6 Invasion and Deaths

The campfire was burning brightly.

The icy weather was actually a threat so all of the slaves went to get themselves warm.

The superior ones took most of the warmth and then the newbies like Nate was forced to endure a bitter bite of both cold and a slight warmth of the fire.

His entire body was unable fit in due to the numerous number of slaves that rounded the fire.

When the Arias had gone to sort themselves out, the fire became for the slaves.

And Grayson had been a big jerk about his share of warmth.

So, it was left with Nate sticking half part of his body in the heat while letting the other freeze.

Just then, someone started a conversation.

"Let's come up with a plan to escape the Arias."

It was a female voice and Nate turned to the source of the voice.

But another voice came almost immediately.

"Don't be stupid. If we plan an escape the Arias will hunt you down and perhaps kill you."

Nate wanted to look, but Grayson butted in and Nate sighed.

"Don't be a scrawny. They don't kill slaves, if they do, their rewards would be shortened. So perhaps if we are caught, they'd beat the crap out of us and join us to the line."

"But escaping is nearly impossible."

Another voice chimed and yet another added.

"Shut up Jonny."

Nate became used to just hearing voices instead of stressing himself to find out who was actually talking.

Grayson finally turned to Nate.

He was the one closest to Nate so he stared at him and then body slammed him making Nate to suddenly wince in pain.

"Hey, what the fuck!!! What the actual fuck!!! What is it?" Nate barked and the other slaves that were near the scene laughed at Grayson's act.

The other older slaves began to take it in turns to pick on Nate.

They've all finally noticed his presence, all of them.

The other guy from earlier immediately pulled on Nate's ears and Nate tried to locate the source.

But it was as though once the act is committed the doer actually conceals his actions.

Only for stifled laughs to come next.

When Grayson bullied Nate again, Nate's anger got the better of him and the next minute, Nate's arm grabbed Grayson on the neck, not minding the shackles at all and what his actions was causing to the others shackled together with him.

Grayson threatened to fight back but Nate's hand was surprisingly strong, but of course, he was older and didn't want to loose to a younger so he immediately wrapped his palm on Nate's neck strangling him.

While Nate was struggling to avoid been suffocated, he landed a punch on Grayson and the impact drew the chains binding both him and the other guy backwards which of course inflicted a very dangerous pain to their arm and Nate immediately learnt his lessons.

He stopped his attacks while glaring at Grayson.

"Look what you've done!"

Grayson said and Nate interjected.

"Maybe you shouldn't have bullied me... maybe, none of you should have."

"This is a big injury you know? Are you a healer? I hope you'd become one because we'd eventually meet in the future. Either I kill you or you heal this wounds." Grayson added.

Nate's chuckle came afterwards.

"You wish! Besides, how sure are you about your chances of survival? You've been a total jerk since the start of this trial."

Grayson's eyes suddenly burned with intense anger at Nate's statement.

"You don't think that I'd die in this trial do you?" A smile finally eluded his face and Nate snorted.

"You don't look like you will survive. A survivor would never bully his fellow human."

At first, silence reigned after that statement made by Nate.

But before Grayson would respond to that, he was interrupted by a sudden sound. Heavy footsteps erupted, pounding on the stony ground and approaching from a far end.

Then, the Arias came running.

They were all drenched in blood and worst part, these men who we're supposed to protect them ran past as though these slaves were never in their care.

None of them stopped for once and the slaves scrambled to stand up as they wondered what was going on.

Whatever that have scared them away must be indeed powerful.

Nate stood on high alert.

His fear was washed at the thought of not wielding any weapon to help stall the creature, if it was one.

And just as he had suspected, a large creature tore through the crowd of slaves and then it mawed the few slaves that came to it's reach.

Half the chains broke apart at the impact.

Lucky for Nate, himself, Grayson and the other jerk was shifted away from the creature.

The impact of the creature's power snapped the chains leaving just three of them shackled together.

Nate pulled the chains at the confused dudes who later realized that they were supposed to hide.

The three of them walked much quietly and hid behind a large boulder.

The sight of the creature destroying slaves after slaves made it so obscene.

Blood splatted the rocky terrains, staining it.

Bodies and bones were littered.

Wailing of victimized slaves could be heard, drown in agony and pain of been mawed by a fetish creature.

"Let's get out of here." Nate said and the two dudes who had been cocky earlier found themselves obeying his words.

Walking away from the campfire was a bit threatening in the dead of night because of the chilling cold. But it was better to die of cold than to die in the maws of a creature that they could not attack.

After they've gone far enough, Grayson decided to speak after a long time of silence.

"That was an Awakened Terror."

Nate stared at him for a while, but refused himself from replying, knowing how Grayson and this other guy is, they might pin his head to the ground all at once.

Besides, they both had earlier wanted to fight him.

Unbeknownst to the three that the Awakened Terror was hot on their tail.

Chasing after them at the scent of blood trailing down the rocky terrain.