A sound wakes me up and I’m instantly alert with my sword in hand. I’m ready to defend myself as I look around. The day's events come crashing back down on me as I lay my eyes on a scared half-beast, gently trying to wake me up.

“Kloran wants to see you sir.” He tells me politely, still unused to his freedom. The strange plan I had was to liberate slaves from the empire and then go to the beast-tribes, effectively killing three birds with one metaphorical stone. One, I strike back at the Brudian Empire that is originally responsible for my current circumstance and by extension the death of all of my friends and company. Second, I get myself some trustworthy allies. Liberated slaves should be rather hard to corrupt and I’m tired of being hunted all on my lonesome out here. And third, it will get me much needed credit once I reach their tribes to look for the Divine Tear. If I just go there no one will care to help me, a human in their lands.

But already my plans kind of derailed as I was sneaking into the slave camp. I got a bit too angry at the empire’s soldiers holding the slaves and somehow shared my anger with everyone. A lot of the half-beasts died. Which wasn’t the original plan… and I kind of went on a rampage. Again. Still, I don’t feel too bad about it as I only killed the slaver scums. A bit more awake now I notice how late it is in the night as I get up. What could Kloran want at this hour?

Only a rather small group of the former slaves decided to stay with me after… what happened. They all stand there, all six of them. It’s… not what I had in mind originally. I thought more would follow me, but after that display and the amount that died to the general frenzy I don’t blame the other survivors for leaving. I would rather say I am grateful for those that stayed. The small gathering still looks rather nervous around me. Because of the display of violence or simply because they aren’t used to being free is up for debate.

“Reagan, sir.” Kloran says as he sees me.

“Reagan is fine Kloran, thank you. You wanted to see me?” I ask him curious why he would wake me up in the middle of the night.

“Yes. Have a look.” He tells me and points towards the slave camp we left behind. There is some kind of light over there now and I wonder what it could be.

“Did one of you check it out?” I ask them and they nod, some seem afraid I’ll be mad because they didn’t ask for permission or something. I try to smile gently at them but I’m not sure that works after they have seen me tear limbs from other people.

“Yes. It’s a camp full of the rumored slave soldiers.” He tells me with anticipation. I immediately understand what he wants from me, and it does align with what I want too. It’s just that I have to be able to reign in the anger better this time and not make everyone go crazy. I think it over as I gear up, putting on my frankly destroyed armor. It’s barely hanging in there and it feels like there are more holes than not, but it’s still better than nothing.

“Let’s take a closer look, alright?” I tell them and I see their faces light up with hope.

It takes us quite some time to walk back there in the darkness and through the vegetation, even if it is rather sparse here. We soon find ourselves close enough to see the whole camp. It’s rather large. I’d say about one hundred soldiers or maybe a bit more judging from the amount of tents. Unless they pack more of them in than I did with my company, which is possible. A few do patrol but they clearly aren’t alert. I tell the others to stay there as I creep closer, curious about it, and still uncertain of how to go about it.

That’s when I see it. A red tent in the middle of their camp. My mind flees the present to a better time when my company and everyone was still alive. There, in my memory, like a taint, I see it. A red tent with those horrible priests of Kathar plotting our demise. I feel hatred wash over me and when I come to, I’m already in the middle of their camp. Somehow, no one stopped me. Somehow I got a torch from somewhere as I am currently lighting it on fire. I see my outstretched arm and I don’t stop. They will pay for what they did to me.

As the fire truly roars to life I go and stand in front of the only entrance to this grand tent. I draw my swords but keep a relaxed grip, pointy parts aiming down at the ground. It doesn’t take long for the camp to wake up to their delectable screams. Soon enough, the first of them comes out yelling about a fire. He freezes when he sees me and I can’t help but grin at him. You don’t know it yet, but you are already dead. Others soon follow him and they all stop and stare at me, like they don’t understand what is going on.

