Second chance

One Month Before the Recent Events

If you were to ask me the value of a life, I would say five copper coins.

That was the price for which my family sold me when I was 7 years old.

From a rational point of view, I don't blame them. It was the best choice they could have made, considering the great drought and lack of food that plagued the village.

One more mouth to feed was a problem.

And besides, who could refuse a request from the Empire itself?

At least I was lucky enough to become a domestic slave. Over time, despite the punishments and humiliations, I got used to this life.

Thoughts of escape had surfaced, but they vanished as quickly as they appeared. Escaping wasn't impossible, but from my perspective, the risks didn't outweigh the reward.

If I were caught, I would receive severe punishments.

Even if I managed to escape and achieve the long-dreamed-of freedom, what would it mean? Suffering from hunger, from the cold, and the constant threat of being killed by some monster in the forest.

"Number 90, break's over! Replace 345 on supply duty," a robust soldier in the Empire's uniform barked.

"Yes, sir."

I bowed immediately afterward.

I headed towards the garrison's supply depot. With tired eyes and a worn-out body, the other slave passed me quickly. Honestly, I never cared much for the other slaves; we simply exchanged glances, and each one minded their own business.

As soon as I arrived, I began organizing the supplies in a way that was neither too efficient nor too inefficient.

If there's one thing I've learned, it's that being too efficient only gets you more work, and being too inefficient only leads to unnecessary punishments.

A soldier nearby let out a massive yawn. "How long are we going to be stuck in this godforsaken place?"

"You complain with a full belly," a second soldier shot back. He glanced from side to side before leaning in, his voice dropping to a murmur. "Compared to being on the front lines, this is a paradise. Besides... something big is about to happen. From what I've heard from the superiors, we're preparing for a major expedition to the Forgotten Isles."

The first soldier's face twisted into an expression of panic. "The Forgotten Isles? That place that cut off all contact with the Empire? The one no expedition has ever returned from?"

The second soldier laughed at his colleague's despair. "Relax, this time it'll be different. The others were small expeditions with unprepared people. This time, it's going to be serious. Apparently, they've found the location of an item of great importance to the Empire."

The first soldier's expression remained doubtful. "If this item is so important, shouldn't they have sent an entire army fleet?"

The second soldier sighed. "Unfortunately, the war situation is still the priority. Honestly, for an island like that, the size of our troop is sufficient. Not to mention an apprentice priest from the Church of Light is coming along, and an experienced hunter will be accompanying us as well."

"Cut the chatter, you two!" an authoritative voice interrupted. An officer stood over them. "I need you to accompany me."

"Yes, sir!" they both responded, scrambling to their feet.

As I watched them go, their words echoed in my mind.

An item of extreme importance to the Empire... in a place from which no one returns.

A dangerous thought began to form.

Without my noticing, a slow, genuine smile spread across my face for the first time in years.

The day passed quickly until the arrival of the long-awaited expedition. Thoughts of how I could take advantage of this situation swirled in my mind. I always knew an opportunity would come. Despite having grown accustomed to this life, I still wanted to be the master of my own destiny.

And for that, I needed power.

Something that, unfortunately, is dictated the moment you are born.

Perhaps this item is the answer I'm looking for. Or perhaps it's a cold, silent call from death.

Well, thinking about it won't do any good. I'll go to sleep and see what awaits me.

The next morning, I woke to the loud sound of ringing bells. Knowing what it meant, I quickly headed in the direction of the noise, the other slaves moving with me.

Arriving at the location, I saw several hundred soldiers. I quickly estimated their number to be between 420 and 500. On a platform stood what appeared to be the leader of this expedition. Wearing imposing imperial armor, his sharp gaze coldly examined everyone there.

"Soldiers and slaves of the Empire!" his voice boomed. "Today we have received this sacred mission from our great Emperor: to recover a relic of extreme importance for our beloved Empire! Failures will not be tolerated, but the success of the mission will be rewarded equally!"

He paused, letting the words sink in.

"For the soldiers who prove themselves worthy of my trust, you will gain positions you could never dream of receiving! And for the slaves who dedicate themselves body and soul to this expedition, you will earn your freedom!"

Upon hearing this, everyone shouted excitedly, especially the slaves. I pretended to celebrate along with them.

This false freedom means nothing to me. Deep down, I desired something more.

While the speech was happening, I couldn't help but notice a soldier escorting a slave girl I had never seen before. What stood out were the shackles on her hands: they were made to contain mages. From conversations and rumors I'd gathered, slaves who possessed a lot of mana were extremely valuable.

