***

Sooo, we did finish collecting our stash of razors and other sharp objects and gave them in bags to the people. All that was left was to wait for the right moment.

Handing the sharp objects was done by Kayia and Alan while me and Brad took care of finding some.

“So, the time has come.” Kaiya said to me.

“It would appear so.” I said and tossed her a sharp metal piece. My own I had safely hidden away on me. Can’t risk getting my dangerous improvised dagger into wrong hands. It’s a tool of murder and handling it is my great responsibility.

“I already told Alan the plan. I’ll regroup with you at the end of the sewers. If I don’t come, go.” I said.

“You’ll make it, don’t worry.” She smiled at me with a reassuring smile.

I didn’t wait around gave her a thumbs up and departed. They still had three minutes before they will go to the cells. Some of them had cells upstairs up to floor three. No matter each floor looked the same.

I went through the factory into the familiar corridor.

Here was the one cell I was in, it was a solitary one, but it wasn’t any different than the rest of them. All these were without doors. Everything worked on time here with the magical tattoos being our curses and keeping the laws. The magical tattoos made it so every prisoner was at the exact moment where need be if not. Well… let’s no talk about that.

As I came before the guard’s room, I saw Brad arriving there from a nearby cell, his hands were now wrapped in brisk white bandages.

“Ready?”

“As never before.” I gave him a fist bump, even though he didn’t expect it.

He had some meatal behind those bandages, I felt it. Hmm, even the guards have their little hidden stashes.

“That’s good. Let’s go.”

I turned around and started walking away, but he was nowhere near me instead in front of the room.

“What are you doing?” We both said while looking at each other.

“I need to get something.” Brad said.

“Kay, I’ll wait.” I went and stood by the door.

When he stepped into the room, we saw the two guards sitting at the table playing a card game. I touched the cloth over my face in my absentmindedness. Thankfully I also had on a guard cap that Brad gave me completing my disguise.

“Kyle, where have you been the whole night?” I felt the pressure mount on me as I felt singled out. One word and my cover’s blown. That much more grateful I was when I heard Brad’s voice.

“He still had work to do, in contrast to the both of you.”

We started walking towards them.

“You’re always looking for ways how to work less. You know someone for a change has to work it off.” Brad said.

“Then I’ll be forever grateful to you, that you indulge me…” He did something like a bow while laughing. “except, Kyle is dead.”

I rushed at the guard, but he stood up and threw the chair at me. Forcing me back as it hit me.

“Jake, Ling. May I know how do you know?” Brad asked sounding serious unlike usual.

“Blood under the bed was kind of telling me of what happened. But I didn’t expect you to begin a riot. The slaves will tear you apart… One good deed can’t change the fact of how many of their comrades and loved ones you took.” Who I assumed to be Ling said.

We all had our guards up, batons in hand. Meanwhile I still had my improvised dagger hidden in my other hand.

“I don’t expect them to forgive me. I did all those things for revenge. My end has nothing to do with kindness.”

There was no more need for words as we rushed at each other. As Jake my opponent was swinging at me, I dodged to the side, but before I could retaliate a blow landed on my back. I had to step away.

“Brad, control your opponent.”

“It’s easier said than done.” He responded after they both fell to the ground. Where they wrestled.

As for Jake, he rushed at me once again. This time I couldn’t dodge out of the way. He was expecting my move.

I got a direct hit to the side. It made my vision blurry and my mind blank. My tries at staying standing were fulfilled, but that garnered me a neck lock. Air was cut off from my mind and I felt my vision getting blurrier.

No… thanks, I don’t want to sleep.

A sharp scream echoed as I stabbed my improvised dagger into his thigh. That got me a bit of time to reverse the situation. I grabbed his hair and kicked him with my knee.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“You”

Followed by another kick.

“Fucking”

And another one

“Cunt”

But I was pushed back.

He stood up, panting like a beaten-up dog, his whole face a bloody mess. His eyes were red from blood or perhaps anger as he lunged at me.

This time I was prepared and used my baton. I lunged forward with it and aimed it at his neck. As I heard an unnatural wheezing, I knew I succeeded.

He clutched then clawed at his neck as he couldn’t breathe. His eyes were widening as he fell to the ground and continued his battle for oxygen on the ground. I didn’t let go of him though and gave him some kicks to the head for good measure.

“If you’re done with him, come and help me.” So, I did even though I felt my mind slipping as the adrenaline was wearing off and the pain was returning.

“You’re all going to die, slaughtered like the pigs you are. Your squeals will be heard upon miles and miles. Yet your torment will know no end. You-“ The fucker Ling was grinning, shouting his lungs out wrestling and hitting Brad as he could.

“Shut the fuck up.” I hit his neck with a baton. “You’re being fucking annoying.”

Seizing the situation Brad spun around and sat on top off him. What followed was something I can only describe as head bashing and flesh tendering.

Brad made sure that not an inch of his face wasn’t left uncared for. Even though I’m pretty sure Ling died a long time ago, but you know how temperamental are old people. I let him have his fun. After it was done, we could go.

“Now for Isao.” He said and stood up.

“Yeah. Let’s-“ A sudden shout stopped me.

“Run! We’re free!” We both looked at each other and through our eyes could read each other’s thoughts.

