CW: Prisoner trafficking, abusing power, capitalism, sold into slavery, abuse of power, death mention/threats, fire, discrimination

“And, finally, what you all came here to peruse, our freshest products.” Dowrin chuckled with the group of well-dressed individuals. “As you can observe, our stock low at current. Our supply train had a slight hiccup. Nothing to fret about, however. I have a rare piece to show my most loyal customers.” Dowrin stopped next to me on the other side of the bars. “May I present to you, the elusive Scorpid.” There were oo’s and ah’s from those assembled. “See the distinctive markings on the face? That tells us this is an inexperienced individual with plenty of room for improvement. I warn this one will need a bit of taming, but what wild animal doesn’t?” Another round of laughs filtered from the crowd.

“How do we know those marks are real? I’ve been Scorpid scammed several times and I would hate to take my business elsewhere, Dowrin.” A red and gold coated Lupine had a subtle growl in his words.

Dowrin snatched my arm and yanked me into the bars, forcing my face against the cold metal. “I welcome anyone to test the marks. These are not scars, tattoos, or paint. You know I am a man of my word, Yulve.” Each person stepped forward and poked me in the temples to ensure the validity of the salesperson’s claims. When they were all satisfied, Dowrin tossed me back, making me stumble. “Now, what is our opening bid?”

Yulve held up a finger. “I’ll start at five hundred gold.” He grinned at the aggravated mumbles from the other customers. “What? Did the rest of you not plan to make that kind of dent in your coin collections? You all take the challenge out of these purchases.”

A purple-scaled Drakyn individual stepped forward, an unreadable smile of their reptilian face. “Arrogance has always been a weakness of yours. I’ll raise the bet to seven hundred gold.”

Dowrin gestured to the Drakyn. “It seems Cloyzk has accepted your challenge, my Lupine friend.”

They spent several minutes outbidding each other, the excitement in Dowrin’s eyes increasing with the price. All I wanted was to wipe that smirk off the Elf’s face, but I kept my composure for the sake of the kids. I wouldn’t be the reason any of them went hungry. Especially Kira.

Dowrin clapped three times. “And sold! To the lovely Mx. Cloyzk for two thousand gold. A ferocious battle if I’ve ever seen one.”

Cloyzk shot a smug grin at the fuming Lupine. “Did you not plan to make that kind of dent in your coin collection?” The Drakyn seemed to take great joy from the Lupine’s rage. “Oh, calm down, wolfie. Perhaps I’ll let you win next time.” They turned their attention to me. “I will come to pick my property after you close for the night. I have errands to run. New pets require quite a lot of new accessories.”

Dowrin escorted the customers toward the front of the shop, taking offers for the adult prisoners on their way. I hadn’t realized how loud the group had been until they left us in relative silence.

I looked down at Kira when she leaned on me, a quiet purr rumbling in her chest. “You’re brave, Kindred.”

I put an arm around her and sighed. “No, but thank you for thinking so. To be honest, I’m terrified.”

She smiled up at me. “That’s exactly why you’re brave.”

I pet her fur in silence and let her have her delusion. She was too young to lose hope like I had.

Dowrin soon returned with a heavy bag of coins in their hands. “I knew I’d get a good price for you, but I wouldn’t have guessed over one thousand gold. I should wrangle more of you Scorpids. Know of a camp nearby?”

I clenched my jaw and my Spark warmed up. “How dare you think I would betray my people? Not everyone is greedy scum like you. You should be ashamed of your line of work.”

The white lines swirled up Dowrin’s arms again. “Be careful what you say. Not everyone will tolerate your insults as I do. I lost all sense of shame many years ago.” Dowrin motioned for me to approach the door of the cage. “Now, come with me so I can prepare you for your new Mixtrus. I advise you listen to me this time, or the others don’t get food at all.”

My rage spiked, but I kept my feelings inside for the sake of the kids. “Fine.” I waved at Kira as she looked at me over Scyka’s shoulder. She returned the gesture with great sadness written on her face. “I’ll be okay, kitten.”

Dowrin grinned as I walked out of the cage. “Smart choice. Looks like they get to eat after all.” He chuckled and grabbed my arm, dragging me toward the personal cells again. “I had clothes pulled for you. You will surrender your current clothing.” He shoved me into a cell and stood in the doorway. “They’re on the cot.”

I examined the strange patterns on my new attire. “Could I have some gloves? My hands are sensit-”

“No. Cloyzk will want you in all new clothing and I do not sell gloves that fit children. If you’re lucky, she’ll buy your things from me and she might give you some that are to her liking.” Dowrin crossed their arms and leaned on the wall.

Panic replaced my anger, and I wracked my brain for a reason I needed to keep my gloves that Dowrin would accept. “Would my new owner want to receive me damaged after purchasing me?”

They laughed at me. “Then Cloyzk can have your possessions for free. Now, get changed.” I didn’t move, my thoughts racing to find me an escape route. Dowrin closed the cell door and walked toward me. “If you won’t get dressed on your own, I will do it for you.” They grabbed me to snatch my glove away.

“No! Stop!” I struggled with Dowrin, my desperation growing by the second as the material slipped from my grasp.

“Let go, or I kill the cat girl. Would you like to have her blood on your hands?” I froze when he spoke, and I could tell he was serious. I stared at my cell door over Dowrin’s shoulder, and all I could think of was the fear in Kira’s eyes.

