Chapter 53: Forgotten City [3]
The bright expression that was on Aegon’s face suddenly changed as he saw the view before him.
In front of him was a long hall. With no ceiling, the moon bathed the inside and showed the entire cages around.
The area was full of iron bird cages. The cages were occupied, but not by birds.
’What the...?’
Aegon saw this and quietly went to hide himself behind a large empty carriage. From there he took a look around and was shocked at what was happening.
In this place, he saw the same kind of monsters he had seen outside, but this time there were large numbers.
The monsters brought in carriages from other parts of the wall, while others left to go and get more.
However, their movement wasn’t the main issue. What actually made Aegon so shocked were those who occupied the cages.
Humans.
"Ain’t those..."
There were not just humans but recognized humans.
"Those are lost Awakeners, what are they doing here?"
The thought quickly came into his head as he saw the clothes they were wearing; it was the same clothes that most Awakeners wear when they go on missions.
"Is this where they have been?"
In each cage, there were about four Awakeners and some of them were laid on the floor as though they were dead.
While the other, held their hands on the rode of the cage as though they were waiting for their savior to come.
Aegon didn’t know how to react or what to think but one thing was clear. They had been here for a very long time.
"These are indeed the Awakeners that were reported missing, but why are the numbers low?"
He looked around and noticed the number of the Awakeners inside the cages.
While some of the cages held four Awakeners, some had two, others one, and even some of them were empty, but showed they were once an Awakener inside.
The monsters walked around looking like guards with their fitted armors and weapons.
They moved in order as though they had been trained and were in service of someone higher than them.
"Did they kidnap these humans or were they found and captured?"
The questions were asked but there was no way of getting an answer, as it could be any of the two.
While it was possible to get captured, because they were in a cage, it was definitely difficult to see that monsters were capable of kidnapping awakened humans.
"Or are they also unable to use mana here like me?"
This was indeed understandable. Since he couldn’t use mana and the monster could, it was only logical it was the same for the Awakeners.
Aegon looked around and tracked the way the monster moved. They didn’t react to the humans in the cages, but walked back and forth.
Seeing this, he thought inwardly.
’I have to do something.’
Even though he knew there was no mana in him, he wasn’t going to let that stop him. For him, these monsters would be very easy to take care of.
"I didn’t fight those monsters earlier because I wanted to know what their goal was, but this time, I don’t need to wait."
He held the dagger tightly as he thought of this, his eyes looking around when suddenly they stopped.
"Hold on..."
He retracted his gaze back to where he had just looked and saw a familiar human within a cage.
"Isn’t that... Chrome?"
Upon seeing Chrome, one of the members of the last party he joined, he felt even more to go and rescue them.
"What is he doing here?"
While Aegon was thinking of what he was going to do, he suddenly heard the familiar language of the monsters which grew his attention.
Hearing this, he turned to his left and saw about three guard monsters together, talking amongst themselves.
With their expressions, he could detect that they were talking about something very important, like a problem.
With this idea, he knew he needed to act fast enough before they figured him around.
"One, two, three... fifteen."
He counted the number of guards that were stationed and the ones which he would need to take out first on his way to Chrome’s cage.
Aegon’s eyes moved to the direction where the three guard monsters were talking, but they were gone.
Just then he felt a shadow loom over him and only one thing came to his thoughts
"Damn!"
BOOOOOMMM!
A massive melee made of wood with iron stripes on it, slammed on the ground where Aegon was standing and destroyed the carriage which he was resting on; but he had already dodged.
He moved to the left, and faced what had just hit him. It was a giant monster about seven feet tall.
It wore a guard’s armor with a helmet. It ugly brown teeth were out as it groaned seeing it didn’t make its target.
From the sound of the strike, the attention of all the monsters and also the humans in the cage were all drawn.
They all looked to where it had come from and saw a human and one of the guards facing each other.
At the same time, in a particular cage, a human who saw this person facing the monster; had their eyes widened, surprised, as they spoke out.
"Aegon?... What is he doing here?"
Chrome saw Aegon as he stood before the monster; his trench coat in a position that made him look like a hero who had just come to save the day.
Meanwhile, Aegon felt his life flash before his eyes. He had a cold expression as he looked at the seven foot monster while it walked towards him.
"Tch..."
The first strike of the monster was so deadly that it created a hold on the ground. If Aegon had missed just a little longer; he would lose his life.
The monster walked and stopped, a few steps away from Aegon, then it roared.
The sound was loud, but bearable. It didn’t cause destruction or send shock waves, but grabbed the attention of every other monster there.
They didn’t attack but stood guard and watched. It was as if the seven foot monster had brought their attention not as back up, but for them to take note of the battle that was to unfold.
The seven foot monster was the largest among all the other guard monsters and was the only one who wore a helmet as though it was a captain of the squad.
Aegon looked and saw that the other guards didn’t make a move. He was curious, then turned to the seven foot monster.
"Not gonna let your lackeys join the fun?"
He said this with a mockery expression on his face, but was on his guard for any sudden attack.
The monster groaned as though it understood what Aegon had said. It moved its shoulder as though ready for a fight then it started walking towards Aegon.
Aegon saw it walking towards him and thought in his heart.
’I have to think of a way to get Chrome out of there. Knowing his brain, he would know a lot of what’s happening here.’
’But firstly I have to face off this monster.’ His gaze scanned the other guard monsters. ’...and, take care of them also.’
As he brought his gaze back to the seven foot monster, it already had its weapon in the air with both hands and struck down at where Aegon was.
However, Aegon was swift enough to dodge but didn’t pull back this time. He leaped over the monster and landed behind it, then using the dagger he struck its leg.
The monster cried out as it felt the pain coursing through its body, but didn’t call for back up. Instead, it moved forward away from Aegon’s range and turned around.
"Not enough huh?"
As the words left his lips, Aegon took a glimpse at the area Chrome’s cage was in.
The cage was about twenty meters away from where he was, and knew he had to make a very good move to cover that distance.
"Tch..."
At this moment, the monster turned its neck, taking a look at its back leg. It groaned then turned around; back to Aegon.
It had an angry expression on its face as it stared at Aegon and in that moment, it dashed towards him.
Seeing this, Aegon chuckled.
"Hehe..."
The monster ran towards him ignoring the pain it felt in its leg. It didn’t call the others but wanted to do this solely by itself.
When it was a couple feet away from Aegon, it raised its weapon to the air and cried out before sending it down with full force.
However, just like earlier, Aegon leaped again, over the monster and landed at its back. He wanted to do the same thing he had done previously.
That is, striking the monster’s second leg, but the monster was quick enough to realize and then turned immediately to attack him.
Its movement was so swift that a green light swirled around its body making its movement very swift.
The monster did this in less than a second, raised its weapon and sent it down.
However, Aegon was unable to evade on time.
BOOOOOMMM!