Chapter 95 - Cling To Your Wish

-- Aaris - PoV --

That knight mage was trembling in fear and pain, his eyes were filled with nothing but terror when I sat in front of him, he started pleading and crying, 

"I'll tell you everything, but please spare my life!" He dragged himself away from me, 

'Well then, first tell us how to get rid of that slave collar and those spells.' I pointed at that dark elf on Zia's back, 

"her collar keys! And the other slave's keys-" he started stuttering, 

'I asked you where are her's, not everyone's-' I glared right into his eyes,

Zia kicked on my head suddenly, 

'What are you doing you pesky woman!' I shouted at her, I had enough!

"Idiot, just let him say! What's the harm if we let everyone out!" She clenched her fist right in front of my face.

'Bu...but, if we let everyone out, he'll doubt we are with some aiding guild or service, our priority is to take her safely, she is probably important to Melvi and the mission I think, moreover do you think there are just a few of them? There can be tens or maybe hundreds of slaves like her, we shouldn't get into their attention more than we are already in!' 

I backed off a little away from her and hid behind that knight subconsciously, after thinking for a while she again gazed down in disappointment, 

"Ok, then…."

….phew, sighed and grabbed his collar from behind, 

'Now, spit it out!'

"I will just don't hurt me, there is a key to that collar kept in the slave's cage house, in the north from this auction houses, there is a safe, where are all the other keys are kept! And for that spell, it will also be taken down with that collar!" He started talking really fast, it was difficult to catch everything he was saying.

'Alright next question, what is this big plan you were talking about earlier?' I sat down  with my legs crossed, 

"I don't know everything but he is planning to betray….

Betray this kingdom!" The knight suddenly averted his eyes.

"Betray how? And why?" Zia suddenly spoke starting at him, 

"I don't… know how exactly but he has obtained some kind of a high-grade relic and he is planning to overthrow the kingdom, he settled his connection through the black market and got the majority of nobles on his side, and those people too! Moreover, it will begin soon…"  he shivering got worse and he turned blue in fear.

'What will begin soon and what people are you talking about?' I yanked his collar to calm him down, it took a while for him to calm down, then he grabbed my wrist, 

"I will tell you! I will tell you to but promise me my life! My life!" He started jerking and struggling, 

' didn't I tell you, I would leave you if you tell me everything-' I dropped and pushed him down, 

"No! Save me from them! They won't spare if they find out I told you everything!"

'What are you-' 

I suddenly dashed to the corner, yanking the knight with me, and the two arrows were shot at us. I didn't avert that, that would've skewered out of our eyeballs.

"What the hell was that?" Zia and Melvi turned behind but there was no one there, 

"There is no-, nobody around, is that….. Zia move!" Melvi was dumbstruck and suddenly yelled at Zia.

Zia crouched down and three arrows came storming out of a warp gate circle in the mid-air, 

'What the fuck? An assassin? Son of a bitch using a bothersome spell! Zia come here, cover him and Melvi I'll take care-' I looked over at  Melvi and saw a gate forming behind her, it was way too close!

'Melvi!' I dashed at her and covered her, but two arrows soared at me and one pierced my shoulder and one my leg.

"Rise! Are you okay? I am really sorry!" She looked at me and was screaming senselessly, 

'I am fine! I I'm fine, there is no need to worry about-' I looked over at that knight mage,

He was skewered with arrows, 'damn those fuckers! They got us! Hurry, we need to get out of here!' I pulled the arrows and grabbed Melvi in my arms, and started galloping down the floor, where we came from.

"Why are we going in that direction?' Zia called me from behind, 

'Do you want to run into some guards waiting for us?' I shouted at her, 

"You know you can say that nicely!" She caught up to me, 

'You don't deserve my generosity, you don't even treat me nicely!' Arguing and running we reached the bottom floor, treating each other and resting place for a while there, we started searching for an exit from there and infiltrating the mountain

Luckily we found an exit from there, Melvi used a disguising Talisman on us, though all this time she didn't utter a word to us and just did everything she could, she looked down and conflicted.

I looked at Zia and she shook her in negligence, telling me that this isn't a good time to talk to her.

I avoided her eyes and I looked at that dark elf, Zia told me her name was Cecilia, at least that was what Melvi called her, we covered her as baggage, and I pulled her up on my back and we prepared to go out.

We entered that gate and found another short tunnel which opened into a small gate close to a big warr house, fortunately, there was no one around there and we entered that warehouse, but what awaited us there was another dreadful place, and here I thought nothing would frighten me now, but then I saw this horrifying sight.

Hordes of humans, dwarfs, elves, beastmens, demons, not superior races called by this world but mermaids were there too, and so many minority races this world has overlooked and then I realized they didn't even spare small children, they were locked inside another cage with chained legs.

They were stuffed into cages, much more awfully than animals, they looked like they were suffocating, some were screaming and beating each other till death.

Some were begging for food, some were begging for water, I didn't want to take a long glimpse of them, their wounds and physical condition were so nauseating, there were not in the hundreds but thousands, that when I looked at Melvi her panicked attack was kicking in again!

She was breathing heavily and she started trembling again, 

"No! Please don't! I don't want to be here! Mother! father! Help me!" Suddenly she started crying and running.

"Melvi!" Zia shouted her name and ran behind her and caught her, she was trying to calm her down but now she looked more miserable than before.

So miserable, that for once, I was thinking of abandoning her, but I collected my thoughts and sighed.

'Zia, stay with her, I am going to look for Cecelia's keys and return as soon as possible.' 

"Stay aware and return safely." She nodded and I averted my gaze and started looking around, the more I went inside the more horrendous the sight got.

Everywhere I looked were nothing but cages, and slaves crying and agonizing in pain.

"Help us! Take us home!" 

"I want to see my husband! I don't have anybody but him!" I looked over and realized, they all were looking at me, they all were begging and beating their heads to the steel bars.

"I want to eat! Please, I'll be a good boy! Just give me some bread!" 

"Big Brother! Please save us! My little sister is sick! Please take us out! I will do everything you say please help us!"  I looked to my left and saw cages crammed with small children, they were all looking at me with teary eyes, their bodies with wounds more than bandages. 

I foot almost walked to those cages but I squeezed my tongues until it bled, I was losing my sanity in rage, I couldn't even get the hold of my thoughts, the only thing that was going through my mind was a desire to kill those fuckers who did this to them and torture that Diesswrin until he begs me for death.

"Big Brother please save us!"

"Please save us! I don't want to die!"

"We don't have anybody! Please-"

'Silence!' I screamed out shushing down the cries and pleads, 

'Do you want to live?' I screamed out and they just stared down at me startled.

'Do you want to live? Do you have a desire to continue living?' I screamed out again.

"I want to!' That little boy who called me screamed ou, with his shaking high voice,

"I...I want to live… I don't want to die!"

'Do you have any reason to live now?' I glared at him with cold eyes, every child was scared and released the bars, and went to the corner.

"I… I…" he tried to speak with his squeaky voice but suddenly his voice turned into a roar, 

"I...Want to protect my sister!" He roared at me, and I smiled at him, 

'Then cling to that wish and wait! I'll come for you!'