The heavy door creaked open, and Klara and Kajin stepped into the main corridor leading to the hall. The air was cool and sterile, the faint hum of machinery echoing through the space. Klara raised her hand, signaling Kajin to stop. "Be careful," she whispered, her voice low but urgent. "I can sense that we're not alone here."
Kajin nodded, his expression serious as he followed Klara's lead. "Not alone, huh?" he thought, his lips curling into a faint smirk. "Well, I didn't expect this to be easy." His sharp eyes scanned the surroundings, taking in every detail as they moved cautiously through the corridor.
The two finally emerged into the main hall, and Kajin's eyes widened slightly at the sight before him. The hall was vast, its walls lined with gleaming metal panels and intricate machinery. Small, dog-like robots roamed the area, their movements mechanical yet eerily precise. Kajin's brow furrowed as he observed them. "What the..." he thought, his mind racing. "They're lifeless pieces of metal, but they're infused with mana... How is that possible?"
Klara noticed Kajin's confusion and giggled softly, her golden eyes sparkling with amusement. "These, Kajin, are called robots," she explained, her voice warm and patient. "They're machines controlled by a system that uses the mana you sense in them. Think of them as... artificial beings powered by magic."
Kajin's eyes narrowed as he processed her words. "Robots... Anastasia never mentioned anything like this." He followed Klara closely, keeping a safe distance from the small, patrolling machines.
"The main hall leads to many rooms," Klara continued, her voice barely above a whisper as they navigated the space. "We need to cross the entire hall to reach the 'slave chamber.' Zaria's done with his experiments for the day, so all the slaves should be there."
They ducked into a corner as a group of robots passed by, their metallic footsteps echoing softly. Kajin's gaze remained fixed on Klara, his voice low but steady. "Do we know where Vanessa is?" he asked. "This place is massive. Finding her will be like searching for a needle in a haystack."
Klara chuckled quietly, her smile reassuring. "You're right, this place is huge," she said. "But we know she's in the 9th section. That narrows it down."
"Perfect," Kajin thought, a flicker of relief crossing his mind. "Very well," he muttered, his tone resolute.
As they continued through the hall, one of the robots suddenly turned its head, its glowing eyes locking onto Kajin. Kajin froze, his heart skipping a beat. "Agh, shit!" he thought, panic rising as the robot's tail began to glow, signaling an alert.
Without hesitation, Kajin summoned a fireball in his palm and hurled it at the robot. The blast struck its target, reducing the machine to a pile of smoldering debris. The loud explosion echoed through the hall, and the remaining robots immediately raised their heads, their sensors scanning the area.
"I knew this was going too smoothly!" Kajin muttered, his eyebrows furrowed in frustration.
Klara grabbed his arm and yanked him into a nearby alcove just as the other robots began to converge on the scene. The two pressed themselves against the wall, their breaths held as the robots patrolled the area. The metallic footsteps grew louder, then softer, as the machines searched for the intruders.
As the robots gradually scattered, Kajin and Klara let out a heavy sigh of relief, their shoulders relaxing slightly. "That could've gone much worse," Kajin thought, his heart still racing as he cautiously peeked out from their hiding spot to ensure the robots were gone. Klara mirrored his actions, her golden eyes scanning the area with precision.
"Seems clear," Klara said, her voice low but steady. She stepped out of the shadows, moving forward with careful, deliberate steps. Kajin followed close behind, his sharp eyes darting around as they navigated the dimly lit hall. They stuck to the shadows, their movements silent and calculated, until they finally reached the entrance to the "slave chamber."
Kajin froze as he took in the sight before him. The chamber was vast and dark, its oppressive atmosphere filled with the sounds of groans, whimpers, and desperate pleas. The air was thick with the stench of sweat, blood, and despair, making it hard to breathe. Kajin's eyes widened as the weight of the darkness and the cries of the captives overwhelmed him.
"This strong scent..." he thought, his stomach churning. "Loss, fear, despair, sadness..." He took an involuntary step back, his mind reeling. "How can anyone endure this? How can anyone inflict this on others?"
