Bab 30: DUNGEON ROW [1]
The morning of the Dungeon Draw arrived with a heavy, oppressive air.
The guards moved through the prison cells with an almost mechanical efficiency, their faces set in grim lines.
The inmates were being roused from their restless sleep, shackled and fitted with their mana sealers.
As the guards approached Ravan's cell, he could hear their muttered conversations.
"This one's a special case," one guard said, his voice dripping with disdain.
"No mana, but we can't take any chances."
"Yeah, don't trust the court's declaration entirely," another guard replied.
"Let's make sure."
Ravan was pulled to his feet and shoved roughly against the cell wall.
'Hey can yall be a bit gentle,' Ravan thought to himself groaning a bit.
He felt the cold metal of the mana sealer being pressed against his chest.
It was a heavy device, its intricate circular design embedding itself painfully into his skin.
The chains criss-crossed over his back and shoulders, securing the sealer in place.
He couldn't help but feel the weight of his new bondage, a tangible reminder of his supposed lack of mana.
"Can't have you getting any funny ideas," the first guard sneered, tightening the straps.
"Not that you'd have much to work with."
Ravan remained silent, his eyes fixed on the floor.
The guards finished their task and hauled him towards the waiting trucks. As he was loaded in, he glanced around at his fellow inmates.
The atmosphere inside the truck was thick with tension and despair.Some inmates sat with their heads in their hands, their faces pale and drawn.
They muttered to themselves, their voices tinged with regret and fear.
"This is it," one man whispered, his eyes wide with terror.
"The fucking end of the line. We're not coming back from this."
Ravan looked at the ginger haired man who looked like he was crying and experiencing fear at the same time.
'He looks like he is going to loose it at any moment.'
Another inmate, sweat beading on his forehead, echoed the sentiment.
"I knew I shouldn't have taken that job. Should've walked away."
Ravan almost related to that statement but his gaze remained fixed on the vehicles floor.
Others, however, seemed almost exhilarated by the prospect.
"About time we got some action," a burly man said, grinning.
"Monsters in the dungeons? Hell yeah. I'd rather go out fighting than rot in a cell."
"Yeah," another added, his eyes glinting with a manic energy.
"Survive this, and we get our freedom. It's worth the risk."
Ravan sat quietly, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions.
He remembered the details of the Dungeon Row—how surviving the dungeons and clearing all the floors would grant them a second chance at freedom and life.
But even with that slim hope, the reality of their situation loomed large.
The trucks rumbled through the city streets, heading towards the outskirts of Ember.
They passed through winding roads, the urban landscape giving way to dense, foreboding forests.
This place was known as Gloomwood Forest, a dark and mysterious expanse that few ventured into willingly.
As they neared their destination, a faint red light became visible in the distance, cutting through the thick canopy of trees.
The trucks came to a halt, and the guards began unloading the inmates.
Arguments broke out as some prisoners resisted, their voices raised in anger and fear.
"Move it!" a guard barked, shoving an inmate forward.
"You're not gonna make this any easier on yourself."
"Hey, hey easy with the hands," the inmate pleaded, his eyes desperate.
"Fucking touch me like that and you'll regret it!"
"Yeah yeah, save the anger for the monsters in there," another guard snapped, dragging him along.
Ravan was pulled from the truck, his eyes adjusting to the eerie red glow that illuminated the forest.
They were herded into a clearing where a massive portal stood—a swirling vortex of red energy, crackling with raw power.
It was the size of a small building, its presence dominating the area.
The inmates were grouped together, their wrists bound and their mana sealed.
The wind from the portal whipped their hair and clothing, creating an almost surreal scene.
Ravan could feel the tension rising as they were forced to face the portal.
"That's the way in," a guard announced, his voice carrying over the din.
"Our little comedian officer," one of the innamtes said smirking.
"Yeah, like we haven't been in dungeons,"another added taunting the guard and being sarcastic.
Ravan knew that out of everyone here, he alone hadn't been inside a dungeon. Just the other day he could barely stand his ground against mere goblins. And now he would habe to go through the dungeon, not just any dungeon, a Red Dungeon.
"You've all been sentenced to Dungeon Row. Survive, and you'll earn your freedom. Fail, and you won't be coming back," the officer concluded his statement that had been interrupted.
Murmurs of fear and anticipation rippled through the group.
Ravan's mind raced, the reality of their situation sinking in deeper with each passing moment.
He recalled the stories he'd heard about Dungeon Row—how the towers organization monitored the survivors closely, never fully trusting them again.
One inmate, a young woman with fierce determination in her eyes, spoke up.
"I've been through worse. This is just another challenge."
"Speak for yourself," another inmate muttered.
"I don't plan on dying today."
As they stood there, waiting for their turn to be pushed through the portal, Ravan's thoughts drifted back to his trial, the realization of his current predicament weighed heavily on him.
A guard moved towards Ravan, his expression a mix of curiosity and contempt.
"So, you're the manaless wonder, huh? Let's see if you can survive without mana."
Ravan met the guard's gaze, his silence speaking volumes.
The guard smirked and gave him a rough shove, sending him stumbling towards the portal.
'Bastard...' Ravan muttered but it wasn't audible.
As the red energy crackled around him, he felt an odd sense of calm. This was his chance to prove himself, to survive against all odds.
'Why the hell is everyone already concluding in their heads that I'll die...' Ravan began his thoughts.
'Maybe it's true...I'm weak that I know, no one has to remind me.'
'But the fact that everyone has already made the assumption is fucked up.'
'It's not cause they already know I'm weak, no...its because they are sure of it that I won't make it out alive.'
"At first I had no hopes or thoughts of surviving but now I'll make sure I do."
"Not because I want to...."
"No..."
"Just out of malice toward you all!"
Hadiah
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