As the boy awakened, he saw the same lizard looking over him.
"Rise and Shine Princess! You've been sleeping for 10 YEARS!!"
The boy jerked upwards in fear before asking
"Seriously?!"
"No..." The lizard replied holding back laughter.
Silence ensues except for a bit of chuckling
"Consider this little prank as revenge for making me need to pump your stomach." He laughed out before later replying with, "You better not return here without a good reason other than your own stupidity! I almost had half a mind to just chuck you into the incinerator just cause!"
"Right..." 22 replied with followed up with "I'll get going now. How long was I actually out for?"
A verbal sigh could be heard from the lizard before he said "1 hour... go to District 3 and start working again."
"Ok. Thanks uhh.." 22 stuttered on the lizard's name before the lizard pointed to his white lab coat with a nameplate and pouted, "It's Doctor Dexter, and damn straight you better be thankful."
22 stood up from the bed before walking out of the room. Once he had exited, there was a message saying, "TO UNLOCK THE LEVELING SYSTEM, PLEASE FACE TRIAL #2."
"Face your biggest fear huh? Well, what is my biggest fear..." The boy started to ponder about this question for a bit before coming to no conclusion. For he had many fears but for some reason he couldn't think of his biggest fear. He continued to contemplate on the question while he walked to District 3 when out of nowhere a set of arms grabbed him.
"Are you alright? After the explosion I have been worried sick about you!" He said anxiously. His warm embrace made 22 instantly know who the person hugging him was. It was Nathan. A disquieted voice came abruptly from behind Nathan. "Don't crowd the poor kid, what are you stupid?!" the voice behind said as a womens arm reached and pulled Nathan away.
"Hey! why did you have to pull me away huh?!" Nathan who was clearly irritated said.
"Well if it wasn't for your small brain, then you would have known that he is still injured! He has to still be feeling pain. Right?" The women looked at 22 with inspecting eyes. The truth was that 22 didn't feel any pain other than a sensation of pins and needles on his back. However, despite this sensation, he couldn't help but to laugh and smile as he watched the two bicker in front of him. While he watched the two bicker about him, he couldn't help but to feel thankful for what he did 3 month ago.
[Flash back to 3 month ago]
A shipment of dark elves were being brought to District 3. One amongst the 6 remaining dark elves was the only women not sold off to some noble. Her name was Aelinor whom was 22 and came from a tribe who were forced to migrate due to constant wars and the burning of trees. While migrating to find a new home, they were ambushed and captured, thus brought here. Many of them either died or were sold somewhere else when they were captured. The other 5 that survived were the chief elder, and 4 children. Their youngest was 13 and oldest was 16. "Who knew the four kids would be arranged in the same cell as mine. Well, kinda makes sense since the previous slaves were either sold off or killed off due to insubordination." 22 thought to himself Moryen, Baraor, Siltral and Eruien were gonna be 22's new cell mates.
"This Freaking stinks! Why do WE have to be in this cell like an animal!" Sneered the eldest one Eruien at 16 in elven language. His build was a little more muscular than the others. Now that 22 took a closer look, he noticed that they all looked like warriors in training. Not a single one of them had a flab of fat on their stomachs. In fact, it was quite the opposite, they all had six packs. The other notable part was their hair color, it was all black.
"I agree... Maybe we can bust out of this place." said Siltral with his beady demon like red eyes peering out of the cell. Siltral was 15 and despite his age, he had better control of his eye color than the others. For brief amounts of times he could change it but his base color was red, as were the others.
"Right but can someone explain what they were talking about name changing magic and memory erasing??" Said Baraor who despite being 14, was definitely the tallest out of the four standing at 6'3", the second tallest was Eruien only standing at a height of 5'11". From there it only descends to 5'10" for Siltral and 5'9" for the youngest one.
While the four dark-elves continued chatting in elven language, 22 couldn't help but be noticed by the youngest of the four.
"Hey, look over that way... maybe he can tell us something." the youngest one, Moryen, announced to the other three.
The four suddenly looked over at 22 who, when spotted, slithered under the bunk bed as if he were a rat crawling into the sewers soon after being spotted. Eruien, the eldest of the four walked towards the bed and looked underneath. The boy's crystal blue eyes and small figure, around 4'5 and still growing.
"Can you come out and answer a question for us?" The boy said in english as he stared at 22. 22 nodded his head and slowly crawled out from under the bed and sat on the lower bunk.
"The memory erasing spell, what is that and why were they threatening us with it?" Moryen questioned.
