"Oh, found him!" the last one said. "Right over there!"
I looked down at the sword, still sticking out of my gut.
I'm... dead, aren't I?
The silhouettes were illuminated, no longer shadows, but bright, burning people. They couldn't even scream before they collapsed into the mud. Once the flames were gone, they were no longer illuminated, and melted into the darkness of the mud.
They're all dead!? Just... like that? Only he could've done something like that.
"Alwyn? Is that you?"
"I said I'd help, didn't I?" he boasted from in the air.
"You also said I'd win..."
"You're alive, aren't you?"
"That man, he had a magic sword. It's impaled me."
"Well, now you have a magic sword, don't you?"
"I think I'm gonna pass out..."
"Man up, it's only—"
I fell over into the mud and couldn't move. Of course, I didn't pass out. I couldn't. I was just stuck there, paralyzed but awake.
"You didn't even finish off the rest of the caravan and you're out? Seriously? Allllright, let's get you back."
He dragged me through the air by my leg, like I was a flag, and made no effort to make it a comfortable ride.
I'm not asleep you ass!
He dropped me on the ground next to the campfire and walked over to Aliza's sleeping sack.
"Oi, wake up. Oh shit, are you dead? Hello?"
"I'm not dead, fucker! What do you want!? It's the middle of the night!"
"Look over there." He pointed to me.
She rubbed her eyes. She then rubbed them again.
"What am I looking at?"
"Open your damn eyes! Lin is skewered like a kebab! Go fix him!"
"What's wrong with you? Why'd you get Lin hurt again!?"
"It's training. It's important. You wouldn't understand."
"I wouldn't understand!? Oh you're a real—"
"I'm... dying... help..." I uttered.
"Oh, wow, he's awake. That's impressive. Though, it's not like he can go into shock... so maybe it's to be expected? So convenient..." Alwyn murmured.
"Move out of my way, idiot." Aliza pushed past him. "This might hurt. Wait, no it won't! You're totally right; this is convenient!"
She yanked the sword out of my gut and tossed the sword to the side. She forced my mouth open and poured in a dark liquid.
"Seriously, Linnie, no more potions! You're going to become resistant."
"Why do I still feel... sick...?" I asked.
"Potions don't replace blood. You bled like a cow."
After a while, I was the only one still awake. I listened to the birds caw as the sun started to rise and wondered who would be the first one awake.
"RISE AND SHINE YOU TWO, WAKE UP!" Alwyn shouted.
I opened my eyes and saw him kicking Prince and Mari up.
"What the hell? What's wrong with you!?" Mari screamed.
"Huh? Did something happen?" Prince yawned.
"The two of you, duel. Right now!"
"We just woke up! Are you crazy?! I—"
Prince tackled Mari and sleepily slapped at her. He was clearly still half-asleep and had a poor understanding of what was going on.
"Get off me you idiot!"
"Duel! I'll win the duel!"
She threw him off her and started stomping him out.
"Wow, congratulations, Lady Marielle, you win! Not like it was unexpected..." he trailed off. "I don't really think it was a magic duel, but I guess it's my fault for not specifying~!"
"What...?" Prince sniffled.
"Of course I won," she scoffed.
"Yes, yes. You get a special prize!"
"Really!? What is it?"
"You get to carry Lin on your back today!"
"...What?"
Seriously!?
After they packed up the camp, Mari put me on her back and we started moving.
"How'd you get injured like this in the middle of the night anyway?" she groaned.
"...A bear attacked me while I was peeing."
"Why do I have to carry Liora? Hasn't Alwyn just been sticking her in his hat?" Prince complained.
"It's conditioning! It wouldn't be fair to have only one of you get a workout. See, it really was a prize. Lin weighs a lot less than Liora!"
"No he doesn't? Liora's like a skeleton, there's no way she weighs more!" she said.
"...But she's taller," Alwyn said.
"You—ugh!"
She stormed off. Like usual. She really storms off a lot. This time, though, I was on her back.
"Wanna play I-Spy?" I asked.
"...Fine."
"I'll go first. I spy... something green."
"Is it the grass?" she guessed.
"Nope."
"Is it the trees?"
"Uhhh... no?"
"There's literally nothing else."
"Whatever, your turn." I rolled my eyes.
"I spy something blue."
"What!? That's so obvious! You seriously suck at this," I laughed. "It's the sky."
"Wrong."
"There's nothing else that's blue, you're messing with me."
"Is that your final say? You give up?"
"I don't give up, you're just cheating."
"Look, the dragonflies over there."
"What!? How was I supposed to see that!?" I shouted.
"Isn't that the point of the game? Why are you getting mad when you asked to play?" she laughed.
"Tch, I-Spy sucks, anyway."
"Wait, no, I love I-Spy!" Aliza appeared beside us. "Let me go!"
"Linnie doesn't want to play anymore, sooo..."
"No! We can play," I grinned.
"Why does my back feel hotter all of a sudden...?" Mari asked.
"I spy... something gray."
"Something gray...? Holy—that's the city gates!" Mari broke into a sprint.
"Correct! You win!" Aliza yelled out to us.
"Slow down!" I was clutching to her for my life, but she didn't seem to care for my comfort. "What's the rush to get in the city, anyway!?"
"I want to take a bath!"
"Stop right there and show us your identification!" the guards yelled as we approached.
"Lady Marielle de Saivelle! Let me through!" she shouted, holding up her emblem.
"The lady of Corvailles? All the way out here? What's your reason for visit?"
"I'm travelling. We're going to stay at an inn, that's all."
"And who is this?" They gestured to me.
"We're apprentices of the Everflame Wizard. They're a few minutes behind us."
"The—!? Alright, go ahead. But... well... nevermind."
The gates opened and we went in.
"Gaud... this place..." she said in disbelief.
The first thing we saw was a line of chained slaves being dragged through the street. They all had a familiar... complexion. To put it bluntly, they were slaves from the south.
"I didn't realize Osvarra had such a slave economy... this has to be recent. This isn't going to be good," she groaned.
"You don't think they're gonna stone Liora or something, do you?"
"..."
"Really!?"
"I don't know! Last time I was here it wasn't like this at all! I heard there was a new duke, but I didn't expect such a radical change... it used to be like Corvailles, only the select few elite had slaves. Now, though..."
We watched in shock as slaves were delivering, building, cleaning, and worst of all, being punished. Brutally punished, openly in the streets.
"So this is a slave city..." I muttered.