Princess Elanor, now a prisoner, was being taken by mercenaries to someplace. She heard them say the journey would last three days on horseback, and each moment became a mental torture for her, as she thought about her brother and the uncertain future of her country.
On the first night of the journey, the mercenaries set up camp in a forest clearing. Elanor was tied to a tree, her dirty and torn clothes reflecting the harsh reality of her situation. As the men prepared to sleep, one of them, with a predatory look, approached her.
"Finally, some fun," he said with a malicious smile. He began tearing Elanor's clothes, ignoring her screams and resistance attempts. His aggression increased, but before he could go further, he was interrupted by a fierce blow that threw him to the ground.
"Captain Venum wants her intact," said the man who seemed to be in charge. His voice was cold and authoritative, making it clear he would not tolerate disobedience. "But he doesn't even know if she's still a maid or not," argued the aggressor, still on the ground holding his face where he had been hit.
"I don't care," the leader retorted. "I'm responsible for her. Any damage, and you'll deal with Venum personally." With that, he turned to Elanor, who, still trembling with fear, tried to thank him.
"Thank you..." she murmured, but before she could finish, the leader struck her so hard that he knocked her out. "I didn't do it for you," he said scornfully as he returned to the camp.
Elanor fell to the ground, unconscious, as the mercenaries resumed their positions around the campsite. The silence of the night was interrupted only by the crackling of the fire and the occasional whisper of the men, while the princess lay fallen, her hopes of freedom fading with each passing moment.
The next day, the journey continued, and Elanor was visibly shaken. She refused to eat or drink water, making clear her state of despair. The mercenary leader, worried about the possibility of her dying before they reached Zoarlath, took drastic measures.
"Eat and drink!" he ordered, repeatedly punching Elanor to force her to obey. Each blow made her body tremble with pain, but she kept her mouth closed. "This is for Captain Venum," he growled, trying to justify his brutality.
After many attempts and beatings, the mercenaries finally managed to force Elanor to swallow some food and water. Her face was swollen, covered in bruises, and her distant look reflected the trauma she was experiencing.
"Hey, chief," said the bandit who had tried to rape her the night before, in a sarcastic tone. "Disfiguring her face isn't going to be bad for you? The Captain wants her intact, remember?"
The leader, with no patience for irony, responded with more violence. He punched the bandit, throwing him to the ground with a quick and brutal move. "Shut up," he shouted. "Just do your job and keep your mouth shut."
Elanor, sitting on the ground, watched the scene with glazed eyes, trying to absorb the reality of her captivity. The brutality of the men around her and the constant reminder that her life was in the hands of a cruel slaver like Venum only increased her despair.
As the caravan continued on its way, Elanor felt her spirit breaking a little more with each step. The physical pain was unbearable, but it was the loss of hope that tormented her the most. Still, deep down somewhere in her being, a small flame of resistance still burned, fueled by the memory of her brother and the determination to fight.
During the night of the second day, another group of bandits appeared, bringing some captured women. The leader of the second group, a burly, grim-faced man, approached the leader of the first group and asked, in a hoarse voice, "Did you get what Captain Venum wanted?"
"Yes" replied the leader of the first group, pointing to Elanor, tied to a tree. The leader of the second group approached her, but quickly turned back, holding his nose with a disgusted expression. "She stinks worse than a corpse! Are you sure she's alive?"
The leader of the first group shrugged his shoulders and replied nonchalantly, "She relieved herself while I was beating her. She's still alive, don't worry." Elanor, dirty and covered in bruises, remained tied up, looking blank and distant.
As everyone prepared to go to sleep, the bandit who had tried to rape her on the first day seemed even more tempted to commit the act, even with Elanor in such a deplorable state. Hoping everyone was asleep, he left his tent and approached Elanor, who was tied to the tree. "I like your rotten smell," he whispered with an evil smile, licking Elanor's bruised and swollen face.
He whispered malicious words in her ear as he ripped off what was left of her clothes. Elanor, without strength, no longer had any reaction; she was almost broken. The bandit, his eyes shining with evil, was about to carry out the act when, suddenly, he was hit hard on the head by the leader with a large stone.
The blow was so strong that the bandit's brains splashed all over Elanor's body. Hearing the noise, all the other bandits came out of their tents to see what was happening and were horrified by the scene.
