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World: MSS - Loading...
"Speech"
"Thoughts"
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Now how was I going to find her?
From a cursory glance, not all the cages were full. But it was difficult to check the identity of the prisoners inside each cage due to the layout. It looked like a kid just upended a box of Legos. Some of the cages were stacked on top of each other, others leaning on one another. Still, more were left away from the main pile. Worse, not all of the cages were occupied and my vision was obstructed by both cages, stalagmite and more. It was almost impossible to look into every single one and try to find the elf-barbarian I was looking for.
“First things first.”
I walked around, trying to get a sense for the dimensions of my enclosure. It was just tall enough for me to stand up straight, strands of my hair brushing against the ceiling. I rattled some of the bars and even tried hitting them. Who knew, maybe I’d hit a jackpot. Regardless, I quickly found out that the cage was sturdier than I thought. My meager strength wasn't enough to even budge the bars.
I wanted to see if my arm could fit through the bars, but they got caught at the biceps. Had my limbs always been this thick? The attempt aggravated my stab wound, leaving me sore and annoyed. I had forgotten about it, mostly because of the adrenaline but not that had worn off. Regardless, it seemed that any option I had of escaping the cage of my own power was out.
“Maybe this was a bad idea.” I tried rattling the cage bars once more; I had nothing else I could do.
“Excuse me... please stop that.”
The voice came from the direction of a group of stalagmites that served as a wall to block off a cage from the rest. I tried to peer around them but from my position, it simply wasn’t possible. I couldn’t determine whether the speaker was a woman or man from the voice alone, it had been rather androgynous. Also it wasn’t a voice that I recognized either. I can’t claim to say I knew the voice of every single slave in our cohort but my instincts told me that this was someone new.
“I’m Lock.” I introduced myself first. “Are you the only one here?”
“...No. The others are tranquilized.”
I jumped on the chance to gather some information. “Did you by any chance see an elf woman? Tanned skin? Muscular? Six-pack? Red curly hair?”
“No... I’m sorry. Please stop talking to me. I'm trying to sleep...”
“Fuck.” I cursed.
When Skurl mentioned an elf, I had assumed it had to be L’teya. There was no other elf that I could imagine would be grade-8 when measured by the adventurer’s orb. She had a grade-9 and grade-8 core. Which meant-
“You dolt.” I had been mistaken.
It was completely possible that she could’ve been ranked as a grade-9 adventurer, even with two cores. Honestly, it was iffy where you’d end up on the grading scale. It didn’t account for things like synergy between the cores, simply your overall stats. Anything like how abilities worked in conjunction with each other and how well you fought as an individual wasn't detectable by the orb. That's why it was always a toss-up when you saw two adventurers fighting each other, and why information about someone's Cores were so closely guarded.
“Is something the matter?” The voice asked.
I didn’t answer right away, pausing to see if I could peer around at the cages. I saw some other people, most of them lying down as if dazed. I couldn’t see the expression on their faces, but the ones who were sitting swayed back and fro like they were in a trance. It seemed the voice was right, they had been drugged.
I was curious now. Why weren’t the two of us drugged?
“I thought you didn’t want to talk.” I didn’t want to ask the question right away.
Just like when fishing, I couldn't scare him. I needed to bait him out, make him feel safe first.
“I’ve been here a few days now.... and everyone else is asleep.”
“Well, I gave you my name. I think it’d be nice to put a name to your voice.” I sincerely wished I had a better way with words. Maybe it'll come with time and experience.
After a moment of silence, the voice answered me. “Scarlet. My name is Scarlet.”
I could tell now from the voice that Scarlet was a young man, perhaps in his teens.
“I see. Well, what’s your story then?” I continued our conversation. “What brought you all the way here?”
“Well, I was traveling in the desert with my Master when we got separated. We were being pursued by some… bad people. I passed out when we were hit by a monster in the shape of a desert storm.” I thought I heard him shiver. “It was bad. A lot of people died. When I woke up, I was in a cage and the next thing I knew, I was down here.”
