I gave Elwin a thumbs-up, and I smiled from ear to ear. Elwin just looked like he had just sucked a sour plum before saying, “After all this you want me to bugger myself? Can’t say I can find the humor in it. There are places to go for that sort of thing.”

“No, no Elwin, that’s not what I meant at all! From where I come from this is a sign of good luck...an indication of approval. You see right now I am rather pleased with myself,” I said, holding up both thumbs, placatingly smiling as best I could.

“Thought you had no memories,” the thief said in a slow calculating voice, before grumbling once again, “Bah, for that you’ll be taking next watch. Guess I’ll have to be keeping another one of my eyes on you,” he finished, continuing to gripe as he made a bed for himself from the leaves and moss the cold forest floor. With an annoyed audible huff, he lay dawn.

“Of course...” I began before I noticed that he had already turned away.

A few minutes later, he was already fast asleep, his breathing shallow and even.

Adjusting the loose helmet on my head, I stared up at the dark canopy, observing only one or two twinkling lights through the thick boughs. All around me, I could hear the sounds of the forest as its denizens continued their nocturnal activities. The air was fresh and invigorating, full of the green smells of a vibrant forest, free of the stifling pollutants of my old world.

Alone with my thoughts, I began to reflect on my journey so far. Thinking back to my struggles with the amphibious Bibsis, I realized just how much I had grown in power since coming to this strange new world. My time as a slave had forged my body and soul, and I was a vastly different man from when I’d first arrived.

I realized the innocence I once possessed was forever lost. I had killed, and more than once, at that. This was a world that demanded it, even rewarded it. I knew in my heart that this was no simple parody of a game. The scents, the sounds, the suffering; it was all too real. Yet despite all this, it was still a world that was beautifully virgin and full of wonder.

I thought, too, of Earth, and of the mediocre, yet somewhat tolerable, life I had lived. Every day had been a struggle, but of a different sort. There, I had to worry if I would be able to pay the bills on time; here I had to worry if I had enough Health, Stamina, and Mana to survive the next encounter with a monstrous creature. I chuckled to myself inwardly, thinking of the situations that I once considered stressful. Here I had grown tough, but I knew I had to grow even tougher still. So, with these thoughts, a few hours were lost.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

I touched my collar, a reminder of the sights I had witnessed and the trials I had suffered. My first gift for slaying another sentient human being. This stubborn collar was just another hurdle I had to overcome. Focusing on Identify, I cast the spell on my collar once more, needing to confirm my progress from before.

Iron Slave Collar

Durability 254/400

Intriguingly, the durability had dropped another four points. Was this from general wear and tear, or was it the lingering effects of the spell? ‘Curse’ type spells in games usually took a long time to fully take effect...

I had a feeling that it would do me no favors to wait, and with six points of Mana I continued to emit the weaker version of Rust onto my collar, ignoring the oily dark energies and weak whispers that followed each cast.

After the fifth use of the spell, wishing to avoid reaching zero Mana, I tried to snap the tortured metal with my bare hands, grunting loudly in the effort. A familiar hand the size of ham grasped my shoulder and I turned to look at Kidu. His face was hard and unfamiliar in the dark flames, casting him as a monster, his blonde dreadlocks like a wild Medusan growth.

“A fine sentry you will make.” He laughed in a not-too-unfriendly manner. “Please, let me…” His large hands reached for my neck.

For a split second, I feared that he wished to end my life, and my body involuntarily stiffened. Gently, he placed his giant hands on the collar around my neck, before, with a great twist, he snapped the weakened and heavily corroded metal. It fell, broken, to the forest floor.

“Thank you, Kidu.” Awe and appreciation echoed equally in my voice at his impressive strength.

“Freedom is more than payment enough,” he said, even and stern, before laughing and slapping me on the back, “But I would like to stay free for a little bit longer so I will take the next watch!”

With the large man gesturing for me to sleep, I removed my helm and gloves, laying them down next to me before curling up into a ball. I touched where the metal once met my neck, and looked down at my wrists, now free of chains. Soon enough, sleep claimed me once again as the dark whispers followed me into her realm.