Nightmares without substance

Reaching out of the mine, Robert and Vlad went straight toward the canteen, where they met Kipset and Inorra waiting at the exit. Greeting each other, they entered inside and started their waiting time to reach for the food.

It was a long time, but that didn't matter for Vlad or his group, waiting patiently for their place to come. When Vlad, who was at the head of the group, got to command, he was met by the usual guy placed as a food distributor. "Aslak, same stuff for the kid and me. As for the others, I don't know, wait for them to decide. They have more points than me anyway."

"Sigh, come on, man, aren't you tired of rice and that fish? You know what? I'll do a small favor since we know each other for four years and have never seen you start a commotion here. I only heard fables about how you killed some guards, but who cares. That's none of my business. So, since we know for so long, I'll add you some more food, and don't worry, there's no scheming in that. To be honest, I even know that it was you raiding the food storage of the canteen, but never told anyone about it. I mean, why should I? I'm not so dumb to believe that it would elevate my status here. I'll be the same boy handing out food for a bunch of criminals and slaves." said the lad that had a normal appearance, walking around 1,79 meters. In all honesty, he wasn't looking so bad. The only drawback he had was his long nose. His eyes were black, matching together with his dark hair, while his skin was of a tanned sort, but not as much as Inorra or Kipset. He always remembers chatting with him when getting his food at the canteen and having some jokes with him.

"Aslak, you really don't have to do that. Don't those arrogant fucks check the portion of food to be equal or something like that? What if they find you? I don't want to cause any problem for you. You seem a nice guy, so we're all cool, I guess." started Vlad to deny Aslak's goodwill and gesture.

"No problem, man, those idiots are busy dealing with other stuff like giving breaks to the guards. Oh, by the way, this period in time is the best to try and break out. Just look out for Belpel. He always seems to be close to the gates guarding it like a loyal dog that he is."

"How do you know about all this sensible stuff? Wasn't this supposed to be a secret or something?" asked Vlad confused, even the squad behind him was a bit confused. It was good that this conversation was only between them.

"Heh, how do I know? You're talking with the guy responsible for bringing that monkey-faced man his food. That's how I know. So yea, buddy, here I'll give you more food to keep you alive for some days if you ever try to break out." said Aslak while placing an additional plate for Vlad and the rest of his boys.

"Damn, do you want to make me indebted to you or something? Fine man, if you ever want to find me and ask for help, I'll be at the capital."

"That's more likely. We got a deal then, take care of yourself man, it would really feel bad to hear that you got killed by that monkey-faced guy. You too, small rascal that only got here, take care of yourself. Also, you, Inorra, and Kipset, I'll look forward to hearing that screaming fat pig demanding something from the staff members or arguing with that Belpel. Well, see you guys, I have some retards to feed." ended Aslak while chuckling a bit when looking at the long line waiting to be served.

"Thanks for the favor and information." Said Vlad while taking his tray with plates, also gesturing with his eyes for the others to move along. Aslak gave them additional food for all four. They quickly got to a table and looked at each of their trays containing three plates with food. For Vlad, this was a memory long in the past, the feasts he sometimes would do to boost his army morale would look a bit the same, but the food would be a bit dull. As for this one in the current time, it was an appetizing food. Additionally, to his usual rice and fish, he got some mashed potatoes with some sauce and some soup of vegetables.

"Damn, I have never seen so much food in front of me since I know myself," exclaimed Inorra and Kipset when checking out their trays. Even Robert, who was someone of noble lineage, nodded his head, agreeing with the two. Even he has not seen so much food for a single person. Could he even eat so much?

"Sigh, I don't know if I can eat all this food." said Robert, a bit worried.

When Vlad heard that, his eyes shone a bit, and he said calmly. "If you can't eat anymore, just pass the food to me."

Slowly the four started eating to their heart content. They started with whatever was looking better. Vlad chose to go with the soup first. He was surprised to find that the soup was quite hot, but that didn't stop him from wolfing down the food. Blowing some cold air on his spoon, he slowly finished his soup. Later he picked the plate with potatoes and sauce. At his first spoon combined with the mashed potatoes and gravy, something switched on his body. He felt excellent when finishing the second plate of food. Last but not least, his usual meal was last on the list. How could he even dare to escape the camp without ending with something he ate all those four years, almost five in the camp.

The same fate was on the last plate. It didn't take long for Vlad to finish his entire tray of food. Now with a bloated stomach, he looked at his roommates as they were half-way into their second meal, barely eating.

When the three finished their second meal and started the third one, not long after they began to indulge in the food on the plate, someone stopped. It was Inorra. He also had a bloated stomach but shook his head when looking at the third plate. He couldn't continue eating it. Thinking for a bit if he should force himself to continue eating, he opted to give the plate to Vlad, who seemed to look straight at his plate with lights in his eyes. "Damn you really are looking closer and closer to that weird creature who is eating as if he doesn't have a stoppage in his stomach." As such, Robert also gave his last plate to Vlad since he couldn't go on anymore

'Damn to much food even for me. Still, food is food, there's nothing going to waste with me. I need full energy to use my Blood Powers when the break out happens.'

