Chapter 59

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Chapter 59: Wolf Mouth

Only a few remaining goods could not form an industry.

It had been over two hundred years since the war with the Orcs. The wild Orc tribes were dwindling, and Orc slave trading had evolved from hunting to a mix of hunting and farming. Slave traders bred sought-after varieties for the wealthy, raising them until they were ready for sale and then delivering them directly to the mansions of the rich. The Hybrids raised in captivity spent their brief lives in luxurious cages, never having seen a tribe or a forest.

To the second and third generation Hybrids, the dreams of the first generation Orc slaves were nothing but vague illusions. Freedom was an unknown world outside the window. For those who had never seen the beauty of a garden, why would they be willing to take a leap of faith and jump out of the dark window?

"I will show them," said Marion.

In those serene green eyes of Tasha, she saw the determination of the Worgen girl. She knew Marion would do it, willing to risk her life for it, to live and die for it. She was so sincere and innocent, as if just showing their kind the outside world would solve all problems.

Can seeing the sky outside the cage really change everything?

Tasha is not optimistic about this.

Among the many half-orcs, some people are destined to have the dream of the forest running in their veins. Just like the Druid who has been exiled for a hundred years, like the Dragon Knight who has given up his noble status to search for dragons for decades, many of them have innate qualities that are hard to erase. They will gradually fall in love with the freedom of the sky and the earth, or they may fall in love with the forest at first sight, embracing freedom like a wanderer returning home. But there are also those who avoid it like the plague, fearing freedom, fearing their own kind running towards the outside of the cage, and even hating them.

Time can change many things, half a century can change a lot, let alone two hundred years of chaos and exile? The returning colonies cast doubtful glances at their motherland, countries that regained independence centuries later still hold onto memories of their former colonial powers for centuries to come. The new residents of the occupied areas consider themselves as enemies, even though the rulers treat them as second-class citizens. Such examples are countless.

Can we blame them? The butler with antlers has been ingrained with the etiquette of a servant since childhood, in his mind, the wealth of the master is a matter of course. The maid with a fox tail knows nothing of her ancestors’ past, the rootless drifter goes with the flow, her world is only as big as a house, everything outside is so frightening. The pet girl with cat ears thinks she has escaped a terrible fate, how lucky is she to receive the love and privileges of the master over her own kind? It’s not easy to be in their situation, they are not willing to give it up.

Do they know their future? They may not have seen what happens to their kind in this mansion as they age (or not age), but they must have noticed the disrespect from people, they must know that elderly of their kind are nowhere to be seen. Yet they refuse to escape, preferring to deceive themselves, turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to all signs of trouble, pretending that their lives will always be as bright and busy as the flickering candlelight, the music playing, and the feasts being held every night.

Why? Marion asked Tasha in confusion.

Because they have never seen freedom, Tasha replied this way.

That answer only tells half the story.

A harsh way to say it is that it’s easier to kneel and beg for protection from the strong than to stand up and fight. Staying the same may be painful, but it doesn’t require bravery or risking danger. In this world, there are heroes and villains, but mostly just ordinary people feeling lost and helpless. As long as humans remain in charge, there will always be others wanting to serve them willingly.

Marion will surely be disappointed when she realizes this. She may be sad and in pain, but she won’t fall because Tasha is there for her, like parents are for a child taking their first steps.

If you love a baby eagle, you must let it learn to fly. Marion’s simple happiness is lovely, but it would be a waste to keep her as a pet or a follower. Tasha sends Worgen girl out to let Marion observe everything outside, while Tasha watches her too.

Marion’s feelings are pure and straightforward, she doesn’t pretend or deceive. Her emotions are rich and sincere, her soul is like a precious gem, brave, strong, and with a unique charm. Instead of trying to fit into the city’s rules and suppressing her fiery nature to deal with merchants, Marion is clearly better suited for a different place.

Besides prostitutes and pets, Orc slaves have another way of being handled.

——————————

The iron gate opened, bringing in new prisoners. Jacob looked up as the new arrivals were escorted to the adjacent cell, scanning their faces and feeling slightly relieved.

