Zetto and Lobi marched for several minutes until they finally reached the center of Sain. The dog-girl couldn't bear the sight that met them. She vomited.
In the middle of the square stood a pile of dead, mangled bodies – townspeople and Varii alike - swarming with flies. Some of the corpses had been treated with such cruelty that it was impossible to tell whether they were male or female – just more pieces in this grotesque display of human brutality.
Beside the pile of bodies, a sign read: "This is the cost of your revenge, hero!"
"Lobi!" a woman's voice called out.
Next to the pile stood a row of five Varii women, iron collars around their necks and bound together by the same chain at their hands. All of them were dressed as maids. The previous group of five had been killed. Zetto looked around – every single one of Kahima's men lay dead. The Messenger smirked under his breath.
"Hini!" Lobi ran to the one who had called out. She was a Varii with medium-length brown hair and big blue eyes. "It's okay now, I brought help!"
With a simple spell, Zetto freed the remaining dog-girls from their chains. They all hugged each other, wagging their tails like crazy and crying tears of happiness.
"Something doesn't add up," Zetto muttered to himself. "If slaves are such a lucrative business, why would Kahima have them killed instead of evacuated? And why slaughter the residents who pay rent? It makes no sense."
"Kahima handed command over to one of his men," Hini explained. "He told him to do whatever it took to scare you off from coming here, and to warn him in time so he could escape. I overheard him at the mansion saying he keeps three special specimens with him, enough to set him up for life."
"That vile pig," one of the women added, clearly disgusted, "has no idea his men have been wiped out. He probably still thinks someone will warn him in time so he can run."
"No… something's still off. No lackey – even a mercenary – would sabotage their master's business this badly."
"But it happened, I heard it myself. The hired bandits are known for brutal methods and… for not caring about human life at all. Anyway, Kahima said he'd make up for the losses because his special specimens are supposedly worth that much. I-I haven't seen any of them, he keeps them locked in two rooms we don't have access to."
"I see," Zetto said, lost in thought, then looked ahead.
Rising above the pile of maimed bodies was the tip of Kahima's residence – a white marble building with a golden roof gleaming in the sun.
What a disgusting sight.
"Lobi," Zetto said, "I'll take all of you back to the camp. They'll treat your wounds," he added, glancing at the cuts on the Varii's arms and legs, and the bloody marks from collars and chains. "And give you some new clothes."
"Are you sure you don't need a guide, Sir Zetto? Kahima's residence is pretty big, and…"
"I'll manage. Now go. Stay safe and enjoy your freedom," Zetto said, holding out his hand to them.
All the Varii bowed as low as they could.
"Thank you for saving us, Sir Zetto," they said all together, deeply moved. One voice trembled with joy, the others were on the verge of tears. "We'll be forever grateful to you."
"I'm glad I could at least save you," he replied with a pale smile, then cast a teleportation spell.
Zetto was left alone among the heaps of corpses. Finally, he could let out what he truly felt.
"For fuck's sake!" he shouted, eyes blazing with hatred at the sign. He crushed it with a hard kick from above. "I'm useless! So many people died because I didn't notice we were being followed! Tae was right!" he screamed, then kicked the body of one of the bandits in his fury. The corpse rolled several meters forward.
He looked back at the pile again. He felt as if their dead, twisted faces, frozen in agony, gave him a look full of blame
You didn't save us. We died because of you. Your hero act meant nothing. You shouldn't have come here. You have our blood on your hands, you're–
Zetto started screaming at the top of his lungs, then broke down crying. Around others, he usually tried to keep his emotions in check, but this crushed him.
"I'm sorry…" he said in a trembling voice, as if it could still change anything. "I'm sorry, I… I wanted to…" he mumbled incoherently, his lips still shaking.
Calm down.
How much death have you seen, and how much more will you see? So why now, why panic, just before you can finish it off, ending the life of the one who makes the beast-people suffer so much?
Because for the first time, it feels like it depended only on me. I wasn't forced into a war – this is a battle I started myself.
And I feel like I lost it, even though I still… saved a few lives, and I hope to save a few more. No, I can't see this as a failure…
I'm slowly losing sight of the line between victory and defeat.
What the hell am I?
I try to talk to Tae about my feelings, but it's not enough. I still have these outbursts I can't control… my calm holds only until the flood of bitterness overflows.
I'm really a hopeless hero.
And an even worse human being.
But… I have to keep going… for them… I have to talk to her about this.
I can't handle it on my own anymore, but at the same time, I don't want to be a burden to anyone. Most of my life I felt that my emotions, my sadness, were just unnecessary weight for others… but maybe this time… now, I'm in a different place…
Zetto wiped his tears. He stood there, drowned in sorrow and exhausted by the storm of his emotions. He folded his hands in a gesture of prayer.
I've never been much of a religious person. I don't even know which gods, if any, rule this world.
"May you find peace," he whispered to them, then took a deep breath.
Alone, Zetto walked toward Kahima's residence.
*
Kahima had barely tied a silk, golden robe over his hairy, fat stomach. He took a sip of wine, then looked at the two naked Tiriga, their hands bound and collars around their necks. One had medium-length red hair and big blue eyes, the other had dark black hair and large yellow eyes.
Kahima enjoyed the wine, stroked his thin mustache under his pointed nose, and then said:
"Finally, the day has come, my dears," he announced, laughing. "I've been keeping you for a while, enjoying your beauty from afar, but today I'll finally taste it, haha. That little hero of yours, who stole some of my goods, is probably lying dead in the middle of Sain."
"Rot in hell, you disgusting bastard," one of them spat, her face twisted in revulsion. "Just the thought of you touching me makes me want to puke."
"Ohoho, I like it when girls have a little fire in them. Don't worry – if you get pregnant, that's your fault, not mine. Then I'll get rid of you."
"Dayun's wrath will reach you! He'll come and avenge all of us!" the black-haired girl shouted.
"Here we go again?" he replied, clearly bored. "Dayun this, Dayun that – get over it, he doesn't even exist. Now, let's get this party started."
He was just pulling off his robe when an explosion erupted behind him. The door to his secret room crashed to the floor with a dull thud. In the smoke appeared a young, long-haired man with red, demonic eyes.
The intruder locked eyes with Kahima. The slave trader knew that look all too well – full of fury…
…and murderous intent.