BXBX NOVEL Chapter 414: The Concentration Camp
Daniel and his companions were greeted by a horrific sight – a vast concentration camp teeming with shackled, haggard slaves. Alongside it stood several massive sacrificial altars dedicated to Greek gods. But unlike the traditional offerings of goats, these altars were stained with the dried blood of human sacrifices.
Blood trails littered the camp grounds, adding to the gruesome scene. High above the center of the camp, a large, bloodstained dreamcatcher floating suspended in the air. Its white, bony texture hinted at the bones of some unknown creatures. It seemed to collect and trap the unspeakable emotions and agonizing souls of the enslaved humans below.
Each prisoner within the camp bore the unmistakable signs of malnourishment. Oppression and torture had clearly driven them to the brink of insanity. Yet, they were kept alive – just alive enough to work but too weak to fight back.
Within the camp, men toiled in designated work areas. Some dug a massive grave that might one day hold them. Others, under the watchful eye of the wardens, polished human and creature skulls to an unnatural sheen. The women weren't spared either. Inside a tent, they endured a gruesome form of labor – bloodletting, their life essence collected in a large glass tank.
"What in the world is this place?" Daniel's voice was tinged with anger as he clenched his teeth, looking at the gruesome scene.
"This... appears to be where the Alchemont clan produces their magical ingredients, using virgin women for their blood and men for polishing bone and skull materials for magical ritual," Montgomery explained, his voice tinged with disgust.
He feeling disgust at this place, sure, he is also a mage who are juggling his own loyalty between Path of Knowledge and Magic Harmony
"What about that thing floating above the camp?" Daniel gestured towards the bone dreamcatcher. Having stopped his hoverbike amidst the concentration camp, he and his group were ignored by the people there, likely mistaken for wardens themselves.
"I'm not sure," Montgomery replied, shaking his head.
Just then, one of the wardens patrolling the camp approached Daniel's group as they parked their hoverbikes nearby.
"Sir, may I check your identification?" the warden asked Daniel. Daniel glanced at Montgomery, expecting him to handle the situation given his recent association with the wardens.
"Oh, this is my identification. You can check," Montgomery said, handing his mage circle identification card to the warden for verification. True to his nature, this slippery eel indeed had an identification card.
Daniel decided to wait for the verification to finish before making his move to catch the leader. If he couldn't capture the leader, then he would gather as much information as possible and leave. While he wanted to help the enslaved people, unfamiliarity with the place made him cautious. He planned to return with reinforcements later to rescue the slaves.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
The beeping sound came from the guard's cell phone, and he quickly checked it. His expression changed to one of hostility, signaling trouble. Daniel sensed danger looming.
"Lord Owl order! All people wandering here besides lord Owl himself is intruders, and must be eliminated on si—"
Bang!
The warden's sentence was cut short by the thunderous sound of gunfire as his head exploded like a watermelon hit by a large-caliber bullet. Daniel swiftly took out the nearest warden. The other wardens, alerted by the gunshot, received orders from the man in the Owl mask who had retreated there, and they began converging on Daniel's location.
"Vlad, slaughter them all!" Daniel commanded, readying several spells in his mind in case of emergencies.
Vlad, like an unleashed war dog, grinned sadistically. "With pleasure, My lord," he said, his bloodlust sending chills down the spines of the wardens as they realized the imminent threat.
"Hahahaha!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!" Vlad's sadistic laughter echoed through the camp as he vanished from sight. A whirlwind of violence ensued; screams of agony, pleas for mercy, and the sickening sounds of tearing flesh and snapping bone filled the air.
Wardens fell one by one, impaled by Vlad's blood spears in a gruesome display reminiscent of his Wallachian reign.
Gunfire erupted, adding to the cacophony of terror. The slaves watched in horrified awe as a crimson cloud of bats swept through the camp, each one a deadly predator. The warden corpses were scattered like playthings, ripped apart by Vlad's transformations into ferocious wolves and bears.
In a desperate bid for survival, some wardens abandoned their weapons and uniforms, cowering amongst the slaves they once oppressed.
