Chapter 27: City of Slaves

Ardent and the group walks through the district, heading to an informant house further up, and passing by stores.

There they saw the nobles of Leona true colours and the hidden corruption.

Rows upon rows large houses lay, with a few nobles outside looking towards them in curiosity, before they reach one of the four main hubs.

There, at the center on a platform with a large tent behind it, stands an auctioneer, whose portly physique beguiles his muscular limbs, in brightly coloured clothes who just finished reading out his list to a throng of seated nobles.

And afterwards he yells to bring out the slaves.

First came out an elf, dragged by a burly man and woman in chainmail with electrically enchanted baton and buckler, and puts her in the front.

She was beautiful, as expected, with long legs and wide hip, dressed in nothing but a collar and manacles with the ones on her foot having a bar that forcibly splays her legs. With green eyes and, most shocking of all, black hair. With a tattoo of a sigil on her neck and another, showing stats of her physique, on her stomach

The auctioneer smiles as the many of the nobles prepare to bid.

"Yes, you see it right. What I have here is an Elf with black hair, a 'ravenborn' if you will, without any scars or mark and perfectly fit. Taken from her husband, whom we have to regrettably kill, when they broke the law."

The center was then filled with a flurry of increasing amount of silvers, leading to gold, as the nobles began to madly bid as the auctioneer lists off her qualities. Where Ardent and the rest quickly leave.

They then ask around to find the direction of the informant, as Wolfgang's direction was a bit too vague, before one of them points to the auctioneer for suggestion as he frequently visits the noble house to get half the slaves he sell.

They then return to the auction center where they now see an Orc dragged on display.

He has a shaven auburn hair with red eyes and a rugged look. Well-defined, muscular, chest, arms, and legs covered in small scars and wearing the same outfit as the elf. With the tattoos on his right pec and left shin.

He thrashed around trying to break free, Ardent guessing that the slave collars limit the wearers strength, before being pushed out to the mass where he kneels.

The auctioneer scowls.

"Stand up! Demonspawn."

The Orc glares towards him.

"I will not stand willingly to such beast!"

The auctioneer then pulls out a small slate, with a rune on it, and, with a quiet utter of fine, pressed it.

The Orc then yells in pain as the collar activates, electricity coursing through his body and burning him, before gritting his teeth kneeling still.

"I said STAND UP!" The auctioneer bellows.

The Orc then stares at him.

"M-MAKE ME!"

the auctioneer then slides his thumb up the slate, increasing the voltage as the Orc yells again.

A few minutes then passes, the nobles watching the Orc defying the order with shock and terror, when he finally stands up, his eyes bloodshot and teeth gritted.

The auctioneer then tsk before resuming to speak.

"Although this demonspawn has 'obedience' issues as shown he is, without a doubt, worth it as he has a large knowledge of combat, making a great bodyguard as he was a mercenary. That is until he attacked, and nearly kills, his client because he hated our trade. But again, once you finally break him, he is worth the cost."

The yells of bidding rises again as Ardent and the group quickly walks through the centre to the auctioneers, as Ardent felt Erhardt growing anger and had to lightly tug his collar to make sure their cover won't be blown.

A few times a noble or two glanced towards them with indignation, as if they went to a party uninvited, when they reach the auctioneer.

Ardent quickly greets the auctioneer, who just finished selling the Orc to a noblewoman, with his name.

"Welcome Mr. Tavros. And how may I interest you, we've just started a few minutes ago, so why don't you take a seat."

He then looks towards Ardents 'slaves' and his eyes light up.

"Or are you here to sell some slaves? I see you've got a good haul. Nice, healthy men and women, and even a half-breed."

"I'm sorry sir but they're not for sale. I'm just want to ask where is sir Angelo Epoch."

Upon hearing the name Angelo the auctioneer frowned.

"You mean that recluse," he scoffs.

Ardent nods to which the auctioneer sighed.

He quickly gives the directions to which Ardent quickly leaves, as he knew the nobles were getting frustrated from a stranger interrupting their auction, and follows the direction given with the wagon till they reached the house.

He quickly knocks the door in the sequence Wolfgang said to which the door eyes-slit open, revealing a pair of amber eyes.

"We're busy. So sod off."

"I'm just looking for barrels of gunpowder." Ardent replies, the phrase a thief cant.

"Why are you asking?"

"For my friend Fawkes."

The eye slit closed, followed by the rattles of unlocking locks, and the door opens, revealing a large man with greying blond hair and an unkept beard wearing a brown tunic and pants.

"Get in. And make sure you're not followed," he quickly says as they enter, pulling the wagon through the door.