I do not own or maintain any rights to Rising of The Shield Hero. They belong to One Piece Books and Aneko Yusagi. I am just playing in their sandbox for a minute.
Chapter 12: Hell's Circus
After Belukas closed the tent for the evening, I waited under the awning for another thirty minutes to make sure I was completely covered by the night. I looked around briskly to ensure that nearly everyone was tucked into their beds for the night. Only spotting one fellow, whom I suspected was another member of the thieves' guild, I waited for him to disappear over a rooftop before I got to my feet and, for the first time that day, dropped my pack and disguise.
I loosened my stiff joints by rolling my shoulders before crouching down and opening my pack; I had made sure to tuck away a couple of farm tools that would be useful. I pulled a hook and some lines, along with a mirror fragment, out and stashed them on my belt. I kept my head on a swivel as I reattached my spearhead into its normal setup. I walked quickly and quietly around the square to the back of the tent after Adjusting my pack and cloak to make it look like the beggar I was pretending to be had fallen asleep under the eave.
I slid up to the back of the tent silently as a wraith; I barely lifted up a corner of the fabric to see if the light would spill out from under the tent. Seeing that it was not lit, I slid under the small gap into the tent. The sight that greeted my eye was something out of a nightmare; cages were stacked up to three rows high and completely filled the main area of the tent. Some quick mental math later, and I figured there must be at least five hundred cages in this thing. At a glance, it looked like most of the enslaved people in the cages were passed out, with only a few looking around anywhere. Thankfully, the inside of the tent was only dimly lit, and what light there was did not cast out very far.
I stealthily made my way around the cages and the outside of the tent, coming up to the last cage before the ally in the center of the tent, I knelt down to minimize my shadow and observe my surroundings. I peeked around the corner and saw that next to the center support of the tent was a desk with books and inkwells. I decided not to run down the center aisle, seeing as dim candles were still lit on the support poles running down the alley. Looking at the cage next to me, I decided that the safest way was up and swiftly climbed my way to the top of the cage. I paused momentarily and listened to see if there was any noise around me before making my way down the row toward the desk.
I was getting close to the desk when I slowed down once again to make sure that there were no guards walking around or any slaves who would see me. I glanced at the last cage I was going to have to walk past and saw that it was empty. I stopped briefly in front of the empty cage to jump down when a pair of muscular furry arms suddenly snatched me from behind and dragged me to the bars in a headlock.
"I've got you now Belukas," a strong voice snarreld softly into my ear.
I could tell by the crushing pressure on my neck that I was not going to be able to force my way out of the grip of whoever got me. I relaxed into the grip to save energy and calmly raised my hands next to my head. I leaned my head back as far as I could to try and get a look at whoever had gotten the drop on me; all I could glean was that they were a wolf beastman and at least a head taller than myself.
His grip tightened on my throat as he briefly wrenched me off the ground to pull me closer to his head and snarled again. "Haven't got anything to say for yourself Belukas? I could crush your weak little throat right now." He finished flexing his arm to let me know he meant it.
I worked my jaw up and down while letting out hissing noises to show that I couldn't talk because of the pressure, only to find it let up the tiniest bit. "Not Belukas!" I whispered hissed as loud as I could. The beastman pulled me over to the right, where there was a fraction more light, and spun me to face him.
His face was only an inch from mine when he spoke again, "No, you're not Belukas," He said, surprise flittering across his eyes, "So what? I should kill you all the same. Your just has bad as the rest come to steal a slave instead of buying one doesn't make you anybetter." He finished wrapping one of his massive clawed hands around my neck.
"I'm not looking to have any slaves. I'm trying to rescue them." I hissed out around his choking grasp.
He seemed contemplative for a moment before growling out, "What kind of incomprehensibly stupid fool would risk their own life to rescue some demihumans?" He did not seem very amused when I calmly pointed to myself. "How do I know that you're telling the truth and not just saying what you think will save your scrawny ass?" He asked, pulling me up to his face once again.
"You don't. You're just going to have to believe me."
He hesitated for one of the longest moments of my life before he dropped me from his grasp. I just managed to land on my feet before looking up into his eyes. "You're a strange one, human," he spat out. So you are really not joking. Why risk it for a couple of demi's?"
"Two of my friends are rabbit demihumans," I said, rubbing my raw throat, "They escaped from Belukas a while back and wanted someone to come and rescue their brother."
"The Smalls's put you up to this?!" He chortled out. "Well, I'm glad to know that they are still kicking around, at least."
"How did you know that it was the Smalls's siblings?" I puzzled at him.
"Who do you think bend their bars?" He asked smugly in a voice like an earthquake. "We used to be cell neighbors before Belukas caught on that I was still strong enough to bend the bars even with my crest." He said, gesturing to a spot on his chest that had been recently shaved. "Belukas is not strong enough to control me without using some of the special slave crest ink, and he is far too cheap for that." He finished with a laugh.
"Do you know where Johnathan's cage is?" I asked him.
He frowned before answering, "Yes," He said remorsefully. He gestured with his head to a small number of cages by the desk. "He should be right over there if he is still here." He paused for a moment, "Look, even if you can't help all of us, please, please," do whatever you can for the slaves over there. That's Idol Rabier's private corner." He spat with incredible venom. "He is the most evil person that ever walked this accursed land."
