The next few days passed by in a seemingly endless and uneventful manner.
Meanwhile, prisoners continued to be dragged out of their cells one after another, sold to various buyers by the mercenaries. The number of people in the cage where Leon was kept gradually decreased, and he knew that sooner or later it would be his turn.
On the day Leon was idly carving the sixth stroke into the ground, he noticed two mercenaries approaching his cell. One was in high spirits, while the other looked as if he had just lost his last coin.
(Translated from Ulyan: ) "... This one, and this one... Just these three will do, no need for more. Hurry up and open the cage. I need to get back before the city gates close at dusk." The mercenary, who was grinning from ear to ear, pointed to the three young men who happened to be sitting together.
(Translated from Ulyan: ) "The price of these three slaves is enough to settle our debt. Just remember, don't come bother me again at camp. I swear I'll never gamble with you again in my life." The mercenary opening the cage complained irritably, shoving the gate open.
Although Leon didn't understand the mercenaries' conversation, he could tell from their gestures and the frequent swearing that they were signaling for him and the others to leave their cage.
Getting up, Leon glanced at the others, who had been pointed to: Lohak and Azerian.
Seeing Lohak's eyes full of hatred, Leon's heart skipped a beat. He was afraid that if Lohak acted rashly as soon as they were let out, it would mean the end for all of them. He quickly slowed his pace and quietly reminded Lohak, "Not the right time. If we act recklessly, we'll all die."
Lohak frowned but didn't reply. After a moment, he nodded.
(Translated from Ulyan: ) "Shut up and move faster!" The mercenary, who was opening the cage, naturally didn't understand their language. He impatiently yanked Leon out.
Leon kept his head down and didn't resist, letting the mercenary add another chain to his shackles. He, along with Lohak and Azerian, was chained together, forming a line.
(Translated from Ulyan: ) "Move!" The mercenary, pleased with his newly acquired slaves, took the keys to the shackles from the other mercenary and roughly shoved Leon, barking at them to follow the road.
Leon, with no strength or will to resist, could only suppress his anger and try to walk faster to avoid getting kicked.
They passed through gaps in the camp and walked through gates guarded by soldiers.
As they moved along, Leon couldn't help but widen his eyes. Before long, they had been led out of the heavily guarded mercenary camp.
The chain-linked group walked down a narrow dirt path, full of footprints but hardly a proper road, surrounded by wilderness with forests in the distance. Leon, barefoot and stumbling, hardly paid attention to the pain in his feet. He was overjoyed.
He wasn't sure where the mercenaries were taking them, but he knew that this was the opportunity he had been waiting for!
Leaving the mercenary camp, the only thing restraining their freedom was the soldier in front of them and the shackles on their wrists.
His heart raced with excitement, and he glanced at Lohak behind him, who also seemed ready to act.
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Leon kept his head down and surveyed the mercenary at the back of the group with his peripheral vision.
The mercenary wore an iron headguard with a nose guard, a set of chainmail armor, and carried a sword on one side of his belt and a dagger on the other. There was also a round shield strapped to his back.
Leon felt his calm return as he analyzed the situation. This mercenary was fully armored, with weapons within easy reach. Without a weapon, it would be difficult for the three of them to pose any real threat.
Moreover, they were all severely weakened from hunger and imprisonment. In this state, a direct confrontation with the mercenary would be suicidal.
What about running away?
That was even less feasible.
Leon looked at the iron chain connecting their shackles. It was meant to prevent slaves from escaping, and the chain was short, so running would likely result in them tripping over one another.
Besides, they were all weak from hunger. Even if they didn't fall, the mercenary would easily catch up.
Was it better to give up?
But after so long, they had finally left the camp, away from the soldiers' eyes. This wilderness seemed like their only chance. If they missed this opportunity and were taken to another place with stricter guards, they might never get another shot.
As he continued thinking, he glanced back at Lohak. Their eyes met, and Leon could feel the suppressed rage in Lohak's gaze. It was clear that Lohak was just waiting for a signal to act.
They had both made up their minds: if the chance came, they would fight for their freedom.
But was it time?
Before he could deliberate further, there was a faint breeze brushing past him.
—!
A barely noticeable sound came from his wrist.
Leon looked at the shackles on his wrist, feeling a sudden loosening of the restraints.
Could it be? Was it possible that the lock was broken?
He tested the movement of his wrist... and sure enough, the shackles that had once been tight now had enough slack to be pulled off.
Had the lock malfunctioned?
Leon was stunned. Could this really be happening right at this crucial moment?
Then, a soft and melodic voice echoed in his mind.
"... Only... one chance..."
Startled, Leon froze.
Who was speaking?
The voice continued, as if unaware of Leon's confusion.
"... Remember this sigil, the Arrow of Isha. Aim it at your enemy..."
A pair of faint, glowing hands seemed to materialize out of nowhere before Leon's astonished eyes.
The hands moved gracefully, drawing a simple gesture in the air, before vanishing into thin air like a dream.
Leon couldn't help but look back at the mercenary behind them, but he appeared to be completely unaware of the mysterious projection.
His heart slowly eased.
— Who are you?
Leon tried again to reach out mentally.
... No answer.
After several attempts, Leon gave up for now. The voice was no longer responding, and there was no time to waste. He had to focus on the present.
Whether this was magic or something else, the shackles were broken, and he now had a much greater chance of surviving.
As for the strange hand gesture, he didn't understand its significance, but the words seemed to suggest that it was some kind of attack, possibly like an arrow. He had no idea what its power or range might be, but one thing was clear: this was his best chance.
Heart pounding with anticipation, Leon took a deep breath and steadied himself.
The mercenary walked alongside them, watching closely, making it clear that a surprise attack from behind would be difficult. Their best chance was to use Leon to distract the mercenary and allow Lohak and Azerian to attack from the side.
Leon glanced quickly at his surroundings, calculating his steps.
Now was the time!
With a sudden motion, he jerked his arms and freed himself from the shackles.
As soon as he was free, he shouted to Lohak, "Let's attack together!"
With his shout, Leon charged towards the mercenary, hoping to draw the mercenary's attention and turn his focus to him.
Lohak, though momentarily surprised at seeing Leon free, was ready for action and quickly followed Leon's lead.
Azerian was a bit slower to react, his shackles still connected to Lohak's, but he quickly followed suit.
(Translated from Ulyan: ) "You little bastards, are you looking to die?!" The mercenary, though momentarily startled by the sudden outburst from the three slaves, wasn't thrown off balance. He quickly drew his sword and, with a snarl, advanced on Lohak.
Seeing the sword coming at him, Lohak felt the chilling grip of death. He had no weapons, no armor, and no way to dodge. The sword came down, and memories of his lost family flashed in his mind—his parents' death, his sister's tears, and his own inevitable end.
Just as the sword descended, time seemed to slow for Leon. He raised his left hand, fingers bent in a gesture that seemed familiar from the vision.
Without thinking, his right hand moved in response to an unseen force, drawing his fingers back before a glowing arrow shot from his fingertips.
The light arrow flew with terrifying speed, piercing through the mercenary's arm and armor with a sickening crunch.
The mercenary howled in pain, clutching his severed arm as he stumbled back, blood pouring from the wound.
The moment Leon saw the mercenary's reaction, the world around him darkened. The sudden exhaustion of his mind and body overwhelmed him, and he collapsed to the ground, losing consciousness.
The mercenary, still alive despite the serious injury, fell back under the force of Lohak's charge. The three boys collided, and everything fell into chaos.
While the mercenary struggled, Lohak and Azerian fought for their lives, doing everything they could to survive the ordeal.