Chapter 34 Toxic Liquid

With a deep, shuddering breath, Kaka closed his eyes and focused his energy. His body convulsed as he fought against the urge to retch, the pressure within him building to unbearable levels. Finally, he gagged, his body convulsing as the first stream of water burst forth, a violent eruption that sent shockwaves through his core. With a violent heave, a torrent of water erupted from his mouth, streaming into the waiting pool with a sickening splash.

Kaka's stomach lurched again, a deep, gut-wrenching spasm that threatened to tear him apart. His mouth opened wide, and a torrent of water sprayed out, thicker and more viscous than before. It splattered against the floor, creating a grotesque symphony of sounds - the hiss of escaping air, the gurgle of liquid, and the wet slap of impact.

The hatchlings watched in horrified fascination as the pool of water grew, filling the pit to the brim. Kaka's body shuddered with each expulsion, his belly gradually deflating as the water was released. When at last the flow ceased, he collapsed on the ground, gasping for air, his face pale and sweat-soaked.

"There... there you go, little ones. Moisten those little throats. Drink... Quench your thirst. Drink up, it's all for you." Kaka gasped, his voice weak and strained.

The hatchlings, their tiny eyes wide with a mix of fear and gratitude, hesitantly approached the pool of water. The surface of the water was still churning from Kaka's expulsion, creating tiny waves that reflected their small faces. The air was thick with the smell of bile, a potent reminder of Kaka's torment.

One by one, they knelt beside the pool, their eyes darting between the murky liquid and Kaka's exhausted form. They were young, naive to the full extent of their master's cruelty, but even they could sense the weight of misery that hung over this place. Yet, thirst overruled fear, and their cracked lips parted in silent plea for sustenance. Their parched throats had yearned for this relief, and now, under Kaka's watchful gaze, they began to lap at the liquid, their tongues darting out with the urgency of survival.

The first hatchling, a brave soul with a patchy skin, leaned forward. His tongue snaked out tentatively, touching the surface of the water. A shiver ran through his body as the brackish taste registered on his palate, but he swallowed hard, forcing himself to drink. The others watched, their throats bobbing as they mimicked his actions, each dip of the tongue into the pool accompanied by a grimace of disgust. Their throats work furiously to swallow the life-giving fluid.

As they drank, their bodies reacted in strange ways. Small convulsions rippled through their frames, a testament to the toxicity of the liquid they were ingesting. Yet, they continued, driven by a primal need to survive. Their eyes glazed over, not with pleasure, but with a dull resignation, as if they had accepted this as their fate.

As the hatchlings drank, their bellies began to swell, a grotesque result of their gluttony. Their skin stretched taut over their protruding stomachs, and their breaths came in short, gasping bursts. Yet, they did not stop, driven by a force stronger than reason - the will to live.

Kaka, watching from his prone position, felt a surge of empathy mixed with self-loathing. He knew that he was the source of their suffering, yet powerless to stop it. His own throat burned with the memory of the violent expulsions, and his stomach roiled at the thought of what he had done. Tears welled up in his eyes, blurring his vision as he watched the hatchlings struggle.

As they drank, Kaka lay back, his chest heaving with each ragged breath. The torture had taken its toll, leaving him drained and suffering. His skin clung to his bones, pale and clammy, a stark contrast to the vibrant green of our goblin kin. I knelt beside Kaka, my hands gentle as I tried to offer what little comfort I could.

"Kaka, you survived. Nasty Slasher is gone for now. We are still alive. We endured," I whispered, my voice barely audible above the sound of Kaka's labored breathing.

"Kaka, we must stay strong. For them, for us, we must endure. We will find a way to escape this place. We will."

"Yes, we must be strong. We must leave this place," Kaka whispered to me, his eyes meeting mine with a glimmer of resilience.

"Yes, for them, for us, we must endure."

I nodded, my heart heavy with sorrow. We had survived another night of Slasher's brutality, and though the scars ran deep, our bond remained unbroken.

The next day, I trudged back to the fields, the weight of the previous day’s horrors still heavy on my mind. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a dull, gray light over the crop fields. The air was thick with the stench of sweat, blood, and the pungent odor of unwashed goblin bodies. Each step was a reminder of the pain and suffering that had become my daily existence. But today, something was different. A small, stubborn ember of hope flickered deep within me, refusing to be snuffed out by the cruelty that surrounded me.

As I bent down to pluck yet another weed, my thoughts drifted back to the moment with Loran who had shown me a kindness I hadn’t known in years. His eyes, though clouded with the pain of his captivity, had held a warmth that was rare in this hellish place. It was a fleeting gesture, a brief touch that had spoken volumes. At that moment, I had felt something I hadn’t in a long time - hope. But with that hope came a gnawing anxiety. Kaka’s warning still echoed in my ears, a reminder of the danger that lurked behind every shadow. Could I really trust Loran? Or was I simply grasping at the first sign of kindness in a place where cruelty was our daily life?