The newly captured Orcs are easy to spot. They show fresh anger or fear in their eyes, some defiantly growl at the guards and quickly learn their lesson, as a guard’s bad mood can easily lead to serious injuries – they are not allowed to kill the prisoners, but they can leave you with a hurt eye or broken bones, which can be fatal in the arena the next day. Some try to stay calm but have wandering eyes, searching for weaknesses in the cell and hoping to escape. These few are typical "newcomers."

So tonight there will be a "rookie show," these untrained Orcs are the highlight of the arena night, which means Jacob might live to see another day.

The smallest one with colorful hair and a bold look was pushed into the room and spat at the prison door. A big guy with horns stood silently, his eyes cautiously scanning the others. A young guy anxiously twisted the handcuffs on his hands, looking quite scared. An older man coughed, sounding like he had a lung injury or some illness, Jacob guessed he might not survive tomorrow. When he looked at the last person, Jacob froze.

He wasn’t the only one to look surprised, as the prison cell jokingly called the "waiting room" was separated by iron bars, allowing clear visibility, with everyone craning their necks. The fifth person was a petite woman.

Jacob pressed his forehead against the iron bars, looking towards the nearby shadow. If his lineage brought him any advantage, being able to see clearly in this dimness was one. He saw a woman with short white hair, a pretty face, and triangular ears standing on her head. The woman barely reached Jacob’s chest, young and pretty, she didn’t seem like she belonged here.

Were the people coming up with new ideas? The audience’s taste was getting more demanding, craving more excitement and blood, but the boss couldn’t end every fight in death, the Orc gladiator couldn’t withstand so much. To meet people’s expectations, more brutal weapons and worse terrains were added, untrained new combatants, and some gladiators brought in just to increase the number – Jacob had seen ordinary humans sewn with beast ears – so the boss had a sudden idea of bringing in a crying beauty to hype up the atmosphere of the arena, which didn’t seem impossible.

The white-haired girl lifted her head, locking eyes with Jacob as if she could see him clearly in this environment. Her gaze was as cold as a wild beast, making Jacob immediately dismiss his previous thoughts.

She certainly wasn’t someone who would cry, her eyes gleaming in the darkness…bringing back some distant memories to Jacob that were almost forgotten. Even tearing this person apart in the arena might not entertain the audience much. Perhaps she had angered her owner, leading to her being sent here?

The icy gaze was like a laser, not softening for even a second. The guard walked out, closing the big iron gate, and the white-haired girl immediately approached her fellow prisoner, saying, "I’m Marion, what’s your name?"

"Terence," the big guy with horns answered first, soon joined by the others.

They started chatting, exchanging names, telling each other where they came from. Most new slaves who just learned their fate were cursing, while a small number, like now, tried to huddle together for warmth in this cold human cage, sharing their hearts with their own kind, as if it gave them a sense of belonging. Their illusion wouldn’t last long before reality shattered it, which would probably not be a pretty sight.

But at least now, they quickly became familiar with each other, their expressions became lively as they talked, and their worries were cast into unseen corners. The woman named Marion seemed completely unaware of her situation, she had a remarkable spirit, a different kind of energy that made it difficult for those nearby to look away. "It will be okay!" she said confidently, making this simple comfort sound like reality.

This scene floated like feathers in Jacob’s mind, stirring up a few specks of memories. He remembered people from the past, remembered his past self, triggering memories but not enough to be touched. Being fearless like a newborn calf facing a tiger is not a great virtue, such people come and go quickly, either they can’t survive, or they change, it’s hard to say which is luckier.

"Hello?"

Jacob’s thoughts floated aimlessly in mid-air, the voice rang several times before he realized the other person was talking to him. Marion grabbed the iron bars, asked for his name, and a few others who came in with resentment and alertness even glanced over, as if this was some kind of social occasion. They seemed to have hypnotized each other successfully, but Jacob, he didn’t want to bother playing this kind of game.

"No need." He shook his head, "No need to remember the names of the dead."

"What do you mean?!" The skinny guy suddenly became furious, lunging towards the iron bars, Terence caught his swinging fist – you see, now Jacob knows the name of the man with the horns, involuntarily. Hopefully he can forget this soon, not to look at the body later and remember.

"No one is going to die." Marion said, "We will make it out alive!"

