A single horse-drawn cart is rolling steadily across the Amisos countryside. Two men are sitting at the front, one whom is holding the horse’s reins and another who is polishing a small blade. Both are wearing cheap shirts and baggy pants, just like simple peasants. The wooden cart is old and worn down, yet sturdy enough to hold a considerable amount of weight. The contents are not visible because a thick layer of sack cloth is covering the top, a common practice among poor folks who want to protect their goods from the elements.

Although there is nothing abnormal at first sight, a good observer can notice one discrepancy. The stone being used by the man polishing the blade, as well as the blade itself, are of very good quality. The short sword has a nearly spotless shine, indicating it is high-quality metal. An ordinary peasant would have neither the money nor the need for it. Some might suspect it was stolen. In this case, that would be wrong.

After reaching a certain point, they direct the cart away from the dirt road and head toward a fairly large hill. Wheel marks on the dirt and grass show that others have passed through here recently. After half an hour, the cart reaches a hidden structure. Embedded into the hillside is a narrow tunnel entrance that is partially camouflaged by bushes. This secluded area was chosen so it cannot be seen by travellers on the road.

Waiting at the entrance is a middle-aged man wearing a black-and-red robe with complex symbols that members of a particular sect are known to have. Behind him are three armed guards.

“You’re late” he reproaches the two arrivals as they jump down from the cart. “Did you idiots screw up again?”

“No, boss. All of the goods are safe and sound. Here.”

They pull the sack cloth off the cart to reveal two young women, one with blond hair and another with red, as well as a young boy, who are lying on their sides. Their limbs are bound with rope and all three are tied together to prevent escape. Some cloth is tied around their mouths to prevent shouting. The blond woman sniffles softly and tears can be seen trickling down her cheeks. The other two are quiet, although the boy looks terrified as he hugs his legs in an awkward position.

The one called ‘boss’ approaches to make an inspection. He nods and asks “Who’s the redhead? I don’t remember hearing about one.”

“We caught her wandering alone on the way from Megara. That’s why we were late. We had some trouble catching her.”

“Hah! A woman wearing a skirt almost outran you? Even if it’s true, don’t you have a shred of pride as men?”

“She is really fast for a woman, boss, and her looks are top-quality!” the other man responds excitedly.

The boss throws a nasty glare at them, causing the two men to flinch and take one step backward. “I decide what is quality material and what isn’t, not you. Take the bonds off.”

The man does as ordered and releases the legs and mouth, leaving only the hands tied together, and then pulls her up from the cart. Her lush hair flows down past her shoulders. Her purple one-piece dress has a fluffy skirt that almost touches the ground. With full cheeks, a small jaw and pouty lips, her features would be considered attractive by anyone. Unlike the blond woman who is still crying, the red-haired beauty is looking at the robed man before her with cold and indifferent eyes. He can’t help but be impressed. After many years in the slave trade business, he can tell that this woman is different from the weak, frightened damsels that he is used to handling. She doesn’t even flinch as he grabs her chin to inspect more closely.

“Oh~ very nice. Healthy, clean and a redhead too. Well done, boys. She is going to sell for a small fortune. I know the perfect client. He is very rich and has a taste for redheads. I’ll make sure he knows the two of you found her. Expect a generous cut.”

“Thank you very much, boss!” the two respond in unison.

He returns his gaze to the woman and demands “Hey missy, what’s your name?” No answer is given. She looks idly to the side with a cool expression. He makes a sleazy smile and says “A defiant one, eh? Or are you just mute?”

“No point in talking to a dead man” she says curtly.

“What?”

He is interrupted by the sharp sound of an arrow flying near his ear. A yelp comes from behind. He releases the woman and looks back to see two of his guards have been hit in the stomach. The chainmail they are wearing failed to stop the iron-tipped arrows. They both collapse to the ground, grasping their wounds in pain as blood begins to flow.

Shocked and baffled, the robed man realizes they’re under attack and he needs to sound the alarm. However, as soon as the arrows hit their marks, the red-haired woman immediately shifts into a low stance designed for hand-to-hand combat. Even with both her hands bound by rope, she delivers a single, powerful strike into the side of the man’s turned head. The strike has all of her weight behind it, breaking his jaw and causing lethal damage to his brain.

“Wha— Hey!”

The two standing by the cart draw their blades. Still confused by the sudden turn of events, the first man makes a clumsy swing at the red-haired woman. She quickly shifts her position and lifts up her arms, allowing the blade to cut through the rope.

