Bound and Broken: An Isekai Adventure Dark Fantasy (Melas Book 1) by V.A. Lewis (autobiographies to read .TXT) 📕

The rider was a woman, looking to be around her thirties. She had green hair, and brown eyes. She was dressed in crude leather armor, with a steel gardbrace added onto her left shoulder, and a spear that had a single edged blade at the end of its pole around her back.

Her name was Em, short for Emma. And she was a gladiator.

Em was helping a young girl off a horse when Rin called out to her. The former gladiator turned her head slowly, and uttered a word. "Wha—"

The venison smacked into her face, and slowly slid off. The food fell to the ground comically, and a muffled laughter came from the little girl next to the former gladiator.

"Oh, haha. Very funny." Em lifted the child off the horse, and set her down to the ground. "Now be a good kid, and annoy your parents instead of me, m’kay?"

The woman patted the girl, and she nodded. Em picked up the fallen food as the child ran off to a man and woman being helped off their horses.

"Kids."She cast a sidelong glance at Rin. "I’ve gone from dealing with one brat straight to dealing with another."

"Hey! I brought you food!" the catgirl sputtered out.

"I know, I know. Thanks for that." Em raised her hand placatingly. "Now run along and go bother your parents." She grinned.

"Nn—"

"How was it? Was there any trouble?" Shang stepped forwards and spoke over Rin.

"Not really. Just brought back a family and two young men. We ran into a patrol of guards too, but they left us alone. They’re more concerned about the Abominations than about us."

"Abominations?"

"Those creatures that brought down Bys. That’s what the Holy Xan Empire is calling them. So everyone’s picking up on the name."

"Hrn, it’s certainly fitting. But I find it odd that they’re the ones doing the naming."

"Apparently they knew about them beforehand or something. I dunno. I just ask questions to travelers, and they either run from me or answer me." The former gladiator shrugged. Em tied her horse to a wooden post, then smirked. "I just find it funny, y’know? Usually all the Free Cities would be up in arms when there’s what? Six? Seven thousand—"

"Nine thousand." A woman— another former gladiator— behind Em piped up. She pointed around the massive camp emphatically as she spoke. "Maybe even ten thousand. But at least nine. We’ve been getting a lot of new arrivals, in addition to those we help bring in every day."

"Whatever,"— Em waved her hand dismissively— "point is, there're a lot of slaves by their doorsteps. But they just don’t care. I find it funny."

Shang nodded his head in agreement. "As long as we’re just passing through, they won’t care. Sending an army and wasting lives in a battle they don’t have to fight is foolish right now."

"Yep. Although…" Em trailed off, uncertain whether she should speak.

"Although… what?" it was Dawa who asked the question.

"Well, this is what I heard. Immediately after Bys fell, everyone was up in arms worried that they’ll be hit by the Abominations next, but apparently it hasn’t happened yet."

"What do you mean?" Shang blinked.

"I mean they haven’t left Bys. It’s been weeks and the Abominations haven’t left the city. They’ve just been waiting there. Apparently."

"S— so you’re saying we could be attacked?" Feri spoke, the first time in a while, and with a hint of fear.

"Look, I’m not saying anything! I’m sure we’ll be fine! Even if they don’t have to worry about the Abominations, we’re not going around attacking anyone! We’re just trying to get the Hell out of this place. There’s an army of maybe…forty thousand from the mines, seventy thousand from the fields, and who knows how many joined them from the city… about two hundred thousand slaves going around and attacking other cities to free more slaves! They’ll be worried about them, not us!"

It was Rin’s turn to speak this time. "I’m sure she’s right, Feri. We’ll get out of the Free Lands. I promise." Her voice was cool, uncharacteristic of her, but reassuring.

The former slave felt himself brighten at the thought. Freedom. What would he do once he was free? There’s so many possibilities! But a voice came from the crowd, and his thoughts focused on something else. Something more somber.

"Excuse me! Excuse me!" Someone came running up to the group. "Did you find her?"

It was a man. He had brown hair, blue eyes, and wrinkles line across his face. He looked to be in his forties— middle aged, and weary. It was Theodore.

He took a deep breath, then he asked a question that froze Feri and the Beastkin in their tracks.

"Did you find Melas?"

The young man. The former slave. Feri paused, and he remembered his savior.

He remembered the little girl that freed him. The one who unbound him from his shackles, and pulled him free from bondage.

And he remembered when he last saw her.

***

Feri looked at Melas as she stared at her own hand in horror. At the glowing light. At the magic circle she created, and the magic she cast.

The little girl’s breath quickened, her head snapped from face to face. Everyone was staring at her in shock. But only for a second.

The moment did not drag out for long, because it was shattered by a word. A voice. It did not come from Feri, or Rin, or Shang, or any of the Beastkin. But it came nonetheless.

"Heretic."

And that ten second stupor ended. Melas broke out in a run. Tears fell from her eyes as she ran away.

It only took Rin a second to understand what just happened. The Cat Beastkin turned around and called after the little girl, but Melas could not hear her. Rin dashed after the girl, but—

From the darkness,