The leader of the second group tried to ask what was going on, but the leader of the first group replied coldly, "I'm just finishing off the rats in the pack." The answer was enough to silence any further questions. The other bandits retreated, fearing for their own fate, while the leader threw the bandit's inert body to the ground and returned to his tent.
Elanor, covered in blood and with her body in complete pain, could barely move.
During the third day, the two groups of bandits traveled together. The leader of the second group watched with distaste as the leader of the first group beat Elanor to force her to eat. "If you continue like this, you'll end up killing the girl, and Captain Venum will be furious" scolded the leader of the second group.
Feeling his authority threatened, the leader of the first group reacted aggressively: "Do you think you can tell me what to do? If I want, I'll kill her and you won't be able to do anything!" Tension between the two leaders was quickly growing, almost resulting in a confrontation, but the other bandits intervened to separate them.
On the third night, they camped for the last time before reaching the final destination. During the early hours of the morning, the leader of the second group, together with his men, set an ambush for the leader of the first group. However, the leader of the first group was also preparing an attack against the leader of the second, resulting in a terrible bloodbath.
The enslaved women took the opportunity to escape. One of them, looking back, thought about going back to help Elanor, who was too weak to move. However, fearing for her own life, she left Elanor behind and fled. The bandits' battle during the early hours was horrible, and by morning, only mutilated and injured bodies remained in the camp.
Elanor, gathering her last strengths, tried to escape. Dragging herself, she managed to get out of sight of the bandits, realizing she was near a city with high walls and watch towers. She remembered having read in books about the fortified city of Zoarlath and was certain she was very far from home. Before reaching the city, her vision began to darken, and believing she was dying, she just asked the gods to take care of her little brother and then fainted.
While all these events were happening to Elanor, at Hadon's house, Yorin, Sahara and Markel were recovering from their injuries. Yorin and Markel, fully recovered, were in the room with Adonis, Aura, Arphaxad and Kal. Sahara, still a little weak, got up from her bed and went where everyone was gathered.
In the room, Sahara fixed her eyes on Kal, finding it strange. Aura asked: "Are you alright, Sahara?" Sahara, without taking her eyes off Kal, asked: "What is the name of that kitten you carry on your shoulders, Kal?"
Everyone there found that strange, after all, Kal had nothing on his shoulders to their eyes. Kal smiled and asked: "So you can see her too?" Immediately, Pudin climbed onto Kal's head and said: "I'm Pudin, Kal's master, nice to meet you!" Sahara laughed and replied: "I'm Sahara, nice to meet you!"
Everyone there was startled, as they could not see or hear Pudin. Kal explained: "She is Pudin, a kitten who is helping me with an important task. You can't see her because she is a spirit."
Aura, intrigued, questioned Sahara: "Have you been seeing spirits for a long time? Why didn't you tell us about this?" Markel and Adonis were also curious, while Arphaxad asked Kal: "Why didn't you tell us about this spirit before, since she has been with you all this time?"
Kal replied: "I have a very important task to accomplish with her." Quickly, he changed the subject to Draka and Ninea: "But we need to focus on rescuing Draka and Ninea, who were taken away."
Aura approached Sahara, still perplexed: "Since when have you been seeing spirits, Sahara?" Sahara, smiling, replied: "Since I was little, but I never knew it was something others couldn't see. I just thought it was normal."
Adonis, trying to understand, asked Kal: "What exactly is this important task that you and Pudin have?" Kal, with a serious look, explained: "We are looking for Nin, the daughter of Astaruin. Only she can restore spiritual magic in the forest and drive away the evil spirits."
Markel looked at Sahara, even more curious: "And you, Sahara? How did you know Kal was carrying a spirit?" Sahara replied: "I felt her presence. It's a feeling I can't explain very well, but it's like I knew she was there."
Arphaxad, still perplexed, added: "And what about Draka and Ninea? How are we going to rescue them?" Yorin, determined, said: "We need a plan. We know Hwin is dangerous, but together we can find them and bring them back safely."
Adonis anxiously questioned: "Where would Hwin be taking the girls?"
Yorin, without hesitation, responded: "Probably to Saladon. Felix used to capture all those with the blood of the ancient kings and use them in experiments to improve his army."