Ok, I was starting to get some information from him. From what he was telling me, I could be almost certain that he wasn’t one of the slaves that were already here, being trained by the Samak Horde. Theoretically, Damur could have brought more slaves over. Perhaps the concentration of all the different slaves in one place meant that something was about to happen. Maybe a sale? Or an auction
“But why now? Why so soon? Wouldn’t it benefit them to sell us off when we’re stronger or use us as soldiers?”
It must have been those attacks in the Samak Desert. This third party, whoever they were, were forcing the orcs to speed up their plans. By stealing the merchandise, the slaves, this new group must have made orcs nervous. So before they suffered any more losses, they decided to just sell us off for a smaller profit. Whether Madame Damur coming here was by accident or coincidence, it would make for a good showing to their guests.
“You go silent an awful lot.”
“Oh, do I?” I tried to change the topic. “You an adventurer then?”
“Yup! I'm a mage. My master is one of the greatest mage in the Turina Empire! Grade-4 officially! Though unofficially I bet he can even be grade-2!” Scarlet’s voice turned timid once more. “Uh… That was supposed to be a secret. Please don’t tell him... if you see him.”
“A mage…”
“What’s a mage’s apprentice doing inside a cage like this?” I rapped my knuckles on the bars. “You don’t have any spells to escape?”
“Oh… I probably could... but I’m sure my master will come looking for me. I don’t mind waiting here. Besides, if I move around, it might make it harder for him to find me.”
"Hmmm."
If what this mage’s apprentice was telling me was true, I not only had an opportunity to escape but possibly get a grade-2 mage to be in debt to me. The hard part would be convincing Scarlet to go along with me. Then we would have to figure out how to avoid the guards and once they realized we were gone, we’d have to evade capture.
The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
This wasn't just for my own benefit either. Scarlet seemed the passive type, waiting for something to happen to change his circumstances instead of taking an active role. Maybe I could provide that little push he needed. I had information about the Samak Horde that he didn't and he had a way to get us out of these cages. It only made sense for us two to work together.
“First things first.” Everything was a hypothetical until I could get this mage’s cooperation though.
“What do you say to working together? To get out of here?” That sounded weird to my ears. I'd never asked anyone for help before and it took a lot of guts to say that.
Well, the first time is always the hardest.
Scarlet must have been shocked at the directness of my question because there was no answer for quite a bit. Actually, maybe they just decided to ignore me. It'd be very typical of a mage to do so. Just when I was about to say something else, Scarlet replied.
“I don’t know… that sounds very risky to me. What if we get caught? These orcs are really big and scary… if I just wait I’m sure my master will come…”
“You can say that because you don’t know what’s going on.” I explained quickly, trying to retain the mage’s attention.
Just from the tone of the voice and the words that they were using, I was sure now that Scarlet was one of those 'passive-lazy' types. I dealt with a lot of mages in MSS and they were a different breed altogether. It was like working with Mana on a daily basis twisted their brains somehow. Arrogance and a superiority complex were a given; part of the standard package. Most of the mages in the game had been half-mad, ranging from dark-robes-and-drinking-blood-mad to lab-coat-and-vials-human-experiment-mad.
What I mean to say is that I’ve never had a good time dealing with a mage. So I spoke quickly, trying to get my point across.
“These orcs are moving quickly, I overheard the shaman and that merchant lady speaking. The auction will be tomorrow.” I lied easily. “I don’t know who the guests would be but I assume they’d be powerful people, with the means to transport their slaves across the desert swiftly and discreetly.”
I got the sense that I had Scarlet’s attention.
“It’s obvious you’ve never been a slave before. Do you have any idea how you’ll be treated? Everyday will be a fight for survival and you’ll be lucky to get a loaf of bread to eat. Since I’ve become a slave I’ve been sleeping on a rock every night, forced to fight monsters from sunrise till sundown.”