Now…. the line between the oppressor and the oppressed blurred, In a horrifying display of vengeance. The slaves, fueled by the resentment of years of torture and inhumanity, turned on their former tormentors.
Tools became weapons, their vengeance is even more brutal and savage than the oppression they had endured. Vlad, a creature of darkness who understood both suffering and inflicting it, watched with a twisted sense of pleasure as he also experienced a life in captivity.
Within minutes, the carnage was complete. Every warden lay dead, some by Vlad's swift hand, others meeting a far more brutal end at the hands of the enraged slaves as the agonizing scream of those wardens still tore through the air in the camp amidst the twisted smile of vengeance from the slaves.
The air now carried a heavy metallic smell of blood and echoed with the chilling cries of surviving wardens being tormented by the slaves. Vlad returned to his master like a loyal dog, awaiting approval.
"All done, My Lord," Vlad reported, anticipating praise.
Daniel offered a curt nod. "Good work, as always, Mr. Vlad." His gaze swept over the gruesome display of warden corpses, impaled by Vlad's blood spears. A flicker of pity stirred within him, quickly extinguished by the memory of the horrors they had inflicted on the slaves.
"My Lord," Vlad began, "might I request a favor?"
Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Speak your mind, Mr. Vlad."
Vlad gestured towards the liberated slaves. "These unfortunate souls have endured a living hell. With proper training, they could become formidable warriors, fiercely loyal to you if we offered them sanctuary within our organization."
A smile tugged at Daniel's lips. "That was precisely my intention, Vlad. No persuasion necessary."
As Daniel's group prepared to assist the survivors, a jolt of powerful mana ripped through the air. A crimson beam of energy erupted from the dreamcatcher, streaking towards the largest altar at the far end of the concentration camp. Then, in a heartbeat, it surged upwards, vanishing into the sky.
A sudden downpour of blood erupted from above, drenching the camp in a grotesque crimson rain. Primal instincts screamed a warning within Daniel. Reacting with lightning speed, he activated one of his spell cards.
—
Card: Sanctuary of Light
Picture: The image depicts a holy sanctuary resembling a grand cathedral, crafted from pure light, shielding an entire army from a sea of hellfire.
Rarity: Rare
Type: Quick Spell
Mana Cost: 1 Light, 2 Non-element.
Description:
Creatures you control gain [Indestructible] until the end of the turn.
Flavor text:
"In the darkness of hell, a grand cathedral of light arose, shielding the faithful crusaders from the wrath of the lord of hell."
—
Suddenly, a magnificent cathedral of light materialized, expanding rapidly to encompass nearly the entire concentration camp. It enveloped the slaves within a radiant sanctuary, a stark contrast to the grotesque rain of blood pouring down from above.
The crimson deluge struck the protective barrier, dissolving harmlessly into motes of shimmering light. A breathtaking display of holiness and protection unfolded.
Outside the sanctuary, however, a horrifying scene played out. The blood rained down on the unprotected ground, instantly eating through the earth like a potent acid. Trees withered and melted upon contact, the rain's destructive power can kill even the toughest hydra.
The sight of their newfound salvation contrasted sharply with the horrifying fate of those left outside. A wave of awe washed over the slaves. Some, devout followers of the Christian faith, fell to their knees in fervent prayer, their eyes fixed on Daniel. In their minds, he had become a messianic figure, a divine messenger sent to deliver them from this nightmare.
The Grand Cathedral of Light held out for more than 30 minutes, while Daniel remained seated on his hoverbike without moving, his eyes closed as if he were sleeping. In reality, he was preparing the card he would use in case he confronted the person behind this stunt.
Montgomery watched Daniel with a hint of worry, observing the canopy of the Grand Cathedral of Light above. He feared it might vanish, leaving them vulnerable to a gruesome fate. Meanwhile, Vlad and Hermes were in stark contrast; they were nonchalance, engaging in a game of chess, using board and pieces that Hermes transmuted from soil, while waiting for this abominable rain to end.