VOLUME 11: CHAPTER 4

VOLUME 11: CHAPTER 4

“Come here, rookie,” said Fior to Arlo. “I’ll teach you the rules of this place.”

Arlo, who’d been beaten up in front of everyone by the Foreman, looked visibly relieved to find out that the one assigned to teach him was a fellow rabbit.

“Right now? B-But I’ve lost the food handed to m—”

“—You’re still talking about that?” said Fior in a cold voice. “Although the Foreman told me to teach you, if you keep dallying around, I’ll leave you behind.”

“W-Wait, I’m coming!”

Arlo pulled himself together and followed Fior inside the tunnels. Looking around, Arlo noticed that aside from the luminous stones latched on the walls near the entrance, the tunnels themselves were unlit and dark. Since this was his first day as a slave, this was also his first time delving this deep into the tunnels.

“They gave us a small kalrane lantern before,” said Arlo as he limped forward. “Aren’t we going to use it?”

Fior didn’t bother looking back. He also didn’t slow down his steps despite knowing that Arlo was injured. “If you love getting tailed by the other slaves, be my guest.”

Arlo looked at the direction of the entrance, then at the dark tunnels they were headed to. After hearing those words, he finally understood why Fior refused to use the kalrane lantern he was carrying. Activating the luminous artifact would give out their location. It would make it easier for the other slaves to hunt them down and take their rations and other valuables. Although there was also the issue of whether or not they could track their whereabouts by smell, it was a matter he would ask Fior later.

“And it’s probably for the best that you don’t have any food left with you on your first day,” said Fior. “There’s a faction among the slaves of Zone F that targets new slaves like you. They’ll beat you up and take all of your belongings, leaving you just barely breathing.”

It sounded as though Fior was speaking from experience. It sounded as though he had experienced all of this firsthand before. Arlo remembered the whipping he’d received from the Foreman, and his entire body trembled. He didn’t want to experience that again.

“It should be around here,” said Fior as they reached a fork.

Fior didn’t use the lantern and instead relied on just his sense of touch. Every now and then, he would touch the walls and use the markers he’d engraved beforehand to determine his current location.

“This way. Make sure to follow me closely.”

The darkness of the tunnels made Arlo uneasy. Every time he breathed, all he could smell were his dried blood, sweat, and the stale air.

“Sir…. Sir Fior,” said Arlo. “How large are the tunnels in this mountain? What happens if a slave gets lost?”

Fior stopped in his tracks. He touched the walls to his right. After touching the marker he’d placed years ago, he replied, “Most of the tunnels in the iron mountains weren’t made by the beastmen. Even I do not know the answer to that question. Well, if the Three Gods favor you, you should be able to find your way out. But I know of several slaves who got lost in the tunnels for weeks and died of hunger. It’s not unusual to find decaying corpses of beastmen in the mines every now and then.”

How terrifying.

Arlo couldn’t imagine how he could possibly survive if he got lost in these tunnels by himself. He would rather get beaten up by the Foreman again than suffer such a horrible fate.

“If you’re done asking questions, shut your mouth and follow me,” said Fior.

Arlo nervously swallowed the lump in his throat and closely followed Fior. For almost an hour, they walked without talking. Each of their steps resounded in the tunnels. Every now and then, they would enter a narrow gap through the walls or enter a fork.

“We’re here,” said Fior. “Close your eyes, then light up your kalrane.”

Arlo did as he was instructed. He closed his eyes and activated the kalrane stone inside his lantern. The kalrane stone glowed and illuminated everything around them. After several seconds, Arlo slowly opened his eyes.

“Wow, what’s this?” muttered Arlo.

He was expecting to find himself in another narrow tunnel, but to his surprise, he found himself in a large, open space. There were two tunnels to their right, and to their left was a small house made of stone. Behind them was the tunnel where they came from. Judging by the pickaxe marks, the house was whittled into shape by someone.

“Did you make that house yourself?” said Arlo in amazement.

“Living quarters aren’t provided to slaves,” said Fior. “We’re basically worker ants who live to mine iron in this place. Since most slaves are former criminals, whether we live or die doesn’t matter. The Foremen and the higher-ups care about nothing but the quota.”

Fior rolled the stone door to the side, revealing the cramped interior of the stone house. Arlo saw a bed made of tattered, bundled clothes, several sealed jars, and a bow and a quiver full of arrows.

“Ummm… Sir?” said Arlo. “Is it really alright for you to reveal the location of your hideout like this?”

