Tenebris Renasci: A World of Magic and Gunpowder

Alexander's mind raced with panic as he struggled against the ropes, fear creeping into his very being. 

The fear of not knowing where he was, bound, restless, and afraid. 

As the sweat trickled down his forehead, Alexander knew he had to calm himself down. 

Breathe… Just, breathe. 

Alexander quickly realized that panicking wasn't going to save him. He immediately thought back on what Antoinette had said when saving him and Ben. 

Panic solves nothing, controlled thoughts, controlled movements. 

If he was going to survive this, he needed to think carefully and calmly. 

After taking a moment to quietly breathe and calmly collect his thoughts, Alexander began to examine his situation. 

He was trapped in a wooden box of some sort, beneath him was a small bed of hay, and his arms and legs were bound together tightly by a thick rope.

There was obviously something pressed against his back that was wrapped in leather, but as to what it was Alexander did not know. 

Along with the object on his back, there was something obvious poking against his thigh. The tip of which was sharp and pointed. 

A knife. 

The knife was trapped between the wall of the box he was trapped in and his leg. 

Okay… that's not good.

Alexander began fumbling against the ropes that bound his small hands together. The knots were tight, biting into his skin as he moved his wrist. 

Though his desperation fueled him, he couldn't free himself.

Even after what felt like an eternity, all he was left with was raw and inflamed wrists. His hands were trembling as the realization sunk in, he couldn't shake himself free of the rope that bonded his wrist. 

A worried expression crossed Alexander's face as anxiety began to settle in the back of his mind. 

Though he was prompted too, Alexander refused to panic, instead he began looking for another solution.

As he looked around the small and cramped space he inhabited, his leg continued to bump and rub against the knife that poked his thigh. 

It grew to become annoying and painful, causing Alexander unnecessary stress and irritation, that was until he realized that it was a KNIFE poking him.

Wait, I can use the knife to cut the rope!

With the idea of using the knife to free himself forming in his mind, Alexander began to take deep breaths in order to slow his racing heart. 

After he calmed himself, he began to carefully and slowly adjust his body in a way that would allow him to reach the knife. 

He wanted to be sure not to cut himself by making a sudden movement, as he wasn't sure how such a wound would heal with world energy.

The ropes bit and chewed into his skin as he brought his hands closer to the knife.

The pain and discomfort he felt was unimaginable and agonizing, he gritted his teeth to take his focus off the pain.

Almost… there.

Alexander strained as he grew closer to the knife that continued to brush against his thigh. 

Eventually, his head pressed against the top of his enclosed space, and his ear and chest met with hard, cold wood. 

This was as close as he could get to the knife. 

Refusing to give up hope, Alexander continued to strain himself in hopes of reaching the blade, yet he couldn't reach it. 

His fingers just barely touched the cold blade of that knife that was a mere inch or two away from him. 

He continued to reach for the knife for a little longer, but it became apparent that no matter how he moved himself, he couldn't get any closer towards the knife.

Fear began to creep into the back of Alexander's mind.

If he couldn't reach the knife, he couldn't cut the rope.

If he couldn't cut the rope, he couldn't free his hands.

And if he couldn't few his hands, he couldn't escape his predicament.

Alexander felt himself slipping into a panic-filled cry for help, his heart rate racing as his breathing began to pick up.

I can't reach the knife….

I can't reach the knife….

I can't reach the knife!

"No, no, no." Alexander began to mutter to himself as he continued to stretch out his fingers in hopes that a miracle would happen. 

Unfortunately for him, however, miracles don't just happen.

But what does happen, are accidents.

As Alexander continued to reach for the knife in a panic, he accidentally stabbed himself.

He felt a small, firm prick pressed into his thigh and broke his skin. The pain was sharp and hot, like a large needle. 

Alexander's eyes went wide as he realized what happened. 

The stab wound wasn't deep by any means, but the knife was now barely embedded into his thigh, allowing a small trail of blood to drip down his leg. 

Alexander froze briefly, before slowly bringing his legs towards his chest almost on instinct.

As he moved his legs closer towards his chest, the knife that was barely embedded in his thigh began to tip downward, almost falling towards the ground, yet still propped up on the wall of whatever space he was trapped in.

At first, Alexander was relieved the knife hadn't gone too deep and was falling out of his thigh.

But he then realized that if the knife fell to the ground then he couldn't use it to cut himself free.

But, if the knife went further into his thigh, to the point of it being firmly placed.

Then maybe he could bring his legs to his chest, grab the knife, and cut himself free.

It was genius!

However, there was one glaring problem.

Alexander would have to intentionally stab himself, pushing the knife deep into his thigh. 

The thought alone sent Alexander's heart racing, he was already in enough pain and trouble as is, but now his situation required even more sacrifice and willpower. 

But though he was hesitant, Alexander knew it had to be done, as the alternative was much, much worse. 

Taking a deep breath Alexander steeled his resolve, preparing himself for what was to come.

Feeling the cold knife tip just barely nudged into his thigh, Alexander could only imagine how bad his wound was about to become.

He knew that world energy could heal most non-fatal wounds, but that it required two things to work successfully. 

Energy/vitality, for the healing process to draw from, and focus, a LOT of focus. 

Two things Alexander was a bit short on at the moment.

Meaning his wound most likely wouldn't heal for a while. 

Breathe, just… breathe.

Alexander began to calm himself and his nerves. He had to focus and remain calm, otherwise the lack of healing would be the last of his worries. 

Slowly, Alexander shifted his legs once more, this time, aligning the knife into a straight angle, so that when he pushed it into his thigh, it wouldn't cut at an awkward angle. 

Once that was done, Alexander began pushing his leg against the wall of his enclosure, and by extension, the knife. 

As he moved against the knife, it began pushing deeper and further into his leg. 

The sharp edge sliced through his flesh like butter. 

Alexander winced as the pain shot up from his leg and into the core of his very being. His jaw clenched tightly as he continued to carefully push the knife deeper. 

After what felt like an eternity in hell, Alexander finally had the knife pushed deep enough into his thigh that he could now carefully bring his legs to his chest with the fear of the knife falling. 

Taking another deep breath, he did exactly that, drawing his legs closer. 

Once it was close enough, Alexander reached his trembling fingers toward the knife and securely grabbed its handle. 

Sweat dripping down his forehead, Alexander slowly began removing the knife, careful not to do any further damage to himself. 

It was a struggle to remove the knife without collapsing from the unbearable pain Alexander was in, yet his determination and adrenaline allowed him to keep his eyes open. 

With the knife now firmly in hand, Alexander didn't waste a second in carefully maneuvering it in a way to cut his wrists free. 

Sawing away at the thick ropes that bound his wrists together, the knife began cutting through the fibers of the rope, slowly but steadily inching him closer to freedom. 

After a slow and agonizing duration of time, Alexander freed his hands, the last fibers of the rope snapping as he pulled his hands apart. 

"Yes!" Alexander said between pants of heavy breath as a wide grin crossed his lips. 

Using his newfound freedom, Alexander quickly moved to finish the job and cut his legs free. 

After a long period of struggle, his ankles were freed.

Exhausted and drenched in enough sweat to fill a bucket, Alexander allowed a brief moment of rest. 

While catching his breath, Alexander looked around the box he was trapped in. 

He realized that though he was physically free, he was still entrapped in a box with no obvious way out.