The night before Thrall 7249 pnned to make his escape attempt, an unusual commotion disturbed the quietude of the Pit. The heavy iron hatch above opened not for the scheduled food delivery but to allow several guards to descend on ropes. The sudden appearance of torchlight after months of near-darkness was blinding, causing most inhabitants to shrink back into shadows.

  "Stand back, filth!" shouted one of the guards, a stocky demon with small tusks protruding from his lower jaw. "Line up against the wall! Anyone who resists will be put down."

  Mentor touched Thrall 7249's arm lightly. "Do as they say," he whispered. "Something unexpected is happening."

  The prisoners—those who could still walk—shuffled into a ragged line, squinting against the harsh light. Thrall 7249 positioned himself near the middle, hoping to avoid drawing attention. The guards moved efficiently, securing the area and establishing a perimeter.

  "What's happening?" Thrall 7249 murmured to Mentor, who stood beside him.

  The old demon's expression was grim. "An inspection, perhaps. Or worse—selection."

  Before he could eborate, a new figure descended from above—not a guard but a demon of obvious higher status. His clothing was eborate, made of fine fabrics in deep blue and gold rather than the functional leather and metal of the guards. Small, elegantly curved horns emerged from his forehead, polished to a gleaming finish. Most striking were his eyes—a brilliant amber color that seemed to glow in the torchlight as he surveyed the prisoners with clinical interest.

  "Lord Vexarious," one of the guards announced with a deep bow. "The prisoners are ready for your inspection."

  The noble nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping across the line. "These are all the inhabitants of the Pit?" His voice was cultured, carrying the refined accent of Bloodreach Kingdom.

  "Yes, my lord. Twenty-three in total, though some are barely alive."

  "I was told there was a half-blood among them. A recent addition." Lord Vexarious examined each prisoner more carefully. "Ah, there." He pointed directly at Thrall 7249. "That one. Bring him forward."

  The guards grabbed Thrall 7249 roughly by the arms, dragging him to stand before the noble. He kept his eyes downcast, as sves were expected to do, while his mind raced with confusion and apprehension.

  Lord Vexarious circled him slowly. "Yes, interesting specimen. Clearly half-blood, but unusual coloration. What's his offense?"

  "Ritual interference, my lord," replied the guard. "Attempted to disrupt a Blood Bond."

  "Did he indeed?" The noble sounded more intrigued than outraged. He reached out with a gloved hand, grasping Thrall 7249's chin and tilting his face upward. "Look at me, thrall."

  Thrall 7249 reluctantly met the noble's gaze, finding those amber eyes studying him with unsettling intensity.

  The noble's eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Thrall 7249's face. After a moment, he released the boy's chin. "Interesting. Not what I expected." He turned to the guard captain. "I'll take this one. Have him prepared and brought to my carriage."

  As the guards began to pull Thrall 7249 away, Mentor stepped forward, his movement deliberate enough to draw attention but careful enough not to appear threatening.

  "My lord," he said softly, his voice carrying just far enough to reach Lord Vexarious, "a word, if I may."

  The noble turned, eyebrow raised at the sve's presumption. "You address me directly, old one? Bold, considering your circumstances."

  Mentor bowed his head respectfully. "Forgiveness, my lord. I only wished to mention that this half-blood has been particurly docile and obedient during his time here. No trouble at all, despite his supposed offense."

  Thrall 7249 understood immediately what Mentor was doing—portraying him as unremarkable to protect him from too much scrutiny. A sve drawing special attention from a collector could be subjected to all manner of tests and examinations.

  Lord Vexarious waved dismissively. "I didn't ask for his behavioral assessment. His mixed bloodline makes him a suitable addition to my collection, nothing more." He turned back to the guards. "Continue."

  As the guards began to drag him away, Thrall 7249 caught Mentor's eye one st time. The old demon gave him an almost imperceptible nod and mouthed what looked like "remember" before the distance between them grew too great.

  Thrall 7249 was hauled up through the hatch, leaving the Pit and its darkness behind. The underground prison that had been both his punishment and his unexpected school receded below him. He felt a pang of regret at being separated from Mentor, whose guidance had been invaluable.

  The transition to the surface world was jarring. After months in the dimness of the Pit, even the subdued lighting of the sve quarters seemed blindingly bright. Thrall 7249 was hustled through corridors he recognized from his time before imprisonment, though he kept his head down to avoid being recognized by overseers who might remember him.

  The guards delivered him to a preparation area where several sve attendants waited. Without expnation, they stripped him of his filthy rags, scrubbed him roughly with harsh soap, and dressed him in simple but clean garments bearing a crest he didn't recognize—presumably Lord Vexarious's house symbol.

  "Don't speak unless spoken to," one attendant warned him in a low voice. "Lord Vexarious collects exotic specimens. If you prove troublesome, he'll discard you—and that usually means death."

