Chapter 407 - Hela and Vaki (1/2)

Hela will turn 11 years old tomorrow; she came from an impoverished family where her father farms for a living and her mother weaves bamboo hats. They were poor but, on her birthday, her parents always go out of their way to buy six dumplings, four of which would go to her birthday girl and each to her parents.

That would be the gift she would look forward to every year. A simple gift, but something she cherishes deep in her, heart, but Hela knew that such a thing would never happen, after all, her parents are already dead!

”WAKE UP!”

A kick hit Hela's stomach, a painful way to start the morning hell. She gathered her breathing, her eyes that had lost all their light, she didn't want to fight but she also did not want to feel pain thus she instinctively followed.

Hela staggered to move, and upon waking up they were given porridge that's more water than rice. She began, and like usual she went to her usual spot, to the side of the mountain's edge that faces her previous home.

She was silent throughout the process of eating, she simply ate and drank, internally counting the seconds she could spend in that place. She found peace but after five minutes she gathered her strength and stood up.

She returned the cracked cup she was given and then accepted the heavy pickaxe the children her age used in mining Red Qi Shards. Trekking the steep pathways of the Erbas volcano, the young feet of the slave Hela was very much tired, but she didn't dare stop. The moment she clogs the pathway the people watching over them would strike her with their wh.i.p.s.

Hela did not like pain, she didn't like experiencing pain, thus, she would do anything to ensure she doesn't suffer. Climbing up the volcano and after reaching the peak the steaming craters made it feel like they were inside a furnace that baked them.

The children whose ages ranged from ten to fourteen all worked to the best of their efforts, none of them wished to die. They knew the consequences of showing weakness they'll be culled and then, they would be killed.

'I do not wish to waste the life mother and father gave me… I will live.' Hela thought to herself and just remembered how her mother and father died protecting her with their body. Under that blaze, they gave her their lives so she could live. She might be a slave, but at least she's alive still. Hela did not want to waste this gift.

Every slave in this place where rejects, those who could not be sold to the market and now used as labor and profit. They were dispensable and could easily be replaced, but they were still given breaks at noon. One could choose to descend and escape hell or just stay there, bake and wish for the swift release of death.

Hela did neither, she left but not down, she went to the direction of where her previous home was located. She stayed there seated on the edge of a cliff, munching on a piece of hard bread, accepting the peace she's provided with.

After counting down the time, however, she decided that it was time to return. She stood up, but her hand suddenly slipped and fell from the cliff, her eyes widened but accepted her fate without care.

She closed her eyes, thinking, 'At least I did not die from killing myself… mother, father… I'm about to come to you.”

He accepted her and got ready to die, when, all of a sudden, a hand grabbed hers. She opened her eyes and saw someone had caught her hand. He was a young boy, the same age as hers, and he was simply passing by when he caught sight of Hela about to plummet to her death.

The boy didn't think and just went to her rescue, he wasn't even sure if he'd be able to catch her, but he didn't waste any time thinking. He caught her and with all that he had pulled her up from certain doom.

Hela looked down, her heart in trepidation.

”Hey! What are you doing over there!?” a watcher shouted and he readied his whip. The both of them heard this call and quickly, they stood up.

”Let's go, we're going to get in trouble. Can you stand?” Vadal asked and Hela nodded, she did not speak…

The day ended and the boy did not leave Hela's side, he was worried about her, and from time to time, he would check up on how she was doing, and from time to time he would get in trouble for it.

When they descended to the base of the mountain and went back to the cave system, the boy followed Hela. The boy was worried about her and she… was apprehensive by his approach.

That night, the young boy stayed by her side, and asked her, ”What's your name? Mine is Vaki.”

He introduced himself with a wide smile, but Hela couldn't answer with words. She stuck out her tongue and showed him how it had been cut. She saw his pitying eyes, for some reason, Hela did not like that.

”So, I can't know your name… can you write?”

Hela nodded, her parents wanted her to grow up with prospects, so, they did their best to teach her. They knew they can't give her any ric.h.e.s.t, so, they gave her the gift of knowledge instead.

With a stone, she wrote her name on the ground.

”Hela? So that's your name, nice to meet you.” Vaki said and Hela nodded her head.

From there, the two got to know each other. Vaki learned Hela's story through her writing it and she learned of him by telling.

Vaki was different from Hela, his parents did not die, both were alive, but they sold him for money.

”They told me that I will never amount to anything… so they sold me to a slave trader for a few coins.” He told Hela his story with a smile on his face.

The two of them had different lives, both of them had different endings, but, then on, the two of them slowly became friends. They didn't have anyone thus, they looked out for each other.