“That was the worst swing I’ve ever seen. Didn’t anyone teach you how to use a sword?” She taunts them while casually brushing off the rope pieces from her sleeves.

“Why you little…”

The man’s face becomes flushed with anger and humiliation. He charges in and takes another swing at her, this time with full seriousness. She slightly lifts up her skirt with the left hand to allow easier movement and readies her right fist for a counter.

You made two fatal mistakes. One, you misjudged your opponent. Two, you allowed the opponent to provoke you.

She moves sideways in a zig-zag pattern, dodging the swing with ease while shoving her fist into the man’s stomach. He falls on his back, coughing violently from the shock. She quickly picks up the dropped sword and stabs him without hesitation.

The second man is standing further back and watching the scene unfold with terror written on his face. The other three guards near the tunnel entrance have all been shot down by multiple arrows from an unknown direction. He is the only one left. Unable to think clearly, he discards his weapon and runs away as fast as he can. The woman watches him with contempt.

“A slaver and a spineless coward. Pathetic.”

She winds up her sword arm and then throws the weapon at blistering speed. Her aim is accurate thanks to innate talent and more than a decade of training. The sword strikes the fleeing man in the back, a deadly blow. She sighs and turns toward a group of armed people who appeared seemingly out of nowhere. In actuality, they were using nearby bushes and vegetation to hide right up until the point they attacked. She greets them with a slight frown.

“Laila, I get that we wanted them to lead us to their hideout, but why did I have to wear this stupid dress? It’s so hard to move in it.” The red-haired woman complains to her friend.

“It’s normal clothing for a lady, you know. We had to make you look more tempting. With your usual cheap pants and leather armor, no slaver would want to get anywhere near you.” Laila explains with a wry smile. “Anyway, I brought your weapons and armor to the bush over there.”

“Fine, wait for me before you go in.”

“Sure thing, Selene.”

<><><><><><><><><><>

With the fall of Delos and widespread chaos in the rest of the kingdom, the slave trade has been booming. Slaves are used for labour-intensive tasks and also as soldiers, so demand is higher than it has been in decades. The state’s authority is essentially non-existent now and the lords who own a military force are busy fighting. Most villages are defenseless and left to fend for themselves, making it easy for slavers to snatch people without fear of retaliation.

After Delos was overrun by a large army from the north, Selene and Laila wandered southward, doing what they could to help maintain order. They both agreed that the damage will become far greater if the whole kingdom is allowed to fall apart and devolve into warring city-states. However, neither one knows how to best go about avoiding such an outcome. This is to be expected, as both of them are warriors with no formal education of any description. They know little more than how to swing a sword.

By chance, they came across information that many people disappeared around the town of Megara in the central province. It is located in the south-east, less than a week away from Delos. Panicked over the possibility of being invaded, the town leaders clearly would not do anything about the abductions anytime soon. They refused to leave their shelter or send guards outside of town.

Selene and Laila decided to take it upon themselves to end the slaver threat. They assembled a team of villagers, all of whom had lost friends and family, and set off to find the hideout. Selene volunteered to serve as bait and allowed herself to be captured while the others stayed behind and followed. It took a few days but the plan worked. With the guards at the entrance removed and Selene equipped to fight, the whole group went inside the tunnel. There are 14 people in total. Taking any more is risky because of the possibility of traitors. It’s still a decent number for this kind of raid but there is cause for concern. Other than herself and Laila, there are only three people with combat experience and there is no telling what awaits them inside. To be on the safe side, they sent one person back to town in order to alert people that the hideout was found while the rest of them carried out the attack.

The tunnel leads into a series of underground chambers where the slavers hold their “merchandise” captive. They arrive at the first room unhindered. A few villagers, mostly women and children, are found. They shuffle nervously in their metal cages.

“We’re here to release you all.” Selene says to calm them down. Hope lights up in their eyes.

“Oh, thank the gods! They were going to sell us tonight. Please, you must find the keys. I think a man with a black robe has them.”

“He’s already been dealt with. Samuel, unlock the cages and escort these people out.”

“Aye, ma’am” responds a young man in their group.

“The rest of you, stay right behind me. Do not run off on your own.” Everyone nodded attentively.

They continue further into the underground structure. The two warriors move carefully, checking every corner of every room they come across. No hostiles have been spotted yet. Tension rises the more they advance. Lighting is done by cheap mana-crystals which flicker unpredictably, causing shadows to move eerily across the walls of the dark chambers.

