Everything was black until suddenly, Azaworth felt sand everywhere as he was lying down.
'The hell...what...happened?'
Before anything else, suddenly, Azaworth felt something hit him on his back, which jolted him to open his eyes in pain, and he rubbed his back in pain.
"Get back to work, you filthy miners!"
Someone yelled behind Azaworth as he turned back to face whoever it was. He was about to speak up as he faced the person, but was stunned.
The person who hit him as a man that looked like in his fourties that wore old silver armor that covered his torso and had a helmet that covered his head but his face was easily seen. He also had silver shoulder pads and legs padding. He also had a whip in his hand.
Before Azaworth could act, he got hit with the whip again and yelped in pain. He looked around and saw a pickaxe on the ground. With no choice, he took the item and stood up.
Looking around, Azaworth saw that his surroundings was an even larger quarry. With people in ancient clothing and mining through stone and rocks.
Not wanting to get whipped again, Azaworth forced himself to look at the rock and mined it. Unsure of what he was mining for, he just dug randomly at the rock to hopefully satisfy the person who whipped him to go away. After a bit of watching, the man was satisfied and walked away.
'Finally, he's gone!'
Azaworth kept mining, and he noticed he was wearing the same outfit as the other miners, likely a tunic. He also noticed that there were chains wrapped around his arms and legs and the chain led to another miner near him, and another one even further away. It is likely that Azaworth chain is tied to a lot of miner within the quarry.
'Wait, am I a slave? A miner slave?'
Azaworth realizing the predicament he is in, became pissed off. He didn't expect to be placed in the same place where he didn't earn that much money, but even worse.
The sun was hot and shining down on the slave miners, it seem never-ending. Azaworth worked while observing the surroundings. Those who stop working even for a moment are whipped by the men's in armour, and it seem there is a lot of the men's in armour stationed at each part of the quarry, probably ensuring that slaves don't escape.
As Azaworth kept working ruthlessly, he suddenly heard a continuous beeping sound in his ear. Surprised, he stopped mining for a bit and looked around, but never seemed to find anything.
'Am I already going crazy from this god forsaken heat from this sun?'
The beeping sound continued, and he searched for the source before suddenly, he heard something in his ears.
['The Purgatory Trial of Sin begins now.']
'Trial of Sin...?'
Azaworth remembers now that before he ended up here, he was in the quarry caves with the rest of the miners and was unlucky to be caught by the Sin Curse, and now, was transported here. He also remembered that the other miners also caught it, including the head miner.
Judging from the announced Trial of Sin that he could only hear, it is likely that Azaworth is stuck here until he gets out or dies. Not wanting to think about the situation that is upon him, he immediately went straight back to mining.
He had heard stories of the Sin Curse from miners back then, but he didn't expect to be the unlucky chosen.
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It has been a while since Azaworth has been mining. He doesn't know how long it has been, and he wants it to be over. From his observation, he noticed that the slave miners who kept working and never stop, had died from heat stroke or malnutrition and dehydration, and another thing Azaorth noticed was that there were also children slaves working,
And the miner who wanted to rebel and tried to made a run from the quarry slave camp when the guards weren't looking, but were quickly stop by the front guards and are immediately executed or amputated.
'Seems like some of these people either have no brain or they just wanna leave without thinking of the consequences.'
Azaworth thought to himself and tried to think of something, but he couldn't. And suddenly, a bell would chime and all the miners turned their attention towards the noise. On the top of the Quarry landscape, a man with the same armour as the guards but more covered onto their body and was on a horse. There were a few more people who were on their own horses and wore armour as well.
"Attention slaves of Jamorchary, we have caravans that are prepared within the vicinity at the top of this quarry landscape. All slave will have to get into the caravan and obey the commands without asking or else you'll have your limbs amputated or be punished with death. If I am understood, then move along!"
The command made by the man in armour was loud and clear, and frantically, the slave rushed forward and ran up the ramps, pushing each other down, due to the chains being connected to one slave and another, they would also drag each other without caring for the other miners safety, or some slave miners tripping on the children slaves.
