In the distance, a few meters away from the giant ditch of Paragox, nestled within a shallow-looking forest, three massive black trucks could be spotted, each laden with large containers.
Amidst the trucks, a group of heavily armed individuals could be seen, their weapons and gear gleaming in the subdued light. Among them, five figures stood gathered together, engaged in a deep conversation.
"Captain," a man spoke, his gaze fixed on the holographic map of Paragox displayed before them. He gestured towards various routes and escape tunnels marked on the map. "Paragox appears to be heavily guarded by supernaturals, particularly vampires. Additionally, it seems the humans are congregated in a specific area."
The holographic map, projected by a device attached to the man's arm like a watch, illuminated the air with its intricate display. Red and yellow dots moved across the map, with the red representing the supernaturals and the yellow denoting the humans. It was evident from the abundance of red dots that the supernaturals outnumbered the humans significantly.
"I see. Provide a precise count of both the humans and supernaturals," the captain commanded, his voice firm and authoritative. He appeared to be in his early forties, yet possessed the physique of someone in their twenties, with a muscular build that spoke of years of training. Strapped with gear, he had a sword sheathed at his hip, ready for action.
"They are 35 humans and 40 supernaturals detected, sir," the man with the holographic device reported.
"Very well. We'll wait until nightfall and then launch the attack!"
"Yes, sir!" the others responded in unison, immediately springing into action to prepare for battle.
...
Meanwhile, in Paragox, chaos reigned supreme. Every human was armed with a large axe, relentlessly hacking at the walls of the ditches while enduring the lash of whips wielded by skeletons on horseback. Among them, one individual seethed with rage at the sight of such brutality.
'You bastards! I can't take it anymore!' Zephyr's internal scream echoed within his mind as he felt the sting of the whip once again. The relentless punishment had been ongoing for what felt like an eternity. From the moment Zephyr first laid eyes on the skeletons on horseback, he had sensed trouble brewing. The vampires had entrusted the skeletons with their torment, solely due to the threat of sunlight.
The once-promising voice, which had offered hope of escape from Paragox to whoever found the crystal, fell silent. Now, they endured the relentless whipping as they searched for the elusive key to their freedom. The lashes grew more brutal, driving some of the slaves to collapse from exhaustion. Whether unconscious or dead, their fate remained unknown, but those who fell were swiftly carried away, likely to become prey for the vampires.
Zephyr, once a formidable supernatural king, now found himself reduced to a mere human slave. Despite his diminished status, he retained his resilience, enduring the relentless punishment. As he glanced towards Browny, he was surprised to see his fellow slave still standing, displaying a resilience that matched his own.
'I have to admit, Browny sure has durability,' Zephyr thought to himself, impressed by his companion's resilience. Determined to avoid further punishment, Zephyr intensified his efforts, wielding his axe with fierce determination and channeling the anger he felt into each strike.
"I think I am starting to have an intense hatred for supernaturals," Zephyr mumbled in anger, his frustration boiling over. With a powerful swing, Zephyr's axe struck against something unexpectedly solid, creating a loud clang that reverberated through the air.
"What was that?" Zephyr exclaimed, his curiosity piqued as he looked down and noticed something nestled between the rocks he had been digging. With swift movements, he used the tip of his axe to carve away at the mysterious object, revealing a black-colored crystal hidden within the wall of the ditch.
Zephyr carefully retrieved the crystal from the rocks, cradling it in his hand. "I can feel the large amount of dark energy in the crystal," he remarked, his senses keen despite his human form. "The energy is wild and unstable, corrupted with evil. So, this is what that voice spoke of – the dark crystal."
Despite the dire circumstances, Zephyr couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. The dark crystal held the promise of restoring his lost power and strength, igniting thoughts of the various ways it could propel him back to the pinnacle of power. However, his reverie was short-lived, overshadowed by the grim reality of his situation.
"Hey, you human! What are you doing, not working?" a skeleton on horseback shouted, its hollow voice echoing through the air.
The skeletons overseeing the humans appeared like any other skeletal structure, with perfectly formed bones that surpassed human strength. Inside their skulls, a blue flame burned brightly, serving as their lifeline and source of power.
The skeletons were mounted on horses crafted entirely from bones, their heads adorned with burning blue flames and occasional bursts of fire emanating from their nostrils. While skeletons were often relegated to the realm of fantasy, they were now a terrifying reality.
The skeleton that had shouted caught sight of what was in Zephyr's hand, and its flames flickered wildly in shock, betraying its surprise and intrigue.
"He found the crystal," the skeleton declared, riding its horse closer to Zephyr and extending a skeletal hand. "Give me the crystal, human, and you will be greatly rewarded."
Zephyr smirked in response. "Oh, you want the crystal, huh?" he taunted. "You see, this crystal holds immense power, something I've been lacking since being trapped in this damn human body. Unfortunately for you, I need it, so I won't be giving it up."
Zephyr understood that handing over the crystal wouldn't result in his freedom. The promise made by the supernatural entities was merely a ploy to incentivize the humans to search for it at any cost. If they truly intended to grant freedom, they wouldn't subject the slaves to merciless whippings whenever they dared to rest. Holding onto the crystal was his best chance at reclaiming his power and breaking free from their grasp.
"Insolent human!" the skeleton shouted in anger, its flames burning brightly as it lashed out with its whip towards Zephyr, who deftly dodged the strike.
"I'm fed up with being whipped. Let's settle this with a fight instead," Zephyr declared, a confident smile playing on his lips.
With a firm grip on his axe, Zephyr hurled it with all his might towards the skeleton. The axe sliced through the air, finding its mark as it struck the skeleton square in the head, shattering its skull and extinguishing its flames. The lifeless skeleton crumpled to the ground, defeated.
Zephyr's skill and training, honed over many years as a vampire, proved invaluable even in his weakened state. As the other skeletons in the area closed in on him, Zephyr's smirk widened.
"This is going to be fun," he remarked confidently, ready to face whatever came his way.
.....
The spectacle caught the attention of three individuals who were observing the fight through rectangular glass panels embedded in the walls of the ditch. Positioned on their side of the barrier, they had a clear view of the unfolding events below.
"Hmm, that human has guts," one of them remarked, standing to the left of a particular individual.
"Yeah, but those skeletons are the weakest of their kind, so there's nothing to worry about. They'll put him down soon enough," another individual chimed in from the right.
"Well, you two know that's not the problem right now. The humans are advancing towards Paragox," the individual in the middle stated, his tone cold and authoritative. As the leader of Paragox, his red eyes glowed ominously in the darkness of their surroundings.
The scene fades, leaving the impending clash between humans and supernatural forces hanging in the balance.
*****