X woke up a couple of hours later after the carriage came to a halt. He surveyed his surroundings and, noting that everyone else had already disembarked, groggily emerged from the carriage, rubbing his eyes as he adjusted to the bright light.

Heiran approached him, one finger over his mouth. “Shh! Don’t make a sound and keep quiet.”

While everyone stretched their legs, the early morning star rose over distant mountains, casting a warm glow over the group. X observed four hooded figures surrounding him, his captors, and a fifth one, separated from the main squad. This last hooded creature, however, was visibly shaking and fidgeting, its nervousness palpable even under the concealing clothing. It took X no time to guess his companion’s identity: the other bait.

Heiran approached the baits and chained them together, his movements precise and methodical. He stared at the sorry excuses of creatures standing before him, making certain to be stared back at.

"Stay here or stay dead," he warned them.

Without another word, Heiran and his team began to make their way uphill, crawling on their hands and knees as they neared the edge. Back near the carriage, X turned to his bait partner, who clearly struggled with the situation.

"You alright?" he asked.

But there was no response. X could see the creature hidden under the clothes had a difficult time coming to terms with its captivity. The chains that bound them together clinked and clacked as the being trembled with fear. The elf couldn't help but wonder who this creature was and how it had ended up in this situation. Was it a lost soul, an innocent bystander? X highly doubted it. More likely, the individual was a being they wanted to dispose of, just like himself, guilty of something. The poor sentient creature’s every nervous action screamed its inexperience in the art of captivity. It had dread written all over.

“From what I’ve heard,” X began speaking, “they’re going to hit an outpost at the other side of these hills.” He looked at the four assassins prone near the edge. “Which happens to be next to a cave. Then they’ll get the glittering stuff. And we lucky ones will be bait for every manner of lurking beasts, intelligent or otherwise. I reckon.”

Still, no sound came out of his companion in chains.

The elf continued, “Bait. Used for diversion. We’ll end up captured or dead. If you ask me, I prefer a quick death, because falling into the enemy’s hands...”

X could feel the chains clanking stronger and faster, and he could almost taste the agitation of the being beside him.

“Torture is not for the feeble nor weak-minded,” X didn’t relent. “I don’t know what to expect in this world, but I see no reason why creatures here would use a different menu. Burning, mutilations, gutting us like fish—”

"Stop! Shut up!" a female voice interrupted, taking off her hood and mouth scarf. Shocked, X stepped back, bringing the monster along with him.

“Hey, stop pulling!” she exclaimed.

“I forgot I’m chained to this!” X's face twisted into pure disgust as he stared at her.

“Have you never seen a half-reptiliana, half-mermyd kinn’haya!?”

Scales and fin-like ears sprouted from the sides of her head, her disheveled hair hanging down her mostly naked scalp, and her fat serpent tongue fidgeted in the air. Her monstrous humanoid semblance took center stage. X tried to calm down, accepting bit by bit her blasphemous features. She noticed the revulsion in his eyes, as if she were nothing more than a freak of nature.

If it didn’t breathe and crap, it’d be like one of those wax statues. A wax monstrosity.

The elf shook his head, attempting to shake off the feeling. X rationalized that strange lands must unequivocally beget strange creatures.

She bears no blame for her disfigured self.

Then it dawned on him that something had gone very wrong in this world, between the deformed creatures and its backwards development. Pity grew inside the elf, for her, for all of them. He put a hand on her shoulder, and spoke, “Your desperation is understandable, it’s not your fault.”

"Argh!" She threw her fists up and down in frustration.

"Of course, it's not my fault! Why am I bait!? Fucking Brmmin and Rpptif, they set me up! Ahh!"

X couldn't help but notice the change in her accent as she pronounced those strange names. However, before he could ponder it further, their captors returned.

"Ah, Slamaga, you finally decided to join us," said a feminine voice as she patted her back.

"It's Slllamagga, Ferraine," she corrected through gritted teeth.

"Sounds exactly like I said it," retorted Ferraine with a smirk.

"And no, I was falsely accused! I've been trying to tell you!" exclaimed Slllamagga.

"Shut up or we'll shut you up," said Heiran in a menacing tone. Slllamagga immediately fell silent, cowering under his intimidating presence. The orc walked towards the carriage. "Seijen, bring down our chests."

Obediently, the chubby man brought down two wooden and heavy-looking containers. “Everyone, come get your equipment,” he said to his hooded companions.

X's heart began to race as he observed the two chests filled with weapons, accessories, glowing items—some with shining words engraved on them—and many other objects he failed to recognize. He couldn't help the surge of adrenaline that ran through him, just like old times.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

[Uff... Whomever they are, they pack heavy.]

The specter materialized by the chests, peering inside.

X stared at the vision and spoke out loud, “You finished?” momentarily forgetting to keep his thoughts to himself while in the company of others. His fellow sentient creature in misery frantically gestured for him to be quiet.

One of the assassins turned around, "Huh? Did the baaait speak?" baaing and bleating at the baits.

"Assassins! Seems the baits are anxious to begin. Drop 'em." Heiran gave the order.

"See what you did?!" complained Slllamagga, her voice filled with anger and frustration.

"Oooh Sllammpig, we'd uuuse you anyhow, anyway... Nooot that I'd do, I'm not iiinto... whatever is it thaaat you are," the figure baaed at her.

"It's Slllamagga motherfucker, and I'd never do it with a damned feralis either! Least of all a putrid baakin!"

