"We barbarians are the majority race in the world; that gives us a large boost of talented people. And we are also numerous."
Galthor was beginning to understand where she was going.
"Your father had been reaching to other countries, other territories, and buying off their talented young ones," Karathra explained calmly.
Galthor blinked. "Buying off?"
She shrugged. "Not all ChainLords are like the former chief. Barbarians are also enslavers of their races even though they are slaves themselves. That's so deeply ironic, isn't it? How do you think the Scourgers are formed? They take talented barbarians and train them in essence while they teach them to hate their kinds."
"The Scourgers are forces formed by both ChainLords and the Overlords to keep the barbarians in line if they do too much. They are made up of barbarians and, sometimes, they even receive the blessing of the god their Overlord serves.
Just like Thrainor."
"So this is how we have that much essence masters. It was carefully planned. And you...?"
"Yes. I was the same. Bought when I was a child and brought over to the Stronghide tribe."
Galthor digested that. Not only would he have to fight the other races, but also the barbarians of his kind. "I have one of the Scourgers here, the one that killed Father and my siblings. I've been thinking of how to make him feel pain for a long time."
Karathra grinned. "I know of one way. There's a pit in this Abyssal land with small, tiny insect monsters. They're harmless for the most part if you're facing hundreds of them. But there are billions of them in the pit.
"They like to keep their food alive so they could harvest from it and heal it at the same time. They are called Pitticus and each of their bites is filled with venom that causes incredible pain."
Galthor smiled and nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Drop him into it... cripple his essence core first. And make sure to get every information you can from him."
Karathra nodded with a smile of her own, and Galthor knew the following days were really going to be very bad for Thrainor.
"Let's move on. I need to secure my people in imprisonment. That's the first thing we need to do."
"What about the masters?"
Galthor merely shook his head. "We'll see what we will do with them. But for now, we need to turn his village around and secure a solid hunting team. We must take advantage of the Abyssal to grow our strength and our resources."
His mind once again went to the legacy that was supposed to be at the core of the Abyssal land.
☆☆▪︎▪︎☆☆
That afternoon Galthor led Karathra and Brakthar to the other territory. No, they led him toward the Winged people's territory, as it was said that they have the highest numbers of imprisoned barbarians.
They didn't even have to go far, as the Winged people's territory is right beside the barbarians'. And it was built far differently than most of the towns or villages that Galthor had seen so far.
Each and every building in the territory was built like a skyscraper back on Earth but with stones, and a bulging head where the actual building is. It even looked like a tower, but there was no entrance at all.
The only way to get to the house at the top was to fly.
And fly they did. The Winged people showed the uniqueness of their race as they stirred the wind with their massive wings, powerful muscles shifting around their shoulders as they shot and dove.
Galthor had to agree silently to himself that they made an impressive sight.
That didn't mean there weren't people on the ground level, though. Merchants and other races walked and sold things on the street; even some Winged people were walking.
And every single one of them watched Galthor as he made his way to the tallest and biggest building in the territory. Whispers followed them as people talked about the rumors that had recently spread throughout the whole revolutionary base.
"He actually killed a cursed monster? But how? He doesn't even look like a master!"
"You believe him? It must be that brute Karathra that did it, and they just want to make their new chief presentable!"
"I bet he's going over to hand over his territory to the Winged people. What else could he do to survive? His tribe is disbanded!"
"I hear a lot of rumors about his reputation. You better hide your girl from his eyes!"
Galthor ignored everything they said as if he hadn't heard anything.
But Karathra gritted her teeth so loudly that it sounded like stones crumbling. "Do you want me to go there and cut their tongues out, chief?"
Galthor looked at her, noting the seriousness in her voice. "No need. They raised no arm against us; all they can do is talk."
Karathra's eyes darkened. "Chief, you better start learning. Talking itself is a dangerous weapon."
Galthor nodded, briefly remembering the propaganda from the government and politicians back on Earth. "I suppose. But how do you reach the castle?"
They were now standing in front of the biggest building that was constructed just like the others but on such a massive scale that the head was literally a castle.
That alone gave Galthor a look at the resources the others had compared to the barbarians, compared to him. There wasn't even a comparison.
"They usually have a concealed door on the wall that they allow... people who can't fly to reach their houses. But I don't think they want us to use it."
Indeed.
The Winged people standing and flying around the castle gave them threatening looks, their eyes flashing with dangerous light, as well as their weapons.
Galthor smiled. "Maybe you'll get your chance to rip out tongues after all."