Chương 162: I’ll Find Agnes

After passing through the wall, they found themselves facing a long staircase leading underground. Felicity and the others began descending. In the silence, their footsteps echoed against the stairs, amplified by the depths of the passage. Agnes was at the front, moving quickly, almost running.

"Slow down, Agnes", Felicity called out.

"Ethan is down here…we have to find him", she replied without turning around.

"So are Shigeru and Firmin", Elion added, his voice tired but clear.

"We need to proceed carefully. We don't know what awaits us".

"We'll save Ethan, but you need to stay calm", Felicity added. Agnes took a deep breath and slowed down. She clenched her fists, trying to contain her agitation as her heart pounded in her chest. Her worry for Ethan grew with every passing second. After several meters, the staircase ended, opening into a long corridor lined with cells. They barely had time to react. Footsteps echoed through the corridor. Ravetrisk's men appeared, armed with swords and bows.

"You! Who the hell are you?"

"This area is off-limits to buyers! Who let you in?" Felicity didn't hesitate. She drew both swords and charged. The two men only realized they had been struck when blood began pouring from their throats.

"Wha-" One collapsed to the ground. The other clutched his throat with both hands, but there was already too much blood. After a few seconds, he fell dead.

"She's quite a swordswoman herself", Sven remarked. Dozens of slaves had witnessed the scene and began shouting from their cells.

"Please! Free us!"

"Help us!" Felicity stopped and looked around. Then she turned toward Makena and Sven.

"Can you take care of this?" Sven immediately nodded.

"Leave it to us. You go kill the boss of this place".

"Yes, go. We can handle ourselves", Makena added, taking up her bow. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Felicity nodded and continued deeper into the hideout with Elion and Agnes, searching for Ethan, Shigeru, and Firmin. Agnes supported Elion while Felicity walked ahead of them. The corridors were poorly lit and all looked alike. More cells appeared along the way.

"You…come here! Help us!"

"Please… get us out of here!" Before they could do anything, four more of Ravetrisk's men arrived. Felicity immediately charged toward them. One fired an arrow. She dodged it and closed the distance in an instant, driving her blade into his heart. The second rushed at her with a slash aimed at her throat, but she blocked it with her other sword. She pulled the first blade from the man's chest and, in the same motion, cut the second man's throat. The remaining two attacked simultaneously.

Felicity crossed her swords and swung them with force. Two slashes of air shot from the blades and tore through the corridor. Both men were decapitated. In less than a minute, all four were dead. The slaves had witnessed everything.

"You…free us! Please!"

"Please, before more of them arrive!" Felicity sighed. She raised both swords and unleashed several slashes of air. The invisible blades struck the bars, cutting through them and opening a passage into each cell. The slaves wasted no time. They emerged one after another, thanking her. A very thin woman, her body covered in bruises, held her daughter's hand. The girl was barely over ten years old and covered in bruises as well. The woman approached Felicity and smiled.

"Thank you…whoever you are, thank you. You're an angel".

"Don't thank me. Get out of here and reclaim your freedom", Felicity replied. The woman nodded and ran away with her daughter. Felicity turned toward Elion and Agnes.

"Let's move". They crossed several more corridors until they reached the one where Shigeru was being held. He noticed them immediately.

"Elion!" he exclaimed. A tired smile lit up his face. Elion approached him with unsteady steps, his eyes glistening.

"Shigeru…I'm so happy to see you. I feared the worst".

"Me too. But I knew you would come to save us".

"Firmin?" Elion asked.

"He's farther down". Agnes, pale with worry, stepped forward.

"Ethan?! Where is Ethan?!" Felicity noticed the mutilated bodies of Ravetrisk's men scattered across the floor.

"It was him, wasn't it?" she asked, looking at Shigeru. Shigeru nodded gravely.

"Yes. You have to reach him…he's completely lost. He's not himself anymore". Agnes didn't wait another second and rushed forward. Felicity immediately followed. They stopped in front of Firmin's cell. When he saw Agnes, he smiled.

"Free him", Agnes said without hesitation. Felicity raised one sword. A slash of air cut through the bars. Firmin stepped out and bowed his head in gratitude. Agnes nodded, then pointed toward Elion and Shigeru.

"Go to them". She then looked at Felicity.

"Now let's find Ethan". A few hundred meters away, Ethan lay on the ground in a pool of blood. Ravetrisk stood over him. A deep cut across his right eye had left him completely blind on that side, but his remaining eye was still filled with contempt.

"I…I'll… find her…" Ethan murmured faintly. Ravetrisk grinned.

"What did you say? I can't hear you, worm". Ethan slowly raised his gaze. His face was completely covered in blood.

"I'll find her…I'll find Agnes…" Without hesitation, Ravetrisk violently stomped on his face. Once. Then again. And again.

"You'll find no one! That girl is gone. Gone forever! If she wants to be free again, she'll have to earn it herself, just like I did!" He stomped on Ethan again and again, without mercy, until his face was completely covered in blood. Ravetrisk spat beside him.

"A worm will always be a worm…no matter how angry he may appear". Then he heard footsteps. He turned around. Felicity and Agnes stood a short distance away. Ravetrisk didn't recognize Felicity, but he immediately recognized Agnes.

"Girl…what the hell are you doing here?" Agnes froze. Her eyes were fixed on Ethan. He was missing an arm, his face covered in blood, lying motionless on the ground. Her breathing trembled. Tears began streaming down her face. Then she slowly raised her eyes toward Ravetrisk.

"You…what did you do to him?!" Her anguished scream echoed throughout the entire corridor.