Axis, the oldest city in recorded history was a marvel of architecture from an age gone by. Mythology claimed that the city was built by the elves before they abandoned the mainland during some ancient cataclysm. The once nomadic lizardmen had found it infested with trolls and other monsters and had cleansed it, claiming it for themselves.

It was laid out in a beautifully symmetrical pattern with a great stone obelisk at the center. Fifteen thousand lizardmen, half that number of humans, and a small scattering of other humanoid races called the city home with room to spare. There was no designated market, rather stalls and businesses of any and all types dotted the wide stone walkways. On the lower paths that bordered the large canals, fishermen sold fish, mussels, crayfish, eel, and anything else they hauled in with their nets right from their boats. It was a true and chaotic free market, and Zell found it extremely exciting.

“Are we going to sell our goods here?” He asked Agitha as they followed their new guides Krisa and Sava along the busy path toward the governing office to report their arrival and destruction of Olgo and his band.

“Some of it yeah. We’ll trim down the load so that we don't need the thunder beetle shells. I’ll save the teeth for Hurstag, I have a project in mind for them.” Agitha replied.

“I see.” Zell reached behind him to the top of his pack to give Goggles a scratch as the big spider shifted to look around.

“You have quite the audience.” Fargis said to Zell, nodding to the expressions of the many passing lizardmen that stopped to gawk at the huge blue spider perched on the boy’s pack.

One such gawker was a salamander that boldly walked up to Zell holding a heavy tinkling bag.

“Two hundred gold for that familiar!” The salamander offered, his tail slithering back and forth excitedly.

“Oh, thank you for the offer but he’s not a familiar he’s just my friend. Also, what’s a familiar?” Zell responded with red cheeks holding his hands up.

“A familiar is a magically bound creature.” Agitha explained to Zell first, she then turned to the salamander. “He befriended it with communication and basic handling.”

“How amazing!” The salamander exclaimed. “Is it tame enough to pet?”

“Sure, his name’s Goggles.” Zell replied, beckoning Goggles into his arms for the salamander to better see.

The salamander gingerly touched the bright blue fur on Goggle’s back, his reptilian face lighting up like a child’s. Soon a small crowd had gathered, all taking turns petting the big spider. After a few minutes, the party finally broke away with warm farewells.

“What a nice place.” Zell remarked.

“Aye, if it weren’t for the bugs and slave trade it’d be paradise.” Agitha agreed.

“Slave trade?” Zell asked with a look of growing distaste.

“As a true free market there are no illegal goods, and that means people can be bought and sold.” She explained.

A memory flashed into Zell’s mind. His dear friend and thief mentor Teya had once been a slave, tortured and abused to the point of her master cutting off her long elf ears. Zell’s mood grew subdued as they continued their journey.

Once they turned in Olgo’s skull and trident for the impressive six hundred gold bounty, their fame spread like wildfire. A banquet was scheduled for that very evening, and the best rooms at the most expensive inn were reserved for them.

Zell was excited, but found himself scanning the streets for slaves. Perhaps it wasn’t as common as he feared. Yet as he focused, it came sharply into the foreground. Wealthy lizardmen, and often humans leading shabbily dressed humans, lizardmen, elves, or dwarves almost always with arms full of heavy goods. Sometimes the stereotypical iron collar was present, but most of the time the only marker was the posture of a broken spirit.

“How much does a slave cost?” Zell asked suddenly in an oddly determined tone.

“As little as a hundred silver, as much as a thousand gold. It varies wildly. Pretty ones, strong ones, or those with special skills command higher prices.” Agitha answered with an appraising look at the young man.

“Someday I’m coming back to buy every slave’s freedom.” Zell said, more to himself than anyone else.

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“It’s more complicated than that, but I’ll leave you to discover that on your own.” Agitha said with a knowing look.

They spent the rest of the afternoon touring the many shops and sights of the city. Agitha sold the remaining cask of preserved meat as a delicacy for an outrageous hundred gold and several of the thunder beetle shells for an equally high price.

Zell was becoming numb to the concept of money. He had scraped along all winter with barely enough to keep his clothes mended and was now watching Agitha’s swollen coin pouch practically split its seams with coins so valuable that any single one of them would be more money than he had ever held in his life.

After the selling spree, Agitha asked their two helpful guides to lead them to the inn where their rooms were reserved.

Zell marveled at the luxurious building, the outside was made of polished granite blocks with rose tinted marble columns that rose the three full stories of the place. Inside was no less impressive. The lobby was lushly decorated with fine tapestries, and the polished marble floor matched the columns outside. In here the true high society of Axis City sipped hot drinks from tiny porcelain cups embellished with gold leaf. Between sips and bites of decadent sweets they discussed trade routes and political intrigue as though it were some exclusive foreign language.

The band of road worn and filthy travelers stood out in stark contrast to the scene around them. If the air of the open market had been excited and welcoming, the atmosphere in here was the exact opposite. The silence that spread like a plague was one of open contempt and disdain. The female lizardfolk behind the tall and polished desk seemed to be expecting them however and merely nodded to another well dressed lizardman whom quickly ushered them up two flights of stairs and to their individual rooms.

“Bait come see me after you drop off your stuff.” Agitha called as she opened her own door.

