New Path

Vahenna could remember the day when she got enslaved. She was very young at that time around 13 years old while her sister was even younger. She, with her sister, was found at the shores of Resgareth.

They were caught by the red shackle slaver's company. They were restrained and the siblings were separated. Vahenna at that time was captured by Duke Harges.

She was led inside his room. She was wearing her tattered clothes and she was weeping. There was an iron collar on her neck and she was being held by a few men. "Please, bring me back my sister."

Marquess Harges' grin a beam at her. "I heard when you were captured by my men you managed to kill 5 of them. You have potential."

Vahenna gritted her teeth. "I did and I could do the same to you!" She lurched forward but she couldn't break free from the chains.

Harges laughed aloud. "Nice. That's what I want. Nothing makes a person stronger than motivation and resolve."

"Where is my sister?!"

Harges smiled. "So that beast-man is your sister? You do know the church can capture you and your family because you are tainted with impure blood. Worse you can get executed."

Vahenna clamped her mouth. She was surprised. "There's a church here? Where am I?"

"Welcome to the kingdom of Rezgareth. You must be from outside the rings, huh? That explains why we found you on the shores."

"I don't care, just bring me back to her."

Harges went closer to her. "You're a slave, you are in no position to make demands. I can kill you and even defile you if I want to." His arm was caressing her hair.

Vahenna moved her head away from disgust as she gritted her teeth. She lowered her head. "Then what am I gonna do?

Since she was held captive she was losing her sight of freedom. It was the first time she was this scared.

"Little girl, win me 50 matches in the death arena. I will grant you freedom and even free your little sister."

"That's a promise?"

Harges laughed. He raised his arms. "I'm a generous and a kind person. I will never go back from my promise. As long as you are a slave under me, your dirty secret will just be ours. You will be safe from the church and your freedom is ensured."

Vahenna then agreed with his terms. "Then I will fight for you!"

"Good. But if you fail, forget about your sister. That's why you must train beyond your limits."

It gave Vahenna enough motivation to become the strongest gladiator the arena has ever since. She trained like hell and began holding heavy weapons that were impossible to wield by many.

Everything went on smoothly until that day occurred where she was shot by an unknown challenger.

Due to this, she wouldn't be able to see her sister now. Her path to freedom crumbled. Since she would have a new master she didn't know whether if she would ever be free. Only Marquess Harges was kind enough to make a deal with his slave warriors.

The other masters would use their slaves until they are worn out or die, especially the lower branch. Most of their slaves were like toys that they just send out to fight. They don't even train them well. He heard his new owner was Melvin and Vahenna was worried since she would get owned by a lower branch nobleman. Worse, this nobleman was said to be a beggar who had no shame taking money from the higher branch.

He might be one of those abusive nobles who would defile their slaves. Vahenna was starting to have a poor judgment of him.

Vahenna then woke up in the infirmary. Her wound was sealed by clothes and she struggled to stand up.

Duke Harges was in front of her. She kneeled. "Please sir, take me again, I need another chance! Buy me from that lower branch noble."

Harges grunted. "You were weak. Don't you know how much money I lost just because of your stupidity! How could you fall just like that?"

Vahenna gulped. She was desperate as she held onto his clothes. "I don't know, even that was strange for me. So please give me a chance, I prepared myself just for this!"

Vahenna then got kicked by Harges' slave. She spat some saliva and layed flat on the ground.

The slave harrumphed. It was Vahenna's partner which was Harges' slave guard. She had curly green hair, tanned skin and wore some armor that exposed a bit of her chest. Though her weapons were a dagger.

She was Tylina, she used to be Vahenna's friend who supported her from her harsh training. Tylina was the reason Vahenna never gave up.

Right now, she was surprised Tylina would hit her. "Tylina, what are you--"

Tylina harrumphed with some detest and pity. "Look at you. You humiliated the nobility including our Lord during that fight. I totally misjudged you."

"Tylina, I thought you believed in me."

"Until now. I supported you since I thought you were someone who will achieve many great things and win as the greatest gladiator of the arena. But it turns out you were not special. I'm disappointed." Tylina said.