"Th-th-the spell is only reserved for very r-rare cases of s-slaves. It will wipe a person's memory of their past a-and name..." 22 frightfully said. A brief moment of silence washed across the room like a wave before Siltral started back up with a friendly voice saying," Well, ummm, hello!... My name is Siltral. This here is Moryen, Baraor, and Eruien. What's your name?". The four looked at 22 before seeing his dark expression."... I... Don't remember my name... I am one of those rare cases you see..." 22 hesitated before pulling his shirt up a bit and pointing to a red tattoo over his heart stating 22. And just like that, a moment of silence came crashing down on them as if a meteor were to befall them.
"You... really don't remember?" inquired Moryen.
"Yeah, there has to be something you remember..." Baraor chimed in.
"Everytime I try to remember, it just starts to hurt..."
"Well! No need to worry! I'm sure you will remember someday! For now, tell us about yourself!"
"Yeah! Who's your friend?
"Is there a way to get out of here?
"How long have you been in here?"
The four started to berate him with questions. 22's head started to swirl with all these questions and simply overheated.
Thump![22 falls over and steam comes off his forehead]
"hmmm, I think we broke him." said Baraor as he started to poke him with a stick.
22 sat back up and continued a bit trying to remember the first couple of questions. "I don't have many friends here, only one and that would be Nathan. I have been here for 3 years and no, there isn't any way out. I have tried too many times."
The four all looked at each other before nodding with their heads in unison as if they could read each other's thoughts.
"Well how about we be your friends!" Replied Moryen with a smile on his face.
22 thought about it for a bit before replying questionably "Are you sure?"
"Why can't we?" Eruien said while leaning on the stone wall to the right of the cell.
22 smiled before replying with a simple "YES!"
The five of them talked all night that when morning came, they were dragging their feet. However, by doing this, they became good friends.
"22, how are you still full of energy this early in the morning?" mumbled Eruien with clear dark circles under his eyes
"Well, I just can't wait to see your elder chief and big sister that you were so gladly talking about!" 22 had said in such a cheery glee.
Supposably, their elder chief was named Laedireil and had been watching over the clan for over 100 years. He tells of tales about beauties and wonders in the world. 22 was so anxious to talk to him at District 18 that he had actually bumped into a wall. The others couldn't help but to laugh and so couldn't 22.
Meanwhile, on the same night
"GET IN THERE and STAY QUIET!" The guard roared at night while tossing Aelinor into the same cell as Nathan. While Laedireil quietly entered the cell as patient as ever.
"I'll get you someday! On behalf of my TRIBE!" yelled Aelinor
"Yeah, Yeah go to bed already will ya?" The now clearly annoyed guard said.
"What are YOU looking at huh?" Aelinor annoyingly pouted
"Nothing, just seeing the newcomers that's all" Nathan replied while rolling over to the otherside of the bed.
"You, I call top bunk." Aelinor commanded while pointing at Nathan.
"Huh?! There's literally another bunk bed right there, go sleep on that one if you want to." Nathan now confused and annoyed shot back with.
"Yours looks way more comfortable! Besides, you are too weak to say no to me anyways!"
"HUH?!!"
The two started to bicker with each other back and forth before the once patient, now impatient Laedireil pipped in.
"Aelinor..." His glare worthy of once being called a master made the room go quiet and sent shivers running down both Nathan and Aelinor's spines.
"...."
"Yes Chief Elder!" Aelinor responded by forcing her to break the thick barrier of ice known as silence.
Aelinor grabbed a pillow from Nathan and went to the other bunk bed.
"Yeesh, it isn't even worth fighting over" thought Nathan
"Terribly sorry about her. I'm afraid her stubbornness and rudeness is what caused her to end up here and not in a nobles house. My name is Laedireil the Once chief elder of our tribe. This here is Aelinor" Laedireil apologetically said while pointing towards Aelinor.
"HUMPH!" Aelinor said while she turned her head.
"Anyways, may we ask you where we are? And also how you ended up here." Laedireil humbly asked
"Sigh, This place is called THE BLOCK. Despite having outdoor activities, you are still watched 24/7. Any attempts to break out and you will be caught and beheaded as an example." Nathan reluctantly said.
Laedireil thought in deep concentration for a brief second before Nathan interrupted the silence saying, " You're probably wondering how they watch us here... Truth is your colars." He yanked on his collar before continuing on. "They have magic spells on them that prevent us from leaving. if we go somewhere we shouldn't then the magic on the collar writes a message on a piece of paper to the Head guards office within that district. There the guard will send the slave back to their rightful position. Were all just a part of a system."
"How do you know all of this?" Aelinor asked from above the chief on the bed.
