He didn't know why he approached the direction of the howl. But there he was, behind a bush, staring at a man in white robes surrounded by a pack of wolves. The horse next to the man whinnied in fear.
The man swung a large log to ward off the wolves. However, the beasts approached slowly, growling wildly as they closed in.
1508 stared in fear, but he was trained to sacrifice himself for his master. Right then, he was prepared to help. After all, dying from a wolf attack or being taken down by a trainer would be the same.
There was no time to hesitate. He counted the wolves. He wasn't very good at numbers, but he knew there were more than five. He grabbed a large rock and threw it at the wolf pack.
The action distracted the wolves. Now they turned around, staring at him, before running after him.
"AAARGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!" he screamed in fear, trying to run. But his pace couldn't match the beasts'.
Several claws struck him, slashing his back.
Streams of blood flowed.
He fell, writhing on the ground, shaking with fear and pain. Even though he was mentally prepared, he couldn't bear the pain.
The wolves wildly tore at his body. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the man in the white robe running toward him with a large piece of wood in his hand.
The slave couldn't move as their claws gripped his body. Suddenly, he heard screams and a horse galloping.
A fang bit 1508's neck as if it were trying to tear it apart. Fortunately, a flying sword split the beast's head before it could do so.
In his fading consciousness, the slave saw a black-robed man moving swiftly, killing wolves with his sword. His movements were fast and well-practiced. In an instant, the wolves collapsed, blood flowing from their severed bodies.
1508 lay on the ground, his breathing heavy, his body trembling. The man with the sword approached the man in white robes.
"Sylas, you know you shouldn't have left me! How can you wander around without a sword?" snapped the man furiously.
The white-robed Sylas didn't care and ran toward 1508.
"Are you okay?" Sylas helped 1508 up. He was shocked to see the slave's bloody body. In addition, he had many wounds and scars already marked.
The man with the sword approached, grunting harshly. "Sylas, we don't have time. We have to go!"
"He's injured. He saved me. We have to help him, or he'll die!" Sylas's voice was calm even in panic. But his tone was sharp and commanding.
The man with the sword finally shut up, staring at 1508. He crouched down, examining the deep claw wounds. Fresh blood dripped all over his body. But instead of pity, the man looked sharply at him.
"Are you stupid? You can't do anything. Why are you trying to help?" he muttered.
"Alvaro!" Sylas looked annoyed. He pushed Alvaro aside, helping 1508 get up.
"Where do you live? We need to go to the village and find a doctor," said Sylas.
Alvaro intervened. He examined 1508 closely, looking at the slave's wrist.
"Are you... a slave?" asked Alvaro.
1508 nodded, responding for the first time.
Sylas was surprised. His calm face looked grim this time.
"You ran away from your master?" asked Alvaro, probing. A slave alone in the middle of the forest—surely he had run away.
1508 shook his head. "I-I'm a slave from Omino, Master. I need to go back to my village."
Alvaro looked at 1508 closely, examining him from head to toe. The situation was desperate. But he knew better than to approach Omino. He stood up, trying to force Sylas to leave.
"He can go back alone," Alvaro insisted. "You'll only make trouble for us if you take him back. You don't know Omino territory."
Sylas stared at 1508's trembling body. Without the slave's help, he would have been shredded.
"Get on my horse. I'll take you back," Sylas said, helping 1508 up.
Alvaro chuckled in annoyance. But Sylas insisted.
Throughout the journey, 1508 remained silent, despite Sylas repeatedly inviting him to talk.
"Can't you talk? Answer me. Where is the doctor who can treat your wounds? We'll go there before returning to your master," Sylas said. He knew slaves were usually not cared for or treated, especially after seeing the scars on the slave's body. He wanted to ensure the slave received treatment.
1508 bowed in silence. "Thank you, Master, but I don't need treatment. My time is up today."
Sylas was confused. "No, your wound is not too deep. You won't die."
"They'll take me to Room Zero to be taken down. I don't need treatment," 1508 replied quietly.
Sylas was surprised to hear that. "Take you down? They can't do that. You're not an animal that can just be killed. You're human, and you have the right to live in Valigria."
1508 endured the pain, and he didn't know how to answer the man's words. The words were too strange for his ears.
As they approached Omino, Alvaro was alert and rode in front, prepared with his sword. Sure enough, they were stopped at the village gate.
Several large, monstrous men stood at the gate, carrying swords and iron balls.
Sylas was wary. 1508 asked to be dropped off there. He limped toward the gate. A guard who recognized him immediately grabbed him by the neck and pulled him in.
As Sylas saw that, he wanted to jerk the man away, but Alvaro stopped him.
"Let's get out of here!" Alvaro said, seeing that the atmosphere was not friendly.
Sylas turned around, his white robe stained red with the slave's blood. He couldn't do anything. He hoped that what he did was helpful enough. He hoped the slave would survive and receive treatment.
***
1508 fought back tears as his whole body felt extremely sore and painful. The wound made his entire body stiff. His body was hot.
Jero, who saw his suffering, could only lift him up from the barracks. "Don't worry, you won't be hurt anymore."
1508 bit his lips, his body trembling. It was time to take him to Room Zero. He still had regrets at the end of his life. He could not be useful.
He took a deep breath, trying to minimize movements that would cause pain. Jero held him tightly, grateful he didn't have to walk anymore.
His eyes looked up at the dark sky. The crescent moon was beautifully decorated. The stars were scattered like shining dust. It was a clear night.
He stared up at the empty sky, wishing that if he could live again, he would be given the chance to have a master.
Slowly, the beautiful sky gave way to gray rooftops. 1508 looked around him. The room was very empty; there was only a bed, a table, and a candle on it.
There were three men waiting inside, and Jero immediately placed the slave's body on the bed.
"1508. What's wrong with his body?" asked one of the men there, wearing a mask.
"He was attacked by wolves in the forest. You'd better give him a shot quickly. He's been in pain all afternoon," said Jero.
The men nodded, preparing an injection. One of the men came out and made sure the furnace was ready. They could not leave a trace. Once injected, slaves would no longer move; they would be burned to dust.
1508 stared wide-eyed. His chest beat very fast, but he didn't say anything. It seemed that whatever it was, it would be better than feeling pain all over his body.
"He's the first one this week," one of them said, as they had been preparing for the burning for some time.
1508 stiffened as they approached him. "Relax; you have nothing to fear. You won't feel a thing," the man said soothingly, gently rubbing the slave's arm.
The slave gulped, his throat dry. But he finally calmed down and accepted his fate completely. Until the end, he didn't know who to say goodbye to.
He looked around. Jero was not there. Then he looked at the man who had pressed his arm gently. His gaze was sad.
"Thank you for giving me life..." he said softly.
The man beside him was transfixed for a moment. But then he smiled. "You've survived this far. Rest in peace."
1508 closed his eyes, feeling the man's warm hand rubbing his arm and feeling the cold liquid on his skin.
When the man lowered the needle tip, in the doorway, Jero shouted to stop him.
"Hold on!" His hand ensured the man didn't move.
The man looked annoyed. "What's wrong?"
"There are people who insist on seeing the slave," Jero said, approaching 1508.
1508 was surprised when his body was lifted off the bed.
The man said unhappily, "What do they want to see? A crippled body? You just made me work twice."
"I don't know, but that man wanted to buy this slave for a lot of money."
1508 blinked. What had he just heard? Someone wanted to buy him? Or maybe this was just false hope?
But Jero really took him away from Room Zero. If he survived, he would be the only slave to escape Room Zero alive.
Who was the master who wanted to buy him?