"Liiike I care! And you don't haaave your reptiliana 'ssss' accent anymore... too muuuch human cock changed your voooice?" baaed the baakin.

"Fuck you!" swiftly replied Slllamagga.

"Oinks, somebody squeal them up!" yelled the piggish voice.

A slender figure came and took hold of the chains binding them together and pulled.

This one’s a strong one.

Under its hood, X saw a pair of fiery, demonic eyes, dark gray skin, and delicate female features. She led both baits up the hill they had used to scout the humans below and pushed them towards its edge. The elf saw a valley down below, between rugged walls, at the base of a steep mountain. Tents populated the opposite corner while dots pranced between them.

"Wait! Ferraine, wait!" cried out Slllamagga.

Ferraine blinked with one of her fiery red eyes. "Exactly, create a ruckus as you go down." And with that, she pushed Slllamagga off the edge.

X turned his head at the last moment, he saw no one except Seijen, who remained sitting on the carriage. How did everyone disappear? But he had no time to think, as a long fall over the steep and sandy wall awaited. Their drop and screams called everyone's attention down below.

The captain's voiced cracked the calm morning as he bellowed at the soldier on watch duty, "What is that? Jakkobini!" He turned to his lieutenant, "Damn Jakkobini! He’s sleeping on his watch again. Lieutenant, get two men and see what’s happening there, keep your swords ready and signal if anything’s wrong."

The lieutenant quickly complied, gathering two soldiers while the rest of the camp waited for further commands.

X and Slllamaga tumbled down the steep incline, dust and loose rocks pelted them as they fell what seemed an endless drop. The elf covered his head with both hands, holding tight to the piece of cloth he had used to cover his head. Both landed on hard ground. Slllamaga groaned in pain.

"Shit! Fucking Ferraine, that hurt!" cursed Slllamaga as she struggled to stand up.

The male elf stayed on the ground, but the chains pulled him.

"Get up!" shouted Slllamaga, her nerves cracking again as she heard noises and turned around. "Shit, humans are coming! Shit! Shit!"

Three human soldiers approached them. The lead soldier covered his nose and said, "Lieutenant, these are putrajados. And these ones stink like open sewage."

"Lucky guess, genius," said X.

“You say what?” questioned the soldier.

Before X could answer, the lieutenant spoke, staring sternly at the two putrajados before him, "Who are you? Where do you come from? And what are you doing here?"

“I-im... Slllam—” But X interjected, “Slaves! Captives! Look!” and held up the chain binding them together.

“A putrajado mutt and a sickly... something. Damned slaves!” The soldiers surrounded them, pushing them around and demanding answers. "Speak, slaves, what are you doing here? Where are your collars?"

Slllamaga stammered while X tried to come up with a believable story, "You know Saint Jalli.."

One of the soldiers cut in, "What? Saint Jaulea?"

"Yes!" replied X.

Another soldier's voiced roared with anger, "You’re from there?!”

“We are?” asked Slllamaga, surprised.

“It was terrible what happened there,” commented the soldier.

“Terrible? It was a massacre! My cousin was stationed there. He said the damned rebel slaves killed everything that crossed their paths—women, children, old people—taking hostages, torturing them... it was hell," said the other soldier.

“Shit, really? I knew it had been bad, but not that bad,” spoke his partner.

“Well, if you are from Saint Jaulea, that means you’re slave-rebels...” concluded the lieutenant, staring at the baits.

“What?! Wait! No!” implored the half-mermyd, half-reptiliana kinn’haya.

The lieutenant stepped in, "Bring them to the camp. The captain’s going to want to have a word with them."

While the soldiers engaged with both baits, stealthed figures approached the human camp from opposite sides. These assassins lacked amateurish qualities, instead, their abilities were refined, operating in unison as they sought their targets.

The captain signed document after document, glancing at the soldiers inside his tent. "What's keeping them?" he asked.

A soldier momentarily stepped out and returned inside with news. "They're coming, two others with them."

"Good," said the captain. He and his men stepped out of the tent.

The baits’ captors roughly shoved them around until they landed at the captain’s feet.

"Jeez... this world's manners are sorely lacking..." said X, soaking in the star's rays that had begun to heat up the atmosphere.

"I reckon these are the trespassers that fell down the slope," spoke the captain.

"Slaves, Captain. And not any slaves. Saint Jaulea slaves," replied the lieutenant.

The captain's eyes shined, and a grin crossed his face. "My sister was in Saint Jaulea. Did I ever tell you that, Lieutenant Abaddan?"

“Yes, sir.”

"She almost didn't make it but managed to survive the whole ordeal... with her face blown off!" The captain’s anger vibrated in each and every word. He unsheathed his sword and placed its sharp tip over Sllammaga’s chest.

"Wait! I had never been to Saint Jaulea! I had nothing to do with it! It's him! Him!" she exclaimed, pointing her scaly finger at the elf.

"Me?" asked X, innocently pointing at himself.

"Goddamn putrajados. No honor. Savage impulses, pure egoism, and hate flows through their veins. Nothing we can do about that... in any case, we only need one slave alive. Whom to kill?" spoke the captain, raising his sword, ready to strike down one of the two captives.

But before he could make his move, a yell came from a tent on the opposite side of camp, "Assassins!"

"What the—!?"

"Shit!"

"We are under attack! I want a defensive formation on the double! Find them, kill them!" shouted the captain.