Reacher’s horse was leading the way and his hands were bound to it much like Cadmun was that morning. Only difference being that he wasn’t unconscious or dragged on the ground. They walked for a long time. In the dark he wasn’t able to recognize any paths or fields they were walking through. The only thing he could use as an orientation was the tower of the mansion up on the hill. It felt like the tower itself was watching them down there. Judging by the position of the tower relative to the rest of the mansion they somewhere on the eastern side of the manor walking towards north. Away from the slave camp.

Montgomery had been ordered to return to the camp alone and he was left surrounded by the two knights. In a sense he was all alone. A hint of dread started creeping up his spine, when in the middle of nowhere they suddenly got off the beaten path and headed towards a cabin made of sheet metal. As they descended downhill, his hair stood on end. That place doesn’t feel right.

In front of the cabin Becket was waiting for them with a torch in his hand. A rope leading away from Becket’s horse was bound to another man behind it. It was Cadmun! His relief was short-lived however, because when he took a better look at the fellow slave, he realized that Cadmun was full of cuts and his rags were soaked in blood. Cadmun looked confused with the situation even fearful. At least he’s alive.

Becket and Reacher only needed a few nods to communicate. Reacher rode over to Cadmun and tapped him on his bald head making the cuts disappear. He noticed for the first time that Reacher’s hand illuminated a faint light, when he healed people. Then without a word Becket started riding away. Cadmun, who had now realized that they were changing places, looked him in the eye. His expression had changed from fearful to worried. Worried of what will await him inside that cabin. Even as Becket’s horse pulled on his bindings, he continued locking eyes. Is that a warning?

Reacher lost no time. He got off his horse to open the door to the cabin.

“Come on,” the Mace said, “let’s get this over with.”

Reacher’s voice lacked the usual authority.

“Are you alright?” he asked the Mace.

Reacher was taken aback by that question.

“Shouldn’t you be worried about yourself?”

Reacher tugged on the rope and lead him inside the dark cabin. The first thing he noticed was the putrid smell. A rancid odor attacked his nostrils which nearly made him puke. Somewhere mixed into the foul smell of something rotten he made out a waft of iron. He could practically taste that disgusting concoction on his tongue. The next thing he noticed were his shaking hands. He had felt the cold metal under his feet before, but it took him a bit to register that the inside of the Slaughterhouse was freezing cold. Reacher, unaffected by this, guided him to the middle of the room and he heard a splash.

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“Of course,” the Mace muttered.

He also stepped into a puddle and could immediately tell what it was. However, unlike Reacher he wasn’t wearing any boots and the cold liquid slithered between his toes. A chill ran down his spine not from the cold but from disgust.

“There we go,” Reacher said.

The Mace had been looking for something along the low ceiling where he could tie the rope into. Reacher pulled the rope so tight that he had to hold up his hands above his head. He was forced to stand. His breathing flattened and he felt his heart pounding uncontrollably. What is this place? And what is gonna happen to me?

image [https://i.imgur.com/psVOnRU.jpeg]

“Are- Are you comfortable?” Reacher asked.

What? What kind of question is that?

“No,” he answered, “not really.”

Reacher apologized: “I’ve never had to tie up another Player in here.”

The Mace paused for a moment. He looked around the room, but he didn’t find whatever he was searching.

Finally, the Mace rather unenthusiastically said: “Hang in there!”

An awkward silence filled the room. If that was an attempt at a joke, then he failed miserably. They heard a voice from outside.

“Are you finished? It’s time to go.” It was the armored knight. “We have to return to the mansion.”

Reacher took a last look at him, tapped him on the shoulder and left him alone in the cabin. The door slammed shut and took the moonlight with it. It took him a while, but his eyes finally adjusted to the darkness. The cabin had no windows other than some small slits close to the ceiling which didn’t really light up the inside of the cabin. The low light left enough of the room up to his imagination and he soon began seeing shadows dancing in the corner of the room. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore them. All he could perceive were the sporadic creaking of the sheet metal around him and the wet puddle of… whatever he was standing in. His heart had calmed down which he found weird given the circumstances. I feel calm… and tired.

It was then where he realized, that he didn’t feel cold anymore. In fact, he felt quite warm from the inside. Reacher must have left him a present of sorts. Come to think of it Reacher had definitely changed his behavior since the cave. But why is that? What’s with that whole ‘Player’ thing? What is my status?

Some fading worries about when the Baron or some Adventurer would show up circled in his head, but his exhaustion started to grow uncontrollably. Just what did Reacher do?

He tried to open his eyes again, but his eyelids became way too heavy. Whatever panic could have been built up in that moment was quickly drowned, when he suddenly fell asleep.