[The world as he knew it had ended, but he was content. A magnificent golden throne covered with innumerable indecipherable markings beckoned to him from the far side of the horizon. The ending he had hoped to achieve was right there, but in that moment, he looked back. It seemed as though he said something—words too quiet and irrelevant to even hear. Satisfied, he then turned back to face the throne and took a single step, his feet causing ripples to form on the ground.
"I'll see you later."]
I woke up with tears in my eyes.
I rubbed them with my hand, wiping away the tears that had somehow begun leaking from them. Why am I crying again?
Those were the thoughts that were groggily running through my head. This wasn't the first time I had woken up like this, but it was the first time I felt as if I was missing something. For some reason, I couldn't seem to remember what exactly happened in my dream. It was all so fuzzy, just like my vision. I yawned and stretched my arms up into the air before laying them down, feeling the sensation of soft fur on my hands. It's that time again.
I withdrew my hand and tried to sit up, but then a cracking noise came from my back, loud enough to wake the dead. I briefly wondered, at that moment, if I was about to die on the spot from old age, but pushed the idea away. Judging that I was in no condition to stand up yet, I laid back down and rested my head on the soft fur I had felt earlier.
You're not old. Don't think that. You're not that old. You're only...ten? Twelve? Oh. You can't remember your age either. Maybe you really are getting old. Your birthday is the 4th of Stormglint, right? What day is it today?
"How old am I again?" I groaned. I raised my fist over my head and repeatedly started banging against my skull, trying to rattle the memories out of me, but came up with nothing—it was, thankfully, not enough force to kill me. In these conditions, anything could. Suddenly, the patch of fur I had been lying on shifted under my face. I sat back up immediately, my crippling back pain having disappeared, which was a relief. It's probably just the stiff wooden boards anyway.
"If I am remembering correctly," a deep, rumbling voice said to me. "You've been with us for the past eight years now. Which should make you..." I watched quietly, hanging on to each of his words, as the impressive frame of my friend rose from his slumber and scratched his long and droopy ears. Even in these conditions, he still looks quite healthy. Well, at least compared to me.
"About fourteen years old." My friend said. He smacked his lips and twisted his body around, all of his sore and aching joints making those cathartic cracking noises. However, I was much more focused on the numerical value of the age he had given me. Fourteen? Oh no. You can't be that old! Aren't you considered available for purchases at fifteen?! You can't, no, you absolutely can't... Wait. You look pretty young, I think. As long as you act like a child, you shouldn't be able to be sold! Yes, you should be fine, so there is no need to panic, Arcina.
"Are you alright? You're shaking a lot." A consoling paw was placed over my own. My friend stared at me with eyes full of worry. Apparently, to him, I was shaking like a leaf with panic written all over my face, or something along those lines. "Yes, I'm fine now; don't worry. Thank you, Denver." I am fine. Save your worrying for everyone else, not me, of all people.
While I was not anxious or panicky at all, I wanted to convince Denver of that. To those ends, I began by trying to flatten my horrendously messy hair, and from the looks of it, I partially succeeded. Not the hair part, though. It was a beast that could never be subjugated, no matter what.
"Good morning!" With as positive a tone as I could muster, I greeted him, attempting to restart our conversation. "Good morning," he greeted back, a slight bit unenthusiastically. His bleary eyes wandered over to everyone else, but they were all hidden in the confines of darkness. As if a switch were suddenly flipped, his gaze sharpened, and his ears perked up. Silently, I observed the subtle changes in his expressions until his face relaxed once more.
"Were they outside just now?" I asked, knowing the answer already. The Masters will work us all to the bone today in preparation for tomorrow's big sale. It makes sense for them to be awake much earlier than expected.
In response, he nodded, but as if overcome with realisation, Denver put one large paw over his mouth. "Your birthday is tomorrow." Oh, of course he needs to address that... He really is such a good friend.
I smiled. Even though he could barely see me, I did so thoughtlessly. Am I comforting him, or am I merely trying to comfort myself? Such an odd question came to mind. One that I ignored for the time being.
"Didn't I tell you not to worry? Lady Altaria chooses a path for all of us, and this one is mine," I said, puffing out my chest. I raised my hand and intended to pat his head, but couldn't. Even though we had known each other for eight years, the two of us had hardly changed. He was still just as large and imposing as he was when we met, and I'm still just as small and young, so there was no way I could reach his head. At least, appearance-wise. Denver lowered his head to let me pat him, but I still saw a shadow of concern in his eyes.
"Hey—"
Right when I was about to tell him not to worry again, we heard the faint rustle of people awakening from their slumber. Without thinking, I hurried over to the source of the sounds. Within the veil of darkness were people who shared our unfortunate circumstances, struggling to even survive. I kneeled down beside one of them, a child with small rabbit ears, shivering in their sleep. They had barely any clothes on; what they did wear could only be labelled as a 'rag'.
I looked back at Denver, and after receiving the signal that the coast was clear, I activated the holy gift bestowed upon me by Lady Altaria.
「From the heart of ancient pyres, kindle now a flame so true: Ember」
From my hand, a small fire burst forth; it's mesmerising orange light illuminating the entire area around us. Beyond the veil of darkness, you would see that we were inside a huge, rectangular construct made of what seemed to be wooden boards. However, even if I were to cast the flame in my hand onto those walls, it would not burn. The reason for that was simple.
It was because this place was not just a big box with a small slit for light that could barely be called a window. It was a Simple Container, a common magical artefact used to store items, but it was unable to store living beings. Unfortunately, everyone around me was not considered a living being. Not by the laws of magic. What cruel rules of nature!