It’s too quiet. Where are they all hiding? Did they escape from another exit or are they setting up an ambush?

Her question was answered less than a minute later, as terrible screams erupted from the back of the group.

“Ambush!” someone yells out.

“Damn it! How did they get behind us?”

Selene tried to find a way around the group in order to reach the back, but the narrow tunnel between rooms prevents this. It is barely wide enough for two people to fit through at a time.

“Everyone advance forward! Get to the next room!”

The group does as instructed and quickly moves forward through the twisting corridor. They reach another dimly-lit chamber. She notices that there are people armed with swords hugging the walls as if they are trying to stay out of the way. She immediately sees why. In the center of the room, tables have been turned on their sides to act as cover. Behind them are people aiming crossbows in her direction.

“Down!” Selene yells as she and Laila raise their shields for protection. 5 crossbow bolts are fired simultaneously. 4 of them are blocked by the shields. The fifth one hits a person behind Selene who failed to react in time.

“I’m going in.”

The swordsmen charge in after the volley was fired, turning the fight into a bloody melee. Knowing that their current position is terrible, Selene takes a risk and charges toward the tables in the middle of the room. Her speed is much higher than the opponents expected, allowing her to leap over a table and get between the crossbowmen before they can scatter. Aiming for vital spots such as the neck, she smashes her shield into the closest one and cuts another down with her sword. A third one hesitates to attack because of an ally in his way, allowing Selene to strike first.

Sensing an attack from behind, Selene kicks backward and knocks down a slaver before he can reach. There are too many. I have to change tactics. She tosses her shield and does a sideways flip with stunning acrobatic skill, leaping over the tables and then immediately slicing at the back of the enemy that was coming up behind her. The wounds are not deadly but are serious enough to prevent him from fighting further. Her goal is to stay mobile and constantly shift positions to avoid being surrounded. A shield will just drag me down here.

Laila backs her up by bashing people with her shield like a battering ram and then finishing them off with her sword. She was Selene’s mentor before they became close friends and the two of them have been fighting together for years. Both are silver-rank warriors. They know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and can coordinate as if it’s second nature. Laila is physically stronger and carries a larger shield which she relies on, unlike her friend who tossed it aside. She stands her ground against the enemy swordsmen in order to give the villagers cover. Selene specializes in feints and counter-attacks. Using high-speed techniques, she can fight on par with the best warriors in the Guild.

More enemies enter from an adjacent room, two men and one woman. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees that they’re wearing the same black-and-red robe as the ‘boss’ from the entrance. One of them raises his hands and yells out menacingly.

“Know your place, you dirty peasants!” He gathers a large amount of mana and molds it into a purple orb in the palm of his hand.

“Black Orb”

As the spell is about to be released, his shoulder is hit by a knife thrown by Selene. She noticed they aren’t wearing armor under the robes, making them targets for ranged weapons. A few extra knives are attached to her belt for occasions such as this. It’s not the first time she is facing a mage opponent.

The mage loses control of his spell at the last moment before it could be released as a projectile. The mana detonates in his hand with an ear-shattering bang that shakes the whole room. All three are blown back, hitting the wall behind them with a thud and then falling on the floor. Their nearby allies are also knocked down. With one misfired spell, the slavers wiped out their remaining forces. Laila uses her shield to protect herself and the peasants behind while Selene endures the blast unharmed thanks to being several meters away.

“Using such magic in an enclosed space and with no cover, how foolish…” Selene mutters.

The battle ends shortly after this close call. If Selene’s timing was poor, they would be lying on the floor instead of the mages. What could have been an easy victory for the slavers, due to their ambush, turned into complete defeat thanks to Selene and Laila being able to fight outnumbered in close quarters. Selene suffered only light cuts on her arms, but Laila was not as fortunate. She has a serious gash on her right upper arm. She is visibly bleeding through her leather armor.

“That was very close to being a disaster, but we pulled through. Nice job on stopping that mage.” Laila says with a stern expression. She glances at the corridor where the surviving villagers are piling up the dead.

“Worry about yourself. You’re turning pale from loss of blood” Selene retorts. She takes a small glass vial out of her pocket which contains a colored liquid. “Here, drink this.”

“Isn’t that potion from that young man, Rigel? He gave it to you, so use it for yourself. I’ll be fine.”

“We both know you’re not fine. I know you’re strong but we don’t have anyone who can heal you. I’ve seen people die from smaller wounds than this. Drink at least half” she insists.