It left a crack on Vahenna's heart. She was on all her fours. Tears started to flow down from her eyes. Being defeated by a newbie challenger, humiliated herself and her Lord, stripped from her freedom, no hope of seeing her sister, and now lost her only friend.

Vahenna's thoughts at that time were for her to end her life. She was only willing to get enslaved because there was a chance for her freedom. But now, in the hands of a lower branch nobleman that chances were zero.

Then on her slave crest, Harges' signature was fading. Once it was gone, she would return as an ownerless slave, whose crest could be written and owned by someone else.

Then Harges and his slave were moving away. They gave her eyes telling her that she was abandoned. She was now on her own.

Vahenna crawled to reach out for them. "Lord Harges wait! Please! I'm sorry buy me again, I'll do anything."

"You have no worth in my eyes." Harges was walking away.

Vahenna then curled in a fetal position and sobbed. She was now more worried about her sister.

Then as Harges and his slave walked towards the door, he came across Melvin and his team.

Melvin smiled casually. "Hello there, Duke."

"Move!" Harges got mad seeing his face.

"Alright." They made a path for him to pass through.

The other noblemen from the sides saw Melvin and his team. They murmured as they stared at Celine.

"Something is odd. That woman must have cheated."

"Yeah, how dare she."

"They don't have a bit of honor."

Celine glared back at the nobles which frightened them. "Did you say something?"

The noblemen acted naturally and looked away. They behaved like disciplined pups. They were frightened after getting the attention of the gladiator champion after all.

As for Melvin, he slowly approached Vahenna who seemed hesitant to talk to them. "You are Vahenna, right? I want to talk to you."

Vahenna sniffled. She wiped the tears out of her eyes. "Hurry with it. I can't talk to you until you officially own me."

Melvin sighed. One of the slaver's employees jogged towards Melvin and gave him a magical quill. He was given instructions to sign her signature on the crest found on her chest.

Melvin threw it away. "I don't need that."

Vahenna was surprised. "Huh?"

Melvin offered his arm for her to stand up. "I now officially declare you to be free. But I will give you an option to work for me. Your salary is guaranteed, however. So what do you say?"

Vahenna stared at him confusingly. She was silent as she processed what he said.

"So? Is that a no?"

"Are you serious?! I'm free?"

Melvin gave a reassuring smile. "Yeah."

Vahenna stood up. She then hugged and cried on his chest. "Thank you! I don't know how to repay you. I need to leave as soon as possible and find my sister."

"I see, so you're not gonna work for me? I can respect that."

"Yes, I apologize. If only there is something I can repay you."

"Then, information. I want what you know of the world. Every single detail."

"A small thing."

"Then, for now, let's have something to eat."

Melvin chuckled as he could hear his gut rumbling.

The team then walked away from the colosseum. Five of them were walking on the streets. They have now gained some numbers.

To their surprise, they saw a middle-aged man getting arrested by the guards. He was being pinned and restrained. He was then led away into the dungeon.

Melvin asked the guard. "What offense did he make?"

The guards responded. "He spoke the king's taboo."

"King's taboo?"

Shira then filled him in. "In the capital, it's not allowed to speak the C-word and the T-word."

Melvin raised his eyebrow. "Huh? What word?"

Rederick and Celine were intrigued by it. It could be highly offensive words.

Vahenna whispered on his ear. Which caused Melvin to burst out laughing. He almost fell to the ground holding his stomach.

"Mr. President, what are those words?" Rederick said.

"I wanna know too." Celine insisted.

Melvin wiped the tear from his eyes first. "It's c------" Vahenna and Shira were clamping his mouth. "Shhhh!"

Melvin nervously chuckled. "Sorry, I just found it to be extremely ridiculous."

"Lord, this is a serious matter. You can get put into the guillotine just for the offense." Shira warned him.

"Alright. Then let's talk somewhere privately."

Melvin and his team found a decent restaurant by strolling around. It was close to an inn that looked like a tavern. They decided to stay there for now.

For now, they were surrounding a table. They waited after they ordered some food. Melvin was wondering where they get their livestock and vegetation when the land here seemed dry and infertile.

As he focused on the table, Vahenna was about to speak. "Before I was enslaved I was a royal guard candidate for Princess Vulhelm..."