Ch 19- Slaves

Glacé stood still and carefully recited the spell he had been practicing for days

*Ding* Learned new skill "perfect double"

'Phew' Glacé exhaled a sigh of relief and smiled, he had been trying to learn this spell and a few others over the past few days. Yet every time he tried the body double skill he always failed to learn it; this was his twentieth attempt at learning the spell. 'The game really does make you learn and work for everything you have' Glacé had yet decide if the games learning complexity was a good or a bad thing. 'Well at least I've gotten it learned before the release tomorrow'.

That's right. Tomorrow is the official galaxy-wide release for the game "Lichen" and after that point the wonderful world would be swarmed with new players. So aside from the body double which Glacé learned in order to make an extra opportunity for escape is necessary. He also managed to learn other meaningful spells; such as how to cast invisibility magic on others.

Glacé stared at the spells listed in his skills tab and felt satisfied. Ever since he arrived at Scarlets and became his apprentice three days ago he had been tirelessly working to learn protective spells with Bai and Tera; while Mole left everyday to gather intel. Thankfully both parties had been very successful In their separate tasks. Every night Mole came back to share information with Glacé; he didn't find anything significant the first day but gained a lead on the second and followed that lead today and made a major breakthrough.

"Master!" Mole flew through the window, straight towards Glacés face. Glacé smiled and stretched a hand out toward the small pixie. "How'd it go today?". Mole showed him a beaming smile "I found that this port has an underground slave market! You have to enter from a certain tavern and order a certain drink, then they lead the customer to the buying site".

Glacés eyes turned cold and he spoke quickly "take me there now". He turned to the fox kits, "you both stay here, we'll be back later", Bai hesitated but seeing Glacés stern face he simply nodded obediently and laid down with Tera. Glacé looked back at Mole. "Lead the way" Mole nodded and the two quickly left the manner under the cover of the night.

As Mole led Glacé he told him the procedure to enter the hidden market, as they talked they soon arrived at the same worn-out tavern Glacé entered when he first entered Lesha. Glacé winced and grimaced seeing this dilapidated place again. "Are you sure it's this place?...." Mole gave a happy nod, begging for praise. In response, Glacé closed his eyes and inhaled a steady breath then slowly opened his eyes and hid his emotions as best as he could. He took even and steady steps to the bar and lightly rapt his knuckles on the counter three times and met the barkeep's eyes.

"Excuse me, I'd like to order a Full moon". The barkeep kept a steady expression and asked slowly "shaken? Or stirred?".

"I'd like it shaken and poured on the rocks". The barkeep nodded "understood sir, please follow me to your booth".

Glacé confidently followed the barkeep but was wailing anxiously inside.

'Agh! This man shows nothing on his face. What if I messed up the password and he's going to get rid of me?'. Glacé felt as if his nerves were being stretched taught and were ready to snap at a moment's notice. He slowly followed the barkeep down a twisting staircase that seemed to go on forever.

"You've picked a good night to come, we just received our newest shipment an hour ago and have some top-quality merchandise arrive". The barkeep suddenly turned his head back to Glacé and gave him a grin "you're the first to come see this batch from our end. I hope you find the let you're looking for".

The next moment the barkeep put his hand on a large iron door and chanted some sort of spell that Glacé didn't recognize and the door slowly creaked open on its own. Cold sweat was falling down Glacés back as the barkeep pushed him inside, gave a bow, and closed the door; leaving Glacé inside. Slowly torches lit up on the walls and Glacé saw a long empty hallway before him; he swallowed his saliva and walked in slowly.

The narrow dirt passage slowly widened as he walked forward and eventually opened up into an enormous underground cavern. The cavern was filled with chains and iron cages, and many people in masks slowly observed and walked by the "merchandise". Glacé felt his stomach twist into a knot as he looked at the creatures sealed in the cages.

'There's so many people and animals; there must be all kinds of races here'. Glacé felt his heart heavy as he slowly walked through the cavern he saw Elves, pixies, dwarves, Werebeasts, and much more locked in all different kinds of cages. 'It's too terrible' Glacé had a hard time accepting what he saw and held his head in despair. He looked ashen 'there are magicians and knights stationed everywhere, there's nothing I can do right now'.

