Kuuya Town

End of the Alderon Realm

Disgusting, immoral, and reprehensible were the words that came to Gabirel’s mind. He knew of human depravity. His father would speak of it, trying to deter him from ever wishing to leave the palace. He looked back to see what Kyra was thinking, and to no surprise, her expression remained neutral.

A while back, after the events with the slave catchers occurred, Kyra had come up with an amazing plan to sneak into the village as merchants on the hunt for good slaves. She had made Gabriel wear his mask in case he was made out as the prince.

The emerald-eyed girl then instructed Cilia to wear the outfit that Kyra wore at the bar, including the black hooded cloak. It was the perfect disguise. She reminded Cilia that her head should remain down until they successfully bought her friends and left the town. It was imperative that this plan go well for Gabriel’s sake. He didn’t want to kill again. He just didn’t know how he would be able to stomach it the second time around.

Kyra had asked him to use magic this time around, hinting hinting it would be easier to use the sword. He read between the lines, however. The girl felt that one should only wield the sword if they were ready to kill, and he just wasn’t.

The trio walked across the muddied, piss-scented, dimly lit streets, and Kyra noticed the scrawny men chained outside every door of every dingy home. Their porcelain skin was bruised and bloodied.

As Kyra’s eyes continued to travel, her expression changed into one of surprise. People who she most certainly knew were foreign. The hair was auburn like copper, and their skin was purplish pink. Their ears pointed upwards, and Kyra didn’t know whether they were elves or human-sized pixies. Maybe both.

Cilia kept walking forward at a steady pace, keeping her head down like she was instructed. This precaution didn’t stop her from having her heart rate soar through the roof.

Cold sweat was breaking out of her body, and her vision became blurry. Gabriel, who noticed the young girl’s nervous state, jogged backwards and walked by her side.

He then placed his hand on her shoulder and whispered for her to breathe.

“We’ll protect you; you just need to relax.” He commented. Cilia turned her head to the side, the hood of the cloak blocking her vision slightly. However, from what she could see, Gabriel had grown light bags under his eyes, and the weight of taking a life evidently took a toll on him.

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She felt sorry for him, yet there was a sense of admiration for him as well. Even though his soul had been disturbed, he was comforting her. She then looked over to Kyra, who was busy studying the streets, with a blank expression.

From the speech she heard from the girl, she knew Kyra was no stranger when it came to taking lives. There were no bags under her eyes, and no wrinkles of trouble were drawn upon her fair face.

Kyra was undisturbed, for lack of a better word.

The three continued down their path and stopped in front of a run-down shack. Cilia took a deep breath and stepped forward. She then placed a shaky hand against the broken brown door and rolled it into a fist.

Knock, knock.

Cilia took a step back, looking at her two saviours, who stood at both sides.

“Who’s here?” Kyra asked, confused.

“This is the house where me and my friends sleep. The slaves shackled outside are the ones who tried to escape and were successfully captured.”

“Three slaves did escape our grasp, so you’re not all that safe.” Kyra reminded me. There was the pessimistic attitude Kyra was known for.

The trio’s attention was back at the door as tiny footsteps reached their ears. The door then swung open, and a tanned young boy with wavy brown hair, amber eyes, and a white patch around his temple.

“Who are you?” He asked, his accent so thick that Kyra thought he might have a lisp. A look of uncertainty was written on his face. He was nervous, but hurting the people before him would certainly land him in grave trouble.

Upon seeing the troubled look on the young boy, Cilia reached for her hoodie and placed it slightly back. The young boy’s twinkled, and he gasped in pleasant surprise.

“Cilia.” He whispered out before jumping forward to hug her.

Although the reunion was sweet, Kyra’s eyes captured a glimpse of a shadow and shoved all parties into the dimly lit, run-down house. She then promptly closed the door, making sure it didn't make a loud enough sound that would attract the shadow.

“What was that for?” Cilia complained, getting up from the floor and dragging the boy up with her.

“I spotted a shadow and didn’t want to take any chances.” Kyra spoke. “Me, you, and Gabriel need to go. If we’re found, the merchant plan blows out the window, and we will need to fight,” she said, looking over to the lilac-eyed man. “And I know how that'll end up.” She muttered.

Gabriel couldn’t even argue. Kyra then looked back at Cilia.

Cilia turned her attention back on the boy and smiled.

“These are the saviours I bought. They're going to help us escape and live together as a family. I need you to tell Kayla and Dino, okay, Olian? Can you do that for me?”

The young boy grinned and threw a thumbs up. As Cilia told Olian about the plan, Kyra and Gabriel took this as a chance to look around the house. It was shabby and smelled mouldy. A single dining table with four chairs is laid beside a barred window.

At the very end of the house were two sets of bunk beds, lined up next to each other, with a small drawer at the end of each bunk.

Kyra would have gone mad if this was her living space for one day, let alone three. Cilia was also kind enough to tell them about how long each child was enslaved.

Olian was born a slave, so basically his whole life.

Dino had been a slave for two years.

Kayla had been a slave for five years.

Kyra couldn’t imagine a life of brutal captivity, and she thanked heaven that she was born into nobility. Yet again, Cilia was noble.

Heh? Kyra shrugged, brushing back any thoughts.

“We need to leave now, Cilia.”

The blonde girl nodded and hugged Olian for the last time.

“We’ll be free before sunset tomorrow. I promise.” Cilia whispered.

The three finally left, ready to do their job tomorrow.