“Old man, make up your mind, do you want to go to cross the border or not” the suspicious man asked whispering.
“Tell me more about it, how much will you charge?” asked Roland.
“Right to the business, aren’t we? Good, I like you… 10,000 golds” Sneered the shrouded man.
“Ah, what do you take me for? I’m just a mere merchant.” Scowled Roland.
“A merchant from the Everlasting commerce, nonetheless. I’m sure… the commodities you are carrying would be far more expensive than this messily amount.” Reasoned the shrouded man.
“Best I can give is 5000 golds and no funny business” Roland stared at the man trying to read his thoughts.
“This is not for bargain old man, perhaps you are not serious about crossing the border. We will move tonight at midnight, if you can bring 10000 golds, meet us back over there near the forest. Also, don’t bother reporting to the authorities, they are aware.” He sneered.
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We were waiting for the old man to finish the talks with officials however, after seeing his sagged shoulders it was clear as day the talks didn’t go in our favor.
“The borders are closed because of this gentleman here” he declared.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“The goddess has revealed your existence to her Sanctuary, which then warned everyone that there is a demon king disaster in Everhart. I suspect that disaster is you Arion. Now they have closed their borders for everyone from this Kingdom” he responded.
“Why would the Goddess declare me as a threat and to call me a demon king?” I was surprised now.
“We don’t question the ways of gods here lad. It is what it is” he replied.
“How come you are accompanying me then?”
“At first I saw you as a threat, then you defeated me but spared my life, with my many years of living, I find myself a somewhat good judge of character.”
“Aren’t divinity supposed to not interfere in worldly affairs?” Asked Elara.
“That makes me uneasy too, just who are you Arion? Why are you making the gods so uneasy?” Asked Roland.
“Beats me, I just woke up. Based on the stars I see in sky, I think I am in a different world altogether, I have never been to this place. I can also assure you; I never caused any disaster… here.” I had to give some information away just for the sake of not becoming enemies.
“You’re from another world?” Asked Sera with great interest.
“Look kid, I don’t blame you. It’s the way things work in this world. One day you are a royal commander, the next day you can be a fugitive” he said ignoring Sera’s astonishment while looking down somewhere lost in his thoughts.
“So, what’s next?”
“I have an offer from a human trafficker” Roland spoke gritting his teeth.
"Throughout my life, I've been opposing this organization, and now I find myself willing to utilize their services," he added, sighing in resignation.
“How much have they asked?” asked Albert.
“Ten thousand golds”
“That should be fine, let’s go with them” decided Sera.
In perfect agreement, the companions nodded as soon as Sera voiced the idea. It appears that this girl holds considerable influence among the group; no wonder they're putting up with me. After all, it was her decision to include me in their company.
Few hours later, we moved towards the border area near the forest where the man had asked us to come.
“Ah you finally came, hand over the payment please” demanded the shrouded man.
Roland handed him the bag of golds he had prepared before coming here. It was a small bag compared to the number of gold Roland claimed it contained.
Swiftly, the man unsealed the bag, revealing 10 platinum gold coins. Biting into one with a hint of a sneer, he remarked, "A wise choice, indeed. Follow me."
We trailed behind the man, venturing away from the border and covering a few kilometers on foot.
In due time, the outlines of houses gradually emerged in the distance. As we proceeded, we quietly passed by slumbering guards stationed at the village entrance, adhering to the instruction of maintaining silence.
Eventually, we arrived in front of a warehouse. The shrouded man rapped on the door using a prearranged sequence of knocks. A man inside first peeked through a small opening in the door, then upon recognizing the shrouded man, he swung the door open to admit us.
“Have all preparations completed? Asked the man to his colleague.
“Yes, we have prepared seven carriages, all mercenaries are right now protecting the carriage.” He responded.
“And the slaves?”
“All secured.”
The slave part quickly grabbed my attention. I started observing my surrounding looking for them. However, they were not around.
“They are along with goods in carriage” he added.
“Come to think of it, where are your goods, sir merchant?” asked the shrouded man realizing he was just with his companions.
“Don’t worry, it is with us” Roland showed his ring signaling that everything was with him.
“Ah… big guild… rich people” mocked the man after realizing the ring.
