Fred leaped forward the point of his sword directed towards Nathaniel's chest. Nathaniels hand darted toward the sword. He caught it with two fingers.

“You killed my gardener slash butler slash carriage driver. Didn’t you have such a lovely conversation with him on the way here? Why would you do that?” Without getting up from his seat or adding anymore than his two fingers for grip. Nathaniel pulled back, causing Fred to bend forward.

Nathaniel kicked his desk forward on the blood slick floors. It slammed right into Fred’s stomach. He bowled over. Nathaniel wrenched the sword from Fred’s grip. WIthout taking the time to spin it around for a better grip he slashed down at Fred with his two fingers.

~I can’t die!~ Fred was too slow. It was an attack that Fred would normally have no trouble dodging but he was weak. He was slow. So it cut him in half. Went right through the skull and severed the brain.

~Why??????~ With the last of Fred’s mind’s will he looked up at Nathaniel's face. He was only frowning slightly. A person had been killed in front of him and he was frowning slightly. ~You kill me! You hurt me! Then you end up on top!~ Hatred burned in Fred’s eyes.

~===========__________ —------- _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- |||||||||” Then everything fell away into little lines.

…….

Rodrigo Groggily got out of bed. ~Okay. Time for another few hours of walking with Fred.~

“Are you already up?” Asked Rodrigo as he laid in bed. Still not willing to open his eyes.

There was no response. Rodrigo sat up. His eyes open. He looked over to the bed he had made for him. Fred wasn’t there. He wasn’t sitting or standing anywhere in his surroundings either. ~Maybe he’s taking a leak.~ Rodrigo waited a few minutes. Fred did not come back.

~Shit…. He ran off didn't he.~ Rodrigo looked at the stalactites in the ceiling. All it would take is one good hit to knock them down. Rodrigo’s mind moved back to the time he saw him kicking the dragon. ~He’s after that man. I never got his name…~ Rodrigo sat on the ground cross legged. ~I should be able to find him if i’m quick enough.~ Acidic sweat spread around Rodrigo’s surroundings. Causing the rats to liquify into a floor around him. ~I run then. With that suppression collar this will take longer than usual.~

Rodrigo dashed. Going in the direction he suspected to find Fred.

….

Nathaniel looked down at Fred’s corpse with a blank stare. “I’ve never had a purchase that cost me so many stones.” A wry smile appeared on his face. ~That damn vibe man. He screwed me, didn't he? He knew something like this would happen.~ “How could I not realise? That man’s place as king over the custom harvest market is insurmountable. It was hubris for me to even try.” ~I’m not going to resurrect this guy~ He thought while looking down at Fred. He shrugged ~Might as well bury him~

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

So Nathaniel went to his shed and found a shovel. He picked out a nice spot in his garden. And started digging.

Fill the shovel. Move it. Empty it. Fill it. Move it. Empty it. Nathaniel found solace in the never ending cycle.

“Stop!” Nathaniel spun. About fifty steps behind him was a tall man. He had to be at least seven feet tall by Nathaniel's reckoning. ~That’s the other slave I bought right? I’m pretty sure.~

“Why?” Asked Nathaniel. Sweat began to drip from Fred’s body in response. The plants nearby began to shrivel.

“I known you are a man who doesn’t like losing money. I’ll cost you a lot if you don’t give me that corpse.” Nathanie nodded. He picked up the corpse and chucked it to Fred.

“Go. Like you said. You’re too much risk for me. So get out of my sight. You're free.” Said Nathaniel. With Fred’s body in hand Rodrigo scurried off.

……

“YOU’RE BACK! IT’S BARELY BEEN A DAY!” Yelled the wall as Fred sat there in his dark oak chair.

“......” He stared off into the distance, his eyes dead.

“Fred?” Asked the wall. ~For one month. Thirty or so days. I worked myself to the bone. Day in day out I trained. To be safe. To escape!~ Tears fell down Fred’s face but he didn’t make a sound.

“Fred souls aren’t supposed to be able to cry.” Fred took a deep breath. The tears stopped, nothing but the last few drops left to fall down his face.

“Why’d I die?” Said Fred, the wall trembled intensely.

“The reason is up for debate.” Said the wall

“WHY’D I DIE?!??!?!” Yelled Fred, he slammed his fist into the arm of his dark oak chair.

“BECAUSE YOU WERE STUPID! INSTEAD OF TAKING THE TIME TO THINK OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE COURSE OF ACTION IN ORDER TO OBTAIN YOUR GOAL YOU JUST RUSHED IN! AND YOU PAID FOR IT!” Screamed the wall. Its voice was so powerful that space seemed to shake around Fred. Making him uncertain of his location. Fred’s mind moved back to an old memory he had.

…..

Young Fred walked home from school one day. He was all pouts and sniffles as he walked into his parents' small apartment. Sitting at his couch with a soda in one hand and a protein shake in the other. Was Fred’s father.

“Why are you so sniffly Fred?” Asked Fred’s dad. Fred looked up at him.

“I asked this girl out. And she said no.” Responded Fred.

“You’re twelve! Aren’t you a bit young to be asking girls out!” Yelled Fred’s dad.

“She said noooooOOOOOOOO!” His tears increased in ferocity as he fell to his knees on the welcome mat and cried.

“Hey. Hey son, calm down. Calm down.” After a few minutes of crying he had finally calmed enough to speak. Fred’s dad had walked over and gotten down on his knees. He looked Fred in the eye. “Why’d she reject you.”

“Well *Sniffle.* I crab walked towards her while saying ‘hey guuuuuurlllll wanna go out with me?’ while also shooting finger guns at the same time and it didn’t woooooooork.” Fred’s dad looked at Fred. His mouth hung open. He opened and closed his mouth a few times like a robot restarting.

“Son. I hate to break it to you. But that’s your fault.” Said Fred’s dad. “Sure you might have done something to obtain your goal. BUT YOU DID IT STUPIDLY!” He screamed.

“WAAAAAAAAAAAA!” Fred’s crying increased a thousand fold, as his mother rabidly pushed Fred’s dad aside to comfort him.