So I show them exactly what it is. An execution. The head of the first man flies through the air and they all look at me in horror before they start making a run for it. I see one of them flee towards a squad of half-wolfs and it doesn’t take long for me to understand how this all works. I can see a rather familiar magic around their necks. I reach out with my mind and break their collars. The human reaches the squad and despite the ruckus and sound all around I hear it clearly. *Clink*. The collars hit the ground and the five of them all look down as everyone pauses for a second. The former slaves exchange a look as if to confirm what they are seeing with each other.

One of them reaches for his neck and feels nothing but an old scar from having that thing on for too long. I can see it in them. The fire of vengeance welling up. Some have barely embers left but their brethren soon help them light it up as the leader grins cruelly at the human begging them to save him. He slowly draws his weapon and it is clear to everyone what is about to happen. Still, the human looks at him as if transfixed. Like this somehow isn’t possible and it is his eyes that are deceiving him. That he might just wake up from this nightmare. The sword plunges deeply and slowly into him and I enjoy it even if it wasn’t by my hand.

It was beautifully done, with so many strong emotions. Simply beautiful. And deserved.

The four half-beasts look at me and their leader in particular seems to want to ask me something with his eyes and expression alone. They don’t dare walk towards me but I can see the burning desire in his eyes. The question is simple and I shall answer it for him. I close my eyes and concentrate as this isn’t simply a question of power, but rather control. I slowly, invisibly, reach out for more of the collars. Sweat runs down my face as I concentrate harder to reach further and further until I am sure I have all of them. Then, and only then do I act. *Clink* The familiar sound echoes a hundred times all across the camp and I seize this opportunity to make them understand.

“You are now free! Free to slay the ones who have oppressed you for so long!” I roar into the sky and to all of them. There is a brief pause, as if the world is holding its breath for a moment, unsure of what is to follow. But deep down they all know what has to come next. It doesn’t take long before I hear the familiar drawing of weapons as the freed slaves make their inevitable decision. Blood spills as they slay their former masters and I am happy for them and take pleasure despite not being the one slaughtering them.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

The camp soon falls quiet and vengeance is soon replaced by confusion. Some of the half-beasts spot me and come towards me. I am the last human left in the camp. They bare their teeth and weapons at me but a hand stops them. The half-wolf’s squad block them and it doesn’t take long for the rest of the camp to surround us in a huge circle. I look at their faces as I slowly rotate to take them all in. They are bulkier and more muscular than all of the slaves I have seen and it makes sense. Now, for the last and most important part.

“My name is Reagan.” I say in a commanding and booming voice.

“I have given you an opportunity to take your freedom today and I am happy you all seized it.” I grin ferociously at them. I notice the look of dawning understanding in a few gazes, as their mind catches up to what has transpired here tonight.

“You are free. Free to roam the forests, free to eat your fill, free to go home.” I pause as I let it all sink in a bit.

“Some of you might wonder why I would free you and I think you’ll find my reasoning a lot simpler than you think.” I say before grinning at them.

“It is to make the Brudian Empire pay, as simple as that. To make them bleed. Like you, they took everything from me. My friends, my comrades and also part of my sanity.” I pause once more to make sure the meaning of my words are understood by all of them. I look around slowly and see a few nods of understanding, of shared hatred.

“I’ll only say one more thing before I let you live your lives out.” I say to get their attention back.

“You are also free to join me. To make the Empire bleed for every drop of blood they made you spill for them. To help me free others and strike back at this grotesque nation that treats you like things and not people. To turn your training and rage against them to show them the truth.” My speech is clearly working them up like I hoped and my wild grin is reflected in more than a few faces now.

“That they rightfully fear you. That you are worth so much more. That you are strong and together we will bring the Empire to its knees, and when that time comes, we will make the emperor’s head roll.” I roar. No one joins me in my warcry and for a moment I fear it didn’t work. After another beat, the half-wolf leader howls wildly and his squads join him. It doesn’t take long for everyone to roar their rage to the sky. I will make the Empire and those cursed priests regret ever waking up the monster that is inside of me. Regret the day they decided we were expendable bodyguards to throw at an ancient demon for their own use. I will make them pay what they made me do to Max. And the price shall be paid on blood.

