A sensation that enveloped his whole body that ached due to fatigue. Warm and relaxing, he wished to stay here for the whole day but a lot of things prevented him from doing so. With the water that was heated at just the right temperature, mist shrouded the whole bathroom. A special place where he would always be lost in thought, his last resort whenever he was in a slump.

Water flowed throughout his body, removing dirt and grease that accumulated ever since he came here. His fair skin that was always covered with sweat, refreshed and ridded of filth. The hair that was envied and despised at the same time, cleansed deeply with shampoo. Despite knowing that cleaning products were limited and should be used discreetly, Seth made an exception for today. Lathering every nook and cranny, he scrubbed every part with great attention. Especially his neck, as he scrubbed it with enough force to inflame the skin due to friction. But no matter how long or forceful he tried to scrape off the markings, it didn’t fade in the slightest.

Soon enough, he gave up and finished his bathing. The steam that obscured his vision receded shortly after he turned the knob counterclockwise, ending the shower of warmth that filled his heart with security.

“Is it love or hatred?”

Brooding over the words of the lady who supposedly killed him, questions began to multiply instead of being answered. She showed affection at first but eventually hatred took over. As if knowing him for a very long time, she spoke so familiarly to him.

Is it because of that medallion?

His only connection to this place was the medallion that he used as a power source for the teleportation machine. As it had already integrated itself into his hand, there was a high possibility that the lady in black mistook him for the original owner. Seth nodded in affirmation at this conclusion but was still left with a mountain of mysteries to be solved.

Everything seems too unnatural.

The immense power possessed by the medallion was the first, followed by the attack he had experienced that he could only identify as an hallucination, and now the markings that came out of nowhere. Such phenomena that were unexplainable by natural science could only be classified as supernatural.

The sensation of being decapitated still lingered inside his nerves. Occasionally he would subconsciously massage his neck, trying to ease the nonexistent pain.

“So that lady gave me this.”

He wiped the fogged up mirror with his hand, showing an unsettling image of him. Stress, fatigue and sleeplessness worsened the bags under his eyes. Bloodshot eyes that looked as if it would spurt out blood if not taken care of. And lastly, the ominous horizontal bars that ran across his neck.

It looks like one is much shorter than before somehow.

As he viewed his neck from up close, he finally noticed. The rightmost bar was half the length of the remaining six.

____________________________________________________________________________

!!?

A bone chilling breeze swept away her sleepiness. The sound wooden wheels traversing through a rocky pathway, accompanied by occasional neighing of horses. Only a shred of light escaped through the curtain’s slit, as if signifying their hope of being free. With the meager clothing she was wearing, only the warmth of her fellow prisoners kept her from her demise. Sharing the same fate as her, they wanted to at least comfort each other before the day of sacrifice.

The number of prisoners was six, including her and Geraint. Most of them were females but a male was mixed in the group. Elves, dwarves, beastmen and humans at the peak of their youth. Prisoners of different races packed inside a small cart, only dressed with thin ragged clothes. Without any room for large movements, they were entangled to each other, desperate for a body's warmth. Except for the sole male that was huddled at a corner, all of them seemed so close to each other.

“Geraint I need to pee.”

She told the male that was shivering from the cold. Even if the interior was almost in darkness, the male nodded in affirmation to the ever-so familiar voice. Without further ado, he opened the curtain that separated them from the outside, allowing the chilling cold to enter inside. Immediately, the girls flinched and quivered harmoniously, in response to the sudden drop of temperature.

As the sun showered him with enough light, his appearance became as clear as the day. A young man with bountiful blonde hair he was. Facial features that could be considered fairly above average and a body that was quite thin for a male inhabitant of this world. Azure eyes with a slightly darker shade, one could easily tell that he was of noble birth.

“Umm…Meeteeso doh mee doh.”

Geraint, not wanting to further worsen the situation, made contact to the nearest guard using the language of the demons. Being the bookworm that he was, he was quite surprised that he would be in such a situation where his profound knowledge of different languages would be put to use, especially of the demonic kind.

“Solamee, La latee tee sotee meesotee.”

An orcish guard abruptly spoke to him with an irritated voice. As if on cue with his reply, the cart stopped in its tracks. Wearing a full plate armor that exuded a crude brilliance, the orc carried a dignified posture contrary to his appearance that reeked of ugliness. A head of a pig placed above a burly body that was full of muscles, orcs were one of the demonic species that inhabited this world.

For a moment, it caught a glimpse of the inside of the cart. Squirming while being entangled with one another, females that exuded a dizzying amount of sexual appeal flocked together. But instead of being captivated, the orc snorted in disinterest and told Geraint that it would give them a few minutes to relieve themselves.

“I got the permission your highness, you should take anyone who needs to do the same with you.”

Relaying the news in such a courteous manner, Geraint looked towards one of the girls that was particularly buried underneath the pile of femininity. As if reacting to his words, she attempted to stand up but struggled due to the other girls being intertwined so firmly. Nevertheless, she managed to lift a portion using her brute strength and achieved freedom at last.