Azaworth dropped his pickaxe and made a run for it as well, he got pushed aside a bit but then kept going. Before he was at the ramp, his eye gaze at a slave on the ground. The slave had a hood covering their head and was holding 3 children together to support them in order not to get stomped on by the running adults.
It would seem that the slave also had a broken ankle and yet, the slave also tried to gather the other children who were afar to come closer to protect them, but some either made it or did not made it.
Azaworth kept gazing at the sight before him before snapping out of his thought and preparing to run up the ramp. But he couldn't move a leg. Other slave miners ran past him and sometimes pushing him aside.
It was as if Azaworth was contemplating about something, before gazing at the ramp and back at the slave on the ground. He looked at both situations and gritted his teeth and clenched his fist.
Before long, Azaworth turned his back away from the dirt ramp and ran towards the slave with the hood on the dirt floor. The slave who held at least now 5 small children had caught a glimpse of Azaworth running to them. The slave pulled the children close, expecting to be stomped on again. But after a few second, nothing happened and the slave with the hood looked up to see Azaworth in front just standing and panting.
'Well, I better not regret this...'
Unexpectedly, Azaworth proceeded to carry the slave with one of his arm and onto his shoulder.
"E-eh?!? What are you doing?!?!
Azaworth saw the slave squirming on his shoulder but ignored them and gesture the other 5 children to quickly hold his other arm. They were reluctant at first, but slowly they all slowly got onto his arm as he carried them. 3 Children on his right arm, one on his back, and the other being held by his left arm as he carried the slave with the hood on his shoulder.
It was not that bad for Azaworth as he had spent 2 years working as a miner back then and he likely developed some muscle over 24 months of hard work.
It was a difficult choice to Azaworth as he had to be greedy to his own heart to help others first despite him suffering already. But nevertheless, the slave continued running up the dirt ramp, he walk upwards on the dirt ramp and minding his own step. If one mistake was made, he and the slave would fall back into the quarry with nope hope of getting back up and restarting due to the time they had.
Slowly and slowly onward, as the waves of slaves continue upward the huge quarry, Azaworth begin to feel fatigued.
'God dammit! Why now of all times!'
Azaworth complained to himself in his head. but he had no choice, it was either move forward and destroy a few muscles of his or be left behind to die. He kept going on and on, and looking around to make sure the children and the slave were still on him. He also got pushed by the slave miners, but he didn't care about them one bit. He was only focus on his own survival and the slaves on him.
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After what seems to be an eternity. They made it all the way to the top of the quarry, the sun was going down as it approaches night. But for Azaworth, he looked and saw that most of the Caravan was filled. He was pretty pissed off. He had to watch some of the Caravan leaved the quarry area while he helplessly held the slave on his shoulder and the children on his other shoulder and arms.
"Hey! You slave!"
Azaworth turned his head to the sound and saw one of the guards that had silver armour covering his whole body. It would seem there was a caravan left with a few more spot that Azaworth didn't notice due to only facing the front of the quarry.
Immediately, he moved to the caravan and helped the slave with the hood on his shoulder onto the caravan and the children before going in himself and sighing of relieve. And to his surprised, an elderly old man slave climbed after they entered.
"Heya kddo gehaha! Thank for helping me up as well hehe!
The guard that was in full armour signal the Caravan to start moving and it quickly move and shooked the slave inside the Caravan a bit before stabilizing.
"What do you mean helped you up?"
Azaworth asked the old man in confusion. It was until the elderly man showed the chain on his leg which was attached to Azaworth legs as well. It now all made sense to Azaworth. He was also carrying a filthy old man slave and he didn't even realized it which explained why it was really heavy.
Azaworth, pretty pissed off wanted to hit the old man but the slave with the hood, shook their head to signal to him. Azaworth would notice and just scoffed quietly to himself before sitting back down.
"T-t-thanks for helping me."
The slave with the hood spoke softly to Azaworth. it was calm and soothing, but Azawoth just nodded his head. And he would see the children slave fell asleep in the caravan.
As Azaworth turned his head back to the hooded slave, he saw what surprised him the most and made his jaw drop. The hooded slave took off their hood and what appear was the most beautiful face that Azaworth had ever seen. They had blue aquatic eyes that looked like they were glittering and aqua long hair that went from the head to the collar bone.