Amaro didn’t plan to ever come back to this godforsaken cave, especially if it meant crawling through that narrow hole again. If he remembered one thing about that place it would be that the name ‘Loktiir’ was left on its walls in naturally formed crystals.

But that wouldn’t be the only thing he remembered for the rest of his life.

As they walked out of the cave, he thought endlessly about his dream. If that was the future, then did that mean he wouldn’t die until that point? Or was it something that could happen. Could fate be changed, or was it unable to be affected?

Both answers terrified him and put him at ease in their own way. On one end, he was guaranteed to live for the next seven years no matter what he faced, and he’d even gain Kaara’s affection, but what if he saw a future he wanted to change at some point?

And on the other end, if the future was not set in stone, then he now felt pressure knowing what could be between them. But if the future could be changed, then perhaps he had control over his destiny after all?

He was lost in that cycle of thought for their entire trip back. At the very least, it was faster since they were no longer trying to hide.

“Oh boy it’s going to be hard to get up tomorrow, isn’t it?” Anitus muttered, “Three to four hours just to go sightseeing for a cave, a cadaver, and a case. What’s in it anyways?”

“Buncha weird scrolls. Apparently Amaro can read ‘em, but I can’t.”

“Not surprising given you’re a Tibur. I can’t imagine teaching you how to read is important.”

“We learn how to read! Here, take a look.” Kaara pulled one of the scrolls from the bag.

“These are blank.”

“See?”

“Amaro was just playing a trick on you to impress you.”

“No, it’s true I can read them.”

“He’s not lying, brother,” Raktus said.

“Well what’s so special about Amaro then? Why can he read it and no one else?”

“I’m not sure why,” Amaro said, “but I feel like those pages aren’t meant to be read by anyone. And if they are, then they’re meant to be read by someone specific.”

“Oh I’m so glad the cavexio from eons past had the foresight to leave you a message, Amaro.”

“The better question is…” Rorik spoke up, “What are we going to do with what we found?”

“I say we hide them somewhere,” Arik said, “We dunno what those things are capable of when we read them out, or what kinda trouble we’re gonna get in if the adults know we went to that cave.”

“Well I can’t imagine they would punish us too hard. It’s not like the cave was strictly off limits. But perhaps hiding them until we have a better idea of what those scrolls are is a good move.”

“But if we bring it to the adults they might be able to tell us what they are,” Kaara offered.

“Or they might take them away and we’d never see them again,” Anitus countered.

“I see your point, but…” Kaara looked at Amaro. Was she worried about him? He wanted to put her at ease.

“Well,” Amaro said, “I think we should keep them hidden for now and only take them out when we’re ready to show them to the adults. I think it would be a great idea to try and figure them out by ourselves until we get stuck. That way, the adults can’t hide it from us since we already know too much about them.”

“That sounds like a good strategy to me.” Raktus said with a nod.

“Admittedly, I’m in agreement too.” Rorik said.

“Alright,” Kaara said, “We can hide them in a foxhole.”

“Maybe I can get a bit of reading done before bed?” Amaro offered.

Kaara shook her head, “It’s already super late. Let’s leave it for tomorrow.”

Anitus let out a loud and exaggerated yawn, “For once we agree on something, Tibur girl.”

Stolen story; please report.

“Oi, she’s got a name!” Arik said.

“Yeah? I’m afraid I’m too tired to remember, sorry.”

“Let’s get to bed,” Amaro interjected, “We’ll look at this after some rest.”

Kaara trotted off to hide the scrolls with the help of Rorik. Amaro and his siblings split off into the camp to rejoin their tent. Amaro had anymore time to think before he passed out. He had not realized how tired he was.

Waking up to a headache was the worst. That was coupled with a few aches and pains from his sleeping arrangements. It was cold, and he just wanted to go back to sleep. He tried to test himself by pushing his leg out of the sleeping bag, but immediately regretted it. It was absolutely freezing this morning. His face had gone numb from the cold air.

“Oi, Anitus, get a fire started.”

“Shut up, I’m not your personal furnace.” Anitus said with his face dug into his staw pillow.

“You’re the only one here with fire magic, so you should be responsible for keeping the fire going!”

“Strike a tree with some lightning and you’ll get the same result, jackass.”

“Can the both of you shut up?” Sancta said grumpily, “Ugh, it’s morning already?”

“Oh, woe is you, getting a whole night of sleep.” Anitus grumbled.