“Just call it the whim of a fellow rabbit,” said Fior. He looked Arlo straight in the eyes, then warned in a cold voice, “And although I still have two more havens similar to this one, I’ll kill you if you leak the location of this hideout. So, don’t even think of telling a soul about this place.”

“I-I have no plans of telling anyone!” said Arlo.

Arlo was starting to find this senior slave terrifying. For some strange reason, it felt as though Fior’s every move was planned and calculated.

Moreover, just a single hideout like this should be enough to ensure the survival of a slave in the Iron Mountains – but he had two more of them?

What a meticulous rabbit.

“The kalrane stones they provided us are the cheapest ones,” said Fior. “It’ll easily run out of power. Turn it off. Get used to the darkness. We’ll need the luminous artifact later. After resting, we’ll enter another tunnel until we arrive at the nearest iron vein.”

Fior further added that the iron vein they were headed to was practically untouched. It was an iron vein that only Fior knew about. This was among the reasons why Fior always managed to reach his daily quota.

Arlo nodded and did as he was instructed. Once again, the two of them were engulfed by darkness.

After a few minutes of silence, Arlo said, “Sir… I’m just wondering. Are you Fior, the former Strategist of the Third Legion?”

Although the name Fior wasn’t rare among rabbits, it also wasn’t common. Moreover, even Arlo knew that the strategist rabbit was turned into a slave after the Third Legion’s defeat. As for his current whereabouts, it was something only the higher-ups of the Alliance knew about.

“That’s right,” said Fior. He had no intention of denying it.

Arlo gasped. “Ah! To meet one of the heroes of our tribe in this place!”

Although the other tribes blamed Strategist Fior for the Third Legion’s defeat, for the Rabbit Tribe, he was a hero who’d overcome his limit as a rabbit. A hero who once led a legion with his great tactics.

“Just call me Fior,” he said as he adjusted his cracked glasses. “I’m no longer worthy of the title of a strategist. It’s a thing of the past. A shameful history. In this mountain, I’m nothing but a mere slave.”

“N-No, that’s not true, Sir!” said Arlo, his voice a pitch higher than usual. “Everyone in our tribe knows that had they followed your strategy during the war with the Kingdom of Lukas, the Third Legion would have overwhelmingly won!”

In the darkness, Arlo didn’t see the self-mocking smile forming on Fior’s face.

“How about you, Arlo? How did you become a slave?” said Fior.

Although it was a sensitive question, Arlo didn’t seem to mind it. He readily answered.

“I was sold by my father,” said Arlo.

“I see,” said Fior. He didn’t ask for further details.

It was a fairly common scenario. And it was especially rampant within the Rabbit Tribe.

After the Tyrant King of the Kingdom of Lukas annexed the Aden Territory and its nearby regions, the Bull Tribe and the Gorilla Tribe lost a large portion of their territory. This, in turn, created an influx of immigrants to the other parts of the Alliance. The Rabbit Tribe, who were considered to be the weakest beastman tribe, was pushed out of their territory by their fellow beastmen. They were forced to move to a less fertile plains near the Dukedom of Mauko, a hostile human nation.

The frequent skirmishes with the soldiers of the Dukedom, coupled with the Black Famine, caused great hunger and poverty in the Rabbit Tribe. Due to this, young rabbit beastmen were frequently sold by their parents to slave traders to survive.

The war with the Tyrant King had created a ripple effect in the United Grakas Alliance. It created a spiral of hunger, slavery, and death. This was among the reasons why the beastmen bore a grudge against humans, especially those from the Kingdom of Lukas.

Even before becoming a slave, Fior heard that the Beast King was preparing for another war to reclaim the lands taken from them by the damn humans. It was no wonder that the Foremen of the Iron Mountains were always pushing the slaves to reach their quota. Iron was needed to arm their warriors, after all.

“It’s unfair,” muttered Arlo. “Someone like you shouldn’t be wasting away at these damn mines! You’re a hero! The most brilliant mind of our tribe!”

Fior didn’t reply.

Arlo could still regain his freedom if someone were to pay for it with the appropriate amount. But it was different for Fior. He became a slave through the directives of the Alliance itself. No matter how much money someone was willing to pay, Fior would never regain his freedom again.

Remembering these facts, Arlo awkwardly laughed. “Umm… So what should we do next? Do we mine the ores now or should we wait?”

Silence fell again. Eventually, Fior said, “Did you know? These tunnels are connected to the Wasteland.”

Arlo tilted his head quizzically. “The Wasteland?”

“The tunnels of the Iron Mountains are long and vast,” said Fior. “On my second year as a slave here, I discovered a tunnel leading to the outside. A tunnel that leads to that monster-infested territory – The Wasteland.”