She understood Jacob’s meaning, but uttered these naive words. Jacob pulled the corners of his mouth without a smile, pointing to the other side of the cell.

Ding! At that moment, the bell rang.

The lights were turned on as they chatted, illuminating the indoor arena. The bell rang seven times, and the large gates on the ground opened with a bang, welcoming the audience for the night. The indoor arena was shaped like an upside-down cone without the point. Soon, the tiered seating for the nobles would be filled, and the place Orc slaves had to go was beneath the raised platform. From there, they could see the highly anticipated arena next to the cages adjoining the bottom of the cone. Gladiators temporarily confined in the waiting room could see how their colleagues who went in first spilled blood on the ground and the other side of the arena where a large wooden cage housed wild beasts.

End of waiting time.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" the host’s voice rang out, "We are fortunate to have captured a new Hybrid from the jungle! We all know that Orc bloodline comes from beasts, so when these wild hunters from the forest encounter hungry beasts themselves, who do you think will win?"

A huge wooden cage was pushed into the arena, the black cloth covering it was removed to reveal a massive brown bear. The beast, hungry for who knows how long, was provoked by the firelight, standing and pounding its huge paws against the thick railing, causing the entire cage to rattle. The audience was thrilled, shedding their polished manners as applause and cheers drowned out the bear’s roars in the arena.

The newcomers’ cages opened from the other side, guards wielding weapons drove them out, similar to how the bear tamers drove out the giant bear on the opposite side. Shackles were removed, and the newcomers were herded toward the weapon rack in the arena. The weapons for the fight were all made of wood, leaving many scars on the beasts until either the gladiator or the beast bled to death. Tension returned to the faces of the newcomers as they numbly watched the arena from the waiting room.

Jacob chose to close his eyes, waiting for the bloody fight to end. He learned the names of two of them, saw the looks in their eyes, and felt a hint of pity. What’s the point? The surviving Orcs would also be sent to the gladiator training school, waiting to become official gladiators to fight again. Marion spoke nonsense, or rather sarcasm. They would never leave again in their lifetime, and everyone would die, either in this fight or the next.

The arena suddenly fell silent, then erupted into cheers a second later, accompanied by loud whistle sounds that almost lifted the roof of the arena.

Did someone die? This was too fast, and the audience, accustomed to death, was too enthusiastic. Jacob hesitated for a moment, then opened his eyes.

The five people in the arena were still standing; it was the bear that had fallen.

"What a beautiful strike!" the host shouted hoarsely, "The newcomer Orc only took one hit to bring down the beast!"

Marion stood next to the giant bear’s body and pulled out a wooden spear from its eye. She quickly turned around and said something to the people nearby.

She looked excited, not talking about the bear or giving vague encouragement. Her face was facing Jacob, who read her lips.

"Look at the stage!" she said, "That person is holding the sponsor’s flag, the whistle they are using has the same logo, all coming from the southeast, made by our fellow countrymen…"

The words that flowed into Jacob’s ears during his daydream slowly came back to him. He remembered what she had talked about in the cell, speaking convincingly about a safe and free land. Marion mentioned a land ruled by a different race in the southeast, where humans and other races lived peacefully, dragons flew in the sky, and dwarves and Orcs could walk in the sunlight. She said that as long as one wanted to live well, they could find peace and abundance there, she said… Her words seemed like a dream in broad daylight, unbelievable tales.

She talked too much, painting such a beautiful story that even Jacob, who didn’t want to listen, heard so much. At this moment, this flood of information hit him hard, and he realized that he had actually memorized so much.

"Believe me!" Marion said, "As long as…"

Jacob saw the flicker of hope on the faces of those recently distressed half-bloods, people with Orc blood, who grew up in Orc tribes, instinctively placed some trust in powerful warriors. Did being able to fight mean they were trustworthy? Jacob was almost angry, for the hope on their faces, for the turmoil in his own heart. In this place, where numb and greedy gladiators survived the longest, any unrealistic instigation would make the coming days even more unbearable. How could one hold onto hope during every hopeless day?

"Ladies and gentlemen! Is tonight’s entertainment coming to an end?" the host dragged out his voice.

"No!" people shouted.

