My life had its second-biggest turning point a month ago.

They accused me of kidnapping the princess of the north and attacking imperial soldiers.

Then Arthurs uncle killed every single troop I got, they stole my equipment containing my sword, and I lost my right arm.

But things could go even worse! Now I am trapped inside a cold, stone room, waiting for my next meal like an animal.

And even after I got my meal, that is nothing for all heavy labor and beatings in solitary because I can not work well enough with one arm.

With every single passing day, I am getting closer to suicide, but because they put a collar blocking me from using magic, I can't even do that.

And Voice is not responding to me, I don't know if that's because of the collar, but everything is more lonely without it talking.

At least I was free in the fortress where I fought against countless deadly monsters. I had a choice of doing whatever I wanted to do.

Wardens began knocking on the doors of every prisoner one by one. "Get your asses up. It is time to feed you damn animals."

I forced myself to get up before guards reached my chamber because I learned one important thing. Always get up from the ground before wardens arrive.

I touched the bruise on my stomach. It still hurts.

"Did you manage to get up?" Two wardens opened my door.

They were wearing hard leather armor chainmail west and a metal helmet with a front guard.

For a weapon, they are using a wooden baton with a sharp metal tip to punish or beat prisoners and a short sword on their hip to kill if needed.

There are almost two hundred prisoners in a single corridor of cells. Forty wardens are responsible for systematic controls.

At every corridor, there are fifty cells, and usually, four people share them, but for instance, like me, there are much smaller solidarity cells, with only one person to stay.

"Answer me!" One of the wardens, who's angered by my long thinking and punched my face.

"I am bored of your shit! Our princess can't work properly! You can't even get up from the ground, then why the fuck are we keeping you alive." He hit my face with his baton and caused bleeding.

But it isn't enough from him. He will keep hitting me until he is satisfied.

That's why prisoners call him, Endless Wrath.

But, hey, I mentally stopped feeling anything a long time ago, but my body is still feeling every bit of the pain. Sadly it is more sensitive than before.

I wonder when will my suffering here ends. Even the dwarfs slaved by humans more than a hundred years ago are pitying to me.

No one, not even the guards didn't know what I did, but for some reason. They prefer torturing me over the many prisoners in my corridor.

"Please stop, I beg you." I tried to talk but ended up coughing blood and stained wardens clothes.

The warden, who angered by blood staining his clothes. "How dare you!" He moved his hand towards his sword, ready to kill me.

"Stop." Another warden grabbed the angered man's hand. "You satisfied your sadistic needs enough for now." Warden looked at me. "He still has a long life to suffer more, so chill for now."

After daily controls, the wardens left the corridor.

Some of the dwarfs came toward me and pulled me from the ground. "Let us help you."

"Thank you." I tried to speak.

"You don't need to talk. Keep your energy to yourself." A dwarf with a long silver beard talked.

They helped me move through long corridors and endless stairs of the dwarven fortress until we reached the vast place where we ate our only meal for the day.

I managed to sit down on one of the tables and breathe properly, with some help. Every bone inch of my body hurts. Even breathing is causing pain in my body.

Five minutes later, prisoners assigned for distributing the food brought a bowl of oatmeal and a piece of bread in front of me.

There was more food than usual in my bowl. I wonder if the kitchen workers were pitying me as well.

I won't be surprised. It is not the first time I got beaten in front of lots of prisoners for no reason.

Thankfully dwarves were very friendly towards me. I wonder why, maybe because of their nature, but I am happy with that.

I grabbed my spoon and began eating the tasteless oatmeal with a great appetite.

"Eat well. You'll need that if you want to survive in here." Gray bearded dwarf pat my back.

Another dwarf gave me his bread. "Here, eat that. I never like that piece of stone."

A human prisoner tossed a piece of smoked meat stolen from guards to my bowl while passing by.

"So why are you here." Gray bearded dwarf asked.

"I opposed someone I shouldn't. Next thing I knew, I was in here." I cut the story short.

"That explains why wardens are so obsessed with you." He began playing with his beard.

"Am I going to the city,"

Gray bearded dwarf inhaled. "Sadly, yes. We heard that from one of the more friendly wardens."

"Thank you for treating me well in my last meal."

"You don't need to thank us, our kind suffered a lot, but they do to you is just too much at least you will be free."

The city. Or dwarven city, to be more exact, is a place located inside the dwarven fortress.

Most of the dwarf population lived in the city before humans from above, and monsters from deep invaded it.

The dwarven city is currently considered a ruin filled with dangerous monsters and some treasure and works as a death trap.

When wardens want to kill someone, they assign that person for a scouting mission in the city.

But, bringing the head of a boss monster means freedom. Even though there isn't anyone ever managed to do such a feat.

But I will overcome this as well. I did it before, and I can do it one more.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

"That's everything you need inside, and don't even think about coming back without a trophy."

Some guards escorted us through a valley filled with watchtowers and ballistas, where we eventually reached a giant iron door.

"Now, to increase your odds of survival, we will give you worthless pieces of shit some equipment. Do not expect anything good."

We moved closer to a table with weapons, rations, and some medical equipment (bandages.)

Neither the rations were looking fulfilling, nor the equipment was looking great, but it is better than having nothing against a city filled with monsters of any kind.

I approached the table. There weren't many weapons I could use efficiently.

"Spears or polearms, almost exclusively, except this one." I reached and grabbed a scimitar from the table.

It is rusty and probably very blunt, but with one hand. I won't try my chances with a spear or a polearm.

I swung the scimitar around. "Light enough." Then grabbed my share of rations and bandages.

A minute later, other prisoners also finished grabbing what they could from the table as well.

"Now, go!" A warden shouted, then the giant metal door opened and showed the ruins of the ancient dwarven city.