Chapter 50 – Middle Center

Leone arrived by carriage in the middle center nation of Trapolstan. Wearing tight clothing and a collar on the neck, Leone is, like the ones in the carriage a prisoner of war. And the middle center nation of Trapolstan is the perfect place to put prisoners like him.

Leone is a slim tall elven. He was lucky enough to be spared by the western humans and was put into this nation. Trapolstan is a nation filled with sands. And Leone, who was collared in the neck, could only look gravely at his situation.

Right now the carriage is entering Tinople City. Leone has known this city as a middle ground for prisoners of war like him. He considered himself as lucky that he is headed here. Since Tinople City is where captured criminals with status are put on. Here, they can throw those who are considered too important and let them rot in the city until they are dead.

There are at least fifty thousand people living in the city of Tinople. It is a fortress city made of sandstones, and the wall around the place makes it hard for anyone to escape the city.

Leone’s carriage was nearing the gates of the city. The sandy stone double doors of the city opened and revealed a city with a square -like house that is stacked on top of each other. The roads are sandy, and the people inside were wearing collars and a cloth on their head. Leone, as an elven kind saw the stares of the people at him.

His yellow green hair was standing out and he could see some of the people looking at him oddly. But with Leone being not a simple prey. He stared them down with an aura that could scare out petty thugs. He was used to killing people as a forest elven. It was his job to guard the forest city he once lived in and it gave him enough experience.

The carriage rolled along the sandy road of the city of Tinople. Leone saw the giant oval infrastructure in the middle of the city. It is the infamous arena of the Tinople city, and once in a while, people are put in there or forced to go there to live.

Leone heard many stories about this poverty stricken city. Its economy is based on the merchants that are brave enough to travel in the middle of a desert. The farmlands are few in the city due to the minuscule fertile grounds.

Luckily the city is sitting on top of a water vein, so the people who live in the city do not get thirsty. But still, people could not live just by drinking water.

Leone who just got into this place feels like it would be hell here. And as the carriage he is riding slowly turned around the corner, he saw the place where he would probably be dropped. The horse neigh’s and the driver unlocked the cage where Leone was locked up.

“Welcome to Tinople City. Enjoy your stay.”

Saying that, the driver of the carriage went back to driver’s seat and let the guards that are with him stare at the people of the city. Leone who was collared in the neck glances at the carriage leaving before turning towards the tanned man that is standing in front of the new arrivals like him.

“So you are the new citizens of this city eh?” The tanned man said.

Leone lined up like the rest of the others and listened to the tanned man that is about to give an explanation to them.

“This is Tinople City. And as you should know the city is surrounded by walls that have archers and guards on top. So do not try to even escape the city. You lot know why you are here. Because all of you are noticeable enough to be put into this place as a prisoner of war—the city and the nation is neutral ground where scum like you are put into. So take the fact that you got into this place a miracle.”

The Tanned man walked back and forth looking at the new arrivals. Leone didn’t like the conceding attitude of the smug tanned man.

“We only have two rules in the city. Never escape, and try to live while you can. You all should know much of a shithole this place is—“

“GAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA”

The Tanned man was interrupted by a loud laughter. Leone turned is head towards the source of the laughter and saw a bald young man leaning on the wall. He seems to be another resident of the city who doesn’t look sane.

“SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU FUCKING FOOL!”

“GAHAHAHAHAH SHITHEAD! KEKKEKKEKEKEKEKEKEKE”

The bald young man laughed at the tanned man while chewing some piece of meat in his right hand. He then walked away out of everyone’s sight.

The Tanned man clicked his tongue after the bald young man left the scene. He continued:

“As I was saying, this place is a shithole and if you want to turn into some crazy bastard like that fucking fool then you are more than welcomed to do so. So that would be all and welcome to this deathtrap city of Tinople”

The Tanned man then carried himself out of the new arrivals. Leone didn’t think much and immediately left the place. He followed the tanned man and slowly pulled an ebony dagger lodged between his buttocks. It is a small one, but with a slight chant, Leone made the ebony dagger big enough. He then used the dagger to take the collar off. There was no one that would stop him from doing so. And most of the ‘citizens’ and tanned man wasn’t wearing a collar.

Leone then tried to cast a spell but as expected. He found out that he isn’t able to. The city of Tinople has a weird formation that negates the mana of the citizens living on it.

Leone clicked his tongue and curved his lips in annoyance. Biting his pinkish lips, he continued walking when suddenly a wild bolt flew and scrape his side!

Leone then raised his awareness and threw the ebony dagger up to the one who shot at him. Running towards the bandit who shot him, Leone pulled the Ebony Dagger and parried just in time when one of the three slashed towards him. Leone kicked the assailant and quickly slashed the throat of the other one, only for the one he kicked to lodge a dagger intoLeon’s gut.

Pale blood flowed down Leone’s stomach but he was resistant enough to fight back and kill the attacker.

With the three dead, Leone leaned on the wall and tried to use a healing spell. His hand flickered with light but in the end, the healing spell didn’t activate. As he was losing blood, Leone slowly breathes and thought that this is it.

But in the corner of his eyes, the bald young man he saw while ago appeared in the corner. He saw the dead people and quickly scavenged them off their clothes, saying:

“Lucky!”

He didn’t mind the blood on them and only when he saw Leone that the bald man stopped. He tilted his head and asked Leone:

“Dead soon?”

“What do you think?”

Blood flowed on Leone’s pink lips as his vision slowly blurs. As he loses consciousness, the last thing he saw was the bald young man approaching him with his palm pointed towards him.