With the knowledge I've acquired, I know it's very rare for a human to be born without mana. The vast majority are born with it; the difference is in the quantity. Commoners are rarely born with much mana, usually such an insignificant amount that it becomes unfeasible to study magic. All slaves are subjected to a mana test to add to their value. Unfortunately, upon taking this test, I discovered that I have standard mana for a commoner, making it unfeasible for me to practice magic.

But having little mana has its advantages, especially for a slave. The first is a strange sort of freedom—I still have reasonable freedom compared to mine slaves and, especially, those with a lot of mana. Slaves with a lot of mana are subjected to something that turns them into simple puppets, prevented from disobeying any order.

The second advantage is not having to live like cattle ready for slaughter.

Among slaves with a lot of mana, there are generally two main fates. The first is to become a mage who will serve their master in whatever way they see fit. The second, considered the worst of them, is to become just a "mana battery," which is nothing more than providing your mana until you die, having access only to basic necessities. This is the most common fate, because no one trusts a mage, even with a control mechanism. There have been several reports of mages who have broken free.

The end of those owners was not pleasant at all.

While I was immersed in these thoughts, looking at the girl, she suddenly looked at me, her eyes sharp and angry.

I quickly looked away.

From her expression, it seemed her fate was the second one. Reaching this conclusion, I lost interest in her and returned my attention to the speech.

The leader, as if he had said all he wanted, made a gesture to dismiss them. "May the Emperor's light guide our way!"

"For the glory of the Emperor!" the soldiers and slaves shouted.

Right after that, preparations to embark on the expedition began. The next day, all preparations were ready, and we promptly boarded the ship. All the slaves were shackled. Fortunately, being a domestic slave and thanks to years of carefully staged "loyalty," I had earned the trust of a few lieutenants. This spared me from the hold.

While dealing with my tasks, I couldn't help but observe the apprentice priest and his enigmatic calm. I couldn't tell if it came from faith in his strength or from pure ignorance about the world outside his church.

Another person I tried to get as much information from as possible was the hunter. From the conversations I overheard, he is not just a simple hunter; apparently, he already has a great reputation for dealing with various types of creatures. The soldiers spoke of him in tones of reverence and fear. His black clothes, full of items, and a dark cape give off a sense of threat.

The first time I tried to observe him, he noticed almost immediately and looked back at me.

I quickly turned my eyes away and gave up any idea of trying to observe him again.

When we finally arrived at the island, the air was heavy and damp, laden with the smell of decay and wildlife. The general, whose name I discovered to be Tullius, was the supreme commander of this expedition. After everyone and all the items were unloaded, he assumed a commanding posture.

"Soldiers!" he said in an imposing tone. "I will lead a group with the best combatants to inspect the island. The rest will stay here with the slaves. Prevent them from escaping or attempting any act of rebellion!"

Without wasting time, Tullius selected the 150 best soldiers. With him went the apprentice priest and the hunter. Meanwhile, about 300 soldiers were left behind to deal with the equipment and set up a temporary camp.

While this was happening, my mind was at work.

What was the chance I could steal this item?

In the days we were on the ship, I made a point of studying every part of it. My chances in a direct confrontation were nil. The conclusion I came to was that I would have to steal the item. Despite planning this for days, my chances were still less than 5%, unless a variable arose in my favor. My plan would depend on the item I was dealing with, and honestly, I understand absolutely nothing about magic.

But, in the time I was observing that slave girl and her clothes, I came to the conclusion that she must be some fallen noble, and magic is one of the main things a noble must learn.

She will be my riskiest bet.

Handing over an item of incalculable power to a stranger was pure foolishness. But, in my position, foolishness was a luxury I might need to afford. So, I will have to place my bets on her.

Of course, only if something unexpected happens.

However, I failed to consider the most important thing: the island we were on.

In that moment, I realized that every plan I had made was useless.

They were aberrations, the purest definition of the word. Silhouettes that might have once been human, now corrupted with organs pulsing on the outside, extra limbs, and claws instead of hands.

The massacre was brutal and frighteningly fast.

The three hundred remaining soldiers, the army that protected us, were undone in a matter of minutes.

But the horror did not end with death.

The silence was broken by the sound of bones realigning. One by one, the imperial soldiers stood up, their movements spasmodic and unnatural. The lieutenant who led them, his chest torn open by a fatal wound, turned towards us. His eyes were empty, and from his throat came an inorganic voice, a lifeless echo:

"Follow me."

To ensure there was no escape, the other undead formed a circle around us, a mobile barrier, escorting us to an unknown destination.