No torches were illuminating the thick ck stone dwellings. Darkness was all many could see.
The air was cold, the floors were icy, and the eyes of many struggled to stay open amid their swelling.
What was going on here?
On the 3rd floor, deep in the heart of the underground prison, 3 towering men locked in the same cell couldn''t help noticing themotion.
They were giants, tortured beyond belief, with some losing toes and fingers and others dawning gruesome lines of the enemy''s design.
Their skin was mmy, and their breathing was thin and ragged.
They had been asleep earlier but had their eyes sprung wide open the moment they heard the strange noises from above. And coupled with how these Adonis bastards jumped around the ce, they were sure it was an enemy attack.
But who?
2 out of the 3 men were anxious, wishing that whether foe or friend, the intruders would hurriedly find them.
Their friend, Nics, was in dire need of a healer. Even as they closed their eyes, they never slept deeply, focusing on his steady breathing.
They''ve all been tortured, but not as much as Nics, who miraculously survived after so many months. But they knew he was running on borrowed time.
As the days went by, the number of hours he could stay up during a single day slowly declined.
This was bad. To watch a great Commander of the 4th Riverre legion die in chains against the thick walls of their own prison was a painful experience for them to watch.
Nics became so weak that he no longer fought off the rats eating at his many festering wounds.
Even if the intruders were enemies, they would do their best to manipte and give it fake but convincing words, tricking the enemy into first treating Nics''s injuries.
''Nics, you bastard! Stay awake... Stay awake, buddy... For your wife and children, don''t you dare go dying!"
Brentford and Colin called their friend with red eyes, but there was no response, just chaotic sounds of breathing flooding the cell.
The due gritted their teeth, troubling their attention in the hallway opposite their cell.
''C''mon! C''mon!... Anyone... Hurry up and find us!... Please...''
They began praying to the Vine God for luck. And almost immediately, their prayers were answered.
Din. Din. Din. Din. Din. Din~
The faint sounds of steady running echoing across the space sounded like heavenly music in their ears.
With hope in their sunken eyes, they jilted their boney faces forward, looking at the hallway intensely.
Din. Din. Din. Din. Din. Din~
The footsteps kept growing louder, and the sounds of cell doors opening made the fire in them burn even more vigorously
If so many cell doors were opened, it meant these intruders were freeing their Giantrades. At the same time, they didn''t want to be too optimistic; after all, before getting locked up themselves, they also had notorious prisoners in their custody, some of which were giants themselves.
Colin and Brentford took deep breaths as strange lights slowly illuminated the dark, shadowy hallways.
Shadows... They saw shadows of people, most of whom were not the height of they, giants.
It was easy to tell. The few giants amongst these people had shadows that sprung to no end.
The duo immediately assumed that the giant there must''ve been freed from the cells and tagged along with them.<novelsnext></novelsnext>
Then if that was the case, who were their rescuers?
They looked towards the hallways and were quickly met with several firm eyes glowing fiercely at them.
They didn''t recognize these people in strange attire. And soon, they saw people they couldn''t believe. They were his highness, 3rd Prince Artemis, and Payne, the young master of the Riverre city.
"Your highness..."
"Young master..."
The 2 couldn''t help it as they lowered their faces and cried in shame.
"We have failed you all."
Payne felt emotional, seeing his former strong and burly uncles now reduced to this.
The failure they meant was failing to protect Riverre, hence failing to protect Soma and its people. That was their apology to Artemis.
For Payne, it is more personal. They failed to protect their lord, letting him get hanged before their very eyes in the most disgraceful manner.
On that day, they screamed and tried to rush over to stop the madness but were no match for these bastard Adonis worshippers.
After so many months, their lord will have no remains to be buried.
They struggled to control their quivering as salty streams flowed down their cheeks.
It hurts...
Their hearts hurt from the grueling event that now seemed like a distant memory.
They struggled to control their quivering as salty streams flowed down their cheeks.
"Your highness... Young master... We have failed you." The duo sang the same song while being unchanged and supported. No one interrupted their cries.
It was only after Nics was freed that they recalled his current situation.
Their faces trembled as they briefly examined his condition. "Your highness, you have to help, sir Nics. He''s dying."
The Baymardians had grim faces after driving away the rats gnawing on his wounds.
Nics was drenched in heavyyers of sweat from head to toe and didn''t seem aware of their presence.
With their first aid battle experience, they quickly checked his vitals and condition, feeling their hearts fall.
With a small shlight, one of them checked his pupils, and his apparent external injuries were briefly inspected and noted for no more than 40 seconds.
They moved so swiftly and professionally that Payne, Artemis, Colin, Brentford, and the other Giants, couldn''t help acting like people in a hospital, waiting for good or bad news.
Well, speak up, man! What is his situation?
"It''s not looking good. He has fallen into a deep sleep."
He was in aa, but whether it would be long or short-lived would depend on how much time is dyed before treatment.
So what were they waiting for?
Move! Move! Move! Move!