“If any of you needs to take a pee, come with me.”

Illuminated by the light that came from outside, her form was visible to everybody. Fire red hair that was shortened just below her shoulders, a rare color to come by. A figure that was neither thin nor plump, mostly comprised of muscles but was covered with silky smooth skin. Covered only by a thin piece of cloth, her curves and appropriately sized chest were a sight for sore eyes. And lastly, a face adorned with orbs that were similarly colored to her hair, reminiscent of a spoiled child but exuded beauty that was fit for a royalty.

In human tongue, she tried to communicate to the others but failed. Since all of them beside her and Geraint weren't humans, a language barrier separated them. Even so, it wasn’t the first time they had encountered it, so she compensated with body language that would be considered as universal.

After noticing her somewhat obnoxious gestures, one of the girls got up and slowly moved towards her. A tiny cat-eared beastwoman with pitch black hair, she was an innocent girl that was made aware of the harsh reality of this world. She was noticeably good looking as well with a smile that beamed with happiness even though they were bound to be sacrificed. Her name was Ranxa, Geraint told her highness himself since he was the only one who could effectively communicate with everyone.

“Alright Ranxa will come with me.”

She laughed cheerfully after seeing the tiny Ranxa as if she was a small animal. Picking her up by her collar, her highness carried Ranxa in an unladylike manner that made her look brutish compared to the other girls.

The moment she got out of the cart with Ranxa, the cold that assailed them for quite some time now, disappeared without a trace. She was quite sure that they were passing through an ice covered land but not a single drop of snow was seen. Green pasture welcomed her when she stepped out, as if spring replaced winter in such a short time. But then, her questions were immediately answered as soon as she looked afar.

“The summit of Amantes.”

A forlorn smile radiated from her lips as she whispered their destination.

The summit of beginnings it was commonly called. Legends told that Ivreus and Adia, the first man and woman, resided within its peaks. Being the first creations of the God Nymus, the both of them were inseparable, not even time could bring them apart. They were considered gods themselves as they helped Nymus in the creation of the different races. The demonic races created by Adia, and the human skinned humanoid races by Ivreus.

Her highness was excited to reach such a place where no common folks or even experienced adventurers would dare to venture.

The warmth of the sunlight that they had not felt for so long, enveloped the guards and the prisoners. Noticing such a change, the rest of the captives peeked from inside of the cart. Showing their faces that were on par with her highness’ beauty, an image was formed befitting of a gorgeous painting. Everything was perfect but if one would closer, the girl’s neck and even Geraint’s showed something ominous. An inch thick black line that encircled both the front and back of their necks, as if signifying a collar that bounds them into place.

____________________________________________________________________________

They were shrouded in darkness once again, the usual sound of the cart and horses resounding from the outside but with larger intervals. Since the horses were doing all the work, climbing to the top of the summit wasn’t a problem for them. Even so,with only a couple of them, the horses didn’t seem to be exhausted at all. Being a subspecies of the demonic race, they possessed superior strength and endurance compared to human bred horses.The center of gravity shifted as they continued to traverse through the steep trail.

“Geraint.”

“Yes your highness.”

Her highness was unusually active during this time of the day, peeking outside through the small holes scattered throughout the cart’s tent. With a single call of his name, Geraint immediately responded to her highness.

“Does this place feel strange to you?”

Geraint was convinced that the thinning of the air was what her highness was talking about. As their altitude increases, naturally it would be more difficult to breathe. But there was something peculiar about it that her highness ,who was quite knowledgeable herself ,was particularly concerned about it.

“Nothing seems unusual your highness.”

He responded based on his logical reasoning but her highness was still unconvinced. Peeking through the holes, she continued and watched the disciplined march of the orcish guards that surrounded them. A dozen fully armored warriors, half of them brandishing spears and shields and the other swords and bows. Serving as the coach was an orcish mage, donning a magical robe and a battle staff as its primary weapon.

If confronted in battle, such a group could easily destroy a high ranking adventurer party. Possessing both experience and skill, they managed to safely escort the prisoners through dangerous lands without a single casualty. In addition, contrary to their savage appearance, they carried a strong aura of dignity and would never treat the prisoners wrongly. As if precious goods that were needed to be delivered in their best quality, they were cared for in every step of the way.

The march continued unhindered and it took about an hour before the center of gravity shifted once again. With the steepness finally gone, the convoy assumed its original pace.

Determined to watch their journey to the top, her highness didn’t move from her position. All she could see now were trees. Wherever hole she peeked through, only thick vegetation welcomed her. Geraint on other hand, could finally discern what her highness was talking about earlier.

“The air reeks of death.”

Geraint perfectly described it in one sentence.The other prisoners who were loafing around sensed it as well. Grim expressions befell on their beautiful faces, even her highness who was the bravest of them all, shuddered in fright.