  Thrall 7249 nodded slightly to show he understood. His mind was already analyzing this unexpected turn of events, seeking advantages where others might see only a change of masters. Lord Vexarious had called himself a collector. From the brief interaction, he seemed more interested in unusual appearances than abilities—perhaps Thrall 7249 could use that to his advantage by keeping his true potential hidden.

  After the hurried preparation, Thrall 7249 was led outside the sve quarters entirely—his first time beyond those walls since his earliest childhood memories. The courtyard beyond was expansive, with meticulously maintained gardens surrounding a central pathway. At the end of this path waited an eborate carriage drawn by four massive beasts that resembled horses but with scaled hides and small horns protruding from their foreheads.

  Lord Vexarious stood nearby, issuing instructions to what appeared to be his personal staff. He noticed Thrall 7249's arrival and assessed his cleaned appearance with a quick gnce.

  "Put him in with the others," he ordered dismissively, barely acknowledging the half-blood's presence before turning back to his conversation.

  Thrall 7249 was guided to the carriage and directed inside. The interior was divided into compartments, each containing a small cage. In two of these cages were other demons—one with blue-tinted skin and webbed hands who must be the "water demon" mentioned earlier, and a striking white-skinned demon with pink eyes who watched everything with obvious terror.

  A guard pushed Thrall 7249 into the third cage and secured the door. The cages were not particurly small—he could stand and sit comfortably—but the symbolism was unmistakable. They were specimens, not passengers.

  "Three days' journey to Lord Vexarious's estate," one guard told another as they finished securing the cages. "Hope these ones survive the trip. Remember what happened to that fire demon st month?"

  The carriage began to move, swaying slightly as the demonic steeds pulled it forward. Through a small window in his cage, Thrall 7249 caught his first glimpse of the world beyond the sve compound—a sprawling cityscape of dark stone buildings with twisted architectural features, spires reaching toward a crimson sky unlike anything in his human memories.

  The water demon in the adjacent cage spoke softly, her voice melodic despite her obvious fear. "Where do you think he's taking us?"

  "His estate, apparently," Thrall 7249 replied quietly. "Somewhere that requires crossing mountains."

  "I've heard of this collector," she continued, her webbed fingers gripping the bars of her cage. "He keeps menageries of rare demons for the amusement of other nobles. Some he just dispys, others he sets to tasks that showcase their unique traits."

  The albino demon whimpered at this but said nothing.

  "What do you think he wants with us?" Thrall 7249 asked, careful to keep his voice low.

  The water demon shrugged, a rippling motion that seemed to flow across her blue-tinged shoulders. "With me, probably to perform water manipution for his guests. You?" She studied him with rge, opalescent eyes. "Half-bloods are uncommon but not extremely rare. Perhaps he simply liked your coloration."

  Thrall 7249 nodded slightly, relieved that the collector seemed interested in his appearance rather than any suspected abilities. If Lord Vexarious was primarily concerned with physical specimens for dispy, perhaps he could avoid unwanted scrutiny of his developing powers.

  As the carriage passed through the city gates and onto a broader road beyond, Thrall 7249 found himself in an entirely new situation. His carefully id escape pns from the Pit were now irrelevant. Mentor's instruction and guidance were behind him. Yet he was also leaving the sve quarters, seeing the wider world for the first time in this life.

  The ndscape outside began to change, the city giving way to cultivated fields where sve borers toiled under the watchful eyes of overseers. Beyond these fields, he could see forests with trees unlike any in his human memories—twisted trunks with foliage in shades of deep purple and blood red.

  Despite the circumstances, a sense of possibility stirred within him. The collector had shown little interest in his mental capabilities, seemingly focused only on his mixed-blood status and unusual appearance. That suggested he might be subject to less scrutiny than he had feared, which could provide opportunities to observe and learn without revealing his true nature.

  Mentor's teachings had prepared him for this—the importance of patience, observation, and strategic thinking. Most importantly, the old schor had taught him how to conceal his abilities, to appear unremarkable when necessary. In a collection of exotic specimens, being overlooked might prove advantageous.

  "You're very quiet," the water demon observed after a long silence.

  "Not much to say," Thrall 7249 replied with a carefully measured tone. "I'm just a half-blood who got in trouble. Nothing special."

  She studied him for a moment, then nodded slowly, as if accepting his self-assessment. The simple deception felt like the first small victory in his new circumstances.

  The road ahead remained uncertain, but Thrall 7249 had survived the sve quarters and the Pit through observation, adaptation, and careful pnning. Whatever awaited him at the collector's estate, he would approach it with the same methodical analysis, seeking advantage where others saw only captivity.

  As night fell completely and the demon realm's three moons rose in the sky—one crimson, one amber, one deep purple—Thrall 7249 finally allowed himself to rest. Tomorrow would bring the first full day of his journey to Lord Vexarious's estate and whatever future awaited him there. For better or worse, his life had taken another unexpected turn, pushing him further along a path whose destination remained hidden in shadow.