Laila nods weakly and drinks from the potion. Both of them open their eyes wide as the large wound on her shoulder immediately begins to close. She feels a surge of vitality as her body is filled with mana and the healing spell hidden inside is activated. A mystical swirl of light energy surrounds her, healing every wound and even clearing some old scars. In 28 years, Laila has not seen anything like it.

“Incredible. Even the muscle ache is gone. It feels like I’ve become younger! I never heard of a healing potion with this kind of immediate effect. Was that really a potion?”

“… I had it appraised but they didn’t know anything beyond the fact that it contains a healing spell. I’m just as surprised as you are.”

“You did mention he’s a mage, but this is… Now I want to meet him even more.”

Selene grins. “You will, someday.”

With the battle over, they search the place and discover hidden rooms which allowed the slavers to set up the ambush. Several villagers were killed as a result. With this in mind, the two warriors scour the whole structure for any remaining secrets or hostiles. As expected, they find a second exit through which some slavers may have escaped in the confusion. This is not over yet, Selene notes. There are surely other bases like this one.

After an hour of searching, a hidden room unlike any of the others is discovered behind a fake bookshelf. It is much larger than the rest, with around 50 meters in length, 30 meters in width and 3 meters high. What they see inside can only be described as a dark, occult ritual. Many strange symbols are painted on the walls and floor in dried-up blood. Drapes bearing familiar black-and-red designs are hanging from the ceiling along the sides of the room. There are tables full of cups, glass vials, mana-crystals, magic catalysts, various cutting tools and other trinkets that Selene and Laila don’t recognize. There are also harrowing devices such as a thumbscrew, a torture rack and an iron maiden. A disgusting smell of decomposing flesh permeates the whole room, so strong that it could be smelled from outside with the door closed. It hints at the terrible things that must have happened in this dark room. One of the villagers that followed Selene and Laila is overwhelmed and runs outside to throw up.

In the center is a smooth, stone platform that serves as an altar, on which is laid a human body. The limbs are chained to the stone altar and the body is impaled with an unknown, black crystalline spike about 1 meter long and 4 cm thick. At the other end of the room is a large bronze statue of a humanoid figure with the horns of a ram and two goat legs. The figure has a pose like it is stepping forward and grasping something in the air with the left hand. It’s clearly an idol of some kind, but Selene doesn’t know who it’s supposed to represent.

She swallows in a dry throat and approaches the altar. This isn’t out of some morbid curiosity but rather out of concern. She guesses that some slaves were used as sacrifices in twisted rituals. Human sacrifices are forbidden by law in official religious practices. Only animal sacrifices are allowed. Regardless of what these slavers were doing, it wasn’t based on the religion of Amisos that Selene is familiar with.

As she gets closer, it becomes clear that the figure chained to the altar is a young girl no older than 10 years-old. The black spike is impaled through her abdomen; certainly a lethal wound but there is no visible blood loss. The body is full of scratches and bruises, a sign that she was abused beforehand. Her eyes are closed and she appears dead. Selene touches the neck to check for a pulse as Laila arrives at her side.

“How awful…” mutters Laila with a pained look. “Even for slavers, this is too much.”

“She is alive. It’s faint but her heart is still beating” declares Selene in a confident tone. “Laila, help me get this thing out of her.”

“Right.”

The two warriors grab the crystalline spike with both hands and pull it up with all of their strength. The spike resists as it is imbedded into the stone altar below. However, one should never underestimate the might of two silver-rank warriors. A light cracking sound is heard and the spike is yanked out. The part that was imbedded does not show any blood. Laila tosses it aside and Selene takes out the healing potion from earlier.

Only half remains but I have to try. As long as there’s a chance, I won’t leave this child to die.

She lifts up the head slowly and makes her drink from the vial, taking care not to make her choke. The girl’s body reacts by swallowing instinctively. The same light effect they saw earlier begins again. Glowing streams of light filled with rainbows of color and indescribable patterns surround the altar and float upward like rising steam, disappearing into the ceiling. The young girl’s wounds close and bruises fade away, including the large hole in the abdomen. Selene and Laila watch with bated breath for several minutes until the effect ends and the flashes of light fade. They are relieved to see the child’s chest start to move up and down as she resumes breathing normally.

“Let’s get her out of these chains. We don’t want her waking up in this disgusting pit.”

“Right, I’ll go see if Samuel’s key works.”