บท 15: Leaving Town

An aura of death lingered in the air long after the 3 slavers had died. After their deed was done, 8 of the 10 remaining freed slaves, or the liberated-as called by Kai-had left. They made sure to keep their heads down during the departure, worrying that if they stayed these new people would enslave them.

The 2 remaining liberated walked over to the ice cellar and pulled out drinks. The dwarf pulled out 1 whereas the human pulled out 2. Perplexed, Kai wondered why he would do that as he walked past them and stood over the leader.

Placing one of the cans on the ground, the human cracked the other one open. Giving his old master one last kick, he turned the can upside down.

Beer poured onto the corpse, filling his mangled scars and collecting in the multiple dents formed on his beaten body.

"Rest in piss, motherfucker." He said as he picked up his own can.

Popping it open, he gave me a smile as he raised his can, saying "Cheers."

Then he drank it all in a single gulp, threw the empty can onto the leader, and left.

The dwarf belched through the ensuing silence, paying no mind to Shuzen's rolling eyes.

"You're not coming with us. We freed you out of our own volition, do not feel obligated to do anything in return." Shuzen said as he stood up.

'You're not nobility anyway.' He thought to himself.

"Where did the 4th slaver go?" Kai asked as he stared down the leader.

Taking another sip, the dwarf let out an irritable "ahh" as he smacked his lips together. Shrugging, he said, "I don't know. The elf just took 3 of the slaves and left."

'And you don't care at all?' Kai thought as he nodded to the selfish dwarf. Of course, he wouldn't. He's free now; why would he worry about another slave?

Kai stared at the insolent dwarf in front of him, fighting the raging fury that was building up.

'He would really let someone suffer a horrible fate such as this, even though he knows its pain? Just because he's safe he has no regard for the pain of others... what a pitiful existence!' A small line of fire began dancing around Kai's fingertips.

Before the dwarf could notice, Shuzen had tightened the poison in Kai's neck, forcing the flames away. Then he opened the door, saying "It's time for us to leave, elf."

After Shuzen walked through the door, Kai promptly followed despite his disgust.

'I allowed 4 people to remain in slavery... when I find that elf, I'm going to skin him alive.'

...

It was a few hours later and their preparations for departure were almost finished. The carriage was stocked with supplies now after their successful trip to the city. Still, Shuzen and Kai were displeased with the other.

"You need to work on your temper, boy. It grows tiring, teaching you to be civil." Shuzen said as he commanded the Chicos to rise, giving no mind to Kai's deadly stare.

"My temper is fine. The slavers are the problem. You even agreed, remember? You said-"

"I said I find slavers reprehensible, yes I remember. But that dwarf wasn't a slaver, was he?" Shuzen interjected with a snide smile.

'No, he wasn't a slaver. He was worse. A coward. Someone who was dealt a horrible hand, but then when given the cards to fix it became a selfish nobody.'

But Kai wouldn't say that, of course.

"I was merely shocked by his lack of care towards his comrades. He talked about these other slaves, the ones still captured, as though they were cattle." Kai said, spitting the last word with pure vitriol.

Shuzen nodded as he walked toward a drawer, pulling out some sort of game. Setting it on a table, he beckoned Kai over.

As Kai walked over, Shuzen said, "Yes, that dwarf was quite reprehensible, wasn't he? But alas, not everyone is strong. Not everyone is us."

He spilled the contents of the game over the table before promptly setting up the board properly. Rook, knight, bishop, queen, king, the rest of the subjects. Instantly knowing the game of chess, Kai set up his own board.

"Even if they are weak, they are still cowards. Not just the dwarf. All the ones we liberated are now roaming free, but they don't give a damn about those they left behind." Kai said as Shuzen pushed his pawn to E4- a classic defensive position.

"Would it be better if they cared? It is not as though they can do anything, boy. As I said, not everyone is as strong as us. You could very well be wishing them to their deaths." Shuzen said as Kai responded with his own move- C5. The Sicilian defense, fighting against Shuzen's control of the center.

"No- I'm not wishing them to their death. I'm... they are denying their fellow slaves the right to be free. Maybe they aren't as bad as their slavers, but still. To just take the gift of life and keep it to yourself..." Kai's voice trailed off as the game began picking up.

At the same time, Shuzen's comment stuck in his head. 'Am I wishing them to death? That's, that's not what I want. I want them to be like my brother, fighting adversity even if they didn't have to. Just because it's the right thing to do, just because it helps someone else. I- I don't want them to die for that.'

Shuzen had brought his knight out to F3, still looking to take control of the center. However, Kai directly fought this control again, pushing his pawn to D3.

A few moves ensued in complete silence, as each fought against the other for control. D4, cxD4, NxD4, Nf6.

The secret to chess wasn't just wits, but also the willingness to sacrifice. By sacrificing one of his pawns, Kai established a threat in the middle that Shuzen was barely holding onto.

However, Kai's aggressive approach quickly turned against him. After a few more moves, he thought he could create a discovered check and capture Shuzen's rook.

At first, Shuzen thought he had been tricked as well. Seeing the bishop staring down his king, while Kai's knight was threatening his rook, Shuzen frowned.

'Bested by this boy? Again?' He thought, his mind filled with disgust as he prepared to tighten the poison out of spite.

Then he saw it, from the corner of his eye. His queen was staring down the bishop. Checking to make sure the bishop wasn't defended, Shuzen started cackling.

"You almost got me, boy. But it's as I said, is it not? Check your aggressiveness, elf. It's going to get you killed one day."

Kai merely nodded as Shuzen's queen took his bishop. Although he tried to act unbothered, after some calculations, he knew he had made a fatal error attacking too early.

"I resign," Kai said as he held out his hand, tipping over the king as well.

With a smile, Shuzen took his hand.

"See what I mean? Stop worrying about those slavers, elf. You evidently don't know everything. You can't just go around choosing who lives, who dies, and who does what with their life. That's for people in power. People like me."

Haven got up from his chair, Shuzen began walking towards his quarters, calling out, "Loser picks up the pieces, boy. And rest up, we tame the beast tomorrow."

Kai shrugged before placing the pieces back in their box.

The last piece left was the white king, Shuzen's king. Staring at it, Kai laughed as his purple fire of corruption danced around the king without harming it.

'People in power decide such things, huh? And that's why I'm poisoned right now. You want to use my corruption, don't you.'

His fire engulfed the king, and though it currently had no effect, Kai could already see his charred corpse.