Fuck.

That’s too early.

We both started running down the hallway. People were running in front of us. There still was time left before the plan could start, but some cunt had a different idea. Guards were rushing in too from their rooms, but there were too many prisoners for them to be effective.

“Eli, what should we do?” Kaiya along with Alan ran towards us.

“Keep to the plan. I’ll join you after a while. I still have an errand that needs to be done.”

“What can’t you just go-“

“Alan put some faith in him. He wouldn’t do something he’s not confident about.” Kaiya said before turning back to me. “We’ll wait for you at the end of the sewer, don’t be late.”

On our way we battled some guards, but it was quickly over. As the people were pushing each other forward they got hits from here and there not even knowing from where. But there was awfully small number of them here, most of the guards must’ve stayed in in their rooms.

After we were out, we split up at the factory entrance. People were running all over the place, into the streets, going hiding into the far reaches of this town or running away into the remaining forests. Not a lot but still a sizeable portion of people ran with Kaiya and Alan as a group.

“You bastard come with me if you want to live.” Kaiya’s shouting might’ve helped with keeping that group.

I shook my head and my silly smile away to get back to the matters at hand.

“You can go away. Why don’t you do so?” Brad asked as we were running towards a mansion. It was massive and there lived the Lord along with his servants. Kept a comfortable distance away for him not to live with swine.

“I gave you my word, didn’t I? I’m set on keeping it.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s nothing I’ll be glad if there is one less thrash in this world.” I grinned. “Besides I still have a plan of my own.”

I’m sorry Kaiya but you were wrong.

I grinned.

I’m not safe and I love it.

“Then let’s get to it.” We hopped the fence that was around the mansion and sneaked under the windows. The whole right side looked to be a dining area with a kitchen. Meanwhile the left side was what we were looking for. The servant quarters.

We found one of the windows half open, letting in the faint and cool summer breeze, and so we used it to get inside. When we got in there, there was no more need for communication. We slipped into the quarters and not long after I took Isao out from there. We dropped him down in the hallway.

“You won’t need my help, will you?” I asked whispering.

Brad grabbed Isao by the neck and forced him to the ground. Right away he woke up, his eyes were threatening to pop out as he was being forced against the ground.

“What-“ Brad forced shut Isao’s mouth and smiled at me.

“No, I prefer doing it myself.”

“Then, best of luck.” I smiled and winked at the wide-eyed Isao. “To the both of you.”

I walked on to the second floor. A spiral staircase led me there. As I got there, I noticed that there was one door on the whole floor. Except it there were decorations and artwork of the Prophesized Ones.

‘Pretentious Ones that would be a good name for them.’

I crouched, got to the door and opened it as slowly as I could. When I was inside, I closed it behind myself and started sneaking towards the King bed in the far top of the room.

A shrill screech of a woman was heard. Like a flame in the dark it set the whole mansion ablaze and the shouting of the servants begun like moths buzzing around the fire.

The bed cushions started moving and so I stood up and started walking towards the bed. “What happened?” An annoyed voice came from the bed.

“My lord, it’s the slaves they had rioted and are trying to escape.” I came beside his bed and kneeled.

“Such ignorance, we feed them, take care of them. Yet this is how they return it to us. Ungrateful bastards, the lot of you.” He said it with no anger in those words just annoyance. For the fact we even had the guts to revolt under their merciful rule.

“Why are you still here thrash? Go and catch them.” He kicked at me, but I caught it in time. Before he could do anything else, I slid him off the bed right onto the cold floor.

“You’ve done it now!” He said and snapped his fingers. He looked at me smirking as if amused by what’s about to happen. But nothing did happen if you don’t take into account my fist that broke his nose.

The magic circle on my chest was gone and so I was free.

“You’ll regret this. Everyone that you love and cherish will be slaughtered. They’ll be raped-“

“Too bad there’s no longer no one like that.” I said and begun choking him.

A sporadic laughter sounded from him as the craze in his eyes grew and magic circles got visible in his palms. He wasn’t the only one that was smiling though.

‘Pretentious Ones, nah. I got a more fitting name for them.’

“Delusional Ones.”

He grasped my hands and the magic got activated. Flames started pouring out and slithering up my arms, yet I held on.

The sizzling of flash, the sounds of fighting from both of us and the laughing and the oh so sweet laughing. For me it started as a cackle, but I couldn’t help it and it grew more and more.

The more I laughed the less I heard him laughing, his got quitter and replaced by horror that mounted on and on as the flames grew uncontrollable and went down to my hands and my fiery grip got more and more imprinted on his neck.

How nice of me to give him a hell hot hug.

The gravity of the situation set in for him, but it was too late.

He died like he lived, without care for the world but himself.

The flames were extinguished as no mana was being pumped into them and so I could take off my arms. They were charred with blisters that stretched all over to my neck and chest full, but I ignored it as I saw a necklace. It was laying on his chest and at the end was a small book.

A spell book.

I wore it myself as that was the most precious thing he had. With surprising ease I stood up and was about to walk out of the room when I heard a coughing from the bed. Unsure I came closer and threw off the bed sheets. Inside were two women battered and bruised, they were both naked and hugging each other.

They were shaking from the cold I presume - it can’t be because of me, right?

Right.