I took the bread given by the cook in front of me and quietly made my way toward the table where my group was sitting. Despite the appetizing smell of all the newly cooked bread inside the wagon, I knew better than to linger around. After all, there's still a line of miners stretching in front of the carts.
I could feel the gazes of nearby cloaks and guards as I walked past them. Because of this, I lower my head along the way, not wanting to attract any attention to myself.
Let's just get this day over with...
As I passed by tables crowded with miners eating and talking, their voices merged into a cacophony that blended with the surrounding noises; the clanking of tools, the creaking of wheels from passing wagons in the near distance, and many more.
Suppressing a yawn, I felt the morning breeze sweep over me, sending a subtle chill through my entire body.
There, spotting my group sitting in the farthest corner, I carefully made my way towards them, doing my best to avoid bumping into any miners who were in my path.
Upon arriving, I exchanged a few greetings with them before taking my seat beside Little Fish. I immediately began munching on my bread the moment I settled into my seat. After all, eating alongside company just gives off the best feeling ever.. a sense of comfort and connection with everyone and the environment.
When we were finally done eating, me and the group made our way towards a nearby large barrel of water to wash and rehydrate ourselves.
While I waited for Arde to finish washing up before my turn, my attention was suddenly captured by a distant commotion. A couple of tables away from me, two miners were locked in a brawl. Punches were traded with every passing moment, and painful grunts echoed from the battling pair. As the fight escalated, the gathering crowd's cheers grew louder, gradually drowning out other sounds in the vicinity.
I noticed a few cloaks hurrying over to join the excited crowd, while the others remained, engaged in hushed discussions. They appeared to be deciding whether to intervene, ignore the situation, or perhaps even join in.
Amidst the boisterous crowd, I discerned a few words amidst the excitement, such as 'fight,' 'dead,' and more. thanks to Little Fish and Gulfram for their teachings.
Minutes passed, and with each passing minute, both fighting miners became increasingly bloodied, their cries of pain following every blow.
It was until another minute had passed that a new sound of yelling and the stomping of multiple boots suddenly erupted in the distance.
What the..
Turning my gaze in the direction of the new noise, I spotted the Warden himself flanked by several dozen guards, clad in gambeson and swords, marching through a pathway between large wooden structures.
Uh oh..
The last time I encountered him was when I first arrived in this place. It was also my introduction to him, and he hasn't changed a bit. He's still as overweight and incredibly unattractive as before. However, this time, he was dressed in a fine brown tunic with a black cloak draped over his upper body. His sword also hung on his belt.
At this, the fighting and cheering immediately ceased, with every head in the area turning towards the approaching Warden in the distance. Tension hung in the air as other miners in groups began making their way to their own table, their heads lowered the entire time.
Additionally, the cloaks who had been among the cheering crowd stood frozen in place, appearing uncertain about how to handle this unforeseen turn of events. It seems the Warden's arrival was unannounced, catching everyone here off guard.
I felt a sense of anticipation and fear wash over me as I observed the Warden coming to a halt in front of the two miners who had been brawling just moments ago. The blood dripping from their swollen and bruised bodies was clearly visible even from this distance.
Then, with a sudden yell from the Warden, the guards surrounded the two miners, as well as the cloaks who remained in their places. Encircled, the miners and the cloaks instinctively huddled in the middle.
Murmurs began to ripple through the seated miners and the cloaks who hadn't participated in cheering during the fight earlier, including Arden, Little Fish, and a couple of miners from our group.
Despite this, I could only make out a few words that seemed related to the current situation happening right now.
The murmurs across the area finally subsided when the Warden suddenly yelled something, only to be replaced by gasps of shock and surprise.
I suddenly hear a grunt besides me, turning towards the noise, I find Little Fish taking a small step back, his gaze clearly focused on the Warden in the distance, Arde meanwhile was glaring at the newly arrivals, uneasiness plastered on his face.
Suddenly, the Warden announced something, eliciting gasps of shock and rejection from both the miners and the cloaks.
One of the two miners and a few cloaks attempted to flee, but they were swiftly intercepted and subdued by the surrounding guards. This prompted the rest to fall into silence once more, as the Warden issued what appeared as an order to his subordinates.
Following his order, roughly a third of the guards encircling the cloaks and miners proceeded to hurl small bladed weapons at their feet. In a frenzied instant, those trapped within the circle desperately scrambled for the nearest weapon, turning on each other with ruthless ferocity. Any men who attempted to escape the encirclement were quickly cut down by the surrounding guards. The resulting cacophony of screams and agony engulfed the entire area.
My eyes widened as I watched the blood-soaked spectacle before me. My breath seemed to catch in my throat, and my heart pounded so hard it felt frozen. Tremors coursed through my body, and sweat coated my skin as I witnessed the gruesome scene unfolding right in front of my eyes.
Not miners.. not cloaks, but men..
And these men fell.. their fates varying wildly. Some had their intestines spilling from their torn bellies, while others suffered from vicious slashes across their necks. Astonishingly, a few remained alive, writhing in agony, drowning in their own blood, before eventually going limp and lifeless.
Nausea engulfed me, threatening to spill whatever remained in my stomach. Hastily, I clamped a hand over my mouth and turned away from the gruesome scene before me.
Unfortunately, others were not so lucky, I could already hear a few miners from my group throwing up, though I didn't recognize Arde and Little Fish's voice from any of them.
Closing my eyes, I tried my best to ignore the screams in the distance but..
I can't..
I'm going to carry this scene with me for the rest of my life... I just fucking know it.
It was my first time witnessing a person's death... let alone in such numbers and in such brutal ways.
This is too fucked up!
That was until the screaming and the sound of men killing each other finally stopped.
As I opened my eyes, I found my right hand trembling uncontrollably. I attempted to close my fist several times, but it continued to shake relentlessly.
I muttered under my breath, stealing a quick glance at the gruesome scene. The guards were busy dragging away the lifeless bodies, while the remaining cloaks and guards overseeing the bread distribution began dispersing the line of miners. This prompted a chorus of grumbling and frustration from those who wouldn't get their breakfast today. Still, they seemed to understand the consequences of openly defying our captors, especially after witnessing the recent slaughter.
Disgusted by the sight of lifeless bodies strewn across the ground, my gaze shifted to the Warden in the distance. He was observing the gruesome scene with a twisted, malevolent smile plastered on his face. I couldn't help but think that this sick bastard probably had that smile even during the slaughter.
Men died... for this fucker's entertainment?
Suddenly, the memory of the Warden mercilessly beating the life out of the old man during my first day in this accursed quarry surged back into my mind. It ignited a blazing fury within me, not just directed at the Warden, but at every person who had inflicted suffering upon me during my time here.
I want to fucking tortu-...
"Carillus?" the voice of Little Fish suddenly interrupted my thoughts.
What?
I stared at him, my eyes blinking as he pointed his finger towards somewhere, following the direction his finger was pointing out, I can see that another group of guards and cloaks had arrived at the scene, now ushering every miners out from the eating area.
Then, he gestured for me to follow him, simultaneously pointing towards my group who were waiting for us nearby.
Taking a long and deep breath, I nodded in agreement and started to follow Little Fish and the rest of our group as we merged with the crowd of miners streaming out of the eating area. While walking amidst the crowd, a troubling thought crossed my mind, filling me with a sense of slight despair.
Despite all of this, we still have work to do...
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CHAPTER DONE!!