There was silence between them, broken only by Kaiser's unexpectedly serious tone.
"You're not tricking me, are you?"
Asked Kaiser warily, doubtful of her exaggerated words. To claim her freedom alone can devastate the entire lair is hard to believe.
Her response though was brimming with confidence.
"Why would I, Zara trick a pitiful fool? I have my own principles to uphold, I'll have you know. Furthermore, I'll be more than happy to massacre those hooligans after all they have done to me. I have enough of this place!"
"Massacre the bandits? You say that even though you're imprisoned like me. By the way, can you stop with insults? Its really getting on my nerves and you claim to have principles? Nice talk lady, you might have convinced a fool."
His neighbor, named Zara continued as if she didn't hear a word he said.
"I can kill them all, and I will. They only caught me because I was in my weakest state back then when they found me. However, even in those unfavorable conditions. Those hooligans only managed to bound my strength in a cage. None of them, even their so-called Boss dared to get near me. I can't blame them. They must have been so terrified." Now, she sounds like bragging.
Zara is about to say more boisterous stuff when Kaiser bangs his head again in frustration.
"Argh, Fine. Whatever. Just tell me how to get you out, quickly! Time is running."
Wether she's tricking him into helping her to be free, Kai doesn't care anymore. His not one to easily trust, but Zara's is his only hope against the bandits. Albeit, dubious.
His taking a gamble for Ariella.
"So, you really are a fool."
Standing up, Kai paused upon hearing her words. Was he a fool? Come to think about it, the most rational decision is to abandon Ariella in this hopeless situation. Additionally, she's more of a unwanted burden, more so when he gets back to society where he doesn't even know how to feed himself, let alone another.
Then why risk rescuing her? And deal with a potentially dangerous individual, Zara?
He didn't know why either. Perhaps it's fear of the punishment the gods might bestow if ever he failed on his assigned duty, or something else? Kai isn't sure, himself.
"I guess... but it doesn't matter. Hurry up and tell me what to do, I can't waste anymore time. She needs me."
After a stretch of silence, Zara said nonchalantly as if she figured out the situation.
"...I see, then if you would. Enslaved me."
Kai was dumbfounded, thinking he heard wrongly.
"Umm, what?"
"I said, make me your slave. Oh, pardon my mistake. I forgot to introduce myself first, how forgetful of me. As I have said earlier, I'm Zara. Belonging to the Beast clan who possessed the lineage of Beast. Similar to mystical creatures, my kind can also form Sacred Bonds with our chosen companions through exchange of blood."
Kai are wise enough to comprehend it. Having seen multiple fantastical things, his mind easily accepted the existence of magical contracts with other creatures similar to fictional stories on Earth. However, instead of magnificent animals of mass destruction, his forming a contract with a woman? Which can also be referred to as enslaving.
That said, there's something he doesn't understand.
"And why is there a need for that? I don't get it, aren't we like, ah, think of a genius plan to outsmart the prison, then escape? What's the connection of contracting with our escape?"
"Truly an idiot you are, that's what's actually were doing. Hmm, I guess you do deserve an explanation. You see, those cowards were too afraid of me back then after I singlehandedly killed a few of their men. So, they simply gave up taming me and instead, resort to using a special form of shackles to retrain me. Now that I think about it, consider yourself lucky young man! Many men tried courting me, most used violence. Yet all of them are either dead, suffered varying injuries or gave up. The bandits Boss included, that bastard is probably still thinking that mere imprisonment in this lonesome cage would break my will and accept him as my master. What a joke... But hey, here I am, willingly offering myself to a foolish stranger. Aren't you lucky."
'Yeah, sure. I give a lot of sh*t in your confession.' Kai held back his thoughts from coming out. He didn't like Zara one bit.
Zara continue.
"Anyway, as I was saying. This shackles bounding me is restraining my vitality constantly, leaving me with insufficient strength to break free. My strength alone isn't enough to free myself, I need external aid. That's where you come in, I need to form the Sacred Bond to give that extra power. The bond will synchronize us, your strength will be mine, so did my strength be yours. With our power combined, I can break these shackles."
Her voice had a resolute conviction, proving her certainty on her solution. However, a dejected sigh of disappointment escaped from her lips.
"Too bad... If only that's possible."
Making Kai frowned.
"What do you mean by that?"
She said after a bit of hesitation.
"Performing the required ritual demanded us being near each other. Needless to say, unless one of us can pass through these bars, that won't happen. I'm incapable of doing that thanks to this short chains binding me." For a moment, clacking of chains sounded from the darkness. Proving Zara's words.