“Are you blaming me for being out so late with Raktus? What were you doing anyways?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

Sancta threw her pillow at him, “Whatever.” She got up, wrapping furs along her shoulders to keep war, as she started to change underneath them.

It made Amaro realize he had slept in his dirty clothes the entire night. At least he hadn’t gone through that cave dressed in his pajamas. No, wait, no he had.

“I’m going to drown myself in the river, I’ll be back later.” He said.

After a brisk wash in the river nearby with a few other Tibur and nobles around, he rejoined the camp to see his other siblings preparing for the day. Or rather, he would have if his path had not been blocked by a group of three noble heirs on his way back.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the hog-heir of the Xirxus bloodline. I’m surprised you know how to clean yourself.” One of them said. Amaro recognized the crest of a prominent noble house embroidered on his shirt. If Amaro had paid any attention to his lessons growing up, he would have been able to name it. He had a few piercings and a couple golden chains hanging from his horns. The son of a treasurer maybe?

“Off to find a mudhole, Amaro?” another said, flanking him. The Titeus House’s crest proudly gleaming on a badge pinned to his tunic. Amaro recalled Lorshiir had some moderate blood relation.

“Such a wonderful scar on your nose. Did daddy beat you too hard?” The last one Amaro vaguely recognized. Perhaps he had been in attendance during his father’s coronation? His father tended to keep his enemies rather close by. Perhaps he was an offshoot of one of the seven Godslayers?

“Quite a lot of insults from a group of nobodies I’ve never met before.” Amaro said with a yawn, “Have you something to prove to me, or can I have my breakfast in peace this morning?”

“Oh we’ve plenty to prove to you, swine.” The treaser’s son said. “You see, our fathers were discussing business matters about the Xirxus the other day.”

“Oh? Is that so?”

“You, my dear Amaro, are nothing but a disgrace to your family’s name, and an embarrassment to xiozian nobility.”

Amaro’s eyes tracked the other two as they flanked him from either side, “So what do you want from me? An apology?”

“No.” The heir of the Titeus clan said, “In fact, we want you to keep being as pathetic as you are for us. We have our own legends to build, you know.”

“I see.” Amaro said, his face betraying no emotion, “If you’d like to leech off of my family name by beating me in a fight then have at it. I’m actually more than happy to concede.”

Seems like their families were discussing some sort of alliance against his house. But even if he was weak in their eyes, his father was still more than a deterrent. Even if his enemy might have been another Godslayer.

“That’s rich!” The Godslayer’s offshoot said, “He’s so much of a spineless coward he’s willing to let himself lose without a fight.”

“We know the game you’re trying to play Xirxus,” The treasurer’s son said, “You’re just going to claim we weren’t worth your time and you gave us a pity win. That’s hardly enough for us. We’re more than capable of introducing your pig face to the mud ourselves.”

“So ganging up on me in a three on one is your idea of a challenge? That’s rather sad. If you want an actual challenge go bother Anitus. I’m sure he’ll give you the fight you want,” Amaro said as he massaged his neck. He really hadn’t gotten any good sleep last night.

“Oh he’ll get what’s coming to him soon enough.” The treasurer’s son said, “Right along with your horn-sucking little brothers, and your whore of a sister!“

“Huh…” Amaro said as he shoved his hands in his pockets and pulled his pajama pants up a bit. The last thing he needed was to rip another hole in them, “Come again?”

“Are you deaf too? I said-”

Amaro flashed forward, and kicked him in the jaw so hard it looked like his head was about to spin off his shoulders. The treasurer’s son crumpled to the ground gasping for air like a fish.

“Oh? You’re studier than you look. For all that talk, I figured your lips were loose enough that I could punt your jaw into the tree branches.” Amaro spat on him, turning to look at the other two with the same cold glare his father had, “Think of me however you like, but I am the weakest of my siblings, so I won’t have anyone disrespecting them. Especially trash like you.”

The moment consciousness started to come back to the eyes of the treasurer’s son, Amaro kicked it right back into the abyss where it belonged.

“Hey! Stop that, you’ll kill him.” The Titeus’s Heir said.

Amaro grinned, baring his fangs, “Oh? And are either of you nobodies going to stop me?”

They stood in place, not moving an inch.

“That’s what I thought. And if I ever catch wind that either of you nameless kobolds harmed my younger siblings, I’m not going to stop at just two kicks.” Amaro walked over the treasurer’s son like a rug on his way to breakfast, “Make sure he doesn’t choke on his own teeth, will you?”