The mist enveloped us, shrouding the raft in a soft veil. With Cairo and Deniz securely asleep, their hands tied to the mast to prevent them from falling into the sea, Marco and I took the watch, our eyes scanning the mysterious waters that surrounded us.
As the sun began to cast its gentle rays, dispersing the mist, we spotted it on the horizon—the Eblistan Mainland. It appeared like a distant dream, yet it was within our reach.
Cairo and Deniz were blinking open as I hurriedly roused them, getting them used to the morning light.
"The Eblistan Mainland," I exclaimed, my voice rising with anticipation. "Look, we can see it!"
As Cairo and Deniz joined us, their initially sleepy faces quickly changed to ones of awe. Every second that passed brought the mainland that much closer.
Marco said, "We're almost there."
After a full day of sailing, everyone felt relieved as we arrived on land and stepped onto the sand. We were comforted by the sure footing of the ground.
Our reprieve, however, didn't last long. When we noticed an approaching squad of 8–10 guards, we started unloading the chests from the raft. They shouted, "Smugglers!" while brandishing spears. "Smugglers!"
We were aware that getting to Astareen first was crucial, and that a run-in with these guards might cause trouble. We had more than enough coins in our pockets to deal with the situation.
We made a dash for it in an instant, with Deniz leading the way. He reached for the matchlocks with the intention of startling the security personnel with a warning shot. The gunpowder was still wet when he pulled the trigger, so no shot was fired.
Knowing that the guards were pursuing us, we continued our dash along the beach.
We were making a hasty dash along the beach when we noticed a looming castle off in the distance. With each passing second, it got closer, and we couldn't help but feel a curious mix of apprehension.
But a wooden barricade that was manning an open structure with the flag of Bramevaria flying on the wall blocked our way. More guards came out of the gate, forming a strong barrier as we got closer to the barricade.
I had the thought, "The third person must be watching all this unfold."
I chose to take a chance and said, "If you can hear me, manipulate these guards," to the third person. So that we can pass without hurting them, bend them forward and make their main hands numb. We won't attack, but if you can help us get to Astareen, that would be great.|
And our wishes were fulfilled, the guards bent forward in a bowing position and we simply ran past them.
We were in what appeared to be the guards' barracks in a section of the castle. Unexpectedly, no one inside seemed to be aware of our presence. We took cover behind the weathered, tattered tents that watched over the gloomy courtyard like silent sentinels. On the fabric, eerie shadows danced.
The calm, though, didn't last long. Our spines tingled as the bells in the area abruptly started to ring, emitting a somber and eerie sound. A discordant melody that reverberated throughout the castle and the surrounding area served as a signal. A signal to warn all the guards and possibly other people we weren't aware of.
Guards were inside the tent we were hiding in, and they quickly emerged and rushed toward the beach, their figures vanishing into the eerie mist that hung low. We were able to avoid them by moving quietly and discovered a secret pathway that took us away from the castle and the busy barracks.
Following a trail that was more like a scar on the ground, we walked further into the town. It wound its way through the center of the abandoned town, encircled by run-down buildings that precariously leant, as if fighting to retain their last remnants of existence.
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We couldn't help but look at the irregular figures that wandered along the path as we continued on. These were not the vibrant locals one would anticipate in a bustling town, but rather the looked like people suffering in a prison cell. They moved with halting steps, their skeletal and malnourished bodies resembling living ghosts in the dark alleyways. As we passed them they also didn't seem to be noticing us.
Some of them were naked, their skeletal bodies exposed to the elements with their skin pulled taut over their bones. Sunken and haunted, their eyes met ours for a split second before drifting away, as if they were barely able to muster the strength to acknowledge us.
After some time, we arrived at the town's central square. Slave traders in dark clothing used whip cracks to inflict pain on their victims, who screamed in agony. All sexes of slaves, including children and the elderly, were brutally treated by their masters. They were ensnared in chains, their eyes reflecting the agony.
In the middle, Bramevaria soldiers in uniforms enforced their rule. Workers were beaten into submission and made to toil on a massive statue that was being built in the center of the square.
the statue featured a twisted figure that appeared to be reaching for salvation, half human, half monster.
The air was thick with the stench of blood, a sickening smell that seemed to emanate from every nook and cranny of the road. The dead bodies of the fallen were gathered along the sides of the streets, their pale faces turned upward, eyes empty and gazing at the sky. Maggots writhed and squirmed as they dined on the corpses as crows perched on rooftops.
The grim, bloody moat had replaced the sewer that encircled the monstrous statue in the middle of the square. It was a pool of blood mixed with dead bodies that had been dumped.
Marco's voice broke through the scene and said, "Don't look at it," jolting us out of our reverie. He gestured towards a small alleyway, and we followed him, making our way through the winding paths that appeared to be deserted and lifeless.
We were confronted with a startling sight as we came out of the other side of the maze-like maze of alleys. A large gate in front of us led to a roomy area that was dominated by an enormous platform. It was a platform for execution unlike any we had ever seen, and it was much larger and more imposing than the one in Ringsheer.
Five lifeless figures were suspended from the platform, their bodies moving uncomfortably in the breeze.
The guards were once again alerted and came running out of the main square as we deliberated our next move.
"Shit, run through that gate!" We were called to action by Marco. We rushed across the execution platform behind him, not daring to look up at the tragic figures hanging above as we did so. We struggled to escape the guards' relentless pursuit as the grim reality of the town weighed heavily on us.
More guards were stationed on the outside of the huge gate, preventing us from leaving. I once more turned to the mysterious third person who had led us thus far in my thoughts. However, there was no indication of help or intervention as we drew near.
We huddled together, looking for a solution as the guards closed in and our options became more limited.
Cairo, ever the thoughtful one, raised his hand, "I know I tend to be cautious, but this time, let's do this." The grappling hook was attached to Deniz's arm, so he grabbed it. "I'm hanging on to you, Deniz. Shoot at the top of the wall and pull us there."
"Marco and Aries use the other grappling hook" Said Cairo
I agreed and nodded. "Hold onto me Marco, we are taking the flight!"