Chapter 8: A Storm of Fire and Steel

Mira crouched low behind a stack of wooden crates, her breath steady despite the pounding of her heart. The underground slave ring's main hall was larger than she had anticipated—a wide space filled with dim torchlight, rusted iron cages, and the stink of unwashed bodies. Guards patrolled the area, most armed with swords and whips, some carrying enchanted staffs strapped to their backs.

Beside her, Nia was equally poised, her golden eyes darting between patrol routes, her ears flicking at the slightest sound. The nekomimi's tail twitched restlessly.

"We have five minutes before the next shift comes through that archway," Nia whispered, pointing at the entrance to the right. "If we don't move now, we'll have to wait another hour."

Mira smirked. "Then we move now."

She gripped the rusted shiv she had stolen from a fallen guard in their last skirmish. It wasn't much, but it was sharp enough to open throats. They had already taken down two patrolmen in the back corridors—silently, efficiently. With each kill, Mira had felt something primal stir inside her, a thrill that should have been alarming but instead felt exhilarating.

The curse was adapting to her.

A shadow moved ahead. One of the larger guards—a man built like a warhorse, his arms thick with muscle. He had a heavy set of keys hanging from his belt. The kind that unlocked cages. Perfect.

Mira exchanged a glance with Nia. They both nodded.

It was time to act.

Mira moved first, her steps as silent as a whisper. The guard barely had time to register the danger before she was on him, the shiv flashing in the dim torchlight. She aimed for his throat, but he was fast—faster than she expected. He spun, knocking her arm aside with brute force.

"Tch!" Mira stumbled back as the guard reached for his weapon.

But Nia was already in motion.

The nekomimi leaped onto his back, her claws flashing. A strangled gurgle escaped the man's lips as her nails dug into his exposed neck. The momentary distraction was all Mira needed. With a savage thrust, she drove the shiv deep into his side.

The guard's eyes went wide, blood bubbling from his lips as he crumpled to the ground. His body twitched once before going still.

Mira exhaled sharply. "Not bad."

Nia flicked her hands, shaking off the blood. "I told you I was useful."

Mira smirked, swiping the keyring from his belt. "No time to celebrate. Let's get these cages open."

The first cage held a group of emaciated prisoners, their eyes hollow from days—maybe weeks—of captivity. Mira wasted no time unlocking their shackles.

"Stay quiet and wait for my signal to run," she ordered. "When the time comes, move fast."

One of the captives, a frail-looking girl with bruised wrists, looked up at her with wary eyes. "Who... who are you?"

Mira didn't hesitate. "The one getting you out of here."

She moved to the next cage, repeating the process. More prisoners, more terrified faces. They were weak, but numbers meant everything in an escape. If they worked together, they had a chance.

But time was running out. The next patrol would be here soon.

A shrill whistle cut through the air.

"Shit," Nia hissed. "They found the bodies."

Mira's grip tightened around the shiv. Time for plan B.

"Everyone, get ready to run," she commanded. "Nia, stay close."

Heavy footsteps thundered down the corridors. The remaining guards stormed into the chamber, weapons drawn. The leader, a tall man with a jagged scar down his cheek, sneered as he spotted them.

"You think you can just walk out of here?" he spat. "You're dead meat, girl."

Mira met his gaze and smirked. "Try me."

The man lunged.

Mira barely dodged in time, his sword carving through the air where her head had been. She countered with a slash of her shiv, but the weapon was too small against his steel. Sparks flew as metal clashed, and Mira was forced to backpedal.

Nia, meanwhile, was a blur of movement. She darted between guards, her claws slashing at exposed skin, using her speed to disorient them.

The leader pressed his attack, swinging relentlessly. Mira ducked low, rolling beneath his strike, and came up behind him. This was it.

She reached deep inside herself, into the burning rage coiled at her core.

The curse answered.

A surge of unnatural strength flooded her limbs. Her reflexes sharpened. Her movements became more precise. The world slowed just enough for her to react.

The leader swung again.

Mira twisted around his blade, moving like water. She grabbed his arm and slammed the shiv into his wrist, severing tendons. He howled, dropping his weapon. She followed up with a brutal kick to his knee, sending him crashing down.

Before he could recover, she grabbed his dropped sword and drove it straight through his chest.

His eyes bulged. Blood sprayed from his lips.

Mira leaned in, voice cold. "Told you."

She wrenched the blade free and turned to the others. The remaining guards hesitated, their confidence shaken.

She pointed the bloodied sword at them. "Run."

They didn't need to be told twice. The cowards fled, leaving the prisoners and their fallen leader behind.

Nia exhaled sharply. "That worked better than expected."

Mira wiped the blade clean. "It's not over yet. We still need to get out of this hellhole."

The prisoners, emboldened by their saviors, began moving toward the exit. Some supported the weak, others grabbed whatever makeshift weapons they could find.

The revolution had begun.

Mira took the lead, her mind already working on the next step. They had come this far.

Now, they just had to finish it.

She tightened her grip on the sword.

"Let's go."