Gathering

The cold floor and the endless pain all over his body forced Mahnke awake.

He seemed to be in a cold and damp cellar. Ice-cold droplets of water dripped down his skin, and Mahnke could not help but sneeze, his eyes quickly beginning to grow clear.

“Right, the ambush failed. I’m a captive now… A captive. What a joke…” He could feel a sharp pain in his thighs and arms. The lack of his teeth left a sense of emptiness in the cavity that was his mouth.

By the dim light, Mahnke could see the noble who had achieved victory over him. The man looked exceptionally calm with not the slightest hint of joy in his expression, which only made him feel more fearful.

“You’re awake?”

“You– you’re dead meat! Dead meat!” Mahnke shivered as he exclaimed in a strange voice. The sounds he produced were distorted by the air leaking out of his mouth.

“Oh, is that so? And you’re going to do that?” Leylin’s expression...