Daily Struggle

 “What’s wrong?” Madoc asked. Samuel looked at him with a baffled expression. “Are you upset about yesterday?”

“Obviously.”

“Sure, we got quite a beating but we’re still here aren’t we?”

“I thought the point was to not be here any more.”

“Funny. We’re alive and while the punishment was painful, it was still worth trying. Do you disagree?”

Samuel was unsure about his own feelings. He hadn’t even recovered from the various kinds of pain from his earlier injuries. “I suppose I agree. I wanted to take my destiny in my own hands. I just figured it would be more serious.”

“Well, these things should be taken as they come. If you see an opportunity you should take it. If not, plan extensively.”

“You’ve done this before.”

“Yes. Haven’t had a success yet as you can see. I have made it further in the past though.”

Samuel could only shake his head. “They don’t seem too strict about it all things considering.”

“The first time I tried, I was wetting myself from fear after they caught me. I don’t know, maybe it’s like sport to them. A way to break up the monotony.”

“Why don’t they just command us to go back, if they can control us.”

“I’m not sure how it works, but I think that the effect becomes lesser with distance. As long as you’re out of reach before they figure it out, you should be able to walk away.”

“Or they just want you think that you can.”

“What’s that?”

“Just a thought. Maybe they can command you, but choose not to and give you false hope.”

“Please man don’t, that’s too depressing to think about.”

Despite that idea, Samuel figured that Madoc’s explanation made more sense. He had felt a weak pull to return but couldn’t say whether it was due to his own fear or the Cyrhil command.

“Do we ever get any food?”

“Yesterday we missed lunch when we escaped. They need workers so they actually do feed us. Even if it is disgusting.” At that he scrunched his face. Even if the gesture wasn’t so different from his grimacing smile, it was easy enough to tell the two apart. “You won’t like it,” he warned.

They worked for a while longer and spent the time going through basic vocabulary. It was probably in late afternoon that the work was stopped, though it was hard to tell since even during the day the barren wasteland saw only a little light. The workers were gathered at the bottom of the pit.

“Get ready,” Madoc said. A sack thudded to the ground. A couple more followed suit. The slaves lunged for the bags. The difference with their usual muted behaviour was jarring. “Go!” Madoc shouted. He deftly passed between the people. The first had already reached some of the bags and were tearing them up. Some of them were trying to eat whatever they pulled out, while some of the others began pushing and then fighting for their food even though most of it was still untouched.

Samuel could only look for a while. His stomach began rumbling and he ran after Madoc. People were getting in his way and tried pushing him away. Despite their uncharacteristic vigour, most of the people were still quite weak due to exhaustion and malnourishment. With some effort Samuel was able to push through even with his one arm. He made his way to the bags, where Madoc was already ripping a bag away from one of the other slaves. He waved for Samuel to come closer.

The next moment Samuel’s knees buckled because of the pain. He looked to his side and saw that one of the slaves had hit him in the yet unhealed stump of his arm. He howled with fury and pain he swung his remaining fist into the face of the offender. He could feel the nose crack under the strike. The man collapsed, rolled on the ground and cried. He turned around with a snarl challenging any others to come and try him. The ones closest to him cringed away in fear. He was breathing deep and fast and slowly the rage began subsiding. Madoc approached him and handed him a large piece of meat.

“Are you all right?”

Samuel stared at the strange food and took a bite. It tasted awful but his stomach growled again. “I’m fine.” He ate the remainder of the meat and kept himself from thinking about what had just happened.

In the nights he dreaded having dreams, as they always turned into nightmares. His surreal circumstances became a routine. Even with the excitement of fighting for food or the more occasional excitement caused by another slave giving up, it was more understandable to Samuel how people would become apathetic and just do the minimum required to survive another day. Perhaps without Madoc he might have become one of them. He managed to pick up quite a lot of the language and spent many hours in Madoc’s company. There were times however, when Madoc was assigned to mining or digging duty leaving Samuel to ruminate his fate. He was never assigned to such a duty. It seemed that despite their captors’ obvious evil tendencies, they nevertheless cared about efficiency and spared him any task that was impossible due to his disability. A chance came every few days or so, when they felt they had a chance to escape the slave pits. It was almost always done in the heat of the moment with little to no planning. On some occasions though, Madoc would cook up an elaborate scheme by analysing the guard routes and timing the changing of the guard. Without fail, the guards brought them back in and attempted to beat some sense into them. Even this became just another part of the routine.

“My name is Samuel,” he said one day after they had worked in silence for a little while, exhausted from their lessons and work. It was the first time Samuel saw a shocked expression on Madoc’s face. It brought a wry smile to his face. “I was going to tell you earlier but there was never a good moment.” It was a little embarrassing for him to say. He had progressed to the point, where the he could hold the entire conversation in the language of the strange new world.

“Nice to finally meet you Samuel,” Madoc said.

“Where did you come from?” Samuel asked. It was a question that had bothered him about the man since the beginning. He got a grimace in reply.

“I’ve come from a place far away. I’ve travelled many distant lands and sailed many shores. In the end, however, I was captured and enslaved here. Much like you, I imagine.”

It wasn’t exactly the answer Samuel had hoped for but something in Madoc’s voice told him that was all he would say for now. I guess I’m not the only one unwilling to share my secrets. Still, he didn’t blame Madoc for it. Their private thoughts and memories were the only things that were left to them undefiled by everything they were forced to go through day by day. Before he could say anything else, he was forced down to his knees by the faint command in his head. Anger surged within him and he felt for the collar around his neck. He was no closer to figuring out whether it was responsible for the commands he felt. Even if he had got used to them directing him in his everyday work, it was still infuriating how they were able to play with him like a puppet in such a disruptive and sudden way.

A Cyrhil walked down the slope into the pit, accompanied by a guard at each side. Instead of the disorganised pieces of armour and cloth worn by most of the others, he was wearing intricate clothes and a long cloak, and was adorned with many pieces of jewellery that seemed to shine in the dim afternoon light. His face had the texture of old bark with a greenish tint. All the other slaves had also been forced to their knees.

He inspected the fruits of the slave labour. A piece of rock floated to his hand from a basket. It levitated above his hand and slowly spun around. After viewing it for a while, a bright red flame engulfed his hand and the rock. Despite the substantial distance between them, Samuel thought he could feel the heat from the fire. It died down in seconds and left something small and shiny in the hands of the Cyrhil. As he left the pit, string winds blew in his wake.

“What was that?” Samuel stared in awe.

“It’s magic. Sorry, that’s one of the areas that I have little knowledge in,” Madoc replied with a thoughtful expression. “That warlock, for example, did you notice the artefacts he carried like the shining necklace for example? That amulet thing helps him tap into the magic energies.”

“Have you ever tried it?”

“No. However, I believe that in principle most people have at least some natural inclination towards it.” Madoc’s eyes seemed to shine as he spoke about it. It was understandable, Samuel also couldn’t help but imagine having the power.

No one would ever cage me like an animal again. These ugly curs would regret not leaving me to die in the wasteland. Every single one will pay.