—

Almost all of the warrior slaves decided to join me and we are now almost two hundred strong. I’ve learned of many names in the last few days as we march towards the next slave encampment. They actually know the location of most of these places and it is a boon. I was lucky enough to find the first one, and even luckier that the others got here when they did.

I’m training with all of them everyday. The first few days were tense as they didn’t really know how to behave around me, even around each other. It’s going to take some time to make them all into a proper force, but I’ll get them there. Tibald, the half-wolf and leader of his squad is competent. I hope he has what it takes to become a good second but it’s still too early to tell.

I wonder how the Brudian Empire managed to beat the half-beasts as I look at them training and sweating. Their natural stamina and strength is far above that of humans. Some of them are ferocious. The issue we have now is food. Logistics. We looted their old camp for everything worth a damn but we cannot pick up supplies as easily unless we start raiding villages. But that is not the point we want to make. I know for a fact that the poor villages out here do not deserve to be massacred for some food. Hell, some of them probably hate the Empire as much as us.

So instead we are trying to use everyone that is good with a bow to hunt, or simply gather edible plants. It’s fine for now in truth. But I know and understand how this is supposed to work and we need to be able to resupply somewhere safe. The provisions are lasting longer as we forage on the way but it won’t last more than another week now. Our best bet is the next slave camp, but if things do go smoothly, we will get more mouthes to feed and I don’t think they stock up on that much food for the mining slaves.

I look at Tibald and wish it was Max right now. He would have somehow solved the issue. I shake my head to escape the thought. I know it’s not fair to compare the two. Instead I focus on what is ahead of us. Trees. Lots of trees. I didn’t want to risk using roads but it is slowing us down. Not that we are that far from the actual road. A few half-beasts act as scouts and keep an eye on the road. Plus they make sure we do not stray too far from it and become lost. I see Tibald speaking with one of the scouts and he soon walks up to me. He clearly has some kind of important information.

“One of the scouts spotted a small regiment of Brudian knights, sir.” Surely to investigate what happened with all their slaves and shipments. I hesitate before I notice the half-wolf’s expression. I turn and see that a lot of them are clearly listening in right now, all with a similar expression on their face. I sigh and smile gently at them.

“It seems we have an ambush to set up then, don’t we?” I grin at them and they all grin back at me, eager to fight. Eager to shed the Empire’s blood once more.

—

It takes some time for all of us all to gain some distance ahead of the knights. We are far too many to sneak up on them, so we need to lay in wait instead, which we are doing now. From the scouts information, they should arrive in about ten minutes, which isn’t much considering the number of people.

Some are almost too eager and I tell them all once more to calm down and wait for my signal. We don’t want them to escape now, do we? Some of the rougher ones calm down at that and lay low behind thick bushes. Because we are so many, I decided that it is better for us to not lay too close to the road where we’re easily spotted and so we hide a bit further back in the forest. No need to have everyone close as a few giving a signal is more than enough. Not like they can escape with how wide we have set ourselves up.

Now the worst part comes and we wait in silence. However it doesn’t take too long before we can start hearing the familiar sound of men in tin cans walking on compact dirt. Thankfully they are not mounted, which is also why we even managed to get a head start. However they do have a few horses with them.

As they come closer however I spot something I haven’t seen in a long time. Too long. I can feel his influence creep up on me as he laughs inside my head. A cruel laugh because he already knows what will happen and he is looking forward to it now. My eyes slowly turn red, just like the long flowing cloak I am looking at. A familiar feeling of anger wells up inside me but I control it. It is not time yet.

I wait patiently as I stare at the figure on the horse. I only have eyes for that figure and if anyone looks at my eyes at this moment they would see it. The red of the cloak reflected in my bright red eyes and a hatred like no other because there he is, the one who had started it all.

Ral’Tir.