“That small dot on the map makes a lot more sense now,” muttered Turk as he surveyed the damage we had done. “I really don’t consider ten families worth even a dot on a map.”

I nodded while I watched as Vreek and Dirk stacked bodies in a pile. Forty-eight bodies would be burnt tonight. Turk had just returned from starting fires in the different fields. I was not going to bother with the livestock. If they lived, they lived. It did not matter to me if they died.

It had taken us less than a day to get here. There had been a few small groups traveling the road during the day, and we cut them down and left them where they fell. Vreek said it would be the easiest that way if we wanted to leave a trail for others to follow.

When we arrived here, all of the people had been in their homes preparing to turn in for the night. The four of us split up and filled the night with screams. The biggest surprise had been the building on the west side of town. A building with over a dozen Taxabis, as Vreek called them.

“A few of them are still in there, Dad,” moaned Turk. “They don’t want to leave.”

“We can’t make them accept their freedom, Turk. All we can do is give them the opportunity to take it. Those Tabaxi look like they are half-starved anyways. I doubt they would survive finding a new place to live.”

Turk was growling a little bit and I think he did not realize it.

“Cat people! Cat fricken people!" he exclaimed as he kicked a rock off the walkway we were on. "Everything we saw in all those anime and games except here they are super docile and are flat-chested.”

I chuckled as I could not decide if he was more upset that they had made slaves from a race he had dreamed of for years or that the women were flat-chested.

“It is what it is,” I declared. “Nothing we can do about it. Now go and help your brother and Vreek so we can get a move on. I want to continue pressing north.”

Turk stomped off and I just shook my head as I watched him go. The last thing I needed right now was a teen with hormones in a goblin's body. I shuddered when I thought about what he might do if he came across cat women as he had envisioned.

The map showed the next small dot was probably a day and a half away based on how long it took us to get here. I wanted to go a little bit slower to the next village. Even though each of us ate a heart from one of the people here, none of these hearts would provide any real boost since they were all just farmers.

Gazing around, I saw the fields burning in the dark of night. Smoke drifted up in large plumes that disappeared into the night sky. It looked like the countryside was burning and if anyone was looking for us, this would serve as a beacon of where we might be.

I rubbed the ring Brar had given me and tapped the gem three times.

“Brar. Brar. Brar.”

I did as Brar had told me when I wanted to talk to him. Tap the gem three times and repeat his name three times. I had no idea how it worked or if there was a delay. Part of me was laughing because it felt like I was making a call over a cell phone at the moment.

A few seconds passed and I heard a voice in my head.

I am here Zolb. Good work on the town.

I moved a little away from the other three and held the ring to my mouth.

“How did the relocation of the camp go? Anyone come looking for you yet?”

You sound loud. Are you talking into the ring?

Crap! I probably looked like a fool talking into this damn ring. Why the hell did Brar not tell me how to do this?

Holding the ring back a little, I tried to let my frustration go.

“I was not sure how this worked. Someone forgot to tell me how to use this thing. I have a question.”

Brar’s voice seemed to throb in my head a little bit louder. Did he put his ring up to his mouth just to mess with me?

I did forget to teach you that. It must have slipped my mind. No one has been spotted by the scouts but it has only been a day. Most likely, they will not reach the city for another few days with scouts or any real heroes. What do you need?”

Pulling out the map, I set it down on the ground and looked at it. Off to the west of the city, we are headed towards some marks on the map, like the one used to represent Brar’s camp.

“Is there a camp of goblins or orcs to the west of what should be an elf city? I have a map we took from a building, and it has some markings on it like it did for your camp.”

No reply came for half a minute, and I wondered if the ring had run out of magic.

“You there?”

Yes! Give me a frickin elf minute to check a different map. I am getting it out.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

I caught myself as I almost said sorry to Brar. That would not look good at all. A few more moments passed, and Brar finally spoke again.

How far north are you traveling?

“It should take us no more than a week, I would guess. The city is on the edge of a giant forest and behind that, it looks like there are mountains based on the drawings on this map.”

Do the mountains run west and then turn south for a bit?

Glancing at the map, I saw the lines they had used to draw the mountains and figured it matched up with what Brar was talking about.

“It looks like it. These should be the same ones.”

“Bucket of dwarf shite!” exploded in my mind. Obviously, he had shouted into the ring. If they have that marked, then that is most likely why no one has heard from that camp in months. Can you go and look for it?

