On our way back to Arduwan’s village, Wraith and several other barbarians found us. They were able to carry Arduwan the rest of the way so that I could worry about my own wounds, which to be fair were superficial.

King Ardu approached me and slapped me on the back, nearly winding me once more, but declared, “Sir Noble! Not only have you exposed a traitor within our midst, but you have disposed of him and kept my daughter safe. How can we…or…how can she ever repay you?”

This guy really wanted me to bone Arduwan!

“About that your majesty. I wish to release Arduwan from her life debt. She had said during her most recent visit that you may have a way, but didn’t tell me the details until we came here.”

“Ah yes. Traditionally, the only way to release a barbarian from their life debt is through death or by an overwhelming service to the one they are indebted to. But I understand, that can be rather vague.”

“Yes, it is. Arduwan has tried to keep tally of how many times she has saved my life, but she has trouble and loses count.”

“Umm, yes, I too have difficulty with double digits. Once all fingers are used, it becomes tricky,” said the king.

I held back a snicker and continued to ask, “so you have found an alternative way to release her?”

The king and I continued walking and talking in private away from the others. He answered, “Why yes. Arduwan has expressed to me that she wishes to court your friend Sir Wraith. Personally, I don’t see what it is she sees in him that you don’t already provide for her.

But I have come up with a solution.”

Finally, someone else in this world who sees Wraith for who he is. Breath of fresh air considering that’s how everyone sees him in our world. “So what did you have in mind?”

* * *

The next morning, Wraith and I gathered on the edge of town with the barbarians.

Arduwan’s leg was pretty badly damaged but she was bandaged up and able to stand. King Ardu took a large piece of white chalk and walked out to a big open area. He pointed the chalk downward and started to draw a straight line. After about sixty or so feet, he stopped, turned, and drew in the other direction. He continued until a large room sized rectangle was drawn on the ground.

The king cleared his throat and said, “In order for the transfer of a life debt to occur, the one who wishes to receive the debt must do combat with the one who currently holds the debt. The two will do battle until one is dead or knocked out of the arena. If the possessor of the life debt wins, then he shall have it until his death. However, should the challenger win, he shall receive the life debt himself until it is fulfilled.”

Wow. So this was it, huh? Wraith and I were going to do battle with one another. To be honest, if you had told me this after the fight with Davol, I would’ve thought for sure I’d lose. Wraith was just too damned skilled and I was a fresh fish when it came to fighting back then. However, that was nearly a year ago and we’d both grown quite a bit. Although, with my magic power, I believe I might have the edge. But did either of us really have the heart in this fight to truly take each other on?

“Alright, Eric,” Wraith said, flashing his Scimitar in my direction, “just because we’ve been friends for two decades, don’t think I’m gonna go easy on you when Lady Arduwan’s on the line. Maybe you can’t handle a woman like that. But I sure as hell want her!”

Well that answers that.

“No weapons allowed,” snorted the king, prompting Wraith to hand off his sword and daggers to a nearby barbarian.

The two of us stepped into the chalk rectangle. We stood at opposite ends from each other. It was quiet, like an old western showdown at high noon. After a moment, the king signaled for the fight to begin. Wraith sped off towards me at a full sprint. I held my guard and awaited his attack. Just as he reached my end of the rectangle, he extended his fist and landed a punch on my face. I took the hit directly and voluntarily tossed myself backwards out of the rectangle. The fight was over. I knew what it meant for both of them and I wanted them to be happy.

Arduwan’s face lit up. Wraith stood there with his fist extended outward and a look of shock. The other barbarians cheered but were soon brought back to silence.

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“Wait!” announced the king, “one factor has not yet been considered. This contest was formulated in regards to Princess Arduwan’s original life debt to Sir Noble. He garnered it as payment for his aid to her in helping destroy the Sorcerer Davol and restoring the villagers to normal from their stone curse. However…”

Everyone waited in silence, eager for him to finish.

“In light of yesterday’s treachery, Arduwan has incurred a new life debt to Sir Noble for saving her life from death at the hands of Throd.”

Commotion erupted from the other barbarians. A fellow chieftain asked, “But how can she have two life debts to two different outsiders at once?”

“She cannot,” said the king, inciting more commotion.

I decided to interject, “Hey, that’s alright. I don’t need my life debt anymore. We can just stack that one over onto Wraith too. Afterall, it happened before this contest anyway.”

“It is not possible,” the king replied, “I had not considered it in the transfer until after Sir

Noble was tossed from the arena.”

Dammit. Was this just barbarian idiocy or was he calculating a way to keep me into the fold with Arduwan since all the other barbarians were also indebted to me?!

