The Demon's Pit was a merciless proving ground where human prisoners of significant stature were pitted against the fallen elites of the dark elves. The elven opponents were not mere criminals, but once-revered members of their race who had committed grave errors despite their commendable pasts. The Pit was their opportunity for redemption, a second chance to regain their lost honor.
As Emery navigated his new circumstances, Magus Urix offered insight into a chilling aspect of their existence. "A spirit soul... it's a commodity here, Emery," he said, a hint of disgust creeping into his voice. "Ten of our spirit souls amount to their solitary ticket out of this dread jail."
Emery's eyes widened in shock, the implication sinking in. The spirit souls weren't just tokens of victory in their dire battles, they were the currency of life itself in this godforsaken place.
Urix continued, a hint of bitterness lacing his words, "And the most harrowing part of this twisted system is that they are prepared to barter one human's freedom for a hefty sum of fifty dark elves' souls."
This revelation left Emery reeling. Suddenly, the stringent security around the soul storage room made perfect sense. The heavily-guarded room wasn't just to prevent the dark elves from reclaiming their stolen spirit souls, but also served as the stronghold for the hopes and dreams of humans yearning for home.
A burning question ignited within Emery. "Such an exchange seems grossly unfair. Can the elves be trusted to uphold their end of this trade? And, most importantly, has anyone ever succeeded in collecting fifty souls and obtained their freedom?"
Magus Urix paused, the grim reality of their situation evident in his tired eyes. He let out a weary sigh before responding. "None, Emery. Not a single soul that we are aware of." His words hung heavy in the air, a chilling testament to the hopelessness of their predicament.
He proceeded to share his own story, mentioning that he had been condemned to this fortress for about a year. His case was not an exception. Most of the remaining two hundred or so humans had been imprisoned in the Citadel for less than two years. The one notable exception was Commander Shepherd, who, according to Urix, had been trapped in this cruel cycle for an astonishing three years.
ραndαsΝοvεl ƈοm Emery sucked in a deep breath, his mind swiftly processing the information. He estimated that if 10 to 20 prisoners were sent to the Citadel each week, the total number of humans subjected to this fate within a year would range between 500 to 1000. Considering the barely hundred human survivors that remained, the stark reality of their situation was grim and unnerving.
Amidst the ensuing silence, Emery gathered the courage to ask a question that had been preoccupying his mind. "Senior," he began, trying to mask the urgency in his voice, "I've been searching for Eeshoo. He is a Nephilim from my batch. Do you know if he's here?"
Urix's eyes flickered with recognition at the name, but his response did nothing to alleviate Emery's worry. "Yes, I remember Eeshoo," he said thoughtfully. "But I have never seen him here. Perhaps Commander Shepherd might have more information."
The former Magus instructor seemed open to extending their conversation, but Emery was overwhelmed by the revelation. The entire premise of his mission hinged on Eeshoo's presence in the Citadel. If the Nephilim was not here, then Emery's perilous journey and his subsequent imprisonment were all in vain.
With his heart pounding and a sense of urgency propelling him forward, Emery made a beeline towards the yard where Commander Shepherd was usually found. Spotting the grizzled veteran, he wasted no time in asking about Eeshoo. The commander, however, only shook his head and echoed Urix's words, "Eeshoo? No..."
He then glanced toward Atlas, who was standing nearby. "Is this the same Eeshoo you're after?" he asked, a note of curiosity in his voice.
Atlas nodded solemnly, confirming the commander's suspicions. "Yes, Commander," he replied. Noticing the annoyance etched on Emery's face, he swiftly pulled him away, cutting off any further inquiries the commander might have.
"Don't bother to inquire further, Eeshoo's not here," Atlas informed Emery bluntly, his voice echoing the stark reality of their situation. Atlas had arrived at the Citadel on a similar mission to Emery's. The absence of Eeshoo in the Citadel, and indeed, among the collected spirit souls, was something he had verified himself.
Frustration bubbled up within Emery. "What! How is that possible? Did the Nephilim screw up the intel?!" he exclaimed, his mind racing. "Jinkan was certain that Eeshoo was here. He even promised a group of magus would be here to assist!"
A wry smile crossed Atlas' face. "Well, I am that group of magus" he revealed, his tone matter-of-fact. "Unfortunatly, I'm the only one left." The weight of his words hung heavily between them, a somber testament to the perilous reality of their situation.
Atlas had been among the first to respond when the Nephilim had learned of Eeshoo's being sent to this Demon's Pit two years ago. A dozen elite Nephilim Magus, including Atlas, had volunteered for the mission, but only Atlas and four others had managed to infiltrate this place. Now, he was the only one left.
Emery felt a wave of frustration surge within him. With a strained voice, he said, "Then both of us are here for nothing!"
Atlas paused, studying Emery for a moment before responding, "Not entirely accurate."
With a flick of his wrist, a light projected from his arm, illuminating a holographic image of the planet they were on. "This place is an S-class planet, 1.2 million square miles in surface area. So far, I've only charted 42% of it."
Atlas explained that he had been using every spare moment to explore the planet. His half-cyborg body provided him with unique capabilities, and he was able to cover large swathes of land in his search. He'd found evidence suggesting that their current citadel was not the only one on this planet. Although the structures he'd found so far were ruins, he wasn't willing to give up until he'd covered the entire planet.
Emery was taken aback by the dedication and resolve Atlas displayed in his quest to find Eeshoo. His feelings were a complex mix of admiration for the man's perseverance, coupled with a gnawing irritation. Unfortunatly unlike Atlas, Emery did not have such commitment or time to do such things, his mind would solely lay on finding a way to escape this hellhole.
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