Chapter 107

As they approached the slave merchant's tent Vorbuk's eyes cast themselves about the place. Humans, Demi Humans, Elves, even other races were caged and shackled about the place for display. Age was not even a question as there was even an occasional child. Though for some races one could not judge ones age by appearance. It was as if they were being treated like merchandise rather then a person.

This was normal treatment for them since their lives had been deemed as nothing more then a tool for whoever would be willing to put them under servitude. In their eyes even the will to fight back for their freedom had long been dimmed. That was true for most slaves as it was not often you found one who could make light of another holding control over their very life and death.

Are they slaves or animals? Cages? Chains? Some are even held under control by magic bindings because they could break normal shackles.. Vorbuk clicked his tongue at the sight around him as he walked forward.

"Master~! Take me with you~!" A young man suddenly shot forth and clung onto Vorbuk's waist.

The young man was in torn and filthy clothes from being enslaved for so long. His red hair dangling in front of his right eye leaving only his left blue one visible. Chains that were shackled around his legs clinked noisily against the ground. There was no way to deny that he was one of the slaves. A magic was even cast on the chains but Vorbuk could not tell what it was for. The magic gave off a soft golden hue.

His sudden clinging caused Vorbuk's body to flinch from being caught off guard. He was not sure who this man was but he could tell that it was the one who had been glaring at him from a distance every time he passed by this place.

"Who are you? What do you want from me?" Vorbuk's throat released a deep growl. He was not worried about being found out as beast by someone shackled as a slave. Princess Isis was standing behind him and she could easily play off as his owner if anyone questioned him.

"I want you to take me with you, Master~! Please~!" The slave begged with a bright expression that Vorbuk could feel was a facade. "Master~! I can be useful to you~! So please take-"

"Enough! Stop joking around." Vorbuk's brow twitched as he felt the sudden urge to turn into his real form and eat the man. He hated how badly he wanted to bite him. It was as if his wolf side wanted to take over because he was annoyed at the man's behavior.

"I am being honest with my request." The man exhaled heavily and leaned in closer to Vorbuk's ear to whisper his further words. "One with the Guardian's Mark."

Vorbuk's eyes shook slightly as he wondered how the man before him could recognize the guardian's mark. He was not even in his wolf form so the mark was not visible for any average person to notice.

"Master, this one never lies to his master~!" The man smiled brightly.

Vorbuk shoved the man away and glanced over at Isis. She had a confused expression on her face as she could clearly hear the words the man had whispered. At first he thought she would ask him about it but it seemed as if she planned on letting things be for the time being. It was not the proper place to talk about such matters.

"Who are you?" Vorbuk asked him once more as he glared at the slave.

Seeing as Vorbuk was not budging for his pleading the man seemed to ponder carefully before responding to the question.

"I am a demon. A slave. I no longer have a name as they are given by the ones who take us in." The slave seemed to keep his responses as simple as possible. He clearly did not want to speak too deeply about himself.

"What did you do to get here.?" Princess Isis was curious about what the man did to become a slave. Of course Vorbuk felt that was a natural question as well considering the man was pleading for his help to leave the slavery tent.

"Are you sure you want to know, m'lady?" The man asked her as if to verify that she really wanted him to be honest. But before she could even respond he continued to respond regardless. "You could say I started a fire.. Because of that someone died and this is the price I must pay for it."

"A fire.?" The princess thought out loud as she wondered what kind of fire it was that could result in the man becoming a slave. If it was an accident and a commoner who died it would have been swept away without a problem. Whoever died in the fire was not possibly someone of low status.

So this man had once killed someone from his own home country that was of high status by causing a fire. Was it intentional? Or was he sentenced for something that was merely an accident? Vorbuk and Isis both wondered those things. Neither one of them had the will to ask him directly.

"What are you asking me for help for? You don't know me." Vorbuk felt confused and annoyed. This man knew too much and was asking to become his servant just to leave the slavery tent.

"No. I'm not asking because I know you, master~!" The slave teased with his words as he responded.

"Then why-" Vorbuk was cut off.

"Master, I choose you because you have the mark~! I'm interested in the newest guardian chosen by this world." The expression on the man's face was filled with determination and lit up brightly.

For someone who was meant to be dangerous he gave off the air of someone kind and warm. The more Vorbuk observed that warmth he felt there was something cold under it. Something about the man made him want to shudder even though he was in full control. If a normal human was confronting the man they would not be able to notice it as easy.

Vorbuk was able to pick up on the cold part of the slave's personality that he was keeping buried because it was instinctive for him as a beast. People could not hide their true personalities from him as easily. That was why he noticed something from with the prince's brother during their first encounter.

"Very well." Vorbuk responded after a long pause to consider. At his side he could see the stunned princess who was trying to take in the thought that Vorbuk was going to buy a servant.

As long as the servant was bound by the servants mark to Vorbuk he would not be able to intentionally harm him. If the thought of intentionally harming his master even came to mind the servant would be killed as repercussion. He would be forced to spend his life serving his master until one of them died. The slave was taking a gamble because he was familiar with the mark Vorbuk carried. At the least Vorbuk could use him for information if he knew anything about it.

But what kind of demon was this young man? For his shackles to require magic to keep him bound. Vorbuk pondered.