The Evil and the Divine

"Is she waking up?"

"I don't think she is…"

"She looks so pretty…"

Lumi slowly opened her eyes; awakened from the conversing voices around her. Her blue eyes met the face of two children close to her face.

"Ah, she's awake!"

Lumi slowly sat down and looked around. It looked like she was in a certain cell.

And she was not alone.

Children, women, men, demihumans, agins, are all in the cell with her.

"Where am I…?" Lumi asked.

But no one answered. It was enough for Lumi to notice that almost everyone looked lifeless. They had a blank look on their faces as if they lost all hope.

"You're in a slave cell." One of the girls answered. She was sitting at the corner near to Lumi.

The girl had dark green hair and a tan appearance. Unlike the others, she had a look of indifference.

"We're to be auctioned off."

The girl finally looked at her. Her lime-colored eyes and a mole at the corner of her mouth were the things Lumi first noticed.

"Look around. Everyone's pretty," the girl said. "We are the 'first-class merchandise'."

Lumi looked around. Everyone had a bitter look on their face as they listened to the girl. But it was true. Everyone in the cell was highly diverse and all had distinct features.

"Then these children…"

"Sold by their parents," the girl uttered.

Lumi glanced at the children. They did have remarkable features and distinct appearances free from imperfection.

So is everyone else.

"Let me guess. You're probably a noblewoman sold by her family buried in debt?" The girl asked.

Lumi didn't feel the need to correct her. "How about you?"

"Me? Well," the girl chuckled bitterly. "I'm a Kryger."

"Kryger?"

"You really know nothing, huh?" The girl chuckled. "I belong at Ena's warrior clan."

Ena. "The southern continent?" Lumi asked. "How did you reach the north?"

Ena is the largest country in Aeterna—the sole nation encompassing the southern realm.

"My kind is spread across the world being traded," she said. "I'm lucky I was able to live free… until now."

The girl chuckled bitterly and sighed. "I would love to chatter with you, but you see, my chains are the special kind. I can't move."

Chains?

Lumi then looked down to her feet, and then saw finally the chain shackling her ankle. Then, she noticed the rest were the same.

Her entire body still felt numb, perhaps from the poison from the talons of the hawk.

She could easily use her divine power now and free all these slaves… and so, she closed her eyes in order to call for the light of the goddess to bless her—

But there was no response.

One more time.

Nothing.

Why couldn't use her power?

"Hey,"

Lumi's eyes shot open.

"Your chain. It's glowing." The girl from before said.

Lumi looked down and saw that the inscriptions embedded in her chain glowed.

"Restricting spells."

Lumi looked up, only to see the newly arrived Hawk, who was smiling so sweetly at her.

"That spell is enough to restrict the flow of strong divine power. It was costly, but suuuper worth it~"

He then turned to the girl with green hair.

"How about our Kryger? Are you doing well?"

"What are you going to do to these people, Hawk?" Lumi asked as she stared straight at Hawk.

"You'll know,"

And as he said that, the cell doors opened and men took the slaves by their chains and dragged them outside the prison cells.

--

The eyes of the slaves were covered in dark red blindfolds shaped like decorous masks worn in ballrooms. Aside from the masks, the slaves were also made to wear matching white revealing clothing.

For the men, they were made to wear loose white robes with intricate patterns on them. For women were long dresses that revealed their cleavage and a slit on the side of the dress to show their legs.

Children on the other hand were forced to wear robes falling just above their knees. All of them were barefoot wearing their shackles on their ankles to prevent escape.

The auction was taking place in a theater-like symposium where nobles sat and drank wine at their respective tables.

The Hawk walked onto the stage as the lights dimmed, and the theater's light grew brighter. The chattering of nobles grew quiet as they awaited the host's welcoming remarks.

"I thank you all for coming to my auction in yet another successful year of new and diverse merchandise," Hawk grinned. "And I, as the one and only Hawk, will present only the best!"

"I wonder what kind of merchandise we'd get this year?"

"Well, I'm just looking for some pretty face. Hopefully I'd get another one~"

"Oh, Marquess. You're so greedy."

Hawk grinned wider.

"Without further ado, I present to you the items in today's auction!"

A cage then went upwards from the stage from below as a compartment opened, revealing a woman with green hair, lime green eyes, and a bronze-tan body that shimmered into the light.

"A newly-turned Kryger slave. All her life, she's been free."

"A Kryger, huh? How rare!"

"We never get Krygers that often."

"Is she a pureblood?"

Chatters continued until the host spoke once more.

The Hawk then licked his lips. "Aside from her being new, she's also remarkable in battle. Watch!"

A large projection from a mana orb then flashed. It was the Kryger girl fighting tigers. She easily punched and kicked them with her flexible yet strong body. Every move was swift, and one could easily feel the rush of adrenaline from the vigor of a warrior clan. Her signature moves included her uppercuts and her kicks.

It was enough to elicit an uproar from the crowd.

"Now, let us begin!"

--

The auction went swiftly and Lumi felt cold sweat dripping across her temples. She had been trying nonstop to summon her powers, trying her very best to use divinity. But each time she attempted and struggled, the cuffs around her ankles only glowed as the restricting spell continued to suppress her power.

"Move," one of the men said to Lumi as they pushed her to the cage. "You're up next."

Lumi gritted her teeth as the cage she was in gradually rose upwards into the light.

In the blindfold, she still could see for a bit. Now, she was aboveground—right on the stage, facing an enormous crowd.

"The next item is a priestess from a distant land, harboring strong divinity… and an innocent beauty!"

The air grew thicker as the nobles whispered and chattered. Lumi eyed them; some were intrigued, some disinterested, some wondering.

The auction progressed.

"Ten thousand golds!"

"Is there any higher than ten thousand?"

"Twelve thousand!"

"Fifty thousand!"

"A hundred thousand gold coins!"

Lumi clenched her fist and prayed to the goddess. If she does grant miracles, then she could use one right now.

"Going once, going twice!"

Please!

Suddenly the doors opened—no, they broke! Flying debris then shot to the red-carpet aisle. As the dust cleared up, a man slowly ambled his way forward, a dark greatsword in his hand.

His grey eyes fell to Lumi.

Lumi parted her lips.

"Siegren…!"