“Hey, master,” Arthur began, looking at Alosrin as their ship began to dock. “I thought we were heading back to Priqista?”

“Well, that was the original plan,” Alosrin began, “Some strange events have been happening in the Sovloca Dynasty. Where going there to investigate. If you are worried about your strength, the highest threat level from monsters is equivalent to a low-level legend rank, so you should be fine. Before I forget, wear either your wanderer mask or iron arm mask.”

“Can I ask why,” Arthur questioned, pulling out the iron arm mask. This is the mask when he takes on the persona of the legend rank adventurer Arthur Shepherd, nicknamed Iron arm, due to the mechanical prosthetic arm he had created.

“It's quite simple,” Alosrin began, “due to the past actions of humans tending to be slave traders, they are not very welcome in the nation. Some cities don't even allow them in at all. We finished docking; let's go, were heading to the capital.”

“Understood, master,” Arthur said, putting the mask on. It was a plain mask that allowed one to see out of it but not through into it. Alosrin also made his Elvin ears more visible instead of hiding them under his hair. As they left the boat, Alsorin quickly led them out of the city. Several days would pass as they traveled along the road. As they drew closer to a small town along their route, a covered wagon goes past them.

“Master,” Arthur begins, “Something was off with that carriage. is it alright if I follow it and investigate?”

Alosrin stopped in the road, not saying anything; his eyes closed before a smile spread across his face. “Alright, Arthur,” he said, reaching into his cloak, “Meet me in the capital at the guild hall. Use this emblem to get in if you have any trouble along the way.” Alosrin continued, pulling out an emblem of approval. Something that was given to people on a direct mission from the Grandmaster himself. “And don't do anything stupid.”

“Understood, master,” Arthur said, taking the emblem and putting it in his own cloak before taking off behind the wagon, ensuring he stayed out of their sight. While following them, Arthur made note of the places they stopped as well as anyone that they may have talked to. Many long days and nights before the smell of the ocean returned to Arthur's nose. As he drew closer, he noticed that this road was rarely, if ever, traveled on, and something didn't sit right. He quickly went up to the top of a nearby hill to get a much better vantage point. As he reached the top of the hill, he saw a small village that looked like a former military base turned into a bandit camp. Arthur watches as the wagon pulls up alongside a warehouse, and several beastkin are dragged out of the back and forced inside. “Slave traders,” Arthur muttered, his blood boiling. “I should prepare my plan of attack to kill all of them at once.”

*                                           *                                     *                                         *                                                      *

Loki groaned as he felt the effects of the poison begin to wear off. If it had been any other kind of position, he would have been fine, as he had been building up a tolerance since he was young, but he never expected to be given such a strong sedative so often. As he sat up, he shook his head, trying to get as much dirt out of his mane as possible. Afterward, he looked around the room for lucy, his soon-to-be fiance, before spotting her near the other female beastkin. As he attempted to reach her, he realized he was chained up and linked to the other male beastkin. “This is where they must have taken those missing people I heard Lord Aldin tell father about.” He muttered. It was very dark where he was, so the farthest he could see was where the two people chained Lucy. It was night, he thought, as soon others began to stir. As many were sitting up, shouts could be heard from outside, terror was in those shouts. Loki tensed up as a loud crash sent the warehouse doors and the corpses of several humans flying past the captured beastkin. For the first time in his life, Loki, a lion beastkin and heir to Solvoca, was afraid. He leaned forward to see what had done such a thing and saw a humanoid figure bathed in the moon's pale light in the doorway. @Arthur looked into the warehouse and saw the beastkin chained together. On one side were the men, bound in thick heavy chains designed to keep them from fighting, and on the right, the women, many of whom looked ill or injured. After casting a quick detection spell that Alosrin taught him, Arthur tightened his grip on his sword as he made his way into the warehouse, ready to fight the last remaining slaver. As Arthur was about halfway into the warehouse, a large half-giant fell from the ceiling and attacked Arthur. The half-giant's blows were heavy, like the stone blocks used to create the walls of a capital city, but Arthur deflected and parried each one, jabbing at the half-giant every chance he got. After several minutes, the giant, no longer able to continue, collapsed before him, exhausted. Arthur, reciting an incantation he leaned from Alosrin, cast a high-ranking binding spell on the half-giant to keep him from attacking anyone. After he recast the detection spell, Arthur made his way over to where Loki and the other male beastkin were being held and released them. “I'm gonna need help getting the sick and injured out of here. Are you all willing to lend me a hand?” Arthur asked. ”Sure,” Leo responded, “just leave them to us; what about the half-giant? I get the feeling I have seen him before.” ”The half-giant is an ex-S-Ranked adventurer who was kicked out for illegal activity. To think that he was still active. The binding spell on him right now is for myth-ranked adventurers, but if necessary, I can beat him into submission again.” Arthur replied, leading the men over to the women. ”Lily!” Loki exclaimed, rushing to her side after she was freed. Her breathing was strained, and she wasn't waking up. “Adventurer, do you know any healing spells?” My fiance isn't well.” Arthur bent down and placed his hand against her forehead. After a couple of seconds, Arthur began inspecting her fur for matting that would be caused by blood. He quickly found several wounds on her back and cast a light healing. “She's out of danger for now, but I won't be able to cast any major healing spells for now. I have already used up a lot of mana. Let's get everyone together and head out.” ”Alright, but I would like to get my things first.” Loki said, “they took them when I was captured. I think they are in the office upstairs.” Loki pointed to a glass office with no one in it. ”Alright, I'll get the carriages ready. Once everyone has their things and anything else they need, meet me outside.” Arthur said, grabbing the unconscious half-giant and dragging him toward the entrance. ”Alright,” Loki said, getting some of the other beastkin to help them while the rest stayed together to wait for them. ”Hey,” one of the beastkin said, looking at Loki, “are you sure we can trust this guy? Also, why are you all of a sudden our leader?” Loki waited for a moment, ensuring Arthur was well out of earshot before he said anything. “I am Crown Prince Loki Raion Sovloca, the first child of Emporer Markus Shīzi Sovloca.” Upon hearing his name, the eyes of the beastkin grew wide as they quickly knelt before him. “Stop, get up for now, and don't tell the adventurer. I would rather make sure he is trustworthy before we tell him. For now, just call me Sir Loki. That way, he will think that I am a knight, now come on, let's hurry and get everything.” After several minutes, Loki and the others returned to the rest of the beastkin with everyone's things. “Alright, let's head out. The adventurer is waiting for us.” Loki said, picking up Lucy and carrying her towards the entrance. As they got closer to the entrance, the smell of blood hit their noses. As they exited the warehouse, they got sight of the massacre that had unfolded outside. Hundreds of bodies lay dead, scattered throughout the abandoned plantation. The place was Blackgarden, an abandoned plantation that grew medicinal black herbs until a better herb was discovered. It was abandoned and eventually became a slave trader's hideout.