REBORN AS A HIGH ELF SLAVE

The basement dungeon was a tomb of damp stone and rusted iron, the air thick with the scent of mildew and old blood now. The torches flickered weakly, casting long, wavering shadows across the walls. Eon stood at the entrance, his boots silent on the cold floor. The other elves had already been led upstairs, all except one.

The dark elf woman.

Although Edmund had warned him about her. "She’s dangerous," the old butler had said, his voice low and uneasy; Eon didn’t want to leave her behind. However dangerous she is, he wants to free her, and if possible, make her his ally.

He stepped forward, the keys to the cells jingling softly in his hand. The dark elf was chained to the far wall, her arms stretched out to either side, her wrists bound in heavy iron manacles. Her head was bowed, her long, raven-black hair falling forward like a curtain, hiding her face. For a moment, he thought she might be asleep. Or dead!

He stopped just outside the cell, his fingers tightening around the keys. The lock was old, the mechanism stiff with rust, but it turned with a sharp click that echoed in the stillness. The dark elf didn’t move, which made him more sure that she might be asleep.

Eon pushed the door open slowly; the hinges groaned in protest. The scent of her sweat and dirt hit him first. He stepped inside, his boots scuffing against the stone. Still, she didn’t stir.

He crouched in front of her, reaching for the manacle on her left wrist. His fingers brushed the cold metal, and he hesitated. Something about the way she stood, too still, too perfect, set his instincts on edge.

Then her head snapped up suddenly.

Her eyes flew open; they were pale, almost colorless, like ice over a frozen lake. They locked onto him with a ferocity that made his breath catch. Her lips peeled back from her teeth in a snarl, and before he could react, she lunged at Eon, which freaked him out.

He barely jerked back in time. Her teeth clacked together where his throat had been a heartbeat before, her body straining against the chains, muscles coiling like a spring. A guttural, inhuman growl came from her throat; the sound sent a jolt of fear down his spine.

“Whoa, easy, girl!” he said, raising his hands. His voice was steady, but his pulse hammered in his ears. “I’m not here to hurt you. I’m here to free you.”

The dark elf didn’t stop at his words. She thrashed against the manacles, the chains rattling violently, her breath coming in ragged, animalistic gasps. Spit flew from her lips as she snarled, her body twisting, her fingers clawing at the air as if she could reach him despite the iron holding her back.

Eon was stunned. He had dealt with traumatized elves before, but this was different. This wasn’t fear. This wasn’t even anger. This was something like a ‘predator’, something that had long since stopped being human.

“Listen to me,” he tried again, keeping his voice low and calm. “I’m taking you out of here. You’re safe now. You got it, you’re safe now!”

She didn’t hear him. Or even if she did, she didn’t care. Her struggles grew more violent as he talked, her body arching, her teeth clenching. One of the manacles creaked ominously under the strain.

Eon’s hand went to his belt. He didn’t have time for this. He didn’t have the luxury of patience. With a swift motion, he pulled out a small vial. The liquid inside was clear, but he knew what it would do. He’d tested it on a rat first. Then on himself, just to be sure.

He popped the cork.

The potion hissed as it hit the air, vaporizing instantly into a fine, odorless mist. He pointed it toward the woman. The dark elf inhaled sharply, her nostrils flaring, her struggles faltering for just a second as the gas filled her lungs.

Then her eyes rolled back.

Her body went limp, the sudden deadweight making the chains rattle as she sagged against them. Eon caught her before she could hit the stone floor, his arms wrapping around her waist. She was heavier than she looked, her muscles dense and unyielding even in unconsciousness.

He exhaled sharply, his breath shaky. “Well, that went better than I thought. At least nobody is wounded.”

Carrying her up the stairs was a struggle. Her limbs were long, her body lean but solid, and the way she lolled in his arms made it difficult to keep his grip. By the time he reached the top, his shoulders ached, and his fingers were numb from the strain.

Elora was waiting by the basement entrance, arms crossed, her expression a mix of curiosity and wariness. She took one look at the dark elf draped over Eon’s arms, and her eyes widened. “Is she…?”

“No, no, Alive,” Eon grunted, shifting his hold. “Barely cooperative, but alive.”

Elora hurried forward, slipping under the dark elf’s other arm to help support her weight. “What happened?”

