Chapter 20: Devine races

In a secluded area within the mine, barely reached by the torches light. Two youths were laying on the stony floor. One was a kid, with messy blond hair and swollen alabaster face. One could still distinguish the youth handsome face even though he was badly beaten and dirtied by dusts. The other beside him look slightly older, with raven black hair. It was Zyro, he was beaten too. But not as badly as the blond kid.

At that unpleasant corner. A group of Grick warriors arrive, carrying elegant lamps in their arrival to illuminate the gloomy caverns.

Upon seeing the two dead-like slaves. The leading member toned.

"Found him."

Soon, a female Grick squat near the unconscious Zyro, bringing her lamp closer as if observing a corpse.

"His hair, it really is black. To think a being of such impurity exist" Exhaled one of the winged warrior's at the back.

"Poor thing..." She mumbled.

"The squad have searched everywhere in vain. The black Argon is not here, only a black haired low-breed. Should we report this?"

She shook her her head, and stood before saying.

"With how cautious the falcons are, this kid won't live. Let spare some mercy to the young lad. Being born with such impurity is already... Sigh, let's atleast let him live."

"You sure? Shouldn't we atleast confirm through the artifact." A cautious member toned.

She hesitated for a moment, before triggering her nails. It suddenly grew rapidly in a straight and elegant manner, turning into needle like pink blades.

Then, she poke the unconscious Zyro pale forearm, sinking her needle nails as though his flesh were butter.

Zyro's resting face slightly reacted but didn't awaken.

She sighed. Convince that there's no point awaking the poor young man.

"What's the point, his just a young slave, with hair so dark that it's completely black. Even his skin are paper to my claws. His probably the weakest being I've ever seen, so tell me. How could someone like this, scape The Gricks indestructible hanging prison, and killed the Prince, an elite of the 2nd Mark? And overran a thousand warriors in their realm?"

"..."

Her companion were rendered speechless. For her made so much sense.

With all argument over, the elegant female Grick then turn to leave.

"We've wasted enough time in this lowly cave, Move!"

With that, they leave.

half an hour later, Zyro opened his eyes and smirked.

'What a job we'll done, I must say so myself.'

Zyro was awake back then. And by controlling his breathing to that of an unconscious state. He manage to fool the Gricks till they left.

Of course, he didn't understand their conversations.

Zyro raise his body, feeling newly made bruises added to his collection. And analyze his surroundings, not seeing anyone nearby except a beaten boy, laying beside him, unconscious.

This scenes are considered normal in the mine, that follow the laws of the jungle - The strong devour the weak. So fist could be thrown anywhere at will for whatever reason there is. But no one would dare kill a fellow slave for they cannot afford their life.

Looking at his injuries, he sighed.

Actually, Zyro knew, where the secluded tunnel headed earlier. It lead to one of the remote area where violence can reign freely undisturbed, and was avoided by many.

Yet he came. Not only that, he even deliberately acted like a concerned hero, trying to save a weakling from being beaten to death. And let himself be beaten to pulp. Before voluntarily falling unconscious, to abate affliction on his poor body.

All of that was done driven by paranoia. To not let his consciousness face the Gricks.

Zyro check his forearm, noticing the clean, deep puncture made by a Grick.

'Scary...'

He then slouch aside, resting his back against the dark cavern wall. Zyro will not going out anytime soon, even though the chances of Gricks staying were slim. He won't take the risk and rather take some rest.

As he was dozing, the dormant lad nearby slowly awoken. Holding his head, recalling what just happened.

Indifferent as Zyro was to the lad, not even opening his resting eyes to glance. He pity the boy but they're both in poor state to help one another.

The boy golden eyes reclaim its clarity as he look around before staring at Zyro at the corner of his eyes. Who's calmly resting in the dark.

Before saying one word that strike Zyro like thunder.

"...Thank you." Said the lad with a smile.

Zyro's eyes jolted wide. Because... he understood what the boy said. He spoke the human language.

However, he then realized something strange.

Since arriving at their world, he've seen many eerie things that defies logic he knew of. To the point he no more attempt to understand those things and was no longer surprise by it. But now, he finally found someone he could comprehend. Which in contrast, shocked him.

'had my brain flip upside down?' Zyro questioned his dear sanity.

The boy chuckled, indifferent to his severely battered body.

"What's with that dumb look? If you must know, I've seen you earlier being slap by Garu. Haha, what have gotten into you to speak the language of north to a Helios."

Zyro recollected his thoughts, before saying.

"I don't know. Somehow, I cannot recall most of my knowledge. Since waking here."

The boy's mood fallen, staring with pity in his eyes towards a poor young man, even though Zyro was older.

"Is that so... That's unfortunate. Anyway, I'm Pert, and once again thank you for helping me back then." Pert's tone liven up with a smile.

Zyro hesitated for a moment.

"I'm Zyro. Glad your alive then."

Pert dryly laugh.

"Haha, you might not know, but us Miner slaves wouldn't dare take a life of another, unless we have money to purchase theirs. By the way, Zyro, I advised refraining from speaking the Swords language. We're not in the northern continent. As you may know, the southern beasts greatly despised the people of North. Specially the Gricks, who reigned the Foggy Ring."

'Foggy Ring... So that's what this place is called.'

Zyro concluded, still remembering the great wall of fog that shrouded the horizon outside. Surroundings this place like a collosal ring made of gas, trapping the land. That statement just now had also given him bountiful knowledge of this world geography.

Piecing together all of what he heard from the Prison to Mine. There was two known continents, The Northern Sword continent and Southern Beasts. Currently, his in the southern continent, which spoken the beast language. If he want to solve the wonder of Earth acrolect existing in this world, he'll have to go to the Northern Swords, it's source.

One of his wonders though. Why is it called Beast and Swords?

Zyro marveled and uttered.

"Beast? Swords?"

Pert blinked, before coming to a realization.

"I see... You've helped me, so the lest I can do is repay your kindness with words you've forgotten." Pert cleared his throat.

"If you're wondering why the southern continent are known as Beasts. That's because it's where The Seven Devine Beast had lived and spread their blood. Which is us that inhabited this continent. As for the Swords of North, they worship the sword, wield the sword... You could already imagine why they're called Swords."

From Zyro's understanding, The Southern continent was called Beasts because of its population race, which came from Seven Devine' monsters. As for who they are, he had a vague guess. Such as the Gricks and Argons. And people of North were basically heretics who revered a weapon.

Zyro mused for a moment before questioning.

"What are the Devine races?"

Back then, His prison neighbor describe Gricks as one of the Devine races. And Argon, which the demon claimed to belong to and him.

Zyro didn't know why the demon called him an Argon. Well, they do look similar back then, a both wore a black armor.

Nevertheless, after facing against two members of The Devine race - The prince and the demon. Zyro now understood how trivial a human strength are. Although, he cannot change his race, the best thing he could do is know about others.

Pert chuckled.

"To think I'll meet someone who doesn't knew that. Don't tell me you also forgotten their racial talents?."

Zyro simply nodded in response.

"There are four of them. Firstly, Gricks. You've probably already seen them outside. They're the ones with wings and can make their claw lengthen. You know that floating island in the Foggy Ring's middle. Its where they lived, the "Highland".

'Highland huh, that floating land is indeed high.' Zyro thought unsurprised. He had already learned the Gricks racial talents and homeland through the hard way. Perhaps his more knowledgeable than Pert in the Gricks topic.

The next revelations though...

"Secondly, The argon's. I don't know much about them. Except that their kind have solid armor instead of skin."

'Huh?'