A curse implanted within us made it so that, aside from being classified as objects by magic, we were tied to our owners, who could not care less for us. And, despite restricting our movement and not allowing us to leave, the container did not even keep out the frigid weather. If I wasn't here to conjure up a small flame every once in a while...
"Alright, rise and shine, all of you!"
My reflection on our current predicament was interrupted by the rude call of Master Joey. Hurriedly, I absorbed the flame back into my hand, plunging my surroundings back into a chilling darkness before a door was opened to my left. The soft whirring of the magical mechanisms inside the box was soothing for my mind—ahh! My hand is burning! I absorbed it too quickly!—but that slight relief was short-lived. I was blinded by the white light of snow that appeared at the entrance.
The light was bright enough to momentarily stun me and Denver as we shielded our eyes. Behind me, I could hear the others jolt awake at the sound of Master Joey's voice and scramble to the entrance. "Today's a big day, so I better not catch any one of you slacking off!" He clenched his fist, and I stood straight up immediately while the others struggled to get on their feet. Eventually, Denver got up as well, glaring at Master Joey, who ignored it and instead knitted his eyebrows at the pathetic sight.
"What? The first one to listen is a little girl?! Get up, you filthy beasts!" He continued squeezing his fist, causing more waves of discomfort to wash over me. Finally, everyone had gotten to their feet, and, satisfied, Master Joey walked out with all of us following him.
A thick layer of snow crunched under my bare toes, numbing any sort of sensation. While marching in single-file, I caught glimpses of other lines of beastmen being led by a different master. Almost every person in ragged clothes trudging through the snow was a beastman. Despite that, there were numerous differences in all of their appearances, with the luckiest being the ones who had a full coat of fur, like Denver. I hope that child is still alive.
"Listen up, you lot!" A booming voice cut through the air, and I was instantly compelled to prostrate myself. Master Lysander...
"Buyers from all over are gonna be coming here, so I expect all of you to work yourselves to the bone! Who knows, this may be your chance to finally get out of here," he added, laughing. I didn't dare move and kept my head down, even as I heard the shallow footfalls of the others retreating. I really hope this works. I can't allow myself to be sold off before saving everyone!
"Eh?" Master Lysander finally noticed how I was not moving, and he walked over. "Frozen? Don't worry, I'll free you!" Arghh!
A sharp pain spread through the right side of my torso, knocking my weightless body away. Okay, that hurt a lot. I was expecting something, but not a kick...
I clutched the area that was struck and tried to breathe in and out, but the air was so cold—it's freezing! I crumpled onto the snow, the pain still throbbing and stinging because of the cold weather. "You always were a problem, you little brat!" I felt a painful tug on my scalp, and the next thing I knew, I was face-to-face with Master Lysander. My hair...ow!
Even then, I didn't make a single noise of complaint. Doing so would satisfy their love for violence. Instead, I looked straight into his eyes, trying to look as defiant as possible. Take the bait! And indeed, he did. Grumbling, he threw me onto the ground, and I lied there motionlessly. Through the pain and the ringing in my ears, I could faintly hear Master Lysander speaking angrily with a few other Masters.
...
...
When I came to, I was standing up. Oh, dang, I was knocked out again. I tried to inspect my injuries, but, as expected, I was unable to move a muscle. So, instead, I turned to look forward and waited for my foggy brain to catch up. "Yes, this...half-elf. She can...any of-"
It's no use. I can't hear properly at all.
"Ah, she's awake now! Alright, go and have fun with her, kid!" With those parting words, Master Lysander left, and the only other person here besides me was a boy. He's like a young teenager, I guess? What's he—
I wasn't even able to finish my thought or realise that I had accomplished my goal because, next thing I knew, I was back on the ground, with a dull sensation of pain on my face. I can't move at all. What is happening?
"She's still not moving? Not even to defend herself? I guess I hit the jackpot!" My eyes searched for the boy, but it was a fruitless endeavour because he soon followed up with another blow to my chest, knocking the wind out of me. Soon after, the only thing I could feel was an endless stream of punches and kicks, but only barely. It hurts. Stop, please. It hurts.
Even though he wasn't as strong as the other Masters—it hurts—he kept on pummeling me. Here and there, I would hear him shouting some stuff like, "You stupid bitch! You should never have rejected me! Not for stupid Nathan!" and, "I'll kill you, Lilia! I'm going to rip your fucking throat out!" Who are those people? What are you talking about? It hurts.
You're punching me, and yet you're not even thinking of me? It hurts. Why am I even involved then? Stop; it hurts. I don't even know who these people are.
"You promised me! You said we would make a family together!" Be quiet, please.
It hurts.
It hurts.
It hurts.
It hurts!
[Something is looking at you in pity.]
[Something would like to help you.] Lady Altaria? Is this your voice I'm hearing? Have I died?
[Something believes you are worthy and should not die here.] I guess I have died.
[Something has offered you to read through Contractual Destiny: Apocryphal Decree of—] I accept that I have died. I'm truly thankful for having been able to live, but this one wasn't for me. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't achieve anything. I couldn't help or save anyone. I can't even be called a good person because of that, but if I ever live another life, I want to be strong. I want to be able to defend what I think is right.
...
[Something has taken your answer as an affirmative. Binding separate parties' souls...complete! Congratulations!]
[You are now contracted with Elysian Sparkles Flickering For A Fleeting Moment.]
What?