The Blue Exorcist; Book 1
A Fairy Tail + Blue Exorcist Crossover fan-inspired story
By Gothic Rain
Disclaimer: See Chapter One
Chapter Six, Inside Sources
"Oi. Brat!" Rin looked up from his work and lowered the stack of ore he had been carrying to the next drop-off. He rose an eyebrow in response not trusting the slaver that it was worth speaking without punishment. "Follow me, you're being moved inside." Rin nodded and fell in step behind the man with a question in his mind as to why he was being treated differently than the other children.
Respect for a slave only goes so far, after all.
He glanced up catching sight of the stars once again. This would be the first time they would be letting him inside the building without simply sending him to his cell of darkness. He wondered if they fell in believe that he wouldn't try anything since months had passed since his first actions of resistance.
That wasn't to say he wasn't resisting, but they simply had their noses down when they were around him. Rin distantly wondered what the last slaver that messed with him told them, but shrugged decided it wasn't worth the time of thought.
He said goodbye to the stars to himself as they stepped unto a platform and inside a large corridor that appeared to have just been recently completed being built. "Normally we only allow the older slaves inside but demand has been raised and the Magic Council has grown suspicious of our raids so we've been moving the children inside as well. No point keeping you all outside when we can't send any more ships out," The slaver told Rin surprisingly.
"I'm telling you this because you should know that the amount of us have tripled inside. I imagine you can figure out the rest for yourself, yes?"
"I understand," Rin replied softly, speaking for the first time in what felt like ages.
"Good, we don't you needing to try and strangle any more of us, or next time there will be a hell lot more to pay." Rin nodded, and suddenly came to a halt to the side of the slaver. His eyes widened considerably at the large amount of ground in front of him. Adult men were carrying large planks of wood or metal structures bound by strange orbs that released white ropes made of magic.
They also wore shackles on their wrists with beeping red lights that Rin just knew were bad news. He understood then while they once only allowed the adults through here... it was because they were the ones with the most broken spirits. Rin could hardly look them in the eyes - they were so empty inside. There were more men than women but by the women that were considered adults were either strong or shattered. Many of them were covered in bruises from split lips to odd bruising shows on their upper legs from what their raggedy dresses could reveal.
He had a terrible feeling what that meant, and could only wish he could kick this slaver where it hurts but knew there was too much risk. If he acted for no reason now, they would never trust him as much as they are right now. They know he isn't broken like these people, but as Rin gazes at the children that were recently delivered from (most likely) the last slaver ship, he knew he wasn't a lost and confused as them.
Rin was almost a hundred percent certain they wouldn't have placed him here unless what the slaver had said was absolutely true.
A scream erupted suddenly and Rin swiftly looked over to the source and was shockingly surprised to see a man being electrocuted by one of the slavers. Merciless. Rin caught the grin on the slaver's face as he rendered his lightning staff's magic on the man, favoring his screams of pain.
He could see how the slaver's never got bored here, and it was like throwing cardboard in an open flame for Rin's temper.
Once again he resisted though, and exhaled deeply much to the slaver's humor beside him. "Stay in line and you won't end up like that guy, kid."
Rin figured that much, turning his eyes to some older kids - probably teenagers - with their heads down as they hung from metal pikes on the rocky walls. He couldn't imagine why, and decided he didn't want to find out. Even if it was the closest thing to rest, that he could see.
He looked up, spotting a ring of cages that were similar to the one's he saw Lily in but much, much larger. He figured these were the cells for the people who worked inside, and realized with dread his shipmates wouldn't be in here either.
Another one of those strange reptiles were here as well, more than one actually, but seemed to be a different species. They were a bubble-gum pink with a single head absent of eyes but made up with the amount of teeth in its ginormous jaw. A spiky red color settled on its neck as it stood faithfully loyal next to a few of the guards who watched the slaves work.
He watched as one of the younger slaves (a teenager) collapse suddenly and watched as the disgusting beast began to bark ferociously at the boy who tried to get up with shaking arms. Rin noticed the beast's tongue was a sickening green while its teeth was coated in red - no doubt blood.
As the slaver beside him left his side with a firm order for him to remain there, Rin took a last glance at the slaver's here that appeared different from the one's outside. The one's inside used magic and like the others wore strange face-masks hiding any memorable traces of their original identity. They wore light clothes, seemingly confident they wouldn't be attacked directly, of red robes and thick dark blue pants tucked in low-rise boots. They held the familiar torture-device - a lightning staff - in one of their hands that was golden-colored and was seemed to reach up to their heads.
All of them were tall, Rin noted. Otherwise the staffs would have to be different heights, and since they were hiring slaves for the work he doubt they would be able to afford different sized staffs for each of them. The staff itself was split at the top and seemed to look almost like jaws where a dark midnight-blue sphere hovered in between. The power source, Rin knew.
He wondered if the sphere worked on its own or if it needed the staff to work.
