Author's note: this is from Zeiroi's point of view

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I finished transferring magic from the vial to the dagger, successfully imbuing it with the scorching heat that will last for the next five years.

The handle had pretty jewels and I wondered who its owner will be. Maybe a young master of some family who can afford these trinkets.

The approaching footsteps told me that Frac came to collect my work.

I kept the empty vial and the dagger on the ground and scurried in the far corner of my cell. I don't want Frac to punish me again.

"Did you finish your work, vermin?", he spat at me. "Answer me!"

"Yes."

Frac snorted and collected the dagger and the vial.

"You didn't keep anything for yourself?", he asked while waving the vial low for me to see.

"No."

"I sure hope so. For your own good."

I knew that he meant it.

I was looking at his furry feet while he inspected the dagger. I didn't want to look into his wolf-like head. Kobolds find eye contact as a challenge. I learned that the hard way.

Kobolds are not much larger than an average human. They are like wolves that walk upright on their back limbs, and their inability to change into human appearance is forcing them to move in the shadows.

Kobolds are not compatible with magic, and they use enchanted weapons to make up for it. That's how I found myself in here.

I remember growing up with faes but never really fitting in. I didn't have magic or wings, and the fact that I had no parents either made me an easy target for other kids to pick on.

I overheard a story about how grandpa Inril found me in the forest when I was a baby, but grandpa himself never confirmed it. Not that it would make a difference. He treated me well, but unfortunately, he was the only one.

I would often seek solace in the forest, and during one of my outings, I was kidnapped by the slave traders who mistook me for a human. I attempted to escape, and the guy swung an electric whip at me. I raised my hands to defend myself and without knowing how, I reflected the electric damage to my attacker. That's how I discovered that I could manipulate existing magic. Unfortunately, my kidnappers found out the same thing as well, and I was sold to Frac to become a tool to create other tools for Frac to use or sell further.

Frac brings me vials with sealed magic, and my job is to transfer that energy into another object.

As long as I do what's expected of me, I get food and no beatings.

More steps that came from the hallway got my attention and Frac snickered.

"You will have company tonight.", he said.

Two of Frac's men brought a bundle of something into the cell across the hall.

"Careful…", Frac said through his teeth. "Lower her down gently. Don't damage the merchandise."

"She is pretty, boss…", one of the men said.

"Boss said not to damage her. Maybe he wants to get to her first.", the other one said in a whisper.

"Get out!", Frac shouted at his two men irritably.

I watched them leave after locking my cell and the one across the hallway.

It didn't take long for the female to start moving.

"Hello?", she called, and I could see the disappointment and fear on her face.

She was feeling the ground. Is she blind?

She sat on the ground, and a light breeze reached me from somewhere. There is no breeze in this stuffy dungeon. Was it from her?

She shifted a bit and maybe put something into her mouth, and then her head moved in what was obviously observing the surroundings.

I guess I was wrong about assuming that she is blind.

She reached to the edge of the cell and the light fell on her face.

I saw many faes, and even when compared to them, I would agree with Frac's henchmen. This girl was pretty. But a guy like Frac wouldn't know how to appreciate her beauty. He is more into dog-looking females.

"Hey…", she whispered. "Psst… Psssst! Can you hear me?"

Was she talking to me? I lifted my head to see her better.

"Can you understand what I'm saying? Can you come closer? I would like to see you, and it will be easier to chat. My name is Seraphina. What's your name?"

Seraphina. A pretty name. Suits her.

It's been a long time since someone asked for my name. Frac and his henchmen were gone, and I guessed that a chat with a pretty girl can't hurt.

"Zeiroi."

I moved to the edge, closer to Seraphina, and her smile lit up this dingy place.

"Zeiroi…", she repeated, and I found it pleasing to my ears. It's strange how such a simple thing as someone saying your name without malice can soothe one's soul.

"You can call me Serina.", she said like it's a totally normal thing. "Can you tell me where are we?"

I shrugged. "I don't know where this is." That was the truth. Since Frac got me here, I didn't go sightseeing since I'm stuck in this cell.

"What kind of a place is this?", Serina asked.

Should I tell her?

"Occasionally people like you come, and after some time they are taken away. I don't know from where they come or where they go."

She pressed her lips into a line at my response.

"That means you are here for a long time."

I responded with a nod. "Longer than others."

"Why?"

"I guess Frac finds me useful."

"Who is Frac? Is he the boss here?"

I responded with a nod.

"You said that he finds you useful. What do you do?", she continued asking.

"I create magic weapons."

"Are you a runemaster? Or a forger? Or an inscriptionist?"

I knew that a forger is forging weapons, but I had no idea what the other two were. Why was she asking so many questions?

"It's OK.", she said with a kind smile. "You don't need to answer that. How long do usually other people stay here?"

"Some a few hours, and some a few days."

"So… is this Frac person into kidnapping? Slavery? Torture? Or is he some middleman?"

"I don't know." I gestured toward the inside of my cell. "As you can see, I'm not an honored guest who gets good treatment or information."

She nodded in understanding. "Do you like it here?"

I was flabbergasted. "Who would like it here?"

"Do you want to leave?"

I blinked at the silly woman. Does she know what she is saying? "Assuming that you can get out of your cell and overpower whoever is guarding that door at the end of the hallway, can you rescue me also and not get us killed?"

She ignored my question. "You said that you can create magic weapons, Zeiroi. Do you know what are these things on my legs?"

I glanced at the shackles that are tying her ankles together. Yes, if there is magic inside, I could get it out, but then what? She would still be shackled and we would still be stuck in here with Frac and his men around us.

"What's the point? There are at least a dozen of armed Kobolds out there!", I said.

"Kobolds?" Her eyebrows shoot up. "Aren't they just oversized dogs?"

Serina turned away from me and spoke into a dark corner in her cell. "I assume you had no problem with defenses in this place. Did you confirm how many of them are out there?"

"Twenty-eight kobolds, four humans, three goblins.", the dark corner responded and I nearly shrieked when a hooded creature emerged.

There was no face, only darkness, and it definitely hovered above the ground. A ghost!

Serina smiled. "Krob, this is Zeiroi. Zeiroi, meet Krob."

The ghost ignored me, and I was happy about that.

What the hell is going on here?

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Check the comments to see Zeiroi's photo.

For additional photos, join my discord (link is in the Aux chapter 'Introduction').

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