"I used to be a soldier, that's how. We would use these colors on highly valued prisoners. These colors even have the same protection spell on it that will zap you if you try to take it off." Nathan replied
"I see. However, I still don't quite understand the labor and magic spells on the colars." Aelinor questioned
"She really isn't that smart is she?" Nathan joked
Laedireil shook his head in agreement before hearing Aelinor say"Hey! Elder, why are you agreeing with him?!"
"Heh, anyways. You might hear the guards say that they aren't paid by the hour. Well, they aren't, they are paid by how well and efficiently you work. The more materials you reap in the better their salary is going to be. The materials are then shipped off to the blood clan to either be used as materials for their new kingdom or sold off to pay for labor. As for the colars, they give off the illusion that they can prevent rioting but the actual answer is that they don't. however, if they suspect that a riot might happen, they shock the colors of everyone in order to punish us all and cause resentment towards each other. What? did you really think that you could start a riot and bust out of here?" Nathan asked Aelinor before she shrugged allowing Nathan to continue.
"Also, despite being paid by what they reap doesn't mean there are consequences with killing any number of us and blaming it on insubordination, unwilling to work or my personal favorite, "Is Broke". Like come on guards, at least put a better explanation than that!" Nathan punched his hand into the air full of resentment.
"Well, why not?" Aelinor questioned
"Simple, anything that dies in here is just replaced. Also, their blood is used in the ritual formation drawn all around the entire place in a cube formation. Thus allowing any blood to be turned into materials for others to mine again. They didn't get named the BLOOD clan for no reason." Nathan said with discomfort
"Well, explain to me a bit more as to why his place is called the block and where it is." Laedireil wisely pitched in
"Well, were very far down south in the weeping woods. Here, when it snows, is when there's no way out. The block was the name because this place has multiple districts and layers. The deepest layer is the 5 floor and that...". a brief pause..."That's where the experiments are done. No one ever returns alive and it is conducted by the blood clan and their sadistic bastards of allies. That's also another reason why it's called The BLOCK. If ever a riot were to occur, they send out killers and surround this place in a block formation. And if it gets too bad, then they activate the ritual and sacrifice everyone near the ritual to be turned into more materials."
"What happens to slaves who learn to fight later on? I saw there was a training area for slaves too." she said
"Ah, yes, that's to turn obedient slaves into cold blooded killers that fight in wars or serve nobles as assassin's."
"Why don't you become one?" Laedireil inquired
"Simple, there's a chance that you will become a soldier that will have to watch after other slaves. And if you don't comply and escape, then you will be hunted down like an animal. Also because... I wish to protect someone here."
"Pfffft, please! Who here would want someone as useless as you for protection?" Aelinor blurted out.
"Hey! I am very capable i'll have you know!"" Nathan said while a dark aura started to surround him and his complexion started to get darker.
"What's wrong?" replied Laedireil realizing the mood has changed.
"Sigh, there's a kid in here. He was considered to be one of the special cases and was numbered. It might not seem bad but the number means something more cruel and sinister... It means their death. Hence they are codenamed DEADMAN for short. Sadly, I don't know how much time he has if any at all. For someone could just claim he is ready and whisk him off to the lower levels." Nathan sadly expressed.
"You mean the fifth floor am I correct?" Laedireil said
"Yeah, and what's worse is, the number doesn't JUST mean you're marked. It means your chamber number and 22 just so happens to be the worst. I only know because I talked to a survivor number who was lucky enough to have a high number. He just had to test out some new kind of medicine while the controller told him about how lucky he should be and the cursed number of 22. The problem is, it's a 9-year old boy, and he doesn't know what's coming."
Both Laedireil and Aelinor's eyes went wide.
"..."
Another brief amount of silence before Laedireil asked for Nathan to Elaborate on the Codename DEADMAN if the guards could kill him accidentally at any time.
"With his number? No way. If any guard were to kill him... Then the guards in that entire district would be slaughtered. Including the Head guard of that area. The offending guard would also have his family used as a test subject to make up for the lost specimen. However, to combat numbered slaves from getting cocky and using the excuse all the time, they take them to THE ROOM. There, all you here are screams and the slaves always come out changed and scarred."
"I see, will we see this boy?" Laedireil asked.
"Probably, since I ended up in this cell then we will get to see him everyday. These cells are numbered and if they have the same number as another cell, then the slaves in those cells will be in the same routine. So yes, you will see him. However, he is very shy. So try not to come out of the blue and greet him. Also, don't mention the codename to him. for if he ever gets into trouble, not knowing what the number means, saves him from dread, despair and from going to... THE ROOM."
The two just nodded their head in agreement and laid down.
"Good night, we got a very early day coming up soon." Replied Nathan as he slowly drifted asleep.