"Hey, what's the deal with his ring?" I whispered to Elara.
"Later... no chatting right now, just go along," she whispered back with a touch of tension in her voice.
The shrouded man then instructed everyone, including Roland and his group, to grab a few bags and assist him in moving more goods toward the carriage stationed outside the village.
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Reluctantly, the companions picked up the bags, not wanting to upset the smuggler at this point.
Upon reaching the designated meeting spot, the bags were handed over to other men from the group. However, as soon as I set down one of the bags, the sound of a crying child reached my ears from one of the covered cages.
My heart sank, and I began to move toward the cage. My path was blocked by a robust, burly man.
"Personal property, kid. You're not allowed to trespass here," he sneered.
“Are they slaves?” I asked
“None of your fucking business chicken, now get back to where the rest of you are” he threatened.
The kid was now crying louder now that she noticed someone had asked about her.
Frustrated the man opened the cage, picked the kid up by her throat and started choking her while slapping. The poor girl was struggling to breathe.
“Oye! let it go, you moron. You don’t damage my product.” Yelled the smuggler at his subordinate.
“Don’t worry lad, you don’t have to worry about slavery thanks to your old man paying handsomely” he smirked as he told me that.
"Explain to me, how does someone end up as a slave?" I questioned, feeling a sense of unease filling the air.
"Why should I give you that information?" He shot back, giving Roland a meaningful look, as if Roland should control his friend to avoid any trouble.
"This world takes on a much darker hue when you're not part of the ruling class, Arion," Roland remarked to me.
"So, do you just turn a blind eye?" I asked. "Our worlds may be vastly different, but there are still a few things that remain common."
Suddenly, I aimed my laser gun at the sturdy guard's head, instantly obliterating his brain matter with searing energy. Without pause, I followed up by delivering a swift punch to the smuggler's face, followed by another to his ribs. Gritting his teeth, he writhed on the ground, clearly in pain. Taking no breaks, I turned my attention to the other men who rushed to his aid, launching my attack against them as well.
Without comprehending my intention, Roland and the others exchanged sighs, ultimately opting to join the battle at my side.
Soon I managed to defeat all the smugglers companions, their bodies lay lifeless on the ground, with their facial expressions still in disbelief.
I then tied the smuggler who was now shaking in fear.
"P-Please spare me, I'm just a small guy. The real ringleader is someone else. I'll spill all the details, I beg you, sir. I have a family to feed," he pleaded.
“Caring about families, are we? What about those slaves’ family?” I sneered.
“Perhaps you don’t even see them as humans?” I asked again.
"I was doing them a favor, do you know the conditions of this miserable outskirt village? There's a wealthy noble who purchases these... girls from us. I'm certain their lives are better off without such hardships," he offered his justification.
"Tell me, these kids are taken against their will, you kidnapped them, didn’t you?" Elara questioned.
"Let me be clear, I'm not some savior who rescues every slave, but this situation hits home for me. If you help me return these kids to their families, I'll let you go. Deal?" I suggested.
"All these kids were abducted from this place called.., I swear! I'll take you there." He yelled in terror.
The next day we released the children back and ensure all kids reached their home again safely.
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Roland and Albert were now seeing Arion in a new light. To think he would fight for the children who were unjustly enslaved.
The sudden turn of events had momentarily taken the companions' attention, and only now were they realizing the need to decide on their next course of action. With the smugglers no longer in play, their chances of crossing the border had vanished, forcing them to formulate a new plan.
“How about we settle in this village for few days?” Sera suggested.
“Let’s talk to the village chief.” Roland said as he looked for village guards.
Roland soon found two guards coming out from a tavern, clearly drunk.
“Hello good sir, how are you? We would like to meet with village chief. If you could please send us in the right direction?” Asked Roland politely.
“Oye old hag, how dare ye call our great Town of Havenbrook a mere village? Have you seen a village with guards before? Fucking city dwellers make me sick” he spat on ground as he sneered.
"I apologize for my mistake. This town is truly delightful, with so much greenery. I mistakenly perceived it as a mere village. Could you please assist me in contacting the town's lord?" Roland said, his friendly smile unwavering.
