Chapter 17: Slaved

"Wake up and get to work you dorks!"

The young man slowly open his eyes, awoken by a shout of unknown language. Yet, it sounded familiar for some reason.

As he regain his vision, chasing the blurriness away. In clarity he saw rough cave walls illuminated by torch clinging on rocky walls. A dark exit can be seen a few meters away in front of him. As people wearing ragged clothing walk out with tired eyes despite being in slumbers embrace a few minutes ago. Dirt and scars covered their pale skins, hinting how rough the lives their living.

Zyro narrowed his eyes to confirm he've not seen wrongly.

The similarities those people possess is that, they wore rusty metal chokers.

Coming to his senses, Zyro felt a heavy, pressing metallic chill around his neck.

'Iron collar?'

Upon realization, Zyro almost laugh.

'Last time I woke up as a prisoner, now... a slave?'

Although he came from a advance civilization that long banned slavery and prioritized amenities. His no stranger to ancient culture of the past. From what he knew, a slaves life is full of arduous labor and unfair treatment. Its a life full of hardship deprived of freedom and luxury of life.

Still, his quite happy being alive. Because it means he've successfully scape the claws of the dammed Gricks.

Zyro moved his aching body up, he didn't know how long he've been in oblivion, but felt fortunate enough to be up and moving again.

Furthermore, his no longer naked. At some point in time, a dirty ragged garment had clad his body. Similar to what everyone in the gloomy cave wore.

This cemented his judgment. Indeed, he is a slave.

Suddenly, he chuckled.

This is just too amusing. Specially when he now remember it all.

In Earth, his an orphan who've struggled to live in the streets.

But when Catalyst came from the vast galaxy almost destroying earth and poisoning what remains. Humans were forced to hide in shelters they built, saving the few. Zyro was one of those in luck to enter. Even without anyone, no parents or relatives. He survived. However, as a parentless brat inside a overpopulated shelter with insufficient resources. His bond to suffer in extreme poverty. He begged and work, he did everything to survive. In the end, it wasn't enough. However, he was saved.

What remains of the government had announced a project - A grand expedition in the far reaches of galaxy to track the source of catalyst. Boarding humanities best creation - STELLAR. An astronomical Starship to navigate through the vast universe. Its an honor to board that starship, and become a hero to humanity. Or so, they said.

He didn't know why, but even he, an underage homeless kid was qualified to train for the right to board the grand vessel to venture the galaxy and save earth. Thus, he joined. Not like he have a choice, he'll die in poverty if he didn't.

However, what Zyro found is not salvation but hell. He then understood why the likes of him were allowed to participate. Its because he can die without others caring.

In order to create the utmost elite, the training disregarded safety and life. Giving only two choice, death or succeed. Killing the weak and raising the strong. The trials was cruel, merciless and unforgiving. Yet, in order to live. Zyro pass it all, proving his worth every time. He survived, bearing countless scars from fallen companions and enemies along the way. At last, he finally board the Grand vessel. That for him, a coffin made of steel.

The once he thought as a heroic adventure, turns out, as a one way journey to death.

Later he found out, that he endured all that suffering just to be put in hibernation until the old crew die, and the one next to that and so on. Till his turn.

Finally, Zyro woke up. Meaning its finally his turn to man the vessel along with his peers. Two years after that, STELLAR was destroyed.

The next thing Zyro knew, he found himself into this world.

'Ah, good times'

Atleast his alive.

Speaking of which, Zyro suddenly remembered stories he heard so much.

Tale's about people transmigrating into another word. Some die and reincarnate, some accidentally find portal or suddenly teleporting, while others are summon by gods, and so on.

Zyro had his own fantasies, Imagining himself reincarnated to a peaceful world, where grass and trees covered the plains instead of metal structures.

Sometimes, he dreamed of suddenly being taken out from the cruel world his born in by a goddess. Be granted some magical powers and embark a heroic adventure.

However, reality slap him hard for those things remain fantasies...

Until now.

Though, to be specific. Zyro undergone cruel training for astronaut qualifications, board a grand star vessel. Traveled the vast galaxy for God knows how many years, and now, his in another world.

'That count right?'

Nevertheless, his on another word!.

Zyro like hearing those stories because the characters their had a happy life. Blessed with power, luck, friends, woman and food. Who wouldn't want such life?

'Perhaps... I could live such a life here'

However, although his now in another world. Reality are cruel, for he remain human without magical powers.

'Wait, maybe magic exist!'

Indeed, that's a possibility. Perhaps those winged boats use magic to fly.

If Zyro were to master that mystical art with unlimited potential. Even a weak human like him will be a force to be reckoned with. However, Zyro didn't know how real magic really works, or if it even exist.

Besides, he had bigger problems.

Dismissing unessential thoughts aside, Zyro analyze his surroundings. There's nothing special he've notice so far. But after sometime, it finally came to him.

He frowned.

'Eh, why do they have colored hairs and eyes?'

Zyro didn't notice this due to Earth's modified fashion taste. Originally, humans are born with limited colored hairs and eyes. However, evolutionary fashion alteration products had long broken this limit, changing humanities native beauty.

So seeing variety of colored hairs are a norm. Comically, the once majority became minority, which include Zyro, who still look like ancient human with black hair and obsidian eyes.