Adonis nodded, remembering what he had heard in Zoarlath: "Saladon is preparing a powerful army of super-humans to send to war."
Sahara, pondering, said: "Hwin would probably take them to the capital to sell them to Saladon."
Arphaxad immediately added: "I've witnessed much ill treatment of people. They were enslaved and sold in public squares. I fear this will be the girls' end."
Yorin, interrupting, clarified: "Perhaps this is Ninea's fate, since she provably doesn't have the blood of kings. But even if Adonis hasn't seen Draka's spirit to know her roots, she clearly has the traits of kings."
Arphaxad suggested determinedly: "Let's all go to the capital together to rescue the girls and save the slaves."
Adonis quickly denied: "We must stay here united. That is Hadon and Set's wish."
Kal, entering the conversation, affirmed: "Adonis, whether you like it or not, Hwin knows where Hadon's house is. Even if you don't want to return to the capital, we'll have to leave this house."
Silence fell in the room. The inhabitants, who loved Hadon's house so much, realized the truth in Kal's words. They had no other option but to leave.
Arphaxad, taking the opportunity, said: "Let's join what's useful with what's pleasant and go to Zoarlath. Together we are powerful. We can even end this damn slavery."
Yorin agreed: "Kal is right. We can't stay here knowing Hwin could return at any moment."
Sahara, with teary eyes, murmured: "I can't believe we'll have to abandon this place. But we need to protect each other."
Adonis, reluctantly, finally yielded, against his will: "If this is what everyone wants, then let's go. We'll bring Draka and Ninea back and restore our home."
Kal looked at each of them, reaffirming: "We need to be fast. The more time we lose, the more danger they're in."
Everyone began preparing for the journey. Arphaxad organized supplies while Kal helped Yorin and Markel arm themselves. Sahara, still weak, insisted on helping but was gently directed to rest.
Aura approached Adonis, placing her hand on his shoulder: "We'll do this together, brother. For all of us."
Adonis nodded, worried: "For all of us."
And so, with heavy hearts but renewed determination, the inhabitants of Hadon's house prepared to set off for the capital Zoarlath, decided to rescue Draka and Ninea and face the horrors of slavery.
While everyone was preparing to leave, Aura approached Kal and asked: "What happened to the mechanical arm I gave you?"
Kal apologized: "I accumulated too much mana and the prosthetic couldn't handle it."
Aura laughed: "That was a prototype. In fact, no one here would have had the power to use it, except for you. So don't worry."
She asked him to wait and hurried off.
During this time, Adonis approached Kal and said: "I'm sorry I got angry when I found out what happened. I shouldn't have gotten angry at you, as it is my duty to protect this family."
Kal responded: "What you said before was true. I know I have great power within me and I have a duty to use this power to help my people."
Adonis placed his hand on Kal's shoulder and said: "Then let's save them all, together."
Kal smiled.
It was nightfall when everything was ready for departure. Finally, Aura came out of her room calling for Kal. She handed Kal a cloth with something wrapped inside.
"Unwrap the cloth" she requested.
Within the cloth was a new prosthetic arm made of a darker metal, with five stones along the entire forearm.
Aura explained: "This is the real mechanical arm. I've been improving it since I gave you the prototype last time."
Kal fitted the new prosthetic and felt it integrating into his body, this time in a deeper and stronger way.
Pudin was happy: "Now we can find Nin even faster."
Aura continued: "Everyone here already has a weapon. This spear is for you, Arphaxad. I worked on it a few years ago. It has a propulsion ability and uses a little of the user's mana to go further than its own length."
For Kal, she handed him an ancient sword of a different shape than common swords.
"Katana is its name," said Aura.
Kal asked: "Is that name in the ancient tongue? What does it mean?"
Aura replied: "That name just came to me one night, I don't think it has any meaning."
Kal unsheathed the sword. It was a single-edged curved blade, with a square guard and a long hilt to accommodate two hands.
He smiled and thanked Aura. Securing his new sword to his waist, he mounted his horse.
Mounted on his horse, Kal looked to both sides and saw that everyone was ready.
"To Zoarlath. Let's rescue the girls!" he said.
The vision of Hadon's house receding was a melancholy sight, but each inhabitant carried the determination to save Draka and Ninea, knowing that despite facing great dangers, they were united and ready to face any challenges they might encounter along the way.