'I also have to explain to that kid Robert about the breakout, while for Inorra and Kipset what path to take towards Valent city.

With Robert's plate also in his face, he started finishing the additional food without bothering much to look at the others. In no time, he felt like puking after this much food but fought back that sensation.

Fortunately for Vlad, Kipset finished his last plate on the tray and so not pushing him to eat his remaining food. He had a bulging stomach after such a feast, wherein no time he started giving massive burps around the table. Simultaneously, Vlad, who finished in the meanwhile five plates of food, was fine. His stomach was bulging a bit, but not enough to say that he was overfeeding himself."

Staying quiet and calm for a bit to digest the food in his stomach, Vlad started noticing that his heart started beating even harder. Following that, other changes in his body happened, such as his arteries and veins starting to itch him a bit. The blood began at the same time to flow quicker in his circulatory system. He felt that his blood all of a sudden got possessed by a demon or something because he had never felt such a change in himself. Not even when he fought with Nius and was influenced by the dark energies.

This meal helped Vlad in a good way. All the food's nutrients were digested and held by his blood, going circles in his system. With a pained face from all the itchiness, he looked at his arm. He could notice his veins more than clearly. The color shifted slightly, from the initial blue, the blood turned flowing in his veins changed to a crimson type of color. He got surprised a bit because he didn't know the reason for the sudden change in his veins' color. However, he didn't feel anything wrong going on with his blood. Instead, this batch of blood was richer in nutrients than all of his batches.

'Shit, I think I know what's happening to me. The amount of nutrients I started pushing in my body was like I flooded the entire system with fuel and now I'm overflowing with blood powers. The blood not knowing what to do with so much energy in its system started distributing around my body, as if my organs were some old beggars that never got a decant fill. Sigh, it's a bit humiliating. It's like it says to me in his own way, "That's more like a home, peasant, you finally got something to eat in a while." Ahh, whatever, I'll see the benefits of having so much energy overflowing in me tonight.'

After taking a deserved break and leaning himself on the chair with this full stomach, feeling that the food get digested and that he could move, filled with power in all of his movements, he said to the rest of the group.

"I think we can go back home. That Aslak guy is really giving us the best farewell gift." chuckled Vlad when remembering how much food filled that bottomless hole of his.

The other three agreed with Vlad and went to leave their trays and plate to the staff to get reused for others. When they got back to their shack zone, they noticed the same views hit them, but this time even Robert tried to wear an indifferent face, all in vain. The indecency of the women seemed to strike the young man.

Then the four entered inside their shack and started looking around. Instantly when they turned their focus on the table, they noticed that Aerius was eating something like a gourmet.

When Aerius noticed that they came back from the mines, his face changed a bit. Taking the meat with him, he walked slowly towards the storage and placed the remains of the cured meat inside as if nothing happened. Jumping on Vlad's bed, he went to a sleeping position while whistling a bit.

Sensing that someone was staring at him, the little gryphon opened an eye very quickly and saw Vlad staring at him weirdly. Instantly he closed his golden eye and started faking that he was sleeping.

Vlad didn't bother himself with that little foody, leaving him alone for this day. He was the one that said he could eat something from the storage. If he would now turn heads over, it would be hypocritical of him.

The other three only chuckled when noticing Aerius's actions when they arrived. Then slowly, each of them planted their heads into their beds, letting some steam off from their tired bodies. Even Vlad was no stranger to that feeling. He walked to his favorite spot in the shack, next to the window by the table, seated on the chair. He started rocking his chair a bit.

After 15 minutes, he sensed that someone was approaching him and then felt something jump on his shoulders. Aerius asked him while staring with his golden eyes at his face.

"Are you prepared for the break out? Do you need to use me again to test those Blood Powers of yours? I'll tell you from the start, I didn't feel anything from what you tried to do."

Vlad only waved his hand as if to silence the hatchling.

This relaxation lasted for 30 minutes until Vlad raised from the chair with Aerius on his shoulder. While picking a chair, he moved right beside the others' beds. Seated in front of the boys and looking at them lying in bed, he turned his focus on Robert, looking at him with calm eyes.

"You know Robert. I said that I would tell you something of importance that will happen soon. So I'll ask you now, can you keep secrets? Are you willing to even risk your little life to achieve something?

I'll be frank. I know you're a good kid. You never created any problems in the mine while being with me. You listened to me when training your body, and you even did your job without any whining. So here I'm, now that I finally decided to tell you that we, I, Kipset, and Inorra are planning for a breakout tonight after the sunsets. So what you say, are you willing to join us?" asked Vlad with a severe face, the young boy who had a pondering face. Robert even raised from his bed and looked right into Vlad's calm face. Not long after looking at the tall young man, he gave a bright smile and said in a questioning manner.