Finally, he decided to move. His current dilemma is language barrier that prevent him from comprehending the individuals around. Hence, collecting information in this new world will be a long and arduous task. So it need to be solved as soon as possible.

Feeling his muscles ache in every step, Zyro approach the masculine man with dark red hair who seem to be a guard. Seeing him, the man annoyed expression added a disdain.

"What are doing!?" He questioned arrogantly.

Zyro planned to get rid of the language barrier by asking. If the guard didn't understand, its either he'll ignored Zyro or call someone who understand, just like his former neighbor.

Without hesitation, he ask.

"Where shoul..."

Slap!

Zyro's head was thrown to the side the next moment, making him stumble to the ground.

"You dare speak that filthy language!"

Then, the slapper close in. Then, Zyro felt a crushing force press on his abdomen as he was send rolling and crashed to the cave wall.

"The next time I hear you speak, be prepared to loss your teeth's!" With that, the guard left.

After the commotion, every slaves walk out as if nothing abnormal happened. Leaving Zyro alone, silently curled up in a corner.

Zyro frowned, confused of what just happened. It seem the guard got angered by his words.

'Better avoid speaking then'

Zyro cough for some time and rose up. Indifferent to pain.

Before staggering to follow his kind to the unknown destination. His bare foot struggled to walk in the cold uneven stones, feeling the remnants of extreme exhaustion.

Being beaten was never new to Zyro. In fact his quite an expert in that aspect after experiencing so many.

After failing, he now planned to find out their work.

Keeping the backs of his fellows in his sight as he navigated through the network of tunnels with the few torches on the wall aiding their sight.

After a few minutes, he made it to their destination.

A capacious cavern behold before him, illuminated by dozens of torches surroundings the rather dark enclosure. An unreachable darkness loom above and tunnels of all shapes and sizes cling to the walls, like lightless doors of darkness. Clangs of metal against stones reverberated constantly as the hundreds of slaves raise their tools, before bringing it down in clock-work.

As expected, of course it'll be mining.

Their body's were frail and brittle, with exhausted and anxious faces. All of their skin were pale, proving the long time they spent without sunlight.

The most noticable thing about them, is that. The majority is either old or young. The kind of individuals that considered vain in society.

While the Mine-Guards are males at their prime. Mascular and full of strength, giving off a domineering vibe of an experience adult, unafraid of combat. What Zyro found strange is that, some of them have a tattooed, tribal (A) in their body. As though it's their organization mark. But what disturb him the most is that, all of those mark are perfectly the same. Every bits of details are masterfully painted. Furthermore, glancing at those marks made him feel an inhumane aura.

Zyro shook his head and walk forward. as a slave he have to work to get food. He thought.

All there is to do here is mine. Sadly, he doesn't have tools. But not for long. At the corner of his eyes, he notice a pile of rusted weird looking ancient instrument for digging through stones.

Zyro neared to the pile of old equipments. And noticing the guard nearby saw him. Unable to speak, he pointed his fingers at the tools. Silently asking for permission.

He did not dare utter a single word, afraid to get another slap. One is already enough to make him realized that they don't like his spoken language.

In respond, The Mine guard look at him as if his an idiot and rolled his eyes, ignoring him.

Zyro took that as approval.

He cautiously walk toward the pile, and searched under the aid of warm light. The ancient mining tools stack silently, awaiting to be taken. Most of them were almost broken, signed of intense and long usage by their former owners. Zyro analyze for a suitable tool. However, upon staring at them closely.

Zyro frowned.

In those rusted metals, a black stain can be seen at the majority of tools. He neared one black stained tool to the torch and stare with narrow eyes.

Then, Zyro's eyes widened.

At clearer view, its not black but dark red. And his no stranger to the paint used to produce this certain color.

Blood.

And most of the tips of this tools have it.

Chills run down his spine as dreadful propositions pop in his mind one after another. Zyro suppress his beating hearth and carefully look around. Only to discover that from start to finish, no one had paid attention to him, as if what he discovered was not something of significance or to be hidden.

He shook his head and pick up a mining tool that look sturdy enough, its structure similar to a pickaxe.

Just as he was about to start mining.

Boom!

A explosion was heard, echoing inside the closed space. Bringing with it a sharp, high tone noise, piercing the ears of many as they covered their ears.

'Sonic bomb?'

Zyro covered his ears. Being no stranger to this kind of explosions. he experience similar events in warfares on earth.

Subconsciously looking to where it came from. He saw a distant flying figure of a old man that was thrown in mid air like a rag doll. Taking the attention of many, as they waited for him to descend with halted breaths.

Strangely, except Zyro's who's dumbfounded by this scene. The majority of slaves and guards look at it indifferently with numb expression, as if they're watching a normal show.

As their eyes followed, the poor aged man's body stumbled in solid stone like a broken toy. Crunchy sounds of bones breaking and splash of bloods resounded as it rolled a few meters, leaving a horrid trail of blood.

Zyro look at the fallen body from afar.

It lay there silently, facing the ground. Dark crimson liquid spread from its source, expanding the poodle of blood. A rusty old pickaxe buried deep his shoulder, as he breath his last breath.

The nearby onlookers stare at it with pity and dread in complete silence for a few seconds, before ignoring the corpse's and continue their work as if nothing abnormal happened.

Zyro had a complicated expression on his face. Speechless at the scene.

'What the heck.'