The docks were a chaotic mess. Slaves ran in every direction, their footsteps crunching against the snow as they fled toward the residential area.
Some crawled through dark alleys, their breaths visible in the freezing air, while others stayed behind to fight the guards, their makeshift weapons clashing against batons and rifles.
The night was alive with shouts, cries, and the occasional *clang* of metal against metal.
Kael moved swiftly through the chaos, his eyes scanning the dimly lit streets. He had one goal: find Marta's house and rescue Lira.
The Engine's light flickered faintly on his arm, its power still suppressed by the iron collar, but Kael didn't care. He had to save her.
As he turned a corner, a massive, bald man stepped into his path. The man dragged two unconscious slaves by their collars, his face twisted into a cruel grin.
"Stop right there, brat," the man growled, his voice deep and menacing.
Kael didn't stop. He clenched his mechanical fist and charged, his movements fueled by desperation and anger.
"ENGINE SMASH!" Kael shouted, his voice echoing through the night.
The punch landed squarely on the man's jaw, the force of the blow sending him sprawling to the ground.
Kael stood over him, his chest heaving, before turning to the unconscious slaves. They were battered and bruised, their faces pale and their breaths shallow.
"I'm sorry," Kael whispered, his voice filled with guilt. He couldn't help them now. He had to keep moving.
༓☾༓☾༓
Meanwhile, in a grand mansion overlooking the docks, Garrick sat at a long dining table, feasting on a plate of freshly roasted meat. The room was warm, lit by the soft glow of candles, and the air was thick with the smell of food.
"Mmm, hoam hoam, this is delicious," Garrick muttered, his mouth full. He tore into the meat like a wild animal, grease dripping down his chin.
Beside him stood a young maid, her hands trembling as she held a tray. Garrick glanced at her, his eyes narrowing.
"You must be hungry, huh?" he said, his voice dripping with false sweetness. He grabbed her waist, pulling her closer. "If you behave like a good little dog, I'll give you all the smoked meat you want. Like this, see? Aaaam, humm, hoaum!"
He shoved a piece of meat into his mouth, chewing loudly and letting bits of food fall onto the table. The maid flinched, her face pale with fear.
CRAASH!
Suddenly, sound of shattering glass filled the room. A brick flew through the window, landing in the middle of the table and sending plates and glasses crashing to the floor.
"What the?!" Garrick roared, his face turning red with anger.
The door burst open, and one of his men stumbled in, blood dripping from a wound on his forehead.
"Boss! The slaves… they're rebelling! They're outside the mansion, armed and ready to attack!"
Garrick's eyes narrowed, his fists clenching. He stood, his chair scraping against the floor.
"Fine," he snarled. "I'll deal with them myself."
༓☾༓☾༓
Outside the mansion, a group of slaves stood at the gates, their faces filled with determination. They carried makeshift weapons pipes, knives, and broken tools and their eyes burned with the desire for freedom.
"Come out, Garrick!" one of them shouted. "You can't hide forever!"
The doors creaked open, and Garrick stepped out, his whip coiled in his hand. His eyes scanned the crowd, a cruel smile spreading across his face.
"So, you've grown brave, huh?" he said, his voice low and dangerous. "I've told you before: no one escapes. No one."
The slaves hesitated, but one of them stepped forward, a pipe in his hand.
"We're not afraid of you anymore!" he shouted. "Let's take him down!"
The crowd surged forward, but Garrick was faster. With a flick of his wrist, the whip lashed out, its tip slicing through the air like a blade.
The lead slave cried out as the whip cut across his cheek, sending him stumbling backward.
"Who's next?" Garrick sneered, his voice filled with malice.
༓☾༓☾༓
Kael, meanwhile, had finally found Marta's house. He stood outside, his breath visible in the cold night air. The Engine's light flickered faintly on his arm, a silent reminder of the power he still couldn't fully access.
"Lira," he whispered, his voice filled with determination. "I'm coming for you."
He kicked the door open with a loud BANG!, startling Marta, who sat by the fireplace.
"What are you doing here?!" Marta shrieked, her eyes wide with fear.
"This is for the drink you gave me yesterday!" Kael shouted, his voice filled with anger. He swung his fist, hitting Marta square in the face. Her dentures flew out of her mouth, clattering to the floor as she collapsed in a heap.
"Kyaaaaa!" Lira screamed, running in from the kitchen. "Are you insane?! Do you know what you've just done?!"
"It doesn't matter," Kael said, his voice calm but firm. "Today, we're all going to be free."
Lira stared at him, her eyes wide with shock. "What are you planning?"
"I need food," Kael said, heading toward the kitchen. "To recharge my energy. Once I'm full, I can activate my ultimate move."
Lira followed him, her hands trembling. "You're eating her food now? You just knocked out an old lady!"
"It's necessary," Kael said, opening the pantry and grabbing a loaf of bread. He tore into it, his hunger overwhelming.
"He's right, miss," a mechanical voice chimed in.
Lira jumped, her eyes darting to Kael's glowing glove. "Y-your glove… it talks?!"
"This is the Engine," Kael explained between bites. "Right now, my punches are as strong as a thrown iron bar. But once I'm fully charged, I'll be strong enough to take down a yeti."
"Engine, you say?" Lira said, her voice trembling. "It's pointless. Garrick has an Engine too, and his is much stronger."
Kael froze, a piece of bread halfway to his mouth. "What? Garrick has an Engine?"
"Yes," Lira said, her voice low. "And it's not just any Engine. It's the one controlling these collars."
Kael's eyes widened. "The collars are part of an Engine?"
"Impossible," the Engine said, its voice firm. "The collars are too weak to be considered part of an Engine. But Garrick's power… it's something else entirely."
Suddenly, the collars around Kael and Lira's necks began to glow.
"What's happening?!" Kael shouted, his body moving on its own.
"It's Garrick's power!" Lira cried. "He can control us through the collars!"
The two were forced to walk toward the docks, their movements stiff and unnatural. When they arrived, they found all the slaves lined up in rows, their collars glowing as Garrick stood on the deck of a ship, his whip in hand.
"You've caused me enough trouble!" Garrick shouted, his voice filled with rage. "Time to teach you all a lesson!"
One of the slaves, a burly man with a pipe, stepped forward. "You're the one who needs a lesson, you pig!"
Garrick's whip lashed out, striking the man across the chest and sending him flying backward. The other slaves gasped, their courage wavering.
"Engine, can we break free from these collars?" Kael whispered.
"Not yet," the Engine replied. "It'll take a few more minutes to convert the food into energy."
Garrick smirked, his eyes scanning the crowd. "You think you can defy me? Fine. Let's see how you handle this."
He gestured to his men, who began herding the slaves onto the ship. Kael and Lira were forced to follow, their bodies moving against their will.
As the ship sailed into the middle of the frozen lake, Garrick stood at the bow, his whip coiled in his hand.
"Now, let's see if you can swim with dragons," Garrick said, a wicked grin on his face.