As I worked, my mind raced with thoughts of escape. The idea of freedom was a distant dream, one that seemed almost impossible given our circumstances. But it was a dream worth fighting for. It was the only thing that kept me going, the only thing that gave me a reason to endure the pain and suffering. I imagined what it would be like to break free from these tortures, to see the sun without the bars of a cage obstructing its light, to walk on land that wasn’t stained with the blood of the innocent. To live in a goblin village where all could smile and be happy. The thought filled me with a fierce longing.

As I glanced at Loran's cage, I made a silent vow. One day, I would find a way to free us all. No matter the cost, no matter the sacrifice, I would fight for that dream. The thought of all of us being free, of seeing the other goblins smile again, of hearing laughter instead of cries, was a vision I clung to with every ounce of strength I had left.

By evening, I made my way back to the shed. In the corner, nestled in a pile of old straws and hey, was Kaka. He was awake, his tired eyes watching me as I entered. Despite the exhaustion that was evident in the dark circles beneath his eyes and the slump of his small, frail shoulders, there was a flicker of life in his gaze, a spark that told me he was still fighting, still holding on.

"What's on your mind, little Hermit?" he asked softly.

I hesitated for a moment, struggling to find the right words to express the thoughts that had been racing through my mind all day.

"I’m thinking about freedom, Kaka," I finally said, my voice trembling slightly as the words tumbled out. 

"We can’t stay here. We will die if we do. Slasher… he won’t stop. He’ll keep coming back, and each time it’ll be worse. We need to escape before he comes and brutally beats us again. We have to leave this place, Kaka, before it’s too late."

"There’s a way, Kaka," I said, my voice growing stronger as I spoke.

 "The adventurer, Loran… he’s different. He’s not like the others. He could help us. We don’t have to go with him, but we could work together. We could help each other escape this place and then go our separate ways. It’s a risk, I know, but it’s a risk we have to take. We can’t stay here and wait for Slasher to come back. We’ll die if we do."

Kaka nodded, his expression somber.

"True, you speak true, little Hermit. But we must be careful. If we decide to escape, we need a plan. And we need to be sure we can trust the adventurer. I will sneak out when I find a chance and chat with him, see what is he like, and what he needs. If I sense he is dangerous, we will not seek his help. But I do agree that we need to escape this place, he is an adventurer and with him here others will come looking for him, sooner or later. And if they come, this place will fall, just like the last breeding farm. They always do."

With Kaka's warning echoing in my mind, our calm evening was suddenly shattered by the slam of our shed door. It was Slasher. The sound sent shivers down my spine, and we convulsed from fright, our bodies trembling with the primal instinct to flee from the approaching danger. The tiny hatchlings, innocent and vulnerable, burst into a frenzy of panic. Their tiny bodies darted in every direction like frightened mice fleeing from a hungry predator, seeking a hiding place just as Kaka had taught them.

Chaos ensued as the hatchlings scrambled desperately, their tiny feet pounding against the cold, hard ground in a frantic search for safety. They scuttled with wild abandon, their small voices rising in terrified chirps and squeals as they sought refuge in every nook and cranny, every shadow and crevice that promised even a shred of shelter from the looming threat of Slasher's cruel presence.

Slasher strode into the shed, his presence looming over us like a dark cloud. His eyes glinted with malice, taking pleasure in our fear.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" he sneered, his voice dripping with contempt.

"A bunch of pathetic little shits and their caretaker trying to hide like rats in a hole."

As Slasher's heavy boots thudded against the dirt floor of our shabby shed, a sense of fear settled over us. Before Kaka could even attempt to plead for mercy, Slasher's cruel punishment began. With a vicious backhand, he struck Kaka across his already beat-up face, sending him crashing to the filthy ground below. The impact was so forceful that Kaka's body convulsed with pain, his cheek smearing against the dirt as he lay sprawled on the ground.

But Slasher wasn't finished yet. With a sadistic gleam in his eyes, he grabbed Kaka by the loose skin of his wrinkled head and said, "Listen closely, you piece of shit! I forbid you to shit or piss unless I allow you to! Keep that filth inside you! And if you fail to do so, I will tear your precious hatchlings' heads off and feed you them!"

Kaka, frightened and horrified by the thought, squealed, "Wreeee! Please! I will, I will! Not hurt the precious hatchlings, please! I do as told! I will!"

With a sadistic grin painting his face, Slasher tossed Kaka by the waste hole we used to pee and poop. Then he raised his foot and brought it crashing down onto Kaka's head, grinding his face further into the filthy muck below. The weight of Slasher's boot pressed down mercilessly, forcing Kaka's sensitive sniffer and mouth into the vile dirt, drowning and suffocating him in the filth of our feces.

As I watched in horror, my turn came all too soon. Slasher's boot connected with my gut with such force that I doubled over in agony, my bladder releasing in pain, causing me to piss myself, and my bowels emptying in terror as I shit myself. The sharp pain radiated through my body, and I felt the tip of his boot press against my spine, threatening to crush the very life out of me. Darkness closed in as I gasped for air, the world spinning into oblivion as I vomited and lost consciousness.