On the other hand, Kai only had his hands tied by thick ropes. Binding his hands, but overall, his other limbs are free to move and the distance he could go in the cage aren't limited by anything. Making him more capable of taking it upon himself the task of breaking through.
However, the problem remains. Although the cage wall separating them is made of wood, its thickness made it as tough as iron bars.
Gazing at the wooden bars before him, Kaiser eye had a hint of reluctance. His wariness only grew when he shifted his gaze into the darkness in the other side, where Zara dwell. Or something else entirely, mimicking a lady's soothing voice.
"Having trouble with the wall? We can always give up, but I doubt the safety of your lady if she's not proficient in combat." Said Zara, as if she's staring at him.
True, Ariella would be in grave danger without him. Rather, this world including himself might be devastated by the gods wrath if something horrible happen to the Goddess. More importantly, he cared for Ariella's innocence personally.
Kai shook his head, dismissing all hesitated as he steel himself to take on a gamble. Whatever creature his negotiating with, as long as it can devastate the bandits and offer him hope in rescuing Ariella. Nothing matters anymore.
His prepared to risk it all. Though, the courage driving him through these dreads are mostly due to the fact that he can't die. He have nothing to loss!
"Nah, that won't be a problem. I'll just break them." Said Kai as he took multiple steps back and checked for any lingering guards outside. Seeing no one around, he took a deep breath.
'This is going to hurt.' Kai thought bitterly.
"Pardon?"
In response, a loud bumping noice resounded on the wall. As if someone ran straight to the flanks at full speed, producing a loud collision upon impact.
Because someone really did. Soon after, another blow sounded harder than before, followed by another.
Listening to this, Zara can't help but ask.
"Are you really that desperate to the point you'll insist on forcing through the objective with brute force? Was she that precious to you?"
On the other side, Kai swayed yet hold his stand. Before walking back once again in preparation for another charge.
"Not really, we just meet her the other day."
With his shoulder muscle upfront, ready to ram the flank. Kai pounced forward swiftly, driven by his foot while holding dread for the impact which brings pain.
"Is that so... You're making me feel a bit envious of her."
Bam!
However, her words fell on def ear. Kai was too preoccupied with ramming the barrier to waste time in anymore chatting. Kai's expression was dark, knowing that every seconds of delay may risk Ariella's safety.
Bam!
'Ah... F*ck, that damn hurts.' He thought, gritting his teeth.
Still, he can't stop. Fortunately, after the gruesome experience of being ganged up by multiple bandits, his pain tolerance had increase dramatically. Compared to being impaled and struck by sharp blade, ramming himself on a wall feels mild.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
He keeps going, repeatedly charging and retreating before pouncing again. Eventually, the targeted wooden flank began creaking.
Its size might have made it comparable to iron, but wood are still wood. Therefore, it is cracked under constant ponding of Kaiser pounces. His shoulder which acts as the main ram ached, as if the muscle fibers beneath are crushed by his abusive use. Kai's head hurted too due to the continues shocks. Still, he keeps going.
Eventually...
Creaked!
The flank snap in two, creating a gap wide enough for him to go through. Kai stumbled forward, blood marred his shoulder, some were flowing down from the side of his head that occasionally hit the hard wood in the numerous pounding process.
Nevertheless, he succeeded. Now, all that's left is contracting with Zara, whatever creature she is.
Groggily picking himself up, Kai held his dizzy head and waited for it to stabilize. Before looking around her cage. It was too dark to see.
"You're quite the sight to behold." A teasing chuckle sounded from the darkness, seemingly mocking his haggard appearance.
Unfortunately, Kai can't see her to return a word.
'You won't hear the end of me once I see what kind of monster you are.'
That said, it wouldn't change the extremely poor lighting on this place. That's when he remembered a conventional item owned by almost everyone - Phone, he had a cellphone! Everyone does due to how useful it is.
'Things have been too wild lately, I even forgot this thing exists in my pocket.'
Indeed, the unbelievable revelations of gods and weight of his sudden responsibility before plunging in a world of violence overload his mind. To the point his phone is deemed insignificant in this feral world he found himself in. More so when it runs out of battery soon, making it completely useless.
However, it can still shine in this dark moment.
Smiling faintly, he turned on the flashlight.
'Now, let's see who you really are. Zara, you talk big with that-'
The moment it shine, Kaiser jaw dropped. His eyes wide in disbelief.
"Wait, A-are you..."