CHAPTER 115: INSIDE THE BEAST

They reappeared in what appeared to be a small closet like room with a broken bed pushed against one wall. The air smelled of unwashed bodies and despair, thick with the lingering odors of too many people crammed into too little space. Rough wooden planks formed the walls, with gaps that let in drafts and the distant sounds of machinery. A single small window, grimy with years of neglect, provided barely enough light to see the cramped quarters.

The broken bed consisted of a straw mattress that had seen better days, its stuffing spilling out through tears in the rough fabric. A thin, threadbare blanket lay crumpled at the foot. The floor was dirt packed hard by countless footsteps, with strange stains that Marcus didn't want to think about too closely.

Since Malachar used his mind magic to control the slave workers, there was no need for locks or guards in the living quarters. The enslaved people couldn't even think of escape when their minds weren't their own.

Marcus looked around the miserable space and felt his stomach turn. This was where human beings were forced to live while building Malachar's empire of conquest.

"My Aldric. Really, when did that happen?" Marcus asked with a small grin, trying to lighten the mood despite their grim surroundings.

Aldric shifted uncomfortably, adjusting his pack of explosives. "You know Sara, she always talks like that."

"Nah. Some things changed. The way she said it jokingly, this was serious," Marcus observed, noting the defensive tone in his friend's voice.

Aldric's face reddened slightly. "We kind of got closer while making these," he said, gesturing to his bag full of bombs. "Spending long hours working together on dangerous projects, you start to rely on each other differently."

"Guys, keep it down. Where are we?" Tom interrupted, his enhanced hearing picking up sounds from outside their temporary hiding place.

Marcus examined their surroundings more carefully, noting the personal touches that suggested long term habitation. "I guess this was Palwin's quarters before Celestine saved her. Look at the scratches on the wall, like someone was counting days."

Tom's expression darkened as he took in the squalid conditions. "No way this shithole was where she lived."

"What's the plan now?" Aldric asked, checking his equipment and peering toward the single small window.

Marcus pulled out the crude mind protection device, its copper wires gleaming dully in the dim light. "Look, we didn't have time to create two more devices to protect from Malachar. If we see him, I'll put the machine on the floor."

Tom examined the strange contraption with obvious confusion. "What is that thing?"

"Just listen. I'll put this on the ground. Tom, you fight close range, so you have to hold this." Marcus showed them how the machine consisted of two parts: the big chunky crude battery and the actual device that nullified Malachar's magic. The device was tethered to the battery with exposed copper wire that sparked occasionally.

"The rest of the exposed parts I'm hoping transmit the device's power. It might electrocute us, but it should be five volts, so we should handle it," Marcus explained, though uncertainty colored his voice.

Aldric frowned with concern. "Marcus, what are you talking about? You want us to grab onto something that might shock us?"

"Just when I put this down, try to touch it with your bare skin, any exposed metal piece. It might hurt a little, but don't let go. My idea is when it's on the ground, Tom can hold the device and Aldric and I can put our feet on it to protect us."

Tom hefted the device, testing its weight. "Will it really protect us from his mind control?"

Marcus felt the weight of responsibility pressing down on him. "I honestly don't know. Let's hope he's not here." But that would mean Malachar was commanding the army at the siege, and Marcus couldn't imagine which scenario was worse.

The sound of distant machinery grew louder, accompanied by what sounded like shouting and the rhythmic pounding of heavy equipment. Steam hissed through the gaps in the walls, carrying with it the acrid smell of burning coal and something else, something chemical that made their eyes water.

"We need to move," Marcus decided. "Every minute we stay here increases the chance someone discovers us."

Tom moved to the small window and peered out carefully. "There are more buildings like this one. Rows and rows of them. And I can see people moving around, but they're walking weird. Like they're not really awake."

"That's Malachar's mind control," Marcus explained grimly. "Those people probably don't even know where they are or what they're doing. They're just following whatever commands he's planted in their heads."

Aldric checked his explosive charges one more time. "How many people do you think are trapped here?"

"Hundreds, maybe thousands," Marcus replied, feeling the enormity of what they were attempting. "But we can't save them all today. We complete our mission first, then maybe we can find a way to help them."

The crude protection device hummed slightly when Marcus tested the connection between battery and main unit. Sparks jumped between exposed wires, creating tiny flashes of light in the dim room.

"At least it's working," Tom observed. "Sort of."

"It has to work," Marcus said with more confidence than he felt. "Celestine said similar technology worked on other worlds against mind control creatures."

Through the thin walls, they could hear the sound of footsteps approaching. Multiple sets, moving in the unnaturally synchronized pattern that suggested mind controlled workers.

"Someone's coming," Aldric whispered, gripping his pack of explosives.

Marcus held up a hand for silence, listening carefully to the approaching sounds. The footsteps passed by their hiding place without stopping, continuing toward what sounded like a larger building complex.

Tom tested his enhanced abilities one more time, his muscles rippling with barely contained magical energy. "I'm ready for whatever we find out there."

"Remember," Marcus said quietly, "our goal is to find what Celestine needs and get out. We're not here to start a war or rescue everyone today. We complete the mission and return to help defend Drakmoor."

Aldric nodded grimly. "Though if we get the chance to hurt Malachar's operation while we're here..."

"We'll see what opportunities present themselves," Marcus agreed. "But the primary mission comes first."

The sound of machinery grew even louder, suggesting they were near the main facility. Steam continued to hiss through the walls, and the chemical smell grew stronger, making breathing uncomfortable.

"Whatever they're doing in there, it's big," Tom observed, noting the constant noise and activity.

Marcus carefully packed the mind protection device, ensuring the connections remained secure. "Then we better make sure we're ready for anything."

The weight of planetery responsibility settled over them as they prepared to leave their temporary refuge. They were attempting to prevent the conquest of their world, using equipment they weren't sure would work, in a facility designed by one of the most dangerous beings any of them had ever encountered.

But standing there with his chosen family, Marcus felt ready for whatever they would face. The mission that had seemed impossible when Celestine first proposed it now felt achievable with the right team and proper preparation.

"Let's go steal some world seed technology," Marcus said quietly.

"Together," Tom replied with determination.

"Together," they all agreed.

The infiltration of Malachar's power plant was about to begin in earnest.