Spirit Tether

The Arthesians' capital was built on a plot of land elevated by a hill, with homes beginning at the top and ending at the bottom.

The dwellings were modern-style structures that resembled an enhanced version of the houses built by the indigenous of the southern continent where the boy used to live. The substance used to build the houses resembled mud, but it was alchemically altered to inhabit colors other than the color of the mud.

The docks were busy with people selling and purchasing goods from the fish market; this was a port city that served as a branch of the capital.

The ship docked steadily, and the slaves were moved in connected chains. They were separated and loaded into big wagons hauled by horses. The slaves appeared wretched and shattered as they avoided gazes and murmurs from the masses; this is their new home, and it will be for the rest of their life until death takes them.

They knew this was the spot where they would die. The carts took off from the docks and continued their journey deeper into the Arthesian city. During his trek across the water, the child discovered that this city was called Onskeard from the crews talking aloud Infront of the slaves which they knew cannot seem to understand them.

A city that previously served as a fortification for a barbarian army that was decimated years before the fight over the southern continent. The Arthesians were a particularly peculiar people with a strange custom for slavery.

Slaves' only source of clothes was cloths that covered both men's and women's appealing privates. In contrast, the Arthesians wore robes of various colors that covered entire bodies, something that covered their naked feet, and some form of garment that ran from the shoulder to the hip and appeared to hold their clothing together.

This must have seemed weird to the slaves when they saw these people walking past on wagons/carriages. But the nameless child was quite familiar with the artwork of the Arthesians clothing, having seen it elsewhere a long time ago.

***

THE CHILD'S POV:

From the moment I was born, my world was difficult and fragmented; my mother gave birth to me beside a river by herself on a chilly night, surrounded by the sounds of crickets chirping and dogs howling in the distance.

I was a small baby who did not cry until I was brought face to face with my fatigued mother as she died after pronouncing a name I did not know; yet my infant mind had not evolved enough to retain those words, leaving just the recollection of her beautiful face in tears smiling.

I spent a day wailing uncontrollably over my dead mother's corpse till a stranger discovered me while he was fishing.

Throughout my childhood, the stranger became my family; he claimed to be a scholar while pretending to be my uncle. But I never called him uncle, only father, which made him almost cry. He was a person with only one face, and he never smiled. He laughed at intelligent and dry jokes which was a daily occurrence I performed to see him smile for a moment which reminded me of my mother's last smile appearing in my dreams when I sleep. 

His looks were neutral and stern; he only smiled when I began to tell jokes or speak my first words. So, he showed me many ways to greet, thank, ask, and please in different tongues. He was a lonely man who discovered a treasure, a parent I had only known in my life.

When I reached ten, he left me with a note written in my native language. He explained that he was not my uncle, that he was my mother's customer, and that he knew who my father was.

He informed me that he was the head of state of the territory I was in. He left with a stone that, when touched, shone blue. I suddenly heard a voice that made my five years of existence horrible, and I regretted I hadn't responded.

"I'd like to be accommodated; please let me in," it said in my father's voice. My stupid kid mentality at the time responded:

"Dad come home"

That day was the day I meet the Tokoloshe, and I was introduced to the world of spirit and their tethers.

***

The child was now fifteen years old, and yesterday was his birthday. He smiled and sung within, thinking of the scholar who raised him. On his ninth birthday, he sang a song and received the garments used by the Arthesians.

Nonetheless, it was history for another time; right now, the present was unfolding, which could lead him to a better future. A future in which he is powerful enough to rule over or conquer lands like this and restore his home, kingdom.

They arrived at a city plaza surrounded by people, as they always were, walking around and murmuring about the slaves, saying terrible words that caused the boy to cover his ears and eyes for a moment until he heard his chain being tagged.

Time to go, he concluded as he stood up and stepped in line with the chained slaves as they were led to a gigantic structure elevated by the woods that built it. A stage and an auction.

They then separated us based on age and size; those who were taller and more muscular went to the stage, while the women with more lovely forms went with the males with desirable traits.

While the weak-looking men and children make their way through the alleys of the square's enormous houses. They arrived at the other markets with more activity than the fish market at the docks.

They brought the unnamed boy to a smaller stage dressed as a huge guy with apparent gold decorations around his neck and large fingers. He gave the guide a tiny sack filled with several coins, based on the sound made when the sack struck the guide's palm. He wore the white robe with an orange attachment to keep it together.He then gripped my face and looked at me with ravenous eyes while saying, with indications of saliva on his mouth:

"Nobody buys you boy, I will be getting a pretty penny if I groom you to become a paramour"

Perhaps the large man didn't think he understood, but the unnamed child did. He giggled inside and added in thought:

'You could try, but you won't last a night as a slave master to me'