Free (1)

The cattle ranch stretched out before us, a grim testament to the Kraglins' brutality.

It was vast, about 200 meters in length and 100 meters in width, enclosed by that sturdy oaken fence.

The area was divided into several sections, each with its own horrifying purpose. The central pathway, a beaten dirt road, cut through the middle, leading from the gate we had just entered to the opposite end, where another archer tower loomed, a mirror image of the one I had just cleared.

"I'm sure I don't need to remind you guys this but we need to be completely silent. No matter what you see, control yourself." I whispered.

I'm sure it was more of a reminder for myself than my companions.

The duo nodded, their faces set in grim determination.

As we moved cautiously into the farm, I took in the details. Wooden posts were driven deep into the ground at regular intervals, connected by thick, rotting ropes that formed crude pens.

Within these pens, the human cattle were herded, huddled together in miserable clusters. Their clothes were tattered, and their bodies bore the marks of mistreatment—bruises, cuts, and signs of malnutrition.

Their eyes were hollow, devoid of hope or recognition.

To the left of the pathway, a large pen contained a group of humans who were clearly designated for breeding.

The Kraglins had shackled them to long chains that allowed just enough movement to lie down or sit. Several Kraglin overseers, whip in hand, walked among them, ensuring no one attempted to escape or resist.

The humans there were a mix of men and women, forced into this horrific cycle by their captors.

The more I saw, the more I realized that Kraglins were a species not fit to coexist.

To the right, I saw another pen filled with humans waiting to be slaughtered. Their eyes reflected the grim acceptance of their fate.

The screams we had heard earlier echoed from this area, where a crude structure served as the slaughterhouse.

Inside, Kraglins worked with grisly efficiency, dragging individuals inside and emerging moments later with blood-stained tools.

'They need to die. They should not exist.'

Further down, near the end of the pathway, was a pen for the younger and more able-bodied humans, those who were kept for labor.

These individuals were tasked with menial chores under the watchful eyes of their Kraglin masters.

Their spirits were broken, their movements mechanical, as they went about their tasks.

I noticed a smaller pen near the opposite archer tower, which contained a few individuals who seemed healthier and more defiant.

These were likely recent captures, not yet fully broken by their captors. Their presence provided a glimmer of hope that some resistance still existed within these walls.

My eyes darted around for Duncan and Lana, but they were nowhere to be seen.

We moved stealthily along the pathway, sticking to the shadows cast by the crude wooden structures. The air was thick with the stench of sweat, blood, and despair.

The faint blue light from the glowing stalactites above gave the scene an otherworldly, almost surreal quality, making the horrors before us feel like a nightmare come to life.

"Stay close," I whispered to Sasha and Jacob, my voice barely audible. We had to be careful, one wrong move and we'd alert the entire settlement.

The trio kept low and moved with purpose. We needed to find a way to free these people without causing a full-scale alert.

The second archer tower posed a significant threat, and we couldn't afford to be spotted. As we approached the breeding pen, I could see the desperation in the eyes of the captives.

I felt a surge of determination.

We had to save them, no matter the cost.

"Jacob, can you create a distraction?" I asked, my mind racing for a plan. We needed to divert the Kraglins' attention long enough to free the prisoners and escape.

Jacob nodded, his face grim with determination. He moved quietly away from us, making his way to a ruined building that looked like it could serve as a decent hiding spot.

Sasha and I pressed ourselves against the wall of a nearby structure, our eyes scanning the area for any sign of movement.

Moments later, a series of small explosions echoed from Jacob's direction. The Kraglin guards jerked their heads toward the sound, the archers in the far tower peering down the pathway with suspicion.

"That's our cue," I whispered, motioning for Sasha to follow me.

With the Kraglins distracted, we slipped into the pen holding the newer, healthier captives.

Their eyes widened in surprise and hope as they saw us. I held a finger to my lips, signaling for silence as I worked on the crude locks that bound them.