Klara's expression tightened, her usual cheerful demeanor replaced by a look of disgust and anger. "This is... revolting," she muttered, her voice trembling with barely contained rage. "How can someone enjoy causing so much suffering?"
Kajin's face darkened as he stared into the chamber, his fists clenching at his sides. "I feel it... a monster's presence," he thought, his instincts screaming at him. "He's terrifying, yet he's crying out for help..." Kajin swallowed hard, his throat dry, and closed his eyes for a moment to steady himself.
Klara glanced at Kajin, her gaze softening slightly. "Let's go," she said, her voice firm but gentle. She stepped into the darkness, her figure quickly disappearing into the shadows.
Kajin hesitated for a moment, his heart pounding in his chest. "I'm going to free you from this..." he thought, his resolve hardening. "I'm coming." With a deep breath, he took a step forward, the darkness enveloping him completely. The pleas grew louder, echoing in his ears as he ventured deeper into the chamber.
As the light grew brighter, Kajin came to an abrupt stop, his body freezing in place. His eyes widened in shock, and he instinctively leaned back, his breath catching in his throat. Before him stretched a long corridor lined with small cells on either side. Each cell held a human captive, most of them young, their faces gaunt and their eyes hollow with despair. The air was thick with the stench of filth, sweat, and decay, making it almost unbearable to breathe.
"Agh, this smell!" Kajin exclaimed, covering his mouth and nose with his hand in a futile attempt to block out the overwhelming odor. He glanced around, his sharp eyes catching sight of another corridor branching off to the right, extending to the far end of the room. Above the entrance, the number "1" glowed faintly, casting a pale light over the grim scene.
Klara stepped up beside him, her own hand pressed to her nose. "This is... the slave chamber," she said, her voice heavy with disgust. She gestured toward the cells, her expression grim. "As you can see, we're in the first section." She then pointed to the far end of the side corridor. "That's the 9th section, where Vanessa is being held."
Kajin's gaze followed her finger, his eyes narrowing as he spotted the glowing number "9" in the distance. "What is this... some kind of collection?" he thought, his anger simmering beneath the surface. The sight of so many suffering souls made his stomach churn, and his fists clenched at his sides.
Klara reached into her pocket and pulled out a small vial, its contents glowing faintly with a soft, golden light. She handed it to Kajin, her expression serious. "This potion is called «Life Revival»," she explained.
Kajin's eyes widened in shock and disbelief as he took the vial, his fingers trembling slightly. "The «Life Revival» potion?!" he thought, his mind racing. "A potion so powerful it's said to revive someone no matter how severe their injuries or illness. It's so rare that only royal families are said to have access to it..." His grip on the vial tightened, his confusion growing.
"Why?" Kajin asked, his voice low but insistent. "Why would you give me something so valuable?"
Klara chuckled softly, her smile tinged with irony. "Well, to be honest, Kajin," she said, her tone light but sincere, "I didn't want to give this to you."
Her words caught Kajin off guard, and he blinked in confusion. "W-what do you mean?" he asked, his voice faltering.
Klara turned her back to him, her gaze fixed on the first section of cells. "I'll explain everything later," she assured him. "For now, you go and save Vanessa. I'll take care of the others here." With that, she began to walk toward the first row of cells, her steps purposeful.
Kajin watched as Klara stopped in front of the first cell. She raised her hands, her fingers moving in intricate patterns as she began to chant. A soft green light emanated from her palms, forming a circular seal adorned with intricate, glowing patterns. The seal pulsed with energy before shooting out thin tendrils of magic, weaving through the bars of the cells and enveloping the captives inside. The magic flowed into their bodies, healing their wounds and revitalizing their weakened forms.
Kajin stared in awe, his body relaxing slightly as he witnessed the power of Klara's healing magic. "Healing magic..." he thought, his voice barely a whisper in his mind. "This is the first time I've seen it in action."
His gaze dropped to the potion in his hand, and his expression hardened. "I've got no time to lose," he thought, his resolve reigniting. Without another word, he broke into a run, his footsteps echoing through the chamber as he sprinted toward the 9th section. "Too much has happened already, and time is running out..." he muttered to himself, his heart pounding with urgency.