Forget the girl. Keep your secret. Isn’t that more important?

I shook my head and relaxed my muscles, resigned to what came next. “No.”

Dowrin ripped the glove off with a triumphant laugh, their mood dropping as soon as they saw the Corruption lines which trailed along the bones of my hand. They took a step back, their pale skin losing color I didn’t think it had to lose.

I held it up to give Dowrin a better look. “Are you happy? Don’t you wish you left them on now?”

They shook their head and moved away again. “No, because I’ll get ten times what Cloyzk paid by turning you over to a Judge. Your life will be shorter, but that doesn’t matter to me. We must stamp Corruption out.

I narrowed my eyes. “How much shorter?”

Dowrin laughed as he reached the door. “You’ll be dead by morning.”

Excuse me?

My entire body heated so fast it almost rendered me unconscious, and I braced myself on the wall. I could see the surrounding air become hazier with every degree my temperature rose. My vision unfocused and I expected the blackness to overtake me as usual. Instead, I pushed myself to stand, though I didn’t feel in control as I stalked forward. Everything was blurry, but I could make out hazy images.

“I recommend letting me go, you sorry excuse for a thinking being.” I didn’t recognize the voice leaving my mouth. These weren’t my words.

Dowrin glanced behind them and their eyes glowed white before they appeared on the outside of the cell, holding their side from the pain of phasing through something so fast. “Not happening. The Judges will be here soon.”

I lunged at the bars and swiped at Dowrin to no avail. “I’ll take everything you love if you do not release me now!”

What am I even saying? Where are these words coming from?

I slumped down on the cot, my head spinning from the sustained fever. I tried to get a handle on my anger so I could think my way out of this. It was as though I had left it in the sun for a multi-cycle. I looked down at the marks on my shaking hands. The only thoughts I could string together were a prayer to any Deity that might listen, begging for aid. I whipped around to look at the door Dowrin had escaped through as it opened, leaping to my feet to confront the shopkeeper again.

Instead, a white-haired Angel stepped through the door, holding his grey wings tight against his body so they wouldn’t hit the doorframe. He was in a uniform I didn’t recognize, adorned by a magenta crystal embedded in the chest.

He examined me over with no expression on his stony face. “So, you are the one Dowrin is making a fuss about?” He looked down at my hands and nodded, unlocking my cell and pointing to the door with his wing. “Come with me, Corrupted.”

I stood still as a statue. “Don’t call me that. You know nothing about me. How can you condemn an innocent person?”

The Angel shook his head. “Regardless of whether you are innocent, it does not matter. You bear Corruption and I must snuff out Corruption wherever it can be found. Come with me in an orderly fashion and I will ensure your death is swift.”

We stared at each other in silence and both sized each other up. My thoughts dashed through my mind too fast for me to perceive, only catching glimpses at fragments. I could see the sickly green glow of my eyes reflecting off the heatwaves and the food I’d eaten threatened to make a reappearance. The edges of my vision darkened, but for once I fought the darkness from consuming me, desperate to keep my blurred view of the world.

Despite my tenuous grasp on consciousness, I had no control of my actions. At best, I was a passive observer. I watched as I held up my uncovered hand, bands of green and black flames wrapping around the Angel. He screamed as I shoved him out of the way and kicked the door off the hinges.

Before I knew what was happening, I found myself in the holding area, the prisoners backing away from the heat emanating from me. I pointed at each cage and the doors melted in an instant. I stopped in front of the pen of children and tore their cell open. A lump of resentment formed in my chest as I looked around at all the terrified people. My purpose was to free them and all they showed in response was fear.

They’re just scared. Leave them alone.

I looked down when I felt a light touch and found Kira pawing at me.

“You okay, Kindred?” Her yellow eyes held more concern than I had ever seen from anyone. I felt more grounded when I looked at her worried expression.

I shook my head and petted her hair. “I’ve never been okay, so don’t worry about that. I need you to run far away from here, Kira. As far as you can.”

Her ears laid back as she stepped. “Will we see you again?” She clung to Scyka’s arm, tears staining the fur under her eyes.

I shook my head. “Unlikely. It’s better that way, Kira. Now, go.” I looked at the gathering prisoners. “All of you. Go.” The wall behind me crumbled, the rocks shattering like glass. I didn’t have to tell anyone twice. The group of now free people ran through the new opening. Whether it was from their predicament or me they were escaping from, the important part was that they were free.

For now…

“What a foolish choice to make.” I looked at the Angel as he entered, a few of his feathers still smoldering. “You know they’ll just get captured and sold, anyway.”

I shook my head and approached him as the heat left my body, all my energy fading with it. “I don’t know that, and neither do you. If I’m going to die, at least I did something good in this life. Can you say the same thing, Judge?”

He grabbed me and bound my hands together with a metal wire, the line tightening until I started losing feeling in my fingers. “We are not here to judge my actions. Just your Corruption. No good deed can make up for what you are.” He turned me and pushed me toward the makeshift exit, but I fell flat on my face. “Did you blow your whole surplus on that hole? What an absolutely foolish thing to do.”

I laughed as he picked me up and carried me in his arms from the building. “Seems I do a lot of foolish things.” I let my head fall back so I could see the sky and wondered if this was the help the Deities sent. Maybe Death was taking mercy on my pitiful existence and this nightmare would soon be over.