After an hour, the survivors return to their line.
It seem the swift attacker had it's fill and left. Reaping more than 40 lives in less than a minute before letting them continue their journey to the village.
The caravan cannot stop or turn back because they had long anticipated an attack and lost of lives. Therefore, unless more than half of the forces were gone, they will keep going. Furthermore, the village is now closer than the mine. There's still a hundred and sixty left of them, enough to protect the cargos unless they encounter truly terrifying foes like the previous one.
Once again standing in line. Zyro had a tense expressions on his face. Likewise to the atmosphere around him. After being attack, the guards became more cautious and used a special defense formation that offended the slaves. With the cargos in the middle and guards at it's sides. While the slaves were placed at the outer wall before the mine-guards so serve as meat shield, giving the armed combatants time to react for any ambush.
Zyro and the other slaves could only grit their teeth as they obey the outrageous demand that gravely endanger their lives. Although the Mine rules didn't allow severe violation of the slaves treatment. That only goes for sunny days, when push come to shove. In the end of the day, they're mere slaves. Nothing more than lowlifes to be use as tools.
Even though it's not new to Zyro. This kind of treatment still sicken him. For a moment there, he even thought of regretting not scaping when they're running away from the massacre. However, just like everyone else. He knew that fleeing from the caravan and becoming a stray in the wilderness where numerous feral beast dwell is suicide.
Their chances of survival is better in the caravan, accompanied by the group of armed mine-guards with clear destination. The slaves could only pray that monster would no longer attack them on their way.
As the devastated carts and formation was being fixed, preparing to move again. Zyro who's waiting couldn't help overhearing the conversation of others.
His mastery of the beast language wasn't over the top yet, so the words he heard was vague and indefinite. What Zyro notice though was how often the word "Blink" were being said around him.
Zyro, who's curiosity can no more be suppress asked.
"Hey Pert, what is that?"
He refereed the mysterious killer that had taken the life of an Alpha in an instant, and 39 lives in less than a minute.
The blonde kid who's Infront, with his back on Zyro turn his head and said.
"Honestly, I don't know. But... You saw it too right?"
Zyro's lips twitched.
"I saw nothing but people being killed."
Indeed, what's more astonishing about the attacker. Is that, he can't even see it. It was too fast to be seen by a naked eye. Added, Zyro was at a distance away back then, his view was shrouded by numerous people whose closer to the scene.
"That's what I mean... I didn't see it either, but. There's a rumor about a certain beast called the Blinker, it really matched the fast monster characteristics that just attacked us. It even have a famous short poetry made by a renowned poet. Wanna hear it? It goes like... Uh. Wait a moment, I'm recalling it... Right, I remember now. Ahem:"
Pert made his youthful voice sound poetic as posible.
"Famed for it's notorious nature, forgotten for its elusive existence."
"No one believed it, No one had seen it. But I did."
"Amidst my travel, the horror meet my eyes... The Blinker."
Zyro lingered, then said.
"That's it?"
It sounded crude, something you won't expect from the hands of a well known writer.
"Yes, that's it. It's trash, I know. But the poetry itself wasn't the reason why it's so famous. It's how it was written. As I said before, the author is a well know poet in the Foggy Ring. However, he vanished in one of his travels. Leaving a blood dyed, crudely written work, as well as his last poetry. The one I just told you.
"Later, his corpse was found by a adventurer. That mysterious, horrific tale of his death that's yet to be solve was widely spread. Earning the trashy poetry renowned. It's also why the Blinker is called the Blinker, for some reason."
Zyro could understand the allure. The dead author last works was like a incomplete puzzle, urging those who hear the written clue to uncover it's mysteries.
Hearing that, Zyro was glad he didn't cought a glimpse of the mysterious beast. Or else he won't be standing right now.
But to think such a legend personally appeared to hunt this caravan. Zyro's rotten luck must have been insanely bad. It always been, so he wasn't surprised at all.
Soon, the caravan moved on. As Zyro marched forward, he passed the remains of the unfortunate victims grotesque remains thrown aside of the road. Only a few had been taken by the monster to feast, leaving the rest behind. Even so, the caravan cannot afford to carry them for a proper burial. In such an ancient era, no one would bother giving them such luxury unless they're close relatives or belonging to a properous family. Even the guard were no exception, because most of them were former slaves that have proven themselves capable and risen to status despite the low salary. Atleast they'll be away from those explosive crystals.
Zyro look indifferently to the dead bodies unlike others that avoided the nauseating scene to keep their puke. As a former soldier, he was accustomed to such gruesome sight. Heck, he've seen worse.
As he analyze the mangled corpses, he notice that the gruesome injuries were seemingly dealt by a sizable rough blade. Wielded with horrifying swiftness cutting flesh clean. However, what dreaded Zyro the most is the detriment all the corpses shared... A hole in their right chest, tearing the heart.
It seem that the Blinker, despite being a beast had some level of sentience. Using it's supreme swiftness to target the heart for a fatal strike, quickly killing it's prey without much struggle.
Shivers run down Zyro's spine. After personally experiencing the terror of monsters in this world. The real predators who reign supreme with some welding unexplainable power with certain level of intelligence. And the prey this abominations easily hunt were people whose bless with racial talents - weak or strong, it won't change the fact that simply holding this abilities put them above mundanity. Added, they're able to ascend in life, gaining mark that empower them. Zyro, on the other hand... Didn't and cannot have this blessings. So how is he going to survive? Let alone fulfill an impossible mission while his in the very bottom of the food chain. Not to mention the fact that his a slave being used as meat shield at the moment.
Zyro put on a bitter smile. And ask his dear Aizra, a high-risk program that been planted in his mind that might drive him insane any moment.
'Whats my chances of survival?'
Aizra's gentle electronic voice replied in his mind.
[0000.12%]
Zyro face-palmed, upon hearing multiple zeros. Although that rating may seem exaggerated, it was nothing but accurate. His alive currently due to his job food provisions that barely filled his stomach. That food though was only limited to molded breads that contain carbohydrates, a nutrition responsible for energy. Not protein needed for growth and muscle mass. He seem fine for now, consuming carbohydrates alone that gave him energy to work everyday. But as time went on, without proteins. His muscles will slowly shrink, decreasing his strength until he could no longer work.
Disregarding the other hazardous factors such as, Magic crystal threat, rough environment, hostile co-workers, insufficient meal. And now, monster attack. Coupled with his extreme bad luck.
Zyro could just scape the Mine and venture the verdant forest where countless feral beast and terrible abominations dwell, searching for easy prey like him to feast. Which is utterly not a good idea.
'Great, why don't you just kill me then?' He asked no one.
However, other than the abusive Mine and The wilderness. There's one place he could go...
After a long parlous walk, Zyro could finally discern a wooded gate amidst log walls in the far end of the road.
He heaved a sigh of relief.
They finally reach the village.