He led Nuel down a narrow hallway where the air grew colder. The chains on the walls rattled softly, stirred by an unseen draft.
"You must mind your steps," Khamari murmured, almost reverently. "Some of these souls… they have been long abandoned. They remember more than you might think."
As they descended further, a faint movement caught Nuel's eye—a shadow shifting behind a stack of bones. He blinked, and it was gone. A test, perhaps, or a warning. He did not flinch.
Finally, they stopped before a small alcove at the back. 5 shadowy figures sat slumped in chains, an aura of death and despondence radiating from them, he brought the lantern closer and illuminated them the children shrieked, clearly unused to the light.
Nuel stepped forward to inspect them, they were all children and seemed to all be at 10 years of age.This was what he wanted.
"Are the strong enough "he asked
The merchant smiled, walked to one of the figures, loosened the chains, pointing towards the imperial butler he said with authority, "Attack!"
The little shadow launched himself at Nuel, a blur of desperate speed. Nuel's hand shot out, slicing through the air toward the boy's neck with a lethal inevitability.
It wasn't just a strike, it was a sentence. Every movement precise, every ounce of force honed to perfection. To the untrained eye, it was instantaneous.
The boy twisted midair, slipping just past Nuel's hand. He landed on his feet, knees bent and steady, chest rising and falling as he regained his balance.
He had dodged the strike, but only just. He drove forward, aiming a sharp jab at Nuel's solar plexus, It was simple logic: a solid hit there could incapacitate the opponent.
For the first time, the butler seemed impressed, though he quickly masked it behind an indifferent expression.
He clamped onto the slave's wrist, pinning him in place. Before the boy could even think of struggling, Nuel twisted it with a sharp, unyielding force.
Immediately, a scream tore from his mouth, but Nuel wasn't finished. A powerful kick to the chest sent him hurtling backward. He coughed up blood as his body slammed into the other chained slaves.
After rasping breaths and coughing up some more blood, he finally steadied himself, eyes burning with a hatred and rage so raw, so twisted, it seemed impossible for a child to harbor.
The hatred and anger in the child's eyes revealed the truth to the butler. He finally understood his master's words "The South is a place of treachery, fracture, and death lurking behind every gilded corner, none who survive it emerge unchanged."