Jinn BLADE-Chapter 50 | Ten

The sound of cheers echoed through the area—almost deafening—as multiple projections flickered around atop, lighting up every corner of the slave camp.

The voices of excitement from the civlians echoed as their eyes fixed on the projections shown.

"Gravemarch."

The name alone stirred the crowd into a louder frenzy. They knew exactly what it meant.

Gravemarch wasn't just any random world—it was infamous, a planet cloaked in shadow and filled with danger.

Its surface was completely covered in thick, towering forests, containing the very kind of trees that swallowed sunlight and stretched endlessly towards the sky.

The mystery and danger that lay beneath that thick veil of green was what captivated the civilians—yet a dreadful place for the slaves.

To the citizens of Zeraf and the proud bloodlines of House Sorellia, Gravemarch had become legend.

Not for beauty, not for wealth—but for what it represente, survival against all odds.

Out of all the planets on the second ritual's roster, Gravemarch was by far the most brutal. The hardest to endure.

The least forgiving.

And the most entertaining.

The cheering continued, growing even more louder—like a storm of voices crashing over the air

Then,

*Rumbling...!

the ground rumbled.

It started as a low vibration, barely noticeable. But it quickly grew into a deep and mechanical groan, centered right beneath the middle of the field where the slaves were gathered.

*Clack! *Rumble...!

The sound of shifting gears and hidden machinery echoed upward, filling the air with tension.

"Move back! Move back!" shouted the warden—which of course is Evakhell—the voice sharp and commanding.

Soldiers sprang into action as soon as they heard the voice, pushing through the crowd of captives and yanking them away from the center of the platform.

Dust and heat rose from the cracks as the mechanism below stirred to life.

Something was coming.

And the audience couldn't look away.

*RUMBLE!!!

With an even louder rumble, the epicenter of the field split open.

The ground slowly shifted apart, revealing hidden mechanisms beneath.

A massive device began to rise from the opening,

*SKRRR!!!

metal grinding against metal as it emerged.

At its center was a wide, circular hole—dark and unmoving—for now.

*HISS!!!

The machine let out a sharp hiss as thick tubes along its sides released bursts of steam.

It finally settled into place with a heavy thud that echoed across the surrounding—sending a brief silence over the crowd before the cheers returned,

*CHEERING SOUNDS!!!

even louder than before.

Jinn narrowed his eyes as he studied it.

The machine was enormous—easily the largest object present on the area.

Its center remained still, but the design made it clear that it wasn't built for show.

It was meant for something significant.

Whatever this device was, Jinn could tell it would play a major role in the second trial.

Vox crossed his arms, his brow furrowed in thought. He studied the shape of the structure before speaking calmly.

"It seems like some sort of teleporter—if I had to guess."

The other children turned toward him, then looked back at the machine.

The idea didn't seem far off.

"Well, it looks like something meant to move us somewhere... so yeah, probably a teleporter," Orin added, her voice carrying a mix of sarcasm and curiosity.

"Aye—it's an eidra lane," Biyo said as his eyes narrowed.

His voice held a serious tone as he continued, "One of the tools the Zeraf use when they make landfall on a planet. They build these to send wave after wave of reinforcements without pause."

"So it will directly transport us to Gravemarch," Jinn added quickly, his gaze fixed on the machine. His expression then hardened.

There was no room for doubt now—they were being sent straight into the heart of Gravemarch.

Suddenly, the announcer's voice rang out across the field through the loudspeakers, crackling and filled with excitement.

"Well then, let's not waste any more time, shall we?" he said, grinning as he pressed a button on the console in front of him with a soft click.

*click!

The massive device let out a deep hum. The rings around its center began to rotate, slowly at first, then faster and faster.

The air grew dense as energy gathered at its core. Bright particles sparked to life within the hole, swirling rapidly until they exploded into a rippling portal—just as Vox had predicted.

A wave of heat passed over the field as the portal stabilized.

Then, raising both of his arms high, the announcer spread his fingers wide to show ten.

"The second ritual begins now!" he declared. "Form yourselves into groups of ten before the timer runs out!"

A large holographic display appeared in the air, showing a countdown.

5:00.

The numbers began ticking down.

Panic and urgency rippled through the gathered crowd of captives.

Jinn turned to Biyo, his tone direct but calm.

"Biyo—you coming with us?"

Biyo gave a short nod, his expression serious. "You and your friends are the only ones I know here—so might as well."

"Great... looks like we only need two more," Jinn muttered, eyes scanning the chaos around them.

All around the field, slaves were scrambling to form groups, some shouting names, others pulling random people just to avoid being left behind.

Then Jinn's eyes suddenly widened with realization.

"You guys stay here," he said quickly. "I'll see if I can find anyone else worth pulling in."

Before anyone could respond, he was already gone—moving fast through the disorganized crowd.

He weaved through bodies with sharp, agile steps, twisting past panicked figures and ducking around raised arms.

He had a target in mind—and he wasn't about to waste any more time—more so they are timed.

Finally, he spotted him.

The man who had Orin's necklace.

He stood alone, separate from the chaos, seemingly unbothered yet noticeably without a group. His stance was guarded, and his eyes flicked up as Jinn approached.

The moment their eyes met, the man's foot shifted back—subtle, but enough to show he was preparing to step away—preparing to run away.

"I mean no harm," Jinn said, stopping a few feet away. His voice was firm and calm. "Do you want to join our team?"

The tension in the air hung thick between them, the countdown still ticking in the background.

Four minutes remained.