One by one, the chains fell away, and the prisoners began to stir, their movements cautious and tentative.

I could see the flicker of hope reigniting in their eyes, a stark contrast to the lifeless expressions I had seen earlier.

"We're here to help," I whispered urgently. "Stay low and follow us."

We moved to the next pen, repeating the process, freeing more prisoners. The Kraglin guards were still focused on the commotion Jacob had created, but we knew it was only a matter of time before they realized what was happening.

As we made our way through the pens, I could see Jacob in the distance, still managing to keep the guards distracted with a series of minor magical illusions and well-timed noises.

He was buying us precious time, and we had to make the most of it.

Finally, we reached the pen closest to the slaughterhouse. The stench of blood and death was overwhelming, but we pressed on.

The prisoners here were the most broken, their spirits nearly crushed by the horrors they had witnessed.

"Get up," I urged a man who looked to be in his forties, his face gaunt and haunted. "We're getting out of here."

He looked at me with dull eyes, but there was a flicker of understanding. Slowly, he rose to his feet, and I helped him steady himself.

Sasha moved to the next prisoner, a young woman who couldn't have been more than twenty. She was trembling, her eyes wide with fear.

Brave Lana, who was known for always charging headfirst into battle, and her unshakable spirit, had been reduced to this.

She was a husk of her former self, with sunken eyes accompanied by dark circles atop an emaciated figure, tattered rags hanging to her person.

She was past the gone. She could no longer recognize us.

"It's okay," Sasha whispered, her voice soothing. "We're going to get you out of here."

The woman nodded, tears streaming down her face as Sasha helped her up.

Cold rage bubbled inside of me. But there was nothing I could do. I was far too weak.

'Coward.'

With the last of the prisoners freed, we began to make our way back toward the exit. The group moved cautiously, sticking to the shadows.

The sound of the explosions had died down, and I knew Jacob's distraction was nearing its end.

As we reached the main pathway, a sudden shout from one of the Kraglin guards shattered the silence. They had spotted us.

"Run!" I yelled, grabbing Sasha's hand and pulling her forward. The prisoners followed, their fear giving them speed.

Jacob emerged from his hiding spot, his face pale but determined. He sent a blast of light toward the guards, temporarily blinding them and buying us a few more seconds.

"Great work."

"It isn't over yet.", he replied as he sent another light blast down the hallway.

The exhaustion was visible on his face. This wasn't his forte. He was an enchanter.

We sprinted down the pathway, the sound of pursuing Kraglins growing louder with each passing moment.

The exit was in sight, a small gap in the fence that led to the tunnel we had entered from.

As we neared the exit, a Kraglin archer took aim at us, its eyes glinting with malice. I threw myself in front of Sasha, bracing for the impact.

The arrow flew past, missing us by inches, and embedded itself in the ground.

We burst through the gap in the fence, the prisoners spilling out into one of the tunnels in the wall at the bottom.

We did not dare climb up, lest we find ourselves riddled with arrows before we make it to the top.

The Kraglins were quite a bit behind us, their shouts echoing in the confined space of the farm.

Fortunately, out of a dozen tunnels they did not see which one we had gone into.

"Keep moving!" I shouted, my voice hoarse. "Don't stop!"

The tunnel seemed to stretch on forever, but we pushed forward, driven by the need to survive. The sounds of the Kraglins began to fade, and I dared to hope that we might actually make it.

Finally, we emerged into the dim light of the main cavern. The air was cold and damp, but it was a welcome change from the oppressive atmosphere of the farm.

We collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. The prisoners looked around in a daze, unable to believe they were free.

"We did it," Sasha whispered, her voice trembling with exhaustion and relief.

I nodded, my mind still reeling from the events of the past few hours. We had freed the prisoners, but the journey was far from over. We still had to find a way out of the Kraglin territory and get these people to safety.

But for now, we had a moment of respite. A chance to regroup and plan our next move. And for the first time in what felt like an eternity, I allowed myself to believe that we might actually succeed.