“She tried to bite my throat out.” Eon adjusted his grip, his biceps straining. “I had to knock her out.”

Elora’s brows shot up. “You what?”

“It’s o-okay, I used Potion.” He jerked his chin toward the stairs. “Help me get her upstairs. We can’t leave her down here.”

Elora didn’t argue. Together, they half-carried, half-dragged the dark elf up the remaining stairs and through the dimly lit corridors of the mansion. The few servants they passed averted their eyes, used to the strange comings and goings of the past few hours. No one asked questions. 

They found Elsa and Verra in one of the smaller guest rooms, the space lit by a single oil lamp. The moment they stepped inside, Elsa’s silver eyes locked onto the dark elf, her expression tightening. “You got her out too?!”

“Barely.” Eon lowered the dark elf onto the bed, her limbs sprawling limply across the mattress. “She’s not exactly thrilled about being rescued.”

Elsa’s gaze flicked to the dark elf’s face, her pale features stark in the lamplight. “Yeah, figures. She is a dark elf for sure.”

Verra stepped forward, her hands twisting in the fabric of her skirt. “Is she… hurt?”

“No.” Eon straightened, rolling his shoulders to ease the ache. “Just unconscious. She’ll wake up in a few hours.”

Elsa exhaled sharply, her fingers curling into fists. “We need to restrain her. If she wakes up like this…”

“Wait here; let me get something for that purpose,” Elora said and stepped out of the room to get something.

Moments later, she came back with iron, thick manacles.

“This should help, right?” Elora held up a set of heavy manacles; the iron looked very thick for it to be manacles. “Found these in the armory. They’re meant for prisoners twice her size.”

Eon nodded. “Good. Put them on her. And keep her sedated if she starts fighting again. We can’t risk her hurting anyone.”

Elsa didn’t hesitate. She and Verra worked together, securing the manacles around the dark elf’s wrists and ankles, the metal clinking softly in the quiet room. The dark elf didn’t stir.

“She’ll wake up hungry,” Elsa said, her voice low. “When she does, she won’t be in a mood to thank us, you know that, right?”

Eon nodded. “Yeah, I don’t expect gratitude. I just expect her to be functional when she wakes.” He turned to Elsa, his tone firm but not unkind. “Feed her, please. And also clean her up after the other elves are done. If she fights, use another dose of the potion. Here, take these. We can’t afford for her to hurt herself, or anyone else.”

Elsa’s silver eyes flicked to the potions he gave her, her expression unreadable. “And if she doesn’t calm down?”

“Then we deal with it when we get there.” Eon’s gaze didn’t waver. “But we won't give up on her. Not yet.”

Verra, standing near the foot of the bed, twisted her fingers in the hem of her skirt. “She’s been down there for a very long time,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t even know if she remembers what it’s like to not be chained.”

Eon’s jaw tightened. He knew what prolonged captivity did to a person. He’d seen it in the hollow eyes of some of the rescued slaves, in the way some never quite adjusted to freedom. But they didn’t have the luxury of time or therapy. They had a mission, a ticking clock, and a mansion full of elves who needed to be ready to travel to Edgar County as soon as possible.

“Keep her restrained,” he said. “And keep an eye on her. If she wakes before I’m back, don’t hesitate to sedate her again.”

Elsa nodded, her fingers curling into fists before relaxing. “We’ll handle it.”

Outside the room, the hallway was quiet. Elora leaned against the wall, her arms crossed, one brow raised as Eon shut the door behind him.

“Well?” she asked. “Is she going to be a problem?”

Eon rubbed his temples. “She already is a problem. But we’ll have to manage somehow, I think.”

Elora walks a little fast and stops in front of him while turning to him, “So, what now?”

Eon shrugs at her question, ” What?” 

“You wanted to rescue the elves imprisoned in our Denares territory and have done it. But getting all of them to the Edger County will be a hassle, given they are still very weak to travel the long distance. We might need to wait here for one or two days. So, what do we do in these two days of staying here?”

“Hmm, I don’t know, actually. I haven't thought about that yet. What do you suggest? It’s your home after all. Any place in mind to visit for killing time?”

Elora smirks a little hearing that, “Hehe, I know just the place for us to kill time and also have some fun. What do you say, wanna go with me?”

“Yeah, you're the boss then. Lead the way.” 

They both turn toward the mansion's gate and go out together to the Denares market.

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