(17.3) Illusions of the Past
Once more she's in a tunnel. Different from the one that holds the hideout. This one is thinner to prevent light from entering but tapers out to a small cavern full of precious metals. Shur, Aki, Rayla and a few other slaves stand lined up against the wall. In front are four slavers inspecting their charges.
Two slavers hold their hands up on either side of the group, choosing to use glove conduits to cast a light spell. A result of a slave having wrestled a torch from a slaver's hand and burning their face only a few weeks prior.
The other two stand at the front. A pair of muscled Lizalo, one with a large sword hooked on his back and the other with knuckle blades gripped tightly in her hands, lead the way. Both of them hiss aggressively as they inspect the mine work.
All four slavers have small whips and wooden paddles attached to their belts. For disciplining unruly slaves. However, such a thing always came down to whenever a slaver felt like it.
"As your punishment, little bird," speaks the female lizalo, clicking her bladed knuckle weapons together. Her mouth splits wide in a sadistic smile. "You'll be choosing which of these two lovely ladies will take the whipping for you."
She aggressively points at Aki and another slave, a little kemono with canine features quivering in fear.
Shur is about to speak up. To take the full punishment.
"I'll take it!" Aki shouts, brandishing her shovel at them.
"What's the matter? Scared you won't be able to whip hard enough? I can scream if that would motivate you monsters."
She clenches her teeth. Pain reverberates through her body as the world breaks away from itself.
She grabs her head in pain.
"We got a brave one, don't we now?" The female lizalo laughs and stalks up to Aki.
In a quick snap, the lizalo slaps Aki across the face, drawing blood from her cheek and exemplifying the pain in her head.
The world swirls and alters. The mine walls and the magical lights shimmer. Replaced by a clouded sky, burning fires, and a battle strewn marketplace. A colourful swirling light vibrates quickly and suddenly she lays face down on a makeshift bed padded with loose straw and wrapped by cloth.
A moment later, she realises she's lying in the hideout.
Dim candles flicker in the space, casting long shadows on the stony walls. Several rags, no, spare cloth sacks covered in blood and clear liquid lay neatly beneath her.
Her own cloth sack is gone too, leaving her only in her undergarments.
"What… What happened?" Sharp pain in her back causes her to wince.
Aki unconsciously reaches behind to touch her back. Sticky, mostly dried blood meets her fingertips.
Feeling lacerated flesh makes her recoil in shock.
"Stop moving so much, kid." Says a dry, lilting voice. "You're not getting any more if you spill the salve."
Aki whips her hair around to find Zed. A dryad woman with browned flesh and badly wilting leaves that grow from her. Her expression is sharp and tired.
"Honestly, it's like you're addicted to getting whipped." Zed laughs dryly, though there is no amusement reflected in her eyes. "In case you haven't realised, otherworlder, this is a real place, no matter how much ArSeeGee elements you think there are. You will die if you keep causing trouble, even if you do it to help a revolt succeed."
"But-" Aki tries to rise from her spot only to get pushed back down by one of Zed's vines.
Zed sighs in frustration and kneels down by Aki's face.
"Look kid, your world and Tsarjar are different." Zed gently pats Aki's head, though her expression remains unchanged. Only her eyes, reflecting the firelight off their black surface could be said to show a hint of emotion. "No matter how you came here or what you knew of it before, this is the painful reality. So… don't be quick to throw yourself away just because you're an otherworlder. Shur and Rayla… and I… like you a lot. We want you around even after we escape, got it?"
Aki hesitates for a moment as the world glitches again. Glassy lines form and crack with a loud splatter of colour.
Did Zed really say those words or was it just something Aki wishes she had been told? Maybe it would have given her the resolve to make different choices.
Pain grips her head again and words echo.
"Break out of it, me. This isn't real! It isn't!"
The world around her is full of darkness. Only the bright white of the glassy lines serve as any form of illumination.
Shur and Rayla appear from the corner of her vision.
"It's… it is… why isn't this real?"
Tears threaten to stream down Aki's face upon seeing her friends again. All together. All right here in front of her. All…
"Rayla told me you used them earlier but it shouldn't be this painful unless..." Shur gently puts a hand on Aki's shoulder. "Skies Aki, how many Skill Points did you use?"
Shur, Rayla, and Zed look down at her with varied levels of concern, expectantly waiting for Aki to answer the question.
"...Five?"
"Five? That's nine Skill Points in a third as many months. Do you have a death wish?"
"I'm sorry Shur."
"Aki. Rayla, come here." Shur pulls both into a gentle hug. "I understand you come from vastly different worlds. Such an experience as slavery is sure to devastate your mind but you must strive to live on. Do not let yourself become disillusioned by what is right in front of you."
The words carry enough weight to ease Aki's mind. Once more, the dimly lit cave and Shur's kind features start to fade.
"However, Aki, you must promise not to be so reckless with your Skill Points. Can you do that for me?"
"I…"
A slaver guard bursts into the chamber then, his burning torch held aloft as he shouts orders, rousing awake the other slaves.
More slavers rush in, grabbing everyone's chains and ushering them out. The first slaver approaches Aki and her friends and leans down.
The torchlight flickers and the slaver's face wavers, being replaced by the grinning visage of Fremont.