Chapter 7

Jason fought back his rage as he glared daggers at the large man. Darek was unaffected by the fire like gaze. "You joined a group of slavers.... I guess I can't be suprised. You DO fit right in." Jason said caustic hatred evident in every syllable.

"Hahahaha" Darek broke into laughter and when he finally stopped his raucous display he said "your words mean nothing to me now. YOU are nothing to me now." He started to giggle again.

"You're garbage. You're a coward and your pathetic." Jason continued his verbal assault.

As jason insulted him Darek raised his forefinger and wiggled it like one would to a naughty child. His other hand rose as well and Jason noticed a small object gripped lightly in the giants paw.

Darek's grin grew sinister as he pointed the object at Jason and a click was heard.

BZZZTTTT

Electricity once again leapt from the shackles and ran along his flesh and bones. It spread throughout his body and Jason floundered like a fish out of water. He gasped and shook. A low jittery moan escaped his mouth. Prisha looked on in horror as the torture continued.

When Jason was shocked before it lasted no more then 3 to 4 seconds, but this time it was prolonged. It lasted 30 seconds before Prisha's voice could be heard saying "STOP your going to kill him!"

Darek smiled at her and leveled the small device at her as well. A click was heard and Prisha dropped to the floor of her cage as well. "Shut up bitch." Darek sneered and said. He was getting enjoyment out of this.

Prisha's punishment for speaking lasted the normal 3 or 4 seconds before stopping. She sucked in air and felt her limbs as they trembled. Her hair stood on end seemingly charged with static. She looked over at Jason who's torture was ongoing and sorrow colored her gaze. "Please stop." Her voice was a whisper this time.

Darek ignored her plea and watched Jason roll and crash into the sides of his cage. Jason thrashed and moaned with agony in his voice. A sound started growing that was akin to the sound a tazer makes and it grew louder and louder. The electric current grew stronger the longer the shackles power was activated.

"Not so mouthy now huh? I really hated the look in your eyes before. Let's see if you can maintain that look after I'm done with you!" Darek once again broke into laughter.

Only after two minutes had passed and Jason no longer thrashed, only shivering and twitching as sweat, saliva and tears spilled down his face and stained his shirt collar did the electric current abate. Jason lay in his cell like a corpse. A twitch surfaced from time to time but no other reaction was seen.

Prisha was weeping at this point. She barely knew the young man Jason at this point but he had done as best he could to protect her and he seemed very kind. She worried he was dying. She was relieved when a groan escaped Jason's mouth and he began to stir.

As Jason fought back from the edge of unconsciousness he felt pain in his body and mind. Every movement he made was torture but he moved nonetheless. He slowly extended a hand and grabbed one of the bars of his cell as he dragged himself to his feet.

Prisha was stunned that Jason had it in him to stand at this point and she marveled at his willpower, but she could see the grin on Jason's face and knew what was about to happen. She knew or at least guessed what jason was about to say. She wanted to warn Jason to shut up but it was not quick enough.

"Is that all you got bitch?" Jason provoked in a hollow voice while flashing a toothy grin at Darek. It was a basic provocation without much grace, but it was all he was presently capable of in his current condition. His body and mind were numb.

"Fucker! You want some more?!" Darek yelled as his face grew red with fury and disbelief. He raised his hand and the small device was pointed at Jason again. Samire and Angela winced as they watched from further off in their own cages.

Prisha closed her tear stained eyes and began to pray for Jason. She couldn't watch anymore. Why won't he just stay down? she thought. Don't make this worse!

Jason steadied his body and mind and prepared for the pain, but a voice cut through the situation and said "stop messing around. If you kill him I won't be pleased." The voice was almost gentle but that made it all the more terrible.

Darek nearly jumped out of his skin upon hearing the voice and turned to address the man who had seemingly crept up behind him without notice. "Sorry boss. He pissed me off and I lost my cool. It won't happen again!" His voice was obsequious. He wrung his hands in apparent fear of the man.

It was the leader with the braided beard who lead this group of slaver/bandits. The man was calm as he stared at Darek. Darek shrunk under the man's gaze not daring to make a sound.

"Do as I told you and bring them to my tent. Stop playing." The leader continued after giving Darek a mental blow with nothing but his eyes. He said nothing else and walked elegantly towards a tent that was larger then the other tents by a significant margin.

Darek wiped the cold sweat from his brow and got busy with the task at hand. "Alright the fun is over." He stated to noone in particular as he reached out and unlocked Jason's cage as well as Prisha's. He continued and opened the cages of Samire and Angela as well. "Don't try anything funny." He said as he shook the device in his hands threateningly.

The small group of people shuffled out of their cages and walked in front of Darek. Prisha flew to Jason's side putting her arm under his armpit and wrapping it around his upper arm to help support him as they walked. She began to clean his face and neck of sweat , tears and saliva with her sleave. He leaned on her a bit and walked side by side with her. He could smell her scent. It carried a hint of sweat but it was still a womanly scent.

