As I moved away from Sart, I wondered again if I shouldn't have brought the ax. There wasn't any place for anything to hide on the road to the mining outpost, but did that guarantee anything? Not really.

As I trudged forward, my stomach was a clenched mass of growling fury. I'd not eaten a full meal yesterday, and even then, it'd be only my second meal. Ever since arriving here, I'd not had more than the bare minimum of food. At least that's how it felt to me.

The closer I got to the mines, the more imposing the stone walls became. It had looked like a small compound from a distance, but when I reached them, the walls towered above me. Muffled shouting and noise came from inside.

A trio of guards blocked the gate, looking at me as I approached. Two were bow-wielding humans, while the third was a Grablon with two large swords on his back.

"What brings you here?" The Grablon asked, and I cursed. How was I going to find the one who had saved me? The bastard had only told me the title to speak to older Grablons. Seeing the other's crows-lines and grey hair, I shrugged. I guess that would have to do.

"I am looking for another Guro. He came back with four Wirgs yesterday."

The two archers snorted, but one glare from the Grablon silenced them. With a wave, they moved aside, and the Grablon turned to me and waved me inside.

"Good, you know this much, at least. The one you search for is known as Three in this camp. Enter, go left, and follow the wall. You will find him."

I nodded and moved inside, wondering what he meant with 'this much.' The large square building in the middle dominated the inside of the mining camp. Almost as high as the wall, it had a single large entrance. The path inside had a steep incline down, and torches lined the walls. Tents stood everywhere, and dozens of mercenaries sat around campfires.

Turning left, I quickly walked forward. A larger tent stood at the back of the compound, and three wooden tanning racks stood there. The Wirg hides on it looked almost as good as the one Agga had done. A Grablon had his back towards me as he was spreading a fourth one out on another rack.

Wondering where he found all the wood, I moved forward until I was close enough not to shout.

"Guro," I said. I could have gone with Three, but it wouldn't hurt to try and get on his good side before negotiating a price.

The other turned around, and I saw it was indeed the one that had saved my life.

"So, decided to take me up on my offer?" He said, looking at my gleaming wet leggings.

"Not yet. I am here to sell something Agga made," I replied, holding up the bundle.

Three frowned, but then his eyebrows rose up, and he grinned. "Is that a wood dagger she made?"

I nodded, unwrapping it and holding it up in the light.

"Good, good! Follow me!" The change of his mannerism was startling, and I followed him inside the tent. A Grablon child sat at a table. She was scribbling in a book with something that looked a lot like a pencil. Two of her other hands were playing with a doll, and looking at her effortlessly do two things at once, I felt a bit jealous. I could use my four arms without getting a splitting headache now, but most of the time, I used the two left arms in unison and the two right.

"My daughter. She is yet to get her true name, but you can call her Four," Three said as he moved towards a chest at the back of the tent. Opening it, he began rummaging inside.

What is up with these numbers… I thought, shaking my head.

"They can't say our names," a soft voice said, and looking up, I saw the girl stare at me. If she was a human, I'd say she was between eight and ten. "So the first Grablon that joined them is one, and then two and so on."

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

A soft ping from my status-window made me groan. What did I just learn that was useful, dammit?

The girl turned back to her drawings while Three moved up to me. "If you still had your memories, I would have given you our outside names, but until you go to the Elderlings, it won't matter."

It won't matter to you, I thought, before looking at the bag he was holding.

"Show me the dagger," he said, holding out his hand.

Hoping I could trust him, I handed the wrapped bundle over. Opening it, he looked at the dagger and hummed. Looking around, he grabbed a small piece of wood from a pile in the corner and sliced through it with the dagger.

"This is not just any hardwood. Is it Winding Weed?"

I didn't really want to answer his question, remembering how Agga had said it was rare, and we shouldn't let others know. Then again, if she was to sell a dozen or more to them… Reluctantly I nodded, and Three grinned.

"I'll buy it. I know the true price of this, but I can't pay that much right now. I can offer three small Fragments."

My face fell at the prospect of having to haggle.

"Not a fair price. True. Fine, I can add something perhaps," he said, looking me up and down. Then he moved back towards the trunk and took out a pair of leather boots. They seemed old and well worn.

"Agga should be able to make these fit you!"

Looking at the boots, I remembered Agga sitting at the woodcarver table. She probably wouldn't have started making the boots yet, which meant she might be able to make me a vest. Thinking for a moment, I nodded.

"Good," Three said, handing me three small gleaming pieces of wood the size of toothpicks. Holding the Soulwood fragments in one hand, and the boots in the other, I nodded and backed up out of the tent again.

"Agga said I should ask if you are interested in more of these daggers?" I asked.

Three looked at me for a while before shaking his head. "I have no more Soulwood fragments for them, but you could try the other mercenaries. Be careful when dealing with Haggon, though. He is the leader of another group and currently in control over this mine. He will try and take them, preferably without paying."

Groaning at the anticipation of having to haggle with a whole camp while dodging some thug, I looked around at the other tents. Three went back to the Wirg leather hides. The knife now hung from his belt.

"Safe trip back. And remember my offer. Our group will be here for another week, waiting for our relief. Until then, you can come and find me here."

Seeing him busy with the hide, I guessed that was his way of telling me our conversation was over. Shaking my head, I looked at the boots, wondering if I should try them on. Better not.

As I moved back to the gate, I saw a group of mercenaries walk out of the mine and almost stumbled. The middle one was a humongous man, at least two heads taller than the others and insanely muscled. A long scar ran from the top of his bald head to his jaw, crossing an eye. The eye was milky, the pupil staring permanently up. Seeing the other pitch black eye staring at me, I swallowed and quickly turned towards the gate.

Ever since I'd figured this was all real, I was a lot less inclined to pick a fight.

"Stop!"

Hearing the gritty voice, I froze. Turning back, I saw the humongous man move towards me.

"What are you doing here?" He growled, looking me up and down. His eyes lingered on the boots for a moment.

"I had dealings with Three," I replied, hoping there wouldn't be any trouble.

The man frowned, a dangerous glitter appearing in his eyes. "Nobody has dealings here without me knowing about it. What did you four-armed miscreants do!" He stepped another step to me, towering above me and glaring down along his nose.

Looking at the other mercenaries, I saw they were grinning. Dammit, this must be Haggon. Just my luck, running into him and his goons. Trying to figure out what to say, I saw his face begin to contort in anger.

"I..I...brought him something in exchange for the boots," I stammered. Fear and anger made me want to lash out. I wish this was a game, and I could just attack him and respawn later.

“What was it?” Haggon snarled.

"A knife!" A loud voice shouted from behind me.

Haggon looked up, and for an instant, I saw fear in his eyes. Then he snorted and straightened to his full length.

"Who gave you the right to make deals in my mine," Haggon snapped.

Seeing the big man's attention diverted, I quickly backed up until I was with my back against the wall.

"This isn't your mine. It belongs to the Hazel corporation!" Three snapped back, walking forward. He was facing off against Haggon and the three humans without a hint of fear.

Haggon scowled at the smaller mercenary, his eyes moving to the knife. They widened a fraction, and then he took a step forward.

"That knife looks familiar. What is it?"

Three sniffed and glanced at me. "Get lost. This is Doom Dagger affairs. I'll send someone to you about the other thing."

Nodding, I rushed away and out of the gate, feeling weak and angry. I hated being bullied. I needed to get stronger! How was I going to find Sandra and the other humans like this? I'd be eaten by the first strong thing I encountered.