Screams, flashing lights, the hum of turbines. A pleasant scent filled Khan's nose and a warmth wrapped around him.
"Mama… I don't want to die."
Khan lifted his head. For a moment, time seemed to stand still. His breath halted, panic shook his body, sweat poured from every pore.
"M-Mama?"
A white figure stood before him. Khan was ripped out of his seat, the airplane and everything around him faded into the distance as he was dragged deeper into an endless darkness. Then silence. No sound remained. Khan screamed as loud as he could, yet nothing could be heard. A moment passed, and a figure manifested in front of him.
"You are not the one," the figure said.
"What do you mean?! Who are you?" Khan asked, confused.
The figure vanished and appeared again an instant later. It pressed its index finger into his chest and Khan was flung away. Deeper and deeper into the void.
Silence.
At the same time.
"Senna, hey, come on, get up!" Agit said to the still unconscious Senna.
She slowly opened her eyes. Blurry, she saw Agit's face covered in dust and dirt. He shook her gently as she regained her senses.
"What… what happened?" she murmured. Suddenly, she shot up in panic. "KHAN!! ARAS!!"
Agit pulled her into his arms.
"Calm down, we all survived. The boys are still sleeping a little."
Senna looked around in confusion. Mountains, trees and a vast field stretched before them. The wind swept through her black hair and a tear rolled from her left eye.
Slightly breathless she said, "Thank God… I thought we were going to die… I really thought we wouldn't survive."
Agit stood up and looked down a dirt path where smoke was rising.
"So did I… but right now we need to figure out what happened. Because where the hell is the plane? And where are the other passengers? Are we really the only survivors?"
Senna covered her face with her hands, wiped her tears and steadied herself.
"You're right. Could it be that someone saved us and brought us here?" she asked.
"Maybe," Agit replied. "Come on, let's wake the boys and follow the smoke. Maybe there's help."
"All right."
Senna woke the boys and kissed each of them on the forehead.
"You're okay. Thank God you're okay," she said with relief.
Khan suddenly screamed in panic.
"AHHHH!"
Senna immediately hugged him.
"It's okay, big boy. It's okay."
Still dazed, Khan said, "Mama, can you carry me? I'm too tired to walk."
"No, I want to! Khan is already big!!" Aras protested.
"Shut up, Aras! You know what happens otherwise."
Aras' eyes turned glassy.
"Mamaaaa, Khan wants to hit me again!! Tell him to stop!"
Senna sighed. A few minutes passed, then the family began walking.
"Baba?" Khan asked.
Agit looked down at him.
"Yes? What is it, my boy?"
"Do you smell that too? It's like the wind smells sweet."
Agit took a deep breath.
"Yeah… now that you mention it. And it's stronger than before. Wonder why."
Aras ran to Agit's leg and held on.
"Ahh! Maybe someone is baking a cake nearby?"
Agit laughed, picked Aras up and carried him on his left arm. Senna smiled faintly.
"You're having fun… good, considering the situation."
Suddenly, human screams echoed in the distance. The closer they came to the smoke, the clearer the voices became.
"HEY! Hurry up, you useless trash! I don't have all day! If you don't finish that fence by nightfall, you'll go 48 hours without food!!"
"Agit?" Senna said anxiously when they began seeing figures ahead.
They froze. An overweight old man was whipping three people as they built a wooden fence. They were on a green field with a building and tents behind it.
"What's happening? What are those people doing?" Khan asked curiously.
"Shhh! Quiet," Agit whispered.
He looked at Senna, serious.
"We need to leave. I don't know where we are, but this place is dangerous."
Senna's eyes widened. Behind Agit, a massive figure appeared. A man in his mid-forties, about two meters tall, broad-shouldered. He wore a chestplate, long brown leather pants and had a shaved head.
"I've never seen you here before," the man said in a harsh voice.
Agit spun around, but too late. The man struck him on the back of the head and he collapsed instantly.
"AGIT!!" Senna screamed.
Khan and Aras hid behind her as she shielded them with her body.
"Please… whoever you are. We mean no harm. Just let us go." she begged.
"A beauty like you will fetch the master a good price. Even if you aren't exactly young anymore."
The man struck Senna in the neck, knocking her out. He tied the boys up, too shocked to resist, and carried everyone into the camp.
Twenty minutes later.
Agit regained consciousness. Voices of strange men echoed around him. The smell of rusty steel filled his nose.
"Bork! You idiot!! Did you really have to hit the woman?" one man complained loudly.
He dragged a chair over, climbed on it and smacked Bork on the head from above.
"OW! Your damn iron skull…"
Bork lowered his head.
"I'm sorry, master, but I had to. She would have resisted."
"Then let her! Next time, let yourself get beat—!"
"Hey… what the hell?!" Agit shouted, now on his feet.
Rusty handcuffs rattled at his wrists. The master turned to him.
"Oh, hello! You're finally awake!"
He walked toward the cage Agit was in, placing a hand on a rusty bar. The smell of sweat filled the air.
"What the hell is this? Let me out! If the police find out, you'll rot in prison!!"
"Police? What's that supposed to be? What nonsense are you talking about?" the master asked.
They're speaking German. We must be in Germany. How the hell are there slavers here?? Why the hell did they capture me? Agit thought.
The master spoke again.
"Listen, I don't know who you are. But you look strong. Your hands, your skin… you're well kept. You're not some farmer, are you? And you don't look like you're from around here. Tell me, which noble family do you belong to?"
Agit looked around. The room was sealed. Old tools, wheelbarrows, chains and dried blood.
"Not much of a talker, are you," the master said.
Agit met his eyes.
"Tell me if my family is safe. If they are, I'll tell you whatever you want."
"Yes, don't worry. They're fine. So, what's your name, where are you from?" the master asked.
"Not so fast. I want to see them. With that huge guy next to you, you don't have to worry about me escaping."
The master considered it.
"Bork! Bring one of the boys. That should be enough for now."
"Hmm, yes, that's fine," Agit said relieved.
Bork left. The master sat before the cage, studying Agit. Minutes passed in silence. Then a squeak. The wooden door opened and Aras' voice echoed.
"Let go of me!! Hey! Baldy, let go!!!"
"Aras!! Thank God you're okay!" Agit shouted.
Bork held Aras by the neck and threw him into the cage's direction.
"Ahh!! Oww, my leg!"
Agit glared at Bork.
"Did you have to be so rough, you animal?? Aras, are you okay? How are your brother and mother?" he asked.
Aras bit back his cries.
"Baba… oh, ah, yes, Khan and Mama are fine. They're in one of the tents outside, asleep."
Agit breathed out in relief.
Suddenly heavy footsteps echoed. The master approached.
"Alright, enough of the emotional crap. Your turn now. Who the hell are you?"
Agit leaned against the bars, crossing one leg over the other.
"My name is Agit Barran and I'm from Aachen. You mentioned noble families earlier. What do you mean? Those don't exist anymore."
The master raised an eyebrow, then burst into laughter, slapping his knee.
"Did you hear that, Bork? Hahaha, he's from Aachen!! And nobles don't exist!!"
The master grabbed Aras by the neck, threw him toward the door and hurled a knife after him. It grazed Aras' cheek, opening a cut.
"BABA, w-what's happening??"
Agit slammed against the bars.
"HEY!! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, YOU BASTARD?! LEAVE MY SON ALONE!!"
The master looked at Bork, bored, twirling a finger through his mustache.
"Bork, get the boy out."
Bork grabbed Aras and dragged him across the wooden floor. The master stepped closer to Agit, only an arm's length away.
"Now then. Again. Who are you?"
Chapter end.