| Fan Fiction |
by Aelk
Azure has not had anything ever since he awakened from his slumber. It was not that he was hungry, but he was rather weak. Kazo suggested that it was probably due to his awakening from the egg. The slave ship has docked at a small time in the Human territories so that the slaves captured on board could be brought down and sold to whoever needs it. Of course, the price for each will not be cheap.
“Go quickly, damn it!”
Before reaching the doorsteps to the city, Azure turned back for a glance at the ship they were on when a sentinel gave him a crack from his whip, which hit his neck and left a reddish scar burning beside the ivory ring he wore on his left ear. Seeing this, Kazo could tolerate no longer.
“Hey stop that!”
Kazo tried to give a head-butt to the sentinel, but was stopped by Azure himself with a shake from his head. The march continued until they reached the awakening destination, Rhodium City. It was a huge place filled with bizarre surprises, with numerous huge neon signboards hanging over their heads. Houses and shops were stacked on top of one another and were made of red steel, which gave them a metallic and yet rusty feel. Citizens of Rhodium donned strange clothes, with the main idea of black and red being in vogue.
“The intelligence of Humans.”
Kazo pointed towards the various shops selling sophisticated objects which can move on their own despite having no life in them --- Something the Humans called the ‘Machina’, which when used as a weapon would cause massive destruction. The slaves were being brought over to the central square.
(***Machinas [Muh-kee-NAH] are automatic devices that ran on an energy source. They range from household appliances to weapons. Only Humans have the technology to make these, and thus, this remained the sole reason to why Humans are able to dominate other races.)
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Captain Sowell got up the platform and made his announcement to the gathering crowd, “These Juhnas will be up for sale starting from now. Those sold shall go home with their masters, while those who didn’t manage to get themselves owned shall be sent to the Empire as energy supplies. Alright, take your pick…”
The crowd gathered around the items for sale and inspected them thoroughly before making up their minds.
“Kazo,” Azure questioned his friend with a whisper, “since the Humans had such high technology, of what use are the slaves?”
“Clueless, and naïve you are. What do you think powers those Machinas?”
Now that Azure thought of it, there must be something which caused those objects to move.
“We Juhnas are long living creatures and our life force is being sought after as energy to power these Machinas. Of course, one alternative is to use Mu, and depending on the person’s power, it was said that a strong Mu can last the Machina forever. But then, they were too rare to be sold to ordinary families. Drat those Humans to think up on this idea of torturing us!”
“What will happen when your life force is being sucked away?”
“We’ll simply age and die off like a withered tree. No more, no less. Whether or not I’m bought today or sent to the Empire, I will still die. So then, I guess I’ll just say my goodbyes to you, my new friend.”
Azure is horrified by what he has heard. Not that he was afraid of being sold, but to exchange one’s life with mere money is simply outraging the rights of living. His anger grew and could hear no more words from Kazo.
“What of this?” a woman pulled Azure by the collar of his robes and asked demandingly at a sentinel, “He is not a Juhna.”
“But he is not a Human too, madam... Just look at his hair and eye color. We found him in a shrine yesterday. Perhaps he is of a distant race not yet discovered by the Empire. So buying him is like an investment worth a try. Besides, he is the best looking man you had ever seen, right?”
“True…albeit him being a little young… he is …”
The woman said while caressing Azure’s flawless cheek gently in admiration and sending shivers down his spine.
“Alright, I’ll have him.”
She paid the sentinel a decent amount of money and was about to pull Azure home by the ropes tied to his arms when he retaliated vehemently.
“I won’t go with you!”
With a strong pull, he managed to get the rope off from his buyer’s grasps. The woman screamed in horror, which silenced the crowds at the square, and sentinels with a lance-liked Machina pointed its tips at his throat.
“Azure!!”
Kazo tried to help by giving head-butts and kicks to the sentinels near him, but being outnumbered by this many, he was soon being defeated and held onto the grounds. Two more Juhnas joined in the fight, but was overwhelmed by the Machinas the sentinels used. Amidst the commotion, Captain Sowell, the commander of the slave ship, meandered in from the crowds with a horribly distorted expression.
“We will not tolerate rebellions, “he said with an accursed face, “Execute them as a warning to all who dares defy the Empire.”
Hearing his orders, a higher ranking sentinel saluted and thumped the hilt of his lance-liked machina on the grounds.
“No, don’t!! I’ll do anything you say, please!! You can kill me if it pleases you, don’t kill them!!”
Even though the Juhna’s pride reflected no fear, Azure screamed in agony and anguish. His pleas were unheard by the people. Captain Sowell grabbed him by his collar and forcefully made him stand up so that he could catch a front view of his friends’ end. The restrains on his arms made his struggles looked like a joke.
“Please…”
And within a few seconds, the lance of the executioner was stained by the blood from the first Juhna.
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A/N
Hoh, things just gets bloodier hahah~ (i'm not a sadist) I'm in a hurry, so ... things might be subjected to change =) Inform me of any mistakes okay?
In case you're confused, just think of Juhnas as Elves, and Mu as Magic. (obviously Machinas are Machines LOL, this term is taken as a reference from FFX :)
Anyway, i do hope there are silent readers for this strange story XD.