"Alright kid, stay still so I can get these on you. You don't want to know what happens if these things are put on wrong. I wouldn't mind seeing it though," the slaver chuckled but Rin was pretty sure he added the last part to maintain his threatening appearance. He was also certain nothing goes wrong with the shackles if he moved, but rather the slave said that as to not have a hand-full on him.
Either way, Rin remained still.
He held back a hiss as the shackles clamped down over his wrists with a tightening grasp. "There." Rin looked back at his released wrists and found the large iron shackles seeming to pulse in his skin. The red light came to life and Rin could only imagine what sort of downgrade he'd gotten himself into.
"Get going," the slaver said, turning to walk away. Rin twitched slightly, before moving forward down the stairway to the bottom floor where all the other slaves were already hard at work.
Even though there was always something to do, while Rin worked he couldn't help but think it wasn't as grueling as it were outside where the heat was always against the slaves. Aside from the magic, it wasn't as bad in here. Though, Rin was certain he's the only one who thinks this of the situation. Easy or not, he got to work and never stopped for a catch of breath or to regain feeling of his limbs that were in constant movement with lifting, pulling, or simple plowing of materials.
However, despite his smooth first day of work in his efforts, the others around him were not as... believing as Rin was when it came to work. Many of the older slaves protested against Rin helping them out, and Rin understood why half an hour later when his body was vibrating in pain as he helped two other men drag a crate of wooden planks to another side of the structure before removing the planks and leaving the weakest to drag the cart back while the other two carried as many wooden planks as they could back to another side to begin construction.
Because of his age (or size) the other slaves quietly insisted he take the cart back but since one of the slaves looked like he would drop on his feet any moment, Rin managed to convince them he didn't need it like the other guy did. And reluctantly they agreed.
It didn't help that the same guy now pulling the crate back was the same guy who had been electrocuted by the slaver when he walked in - for collapsing, of course. Rin didn't want to imagine him collapsing again - he worried he wouldn't be able to lift himself back on his feet otherwise.
"Get up!"
Rin snapped his head to the side to see one of the new slaves collapsed on the ground, her scarlet hair spread out in front of her like a halo. A slaver was screaming at her with his beast growling at her ferociously. Fortunately Rin was only a few steps away from her and saw an opportunity in front of him.
"You have to get up," Rin told the girl softly as he walked up behind her. The wood on his shoulder equally balanced. The girl didn't get up, really. Only turned her head to look at him with tears down her face. "It only gets worse if you let them take you down," Rin told her. He was wary of the guard who was now screaming across the ground at both of them.
She slowly brought herself up on her knees, tearful brown eyes shifting from him to the ground and Rin, and shakily tried to rise to her feet but her body was shaking terribly. "I can't help you. You have to do this yourself," Rin insisted to the girl. She glanced at him with betrayal in her eyes about him not physically trying to help her up but Rin knew the slaver's would explode at the sight.
The slaver lifted his staff up ready to attack the girl and Rin gulped at the sight of sparks building up around the sphere. "Come on!" Rin said louder and watched as the girl managed to stand herself back on her feet, her lip quivering in fear. The slaver didn't seem to care though, what he saw was an act of defiance and so he lifted his staff toward the girl and Rin could only act on impulse.
The last thought that went through his mind before he moved was that they'd break her if they punished her for getting back on her feet.
Screaming... someone was screaming in his ear. It hurt so bad, but Rin didn't know why someone was screaming when he was in this pain. It took him a moment to recognize the screaming was his own, and that his vision was completely white. He couldn't describe the pain because as soon as he could think straight the light was lifted and colors swarmed his vision.
Rin stumbled on his feet, tiny little spasms of pain still erupting through his body from the attack, and then there was the slaver in his face. He grabbed his hair and brought him face to face with the slaver who was screaming at him but because his ears were still ringing he didn't hear a word of it.
Suddenly his hair was released and Rin fell back, stumbling again, but remained upright. "Get back to work!" He heard that much, at least and shook his head to clear his thoughts before wandering over to the red-head who was looking at him in a way Rin couldn't describe. It wasn't fear but it wasn't sadness either. Rin brushed it aside, only relieved that she was spared from the attack and gave her a grin despite his lack of energy at the moment.
He felt utterly drained after the lightning attack but he was strong enough to stand which meant he was strong enough to continue his work.
There were no more words he knew he could give her, the rest was decided on her own. He had only given her a sign that they were still human - not lesser. He walked back to his stack of wood and struggled to lift it back over his shoulder but suddenly it wasn't as heavy anymore and he looked over his shoulder to see a red-eyed red-head supporting half the weight who returned a small smile to him.
Rin found himself nodding his head, and got back to work. But at least now he had an ally of sorts - one whose spirit was yet to be broken.
This one had been lengthened a bit after a review from a reader. I've been out of practice with updating and writing in general so always feel free to give me some advice when I get these words of amazing-ness out for the story. Also, if anyone had been reading any of my other stories send me a PM if you'd wish to discuss one of the stories with me.
I need some refreshing with writing, as I've said, and there's no better refreshment than hearing from my readers.
Until next time!
-Gothic Rain