“Ye making fun of us aren’t ye? Ye fuckin piss pants old hag, ye find this shit for a town delightful? Green? Getcha eyes checked idiot” sneered the other one.
“Wait, aren’t you the one who brought the kids back to this hell hole?” asked the other one slightly recognizing him.
“Ah yes, we found that the kids were abducted and please think nothing of it” Roland replied
“Think nothing of it? Who do ye think ye are old hag, how dare ye make us look slackin off” sneered the first guard.
It looked like they had no plans of helping them. Roland tried to back away slowly. But the guards kept pushing, clearly trying to start a fight.
Soon the commotion attracted the crowd and other guards.
“What happened here” asked a senior guard.
Seeing a higher-ranking individual among the group, Roland swiftly attempted to clarify the situation. However, before any further actions could be taken, the guard who had encountered them earlier interjected.
"They were making threats and demeaning our town by referring to it as a village," the guard asserted.
"Guards, apprehend them," the senior guard ordered without seeking to hear the opposing perspective.
“Look this is unfair, how can you be so pathetic” irritated Sera barked.
Now situated in the cellar, distanced from the crowd, their hands were shackled, and they were unceremoniously thrown into the same cell. The air was saturated with the odors of waste, sickness, and decaying matter, accompanied by a multitude of flies and mosquitoes buzzing about.
"It's astonishing how deeply corruption has taken hold in the outskirts. If only I had been aware of the lord's actions while I held power," Roland remarked with a mix of anger and frustration evident in his tone.
Then looking at Arion
“You did well not acting on your own again, they are corrupt but we cannot fight an entire vi-town” he said to Arion.
“I don’t really care what they do, my actions aren’t really in my own control. Sometimes my body acts while other times it doesn’t. let’s leave it there for now.” He responded.
“I…I share a history with abduction” he added.
“As a kid you were also abducted. Didn’t you?” asked Sera with great interest in her eyes.
“Let’s worry about that later” said Albert, “How do we get out from here?”
“For now, we wait to be summoned by the lord” Roland sat down closing his eyes as if readying himself to meditate.
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“If it isn’t Sir Knight Roland of House Everhart” said a mysterious fat man wearing expensive attire.
As Albert's gaze settled on Lord Cedric for the first time, his eyes took in the details of a man who seemed to embody the very essence of excess and self-indulgence. The lord's physical presence was imposing, not because of any inherent strength or nobility, but rather due to the sheer bulk of his body, which seemed to strain against the rich fabrics of his clothing. The lavishness of his attire spoke volumes about his wealth and status, yet it was the subtle, or perhaps not so subtle, details that caught Albert's attention.
The lord's mustache, thick and ungainly, appeared almost as a caricature of nobility, meticulously groomed yet failing to mask the underlying sense of self-importance that seemed to radiate from him. It was as if the mustache was a statement, a declaration of his status that was as much a part of his identity as the title he bore. Albert noted how Cedric's hair, an excessive abundance of blonde locks, was arranged in a desperate attempt to conceal the encroaching baldness at the crown of his head. It was a vain effort to defy the passage of time, a testament to the lord's concern with appearances and the opinions of others.
The lord's attire, while undoubtedly expensive and intended to impress, seemed to Albert as though it was chosen more for its ostentation than any sense of style or elegance. The garments, adorned with embellishments and crafted from the finest materials, hung on Cedric's frame in a way that suggested opulence was a substitute for true nobility of character. Every piece of jewelry, every embellishment, seemed to scream of a desire to be noticed, to be envied.
As Albert observed Lord Cedric, he couldn't help but feel a sense of repulsion mingled with a grudging acknowledgment of the lord's cunning. For beneath the layers of fabric and flattery, there lay a sharp mind and a calculating nature. Cedric's eyes, small and shrewd, missed little, and his posture, though relaxed, hinted at a readiness to leap at opportunity. It was clear to Albert that the lord was a man who thrived in the murky waters of court intrigue and power plays, a predator disguised in the trappings of nobility.
In these moments of observation, Albert understood that Lord Cedric was a man driven by greed and ambition, a lord who saw people and principles as tools to be used in the pursuit of his own ends. The impression was one of a man who would not hesitate to sacrifice others on the altar of his own advancement.
