Chapter 24: The Chase [1]
The massive gate before Vaughn began to ascend, powered by the might of two guards positioned at the front. They tirelessly rotated two colossal wheels, one on each side, causing the steel gate to rise.
As the gate lifted, a blinding flash of light pierced the interior of the chamber. Vaughn, heeding Grren's earlier warning, instinctively closed his eyes in response. If he hadn't done so, he knew that he would have been left temporarily blinded by the intense brightness.
The illumination subsided as quickly as it had appeared, leaving Vaughn grateful for his quick reflexes and the advice he had received.
Vaughn and Grren continued walking forward, crossing the threshold of the door, and stepping into the world beyond. Emotions surged within Vaughn, and he felt a lump forming in his throat. He couldn't help but feel overwhelmed.
Tears welled up in his eyes, and he realized that it was a reflexive reaction. Throughout his entire life, he had been confined, enslaved underground, never having the chance to experience the world above. And now, everything was different. He was finally free, standing under the vast expanse of the clear blue sky.
"Haha, I promised to bring you outside... how does it feel?" Grren asked, a warm smile adorning his face.
Vaughn, still wiping his tears, couldn't find the right words to express his emotions. He simply nodded, a heartful of gratitude filling his eyes.
Patting Vaughn gently, Grren led the way as they walked further ahead, crossing the threshold and leaving the place behind. Waiting for them was a horse carriage, ready to take them on their journey.
"We will be traveling in this?" Vaughn inquired.
Grren chuckled and replied, "Of course! We're quite far from town. We can't possibly waste an entire day by just walking till there, can we now?"
Understanding it, Vaughn quietly boarded the carriage. Grren assumed the role of the driver, guiding the horses along the not-so-smooth road. Recent rains had left puddles scattered on the path, causing the wheels to get stuck a couple of times, but Grren skillfully maneuvered them out.
Despite the bumpy ride, Vaughn didn't utter a complaint.Vaughn peered out from the inside of the carriage as it continued its journey towards the town. The path they were taking wound through a forest, not too deep into the woods to avoid the risk of monsters attacking. Along the way, he noticed the stark contrast between the dead trees that had lost their leaves and the lively ones that had taken their place, signaling the arrival of spring.
The forest was alive with the sounds of birds chirping, and the earthy aroma of the soil filled the air. Vaughn couldn't help but appreciate the beauty of nature around him, even amidst the urgency of his investigation.
Curiosity got the better of him, and he couldn't resist asking, "Where exactly are we going?"
"To a friend. I will drop you there, and then you can continue your investigation," Grren replied cryptically, his focus on navigating the path.
Feeling the exhaustion from the fight he had earlier and the sleeplessness, Vaughn decided to take a much-needed rest. He lay down on the carriage floor, allowing his body to relax and rejuvenate. The weariness he hadn't noticed earlier now washed over him, and before he knew it, he drifted off into slumber, the rhythm of the carriage rocking him gently.
However, his respite was short-lived as he was soon roused from his sleep by Grren's voice. "Get up, kid!" Grren called out insistently for the fourth time, finally succeeding in waking Vaughn, who hastily wiped off the drool from his face.
Raising his head, Vaughn found Grren standing beside him, a serious expression on his face. It was evident that they had arrived at their destination, and it was time to face whatever awaited them in the town.
"Just a second..." Vaughn mumbled as he stepped out of the carriage, still shaking his head to shake off the drowsiness that clung to him. He felt a bit disoriented.
Grren handed him a simple hand-drawn map, showing some routes and the location of Delta's house. It was a basic sketch, but Vaughn knew it would be enough to get him to his destination.
"Meet me here exactly after five hours," Grren pointed at a marked spot on the map.
Vaughn nodded, about to ask some questions, but before he could speak, Grren had already hopped back onto the carriage and driven away. Lost in examining the map, he hadn't realized the departure.
'Delta's house isn't that far from here,' Vaughn thought to himself, studying the map's markings. He was determined to finish the investigation as quickly as possible and then use his surplus of gold coins to treat himself to a few things.
Remembering the assistance, he spoke to it, 'Hey, can you save this map for me?'
[Of course.]
The screen that appeared swiftly scanned and saved the map.
After receiving the directions from the system, Vaughn set off on foot, following the route that would lead him to Delta's house. Grren had freed his arms from the chains, but the metallic slave-collar remained securely fastened around his neck. Vaughn knew that as long as the collar was on, Garry held the power to control him, and removing it was no easy task.
As he moved through the town, he couldn't help but notice the plight of the other slaves around him. Half-naked men carrying heavy boxes bore witness to the harsh reality of their existence.
A sudden thought struck his mind: Ending slavery to free all of them.
But he shook his head, throwing away the idea for it was not in his hands to do so.
Either way, he felt one or two piercing gaze from the people in the area, especially the slaves, all of them staring at the collar around his neck.
He couldn't go on like this!
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