Montgomery strode across the dusty grounds of the slave camp with bowls of steaming pork stew in his hands.

“How’d you get two?” he asked.

“It pays to be on PP’s good side.”

He frowned at the mention of PP’s name.

“Don’t worry, he’s never celebrating with us. He grabs something to eat and then watches everybody, just like he does on normal days.” Montgomery pointed towards the darkness where the other tents were.

He looked in the general direction where Montgomery pointed. If he squinted hard enough, he could make out the brightly coloured hair of the big man. So he’s just observing us? Creepy.

“So how was your backwash?” Montgomery asked coyly, trying to change the conversation.

“You’re a dog,” he responded, trying to shut down the conversation.

Montgomery handed him one of the bowls with a smile forming on his face. The aroma made his mouth water. He nodded to him with gratitude and grabbed the bowl. They stood in silence as they ate, and it took a minute for Montgomery to strike up the conversation.

“You’re not an Adventurer, you know,” Montgomery said.

He paused his meal for a moment but didn’t respond.

“You’re not one of them, and you know that.”

“But I’m not one of you either. I’m a Player, but not an Adventurer. I’m not an NPC, but I’m a slave. What am I?”

Montgomery placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Listen to me, Recruit. It doesn’t matter that you’re a Player. If you’re trapped in here, you’re a slave. If you’re a slave, you’re one of us, and just like the rest of us, you’re fighting to survive. The others will understand that too someday.”

image [https://i.imgur.com/RxjL5oH.jpg]

Before he could respond, Varyan appeared, his approach heralded by the sound of his laughter.

“What’s all this serious talk?” he asked, a grin spreading across his face. “You two look like you’re plotting something.”

“Just trying to knock some sense into this stubborn fool,” Montgomery replied.

“It’s nothing, really,” he added.

Varyan looked at him with disbelief. “I found out about you being a Player from Cadmun.”

He gulped. Of course he did.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

“I can explain,” he stammered.

But can I really?

Varyan brushed him off. “Don’t worry, I had a hunch when I first met you. Your secret’s safe with me. How are you holding up?”

His gaze dropped to the ground. “It’s just… hard to accept.”

“I understand. But I agree with Montgomery’s optimism that this is a fragile opportunity for us. For now, it’s best to stay low and formulate a plan on how to use your status. Between Cadmun, Lydia, Timothy, and us three, no one else will know for the time being. Especially not my brother.”

“I-,” he didn’t know what to say.

“The others will find out eventually, but we won’t let anyone treat you differently when they do,” Montgomery said, sensing his worries.

He looked up. “Thank you, you too. That means a lot.”

Varyan nodded, his demeanour softening. “We’ve all had our struggles. This place tests us in ways we never imagined. But it’s only going to be one more year.”

One year? That’s what the Baron said.

“What’s gonna happen in one year?” he asked.

Varyan’s expression turned serious. “When our people turn eighteen, they unlock their power.”

“What do you mean power?”

“Well, power,” Varyan tried to explain, “as in: you understand what your true calling is instinctively.”

“How so?”

“I come from a long line of mages,” he explained, “My great-great-grandfather was the first, which back then was rare in the East. Every other descendant since unlocked their understanding of magic on their 18th birthday seemingly overnight. Just like my sister two years ago.”

A notion popped into his head. “Cassandra?”

“Yes. Cassandra.” Varyan confirmed. “She escaped the camp when she got her powers.”

“That was a hell of an evening,” Montgomery laughed, “fireballs and magic projectiles flying all over the place. Those knights had a hard time catching her. She ransacked a couple of houses around here. That’s why we’re sleeping in tents.”

He pointed towards the shanty town. “That was her?”

“No,” Montgomery said chuckling, “that’s what’s left.”

Wow. So slaves can be that strong too.

Varyan tried to stay on topic. “Since then she’s been looking for our grandfather, who was in the West before the war started. We believe he can help us free the slaves.”

“What makes you think he can help?”

“Wow, you really don’t know anything,” Montgomery chimed into the conversation. “Lord Alastair is one of the smartest and strongest people in the world. He helped Arslan kill the Gods.”

Kill the Gods?

“I thought the God of Life protects us. How is it dead?”

“Well, the God of Resurrection brought it back to life,” Montgomery said as if it were self-explanatory.

He started to doubt what the man was telling him. It was Montgomery after all.

“Before the Adventurers arrived, we didn’t know about the God of Resurrection ourselves.” Varyan tried to reassure him.

He still felt as if they were playing a prank on him to maybe cheer him up, but Varyan’s words sounded sincere.

“So if your grandfather can kill a god, then why hasn’t he come back?”

Varyan lowered his head. “That’s what we don’t know.”

“He’s also just human after all. He didn’t kill the Gods by himself. He assisted in the raids, but it was the Adventurers who ultimately did kill them. Like the Baron’s father, for example.”

“The Baron must have powerful allies, if his father is such a strong Adventurer.” He felt his hope of escaping fade away.

“And that’s why Cassandra needs to find out what happened to him. But don’t worry,” Varyan encouraged him, “he knows other strong Adventurers as well. They make the Baron look pathetic in comparison.”

A name popped into his head. “Leonhart?”

Varyan’s eyes lit up. “You know Leonhart?”

“Well, no. But the Baron mentioned her name.”

“Ah, of course.”

Varyan smacked his head, angry with himself for raising false hopes. It pained his soul to disappoint him.

“Anyway,” Varyan said, “Cass will find out what happened to our grandfather and come back within the year to save us.”

Cass? Cute.

An uncomfortable thought raised inside him. “But what if she doesn’t?”

Varyan looked him deep in the eyes. “Well, let’s just say that the Baron won’t allow two mages to emerge at the same time.”