"Why would I not join? Do you think I wish to rot in this hellhole? No thanks, my future is far brighter than what this shithole can offer me. So, I'll join you and help out with everything I can; I'll try not to be a burden since I'm not so useful in fights."

When Vlad heard Robert, his initial calm and serious face crumbled, and instead, he smiled at Robert, saying. "Good choice, kid, now I don't have to dispose of you. Hehe, if you disagree now, I don't know what I was supposed to do with you. But you saved me from bothering with other problems." chuckled Vlad at the end when seeing Robert's face that started frowning a bit.

"You're mean, Vlad. You really were serious about disposing of me? *Hich* well, I understand where you come from, you only know me for six days. What should I do to be of any help?" asked Robert, still upset at Vlad for his initial words of disposing of him if he disagreed with the plan.

"You specifically? Maybe carry Aerius while I fight. Yes that's your job. You better not lose this gryphon."

"Hey kid, I'll be in your care from now on." said Aerius from Vlad's shoulder while looking at Robert's face and nodding his eagle head.

Then Vlad walked to his favorite window and took it out. Slowly he dismantled the wooden frame and took the glass. Once he took the large piece of glass, he smashed precisely on a point to have it break in a linear section, almost forming the glass into some sort of dagger blade. He struck the glass in three pieces, looking around the room and seeing a large piece of cloth, he said to Inorra, who was staring dumbly at what Vlad was doing. "Inor, get me that cloth that is close to you. No need to worry about anything here. We're betting everything on this, so we don't need anything else here."

Inorra only nodded his head and took the piece of cloth and gave it to Vlad, later he saw him split the cloth in a way he could bind up the handle of the glass. When he felt that he got a good grip on the cloth handle, he switched, doing the same for the rest. After some minutes, Vlad was finally done with the glass weapons, staring at the boys who held their faces in anticipation. He pointed at the glass weapons and said. "Each of you takes one of these weapons. I think you know what to do with them and don't need me to explain everything to you. You kill anyone that tries to block your way forward. Haven't you killed before? No problem, there's always a place for your first time."

Inorra and Kipset took the glass weapons in their hand and tested the grip on the weapon. Only Robert was hesitating, not knowing what to do. To take the weapon or not, he was in a dilemma. Sometimes switching from the glass weapon to Vlad's face, who was staring coldly at him. This process repeated itself until Vlad finally reacted. Still, with a cold look, he walked towards the glass weapon, taking it and slowly walking towards where Robert was.

"Kid, do you think I'm playing around here? Do you know for how long I have been planning this? Since I got inside this hellhole, and now you're acting like a little bitch who had never seen a weapon and could draw the blood of others. Tell me, boy, how would you react if at one point a bastard would barge into your house and rape your mom or your sister if you ever have one?"

"TELL ME KID, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?" asked Vlad, while some of the dark mist released from him without even noticing when he asked that with a higher tone

This question left Robert speechless. His vision slowly blurred when he got touched by that dark mist, sending him to another world altogether. From a world of darkness, his vision suddenly shifted instantly as if someone snapped his fingers to change the photo.

What Robert could see was a beautiful middle-aged woman was screaming for dear life while a man pushed her head down on the ground. Slowly ripping her clothes and revealing her sculpted body. Gradually as the man was preparing to destroy the pitiful woman, Robert's vision ended instantly.

'What's happening, argh, don't tell me my dark energy activated without my noticing and this little kid is now experiencing nightmares. But I have no desire to harm him! Why does this curse acts up in such weird manners?'

On the outside, Robert was frowning and gritting his teeth, with his fists clenched, slowly as seconds passed. He gnashed his lips so hard that blood started flowing from them. Even his nails dug more in-depth on his palms. Vlad could see blood coming from his palms, too, which made him worry.

Yet for Robert, the nightmare didn't end. He saw another vision of his little sister, who was now a beautiful young girl, now tortured by some men and later slowly raped by many men. His fury was so great at that moment that he could care less if he killed everyone there, but sadly for him, his vision didn't end with the young girl. A man with a crown on his head looked at a middle-aged man who looked close to Robert. Almost like a depiction of himself. The only addition to the middle-aged man was his signs of the passage of time and tattered features. Behind the middle-aged man were two men in expensive armor. The vision ended with the man with the crown on top of his head, saying, "End him already. I have to play with that woman of his." The armored guys compiled and executed the middle-aged person.

Suddenly Robert woke up and roared in a fury, clenching his fist even harder than bones started hearing grinding. "I WILL KILL THEM ALL. THEY DARE TO DO THAT TO MY FAMILY!? HOW DARE THEM! I'LL KILL THAT MONSTER WITH MY OWN TWO HANDS. ARGHHHH, I'LL WASH YOUR ENTIRE KINGDOM IN BLOOD YOU ACCURSED BASTARD!

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