22. Slaves in Arms

Turns out that space jumper meant a person that can open portals. Pretty nifty if it wasn't expediting Castus decent into the church of Sol's control. The carriage didn't travel far from that hut before it met with a man standing in the road. Like Rys he was shorter. Darius exited the carriage with Castus in tow and the man they met in the road swiftly opened a portal, which they all entered.

This led Castus to yet another new location. Honestly it had been one change to another and it was starting to wear down on him.

Wearily looking around the room Castus noticed a few things. This was more of a barracks. Inside the stone room was seven beds, chairs, two tables and boxes of food in the corner. Seated in the chairs were four other similarly short people. Two were around Castus' height and two were shorter. When they noticed Darius arrival they all stiffened. Darius payed them no mind and looked to Castus, Rys, and the space jumper.

"Stay here. I'm going to report and then assignments will be issued in the morning." With those words Darius left.

Castus still dazed and tired slumped down into a seat on the floor. Between the torture, enslavement, constant thoughts of escape and now the discovery of portals he had grown tired. Not more than a few seconds went by when a girl around his age approached him. She held out a hand and asked very plainly.

"Are you alright?"

Castus, too tired to think, simply responded. "Yeah, I'm good. It's just been a hell of a day." He froze though. The words the girl asked sounded strange. Reigniting his brain he realized something. It was English. And he just responded in English. Without thinking. He was suddenly fully alert, realizing the mistake he had just made. He stood as fast as he could, backing away and taking on a defensive posture.

The girl smiled and chuckled at Castus. "Relax. We are one in the same. Your from Earth too right? You get taken and shoved into Echon by that weird corporation too?"

Castus, still shaken to his core by the implication of this girls words, nodded his head. He glanced over at the other three who were now joining up with Rys and the space jumper. "Is everyone here from earth?"

The girl sighed. "Yeah, it seems the church of Sol takes an extra special notice of us transmigrators or as the corporation said transplants. I'm sure you have a lot of questions but first let's introduce you to everyone."

She gestured to everyone. They walked and formed a neat line. Starting with Rys.

"Hello, I'm Rys. I have the blessing of nature. The church got me by buying out my parents. They were poor farmers."

Taking a better look at Rys, Castus realized he was a boy around his current age. In fact, looking down the line everyone was around the same age as him. Rys had black hair, dark grey skin, pale amber eyes and pointed ears. As Castus took notice Rys finished his introduction.

"As I'm sure you noticed I'm a burrow elf from an underground country far from here."

Castus nodded his head turning to the next in line. A pale girl with brown eyes, a round face, with a bit of weight to her. She seemed cheerful, even with the crushing weight of the situation they found themselves in.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Alyssa, blessing of sound. They church found me during a crusade. They kidnapped me. I'm half ogre, half human!" The smile she shot revealed two more distinguished fangs on her lower jaw. Castus nodded at her as well.

The next to go was the girl that had first walked up to Castus. She had tan skin, blonde hair, blue eyes, and sharper features. "I'm Cerone. I have the blessing of war. The church found me due to being born to a bishop near the capital. I've been here the longest out of everyone. I'm plain human."

She gestured to the space jumper beside her. He was a quiet, stoic kid with black hair that had streaks of white in it. His eyes were a dark brown and sunken in his face like he barely slept. He was the skinniest of everyone there. "Wyden. Blessing of space. They found me when I opened portals at age 3. Parents handed me over. Also human." He was abrupt and to the point. He seemed to be the saddest of the bunch.

Next in line was another boy. Energetically he stuck out a hand. "Names Zed. Blessing of Lightning. Church nabbed me with a job offer and a promise to my parents. I'm a beast person."

Castus noticed the fuzzy ears and cat like pupils of Zed. He had tuffs of fur on his arms and his nails were replaced with sharper claws. The patterns of fur and cat like features resembled a leopard. Castus absentmindedly shook the hand feeling the static electricity shock his hand.

The last person Castus had difficulty identifying. Every part of their body was androgynous. They seemed to be shifting between male and female constantly. The features of their face sometimes showing sharp features and sometimes soft. It was disturbing to say the least. They broke the silence at last though.

"I'm Shi. Blessing of transformation. I'm an evolved mimic. I started as a monster and gained sentience through evolution. I was tricked by a roaming party of church knights. I thought they were being kind…"

Shi was unique to say the least. As it spoke the voice went from male to female to beastly in nature, reflecting the feelings of Shi. Castus nodded wordlessly. The questions he had stuck in his throat as he realized everyone in the room had been through something similar to himself. Clearing his throat he prepared to introduce himself.

"Castus. Blessing of creation. The church got me by killing my family and kidnapping me. I'm…" Castus paused considering telling these people his concerns before continuing "human."

Upon this this Rys groaned and Zed beamed excitedly.

"Ha! Suck it Rys. Your on bathroom duty this month!"

Castus confused looked to Cerone. Cerone quickly explained. "When we heard another of us would be joining we made a bet on what race you would be. Zed picked human and he always makes Rys take cleaning the bathrooms as his reward for winning."

Zed smiled exclaiming. "Sorry he just doesn't seem to mind and I hate getting piss in my fur. I can never get the smell out."

Cerone put a hand on Castus shoulder. "Now come sit down with us. We will answer any questions you may have."