“But my master-”
“You didn’t hear what I said earlier. They’ll move us. They’ll collar us and take us back to whatever place they came from. It could be the Turina Empire, if you’re lucky. But I heard that the Jayu States are very interested in slaves lately as well. I'm assuming they haven't found out you're a mage yet. If by chance one of the potential buyers finds out that you're human mage…” I took a breath. “I’m sure your master is a powerful man. How confident are you that he can find you across the continent? Or better yet, even if he does find you, can you be sure you’ll be the same Scarlet you are now?”
Silence.
“C’mon, c’mon, c’mon.” I clenched my fist, careful not to say anything more.
I didn’t want to seem like I was the one who needed him more than he wanted me. I gave my sales pitch and I needed to make him think about the worst case scenario. Just by planting the possibility in his head, perhaps he’d-
“Eh, I don’t know... That seems farfetched to me.”
“Shit.” I relaxed my hunched shoulders. It looked like I’d have to find a different way.
“But it doesn’t seem impossible either… but there’s a problem here.If you’re a slave what kind of help can you give me? I’m a mage and you’re just… you know…” Scarlet trailed off.
“You do know they’re grading us right?” I tried to summon every last ounce of confidence I had. “I received a grade of 7. I know mages are graded too, what grade were you?”
I crossed my fingers.
“My grading’s not important.” Scarlet snapped. “Fine... I guess... We can work together.”
The breath I’d been holding finally escaped my lungs.
“But I want your word that you won't betray me.” The mage continued. “My master always warned me about that... Maybe this is a bad idea after all...”
“You have my word.” I didn’t plan on betrayal, on the contrary I needed to get on their good side. Perhaps that master mage was the one who could finally get me out of this hellhole.
“L’teya and Clover first.” I reminded myself.
“I also want your word that you’ll do everything in your power to get us out of here.”
“That’s a given... I take my promises... very seriously.” Scarlet said without missing a beat, sounding a little annoyed that I’d dare suggest such a thing. “So what’s the plan?”
“I don’t have a plan.” I said confidently, smiling.
“What?”
Another moment of silence.
“I said I don’t-”
“I heard you the first time!” Scarlet half-yelled.
“Oh. Just making sure.”
I heard the mage sigh. “Just what was I thinking…”
“Well, now we don’t have to sit here wondering about what will happen to us. Let’s put our heads together and plan for a way out of this.”
“You sure have a way with words… Mr. Lock.”
I took the compliment in stride. That was the longest conversation I held with another person that wasn't L'teya or Clover. Furthermore I had just gotten the cooperation of a mage. Sure he seemed young and a bit reluctant but I had to count my wins when I could. It took a lot of guts to get this far, from dealing with Damur and Skurl, to meeting Scarlet. A stroke of luck and a lot of effort.
But it was worth it.
“It’s because I really want to save them.”
My acting with the guards, my sales pitch to the mage. They were all things I wouldn’t have done a month ago. I’d never done anything like it back in the real world either. But I wasn’t just fighting for my own survival now, I had people that I wanted to make sure would get out of here alive with me.
People that had believed in me and risked their lives for me.
So the mage and I began to discuss what to do next.
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“Ugh I hate this place.”
“Be on your best behavior. Brother left this to us, we can’t disappoint him.”
One of the gates of Samak City opened and a whole entourage of people entered.
They numbered more than two dozen people, all wearing dark green chitinous armor with some variations. Those who held a sword and shield tended to have thicker and heavier armor than the rest. Mages carrying staves didn't wear armor at all, sticking to long robes of dark green that flowed with the evening wind. At the front stood two individuals who strode forward without fear into the orc’s territory, their armor and hair setting them apart from the others.
Their straight postures and attitude oozing strength betrayed their identities, needing no introduction to onlookers. Jason Carid Akka Xalud accompanied his younger sister, Maria Biva Akka Xalud into the Samak Horde’s city. Their armor was the work of a master set apart from the stock armor their honor guard wore, on the left side of mastercraft armor was a symbol: an orange centipede reaching into the clouds.
