if it was broken, and only then did he realize it had worked.

Not having any more time to pity himself, he forced himself onto his feet and bolted away from the guards. His hands were shaky, stiff with pain and disuse. He tried again and again to make them work. He needed to take action. But his fingers weren't co-operating.

Snap

The sound was a surprise, though it was familiar. He looked around wildly, but nothing had seemed to change. "Damn," he whispered to himself. "Come on now, I need this."

Snap

He looked back at the pursuing guards. Their armor appeared to have changed colors. "Not helping," he murmured angrily.

Snap

He didn't have time to see what had changed as he abruptly slammed into a wall. He wasn't sure if it had been there before or not. It felt like half his ribcage was broken now. But the guards were still coming. He pushed his way past the wall and kept running. "Please, please, I'm begging you, please just help help me. Something, anything to make it end."

Snap

The pain in his chest was immense for a brief moment, far more than anything he had experienced before, but as quickly as it had come it vanished. He knew what had happened. The bones had melded back together. It was a start.

Snap

His feet lost friction for a moment, no ground beneath them to run on. He tumbled forward and hit the soft grass at the bottom of the hill. It was quiet here. He breathed slowly, taking it in. He was away from the castle. He didn't know how far, or even where he was, but he was away now. Ramsey closed his eyes and fell asleep.

He awoke in the morning to the bright sun shining on his face. Painfully he got up and looked around. He was not far from the castle at all. But no one would be expecting to find him here. Not in the hunting forests.

He sighed and rubbed his hands on his pants, trying to make the feeling come back to them. They were still sore from their concrete prison. "I swear to god," he muttered to himself. "If I can't figure out how to get the princess back, I am going to die..."

He raised his hand slowly and closed his eyes, not sure what to expect next.

Snap