Thud. Thud. Thud-.
The footsteps alerted every being in the vicinity of the incoming presence. The dim light of the lamps illuminated the hallway. The lamps flickered as dancing shadows were cast on the surroundings. The guard's footsteps stopped before cold, imposing metal bars dusted with a tinge of rust here and there. The guards had imposing horns on their heads, a testament to their heritage.
Alphard, the head guard, stepped forward. His black armor plates clanged with each step. He took out a baton from its holster and dragged it along the metal bars.
"Everybody, wake up!"
Beyond the bars, groans and the scraping of shackles filled the dimly lit prison cell. Alphard took out the set of keys and inserted one of the keys into the keyhole before giving it a gentle twist. The door unlocked with an audible 'clink'.
"Line up for your daily rations!"
The captives dragged themselves out of the cell into the hallway. The dim light of the hallway revealed their differences in species. Soot and grime covered their forms trying giving most of their complexions a darker hue. The air was thick with the stench from unwashed bodies, which caused the flies to fly around in joy. The newer guards scrunched their noses in disgust. They brought their hands to their noses to block out the foul smell.
Alphonso, a veteran guard, was aware of the plight of his juniors. "Don't worry, you will get used to this soon enough."
The junior guards turned towards Alphonso and saluted.
"Thank you, sir."
The guards retrieved the rations from their back pouches and handed them to the captives. The food amount if it was even legal to call such an amount food, was so small that it could not fit in their palms. Alphard scanned the captives before and realized that something was amiss.
"Where is captive number ten?"
The guards scratched their heads, trying to rack up an answer to the question presented.
"You there, captive number five, was it. Where is he?"
Alphard singled out a lizardman, Peon, who eyes contracted into slits in pure disdain. A few seconds passed with no answer uttered by Peon. A gauntlet-clad fist met his face, causing him to trip and lie flat on the ground.
"When you are asked a question, you are supposed to answer. Did they not teach you basic manners where you came from?"
Peon grunted and grimaced as he gripped the earth, trying to support himself as he dragged himself up. A metallic boot found its way to his head, forcing him back to the ground. Alphonso cut in before Alphard could continue administering punishment.
"Sir, based on captive number ten's personality, He is most likely in the pit chambers. The guards from the previous shift might have tossed him there."
Alphard stopped and turned to Alphonso. "Alphonso, take four men with you to retrieve him from there. We need all the hands we can get."
Alphonso turned to the soldiers behind him. "Jeeves, Ibzan, Marco, Oleg, you are coming with me."
"Yes, sir!"
The said recruits saluted towards Alphonso before following his lead. Their footsteps rippled across the hallways. This scared away the stray rats that roamed about looking for food.
Ibzan stepped on a skull, the audible crunch waking up the bats that watched their moves. Alphonso brought them to a halt before a set of large wooden doors that towered over their forms.
"Oleg, Jeeves, get those doors open."
Oleg and Jeeves each took a door and exerted their strength. The doors slowly creaked open to reveal a place shrouded by darkness. Curiosity took the best of Oleg as he tried to peer into the abyss, causing him to lose his footing. Marco grabbed Oleg by his hand and dragged him back onto the platform they were on.
"Curiosity killed the cat, and in this case, it can get you killed."
"Captive number ten, are you there?" Alphonso's words bounced off the walls with no response generated on the other end.
"It seems that he doesn't want to answer."
Alphonso turned his head to the side and saw a long chain pinned to the ground.
"I was going off based on assumptions, but you were here, captive number ten." Alphonso shook his head while rubbing his temples in resignation.
"Marco, come help me pull him out."
They engaged in a tug of war with the unwilling captive. Grunts from each side echoed in the pit chambers. A pain-filled groan cut through the pit chambers. The resistance lessened, allowing them to yank out captive number ten. Their efforts bore fruit as another figure stood on the same platform with them.
"Captive number ten, you are the most troublesome inmate we have dealt with." Alphonso shoved him into the corridors.
