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Clashes of metal crashing against each other.
A pot being struck with a spoon, over and over.
The noise rips the boys out of their lethargy.
They are curled up, far too close together, like people who learned to sleep that way out of necessity. Not comfort. Tired bodies, stiff, badly arranged. The kind of rest that fixes nothing, it only keeps you from collapsing.
Hitaru is the first to sit up.
The sound is still pounding in his chest, as if he'd been hit from the inside. His head feels heavy, thick, with the unpleasant sensation of not having really slept. He just closed his eyes for hours.
He blinks.
He can barely make out silhouettes moving in the dim light. People standing up slowly, clumsy, dragging their feet. No one speaks. No one seems fully awake. Some just sit there, staring into nothing.
Then he turns his head.
He sees a pair of legs right behind him.
His body reacts before his mind does. He jumps back abruptly. His heart shoots up into his throat, like something snapping inside his chest.
"Warn me you're there… you almost gave me a heart attack," he says, but stops halfway through the sentence.
He looks up.
He sees his bruised face. Swollen. The blows are obvious even in the poor light.
"What happened to you…? Did he do this to you?" he asks without trying to hide his concern, as he tries to stand up.
Pain cuts through him immediately.
A sharp stab in his chest forces him to stop halfway. He brings a hand to his torso, teeth clenched.
Damn goblin… they really hit hard.
"Don't worry…" the other replies, brushing it off. "It's over."
"Hitaru. That's my name. And yours?"
"Héctor, but call me Mantown. That's my channel's name," he says, extending a hand to help him up.
"Your channel…? Are you a bearer?" Hitaru asks curiously, accepting the help.
Once on his feet, Hitaru looks down.
The girl is still asleep, curled up, breathing slowly.
"Yes. But I barely get any views," Mantown continues. "Getting captured by goblins and failing to escape doesn't help much, you know?"
"I can imagine… I wouldn't watch a slave's life either if it wasn't interesting…" he stops when he notices Mantown's annoyed expression. "I didn't say anything. Forget it. What are we doing now?"
"Well, you and the other slaves… in a bit you're going to the mine to dig."
"And the girl? What's going to happen to her?" Hitaru interrupts, a knot forming in his throat.
"I was getting to that. She'll help with the injured slave women, cooking, things like that. Nothing will happen to her," he says, then adds with a tone full of sarcasm. "Being challenged, for some reason, their orc ancestry doesn't allow them to break their 'bravery.'"
Before they can keep talking, a bell rings in the distance.
Hitaru turns his head. The sound comes from the large cabin.
Then he lowers his gaze.
A dozen armed guards enter the enclosure. They shove bodies, lift those still sitting, line up slaves without looking them in the face.
"What's happening…?" the girl asks, still half asleep.
"They're going to make us work," Mantown replies, making air quotes with his fingers.
"They won't do anything to you. Mantown assured me," Hitaru says, helping her up. "Here, take your jacket…"
"I don't need it. Keep it," she replies, nodding.
"Well, lovebirds, I'm leaving before they give me another beating," Mantown says, waving goodbye. "Just don't do anything stupid."
"Love what…?"
"Don't listen to him," Hitaru interrupts. "Hey… what's your name? You never told me."
"My name is Layla…"
"Damn slaves! Gather up now, unless you want me to kill you right here!"
The shout cuts through the air.
Hitaru and Layla turn at the same time.
The goblin who spoke wears purple and black robes, far too big for his small body. They hang off him as if they once belonged to someone dead.
Without saying a word, both of them walk toward the entrance.
The goblin gives orders in his language. Hitaru doesn't understand anything. When he finishes, the guards move.
One grabs Hitaru by the arm. Another does the same to Layla.
"Easy, let go… I can walk," Hitaru says.
He's ignored.
They separate them.
Men on one side. Women on the other.
No one protests. No one speaks.
They make them pass through some fences, like those of a stable. Each one is given a pickaxe and a backpack. Hitaru tries to talk to the men beside him.
No one responds.
Empty stares.
Faces that already gave up.
They lead them to a nearby mine. It's only a few minutes' walk. The entrance is dark, guarded by more goblins behind a counter full of papers.
They receive documents one by one.
When it's Hitaru's turn, he takes it without understanding. He reads while walking.
Daily quota:
[15 ultra-basic mana stones]
[10 mega-low mana stones]
[5 low mana stones]
[1 lotus crystal]
[1 Margo crystal]
What is this…?
How am I supposed to get something I don't even understand?
"Hey, kid. Move along," a man behind him whispers.
"Sorry… I don't understand what this is—"
"Lower your voice," the old man warns. "You don't want a whipping. Trust me… they're not pretty."
Hitaru falls silent.
Later, when the guards move away, he turns to the old man. They speak in low voices. He learns the basics.
Mana stones.
Color.
Purity.
Quota.
If they fail: whippings.
If they cause a collapse: death.
Strangely, Hitaru feels something warm. Something he hasn't felt since he was a child. With this old man, the world feels a little less hostile.
He doesn't leave his side.
They start mining.
Each strike burns his palm. The hole in his hand bleeds. Even so, he doesn't stop.
Fear weighs more than pain.
Hours pass.
He doesn't even reach half his quota.
"Damn it, old man," he whispers. "Does it always take this long? My hand hurts like never before…"
"Shut up and keep going," he replies without looking at him. "If you don't want punishment."
Hitaru lowers his gaze.
Then he sees it.
A small stone, round, smooth. About the size of a ping-pong ball.
He touches it.
A floating window appears in front of his face.
He startles and drops it.
"Are you okay?" the old man asks.
"Yeah… yeah. I'm fine."
Curiosity wins.
He picks it up again.
The window reappears.
Welcome, Hitaru.
I am a system stone. I will help you see your physical and mental statistics. I will be your energy and your mana…
He doesn't get to read more.
Out of the corner of his eye, he sees a guard approaching.
Panic floods him.
He has no pockets.
He has nowhere to hide it.
He looks at the stone.
He looks at his wounded hand.
They're the same size.
He doesn't think.
He pushes the stone into the wound.
The pain is unbearable. Blood pours out. The stone burns, as if it's scorching him from the inside.
He hides his hand just as the goblin arrives.
Don't notice.
Please… don't notice.
The goblin stretches out his hand—
A thunderous crash shakes the mine.
Screams.
The ground trembles.
A collapse…?
Am I going to die buried…?
"Watch out, kid!" the old man shouts.
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Commentary:
Leave your collection and a comment so I know you liked it. That motivates me to write more chapters with higher quality.
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