Lena kicked the locking mechanism of the nearest cage. The metal offered no real resistance to her strength. As the door swung open, the blue hum of the mana siphon died out, plunging the cell into a heavy silence.
Inside this particular cage, a dozen emaciated figures slumped against the bars with dull eyes staring at the floor or their hands. The mana drain had left them lethargic; their bodies were running on the bare minimum required to keep their hearts beating.
"Get up," Lena said. "We're leaving."
No one moved.
Jake stepped up to the next cage, ripping the door off its hinges with a groan before tossing the grate aside, where it clattered loudly against the concrete.
"Did you hear her?" Jake asked. "The door is open. Move."
A man in the first cage looked up. He glanced from the open door to Lena, then back at the floor.
"Nice try," the man said. His voice was so coarse that it looked like his vocal cords had been grated with sandpaper.
Lena frowned. "What?"