“And of course, I bow before the Royal highness” he bowed courteously while smirking.
The companions and I narrowed our eyes, while trying to read his expressions.
“Guards, bring them to my office.” He ordered his men before leaving the cellar.
The guards opened the cell and order the occupants to evacuate in haste. Roland motioned his hands towards the guard expecting that the guards will remove the shackles.
“Move, the lord didn’t order us to unshackle you lot” he said with a smirk.
The implications of the lord's actions were not lost on the companions. It became clear to them that the lord was likely a loyal supporter of the new king, and their situation had taken a dire turn. It appeared that returning to the town had been a regrettable decision.
With a frown our group reached the Lord’s office in his mansion. The mansion was lavish with different kinds of luxurious items at display. A contrast with the condition of the town’s other houses.
Within the lord's inner sanctum, the very essence of medieval might and rustic elegance is captured in the sturdy embrace of its wooden confines. The room, spacious and dimly lit by flickering torches, exudes an atmosphere of power and timeless authority. Each piece of furniture, from the robust oak desk dominating the center to the heavy, hand-carved chairs encircling it, speaks of a bygone era where strength and durability were prized above all. The floor, covered in thick, woven rugs, muffles the footsteps of those who enter, as if to preserve the silence for the whispers of history that permeate the air.
The walls are a testament to the lord's passion for the hunt, a gallery of his achievements in the wild. Mounted heads of boars, their tusks curving menacingly, and the broad, shaggy heads of mammoths, their tusks a spiral testament to their ancient might, adorn the stone with a grim majesty. These are not the mythical creatures of legend but the formidable beasts of the land, each representing a story of survival and conquest. The lord's fascination with hunting and skinning is evident in the meticulous care taken to preserve these trophies, each one positioned to capture the awe of any onlooker.
Amidst this display of dominance and heritage, the lord's table stands as a centerpiece of hospitality and strategy. Laden with a feast that would draw the envy of any banquet hall, it showcases an abundance of delicacies, from roasted meats to exotic fruits, their aromas mingling in a tantalizing dance. It is here, among the remnants of medieval grandeur and the spoils of the hunt, that an object out of time finds its place. Arion's laser gun, sleek and modern, lies incongruously upon the table, its presence a stark contrast to the primitive elegance surrounding it.
In this chamber, every detail from the rough texture of the wooden beams overhead to the soft glow of the firelight casting shadows across the stone walls contributes to a sense of stepping into a past that is alive with the echoes of footsteps and the ghostly thrum of battle cries. It is a room that commands respect, not just for the lord it serves but for the stories it holds within its walls, stories of bravery, of survival, and of the timeless dance between man and nature.
“Welcome, please have a seat, welcome your highness, I am very lucky to be able to be a host royals in our humble town of Havenbrook” The lord said with wide grin on his face.
“My name is Lord Cedric Belfort. I really hope you liked the hospitality of my humble town” he said with a smirk as he looked directly at Sera’s eyes.
"If genuine hospitality was your aim, perhaps beginning with releasing the princess from these shackles would have been a more fitting gesture," Roland protested.
"That may be true, yet my hands are tied in this matter. The king's decrees must be upheld," the lord grinned broadly as he responded.
"I extend my gratitude to all of you for gracing us with your presence. Your visit provides a rare opportunity to curry favor with our esteemed new ruler," he continued, his words now laced with a sly undertone.
“So, what was your plan exactly? Did you believe that by rescuing these children, you could win over the hearts of the people and ultimately replace me as the lord, all while subtly expanding your own power and influence?” He asked.
"Slavery has always been lawful in this Kingdom, even during your father's reign. He didn't dismantle it, so what authority do you possess to take away these slaves and bring them back?" he inquired, his expression growing more serious.
"Especially after I've sold them. Your childish antics have tarnished the reputation of my private enterprises," he snapped with evident anger, his veins pulsing on his forehead. "Handing all of you over to the proper authorities is my duty," he swiftly shifted his tone back to a playful one.
“Oye! Pig, will you just stop lecturing on why it was alright for you to sell kids” I snapped, cracking my knuckles as I glared at him.
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