The very next day they woke up, Aelinor, Nathan and Laedireil went to go meet up with the other 5 during breakfast and decided on talking in District 18. Nathan, surprised that 22 made friends with them, teased,"Are you really the same kid I know?"
22 laughed at that comment not knowing what the rest of the day had in store for him. The head guard was changed that day and he did not like dark-elves one bit as he thought of them as a blight on elves. He was a human born in the capital and only took on this job as a temporary way to get into the good book of the blood guild. His name is Gyrard. Yet despite trying to get into the good books of the blood guild, he couldn't help but to "welcome the new dark-elves to their new home." So, he ordered the guards to beat them up.
The first guard out of the 12 sent decided to stop Laedireil. Laedireil instantly knew that there was probably going to be a problem. He prepared for the worst but didn't expect the sudden right hook. Without any warning or saying anything, the guard had punched the old man in the face. Aelinor sprung into action and started to charge towards the guard before being tackled down by two guards. Another three guards who were demi-humans and with immense strength held back the four children.
"Shouldn't we do something?" asked the already anxious 22
"As much as it pains me to say this... We have to endure and not get caught up in their mess." Nathan grunted while gritting his teeth.
They both knew it was wrong but they also knew they weren't strong enough to talk back. Despite this disadvantage, 22 still decided to rush and tackle one of the guards while yelling, "Stop IT!"
...
Silence ensues. The guards were surprised by the fact that a mere 9 year old had just told them what to do and the thought of that had suddenly enraged them.
"HUH! And who are you to go around commanding me around?!" The guard that had been tackled /hugged smacked 22 off to the right. The eight started to surround 22 before...
SWISH!
Suddenly, Nathan appeared out of nowhere in front of 22 and whispered, "Go find somewhere to hide and NO matter what happens, DO NOT say a word... Ok?"
22 just gave a simple head nod when out of nowhere, Nathan lunged forward and punched the closest guard to him in the face. It was such a clean right hook that the guard just dropped like a sack of potatoes.
THWAP!
Another hit Nathan in his back. Nathan swung around to punch but the other guards were already holding him down. The guards started to pummel Nathan while 5 held back the dark elves. Soon after they noticed that 22 was still in shock and standing still. Three of the eight guards began holding down Nathan as one lifted his head. The other five walked towards the now crying 22.
"RUN 22!" yelled Eruien
but it was too late. one of the guards had already grabbed onto 22's hair and slammed him into the ground. The others circled him and started to beat relentlessly on 22. Gyrard who had been watching the whole time caught a glimpse of 22's number under his shirt.
"Crap! That boy is a DEADMAN! I have to stop this now or else I will be dead MEAT!" Gyrard worriedly said
As he hurriedly walked down the stairs yet still maintaining his posture he ordered them to stop at once. The confused guards looked up at Gyrard but stopped when they heard him say the codename in a serious tone.
"Deadman. Check his skin"
The guard who was currently on top of him lifted up his shirt to reveal the number 22.
"Oh ShIT!"
The guard got off the 22 and stepped back. Gyrard, still maintaining his posture, walked over to Nathan before kneeling down. He grabbed Nathan's head and pulled it up before threatening, "If you try something funny like that again. I'll be sure to kill you."
His killer glare faded away as he stood back up. He glared at the kid as if saying "You are so lucky you have that number." He then brushed off the dirt and ordered everyone to get back to work. When Nathan finally had the strength to get up, he looked over to see 22, tears in his eyes and full of dread. The boy ran over and hugged Nathan while Nathan just sighed a breath of relief.
"You didn't have to do that for us. We dark elves can look after our own after all!" replied a quite bashful voice from their left. It was Aelinor.
"That's the type of thanks I get for saving you guys?" Nathan grunted out in pain.
"Humph! You only stepped in when HE stepped in!" She pointed towards 22
She then slyly moved her thin body towards 22 and placed her hand on his head as if she were saying "thank you".
"Great, all this trouble for some rude flat chested girl too." Nathan mumbled under his breath.
POW!
Aelinor had smacked him upside the head for his rude comment. Over the next 3 weeks, the three of them just so happened to keep meeting each other. Like love birds destined by fate to meet, except, to Nathan and Aelinor, it was more like a curse. The two would always have fights with each other, but they were never serious. They always made 22 laugh while the two fighting would give a simple "HMPH" and continue on their day. It's not that they HATED each other for they both had a simple goal. Keep 22 protected and safe.
Over the next 3 months, the 8 of them became very well acquainted with one another. Thus, allowing 22 to consider them more than just friends... Family
[Flash back finished]