Arduwan ran up to his side and said, “Father, what should I do?! I wish to court and serve Sir Wraith but I also feel obligated to Eric. The truth is, he’s my friend!”

“Not to worry my daughter. There is one more wise than all of us who can determine a solution to this dilemma.”

A dilemma that could've been avoided if he had just thought his through before drawing the rectangle.

“Who?” Arduwan asked.

The king proclaimed, “We shall beseech Fraz, the God of all Barbarians. Surely his infinite wisdom concerning barbarian affairs can help us.”

* * *

That evening, the barbarians took us to a large altar they had set up outside of town.

Wooden stairs led up to the top of a small stone mesa where giant fires billowed on either side in reverence to the god Fraz. Up above, the night sky was littered with a field of stars as we heard the banging of drums and the chants of zealous barbarians.

Down below, in front of the altar, the three of us stood awaiting an answer from the heavens. Arduwan explained to us, “Fraz is the patriarch to nearly all modern barbarians. Centuries ago, he went on many great adventures and spread his seed across the land, producing many descendents. It’s said that his reward for his heroism was that he was granted an immortal heavenly body. Thus ascending him to godhood.”

“Are we sure he’ll answer?” I asked, “And even if he does, do you think he’ll have a solution to the life debt problem?”

“Of course,” she said, “Fraz was the originator of the life debt. It was he who set the rules.”

Ah, I see. So that’s who’s responsible for this vaguely guided conundrum.

As the night went on, the drums sounded off and the barbarians danced and sang praises to Fraz. I was beginning to think that nothing would happen until suddenly, we all felt a presence. The chants and the drumming stopped and all fell silent. Only the crackle of the large fires on the mesa could be heard. All of us on the ground below looked upwards towards the altar. That presence had the same sensation as the first two times I encountered Delilah when she was still a true blue goddess.

Next, we heard a thundering voice from above. It was deep, almost like a stereotypical bodybuilder's voice. It said, “Vy have you beseeged me, Fraz, God of all Barbarian kind?” Very odd. He sounded almost like he had a German accent…or maybe even Austrian.

King Ardu raised his hands to the sky and said, “Almighty Fraz, I, your descendent, King

Ardu seek your divine wisdom in solving a most peculiar dilemma.”

There was a moment's pause before the voice answered, “Go ahead my son, I yam open to your request.”

“Thank you, my lord. It’s a matter of clarity on the Barbarian Life Debt. My daughter has sworn a life debt to an outsider, per the code of our people. But the bearer of her debt wishes to pass it to another. However, she has since incurred yet another qualifier of a life debt to him.”

Well, I wouldn’t say since, considering that happened before Wraith and I even had the contest.

“Ah, I see. Bring forth ze man who she has zworn ze life debt to.”

I took a step forward and said, “It is I, Eric Noble, your divine majesty.”

“Noble you say?” asked Fraz, “Mein Gott, I should have known. You are the dezendent

Edvard Noble. He vas your great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, Grand Fahzer. He and I vent on many adventures togezer. In fact, he vas inspiration for ze life debt in ze virst place.”

Really? Edward Noble, huh? Wow. This must’ve been in the middle ages he was referring to. Long before the mansion was even built.

“I see. Well, that’s good to know. I’m glad we were on the same side. My father said when he adventured in Callist, the barbarians were hostile to him.”

“Ja, I was most dizpleazed in zer decisions in those days. Zey had become ze byad guys and had vallen out of my favor.”

“Forgive us, my lord,” said Ardu, as he bowed his head in disgrace.

“Zont worry, for I have forgiven you. But to your point. Ze anzwer is really quite simple. In order for Prinzess Arduwan to abzolve her life debt to Eric and begin her one to ze one called Wraith, she must devote herself to a zingle tazk that Eric azigns to her and complete it.”

“Assign her a specific task?” I questioned.

“Ja, you vish to vanguizh ze Devil King, correct?”

“That’s right.”

“Zen Arduwan must accompany you on ziz journey and see through to ze end that you accomplish this tazk.”

“Wow. That’s actually really simple. Thank you, your grace,” I acknowledged.

The voice began to fade off into the night sky as he said, “No problem-o. Ze Almighty

Fraz has zpoken and my vord iz fy-nal…NYAAAAAHHHHHH!!! I’ll be baaaaack!”

I turned towards Arduwan and said, “Well, how bout it? If you can complete this task with me, you’re free to go.”

She reached over and hugged me and said, “Oh, Eric! Thank you so much! I’ll follow you to the edge of the universe if it means accomplishing your goal.”

I had to use my own arms as a wedge to keep her from suffocating me, but I did appreciate the gesture.