I gave him a swift nod of agreement before I stepped back, "Tomorrow night, I will be coming back with the Caverly. If you know any able-bodied people here who will be able to help with the evacuation, please make sure they are ready." I caught his nod of understanding before I jumped down and made my way over to the small number of cages that he motioned to. I saw that the only slave alert was a lizard person with an amputated arm. I gestured to remain quiet as I got near to a cage that was covered by a tarp. Reaching out with my free hand, I gently moved the cover out of the way so I could see inside the cage.
What greeted my eyes was most decidedly not Johnathan Smalls, instead, it was a tiny little raccoon girl with a terrible cough and pink eyes. She looked up in horror at me and back as far away from me as she could, sputtering and coughing horribly. I slowly got down onto my knees while laying my spear on the ground to try and not startle the poor thing. I raised my hands up in the universal I mean you no harm gesture before speaking.
"Is your name Raphtalia?" I asked as softly as I could.
The raccoon girl shook a little less hard before looking up at me slowly, "Y-y-yes," She answered in an absolutely tiny voice. "I am Raphtalia."
"I slowly put my hands on the ground so as not to spook Raphtalia, "I am looking for Johnathan Smalls. Do you know where he is?" I asked softly.
Raphtalia seemed to tear up for a moment before she gestured at a set of scratches on the cage floor. They read, 'Johnny was here.' "I'm sorry," she squeaked. I was swapped out for him a few days ago." She laughed out. I was exchanged early. Master wanted to be rid of me. I'm so sorry you lost your friend because of me." She began crying as she finished.
I shushed her, crying as gently as I could, "You don't owe anybody an apology; you have done nothing wrong. My friends and I are going to come back tomorrow night. We are going to break everyone out of here." I said gently, getting her attention.
"She will not last that long," a scruffy voice hissed out from the cage next to us. I looked over to see the lizard-woman from earlier. Look how sick she is. She is on her last legs. Please, if you can at all, take her with you now, " she implored.
"Belukas will have you whipped if I escape," Raphtalia tried to plead, "It's okay I can make it another night."
"That's fine, girl, I'm okay with that," The lizard-woman smiled at Raphtalia. "You're no older than my own hatchlings. Please go for me? Can you be brave for me?" The woman smiled crookedly at her.
I had to consider all the ramifications for a moment before I spoke, "As long as it's not going to cause the market to go on lockdown, I can take her tonight." I sighed. "We will have to go now, though, if we are going to make it."
"Good, take her!" The woman said, "Go quickly! Nightwatch will be coming in soon!" She said, looking up some stars she could see through the tears in the top of the tent.
"No, please don't hurt yourself for me!" Raphtalia tried to object again as I slotted my spear into the shackle of the lock. Whatever she was going to say next was cut off as I used my spear like a lever on the lock, twisting it around until it locked up on itself, with a final tug, the lock shattered into pieces, and the door swung open. Raphtaila's head snapped around her light brown hair, turning even messier than it had been.
"Please come with me," I said, holding my hand out to her, "This is no place for you. I promise you my friends will come back tomorrow night. When we do, we are going to take everyone from this place."
"Do you promise?" She asked, almost reaching back for me.
"Yes," I answered without hesitation.
She finally took my hand, and I was able to lift her from the cage. With a nod at the lizard woman in parting, I hoisted Raphtalia onto my back and quickly made my way to the edge of the tent. "Hold onto me and let me do all the work, okay," I instructed Raphtaila as we slipped out of the tent. She gave a little mewl and buried her face into my shoulder as I hustled over to my pack and slung the overly large cloak around my shoulders, trying to hide her from view. I carried the pack in my offhand as I heard footsteps approaching. I ducked around a corner before whoever they belonged to came into view.
"Can't b'live tat we h've to patrol the 'lums t'night," A guard slurred walking in the square.
"Jus' shut it and keep walk'n," A significantly less drunk guard told the first.
I observed them for a moment to make sure they were not going to see us before I bolted from the square and deadlegged it into the rich part of town, where I broke in. I was only a single corner away from the backyard with the drain when a guard stepped out in front of me. I slammed into him and knocked him down. He locked eyes with me for a single moment before I dropped my bag and pointed.
"STOP THAT THEIF!" I hollered at him while pointing at a rooftop behind him.
"Wha…" He began while getting up and turning to look where I pointed.
Without so much as a warning the moment his back was to me, I kicked him with all my might right in the codpiece. A very mouselike squeak left his lips as he went down again, clutching his family jewels to ensure they hadn't been burgled. I sprinted to the turn I needed to make and slid around the corner into the yard. Using my free now that my pack had been abandoned, I wrenched the sewer grate free from its mounts and jumped down into the tunnel. I deftly reached back up, replaced the grate, and crawled to the bars that I had moved.
When I reached the bars, I gently set Raphtaila down, kicked the bars out of the way, and pulled her out of the tunnel. Having no more need to be subtle, I whistled out for Coal the way that I had been taught. It was only a moment before I heard the telltale sound of his feet beating the dirt in my direction.
"Good to see you, buddy!" I greeted him with pats while adjusting his saddle.
"Caw!" He exclaimed, nudging the passed-out Raphtaila with his beak.
"Yep, you have another passenger, Run faster than you ever have before back to the ranch," I instructed the filolial. "You get us there before sunrise, and I will see to it you get meat with every meal for the rest of the month." I bartered with Coal, slinging my leg up onto his saddle and getting Raphtalia set in front of me.
"Caw! Aw!" He screeched and bolted as an alarm went up from the part of Castle Town behind us. As fast as he was going, I was already planning to give him a little something extra for his efforts.
Authors Notes
Boom, two days, two chapters! Thank you for reading, and hopefully, I will get to post another one soon! ~Sobe James