“T-Then…”

“I could escape from here any time I want to. The frogs at the entrance always write down the names of those who enter the tunnels, and if weeks pass by but I never return, they’ll just assume I got lost, got into an accident, and died somewhere. It’s a common occurrence, after all. And another slave will simply take my place after my death.”

“If so, why are you still staying here, Sir?” said Arlo.

Fior smiled. “Before I was sent to this mountain, my brother promised me that he’ll help me regain my freedom. And I’m still holding on to that promise. I will not run away. I will keep on living and persevering, until that day comes.”

It was an unexpected backstory.

The former strategist’s resolve was admirable, but Arlo couldn’t see how another rabbit could help him get out of this hellhole. Only the Beast King or the Elders of the Alliance could grant him his freedom. And after the Third Legion’s shameful defeat against the Kingdom of Lukas, there was no incentive in bringing the strategist rabbit back to the Alliance.

“But enough with the chitchat,” Fior stretched his body. “Rest is over. We’re moving out.”

The two of them entered one of the tunnels to their right. After several minutes of walking, they arrived at the place where the iron vein was located.

Fior lit his kalrane lantern, revealing the iron deposits and the mechanical devices next to it. The mechanical devices were made by connecting a thick iron tube to a pickaxe, cogs, and a hemp rope. There was also a wheelbarrow nearby, which Fior probably used to transport large amounts of ores at a time.

“This is amazing,” muttered Arlo. “With our limited resources, how did you even manage to build these things?”

There were two large mechanical devices in total. And each of them was three times larger than an adult rabbit beastman.

“Just one of these is more than enough to satisfy those damn frogs,” said Arlo. “And you made two of them!”

“The Foremen are fickle and whimsical,” said Fior. “We should always consider the possibility of them suddenly increasing the required daily quota.”

Fior started pulling the ropes attached to the mechanical device. The gears started spinning, and the pickaxe started hitting the iron ore deposits, creating loud clanging sounds. Although the design looked simple and primitive, it proved to be several times more efficient than using the strength of a mere rabbit.

Since most of the deposits here were merely gangue, the pickaxe was enough to break them into smaller pieces. The slaves from Zone A would process and refine these ores later on using the furnace.

“What are you standing around for?” said Fior. “Use one of those contraptions, and mine just enough ore to meet your quota for the day. And don’t even think of submitting ores way more than the required quota.”

Arlo was puzzled. “But won’t the Foreman be pleased if we do that?”

“Don’t be naïve. Those frogs are greedy,” said Fior. “They’ll simply increase your workload if you show that you’re a capable slave. Just submit an amount that won’t get you whipped and be done with it.”

“Ah, yes.”

Until the kalrane inside the lanterns of Fior and Arlo ran out of power, the two of them continued mining ores. Using the wheelbarrow, they transported the ores to the place where the stone house was located. Before leaving the hideout, Fior thoroughly made sure that the ores they were going to deliver to the Foreman was the exact amount.

“You look too clean,” Fior pointed out. “Rub more dirt onto your clothes and fur. It won’t do us any good if Temujin starts thinking that we’re having it easy.”

The insight of Fior was truly remarkable. He kept pointing out things that Arlo couldn’t even think of. Arlo was really grateful to have this rabbit guide him on his first day as a slave. Arlo was certain that not everyone was given such an opportunity. Just being by Fior’s side alone should be enough to increase his chances of survival in the Iron Mountains.

It was really a shame that a rabbit this intelligent was rotting away in this place.

They left the wheelbarrow behind, filled their leather bags with iron ores they could carry, and started heading back to Zone F’s entrance. They planned on going back and forth like this, until they filled today’s quota. This way, they would be able to remain as inconspicuous as possible, and they would be able to hide the existence of the iron vein. The last thing they wanted was for the other slaves to learn of its existence.

“Did you hear that?” said Arlo.

As the two got closer to Zone F’s entrance, they started to hear the clamor outside. They also started hearing screams, roars, and screeching sounds. It sounded as though the beastmen outside were fighting.

“Are the slaves rebelling?” said Arlo. It was the only plausible explanation he could think of. “Sir Fior, what should we do?”

Fior frowned.

They were still a few hundred meters away from the main tunnel, but they could already hear the screams outside. Arlo presumed that the slaves were rebelling, but Fior knew from experience that such a scenario was unlikely. Even those from the Lion Tribe wouldn’t be able to resist the restrictions of their slave collars. Unless all of the Foremen and their guards were suppressed at the same time, breaking free from the restrictions was nigh impossible.