"No!" the host exclaimed loudly, "The Orc defeating the beast, how does that compare to their own kind? Who will have the last laugh, the experienced gladiator or the wild Orc? Let’s start with the little bear slayer first!"

Another prison door was opened.

The beast show wasn’t over; the blood brought by the beasts was just appetizers. Combat between Orcs was always a regular feature in the arena; trained Orc gladiators would defeat newcomers, kill those who were disabled in the previous match, leaving permanent scars on the survivors, just like they once experienced. Humans needed them to teach the new gladiators an important lesson: here, Orcs were destined to fight their own kind to prolong their lives, to battle to the death for human entertainment.

"Her opponent is – Black Bear Ted! Can the little bear slayer take down this humanoid black bear with just one spear?"

The gladiator from the neighboring cage walked out, not very tall but very sturdy, he picked up a short sword and a heavy tower shield in front of everyone’s eyes. The shield could cover his head and shins, as heavy as a wall, Ted had used it to smash opponents’ brains out. Someone started chanting his name, "I bet on you to win!" a voice from somewhere shouted, "Smash her head flat!"

At the request of the people, Ted was fully armored, only exposing his head, with a pair of abnormally developed black ears standing on his shaved scalp, looking particularly strange compared to normal human ears. Marion opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something, but Ted had already roared and charged forward, his shield larger than Marion’s entire body.

Black Bear Ted may not have as much experience as old Jacob, but this scarred old gladiator was more vicious, even deliberately injuring his opponents, to increase his own survival rate in the future— the boss loathed such losses, but the audience adored him. If Marion couldn’t act, she would surely fall to Ted.

Marion stood still, Jacob waited for the conclusion of this innocent young girl.

She jumped up in the nick of time before getting hit, leaped out of the range of the tower shield sweep, and swiftly aimed her gun downwards. With the belief that no one would die, she shot Ted in the back of his neck, causing him to fall forward without a sound. His heavy body hit the railing, leaving a noticeable dent from the impact of the tower shield.

Jacob let out a sigh, unsure if he felt relieved or disappointed. Marion survived, but her innocent thoughts did not… Wait, are the people on the ground gasping for air?

Black Bear Ted was unconscious, his eyes rolled back with shallow breaths. Marion, without hesitation, changed the position of her wooden spear and struck Ted not with the spearhead, but with the shaft. Jacob thought Marion would hesitate, but she did not. Jacob thought Marion would show mercy, but she did not.

The atmosphere in the audience seats became more intense, with only a few losing bets cursing Ted’s name, while others loudly praised the rising star in the arena tonight. The host crowned Marion as "Miss Miracle," "A dark horse!" he exclaimed, so excited it seemed like he might faint at any moment. Jacob’s face pressed against the railing again, his heart pounding, unable to articulate his anticipation.

Marion’s second opponent was also a veteran, wearing leather armor, wielding a net in one hand, and a trident in the other. The previous two bears were powerhouses, while this one relied on agility, running circles around Marion until eventually being brought down by a spear thrust. The Orc girl’s timing was unparalleled, like the finest jungle hunter. The atmosphere in the stands erupted, and if stares had weight, Marion would surely have been buried under them. Jacob, however, just kept staring at the fallen man, watching him breathe.

"Miracle!" the audience shouted.

"Miracle?" Jacob whispered.

He shook his head, seeing the prison gates open before him.

"The final challenge!" the host shouted hoarsely, "Our Mountain Lion Jacob!"

His equipment was a small shield and a dagger, the audience didn’t like him wearing leather armor, so Jacob went shirtless, only wearing a cloth shorts. His final opponent in the debut fight was playfully called the "Newbie Killer" by the people.

The usual routine was for the old gladiators to defeat the newbies one by one, sending them off the stage to either the gladiator school or the morgue. Normally, there would be casualties in the beast fights. Normally, a veteran would defeat the newcomers one by one, rarely any newbie could win, let alone being stuck at the first one and making it all the way to the final round like this. Marion acted as a shield, standing between the other newcomers and the old gladiators, turning this brutal lesson into her own solo performance, but that was it for her.

People had seen the miracle, now they wanted to see blood.

