Sophie slowly regained consciousness, only to find herself tied up in the back of a cargo wagon, her mouth gagged with a filthy rag. A wave of nausea hit her—what was this cloth even used for? Just its disgusting color made her want to vomit. Who in their right mind would use something so unsanitary as a gag?
Ugh… To distract herself, Sophie took in her surroundings.
Above her was a tattered tent, and around her were wagons loaded with goods—not just from the Serei caravan but others too. Looks like they weren't the only ones robbed. In the corner sat a few expensive-looking chests. Shadows flickered past the tent flap, signaling plenty of activity outside.
Her head drooped in frustration, but then she spotted the Phoenix Pouch still hanging around her neck. At least the bandits hadn't taken it. She wanted to call out Belindak, but the gag muffled her voice to nothing more than muffled whimpers. *Damn that lazy dragon!* Ever since crawling into the pouch, all he did was eat and sleep. He never came out unless summoned, completely unfazed by how stuffy it must be in there.
*"Everything good in there? Any movement?"* A voice approached from outside.
*"With us on guard, what could go wrong? Dead quiet—girl's still out cold!"* a cocky voice replied.
*"Hmm, I'll check."* The tent flap lifted, and a figure stepped inside.
Sophie quickly shut her eyes, pretending to still be unconscious. She hadn't figured out how to handle this yet. After all, she'd killed several of their men. The memory made her shudder. Back then, she'd been reckless, unleashing a Fireball spell in a fit of rage. The sight of those torn-apart bodies still haunted her. She'd never seen anything so gruesome before. *I swear, I'll never kill again. Even if it costs me my life—one death is enough.*
*"Hey! Quit faking! I saw you wake up!"* Hot breath brushed against her ear.
Sophie's eyes flew open, locking onto a scarred face way too close for comfort. In her mind, she cursed Serei a thousand times over. *If I make it out of this alive, he'd better hope I never see him again—or else…*
*"Don't be scared. I won't hurt you. You're our golden goose. Stay obedient, and no one lays a finger on you."* The scarred man tried to sound reassuring, but his attempt at kindness fell flat.
*"Mmph—mm!"* Sophie nodded frantically. Survival first—she'd play along until she found an opening.
*"I'll take off the gag, but no magic tricks. Your spells won't work on our guards. Try anything, and you'll regret it."* The man's smirk sent chills down her spine. Sophie kept nodding.
*"Cough—ugh…"* Finally free of the gag, she dry-heaved, tears welling in her eyes.
*"We'll be moving out soon. Better behave."* With one last warning, the scarred man swaggered out of the tent.
---
*"Prince, we should strike now!"* Fiez urged, eyeing the cluster of tents in the distance. Sophie had been gone for nearly half a day. If they didn't act soon, who knew what might happen? The men were restless, but without the prince's order, no one dared make a move.
*"Not yet. This looks like a temporary camp. I'd bet they'll head back to their hideout soon. We wait."* Serei lay low behind a dune, studying the enemy. Though anxiety gnawed at him, they'd come too far to rush now. If they acted recklessly, Sophie's suffering would be for nothing. *When we get her back, I'll make it up to her.*
*"Pack up! Time to go home!"* A loud shout sparked cheers. Bandits smashed their drinking bowls, hoisted their weapons, and swaggered toward the central tent. After a week of raiding, they'd scored big—time to brag to their comrades back at the hideout.
Sophie, who'd been about to summon Belindak, froze as a flood of bandits poured in. They efficiently hauled out the wagons—including the one she was tied to.
The blinding sunlight forced her eyes shut. Inside the tent, she hadn't realized how harsh the desert sun was. Now, out in the open, she saw it was already morning. *I must've been out all night.*
Blinking against the glare, Sophie gaped at the sheer number of bandits. Last night's darkness had hidden their true numbers. Now, in broad daylight, she saw their full force. *There must be over a hundred of them! No wonder Serei's dozen men couldn't fight them off. But that's no excuse for abandoning me!* After some thought, she decided she wouldn't forgive them anytime soon.
The camp dismantled quickly—fires doused, tents folded, every last scrap loaded up. The desert raiders marched triumphantly toward their stronghold, hauling their spoils.
*"Prince, they're moving!"* Fiez couldn't hide his admiration for Serei's foresight.
*"Yeah. Don't follow too close—we can't risk being spotted."* Serei's gaze locked onto a white-clad figure atop one of the wagons. *Good, she's still safe. At least she's got a ride.*
---
Refusing the bandits' food, Sophie numbly stared at the monotonous desert, missing the lively banter with Baron and the others on the Moni beast. The wagon's rocking and the scorching sun lulled her back into a restless sleep.
*"Home sweet home!"* Raucous cheers jolted her awake.
Ahead stood a fortress built from sand and clay, blending so perfectly with the desert that she'd have missed it if not for the bandits' excitement. Most of the raiders charged toward the gates, leaving only a handful to guide the wagons. Their faces said it all—they couldn't wait to join the celebration.
The grotesque bandits flanking her sent shivers down her spine. *Do all bandits have to be this ugly?* One even looked like a gorilla.
After passing through multiple checkpoints, Sophie was taken to a heavily guarded underground treasure vault. The bandits unloaded the wagons in record time, eager to join the feast outside.
*"Clang!"* The massive door slammed shut.
Only the occasional crackle of torches broke the eerie silence.
*"Belindak, get out here!"* Sophie strained to nudge the Phoenix Pouch with her chin, but it was no use.
*"Oh no! What now?"* She frantically scanned the room—nothing helpful in sight.
*"Huff… huff…"* Desperate, she blew into the pouch, hoping to rouse the lazy dragon.
*"Whoa—what a gale!"* Belindak's tiny head popped out, his red tongue flicking as he took in the scene. *"Sophie, what are you doing?"*
*"What does it look like? Untie me!"* She twisted, trying to show him the ropes.
*"Oh, right!"* Slipping out of the pouch, Belindak slithered behind her.
Once freed, Sophie rubbed her numb limbs, wincing as circulation returned. Standing, she surveyed the vault.
The wagons sat in the center, but the walls were lined with smaller doors—probably storing different types of loot. *If this is their treasure hoard…*
She dashed to the chests she'd spotted earlier, ordering Belindak to pry them open. *Might as well take some compensation for my troubles before escaping on Belindak's back.*
Her jaw dropped. The chest overflowed with gold coins and jewels.
*"I'm rich! I'm rich!"* She yanked off the Phoenix Pouch, shoveling in handfuls of treasure.
Her arms ached from the repetitive motion, but she refused to stop. Belindak smashed open more doors, revealing piles of gold, gems, crystals, and other valuables Sophie didn't recognize—but they *looked* expensive.
She wanted to take it all, but exhaustion and hunger made her dizzy. *Learn to let go,* she told herself. *You can't have everything.*
With the pouch now three-quarters full, she decided it was time to leave. If the bandits remembered her, she'd lose her chance.
Belindak carved a new exit through the opposite wall, and Sophie slipped out of the treasure trove undetected.
Outside, the bandits were deep in drunken revelry. The whole fortress reeked of alcohol.
A wicked grin spread across Sophie's face. She pulled out a pouch of ultra-strength laxatives made from Dragon's Bane Fruit. After whispering instructions to Belindak, the little dragon snatched the pouch and zipped off.
*"Kidnap me? Ha! Let's see how you like spending the next week on the toilet!"* She smirked, watching Belindak disappear.
Too late, she remembered she was still in enemy territory.
A rough hand clamped around her throat, lifting her off the ground.
*"Ghk—!"* Sophie clawed at the crushing grip, legs kicking wildly. Air became a luxury.
**Will she survive?**