“Aye.” Zell wearily replied as he stepped into his lavish room and closed the door behind him.

Once inside he carefully removed his pack with Goggles still atop it and set it gently next to the bed. The big spider quickly scurried all about the room curiously before deciding that under the bed was the most premium space.

Zell dragged his feet to Agitha’s room. For reasons he couldn’t quite figure out, he felt awful.

He knocked as he opened Agitha’s door. Something bumped him in the belly with a clinking sound as soon as the door opened. He looked down to see Agitha’s hand holding a small linen bag.

“Your cut. Five hundred and seventy gold.” She explained simply. “Get yourself cleaned up and use this to get that frown off your face before I smack it off.” Agitha added with a crooked smile.

“Are you serious?” Zell could scarcely believe it.

“Just be back before sunset. You better not make me go to that stupid party alone.” She said before closing the door, leaving Zell stunned in the hallway.

Zell sprinted back to his room and gave Goggles the option of coming along, but the spider was apparently worn out from all the travel and opted to stay under the cozy dark bed. Zell belted on his gladius and set out for the market.

His first step was to loyally follow his master’s order of cleaning himself up. He asked around and followed directions to a public bath where he was finally able to scrub away the months of accumulated grime from The Tear with proper soap and hot water. Feeling like a whole new person, he followed more directions to a tailor’s shop where he was quickly fitted for a new set of clothes that were in fashion for the area. Leather reinforced tan pants that were both sturdy and comfortable, and a clean black shirt with wooden buttons and long sleeves replaced Zell’s shredded leather armor and tattered linen undershirt.

Now that his first objective was cleared, Zell’s focus narrowed. He tracked down a company that operated several rotating trade caravans to several nearby cities including Vinia City. He procured information such as how many people could be accommodated at a time, how often the caravans ran, and how much it cost each person to buy passage.

His next objective was also in service of his master’s wishes. It was time to get rid of his frown and he knew exactly how.

He stood at a busy intersection, watching the crowds intently like a hawk scanning for mice. He soon spotted what he was looking for and stepped with confidence toward his target.

“Pardon me, sir.” Zell said with a bow to an obviously wealthy man that was leading a teenage boy no older than Zell himself. While the man was dressed head to toe in fine silk embellished with gold and gaudy jewelry, the boy was dressed in coarse fabric with bare feet, carrying bags and boxes for the wealthy man.

The man gave Zell an appraising look, noting the fine clothes but more than that the heavily muscled frame and well worn weapon on his hip.

“What is it, little killer?” The man asked, his thick black brows and waxed mustache both cocking in curiosity.

“I have a proposition for you if you have some time to sit for a drink with me. I promise it will be worth your time.” Zell said as politely as he could manage.

“You may state your proposal here, I am a busy man.” Came the terse reply.

“Very well. I would like to purchase your servant. I know you have your price. Please name it.” Zell said with no further hesitation.

“Humph.” The man balked, but Zell’s deadly serious face did not flinch. “An amount no boy such as you could afford. Ten gold!” The man gave an intentionally huge number, not really wanting to sell the capable lad.

Ten gold coins appeared in Zell’s palm and he extended it palm up to the shocked man. The slave was just beginning to catch on that this conversation was about him and was now staring with trepidation, wondering what fresh hell was in store for him.

Zell led the boy away. Behind them the ecstatic man was waving as he stood next to his large pile of goods. He had made a tenfold profit after all.

Zell took a backward look at the boy. He would be as tall as Zell if he stood up straight but his posture was bent from a life of servitude. His dark blonde hair was matted and tangled. Red welts peeked out from the frayed collar of his dingy shirt. The boy followed obediently. His eyes stayed cast down on his ten dirty toes as they had since the day his family was slaughtered on the road and he was abducted as a child.

“Are you hungry?” Zell asked cheerfully.

“No sir.” The conditioned reply rang out clearly, mechanically. Yet the mere mention of food caused a grumbling sound from the boy’s skinny abdomen.

Zell led him to a kiosk he had passed earlier, the smell coming from it was incredible and the line of customers was a universal sign of quality food.

After a few minutes, Zell handed the slave boy a long skewer of grilled red meat and delicious grilled sweet peppers.

The boy took it tentatively and his eyes welled with tears as he tasted it. It was the first kindness he had been shown in so many years and he didn’t care what came next. He would cling to the memory of that bite of delicious meat for the rest of his life.

Zell invited him to sit on a stone bench, and thought for a moment about how to break the news to the boy.

“What is your name?” He asked the boy who was savoring the last bite of his skewer. He swallowed before answering.

“Roshi” The boy replied, not making eye contact. “Thank you very much for the food.”

“Roshi, please look at me.” Zell compelled the boy, and Roshi lifted his gaze with effort to level his blue eyes with Zell’s green ones. “As of this moment you are no longer anyone’s property. I have a request that you are free to decline.”

Roshi’s hands went numb and he dropped the wooden skewer to the stone walkway. Zell’s statement echoed in his mind like rolling thunder. It must be a dream. He expected a whip to snap him awake at any second, but it did not. The flavor of the meal was still on his tongue and his old master was nowhere to be seen.

“Anything.” Roshi said, squeezing the words around the lump in his throat. “I will do anything you ask.”