“Drop your bag,” said Fior.

“Sir?” said Arlo.

“I said drop your bag,” said Fior. “We’re going to quickly check what’s going on outside. And if it turns out that things are too dangerous, we’ll flee inside the tunnels immediately.”

Fior quickly decided to drop the iron ores in exchange for their mobility. Although Arlo was hesitant, he decided to follow the senior slave’s decision.

The two of them hid their bags in a crack on the wall. Carefully, they walked toward the main tunnel.

They hadn’t even reached the exit when numerous slaves started running past them. The beastmen slaves were visibly terrified, and without even glancing at Fior and Arlo’s direction, they started screaming and running deeper into the tunnels.

“W-What’s happening?!”

“What the hell are those monsters!”

“R-Run away!”

Arlo and Fior looked at each other.

Monsters?

Did they hear it correctly?

They started hesitating about whether or not they should approach the main tunnel. There must be a reason why those beastmen were fleeing from that place. Fior quickly considered the pros and cons of going to the main entrance.

“It’s too risky,” said Fior decisively. “Over here. Follow me.”

Fior ran to the direction opposite the tunnel’s main entrance, and Arlo, despite his injured legs, followed suit. They went into several small tunnels, eventually arriving at a dead end.

“We should be able to see what’s going on outside from here.” Fior pulled out several loose stones from the wall, revealing a head-size viewing hole. From there, they saw what was happening outside.

And they were horrified by what they saw.

A massive azure sphere had appeared in the Iron Mountains, and from it, numerous monsters continued coming out, one after another. A fire giant, flying monsters, ghost-like monsters, humanoid monsters with worm-like tentacles as feet, and several other terrifying creatures they’d never seen before had started massacring the beastmen.

The two rabbits started asking themselves: Did the monsters from the Wasteland start invading the Iron Mountains?

But how did they arrive at the mines without alerting the border guards?

Even Fior did not have an answer to this question.

But one thing was sure: they needed to run away from this place. As far away from the main entrance as possible.

The fire giant roared, and the tunnels started to rumble. One of the flying monsters flying around noticed the hole in the wall. It flew closer, looked at Arlo and Fior, then shrieked.

“Damn it!” said Arlo. “It saw us!”

“We need to escape to the deeper part of the tunnels!” said Fior in an urgent voice. “Hurry!”

Thankfully, the hole wasn’t large enough for the flying monster to pass through. Without looking back, Fior and Arlo started running into the deeper parts of the tunnels.

“Ahhh! Help me!”

“G-Get away! Get away from me!”

“Argghh!”

Screams echoed in the mines as the two rabbits ran away. Judging by the screams, it seemed that the monsters had started entering the tunnels to kill the beastmen who’d fled inside.

“Why are they here!” said Arlo. He almost fell down from fright upon seeing a humanoid creature with tentacles come out of an opposite tunnel.

“Temujin?” muttered Fior in disbelief.

Next to the humanoid creature was Temujin, the Foreman who ruled Zone F of the Iron Mountains. Tentacles were seen squirming out of his mouth, and the light within his eyes had already vanished.

It was a scene straight from a nightmare.

Fior gnashed his teeth. He grabbed Arlos’ arm. “I know your feet are injured, but endure it for now! Run!”

Arlo nodded. With their entire might, they ran deeper into the tunnels. Immediately, the humanoid tentacled monster and Temujin chased after them.

Thankfully, although the Rabbit Tribe was known as the weakest tribe within the Alliance, its members were quick on their feet. Eventually, they’d manage to increase the distance between them and the monsters.

“Here!” said Fior.

The two of them entered the same narrow wall opening from before. And the moment they’d entered, Fior activated the device he’d created prior for such occasions. A large slab of stone started rolling and stopped right at the opening, sealing it completely.

The two of them huffed. They fell down butt-first on the ground. They were safe for now.

“Although we’ve managed to get away from those monsters,” said Arlo, his chest quickly rising and falling. “Aren’t we trapped?”

“It’s much better than falling prey to that monster,” said Fior. He, too, was out of breath. “Didn’t you see what happened to the Foreman?”

The almighty Temujin, who ruled Zone F for years, had turned into a lifeless puppet. Even now, they could still vividly remember the tentacles squirming out of the frog beastman’s mouth.

“And we’re not trapped,” said Fior. “As I’ve said before, these tunnels are connected to the Wasteland.”

Fior fixed his glasses. He stood up, glanced at the sealed exit, then at the path leading to his hideout.

“I will not die here,” said Fior in a voice filled with determination. “No matter what, I will survive.”