Tarsuria, Year of Severus, 15, I.R., the 85th day of Fall, Arenfall

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The exousia-limiting collar felt itchy against his neck.  Adaloun had never imagined himself wearing the dreaded collar once again after getting out of the hole. But there he was, after battling countless monsters and an obsessed god, he got back with a collar on his neck, and a chain bound on his hands and feet.

The victory tasted bitter as it was becoming clear that they freedom the sought became nothing more than a ruse, organized by a nation that treated their slaves lower than a dog. He couldn't look at his comrades who were also chained just like him.

His heart broke seeing them suffer as badly as he was for the promise. He thought the Principalia would keep their word after they did the end of the bargain. He felt blood rushing to his head as his anger and frustration became more apparent. He already saw it coming, but he took the bait, nonetheless. This wasn't his first time making this mistake either; he just got used again. Same as how the previous gods treated him. The same flowery words and the same thorny consequences.

"I am sorry." He gritted his teeth as he tried containing his anger. "I-I…never imagined that they would—"

"Spare yer sorry, Addie." The dwarf sighed. "Tis was sumthin' yah cannae do anything about."

"I wish I would've." Adaloun gazed at his chains.

"We can get through this, Adaloun." The beastman smiled.

Suddenly, there was a ruckus coming from the distance. Some men seemed to be shouting and screaming obscenities at each other. Adaloun leaned against the wall and squinted on the little space in between.

"Waddyah see there?" Ghwynmyr asked.

There was a group of men approaching their cage. From the looks of it, Prince Arterius was leading them to the cage. The crowd behind the prince were an entourage of what seemed to be highly influential men, starting with Lord Prestonheim on his right, and the balding man in a toga on his left.

"It's Prince Arterius, but with an entourage." Adaloun answered.

Adaloun gestured them to stand up. He wanted his comrades to look dignified and proud regardless of their current predicament. It was clear that something was afoot. He couldn't put his finger into it, but it was clear that the prince might have shaken some feathers to gain this kind of reaction from these aging men.

"Look sharp." He said. "And come forward beside me. There must be something in the brew."

"Are we going to die?" The beastman asked.

Orphella was quick to smack him in the head. "Don't say that!" She sighed.

"Cannae be helped, Phellie." Ghwynmyr said. "For what tis worth, I'm happy tah haffya yah, me friends!" He sadly smiled.

Adaloun clicked his tongue. "Don't say that! I am certain, we wouldn't die. Not tonight. Not ever."

Adaloun understood clearly the prince's gestures that time they spoke earlier. The prince's face was painted with frustration and anger as he saw them. His eyes were filled with remorse and pity towards how they were treated. It was the same look Adaloun had before towards his subjects, a long time ago.

Prince Arterius stopped in front of the cage. His eyes met with Adaloun's. The prince slightly nodded to him. It was a nod filled with conviction and confidence, something he thought the prince could never have pulled-off. 

The prince turned back to his buzzing entourage. Adaloun saw the reaction of the men in toga. Some of them were filled with distraught, while others filled with vile emotions and a few stoics with the decision Prince Arterius made.

"Senators, knights, citizens of our glorious Arteria." He began. "I, Prince Arterius Prima, the first prince of Arteria, and Leader of this expedition, hereby, order 305-M to scan them for any impurities using the device!"

305-M came forth bringing teardrop-shaped lamp. He hovered the beautiful lamp in front of them. The lamp emitted a pale, blue glow just like any other aetherium ore, however, this lamp had a few differences. The light danced slowly; up and down, up and down—

"So, what does this indicate, 305-M?!" Prince Arterius asked.

The red-haired slave was hesitant, but he answered after glancing at the prince. "They are all clear, Prince Arterius." He answered.

Prince Arterius nodded. "Then, there's no need to put them in this cage!"

"I respectfully disagree!" Senator Lucresia stepped up to the front. "What you're doing is endangering—"

"Endangering who from what?" Prince Arterius asked. "If you're going to tell me about how these slaves had killed those knights, you certainly have no evidence of that. Secondly, I cannot believe that I am still using the term slaves! These are free denizens of our nation! The moment they came out of that hole, they should've been treated like heroes, not prisoners or slaves! They have been unbound from the collars we have placed them!"

"You are making a big mistake!" Senator Lucresia gnashed his teeth. It was clear that even he couldn't go against the prince's decision.

"Mistakes? Haven't we all made mistakes?" He looked at men. "I already know how history would treat me. The little things I do, will be considered mistakes or blunders by the time my name will be written on a book! I say, make this one of the major blunders you accuse me with when Arteria falls!"

Lord Prestonheim stepped forward and bowed to the prince, then asked his knights to get Adaloun and the rest out of the cage and get them unbound from their shackles and collars.

