Bound and Broken: An Isekai Adventure Dark Fantasy (Melas Book 1) V.A. Lewis (feel good books to read .TXT) 📖

The Abominations ignored Melas as she fled further and further away. Rin tore through the first line of Abominations, as gunfire came from behind to support her. But there were too many of them. She could not close the gap.

Dawa saw this, and he leapt forward, closing the gap in two short jumps. He was about to reach Melas when a giant Abomination came.

It was a single Monster. But it looked like it was ripped in half but put back together. It’s lower and bottom halves were held together by the blue bulbs that all Abominations had, but the yellow core was larger. And its light did not pulse, it shone.

It looked like a bear. A giant horned bear towering at over 12 feet tall. And its eyes glowed red, as it stared around.

Shang took one look at the Abomination, and called back his companions. The Rabbit Beastkin dodged one swiped from the Abomination’s claws, then made his way back.

Rin tried to object, but there were too many for her to take on alone. The Cat Beastkin acquiesced, and they all fled, leaving Melas alone as they fought to survive.

***

A voice broke Feri from his flashback. It was Em. She was responding to Theodore’s question.

"I’m sorry, Mr Theodore. But we didn’t see her. Unless she made her way to the camp by herself. She’s not here." The former gladiator spoke apologetically.

"I see. I just thought…" the middle aged man trailed off. He shook his head and whispered to himself. "I just wanted to apologize…"

Feri shifted where he stood, and he saw Rin do the same. Shang and Dawa were behind him, so the young man could not see them. But he assumed they did the same.

Em did not know what happened. She was not there for it. But she could read a mood. The former gladiator took one look at the dour atmosphere, and piped up reassuringly.

"Look, I told you guys I saw her in Bys. Little girl— maybe 10 or 11 years old— black hair, silver eyes, and with an ‘M’ marked on her face, right? She was running away from the Abominations, and doing quite a good job at that too! Maybe a little tired and afraid, but she wasn’t injured. I’m sure she’s fine. Maybe she’s with the 200,000 other slaves!"

"Yeah… maybe," Theodore whispered. His voice hollow. But still he mustered up some energy. "Thanks."

"Sure, no problem. Look I’ve gotta go. Find these new guys a place to sleep, and get them some food. I’ll just be taking this,"— Em took the bag of meat from Rin— "and be giving it out, alright?"

The former gladiator got a few nods, then went her way.

There was a moment of silence, then Shang placed a hand on the man’s shoulder. "I’m sure she’ll be fine. You saw her. She’s strong, even though she’s a child."

Theodore looked up to face the Dog Beastkin, and spoke with a voice full of regret. "I know— it’s just that…"

The middle aged man drew in a deep breath.

"It’s just that I wanted to apologize. At that moment I last saw her, I felt… afraid. I shouldn’t have been. But I was. And I know whatever amount of fear I felt, is nothing compared to what she must have felt then."

No one responded.

Feri looked at Theodore, and he understood how the older man felt. He owed his life to Melas, but—

Truth be told, Feri knew very little about heretics and magic. He was a slave, and he didn’t learn too much about it. But he knew enough to know that they were scorned and feared. Feri himself did not find himself afraid of Melas when she used magic. But he was confused and shocked. And that was enough to help drive the little girl away.

So at this moment, all of them felt regret.

"We’ll be passing Boleria tomorrow. When we do, we have to prepare for a fight. We don’t know if they’ll send an army to attack us. But we have to do this if we want our freedom! To leave the Free Lands!"

Em shouted the last words, and there was a cheer. Feri turned around as the crowd dispersed, and he along with it.

The former gladiator was the de facto leader of the now over ten thousand freed slaves, so everyone listened to her. Everyone was setting up camp, as they had just stopped for the day. Feri was not going hunting today so he was in the camp alone. Well, not alone. There was Em. He could always talk to her. But they weren’t that close. And this was around the time she went out patrolling.

There was also Theodore. But the older man would have reminded Feri of Melas. So the former slave did not like talking to him if not necessary.

So Feri just wandered the camp. Aimlessly. But happily.

The former slave was enjoying his relative freedom. One might say this situation was not ideal, but he’s been through far worse. In fact, he thought this was rather relaxing. That was until someone called out to him.

"Feri!"

The young man did not turn around. He continued walking through the camp.

"Feri, please don’t ignore me. We haven’t spoken in weeks."

It was the voice of an older man. Not Theodore. But someone Feri knew very well. One of two.

Feri jerked when an arm grabbed him.

"Feri. I’ve raised you since you were young. Why are you doing this to me?"

At that, the young man turned around. He stopped to stare at the old man before him. His hair was graying, and his body withered. Feri took a deep breath, then spoke to the man for the first time in a while.

"Paul," the young man said sharply. "What do you want?"