The battle erupted the moment Jacob stepped into the arena. Marion was a clever hunter, but Jacob was more experienced. He had spent his childhood in the forest, trained relentlessly in the harsh gladiator school during his youth, and survived through battles in the arena in his adulthood. His movements were swift, fierce, and accurate, no frills, as his dagger pierced Marion’s side in the first close encounter.

She swiftly rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the following stab. Her blood dripped from the gleaming dagger to the ground, reflecting in the spectators’ eyes, causing a stir. The audience behaved like sharks, leeches, and flies smelling blood, their eyes glowing red in the spotlight.

Marion dodged, but Jacob was already close, the long spear had no place in this proximity. He was not as young as before, the burst of energy wouldn’t last long, his stamina couldn’t compete with the newbie’s, but his speed matched Marion’s and his skills were superior. The silver dagger danced around the Worgen’s body like a fish, each close encounter leaving a red line, ready to make the cuts deeper if Marion couldn’t keep up with him.

It was a terrible experience for the girl, with Jacob so close, he could see her flashing canine teeth. He sensed the increasingly strong animalistic scent on her, the wolf-like aggression piercing his senses, making his hair stand on end, throat itching. Jacob almost growled back when Marion growled low, surpassing training, almost instinctual.

The dagger cut through the wooden spear.

The audience in the stands gasped and screamed, but it felt distant to Jacob. When the wooden spear shattered, he realized a fatal mistake.

The wooden spear was not Marion’s preferred weapon, instead, it was like a skin worn by wild animals.

Marion let out a chilling roar, rushed towards with a dagger, and the suddenly elongated nails clashed against the blade, making a sound of metal colliding. The immense force caused the dagger to slip from her hand, giving Jacob no time to react as sharp teeth pressed against his throat.

He gasped under the wolf’s kiss, the reddish-brown hair on his ears stood on end, trembling uncontrollably, a mix of fear and excitement. Jacob was frozen, as if facing the top of the food chain. His diluted Orc bloodline sent a warning, as he saw in his illusion the silhouette of a giant white wolf, both beautiful and terrifying.

In the illusion, the white wolf bared its teeth.

Marion released her grip, gasping as she got up, her teeth and nails reluctantly retracting. The world around her returned, the sounds of the arena pounding in Jacob’s head. Marion reached out to him, but he did not grasp it or attempt to get up on his own. Jacob knew it was all over.

"Kill him!"

"Kill him!"

Countless voices shouted.

Jacob had once been popular in the arena, but now in his late thirties, past the golden age of gladiators, being the finale act in a newcomer show was his only chance of survival. If he couldn’t defeat Marion, the humans would dispose of him like useless garbage. Lying on the arena floor, he surprisingly did not feel particularly regretful – if anyone had to survive between them, Marion would be the better choice.

At this moment, he realized what had excited him earlier. In a brief illusion, he felt there was something unburned on him. The guard cleaning the area dragged Jacob’s arm. He thought, too bad the giant wolf didn’t bite his throat, that would have been a better way to die.

"Tell us your wish, Miss Miracle!" The host said in a very exciting way. "As the only gladiator who made it to the end of the talent show, what do you want to come true? A vacation, treasure, or – forgiveness?"

"Forgiveness!" Marion said, pointing at Jacob. "Forgive him!"

Booing could be heard everywhere. Marion repeated in the jeers. "Are you sure? You can ask for anything, even forgiveness for yourself!" The host said, "You can choose to never participate in battles again, becoming the mascot of the arena!"

"I’m sure," Marion said. Jacob saw her mouthing, "You cannot give me what I want." Her expression was almost a smirk.

Jacob survived.

He didn’t know how he survived, he didn’t deserve this miracle in any way. Miracle, that word was on everyone’s lips tonight. All the gladiators in the waiting room stared at the arena, watching Marion, like witnessing lightning or shooting stars across the sky, their eyes lit up in the darkness. The audience leaving the venue excitedly discussed the new unexpected winner, treating it as a remarkable story. Jacob looked at the newbies who were about to go to the gladiator school, at Marion’s confident figure, feeling that something was about to change.

Maybe he could believe, he couldn’t help but want to believe… this peculiar Worgen girl wouldn’t vanish in an instant.