Sora and the other slaves lined up near the edge of the ship with shackles locked on their wrists behind their backs. They faced a volcano on a coast which the ship was approaching toward. Below the giant shield volcano was a small city of tall square stone buildings.

Sora assumed they were approaching the small continent, the Desert of Urgana. Heavily populated by reptiles who hated the mammals, and strong deadly monsters that only higher level players could find hidden rare loot and explore tombs that might reveal secrets of the world by Zyborian. For level two players, it was a death sentence.

Sora heard a growl and looked to her right. Next to her, a tall, muscular black bulldog looked at her and smiled with his eyebrows raised. Sora could tell there was a hungry look in that dog man's eyes.

She gulped.

“You have nothing to fear,” Maxor whispered from her left.

Sora hoped so, for her sake.

The brig stopped near a wooden dock on the beach, and the ramp from the ship lowered to the dock.

Vahr marched down the ramp. “Follow me!”

The guards pushed the slaves to move forward down the ramp. When they touched the dock, Vahr turned to them. “Hold here and spread out!”

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The slaves lined back up in a single row, facing the frog. Behind them, the guards stood, watching them.

Is this a slave auction?

In front of them, a tall crocodile in a tanned thawb garment approached them with two guards on both sides. His robes covered his entire body, except his large webbed feet and his chubby face beneath his hood.

Sora narrowed her eyes at him.

Xian

Toad

Sheik

Male

Level: 20

HP: 200/200

NPC

He must be the sheik who Vahr mentioned on the ship. Why does the NPC want slaves from the main continent?

The large crocodile stopped and scanned his narrow eyes at the slaves. “Welcome to my clan, Hankala, where you will be fighting in the Inferno Cauldon arena.”

He puffed out his chest with his hands behind his back. “You are here because we want you here. We want to see your blood spill across our land to give us smiles. There will be no escape, but death. If you can’t fight, you will die. If you win, we will reward you. And I expect you all to entertain my tribe for the sake of your lives. But if you cross me….”

He stepped close toward Sora and glared closely at her face. A grin curled on his long lips. “Then you will know true suffering.”

Sora lowered her ears.

Although Xian was only big mean NPC, he sure as hell made Sora feel like wetting her pants. . . . . If she was wearing one.

Xian stepped back. “Take them to their cells. I want them ready for our upcoming event."

The guards pushed the slaves to march down. Sora followed them to keep up so the guards wouldn’t poke their spears at her to move.

“I think I’m going to like it here,” Maxor whispered.

Sora looked back and glared at him. “Easy for you to say!”