The light revealed long hair that did little to cover a set of long, pointy ears. Lars' forest green eyes narrowed upon seeing who had dragged him out of the pit. Lars' jaw clenched as his scowl deepened. The scowl caused Marco's eye to twitch before he took out his baton to smack it across Lars' face. Lars' head turned in the direction of the impact.
"You think you are important? You aren't even worth being on the level above dirt." Marco was relentless in his attack, with Lars turning in the direction of each strike.
Marco paused in his relentless attacks. Lars continued glaring at Marco and spat out the blood that was pooling at the corner of his mouth. Marco raised his baton, ready to deliver more punishment due to the elf's blatant defiance. Alphonso caught his hand before it could reach its target.
"The head guard wouldn't want you making a captive unable to work due to your anger when we need a lot of labor."
"Get moving!" Alphonso shoved Lars forward, causing him to stumble a bit.
They walked back to the position where they had left Alphard and the rest of the guards.
"We have brought him, sir." Alphonso saluted and shoved Lars forward until he was face to face with Alphard.
"That's good, thank you for your work, Vice Captain."
"You, line up next to your filthy comrades." Alphard shoved Lars into the queue, causing him to stumble.
"Here are your rations. You are lucky that you need energy for the task beforehand. Otherwise, you would continue to starve." Alphard gave Lars his tiny part before turning to address everybody.
"Today, you will be working in the mines again. Our Majesty requires the Mithril as soon as possible, so there is no time for lazing off."
"You have heard me, so what are you still standing around for? Don't you know we don't have time?"
The guards kicked and shoved the captives. The captives' shoulders slumped in resignation as they moved onwards to the mines.
The guards led the captive to carts containing pickaxes, which they took. Lars went to a secluded area of the mines. A dragon newt captive followed Lars to where he went. His green eyes contracted into slits as he turned to his fellow inmate.
"What did you do this time, Lars?" Lars turned towards the voice.
"Oh… It's you, Xero." Lars raised his pickaxe to hack at the mithril ores.
"So what did you do?" Xero hacked at the ores, making them drop small chunks of crystals.
"Honestly, I can't remember."
Xero shook his head before letting his pickaxe rest at his side.
"I hope you learn to control your anger, as it may lead to your demise."
"I… can't do that. Every time I close my eyes, I see the corpses of tribesmen and remember their horrifying screams."
Lars' shoulders sagged as his body trembled, and a sigh escaped from his lips. Lars shook his head, trying to banish the thoughts of the incident that led to his capture.
"I know you can't, but most of us can't forget the circumstances that led to our captures. Use your anger to fuel your strength, but don't let it break you." Lars lowered his head and looked towards the mithril as he contemplated Xero's words.
Heavy footsteps echoed, making Lars and Xero turn their heads.
"You two, what are you doing?"
"We are getting back to work." Xero continued hacking away at the crystalline minerals as Lars glared at Marco.
"You there, captive number ten, is that defiance I see in your eyes?" Lars ignored him and went back to hacking at the mithril.
"You… little!"
Marco grabbed Lars by the shoulders and forced him to face him. He pinned Lars against the wall with his gauntlet-clad hand.
Lars grimaced as he snapped his eyes shut due to his vision blurring from the lack of oxygen. Lars spat at his face.
"It seems like we haven't disciplined you enough." He punched Lars across the face before he decided to grab Lars' hair.
"Marco, the boss requires all the captives together." Jeeves walked up and tapped Marco's shoulder while shaking his head.
"Tch— you are lucky. There will be no next time."
Marco tossed Lars to the side, his body colliding with the ground.
Lars dragged his body from the ground. His eyes met with Xero's, who levelled him a pointed look as if to tell him I told you so. Lars and Xero filled the carts with the mithril crystals before they pushed them to the meeting spot.
"I see you are all here… this amount is adequate for today." The Alphard nodded his head in satisfaction.
"Tomorrow, you will appear before the demon queen."
Mutters filled the room as faces paled upon hearing Alphard's words. Dread replaced their tiredness for the meeting that was to come.
Lars clenched his fists, his eyes burning with barely contained fury.