Chương 154: Makena and Sven

Ravetrisk had handed Agnes over to the nobleman and had already returned to the prison. With determined steps, he made his way to Ethan's cell, unlocked it, and crouched down in front of him until their faces were level. Ethan's hands were bound by heavy chains fixed to the wall.

"Do you know that you're the most dangerous slave I have in here?" Ethan slowly raised his gaze. His eyes burned with nothing but hatred and rage.

"Those eyes…" Ravetrisk murmured with a faint smile.

"I know that feeling well. Anger at the injustice of the world. The kind of anger that comes from feeling powerless". Ethan tried to headbutt him, but the chains snapped taut with a metallic jerk, stopping him.

"The girl was valuable merchandise. That's how the slave market works: young slaves sell more easily". Ravetrisk spoke with an almost infuriating calm.

"It was obvious that I should sell her immediately and for a high price. Don't blame me…blame the market and the preferences of slave owners. That's how it works. I didn't create this system. I merely inherited it". Ethan continued to stare at him.

"I'll kill you…" he hissed.

"Oh, really?"

"I'll kill you and every bastard involved in this system. I'll kill every last one of you. I'll tear you apart one by one…you'll watch your own organs spill from your bodies. You'll die in unimaginable agony". A vicious grin twisted Ethan's face.

"I won't stop until every one of you is dead". He was completely blinded by rage. Losing Agnes had shattered what remained of his emotional stability, leaving behind nothing but blind hatred. Ravetrisk stood up.

"You won't kill anyone", he said coldly.

"Soon, you'll be sold too. You'll be a slave for the rest of your life, and you'll never see that girl again". He turned around and left the cell. Agnes was being dragged through the streets by a chain attached to her collar. Every jerk irritated the skin around her neck. The man who had bought her was around fifty years old, short and corpulent, with white hair slicked back. His elegant white suit, made from expensive fabric, looked almost absurd beside the chain in his hand.

Two armed guards followed a few steps behind him. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

"Don't be afraid, little one", he said reassuringly.

"There are others like you on my large farm. You can play together…doesn't that sound nice?" Agnes's face was streaked with tears.

"Why…" she asked emotionlessly.

"Why do you buy slaves?" The man stopped and looked at her, genuinely surprised.

"What kind of question is that? Because I can".

"But don't you understand that it's wrong? Taking away other people's freedom?!"

"If it were truly wrong, why would the world allow it?" he replied.

"Is the entire world wrong, then? Girl, that's just how life is. But don't worry. As long as they behave themselves, I tend to treat my little slaves very well". He started walking again, pulling on the chain. The great port of Aqareth came into view ahead of them. A ship was waiting to take the nobleman to his farm. But when they reached the pier, two figures stepped into their path, blocking the way.

"Let that slave go immediately, bastard". The speaker was a dark-skinned woman with long purple hair. She was tall and muscular, dressed simply in a black tank top, white pants, and dark boots. A bow and quiver were strapped to her back.

"Didn't you hear her?" the man beside her added. He was enormous, nearly two meters tall, with long ash-blond hair. He wore an open shirt that revealed his abs and a pair of long green pants, while a greatsword hung from his back.

"Who the hell are you?!" the slave owner shouted.

"She's my slave! I paid six hundred crowns for her!"

"Last warning", the woman said. The two guards stepped forward.

"How dare you threaten our lord? Get out of the way, or you'll pay with your lives!"

"Exactly! Disappear before-" An arrow pierced his right eye. The guard collapsed to the ground before he could finish his sentence. The other guard immediately drew his sword and charged at the woman, but the giant man stepped between them. He blocked the strike and, with a single swift movement, slit the guard's throat. Only the slave owner remained. Terrified, he reached into his pocket to grab a dagger and point it at Agnes. He never got the chance to draw it. An arrow struck him squarely in the forehead.

The man let out a muffled groan and collapsed to the ground, releasing the chain. Agnes stood motionless, silently staring at the three corpses. The two strangers approached her. The woman picked up the dagger from the slave owner's hand and used it to cut through the leather collar around Agnes's neck.

"Are you all right, girl?" Agnes brought a hand to her neck.

"Yes…who are you?"

"I am Makena, the Infallible".

"I am Sven", the man said.

"Just Sven".

"I'm Agnes. Thank you…if it weren't for you…I'm indebted to you".

"Don't be", Makena replied calmly.

"What decent person wouldn't save a little girl from a slave owner?" Agnes lowered her gaze. She remained silent for a few moments before finally finding the courage to speak.

"I don't want to take advantage of your kindness, but there are other people who need to be saved beneath this city". Sven looked at her carefully.

"Do you know where they are?"

"No. They covered my eyes during the journey. But we can find them". She swallowed.

"Please, help me. There's someone among them I care about very much…please". Makena and Sven exchanged a glance.

"Of course we'll help you, Agnes", Makena said with a sincere smile. Sven nodded. Agnes gave them a faint smile in return. In a city full of people who saw other living beings as nothing more than merchandise, meeting two adventurers willing to help a child without asking for anything in return was like finding a flower in the desert.