Wherever Glacé walked many creatures followed him with their eyes. Although he was disguised for races who are sensitive to nature they can acutely feel Glacés pure aura and thus stared at him with hopeful eyes. Glacé could vaguely perceive their emotions and excitement towards him but he didn't have the face to look at them. He kept his head down as he walked around.

"Ahhh!".

"Look at this wench, it's already dying. At most you may be able to get one good fuck in before it dies. Although he's not in good health it can't be denied he is a beauty. I'll give him up for one silver".

Glacé heard a small commotion and looked for the source he soon saw four men standing before an opened cage. One was holding up a young and badly mutilated elf by his beautiful raven-colored long hair. While the others were staring at the elf greedily. Glacés mind went blank and he ran over and spoke before he could think. "I'll buy this elf for one gold right now!".

Several men froze and turned to look at Glacé, the salesman snapped out of his surprise and quickly put on a coy smile. "This gentleman are you sure you want to buy this one? Unless he's healed by the best healer possible he's guaranteed to not last the week. I have much stronger and better night partners you can buy, they may cost a bit more but they are well worth it".

'Ah fool who's willing to waste a gold for a dying toy is certainly a big customer, it's better to give him the best so he'll come spend again in the future' the salesman thought greedily. Glacé gave him a faint look and spoke arrogantly "ah? But I just want this one right now, give him to me. I'll come again to buy in the future, but this one is what has caught my attention for the moment".

The salesman felt giddy hearing that Glacé was open to future cooperation; he happily accepted the gold coin and spoke flatteringly. "Would you like to take the goods yourself or do you want us to deliver them?". Glacé raised his head and scowled, "with the state he's in if I left delivery to you he may be dead by arrival. Open his cuffs, and I'll carry him out myself".

The man obediently listened and released the elf of all restraints and led him toward Glacé. Glacé leaned down and easily lifted the young elf into his arms and steadily walked away. Everyone around watched for a moment then got back to their own business seeing the scene was over. As Glacé walked only he himself knew how much he was sweating and trembling in anxiety, he pulled a cloak from his inventory and covered the elf tightly then sent his healing magic into him as he walked.

Glacé scanned the room quickly and his eyes soon landed on a dwarf who was in even worse condition than the elf. His heart tightened, he knew if he left this room this dwarf would definitely die tonight. He made his way over to the cage that was toward a far corner of the cavern and silently chanted a spell that broke the cage's lock. Glacé then chanted an invisibility spell and cast it on the dwarf 'buying one dying person is acceptable, buying two, however, would be seen as unnatural'.

Glacé stealthfully opened the cage and took the dying dwarf out, his movements stagnated as he lifted the burly elf. He had already used up over half his MP on spells and healing; carrying such a heavy fellow along with the elf put a great strain on his body. 'How on earth can such a small person weigh so much?? Does he eat metal for all his meals?!' Glace sighed and grumbled internally. The dwarf however didn't even twitch as he was picked up and held by Glacé. He hurried to speed walk out of the cavern going back the way the way he came. Silently focusing on healing the two people as he carried them back to the tavern.

Glacé somehow managed to avoid others' sights and quietly leave the tavern. However he was totally exhausted after healing the two refugees back to decent health, he took one heavy, shaky step at a time as he determinedly made his way toward the villa.

*Ding* 'Activated temporary effect "Relentless Perseverance"'

'what the hell is mental fortitude?'. Glacé tiredly opened the "Status Effect" sub-tab and read as he walked.

"Relentless Perseverance"(Temporary effect) -'Your body is beaten and worn, but your mind refuses to relent. When MP and Stamina have both hit zero you shouldn't be able to move a muscle. However, your mental strength urges and drives you to move past your limits. This effect allows your body to surpass its physical limits for a period of time, relying solely on your mental drive to power on'.

*Side effect*- 'all bars will only max to half-full the following day'

Glacé gave a wry smile reading the description but still silently thanked the game in his head and he continued to trudge forward. As soon as Glacé entered the villa he collapsed to the ground with the Elf and dwarf and passed out.

*Ding* 'Temporary effect "Relentless Perseverance" has timed out'