Prisha put her mouth to his ear and whispered "That was stupid. Why did you provoke him then? He almost killed you. He could have killed you! If that man had not been there to stop him you would be dead right now."

Jason felt her warm breath wash over his ear and down his neck and felt a shiver. He flashed a roguish grin at her then whispered as he brought his lips to her ear and let them ever so slightly brush her earlobe "I never claimed to be smart." He chuckled a little.

Prisha was bewildered by this man. She felt heat rise to her face and she lowered her gaze in embarrassment. "You really are a fool." She said as small unseen smile creeped onto her lovely face. She gipped his arm tighter.

Jason felt a flash of joy at her reaction and thought. It seems provoking cute reactions from this woman is addictive.

The small group of people arrived at the tent and entered when Darek pointed into it. Inside the tent the leader of this group of slavers sat on a chair, one leg resting on the knee of his other leg. He was calm and elegant as always. He radiated cool authority.

As the group came to a stop before him the man looked at each person in turn without saying a word. His gaze suggested that none of their secrets where safe from his eyes. After his slow appraisal he spoke. "Where do you people come from?"

Jason's heart leapt into his throat. He knew this was no simple question. He looked at Darek and knew the big man had squealed their secrets into his new boss's ears. If they tried lying it would do no good.

Prisha spoke first. "We come from a distant land and we are just pass..." but her words where cut off as Jason spoke over her.

"We are from another world, but you already know that don't you?" He glared at Darek as he said this. "This pig squealed already right?" He finished.

The bearded man nodded a smile on his face now. "Your right. Darek has already told me everything. If you had lied I would have punished you." There was an approving look in his eyes as he gazed upon Jason. "What you people are known as in this world is Travelers." There was a hint of joy in the man's voice.

The man continued his speech. "Travelers are not unheard of in this world but they are rare. VERY rare." His smile grew even more and spread across his face. He was obviously very happy. "Travelers sell for MUCH more then normal slaves" he giggled and continued "many times more in fact." It seems the groups capture was a fortune for the man.

"Its not that your value is in your rarity, though that does play a role. It's that travelers are almost universally gifted magi. Not many travelers show lack of skill in controlling mana. Some of our world's greatest magus were travelers." The man was deep in delivering his speech as he stood and began gesticulating as he paced, a smile still on his face.

"Please understand that doesn't mean I will free you, but that does mean you get a choice." The man stopped before them and straightened his posture and looked in their eyes as he told them "You have two choices. One. Join me. Become a member of my mercenary band and obey me. I will put a slave coller on you which is more advanced then the shackles you wear and after 10 years I will remove it. At that point you will be free."

Jason looked over at Darek when the leader spoke of slave collars and noticed something poking out of the bastards shirt collar. Jason knew that must be the slave collar. Darek had already accepted obviously.

The leader was still speaking "You will wear a slave collar, but in effect you won't be slaves. The collar is to ensure my own safety. I will treat you as I do any other member of this group and even show respect if you earn it, but obedience will be enforced."

"How is that any different to slavery?" Jason spoke up.

The man's eyes fell on Jason. His displeasure obvious at the interruption. "Choose the second option and you will find out." The man said as a smile floated back onto his face.

"Choice two," the man continued "is for me to sell you. I will sell you to the highest bidder. Their plans for you are not my concern. You would be their slave instead of mine and I can almost guarantee they won't free you in 10 years as I would."

His words were tempting but Jason remembered Bob's fate. He remembered all those dirty and wretched people in the cages around him earlier. If he served this man he would have to commit atrocities for him. Inside he knew he could never do such things.

"If you could just use slave collars on us why not control us and be done with It? Why offer a choice?" Jason asked confused and wondering what game the man was playing at.

"As people new to this world I can understand why you wouldn't know, but slave collars are not perfect. They can't be removed without the masters help and they can kill, maim or cause pain for the one wearing it, but they can't force the one wearing it to act. Your mind and soul are still your own while wearing one. If you can brave the pain you can disobey. The consequences are death, but for some that is a better fate."

The man resumed his pacing. "I find it very troublesome and even dangerous to use pain and suffering alone to spur people forward. There are still ways for a slave to betray their master while wearing the collar and I would rather avoid that outcome. The collar isn't omniscient and is only as good as the master holding the leash. It can sometimes turn into a situation like riding a tiger."

The man came to a stop and said "in closing its YOUR choice. I will give you two days to make it. After the second day we will arrive in the city of Larrem. Larrem has one of the largest slave markets in the world and you will fetch very high prices there." He paused and shot a meaningful glance at Prisha and Angela before saying "women travelers particularly so."

The group understood his words immediately. Prisha and Angela blanched at the thoughts the words provoked.

The man finished by saying "Alright I've given you your choices. It's up to you to decide now. Remember, two day is all you have. I'll do you a favor" He then waved his hand in an imperial manner and gave Darek an order. "Put them in the larger cage together and without any other slaves so they can talk amongst themselves and decide."

Everyone had complicated gazes as they shuffled out of the tent and entered a cage big enough to hold double their numbers under Dareks watchful gaze.

Choices would have to made.