"From here on out, I, Prince Arterius Prima, the first in line to the throne hereby declare Adaloun of the Crescent Isles, Ghwynmyr the dwarf, Orphella the elf and Urfaal the beastman, free from all charges! I shall also bestow them citizenship to the realms and give them 1 gold denarii each to reward them for their troubles! We give to you our many thanks!" He made a slight bow at them. "However, I am afraid that you can no longer stay here." He handed the bag filled with Principalian currency in front of them.

Adaloun and his comrades looked at one another as he slowly reached out to accept the reward. It was clear that they needed to get out of there and fast. Even with the prince's intervention, it was only a matter of time before the old senator would make his move.

"C-can we at least bring our weapons with us?" Adaloun tried to negotiate.

"And what?! Kill us with it?!" Senator Lucresia spat.

Suddenly, Senator Lucresia's knights came out of nowhere and surrounded them. Adaloun and his comrades were quickly overwhelmed and had their backs against each other.

"What is the meaning of this, Senator Lucresia?!" Prince Arterius tried to step forward but was barricaded by the senator's knights.

"You step out of the prince's way!" Lord Prestonheim came in between the prince and knights. "Senator Lucresia, what are you doing?!"

"Protecting the realm and the status quo as a good citizen should." The balding senator answered.

"They are not the enemy!" Lord Prestonheim insisted. "No one is here to harm us—"

"That prince and these mongrels will!" Senator Lucresia made a hefty accusation against the prince.

Adaloun saw how Lord Prestonheim's face darkened with rage, pulled up his sword and pointed it at the senators. There was a messy verbal collision after that, both sides were accusing each other of mistakes. The silver-haired commander called all his knights and ordered the arrest of the old senator.

As the discord slowly unraveled, and tensions began to rise, the knights surrounding them shifted their focus on protecting their senator. As they turned their attention towards the balding old man, Adaloun turned around and saw his comrades' eyes, they were ready to go.

Out from nowhere a bright flash of light descended from the heavens. Everyone was blinded, except for the four of them. There was no time to stand still and be in awe of such a moment. Adaloun tapped on Ghwynmyr's shoulder as the dwarf signaled their escape.

"Run!" Ghwynmyr shouted as he elevated the earth with a quick runic magic.

The platform was tall enough for them to pass over the blinded knights, preventing any unnecessary clashes. They jumped from the platform and raced their way out of the camp. The knight's and other armed men, as powerful as they could've been, weren't able to stop them.

They ran out of the gate and into the dark wilderness. They ran away from the vast open plain and opted towards the woods. They ran for who knew how long, until they finally decided to take a rest beneath the shade of a gigantic okre tree.

"W-we… finally… lost them." Adaloun breathed as much as he could as he rested his back against the tree.

"Glad we did!" Ghwynmyr said as he coughed.

"Where to next?" Orphella asked as she wiped the sweat off her brow.

"I-I don't know…" Adaloun replied. "We'll figure out something." He said.

"They still might be on our tail!" Urfaal said. "W-without our weapons, we will be at a disadvantage!"

"The weapons?!" Adaloun looked at Orphella.

The mute elf nodded and raised her hand above her head, Adaloun soon followed.

Before the others could react, a bow and a sword came flying back to their hands in such a high speed that it looked like it came out of nowhere.

"Gods balls!" Ghwynmyr exclaimed. The dwarf couldn't believe how the weapons followed its way into their hands.

"Looks like they would always answer to our call."  Adaloun said as he looked at his shinning frankenstein of a weapon.

"It truly does—" Orphella said.

They were about to continue their escape when suddenly the bushes rustled. Could it be a beast? Is it gutsy bandits? Or is it a company of knights? Their heart raised as the bushes continued to rustle. Orphella aimed her bow towards the bush while Adaloun and the rest readied for a clash.

Adaloun prepared for the worst and was about to rush in when he suddenly felt a stinging sensation on his nape. He tried feeling his neck and realized a needle sticking out of it. He immediately pulled it off his skin, but it was already too late. His world suddenly started spin and he collapsed on the cold ground.

He heard bodies thudding hard on the ground, one by one, before hearing more footsteps approaching them.

"What're we to do with them, Commander Crovar?" A man in a husky voice asked.

"Take them and bag them, boys." The man answered. "We'll end it here."

------------ End of Volume 3------------------

I would like to apologize for the chapter delays. With the recent implementation of Enhanced Community Quarantine in our country. I am currently having difficulties juggling my work with my passion. I swear to still deliver the same quality of write-ups moving forward, albeit far off the scheduled dates.

Thanks for your kind consideration!

Ad Astra et Ultra!