I was still trying not to laugh about the bucket of dwarf shite and ignore the throbbing in my head. I was going to need to keep a journal soon of all the different curse phrases and how each one was meant to be used.

“We can. We will do that before we attempt to attack that elf city.”

Zolb, be careful in attempting that! The four of you are strong but that city is well fortified and it has more archers and casters than you can imagine. It is rumored to be about ten times the size of the town you just destroyed. The heroes in that city will be far beyond what you encountered here and there will be at least a hundred or more.

“Buckets of dwarf shite! Can it really be that bad?”

A moment passed with no reply and I wondered if Brar was ignoring me.

Are you mocking me? The hero you faced was strong, but you had also eaten the heart of one of your kind. There is no telling how much stronger it makes you at that moment. There are probably twenty or more heroes as strong or stronger than he was. There are also one or two in the city who could have rivaled you even when under the effects of the heart. Do not rush into what you are not prepared for!

Brar was right and I knew it. I was being stupid with my newfound power and overconfident. The last time I acted like that had almost cost us our lives.

“Fine, I will hold off attacking the city. I will focus on finding the camp that is missing. Any clues on where to look?”

I would check near the mountains. Be careful though as there are some powerful creatures in them. Not every enemy is pink-skinned.

I heard a cough, turned, and saw Turk and Dirk staring at me.

“Talking to yourself?” asked Turk.

I shook my head and held out my fist with the ring showing.

“I’m talking to Brar.”

“Hey, Brar!” shouted Dirk.

Dirk looked at me and appeared to be waiting for a reply.

“I do not believe there is a speaker function.”

What is a speaker function?

“Bah! Ok, stop all of you. Turk and Dirk, give me a minute. Brar, I will update you when we find something about the other camp. Ok?”

“Ok,” quipped Turk with a smile.

Be safe and make sure Vreek keeps you from getting in trouble.

I massaged my head as having two or more conversations at the same time was making it hurt.

“How do I turn this off?”

No reply came for a moment, so I figured Brar must have ended our conversation. It seemed he was always forgetting to tell me how to do things.

Dirk was still waiting, and when he saw it looked like I was done, he motioned at me with his hand.

“Are you free to talk to us now?”

“Yeah. Sorry, this ring doesn’t have a speaker option.”

Dirk chuckled and motioned to the pile of bodies burning a little bit away.

“Everything here is taken care of. Vreek refilled our packs with some meat and Turk just left to go to the building with the slaves again. I think he is still trying to convince them to leave.”

“That’s fine. You and Vreek want the first turns on carrying the meat or do you want Turk and I to do it?”

Dirk waved me off and smiled.

“Heck no. I would rather get any small boost out of carrying and running with it that I can. Besides, I heard you mention we were going to look for some camp. Anything I should know?”

“Nothing that I want to repeat multiple times. I’ll update everyone when we are on our way. Get Vreek and the supplies, and meet me at the building with Turk. I want to leave in a couple.”

Dirk nodded and headed off. I started walking toward where I knew Turk would be. I could only imagine what he was thinking right now.

“How many are left?” I asked as I got close to where Turk was standing.

Turk never turned towards me even though I knew he had heard me coming. He was still staring into the darkness of the slave quarters.

“Four," he grumbled. "I convinced two more to leave but these four will not go. One of them even asked me to put the collar back on them. How broken does someone have to be in order to gladly live as a slave?”

When I reached him I rested my hand on his shoulder and stood there a minute. I could see the four of them huddled in the corner, holding the chains that had once bound them in their hands. They could see us and were as far away from us as possible.

“Some people prefer the safety of what they know. I am guessing this has been the only life they have ever lived. Us telling them to run away and be free seems scarier than waiting here for someone else to claim them. They know the job they are required to do and get a place to sleep and food in their belly. I am not saying it is right but we cannot force them to leave. They have to choose to be free of the chain that binds their will.”

Turk looked at me and rolled his eyes.

“Did you steal that from some book or something? You are not smart enough to come up with that on your own.”

Laughing, I just shrugged my shoulders at him.

“I honestly have no idea. Part of it is me and the other part is probably from one of the hundreds of games we played. Regardless, it is time to go. We have a new mission from Brar.”

Turk turned and I could see the excitement in his eyes.

“Are you going to tell me what it is or make me wait for the others?”

I just laughed as I walked away. I had become too predictable.