“Ray meetee so raysotee sosi do!”

The orc mage shouted with all his might, chanting something that only Geraint could understand.

“Mee kee sotee laso ray teesodi la tee teelamee!”

Whenever it spouted another sentence, Geraint’s face became paler. Everyone grew confused and could only look at Geraint for answers. The meager light that entered the cart wasn’t enough for his face to be visible to the girls but Ranxa could very well see him amidst the darkness. Despite that, Ranxa herself was still confused, unaware of what was happening outside.

“Tee soray teedoh mee tee ray sofalatee!”

Reaching the highest pitch it could possibly reach, the orc mage stood up with both its arms raised up into the air.

“EVERYONE GET DOWN!”

Finally comprehending the graveness of the situation, Geraint also did the loudest shout he could muster. At the same time, he threw himself towards the girls and forcefully lowered their heads onto the cart’s ground. Her highness, who already noticed the danger ahead of Geraint, assumed a prone position.

SHIIIIIING!

A sound that was similar to a sword being drawn from its sheath assailed their eardrums. Within a split second the cart that enclosed them from the outside was bisected horizontally. Being positioned at the trajectory of the attack, the mage and the horses were bisected as well. Emerald colored blood spurted in all directions, spreading an iron stench that made most of the prisoners nauseous. Light flooded the cart that was now roofless, momentarily blinding the eyes of the Geraint and the others.

“Sosotee so teedohla meelaso!”

The one who seemed to be the captain of the guards, relayed a distressed command to its subordinates. Completely unprepared of such trail of events, it took awhile before the others regained their senses. Displaying their experience and discipline in combat, the orcs nimbly assumed a defensive formation. The spearmen shielded the front while the swordsmen switched to their bows, preparing to unleash long range attacks.

SCREEEEECH!

Yet again, it produced another disorienting sound but the guards were unshaken. Showing its true form, the monster boasted its gigantic body while nestling on a similarly gigantic bark. Jet black carapace armed with blade-sharp scythes, an insect type of monster that possessed a set of wings that boosted its maneuverability. Its small head was connected to an outrageously long neck, a pair of antennas sitting on top of it.

“Soteela teeso mee someefa!”

In response to the captain’s next command, the archers aimed nocked arrows on their bows and simultaneously fired at the monster’s location. Bows made from monster horn and arrow tips from sharpened monster bones, boasting enough penetrative power to cleanly enter a full plate armor.

SCREEEEEEEEEEECH!

Not expecting a fast response from the enemy, the insect monster endured the attack. Its carapace successfully deflected the arrowtips, leaving only small dent on its naturally grown armor.

“Geraint we need to get out of here!”

Recovering first from the shock, her highness immediately commanded Geraint. But for a few second he paused, contemplating about the curse that was casted upon them. Never could they leave the cart for a long time since they were bound to it by magic.

“The curse has already been lifted, hurry!”

Her highness was certainly the calmest of them all, noticing at first glance that the curse mark on their necks had already disappeared. Since the orc mage ,who was the one who cursed them, died so suddenly. The curse was lifted without any hardships on their side.

Using the battle between the orcs and the insect monster as diversion, the prisoners began to regroup. With Geraint as the one in command, the dumbstrucked prisoners regained their senses and prepared to escape.

The fight became even more fierce with the monster retaliating back. But it was none of their concern right now, they need to quickly get out of this chaotic place.

“Stick together everyone! Don’t let anyone separate from the group!”

Her highness then took over, issuing commands to the girls using her natural charisma. They still couldn’t understand her words but Geraint acted as the translator as usual. With the way she carried herself, the other prisoners felt a significant amount of security in their hearts.

Walking briskly at a constant pace while barefooted, the group traversed through the forest that was filled with gigantic trees and littered with bushes of variable sizes. The sound of battle quieted down as they made considerable distance. Their hands firmly grasped with one another, not letting anyone wander off the group.

Rustling sound of leaves and the occasional calls of critters were the only thing they could hear. Unnerving as it was, the group refused to budge. Already sharing a special bond with each other, the group became mentally strong as a whole. Nevertheless, they were unable to tell the flow of time and just kept on walking forward without any further plans. With the forest being so dimly lit, the position of the sun was hard to discern.

“Wait.”

Her highness suddenly raised her right arm, signalling for the group to stop. Noticing something peculiar at the ground, she knelt and examined it.

This is definitely manmade.

A tube so long, her highness couldn’t see its end. Without any plans at all, this finding could very well be their last chance of surviving. Along the tube, there were two sets of footprints that overlapped each other. The depression on the ground was quite prominent which made it easy to spot. Going at opposing directions, the one who made them seemed to have travelled to a certain area of the forest and came back using the same path.

“Everyone, this way.”

Her highness made the decision that would either lead to their survival or demise. Following the direction of the set of footprints that appeared to be much recent than the other, the group continued with their escape.