Maria shared her brother’s features. Pale skin, a high nose and sharp jawlines. But really, it was their hair color that showed their relation. Whereas Jason’s hair was a mixture of black and orange, with the orange tufts looking like insectoid eyes from a distance, Maria had long silky black hair that hung down to her waist. Two strands of orange sprouted from the center of her bangs, creating the illusion of an insect antennae.
Jason was armored in full plate mail, despite having the hilts of daggers strapped to his lower back. Maria’s chitinous armor was akin to a Qi Pao, with dark green metal greaves covering her from the elbow to hands. The girl turned to her brother, a pout on her lips.
“It smells here.”
“I said to behave.” Jason ordered.
His half-sister had done nothing but whine on their way here. He knew she was doing this on purpose. She was trying to get on his nerves and get him to dismiss her. Once out of his eyes, who knew what she might do. The only one who could realistically control her was their older brother and perhaps their father, the Patriarch. Jason vowed to not let her out of his sight. It was imperative that the auction went off without a hitch.
“Ah! Honored Guests! Welcome!”
An elderly orc came to greet them, surrounded by an entourage of orcs behind him. Jason mentally went over the information he had on the man: Skurl, the Shaman in charge of the temple where the auction would be held. He was just a puppet though, financial power lay with Damure while military power lay with the Samak Warchief: Thokthur. The fact that Skurl had come to greet them was disrespect on two different levels.
One. They thought the Akka Xalud house was not worth having Damure or Thokthur greet them.
Two. They must be thinking that the Akka Xaluds were too dumb to realize who was really in power.
“Filthy orcs.” Jason longed to rip the throat of this elderly orc just to send a message but controlled himself.
His sister on the other hand made no effort to hide her disgust. “He’s naked.”
“Do not speak. I will do the talking.” Jason whispered.
He stepped up and held out a hand first, a gesture of good will, to exchange grips with the naked orc.
“My name is Jason Carid Akka Xalud, representative of the Great House of Akka Xalud, one of the Three Pillars of the Turina Empire.”
Skurl didn’t bother returning the gesture.
Jason felt the centipedes within his skin struggle against his skin, threatening to break out in tempo with his rising anger. But Jason Carid Akka Xalud didn’t rise to his position through birthright alone. He put a collar on his inner self, forcing it to obey to reason. Control was the weapon that he had been honing all his years, he would not let this orc be the reason he became an animal.
“I am Skurl, Samak Horde’s Shaman. Warchief Thokthur sends his regrets that he cannot face you on the battlefield and as such, has sent me.”
“Animals.” His sister whispered.
If Skurl heard, he made no reaction.
“I see, please send him my regrets as well.” Jason told him.
He knew Skurl was well-versed in human politics, enough to know that what he just said now could be perceived as both a threat and open disrespect to someone from the Turina Empire. The sly orc was playing dumb, jabbing at Jason, hoping to get a rise out of him. He was probably doing this as some sort of petty revenge, for the guerilla tactics that the Akka Xalud had employed to steal their slaves from under their noses. On the flip side though, this was the cultural norm for orc. Perhaps it was a little of both.
"I'm being tested." Jason realized.
“I would love to talk some more, but we have had a long night. My men and I would like to go to our lodgings immediately, if you’d please, Shaman.”
“Of course, follow this way.”
The scions of the Great House of Akka Xalud followed their guide.
They weren’t the only guests that the Samak Horde had planned to entertain for this auction.
A merchant company led by three dwarfs from the Jayu City-States, representing the slave procurement for the Colosseum.
Freedom Fighters from the nation of Zimmskar, here to buy out their own people should they see any.
And a dozen other minor nobles and wealthy individuals.
Then there were the uninvited.
A certain [Player] mage being hunted by the Church of Turina, looking for his lost apprentice.
A bastard of a minor noble house who had been discarded by the Akka Xaluds for his failure, seeking revenge.
A blind-orc sword master who sifted through the future, looking for a way for his disciple to survive.
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