Slavery Again

*Huff! Huff! Huff!* a young man stood among the branches trying to hide from his pursuers. "Damn they are persistent", he breathed out. He had been running through the night trying to lose his pursuers. 'Hope Ryze is okay by himself' he thought to himself.

"Bloody hell, he can run indeed", the butcher panted as he bending down catching his breath. "You can go back sir, we'll handle the rest", said someone emerging from the darkness. "Dead or Alive?", he asked. The butcher finally stood properly and firmly said "Alive".

The butcher walked away dragging a large knife and grumbling to himself. After the butcher disappeared in the distance, two more shadows emerged from the darkness. The first man nodded his head to the other two before they disappeared into the forest.

Looking around he crawled through the branches stopping every time heard a sound. "Where am I? Damn it I'm lost", he cursed softly. 'Seems like they gave up, what's so important about that meat? It's just meat' he thought while he climbed to the top of the tree.

Reaching the top of the tree, he gazed into the sky 'why does it have to be cloudy?', he thought looking at the starless skies. *Rustle!* the sound in the distance interrupted his thoughts. Focusing in the darkness, he spotted shadows moving through the tree line.

"Shit!", Ace cursed as he started jumping and running through the trees trying his best to get away. Suddenly a knife flew out from the darkness slicing past his leg causing him to fall to the ground. "Argh!", Ace screamed in pain as he held the wound trying to walk only to stagger and fall down.

"You can't run and I suggest you do not run anymore", a deep voice spoke as a shadow dropped down from the trees in front of him. Ace held to the branch he picked when he left Ryze behind. "He's strong, we could use him", a woman's voice sounded as another shadow appeared at the side holding a throwing knife in her hand.

Ace stood there holding the branch, determination showed in his face. "I wouldn't do that if I were you", a gruff voice slowly spoke as another shadow appeared behind him. In his hand was Ryze, his wings bounded to his body.

"No!", Ace looked at him in terror, his knees growing weak. "Your bird was annoying as hell, until we shot him down", the Gruff shadow said as he threw Ryze towards Ace. The body flopped in front of him looking weak. "Ryze!", Ace spoke as he picks him up. Putting him towards his chest 'Master, I..I don't know wha..what happened', a weak voice sounded in his mind.

"Don't worry, I just shot him with a paralyzing dart. He shouldn't be able to move for now", the woman said twirling a knife between her fingers. Suddenly a knife flew from behind without Ace noticing. 'Master!', his mind awoke as Ryze pushed his chest with his talons separating them apart.

The knife flew between them but there was not enough time to dodge. The knife slashed across Ryze's chest and with a spin, fell to the ground not moving and blood spreading out from underneath him. Ace stared with shock at Ryze who was not moving.

"Earl! We have our orders, I too want to kill him but our client wants him alive", the Gruff shadow growled. "AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!", Ace screamed running towards him swinging the branch around. "Diora". *Foooop* a dart stick into the boys body. *Flop* the boy fell down face flat still trying to struggle before he stopped moving.

*SPLASH!* Water splashed across his face. Ace squinted as the sun burned into his eyes as he opens them. Looking around he realized he was bound to a chair.

"Morning sunshine! Had a good sleep?", a familiar voice sounded behind him. "How was the meat? Good aye, that was an A grade meat from a young Moosdon, do you know how much I could have gotten for that?", the voice continued. A large figure walks in front of him holding a large knife.

Wearing an apron over a bloodied shirt, a man stood looking down on him. Thick eyebrows outline the black oval eyes, making them look like eyelashes unless he blinks. His belly sitting on the button of his cargo pants.

Looking at the surroundings, Ace realised he was sitting in the middle of the butcher store. Different types of knives and meat were placed all over the shop which could make anyone heads spin. A cloaked man with a hood over his head was standing in the shadows of the shop facing him. Thanks to the bad lighting, Ace could not see his face.

"Remember this place? This is where your thieving hands took my merchandise. I would have cut your hands but I can't sell you like that", the butcher placed his blade on the hand. "That meat was from a young Moosdon, meaning anyone or anything who eats that will grow bigger than expected when matured", the butcher continued.

"I could have gotten at least 500 silvers from that. That's half value of a gold coin, I could get another order of merchandise from that", the butcher carried on ranting as he waved the knife around.

"Hey, he is here", the cloaked man interrupted him. *Creak* the door opened and a young man came in. He was wearing a twin tail cloak with a top hat. Thin brows with squinted eyes looking around the store. With a button nose and pouting mouth he spoke with arrogance, "Where is it?". Raising his chin just to seem like he was looking down on everyone around him.

"Hi there good sir, he is here", the butcher respectfully answered pointing towards the boy strapped on the chair. The young man walked towards the boy lifting up his chin. "Hmm you sure he ate the meat? He doesn't seem big or strong", the young man commented as he looked at the boy.

"It takes time for it to digest good sir, he will grow after a few weeks", the butcher said weakly. Releasing the boy he placed a tightening collar around the neck. If the person were to struggle too much, the owner would pull a string connected to the handle. The string would then squeeze the collar choking the person.

The young man looked at the boy, "hmm, still at his young teens, blue hair, blue eyes, tanned skin which means he had been out there a long time. You said he was living in the outskirts of town which explains it. Seems like you got a deal. 20 silvers".

The butcher desperately spoke, "Good sir, he ate the moosdon meat worth 500 silvers, 200 silvers is a little low". The young man turned to him with eyes gleaming, "You telling me what to do?".

"No no no, all I'm saying is he can become a good soldier or butler once he is fully grown. I'm just saying to just increase the price a little", the butcher bowed down as he spoke.

"Fine, 350 silvers or I'll walk out of here without it", the young man decided. "Okay okay, thank you kind sir", the butcher smiled to him as he took the pouch of coins still bowing as he retreated to the side.

"Good, now you, come along", the young man spoke as he pulled the leash dragging the boy away. Outside the store, two large burly men stood beside a carriage waiting. They wore black masks covering their face but did not wear anything else except pants, revealing their huge muscles.

Seeing the young man, they bowed before stepping aside and opening the door. "Carry this boy, I don't want him broken before I use him", the young man ordered before going into the carriage.

*Flop!* the boy was sling over the shoulder. *Trot trot trot* the six legged horses pulled the carriage as the two men followed behind. "No! No! Ryze! Let me go!", the boy struggled on the shoulder of the man.

*Pak!* He was given a hard smack to the head making his vision go dark.